i actually liked exile island. but redemption is stupid for another reason .... you don't know Sophie or the cowboy ... 10 minutes a week are spent on redemption island instead of telling stories within the game. granted, there's always people that slip through the cracks because they're boring or what not. anyway, I'll be REALLY disappointed if the bring back the RI gimmick again next year. stupid as hell.
Is survivor up to the old bait and switch games again? On last weeks teaser they show Ozzie apparently well behind in his challenge to survive. Saw an add last night that made him look not only way ahead, but also a completely different challenge! wonder what's up.
Coach deserves the mill maybe, but Ozzie? He has dominated catching fish and quite a few of the challenges but he's been a complete moron in nearly every other aspect of the game.
Last we looked catching fish while important is should not be a good reason to award someone a million bucks.
he's been dominant in challenges, the bar for returning players is harder, survived (so far) the gauntlet of RI. Just saying, he could make it to the finals and win. And does he 'deserve' to win in a vacuum -- no. But does he deserve to win more than anybody else left in the show besides coach? yessir not saying he's played a great game ... just saying he's done enough to win this season, against these contestants.
Maybe I'm missing something because I don't watch it all the time, but isn't it a no-brainer that the others should vote out Coach? If they don't do it, they are idiots. Unless they vote him out, he's the odds on favorite to win.
no-brainers from the couch aren't so obvious on the island. but I agree he wins if he's in the finals.
I really believe Sophie knows she has to get rid of Coach but she is hampered by the fact that she doesn't really have the help to pull it off. Brandon is a straight up no go for a move like that, Cowboy doesn't really seem to be playing, and Albert is to wishy washy and can't be relied on to help move Cowboy off the side line. Neat. While typing this I got a phone call from my sister-in-law, I guess my nephews school bus driver is a former contestant of the show.
Now that was a pretty satisfying penultimate episode. I wasn't sure at first, but I prayed about it and now I am sure it was a good episode.
Agreed that was a great episode. About time too This has been a very bland season. Brandon is an idiot. Again what's with the hug with coach? Brandon needs to realize coach is onto winning over a spiritual post game connection. He proved it by voting him off. What a bunch of stupid players. They will not have more than one other opportunity to vote coach out. I say let's nix any future Survivor with an All Star player among the sheep. Let's nix Redemption Island. The game does not need it. What the game needs are interesting players. Surely they are out there.
I am amazed that you and Ringo have such a hard on for people with strong religious convictions. This is probably the first time on Survivor we have seen seen such an outward demonstration regarding belief in God and how it impacted the game and relationships between people. Honestly, what is it about their faith that makes you so uncomfortable. It's a one hour TV show that maybe is impacted every other episode for 10 minutes. Learn to be tolerant. It's not like their belief system is destructive. Brandon may have been a fool to be so trusting in Coach keeping his trust, but in it's earnest intent, Brandon came out a winner in my book. Coach, well to be blunt, was your typical douche bag player who will then rationalize what he did in final tribal council. As for Albert, I think based on his vote he honestly believed Brandon was safe. He probably felt Coach would vote for the girl. I will reiterate that Brandon should not have respected coach with a hug. Brandon's show of forgiveness for Albert was a beautiful act. It deserved to have been respected by Coach if he is the man of God he said he was.
Not speaking for anyone else, but its not the faith, its the praying on streetcorners... And the constant effort to use the structure of faith, the facsimile of faith to enforce a conformity. Its not really ten minutes every other show-- this has saturated everything in everything Brandon does this entire season-- and Coach saw the potential and adopted it, and Brandon and Coach have been trying to use it to keep tabs on and control of each other and keep everyone else in line the entire game. People commented about the cultlike flavor of Mariano's win-- but at least he didn't cite scripture for his purpose. And the casual way the divine is persumed to be male has infected the whole game with Brandon's misogeny, which gives an already ill tasting dish a seasoning of slime to top it off. Brandon cited his faith as a justification for abrogating the decision of the other three; it seems perfectly reasonable for Coach to pray about it and anounce that God wanted him to put Brandon on the altar in Albert's stead. If you try to claim that your politics represent God's will, you open the door to others doing the same. Brandon basically challenged Coach to swallow Brandon's crap or break with the conceit they had set up; and Coach finding a way to meet that challenge, is in my eyes, the most admirable thing he's ever done. It really works better if one expresses faith by what one does, not what one says. I liked those early seasons where anyone who started blabbin' about Jesus got voted off right away...
How awesome would it be if Brandon this whole time has been putting on one huge act? I kinda doubt it but man that would be the ultimate Hantz move. Well now that I got that out let me say I actually felt sorry for Brandon last night. I didn't think it would happen after all his speeches at tribal, his weird mood swings, and his scary attitude towards Mikala (sp?) but last night’s tribal made me understand where all that was coming from. Hopefully his experience on Survivor doesn't make him jaded in his willingness to trust others and whatever issue he has with women gets worked out, cause the kid seems ok... A bit out there but ok. I said it before and I think last night just reinforced it, we are seeing a new Coach play this game. A coach who finally understands you can play dirty and manipulate your way to winning while still appearing to the other tribe members as noble dragon slayer... Hmm I wonder though, maybe he's always had that in him but just never had the right players who would be receptive to his self centered Mysticism. Ok coming down to the finals I see it shaking like this; if Ozzie returns him and Coach would be foolish not to take Albert with them. Out of the three remaining players he is the one most dead in the water. Cowboy may not have played the game at all but he also didn't piss anyone off. Even though she made the wrong move last night I still think Sophie is smart enough she can be a challenge for Coach and Ozzie in the final tribal. While Albert, well Albert hung himself last night by not giving Brandon back the idol. He can try and deflect the blame on Coach as much as he wants too but I just don't see it working. So if we do have a final tribal of Coach, Ozzie, and Albert I think Ozzie wins. Ozzie will get all his old tribe members along with Cochran and Edna who I think won't feel as jilted by Ozzie's game plan compared to Coachs. If Brandon wins Redemption we get an awesome repeat of last nights episode and will get to see him in the final with Coach and either Sophie or Albert. Man do I hope Brandon wins redemption having him in tribal would be epic.
Last night just showed how easily Brandon can be manipulated. First Albert and his "damage control" where he overcame lies to Brandon and Brandon "forgave him" in spite of the obvious lies. Then Coach, not once, but twice, manipulated Brandon: - first when Albert and Coach were talking about jury votes and actually talking about needing to take Brandon out. Brandon comes up, asks what's going on, calls them on not telling him the truth and Coach turns the tables by calling that a "hantz move". Hit him where he was sensitive. Removed Brandon's entire thought path and rather than digging into what they were talking about, Brandon is now on a totally different topic. -Second when Brandon came to him near the end and said he'd give up the immunity to Albert because God has told "them" what path to follow. Coach immediately stepped in and said "hold on, he's told YOU what to do, I am going to go pray and hopefully he will tell ME what to do". Brandon is now stuck, he has made a commitment, which given his statements, he can't go back on, and Coach has now removed himself from teh same path as Brandon, because after all, when he prays, God may give him a different answer. Albert is in serious trouble. If Ozzie wins next duel, chances are he will win immunity to the end, there's no good physical challenger left. If Brandon wins it, well, Coach will go with "It was God's choice he stay in the game". Sophie is the dark horse here. Coach also promised Ozzie final 3, but who knows if he meant it. They also brought up the immunity idol for the first time. Coach is a guarentee to make final 4, if he happens to win immunitiy, he can hand pick one of the other final 3. This comes down to Coach vs. Sophie
WHAT!?! you need to take a step back and stop trying to analyze me. It's not their faith that makes me uncomfortable. I'm tired of all the Churchy Talk for the same reason I was tired of all the lame NFL metaphors in this seasons Amazing Race -- enough already. Over and over and over. I'm tired of coach's talk about honor, loyalty and integrity for the same reason. Don't make me out to be some sort of scared, hateful person. But on the game, I think coach guaranteed himself the finale by voting out brandon. Whomever comes back from RI is in coach's pocket, I think. Brandon will forgive him and will totally buy that it was god's word that he seeks redemption. Rob Cesternino had a tweet that said 'Isn't it amazing that on #Survivor, that God always tells you to do exactly what you want to hear?' Brandon gambled on other people in the game seeing life has he does (coach and Albert). I can't believe what a naive, lost person he is. He's desperately searching for any sort of answer in his life. hope he finds it. But if Ozzy is in the finals, he wins hands down. If coach is in the finals against anybody BUT Ozzy, he wins. I think that's how the jury votes.
does it really? Does Sophie, Albert or Cowboy have any shot of winning a jury vote unless they are all three in the final together. Do any of them have a chance of getting enough jury votes against Coach or Ozzy? I think if by some miracle both coach and ozzy end up on the jury, Sophie wins it because Albert can't and I think Sophie will talk circles around Cowboy at the final TC .... but I don't see Sophie getting coach and ozzy off. Upsets happen at the final TC (Russell losing) ... but more often than not doesn't the favorite win out? Sophie's a big underdog.
What he said. You've got me pegged all wrong Alberto. I think that was the first time I even made a comment in this thread about the show's churchy bent this season. I think Brandon's bone-headed move last night after pulling off an incredible upset he pulled off in the immunity challenge that inspired me more than anything else to make that comment. My biggest frustration with Survivor are cast members who can't separate the moves in the game from what this says about their life. I want to see players, not people struggling with their own morality.
Yup, I think it does Coach and Sophie are to smart to take Ozzie to the final 3. Ozzie I don't think is smart enough to force a 2-2 split in the Coach, Sophie, Albert, Rick group, then he'd be the decider. His only shot is immunity, granted, that's a good shot given what's left. Sophie is the only one that can really compete with him. if Sophie makes it infront of the Jury, she hasn't pissed anyone off (well maybe Albert), she's smart enough to be very convincing when she speaks. I think her worst nightmare is Coach, Ozzie and her, she won't even be considered. If it's Coach, her and Albert/Rick she has a shot, but it will be an uphill fight.
most of the jury is Ozzy's former tribe and I think they'd be very loyal to them, consider the tribal divisions that existed after the merge. I think Ozzy wins against no matter who he sits next to, just based on the makeup of the jury.
Agreed, no one wants Ozzy at the final tribal council. It will be interesting. That said, it's not necesarily a foregone conclusion that Ozzy will win versus Brandon. Granted, the odds are in Ozzy's favor, but the last couple of Redemption Island challenges have been very difficult. Anything can happen.
Brandon kicked ass in the last challenge. The elevator may not reach the top floor, but from a physical standpoint, depending on the challenge, I think he's the one guy who can stay with Ozzie.
Count me in on the "tired of the religious stuff" bandwagon. I'm not a religious person, and usually have no qualms with people who are. This season has been ridiculously over the top though. If there is a God I have a hard time believing that he gives a crap about people's votes on Survivor. Now having said all that, religion did lead to one of my all-time favorite Survivor moments. When Coach voted for Brandon, and then told him it was "God's will" I absolutely laughed my ass off.
True on Coach's statement, but play this scenario out: - Brandon beats Ozzie on redemption island - Brandon comes back and Coach immediately says "see it was God's will, you took out Ozzie, and you're back whre you belong" The "fun" will be if that happens, and Brandon again wins immunity with the same 5 that just voted him out. Will he again give up the necklace to save Albert? Albert NEEDS Ozzie to take out Brandon, it's his best shot to make final 4. If he gets there, he may make it to the finals because Coach and Sophie will want to take him to final 3. Coach and Sophie will be gunning for each other very soon, they both know they can't take the other one to the end. To dangerous. You want to be sitting there with Albert and Rick.
I think people are discounting Rick and Sophie's chances too much. We have seen in the past that not having annoyed the jury is often more important than having actually done very much in the game.