Survivor 22 Ep 10 "Rice Wars"

[lazarus]

Wow. Phillip is, indeed, one crazy dude. Jeffrey did a nice Dr Phil impression there.

Was very surprised they didn't vote out Steve, but I guess Rob loves the conflict.

Rob was going to win either way tonight. Phil's a lock solid jury vote for him, if he has to cut Phil loose. But he's the ultimate goat, too.

I have no idea how they're doing Redemption Island at this point. There has to be another double some time, but I can't figure out how they're going to fit that in with all these people on RI. And I don't know when the RI winner comes back. It better not be in the F3 or F4 round, that would be infuriating.

Good challenges tonight. I liked that house of cards thing the first time they did it, in Gabon. And IC was pretty neat, too. Steve almost pulled that one off.

Rob appears to have this game sewn up at this point. Maybe not, though, because Ometepe would be playing this exact same way if they intended to dump him at F6. It just makes sense to get rid of the Zaps first, you don't want one with a chance of getting to F3.

I have to say, Ome got what they deserved with the rice situation. They're the ones who set up the two shelter concept, with them keeping the tarp and putting Zap in the rain. You reap what you sew.


I think they may have gotten some cooperation had Rob or Grant, or anyone besides Phillip, had been the one to approach Zap about it, too.

Two more pagong boots, then things get interesting.

[murielm99]

1. I think things could get interesting sooner than that.

I can't fathom what they are thinking with three people at a time on RI. I still think it gives them too much time out there to plot against Rob.

Matt was not totally turned against Rob until recently. Now he hates him. And what is up with all Matt's whining about wanting to go home? Didn't we see enough with quitters last season?

How long can they leave three people on RI?

Julie is strong and fit. She could win a challenge, whether it is mental or physical.

I can't figure out Steve's place in the scheme of things yet.

And Ralph? I like him and his funny spelling. This time he voted for "Phile."

I still don't think Rob is going to win it all. As soon as he shows any weakness, the others will vote him off.

And I think Rob has to get rid of Grant and Andrea before F3. They are smart players.

[dr.strangelove]

2. Rob is playing good, but we have not seen any Grant confessionals

This is what is troubling me. We have seen only one Grant confessional talking about rob, and it was that weak one about the fish. Grant has to be thinking about cutting Rob. I wonder if he has not secured four votes to oust rob at 6. The other wild card is Matt, who keeps on winning. I suspect he (or whomever from RI) comes back around final 5 or 4 and has to win one or two ICs to stay in the game. I suspect that if its Matt, he wins hands down, even over Rob. If he gets to the finals, hell I would have to vote for him for being the greatest individual player ever, having to win every IC in the game except the first individual IC (because really, the duels are just ICs for an idol to live another week). Its amazing.

I think you are right though, it will be two more pagongings, then rob has to get through two weeks ot lock up the game, unless he is up against Matt or a Zap from RI.

On the race issue that was shown, first I give props to Jeff. That man could make money as a mediator in family court. Way to calm the group so to talk about the issue. Classic Probst and one of the reasons he is the best at this "reality" hosting game. Second, I suspect some of this is Phil being crazy, and some is him playing crazy. I think he gets a kick out of this feather on his head and everyone thinking he is nuts. Plus, I think he knows it gets him to the finals. If its him against the beauty twins, he might even win in the finals. I can;t see him beating anyone else, but I think thats his best shot. Otherwise, he will be Robs soldier and get to the end.

[lazarus]

3. if matt wins

it will be the worst win ever. Truly and really.

Survivor is a social game above all else, and Matt failed at that miserably. If it was just winning challenges, they could get rid of TC and just have the worst performer go home each week.

And I don't see him winning an individual IC. Mike beat him pretty handily this week, and he's mostly (completely, I think) been up against weak individuals in the duals. So his record is a bit inflated.

Edited to add: And now he's whining that he wants to go home. Just go, already.

[lazarus]

4. Redemption Island update

In an interview today Probst seemed to explain how RI will work going forward.

Probst: "The final episode will have eight people still vying for a shot at winning." So I guess that means the finale will start with F5 or F4, then a three person RI duel will put one person back in with them?

[dr.strangelove]

5. Really , WOW

I'm not sure I like the idea of the RI person coming back into the final 4-5 like that.

Also, I disagree on Matt. Survivor is a game where there are rules. A person can win however he wants by complying with the rules. Matt complied with rules that take the social element out of it a little, but he still had to earn jury votes. For him it was even harder since he had to do it in short clips at RI before during and after challenges, sometimes when only 4 people were there, 2 of whom voted him out. If he gets to the end and beats a guy like Rob, its Rob's fault for not anticipating that and working harder to get the other tribe's votes over Matt. Rob made it Us v. Them because it kept his alliance together, but cost him votes with the Zaps. they hate him now more than ever. He could have overcoem that by playing a better social game. He rocked one side of this game, his tribe, and set them up to win. But the rules cast a curveball with RI and rob did not seem to account for it other than to hope Matt loses eventually.

Thats said, if Matt pulls it off, I give Matt tremendous respect for staying likable and bringing his easy to like face to everyone he met. Its why Rob voted him off to begin with. That handshake with the Zaps was natural Matt, not an act. rob saw it and knew he was a threat, so ousted him. But its not like Matt has not kept up the positive attitude in the face of hell and picks off jury votes for him.

[lazarus]

6. Matt's had an unfair advantage or two, though

He's had one-on-one time with each juror. And his hands are completely clean, because he hasn't been in the game.

I just don't like the RI twist in the slightest bit. It's fundamentally changed Survivor to some other game. Hopefully they scrap it after this.

I don't know that Zap hates Rob, by the way. Lots of people think so, but I haven't seen anything on the show or in the secret scenes that indicates they blame Rob for anything besides good game play. He's played as good a social game as is possible to play in this set up. He's the only one we've seen alone with Zaps, and there seems to be some respect from the Zaps there.

His whole "us vs them" was set up to accomplish two things: First, it prevented any rogue action by Omes (aided by the buddy system) by preventing them from getting too friendly*. Second, it got the Omes to start treating the Zaps badly, whilst Rob treated them less badly, making it more likely that Rob would get their votes.


*By the way, this is another example of how poorly the Zaps have played this game. When Ralph approached Phillip and Andrea last episode to talk strategy, Phillip said he'd be happy to talk about Ralph's farm. Well, do that, Ralph. Talk personal stuff for a while, gather intel, then use that as a way in. In some cultures, you don't talk business first, it's considered very rude. Mike was trying the social thing with Matt, which is why those two went first.

[Suich]

7. Check out Phillip here:

http://enterprisesoftwaresalesgroup.com/about.html

Hard to believe this is the same dude!

[murielm99]

8. Is that for real?

The guy in the pink underwear?

I wonder if he is playing a role out there, for reasons known only to Philip.

What will this do to his business when the game is over? I suppose it could make or break him.

[dr.strangelove]

9. I have long thought he was playing a part, to a degree

I am sure most of the angry tirades are him, but I think the feather nonsense and the meditation and diatribes about visions are all him playing crazy.

[lazarus]

10. he has said as much on several occasions

:hi: