Survivor Heroes Vs. Healers Vs. Hustlers

[Raider Bill]

Season 35 starts tonight!!!!

[Roxie]

 8)

[Chuck White]

HHmmmmm, and I missed it!   

Oh well, there's next week!    ;)

[Magicman]

Finally something decent to watch again.   

[Cedarman]

Yup, some pure escapist realism to sink your eyeballs into.  Could be another fun season.  The first idol fell flatter than a pancake.  The NFL player went goofy.  Wonder why?  RB, find any babes?

[Raider Bill]

Got my eye on Ali :D :D :D

The NFL guy is out there....

I can't believe that doctor let the probation guy to walk over him like he did.

[Magicman]

Yup, that was "streetwise skill" and "not a clue" duh.   :  Survival requires manipulation, deception, and getting away with it.  You can be too loudmouth or too quiet and either will get you kicked off.   

[Roxie]

I'm not sure why, but I enjoyed the opening this season just like I enjoyed the early episodes.  Compelling is back. 

[WDH]

It is good to see a new cast of amateurs and not a bunch or re-runs. 

[Magicman]

There were no surprises tonight, but it's still early in the game.  Wonder which one of them will "self destruct" first?

[Cedarman]

The guy that couldn't figure out the clue to the idol doesn't seem to have a clue.
Looks like several are vying to be taken to the final three because no one would vote for them.
Best not to have a seafood allergy either.

[Raider Bill]

Ida dumped carrot top.

Good thing the PO isn't trying to solve crimes.

[Magicman]

There is probably not at potential winner on that tribe anyway, so nothing lost.  The merge will change some dynamics. 

[Cedarman]

He could write a chapter on how "not" to play survivor or be one.

[WDH]

He was more of a jester.

[Magicman]

The guy on the other tribe telling about the idol was also very much "less than smart".  One way or the other, that will bite him later.

[Roxie]

It's such a relief when someone so hard to watch play, get's voted off.  The fact that his arrogance caused him to be blindsided, was the icing on my cake. 

[Raider Bill]

He was very hard to watch. So long carrot top.

[Roxie]

I just watched Wednesdays episode on demand, and WOW.  After the tribe shuffle, and playing an advantage that backfired, and Joe playing the immunity idol to save himself, Alan, the NFL player was voted off.

He was the only physically strong player on that tribe, and that might come back to haunt them.

Still a very compelling season.

[Raider Bill]

Alan shouldn't be surprised. He was cut by 5 NFL teams....

[Magicman]

I missed two episodes while in Colorado, but I'm caught up now.  It never ceased to amaze me how a weasel can hold on.   

[Roxie]

Wish you could have seen my face when they voted out Ali.  She wasn't the only one that was blind sided, and I am rapidly running out of players that I like.   

[Raider Bill]

Ali reminded me of my second ex wife.

[Cedarman]

Looks like they merge next week.  There will be some scrambling.

[Magicman]

Yes scrambling and there is much going on that we do not see.  I am just enjoying the show. 

[Cedarman]

I got blindsided along with Jessica.  Chrissy is the one to watch.  What a cast of characters.

[Roxie]

17 weeks in, and some folks are getting harder to watch.  Some of those skeletal  frames just bring out the mother in me and I want to whip up some chicken and dumplings for them. 

Those that went in with some reserve padding (attractively) packed on like Ben the cowboy, and Lauren are holding up nicely.  They both are playing a good strategic game too. 

Desi won the first individual immunity last night, and she is a force to be reckoned with too. 

I sure would like to see those three go on to compete at the final, and of those (as it stands now), I'd love for Lauren to win the big money.  She's had to scrap from day one to stay in it. 

[DPatton]

LMAO...C'mon Raider Bill the suspense is killing me! I know there's got to be a good punchline with that last post of yours.

[Magicman]

I still have no favorite but I am enjoying the show.  At least it gives me a show that I look forward to watching. 

[Chuck White]

This Survivor series is really different!   :-\

[Cedarman]

I am with MM on looking forward to Wed evening.  Denise must have been a real threat to get the boot.  She seemed likable , but not dynamic personality.  Cole is most likely next, so I wonder how the editors will make a drama out of it.  Very interesting reward challenge. 

[Magicman]

Cole did not win immunity he was gone and he knew it.  Poor Mike has no game and does not know it.  He is no threat and should be carried to the end, but he won't be.

[Chuck White]

I think that the four moons on the beach added a little humor to the show!   ;D

[Cedarman]

Was next week's teaser to make us think the alliance of 7 was going to break up?  If it does, then Katy bar the door.  Why did Mike feel like he needed to play the idol? 

[WDH]

Mike outfoxed himself.

[Raider Bill]

Joe be gone!
Wonder how long Ben can go without telling anyone about his idol.

[Roxie]

I'm still rooting for Lauren and Ben.  The rest of the crowd is just lacking inspiration.  Personally, I'm looking forward to an island without Joe.   :D

The conversation between Lauren and Ashy regarding Ben, and both saying if they were on the jury, they'd give Ben the money, was touching, and poor Ben's days are numbered.

[Raider Bill]

I too like Laurie for the win. She should have kept quiet about her advantage but I guess in the interest of full disclosure..
Glad they flushed the skinny weasel guys idol out.

[Cedarman]

It is nice to see that people are leaving with a little class.  JP had about as big a blindside as you could get.
Joe thought that being irritating would get him to the final 3, but he thought wrong.  Chrissy needs to go.

[Raider Bill]

I don't think JP said 5 words the whole time. Chrissy's a actuary, smart, very smart, They need to get rid of her.

[Jeff]

That was awesome!

[WV Sawmiller]

   Very crafty gamesmanship. Not sure Ben will survive the next vote after that trick though.

   I thought the fake idol concept was pretty slick idea too.

[Magicman]

Very well played by Ben and one huge mistake by a strong player. 

[Jeff]

Ben has as much chance for immunity as anyone next time. What a good game this time.

[Cedarman]

Last night proved 2 rules of survivor. (At least in my play book).
1.  Never tell anyone you have an idol.
2.  Never give up an idol except in rare cases.  (Real rare).  Last night was an example of just throwing one away.
Another rule to remember is that no one playing survivor is your friend.  They are always out for them selves.  You use other players and they use you.  Mutual benefit may occur from time to time, but is always fleeting.
Last night was sure fun.  Lauren left with grace as she was kicking herself for lapse of judgement.
Also showed how homesick and lonely some players are.  Very touching.

[WDH]

Second dumbest move in Survivor History.  And, I had her picked to make the final.  Up to that point, she was a cagey player, then she lost her mind.

[Raider Bill]

Twists and turns...
Ben's turned into a bit of a jerk.

[Magicman]

Ben is playing the game to win but of course they all are.  He has saved his own skin twice, but who knows what twists lie ahead.

[Chuck White]

I wouldn't have shown that idol until vote time, then I would have picked the one to be on the jury!

[Jeff]

My money is on Ben. Its only 25 cents though.  Tonight's tribal council made me dislike Chrissy for sure

[Magicman]

I believe that if Ben makes it to the final he will win, at least he should.

[Cedarman]

Here are my thoughts on why Ben showed his idol early.  If he waited until the vote was made then he would have looked like the kingmaker and all of them would have disliked him even more.  By playing the idol first he put the monkey of choosing who goes home on the other five.  He already picked Lauren to be on the jury and she may resent that enough to vote for someone rather than Ben if he makes it to the final three.
Ryan looks like a shoe in for the final three because he hasn't played much of a game.
I think this is one of the better seasons.  I appreciate when they leave in a classy manner.

[WDH]

Even though he has made some mistakes, i.e. getting rid of Lauren too early and hanging himself out to dry, he has been a good player.  I would vote for him to win if he gets into the final three, which I believe he won't. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I agree with Cedarman on Ben's rationale. This way he spreads the animosity around. Honestly if had been me I'd have done same as last week and then knocked off the guy on his left (I forgot his name) who also seemed like a jerk.

   What's the chance Ben can find another hidden immunity idol before the next vote?

[DPatton]

I hated to see Ashley go home last night because she has been a great competitor this season. I also agree with Ben's idea of playing the idol early and forcing the others to choose instead. I think it was a epic move and I personally hope he finds a way into the final three. He's really got his work cut out for himself though.
I also agree with Jeff's post in that Chrissy's true colors are starting to show through.

What I don't understand is Mike and his failure to make a big move last night. What part of number 4 or 5 does he not understand?

Right now I would choose Ben first then probably Devon second choice as someone I would want to win.

[Chuck White]

Down to the final THREE now!

Still pulling for Ben!

He's been the under-dog for so long and for what it's worth, I'd like to see him win it!

[WV Sawmiller]

X2. (Where are my fingernails? They were here at the start of the show)

[Chuck White]

Well, he was the UNDER-DOG seems like forever, now he's on top!   8)

Great show this time, lots of feelings went into it!

[WV Sawmiller]

WOW!!! 8)

[Jeff]

Best season in recent memory!

[Magicman]

Ben earned it, absolutely battled to the end and earned it.  This was the best game ever for us.

[Roxie]

Really well played game by all participants.  They had a lot of class. 

Ben was my favorite for the win, he was so much fun to watch with his "Ben Bomb." 

I was also very fond of Lauren. 

I just couldn't stay up until the end of the program.  Did they have a fan favorite vote?  If so, who won this year?

[WDH]

No fan favorite vote.

[btulloh]

Congrats to Ben.  I do think he earned it and he was my pick of the final three.  I was on the Lauren bandwagon until she flamed out.  It was a pretty good group of people all in all.  I was impressed with the grace with which they left the game.