Survivor 21 Ep 10: "Stuck In the Middle"

[lazarus]

Stealer's Wheel is running through my head with that episode title.

Also edited: How sweet was it to get an episode where the editing didn't actually trick us? We saw the plan formed, then it unfolded over the course of the episode, then it went off perfectly. Very rare to see that on Survivor.

Na Onka almost played that perfectly, then she had to go and tell Sash. WTF?

I think Sash didn't give up the HII because he knew the alliance was toast. It wasn't 5-5, or even 6-4 with a possibility of pulling one back. The final vote was 8-1-1. So playing the HII wouldn't have preserved any numbers. It's time to regroup and try pulling together a whole new game plan for the next 13 days.

Who would have picked Holly to be the ringleader? That was neat.

Jane's a real threat to take this thing, as Marty warned them all. She can win the endurance challenges that almost always come up at F4, so it'll be very dangerous to let her get close. I'd take her out as soon as possible.

Edited to add: Jane is just vile, btw. Almost as bad as Na Onka. Everyone she disagrees with is a villain. They can't just be the opposition, they have to be evil, making her the only good person there. If Chase doesn't do what she wants, apparently the state of North Carolina will rise up in collective anger and eject him forcibly or something. I really can't wait for her to get the boot. It's all too personal for her.

This season just got a whole lot more interesting. It's complete chaos right now, which is my favourite style of Survivor.

As for the previews, I predict that nothing will come of it. Na Onka isn't a threat to win, so she won't get taken out for several more episodes. She may end up at F3 as the goat.

Dan's another one who would make a great goat. He's done nothing but sell his vote the entire season. It hasn't even been strategic, as it was when Sandra did it both her seasons. It's just been pathetic. Nobody even remembers he's there.

Speaking of invisible people you can't remember, how about Kelly S.? Did you know there's a Kelly S. this season? Jeffrey still calls her Purple Kelly for some reason. She's had one confessional all season, about "milking the milk." Most invisible player ever. Also redefining the concept of irrelevant. How was she that out of the loop? What does she do all day?

The way this season is going, we could end up with an F3 of Kelly S., Dan, and Na Onka. Then who do you vote for? Yikes!

[Duer 157099]

1. I agree with the thing about Jane using the "evil" card

That always disgusts me. Even so, I was glad to see her win the immunity challenge just because it let everyone know that a thin ole woman can still kick their butts!

I would really like to see the conversation between Sash and Brenda where he tells her he isn't giving her the idol. I for sure thought he was going to, and she sure acted like he had. Did she know he was going to betray her? She must have known, else why wouldn't he give her the idol? :shrug:

I have no vested interest in who wins this at all, I barely care about any of them, unlike in some seasons past.

[catchnrelease]

2. Dumbest players ever?

I don't know if it was just the combination of those that were left at camp after the reward challenge but geez!! Even Brenda, who was supposed to be one of the smart people said while looking at the remains of the burned camp--"How did that happen?" DUH! You just piled wood up around a fire, what did you expect? Did they not recognize lumber as wood or what? None of them seem to have a lick of common sense. Possibly if Jane were there she would have pointed out the danger. I thought killing the hen instead of the rooster was bad, but they've out done themselves on the stupid meter!

I agree about Jane--in the early episodes I kind of liked her, but she's getting nastier and whine-ier as the time goes on.

And I don't think Sash would give up that II for any reason, he's only playing for Sash, which I suppose is the idea in the end.

I loved it when Jeff asked Purple Kelly for her comments and it sounded like something Sarah Palin would say--gibberish! No wonder she hasn't been given much air time.

As for your F3 from hell--I've despised NaOnka since the beginning, praying that she'd be voted out, but I think I might even vote for her to win since she at least participated in the game. ugh. Maybe not, it would be a reward for all of her vile behavior. What would Jeff do if they all abstained, wrote: none of the above? At this point I think I'm pulling for Fabio just because he's the least offensive. :shrug:

[murielm99]

3. I don't agree at all about Jane.

I like her. She is a good player. So what if it is very personal to her? That is her style. And that is what the editors choose to show us. However, I think she may be out soon. Some of them will begin to realize she is a threat. I like Fabio for other reasons. He has integrity. I just wish he had not peed in the water. I hope Na Onka goes home soon. I am sick of her shenanigans. But she is good for ratings, like Russell. She will probably stay until the end.

[lazarus]

4. from a post game interview with Brenda

Brenda: Jane was very, very, very open about her animosity towards me once she saw I was getting close to Marty. She was mean, she would do mean things in front of everybody. She would get flowers and hand them out to all the girls and even Dan and purposely skip me! She would single me out. That was Jane's thing. There was one incident where I was by the fire (that I had started to get warm) and she sat two inches from me to block it. I knew she didn't like me when I started getting close to Marty.

Add to that her comments about Chase, and it's clear that she's got a very Manichean outlook, which you don't need to have in Survivor. Even Na Onka was willing to work with Jud to forward her game. Jane's best move would have been to regroup with the older players, bring in a couple of the young'uns who were out of favour, and flip the game at the merge. She could easily win challenges against the older players; heck, she's doing it against the young'uns, too.

But she just couldn't stomach the idea of working with Marty. Now she has no alliance and is going to have to win challenges from here on out, because she's clearly too much of a threat to allow to pass a TC without immunity.

Think about it. She doesn't like Na Onka. She doesn't like Chase. She doesn't like Sash. She doesn't like Dan. Are Jud and Benry going to ally with the person who just beat them in a challenge? (Although I'm convinced Jud threw it once Brenda fell out.) Kelly doesn't exist as far as the game goes, which leaves Jane with Holly, who is playing well enough to realize that Jane's a serious threat.

Jane's basically played herself right out of this game, because Marty didn't invite her into an alliance on Day One. She takes things too personally. Marty is a bad father is one example.

YMMV, of course. :hi:

[Phentex]

5. Laz, I think you're spot on with this post

and the first one.

I will say I like the show better, too, when the players PLAY instead of float along picking off the very expected.