Survivor - China

[AlphaFrog]

I'm sort of surprised that someone didn't try to pull a fast one on Todd at Tribal and make some sort of indication that James should play an idol. I think it would have had to have been Erik though, because I think PeihGee would have put a target on her back by doing it herself. Although I guess if they REALLY wanted to be dirty about it, she could have done something (stare James down and then give him a "pity" face) AFTER the vote so that Todd wouldn't have a chance to realign his votes. It would have been in Eric and PeihGee's best interest to see Todd go, rather than James, and James would be down 1 Idol.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

And I can't believe we waited THREE WEEKS to find out it was a stupid reward challenge...although it was a VERY cool reward.

Very cool indeed, Grasshopper!

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

As much as I like James, he deserves to go for not playing ONE of his TWO immunity idols.

Really, James seemed like a great person, but a strategic master he is not. He was an idiot for not playing an idol.

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Todd & Amanda have played a stellar game. They know what Survivor is all about, and they're not afraid to do what it takes to win.

I'll agree about Amanda, but Todd has been a little more iffy it seems to me. Todd came in looking like he would be a strategic genius, but I can't tell if he's overconfident, overthinking too much, second-guessing too much, or what. I think he has made a few fairly major blunders.

ETA: I just looked at a total vote count, and I was wrong above. I thought that Erik voted for Todd, but he didn't.

I saw that too. I wonder why he didn't go with PG. I wonder if he'd had some conversations otherwise, or if he was already thinking about trying to align with Todd.

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I'm sort of surprised that someone didn't try to pull a fast one on Todd at Tribal and make some sort of indication that James should play an idol. I think it would have had to have been Erik though, because I think PeihGee would have put a target on her back by doing it herself. Although I guess if they REALLY wanted to be dirty about it, she could have done something (stare James down and then give him a "pity" face) AFTER the vote so that Todd wouldn't have a chance to realign his votes. It would have been in Eric and PeihGee's best interest to see Todd go, rather than James, and James would be down 1 Idol.

I thought that, too. But nobody wants to be in the final 3 with James -- he'd win. They'd have a better chance against Todd in the final 3, I think.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I thought that, too. But nobody wants to be in the final 3 with James -- he'd win.

This has always been my biggest gripe with Survivor: The most deserving people get voted out.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the strategy that goes into winning. But ultimately, the people who are usually around at the end are either good strategists, poor players who won't get any votes for the money, or people who completely fly under the radar.

I'd like to see another Survivor All-Stars that's comprised of nothing but one type of player (like all Courtneys or all Johnny Fair-plays). That'd be interesting.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I thought that, too. But nobody wants to be in the final 3 with James -- he'd win. They'd have a better chance against Todd in the final 3, I think.

Yes, but that goes back to this:

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Really, James seemed like a great person, but a strategic master he is not. He was an idiot for not playing an idol.

No doubt that James would have won if he had made it in front of the Jury, but without Todd there, I don't know if he's got the strategical prowess to get that far himself. The immunity idols only work until final 4 or 5 (yet another reason he should have played it last night). Just speculating that if Todd did get the boot, and they then went after the ZhanHuers as planned, that would leave Amanda, Courtney, Denise, and James. The girls would be the biggest morons in Survivor history to NOT get rid of James at that point. He would have had to win every challenge from Final 5 on to stay in the game.

ETA: Even if the ZhanHuers we able to swing Denise their way, and Amanda/Courtney/James were too stupid to vote for PeihGee or Erik who have previous votes and they voted out Courtney, then Amanda (or viceversa) James is next that way too. I can't think of a single outcome where James makes it to the Final 3 without winning every challenge/playing his immunity idols.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

No doubt that James would have won if he had made it in front of the Jury, but without Todd there, I don't know if he's got the strategical prowess to get that far himself. The immunity idols only work until final 4 or 5 (yet another reason he should have played it last night). Just speculating that if Todd did get the boot, and they then went after the ZhanHuers as planned, that would leave Amanda, Courtney, Denise, and James. The girls would be the biggest morons in Survivor history to NOT get rid of James at that point. He would have had to win every challenge from Final 5 on to stay in the game.

ETA: Even if the ZhanHuers we able to swing Denise their way, and Amanda/Courtney/James were too stupid to vote for PeihGee or Erik who have previous votes and they voted out Courtney, then Amanda (or viceversa) James is next that way too. I can't think of a single outcome where James makes it to the Final 3 without winning every challenge/playing his immunity idols.

Yeah, but even James would have realized by next tribal council that he had two immunity idols and two chances left to play them (by my count) -- no reason not to use them, especially if Todd, who he thought he was in with and who he thought was looking out for him, was gone. If James had made it past last night, he'd be in the final 4 and quite possibly in the final 3.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Yeah, but even James would have realized by next tribal council that he had two immunity idols and two chances left to play them (by my count) -- no reason not to use them, especially if Todd, who he thought he was in with and who he thought was looking out for him, was gone. If James had made it past last night, he'd be in the final 4 and quite possibly in the final 3.

If Todd was gone, James would only have ONE idol. He would have used the other one last night.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

If Todd was gone, James would only have ONE idol. He would have used the other one last night.

I am slow on a Friday morning.

[AlphaFrog]

And the Pagonging continues...

I just have one question: Denise, what were you thinking???

You should be thinking Endgame strategy. Taking Todd and Amanda is NOT Endgame strategy (even if they are "in charge", you need to start worrying about jury votes, on the chance that you DO make it that far). Voting for Erik is NOT Endgame strategy.

What Denise should have done (in my opinion - and assuming that the immunity challenges allow it to happen).... Vote for Todd. After he's gone, take PeihGee and Erik and vote for Amanda. Then, get Courtney to vote with you against PeihGee. Then, as long as Erik doesn't win the final challenge, you're sitting in front of the Jury next to Courtney. Game Over. You win. Even if you listened to PeihGee and Erik, and somehow won the last challenge, you don't really want to be sitting next to either of them at the Jury, because the Jury is full of a lot of bitter ZhanHuers.



As for the previews for next week: Amanda, what are YOU thinking?
Whoever said that Amanda/Todd/Courtney have about equal shot in front of the Jury right now, because they've all pissed about the same amount of people off, was dead on. Amanda may have SLIGHT advantage, because there were a few people who left before they saw her pulling the strings. In my opinion, Amanda taking Denise and PeihGee to the Final 3 is pretty stupid. Denise would beat Amanda, because she's just more likeable, and she didn't really piss anyone off (I think Erik realizes that she did what she thought she had to do). PeihGee has pissed people off, but still, as I said before, you're sitting in front of a Jury of bitter ZhanHuers (and JR, who I bet is pretty pissed at FeiLong as well).