Survivor: China

[Ringo]

it was the cup thing and I didn't stick around to see what happened. there are something I wish I could un-see.

I wonder: should PG have told James what was up -- I mean, she's screwed anyway, so might as well make things interersting.
that was as much tension as there's been at a TC in a long time. nice to see.
of course, the surprise was lame. the reward was neat ... but it wasn't worth the suspense the producers gave it.

[Pathogen]

it was the cup thing and I didn't stick around to see what happened. there are something I wish I could un-see.

I wonder: should PG have told James what was up -- I mean, she's screwed anyway, so might as well make things interersting.
that was as much tension as there's been at a TC in a long time. nice to see.
of course, the surprise was lame. the reward was neat ... but it wasn't worth the suspense the producers gave it.
What was the reward? Was it the thing they made them wait for at TC two weeks ago? I never did hear what the hoopla was about.

[Ringo]

they made them stay at TC for a reward challenge. It was a multiple choice/true-false China triva quiz.
winner (PG) got to go the Shaolin Temple, home of Kung Fu, take two people. she took Eric and Denise, who was actually pretty good at karate.
it was a pretty neat reward. but the hoopla made it sound like something big was about it happen. shoulda known, eh?

[zman31]

it was the cup thing and I didn't stick around to see what happened. there are something I wish I could un-see.

I wonder: should PG have told James what was up -- I mean, she's screwed anyway, so might as well make things interersting.
that was as much tension as there's been at a TC in a long time. nice to see.
of course, the surprise was lame. the reward was neat ... but it wasn't worth the suspense the producers gave it.

I said to my Wife--P.G. has got to tell James what's up so he plays the imunity idol. It removes the "puppet master" Todd from the game, firmly puts James in the "I'm gonna get all you backstabbers," mode which means he, PG, Eric and Denise can vote out Courtney and Amanda. I think she missed a great opportunity and simply postponed the innevitable. Though Denise could still flip which would make a 3 v 3 situation.

I really thought Todd and company messed it up by giving off clues of what they had planned. It really surprised me when James didn't play an idol, Denise pretty much told him what was up with her speach at tribal council. James had 2 idols and I'd give him a 35% chance of winning any imunity challenge against the rest of the field. This was the obvious time to play it. To leave with 2 in your pocket does no good. A real shocker. I was convinced he had deduced what was up and would pull the tile out. Oh well, I'll miss his humor down the stretch.

[ForeverRed]

Even though I'm very disapointed that my favorite Survivor was voted out, it was a smart play by Amanda and Co. to get rid of him before it was too late.

Shame because now the show won't be half as good.

[Ringo]

James had 2 idols and I'd give him a 35% chance of winning any imunity challenge against the rest of the field.

and yet, he's NEVER won individual immunity. none of the challenges have played to his strengths (which is, of course, his strength). are they doing this on purpose?
i mean, look at it this way:
Courtney -- 1 immunity win
James -- No immunity wins

[NHRef]

Once they get to individual immunity they rarely do a strength challenge, they usually need a strong person on team challenges however. Individuals are usually built so anyone can win, either stamina or mental strengths.

I think Amanda just emerged and will be in the final 3, probably win it all.

[Ismitje]

All of the promos show PG crying: I call classic Survivor misdirection, and she won't be eliminated again.

[Ringo]

Once they get to individual immunity they rarely do a strength challenge, they usually need a strong person on team challenges however.

but they usually have more that are physical.
they always do those obstacle courses where everybody goes, then the top four, then the top two ... you know, stuff like that.
they make 'em break a sweat in some of them at least.

[NORML]

Though Denise could still flip which would make a 3 v 3 situation.



Thats exactly what I thought too. And I don't doubt if Denise will flip tonight if Eric or PG win immunity. PG invited her on the Temple reward challenge and really its always seemed Denise was loyal with the group of 5 because of James.

[billreeves]

Isn't it about time for the pecking order challenge? You know, the one where everyone has three things and they take turns to attempt to break one of someone else's things, and whoever has things left wins, so you can tell who is fond of whom by who goes after whom's things? (OK, that is probably the most tortured sentence I have ever written.)

If it's one of those challenges, expect Todd, Amanda and Courtney to take out PG first, then Eric. PG and Eric may team up to get rid of Todd but they will be gone before they can really make an impact. Denise will probably start by going after PG and Eric, but then when they are gone, she will find herself on the receiving end, thereby giving her more impetus to flip.

If I'm ever on Survivor (unlikely) and survive long enough to make it to the pecking order challenge (even more unlikely), I'm going to tell everyone to get me out first.

[Ringo]

if I was ever on survivor this would be one of the key strategies: keep your friends close, enemies closer.
Never leave one of your alliance alone with two members who are desperate. it worked this time but it's been fatal in the past.
It's like Bill's pecking order challenge ... don't let anybody know they're in last place in the alliance. talk with your alliance at some point and say you won't all go on a reward together.


but the Johnny Fairplay move -- odd that it wasn't brought up at TC? I'm sure they did bring it up, but just didn't air it. odd choice. when that happened, I bolted up right 'cuz the show just got interesting. but they didn't show courtney, eric or pg confront him about it (well confront may be a poor word -- ask him about it). what was his response at TC? do you think it was for real?

[Ismitje]

Family Ismitje made a pact tonight: if in a family challenge on Survivor, do our best to get right to the finish first with no pressure, then wander off to the side and hug and visit for a few minutes while someone else wins. You know you have to give family time with family members to some of the final few left and deny it to others, and as much as you miss your loved ones, you only have five or six days until Survivor ends and you go home anyways - so let someone else make the lousy decision

And you're right, Ringo: you take Todd or Amanda, and Eric or PG to stay safe all around.

[Pathogen]

Courtney's going to win this shit and then I'm going to stab myself in the head.

[JayJay]

I'm pretty sure that was the dumbest decision in the history of Survivor. Way to go Denise.

I'm not liking it, but I'm throwing my support to PG.

[Vermont Red]

First James and now Denise with appalling strategy. Denise could have guaranteed herself final four by getting rid of Todd and then, with PG and Eric, voting off Amanda or Courtney. She may still get to the final four, but she won't have any allies left.

My early call of Amanda looks better each week.

[Dave Brull]

This what bothers me. They are ALL bad strategists. The only strategy any of them muster was Amanda's brilliant plan to rid themselves of James. And while it was the right (read:mega-obvious) move, why did it take so long for any of them to think about it? Todd schemes alot, but he then schemes about his schemes. He's the Mike Keenan of reality tv. PG and Eric have been struggling to work from a position of weakness for weeks.

PG or Eric, the Custers of reality strategists, had the play in hand two weeks ago. Tell James what his alliance is up to. He's plays immunity, Todd is out, the alliance is complete disarray, James is isolated because he trusts nobody.

Denise=awful. I mean, I get it. You want to keep your friends. Guess what, Denise. You are one week from getting dumped by those friends.

[Ringo]

First James and now Denise with appalling strategy. Denise could have guaranteed herself final four by getting rid of Todd and then, with PG and Eric, voting off Amanda or Courtney. She may still get to the final four, but she won't have any allies left.

My early call of Amanda looks better each week.

I disagree with this. it's the exact opposite in my opinion. doing what she did was the only way denise could win $1 million.
here's my reasoning: if she turned on Todd, then Amanda and Courtney those are three GUARANTEED no votes on the jury. If she stays with Todd, how many no votes does she have guaranteed? None. If she had switched, she might have got third or even second. But no way could she win.
now she might be fourth, but this was her only chance for first. She can play the loyalty card.
Plus PG and Eric could be tough to beat in the finals because of this: they didn't vote anybody off and they didn't backstab anybody. Everybody on the jury has some sort of grievance with todd and amber (the decision makers) and most of them don't like Courtney.

I'm not saying Denise wins, I think you're right in Amanda being the favorite, but I really think this was her only move that left her with a chance at a million dollars.
:)

[Dave Brull]

I disagree. Todd said specifically that voting him off would be the smart move for Denise because he has no plans of taking her past the final four. Also, just because someone was implicit in voting you off does not always equate to a vote against you at the final vote. Sometimes people vote for smarts. The dealbreaker is if you surprise them. Backstabbing is a little different but it depends on the person. For example, James wasn't bitter about his bettrayal because he knew it was the right move and that he was dumb for not playing immunity.

All Denise has to do was vote against Todd. Now Denise is siding with PG and Eric. She would have to win immunity when there are three survivors remaining, but she is giving herself the best chance at a milion (Why has the reward never increased in 8 years?). For the alliance, they all want her gone as they think she would beat any of them at finals (Considering how poor a player she is I do not know why they feel this way)

This is far more than I ever thought I would type on this subject. This season has been entertaining (Has anything been greater than that chick playing the fake immunity idol?) but without great strategy.

[JayJay]

I disagree with this. it's the exact opposite in my opinion. doing what she did was the only way denise could win $1 million.
here's my reasoning: if she turned on Todd, then Amanda and Courtney those are three GUARANTEED no votes on the jury. If she stays with Todd, how many no votes does she have guaranteed? None. If she had switched, she might have got third or even second. But no way could she win.
now she might be fourth, but this was her only chance for first. She can play the loyalty card.
Plus PG and Eric could be tough to beat in the finals because of this: they didn't vote anybody off and they didn't backstab anybody. Everybody on the jury has some sort of grievance with todd and amber (the decision makers) and most of them don't like Courtney.

I'm not saying Denise wins, I think you're right in Amanda being the favorite, but I really think this was her only move that left her with a chance at a million dollars.
:)

By sticking with Todd and Amanda, she won't get past the final 4 unless she wins immunity. By siding with Eric and PG she would at least have a chance (no way of knowing who would have won the fire challenge). For the limited amount of stratagy being used this season, it seems this cast is less likely to hold grudges. In my mind, there are only 3 things that could have happened:

1) Denise votes for Todd, forces a tie. Todd wins. Erik gone, PG moves to the top of the list and unless she wins II again, Denise makes it to the final 4.

2)Denise votes for Todd, forces tie. Erik wins. Todd gone, Denise moves into the top 3.

3) Denise votes for Erik. Erik gone. Denise remains in the final four unless PG wins II.

To me option 2 seems the best. And I still seem to think she would get votes. People seem to like her. She seems genuine. And it seems as though her "alliance" would be as understanding as one can be while playing Survivor. There doesn't seem to be any Lex-like people this season.