Survivor S45

[Prancer]

I think it was Prancer who said the editors don't usually include things for no reason, so I will be kind of disappointed if this giant toe thing doesn't play out in some way.

I'm not sure that will still be true in the age of the 90-minute episode. Jeff said that the extra time will allow them to show camp life, so this might be just some of the things that made what used to be extra clips that the producers considered entertaining but not really material to the story line.

 

[BaileyCatts]

uhm .... what the freaking hell just happened. I've been working at the same time as watching so not paying that close attention to all the gibber gabber. what'd i miss.

 

[tony]

uhm .... what the freaking hell just happened. I've been working at the same time as watching so not paying that close attention to all the gibber gabber. what'd i miss.

Emily blabbed and I’m shocked it actually happened, but what a great blindside.

 

[Jenny]

I thought that was really interesting. They all seem to be playing their cards on the table, but Emily's there counting them and they weren't adding up. Kaleb was the only one she felt she could trust, so it was smart to do what she could to save him. Plus, he's a better partner going forward than Sabiyah and Sean, who are clearly tight and anyone else would be a third wheel, aka expendable.

They also should be anticipating a quicker merge or tribe shuffle now that one tribe has only 3 players, and Kaleb's the one who is in the best position to help her make amends with the other tribes.

Still wondering about any effects from Kendra being at their camp for a few hours, but since they didn't mention it at all again, I guess it doesn't come into play. Did I even see the edit cut to Kendra when it was announced someone to come to one of their camps like the entire idea of it was a total shock to her?

Anyway, glad Kaleb lives another day. Gotta cheer for the good Canadian boy

 

[screech]

Every time Kendra opens her mouth, I just hear Drew Barrymore lol.
Go Canadian Boy!

 

[smurfy]

Really interesting episode.
Emily made the best move for herself. I like Sabiyah - but really like Kaleb.
I am curious how far Emily goes - the further she goes - the more I will root for her.
Sean was really shocked.
Still not liking Kendra. Want to see more of the other tribes .

 

[BaileyCatts]

1. I really don't like it when people essentially quit. I was thinking that speech was a cover to make sure Sifu didn't play anything, and I can't keep track of who has anything so wasn't sure if he did. Totally sucks for the people who just missed the cut when people quit.

2. Still not quite sure what happened here to all of a sudden quit.

 

[tony]

1. I really don't like it when people essentially quit. I was thinking that speech was a cover to make sure Sifu didn't play anything, and I can't keep track of who has anything so wasn't sure if he did. Totally sucks for the people who just missed the cut when people quit.

2. Still not quite sure what happened here to all of a sudden quit.

I think living in the conditions he did for a week and then switching tribes, being on the outside and losing again, probably just got to him. I know people here and around the internet get mad at these situations and they also used to at emotional family visits late in the game (in the old format, a month or so into it), but some people can prepare all they want and still end up miserable. There's a lot of downtime to sit around and let your mind start messing with you-- especially if all the luck is going against you.

Dee is a Miami girl and I want to see her do well, but I can't see this going well with her bestie Julie.

 

[Jenny]

Well I didn't see that coming. Sean spent much of the episode playing really hard (and well I thought) on his new tribe, and when he started that speech I too thought it might be some elaborate ruse (true of course, heartfelt, but timely?) and then all of sudden he wants to go? And why then didn't Jeff do what he did with Hannah, where they didn't even vote? Instead they voted, and for some reason Sean voted for Dee? I don't get it. Dissatisfying ending to what was otherwise a great episode.

Also, don't know about y'all but I like to keep the Wiki page handy to remind me who's on what tribe and who voted for who, and there's a spoiler on there if you look at the upcoming episode titles - which I guess Survivor must issue in some way, but there you go.

ETA: Some veerrryy interesting comments from Jeff on what happened at TC, and Dalton Ross' recap (which I'm finding really funny this season) points out that Sean would not have immediately gone home - he's be in Ponderosa until the first jury member arrives. He says he'll have his interview with Sean up later today - I'll definitely look for that.

 

[screech]

Even though he's at ponderosa, are they allowed to phone or video call with their loved ones back home? part of me thinks the producers have to think realistically that the contestants won't keep everything secret from their spouses until the show airs, but part of me also thinks that they have wishful thinking and therefore wouldn't want them communicating.

 

[SkateGuard]

Really interested to see how things play out in the merge! Based on the edit, I have a feeling Kaleb and Emily will make it far but who knows. As an FYI for Survivor fans, the reboot of the UK version just started. Watched the first 2 episodes last night and it looks promising... though very old school compared to the US, Australian and even SA versions.

 

[tony]

Jeff seemed extremely moody when Kaleb got the shot in the dark-- it was almost anticlimactic like he was like 'oh great, why did this have to happen?' and he seemed bored as hell or maybe even annoyed reading through all the votes

What a boring overall revote though. J was one of the biggest non-threats in the game. Emily continues to get through, and just remember her clip from episode one talking about wanting to be voted out first if she didn't win the game. I, too, think she's going far.

 

[Lacey]

Jeff seemed extremely moody when Kaleb got the shot in the dark-- it was almost anticlimactic like he was like 'oh great, why did this have to happen?' and he seemed bored as hell or maybe even annoyed reading through all the votes

What a boring overall revote though. J was one of the biggest non-threats in the game. Emily continues to get through, and just remember her clip from episode one talking about wanting to be voted out first if she didn't win the game. I, too, think she's going far.

Not sure I loved J, think the game will be more lighthearted without her. Good final 12.

 

[Spikefan]

I like Kaleb, so was thrilled he was safe. However, out of those you could vote for I would have gone Emily or Dee. Of course they don’t see what I see.

 

[Jenny]

Jeff at the time and Jeff now might have two different views, but according to this, he's thrilled with what happened. Since shot in the dark has been introduced, 8 players have tried and got "not safe" and the one person who got "safe" didn't need it as she didn't receive any votes. According to Jeff the original idea was something that anyone could do, at a cost, to flip TC on the spot, and it finally worked. In the link, he even says he had to keep a straight face when he read it before he revealed it, so maybe that's why he looked grumpy.

Or it's that scratchy throat he seems to have every TC after he spends hours yelling through challenges?

Anyway, Good Canadian Boy Kaleb is saved, and I'm happy. And Austin was so right wanting the sandwich over the amulet, and J paid the price of that stupid decision along with trying to hide her Dee vote by telling everyone to tell Sifu she voted for him. That and perhaps her general grumpiness put her in place to be the quick back up (rather than Emily) when the Kaleb vote fell through.

Also another shout out to Austin for choosing the right time to upgrade an advantage to an idol when he and his bestie had immunity and there was the max number of votes in the game to ensure his vote wouldn't be missed by others or affect the outcome.

On that point, Kaleb's position is working well for Austin and Drew, who I think are the other biggest threats to the end as they plow through with their own alliances and strategies apparently unnoticed by most of the others, who are focussed on getting out people they don't like or who slighted them or who, in Kaleb's case, seem too nice or strong.

Would be fun to see an Austin-Drew-Kaleb-Emily final I think.

 

[Sparks]

I like that The Shot in the Dark finally paid off

 

[Prancer]

Love Kaleb, but he has to go or he really will win. They got that part of it right, anyway.

But I think Bruce might annoy people too much for Kaleb to be the target again next time.

 

[genevieve]

It took me a while to get caught up, and I think it's because this cast is such a bunch of duds. Promising players who get caught making a move too soon (Sabiyah, and almost Dee), 2 people who should have never made it out there, another random mid-TC quitter, and way, way, way too many wannabe alpha dudes. Plus some others not reading the room, but with such lopsided losses in the beginning, nothing came of it.

I still don't like Emily and don't want her to win, but she has learned (mostly) from her earlier mistakes. And Kaleb's strategy of befriending her when she was public enemy #1 paid off when she tipped him off just how serious the case was against him. Of course the shot in the dark was just luck, but at least from the editing he seemed shocked at how dire his position was.

I kind of like Austin, but I can't stand Drew, and they're a package deal. I don't see that bromance souring.

Bruce is being portrayed as a clown, essentially. He's always bossing people around and being foolish. The entertainment value in this is how much he drives Keturah up the wall (was it last week when she went on and on and on about him?). When he's not being everyone's annoying dad he has good observations.

I like Kellie best, but the most we saw of her was her initial bonding with Brando. She doesn't seem to have any real allies now, and of course Austin wants her gone asap so he will have another idol. Her best move is to let others know and try to get the target off her and onto him.

I am so nervous for Jake to have a major medical event. After the first faint I was wondering if he has some previously-undetected condition. But why show not one but two events that didn't impact play, unless they are leading to something bigger. Or, they were just looking for a reason to bring in his backstory, since he's not much of a presence in the game otherwise. Who can know. But it's uncomfortable.

 

[Prancer]

I am so nervous for Jake to have a major medical event. After the first faint I was wondering if he has some previously-undetected condition. But why show not one but two events that didn't impact play, unless they are leading to something bigger. Or, they were just looking for a reason to bring in his backstory, since he's not much of a presence in the game otherwise. Who can know. But it's uncomfortable.

I keep having two totally different thoughts about this.

On one hand, several cast members have reported fainting off and on, especially toward the end; it just isn't shown because it isn't necessary to the storyline. Now that they are showing more camp life, it might just be that they are showing that the game is hard physically.

On the other hand, I keep remembering Mike falling into the fire in Australia .

 

[Sparks]

I believe the Jake fainting scenes are a way for the conversation to open up about disordered eating among in men

 

[genevieve]

I keep having two totally different thoughts about this.

On one hand, several cast members have reported fainting off and on, especially toward the end; it just isn't shown because it isn't necessary to the storyline. Now that they are showing more camp life, it might just be that they are showing that the game is hard physically.

On the other hand, I keep remembering Mike falling into the fire in Australia .

The first faint I thought was going to be just like Skupin's, since Jake was right by the fire

The 2nd one I was even more convinced this was leading to a medical crisis, but after they showed his backstory.... well, even with that set up, his story was awkwardly shoe-horned in. Maybe this was just the best they thought they could do in retrospective editing.

I am also completely over the NEW ERA of Survivor. Do these contestants get an extra dollar every time they say it in a confessional?

 

[Kasey]

Not too sad to see Sifu gone but I’ll miss watching Kaleb play. As paranoid as Bruce is, I’m surprised he didn’t play his idol. I wonder how long before Kellie cuts him loose. I have to root for the critical care nurse as my kindred spirit!

 

[genevieve]

ha ha ha Dee's huge toes won her immunity!

And Jake's confessional posture is so posed I can't even

 

[Jenny]

I forgot about the toes! I did think Dee had an interesting stance though, and it helped. While most were relying either on their fingers and toes or on the strength of their arms and legs, she seemed to lean into it with her whole torso - by the end it seemed her legs, now well above her butt, were just keeping her steady as it was the weight of her torso onto the pole that kept her in place.

Other than for Kaleb, and I don't blame Katurah as I would have done the same thing once I realized the entire tribe had worked to keep something from me, I think landing on Loser Lulu was the beginning of his end. My bet is he wanted to play it a lot more low key, contributing to his tribe but not standing out too much, quietly building relationships along the way. But because his team was so bad, he had no choice but to go for it a challenges and put a spotlight on himself.

Then, Lulu's losses bolstered the other two tribes with that winning team spirit, that has carried on longer than it might have, leaving Kaleb scrambling to get in, anywhere. Many of the players are not thinking strategically enough, rather choosing to target people they don't like or don't fit in (Sifu), and sticking to the safety of their early alliances. Kaleb was doomed, but with any luck, we'll see him again come spring with a whole new set of players who had not yet seen this season when they filmed last summer

And why apparently no one is targeting Austin and Drew is beyond me.

ETA @genevieve we've been laughing at the confessionals all season - something about the way they are filming is giving them all big heads and baby arms, it's weird!

 

[genevieve]

ETA @genevieve we've been laughing at the confessionals all season - something about the way they are filming is giving them all big heads and baby arms, it's weird!

Jake in particular looks so uncomfortable - it's like he's posing for his senior yearbook picture, it's so unnatural. AND he was in the exact same position (one leg stretched out, the other folded with an arm draped over the knee), head turned at an angle to face the camera) for every single confessional this ep

I get why Jake/Kaleb thought about telling Keturah about Bruce's idol to circumvent Austin doing it, but they shot themselves in the foot there. The 3:3 vote banking on Austin flipping rather than risking rocks seemed tenuous enough - thanks to editing we'll never know if just that was enough to make Keturah change, or if the secret pushed her, but I wish we got more footage of J/K discussing how to handle her reaction. Surely they anticipated she'd be pissed, but Jake seemed completely shocked.

Also, did we even get ANY footage of Austin strategizing? "Playing scared" is not how I would describe his style. Overall I think Jake is not great at this game. It'll be interesting how his "It was me, we'll talk later" comment will unfold next week. I'm sure he'll try to throw Keturah under the bus, but it just made him look like a dweeb in TC.

Given that Bruce wanted Kaleb gone so bad, I wonder if Keturah can suck it up to use this vote as a way to strengthen the bod with Bruce and get him to turn on Jake when they are all back together. Keturah hates Bruce so much that she might not bother.

Did anyone else catch Kaleb's brief glare at Keturah when the final vote was read? Very contrary to the happy go lucky vibe he's been playing the rest of the game, even last week. Dude was pissed.

I hope Kellie gets some food in the auction next week!!

 

[screech]

In some ways, Kaleb being eliminated when he was is the best possible thing for Emily. There's no perceived Lulu allegience anymore, so the other tribes will want to work with her. Plus, if she makes it to the final 3, Kaleb will be able to talk her up/ask her strategic question so she can show how much she's played the game, and how she's evolved since the first episode.

 

[Prancer]

Sorry to see Kaleb go, but that was inevitable.

Kellie is very smart strategically, but in a low key way that isn't drawing a lot of attention.

I can't believe Survivor brought back the auction! Maybe Kellie and Kendra will get some food.

 

[BaileyCatts]

dang it. I liked Kaleb. I swear if Emily ends up winning this thing I will be fuming .... I really really don't like her.

 

[jkl]

I love a good blindside

 

[Habs]

I love a good blindside

Me too. Blindsides are immensely satisfying.