Survivor: South Pacific (Survivor Season 23)

[MysticCat]

Bumping for tonight. If what I think is going to happen actually does happen, it will be a very interesting episode.

[AlphaFrog]

Merge? I haven't seen any previews except following last week's episode, and this week might as well have been a month where my memory is concerned.


Hypothetical RI Question: if they merge with even numbers, does the person returning to the game become a power player because they hold the tie-breaking vote, or do they become an easy pick-off that both sides can agree easily to get rid of? First instinct would be power player, but on further consideration, that person is likely to be seen as unpredictable and untrustworthy even as a tie-breaker. Even if they are used as a tie breaker, it would still probably be their only stay of execution, since after the tie is broken they are no longer useful.

[SydneyK]

^^ The previews don't mention a merge (from what I remember, anyway), but they do indicate that (spolier fonted - even though it's in the previews - just in case you don't want to know) that * someone asks to be sent to Redemption Island.* If that's the case, that's just dumb.

Regarding the hypothetical RI question: I think the answer completely depends on who the returning person is. If it's Christine, I think it's a moot point since she's made it clear that she'd switch to the red tribe (name escapes me).

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

^^ The previews don't mention a merge (from what I remember, anyway), but they do indicate that (spolier fonted - even though it's in the previews - just in case you don't want to know) that * someone asks to be sent to Redemption Island.* If that's the case, that's just dumb.

Regarding the hypothetical RI question: I think the answer completely depends on who the returning person is. If it's Christine, I think it's a moot point since she's made it clear that she'd switch to the red tribe (name escapes me).

Well, in addition to what you've said, they pretty much tell us which tribe this happens on. Shoot, I think they straight out tell us who pulls this move -- I don't think it's a misdirection in the previews. And I think the person involved thinks it's a strategic idea. Crazy yes, but it will be interesting.

[DaffyKD]

I can see the strategy behind it. Tribe feels the new evictee will be able to beat Christine in a challenge. Getting rid of her means that they don't have to worry about her loyalty at all when they go to the merge.

DaffyKD

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I was so disappointed in them for not trying. But all I could think was that the crazy from Coach and Brandon just provides too much interference for actual thinking.

But after Brandon's TC speech (seriously, what an idiot), can't you just see the reaction coming when he realizes that Coach lied about the HII. (Sorry, Coach, you didn't just withhold info, you lied. He asked whether you thought someone else could have found and it you said no.)

So Coach didn't lie. HE found it.. So obviously he didn't think that someone else did..

Originally Posted by DaffyKD

I can see the strategy behind it. Tribe feels the new evictee will be able to beat Christine in a challenge. Getting rid of her means that they don't have to worry about her loyalty at all when they go to the merge.

DaffyKD

Now knowing it was Ozzie, I think this was a stupid move.

The red tribe (whatever they're called) took a HUGE risk here.

And I don't think Christine should be a big concern for them, especially because she makes it blatantly obvious during the RI challenges that she pretty much hates her old tribe.. And she's been out to get Coach from day 1.

Ultimately, I think they would have been better off keeping the tribe strong, winning a couple challenges, and having the opportunity to go to the merge with more people and bring Christine into their group.

Even if Ozzy wins the RI challenge next week, I think they're going to be eliminating a potential ally.

[AGDee]

Well, if Ozzy beats Christine, then the strategy was successful. The Survivor commercial during TAR just said they will merge this week. *if*

[SydneyK]

Yeah. What AF & MC said.

Great episode! I was happy to see Ozzy beat Christine if for no other reason than to see how Savaii's plan pans out.

I'm glad Cochran flipped, to be honest. I don't think it was the wisest move on his part, but I can completely see why he did it. The only reason I can't get fully on board with it is because he's still at the bottom of the totem pole, and he's a step lower on Upolu's pole than he was on Savaii's. Once Upolu votes out the remaining 4 Savaii members, Cochran's probably next to go. But, there's a lot of Survivor to be played before they get to the point of voting out their own tribe, so this concern may not carry much weight. Of course, this is assuming they continue to vote along tribal lines which, judging by the preview, may not be the case for much longer.

Brandon's comment to Keith (or was it Jim?) in tribal was spot-on. I liked him more last night than I think I have all season. However, I wasn't real big on the comment he made to Cochran at the end - something along the lines of 'stay close to me'. I think Cochran has finally started standing up for himself (it's about time!), and I'd hate to see him get taken under the wrong player's wing. Coach, sure. Brandon? No. Brandon and Cochran both have issues and the two of them together would send each other down a dark, spiraling path.

Oh, and MC, thanks for the link to Jeff's blurb on EW! I had quit looking for his blog ever since since he took up during-show tweeting instead of post-show blogging. While answering a few questions does not a blog make, it's nice to get some post-show info from Jeff.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

Brandon's comment to Keith (or was it Jim?) in tribal was spot-on. I liked him more last night than I think I have all season.

I had the same thought. Then I realized we didn't see much Brandon last night, so maybe that's why I liked him more.

However, I wasn't real big on the comment he made to Cochran at the end - something along the lines of 'stay close to me'. I think Cochran has finally started standing up for himself (it's about time!), and I'd hate to see him get taken under the wrong player's wing.

I took the "stay close to me" comment as a literal, right-now thing -- stay close to me and I won't let them get too close to you or get in your face. Stay by me while things cool off.

And you're welcome.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I had the same thought. Then I realized we didn't see much Brandon last night, so maybe that's why I liked him more.

Last night's episode certainly supports the 'the less we see of Brandon, the more we like him' theory. I think the kid is seriously deluded. Cochran doesn't stand a chance if he doesn't align with Upolus other than Brandon. Sofie, Coach, maybe even Albert. And it needs to happen soon.

It sounds like I'm pulling for Cochran. And maybe I am in a way, but I think I'm pulling for a moral victory instead of a literal Sole Survivor kind of victory. Cochran certainly isn't the first contestant to be bullied, and I'm sure he won't be the last. But it's been nice to see him get a little vengeance.

I chuckled at the end when, at Redemption Island, Jim, Ozzy or Keith said, 'We were supposed to be the final three.' Ha ha.

[AlphaFrog]

I watched last week's episode online since I was at Mozart Requiem dress rehearsal, and I think I shut it off to early (I thought it seemed short), because when last night's episode started, I did not remember two being voted off...

I guess it was an easy way to get to the backstabbing stuff quicker picking off the last two in a row last night.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I guess it was an easy way to get to the backstabbing stuff quicker picking off the last two in a row last night.

Right. And I thought it was interesting that Cochran called it.

Cochran is a smart kid, and he seems to understand a lot about the game of Survivor. I was so disappointed and surprised, then, that he didn't work harder to solidify the Cochran-Dawn-Albert-Sofie-Whitney thing. Had they done that, especially considering that two people were voted out, they could have practically guaranteed themselves a 1 in 5 shot. I wonder what happened to change their minds? Surely it wasn't Coach's cocky 'Instant death upon anyone who goes against my wishes' tirade.

ETA: I just reread this thread from the beginning. While I don't ordinarily quote myself, I chuckled at this:

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I like Coach more this time around than during previous seasons. He's still cray-cray, but he seems to have lowered that pedestal he put himself on.

Evidently, I was drinking the Coach Kool-Aid early on - I was duped! He hasn't lowered that pedestal at all. AT ALL!!

[DaffyKD]

Were the survivors allowed to bring their clothes this season? They are not running around in their undies and then Cochran had on a jacket I don't remember seeing him in prior to tonight.

Three people on RI?

DaffyKD

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DaffyKD

Were the survivors allowed to bring their clothes this season? They are not running around in their undies and then Cochran had on a jacket I don't remember seeing him in prior to tonight.

Three people on RI?

DaffyKD

That was Coach's jacket. They all came more or less fully-dressed, and then they got swimsuits a few weeks in. Perhaps they realized how much America was scarred by Phillip last season.

And they did the same thing last season -- three people were at RI after the merge before they started challenges there again.

At the beginning of the season, I really liked Jim and Whitney. Now, they just grate on my nerves.

And Brandon's stupid was back at TC.

[PeppyGPhiB]

I usually skip the "highlights" episode, but I'm glad I watched this one. The new scenes of the sleeping arrangements in Ozzy's tribe shed a lot more light on how poorly Cocharan (sp?) was treated by his tribemates.