Survivor: Redemption Island

[SydneyK]

^^Right. That's why I said *glimmers* of strategic thought.

All in all, I thought last night's episode was a little dull. Maybe it's because the Ometepe 6 have dominated so much that it became boring and predictable. Dee's right about it becoming more interesting now that they have to start picking off their own.

Phillip's success in finding his shorts was... lucky? impressive? I don't know. When things like that happen, I can't help but wonder if the production crew secretly tipped him off.

[ProudandTrue]

I think that Rob will try to vote Grant off next. He still needs the girls to vote with him, and then after Grant is gone, the girls will go. Rob will keep Phillip so he's sitting next to him at the final Tribal Council. I think that Matt is the only person who can beat Rob in the end...otherwise, it's his. Frankly, Matt and Rob are the only two who have really earned it.

[AlphaFrog]

It warmed my little Christian heart when Julie told Jeff that because of Matt, she's excited to go home and find a church to get involved in. I hope it wasn't just talk. If so, regardless of the "Jesus edit" and all that, Matt can say that he truly WAS there for a purpose, even if it wasn't to win the game.

The rest of the episode felt like "let's just hurry up and get these two gone so the backbiting and in-fighting can begin". When Steve approached the two girls, it was like for the first time it dawned on them that there are only 3 spots in the finals, Rob is taking one of those spots, and they weren't sure if the other two spots were theirs - but that was short-lived.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

The rest of the episode felt like "let's just hurry up and get these two gone so the backbiting and in-fighting can begin".

I had a feeling you would be disappointed in the episode when you posted this in another thread:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Oh, man. The Survivor thread is just blowing up today. I hope that means it was a good episode, but I'm staying out until I have a chance to watch it tonight.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I had a feeling you would be disappointed in the episode when you posted this in another thread:

Yes, I was much happier Climbing Every Mountain and solving my Maria problem that night than I was watching this episode.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I wonder why they're keeping so many people on RI. There are 4 people there now, right? That seems like a lot for only one to have the chance to get back in the game.

I think this would make it more interesting. Keep voting people out at tribal council until they’re down to 2 people, then have one giant challenge on Redemption Island to see who gets back in the game at the end. If they do this, though, they should start showing more of RI, and split the time between the people who are left and those that have been kicked out. Otherwise, us as viewers will have no idea what happened on RI, and understanding why people are voting the way they are during the Final 3 might be impossible.

Originally Posted by SydneyK

All in all, I thought last night's episode was a little dull. Maybe it's because the Ometepe 6 have dominated so much that it became boring and predictable. Dee's right about it becoming more interesting now that they have to start picking off their own.

I was kind of disappointed that the show decided to use the whole voting a second person out at tribal council thing this week and not next. Could you imagine? Rob and his pawns all think to themselves that there’s only one Zapatera left, the vote is obvious, and they are down to six. And then one of them reads aloud at tribal, “You have to vote someone else out right now…”

If I were one of Rob’s puppets, I would DEFINITELY vote for him then.

::Sigh:: but of course that didn’t happen.

Originally Posted by ProudandTrue

I think that Rob will try to vote Grant off next. He still needs the girls to vote with him, and then after Grant is gone, the girls will go. Rob will keep Phillip so he's sitting next to him at the final Tribal Council. I think that Matt is the only person who can beat Rob in the end...otherwise, it's his. Frankly, Matt and Rob are the only two who have really earned it.

If Rob doesn’t try to vote out Grant next, he’s an idiot. I think Grant is the one person who would try to break away from Rob and make a move toward voting him out. And Grant is a huge threat in immunity challenges.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by AGDee

My problem with someone on RI winning is that they didn't really have to play all aspects of the social game. I also think they should be showing us more about what's going on over there rather than just the challenge. That would tell us whether Matt is playing a social game over there or not. Since most of the people there comprise the jury, it seems like we should be seeing how they are interacting with each other.

Exactly. As I said a couple pages back...

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I think this would make it more interesting. Keep voting people out at tribal council until they’re down to 2 people, then have one giant challenge on Redemption Island to see who gets back in the game at the end. If they do this, though, they should start showing more of RI, and split the time between the people who are left and those that have been kicked out. Otherwise, us as viewers will have no idea what happened on RI, and understanding why people are voting the way they are during the Final 3 might be impossible.

We're now at a point where half of the people are at camp, and the other half are on RI. We SHOULD be seeing both.

[AlphaFrog]

Finale Reminder BUMP!!!

I'm still rooting for Matt to take it all, but I think if Rob makes it to the finals, he deserves to win because everyone else was stupid enough to let him get there!

[SydneyK]

I can't believe Mike let the Ometepe 6 visit with their families. I was shocked! Jeff hit the nail on the head when he said, "I thought the odds of that happening were less than zero."

I wonder why the producers didn't just call this season Resurrection Island. It would've set up the religious undertones much better, imo. We're getting the Jesus edit even when Matt doesn't deliver. *Cue Mike and his, from what I can remember, first Bible quote of the season.

Each week, I'm finding myself more conflicted about who I want to win. Rob is playing such a good game, it's almost too good. I can't explain it, but his domination in the challenges, the social game, the strategy, manipulation, etc... is almost to the point where I feel sorry for the other players. They're being completely outplayed. So, part of me wants to root against Rob. Then I remember that the other players had the opportunity to get rid of Rob and never even considered it. So, I'm finding it hard to root for any of the Ometepe 6.

I'm pulling for Matt, Mike and/or Ralph, and hope they can beat Andrea (and any of the other remaining Ometepe players). Go Team Jesus!

[AlphaFrog]

Not gonna lie, I totally teared up when Mike's mom said that she wasn't surprised at his decision because he is always a hero. I kinda think he was sincere when he told the camera in a side interview that he really did it because it was the right thing, not to earn votes.

I'm actually happier and happier with the Jesus edits. At first I thought they were going to get hokey and make Christians look like idiots, but I think they've shown some sincere religious moments.


On the other side of the coin...Andrea. Wow. How could you not see that coming?

It looks from the previews that people start talking and finding out that they're all promised final spots from Rob. Really? That thought just occured to them that they all think they're going to the end? Unless one of the RI ends up in the finals, Rob (or maybe Phillip, depending on his closing arguments about how he worked the crazy man strategy) is the only one that's actually played the game and deserves to win.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

On the other side of the coin...Andrea. Wow. How could you not see that coming?

I just wanted to scream when Andrea said that, now that the Zapateras were all gone, they could get back to the real game. Well, Andrea, if you'd been playing the real game all along, maybe you wouldn't have gone home.

And I'm with you about Mike last night (and Julie last week). I find myself being a little moved in a way I'm not used to on Survivor.

[AGDee]

And Rob keeps winning immunities and STILL has a hidden immunity idol too. He can't use that past the final four, I believe, so he could use it next time to save himself or, if he wins immunity, to give it to someone else to use.

[SydneyK]

I get the feeling that, while Matt/Julie/Mike's religious sentiments are heartfelt, the producers are capitalizing on it. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, of course. But I can see how it could be off-putting to some. Perhaps it's because one's path to religion is typically private? I don't know. It feels calculated to me, but not necessarily off-putting.

ETA my prediction: I think it's being edited this way because Rob and Matt will be in the final 3, and the producers are setting the scene for us. Rob has been portrayed as the army chief and the puppetmaster; Matt has been portrayed as the shepherd. Both got people to do what they wanted (Rob got his tribemates to follow him blindly; Matt got his RI-mates to follow Jesus) and both end up in the finale due (in part) to their skills. Still cheering for Team Jesus here.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Jen

I don't know .... it's just a weird vibe that's not enjoyable for me to watch, and I feel like I can't really find the words to explain why.

I feel the same way. And it’s one of those situations where I don’t even want to attempt to explain it, because I’m afraid I’ll somehow (unintentionally) offend someone.

However……….. I’ll try…

First, let me start by saying that I’m not religious at all, so I think that could be a big part of it. I watch Survivor for the entertainment value, and I’m not “entertained” by all things religion, nor do I understand them.. nor do I want to.

I think what’s really turning me off about it is that it seems like it’s kind of taking over the show (and that it’s taken over Matt’s entire life). Yes, everyone has their own personalities, and they are all “being themselves,” but when someone like Matt appears to be completely consumed by everything religious, it just gets old. I can’t recall a clip of Matt where he DOESN’T mention something religious. Whenever they showed him on Redemption Island, I thought, “Here we go again.. what sign did God throw at you this time?” I’m sure that sounds awful, but it’s starting to remind me of a teenage girl who starts going out with her first boyfriend and WILL NOT SHUT UP about him. It gets to a point where you wonder if the person has ANYTHING else to talk about.

And that’s the best way I can explain it.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I think what’s really turning me off about it is that it seems like it’s kind of taking over the show (and that it’s taken over Matt’s entire life). Yes, everyone has their own personalities, and they are all “being themselves,” but when someone like Matt appears to be completely consumed by everything religious, it just gets old. I can’t recall a clip of Matt where he DOESN’T mention something religious. Whenever they showed him on Redemption Island, I thought, “Here we go again.. what sign did God throw at you this time?” I’m sure that sounds awful, but it’s starting to remind me of a teenage girl who starts going out with her first boyfriend and WILL NOT SHUT UP about him. It gets to a point where you wonder if the person has ANYTHING else to talk about.

And that’s the best way I can explain it.

It's supposed to. Matt is actually demonstrating well what a Christian life SHOULD be like. It SHOULD be like the girl with the new boyfriend that's so excited it's all she can talk about. That is MODEL Christian behavior. Not that Matt hasn't slipped a few times, but for the most part, "Well done, good and faithful one". Too many Christians are scared to act like that, because people WILL be off-put, think they're weird, or even persecute them. Jesus even told us in the Bible that it would happen, but we're supposed to follow him completely anyway. It kinda makes me sad that Matt can do this on national TV, and sometimes I have trouble doing it just in front of the people in my life.

Spread the Gospel...use words, if necessary.
Love people until they ask you why.