Big Brother Season 27 (2025) / Survivor Season 49 (2025) / The Amazing Race Season 38 (2025)

[JirinPanthosa]

I haven't seen Survivor yet but got to see Amazing Race live.

A lot of seasons of AR, there's an issue of too many equalizers. They very much went in the opposite direction this season, so few equalizers it really brings out how unbalanced the teams are. Teams were heading to the pit stop before some other teams even started. If it's even possible for teams to get a 24 hour gap between them again like they did in Amazing Race 1 it's this season.

I don't want to see a straight up equalizer but one of those things they did where people pick start times based on order of arrival with like 15 minute gaps would be welcome. Let's make it a *little* less absolutely predictable. Give the teams toward the back a fighting chance to catch up.

 

[Timewalker]

I haven't seen either of them yet - will watch later tonight - but absolutely yes.

It was infuriating that they didn't even start to show Turner and Megan until some teams were already done, or nearly done. They couldn't have been lost all day.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Also what's with these single continent Amazing Races? One of them, I'm not sure if it was last year or two years ago, but they spent the entire show in South America. This season, Europe only. I wonder how much money it actually saves, cause it sure waters down the variety of the show.

 

[Timewalker]

Just a speculation, but how many of those flights in previous seasons might have had stops or layovers in the U.S.? When was this season filmed? The chaos in the American airports and with customs/border agents will eventually have an effect on this show.

Please let Izzy get eliminated next week. She is so obnoxious.


I finally saw this week's Survivor. Those were some pathetic-looking grilled cheese sandwiches. And thank goodness one of the most annoying people got voted off.

I just realized one reason I would never last on either Survivor or BB. I have an aversion to being hugged by people who aren't family or really close friends. All that hug-hug-hug and "can I hold your hand?" just gave me the creeps.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Except for the family season which was US only, most seasons only start and end in the US. And current season in Europe only.

I think there's some chance I could do well on Survivor if I had the right luck though age would be a factor now (Not physically, just fitting in with 25 year olds). Big Brother though, 90 days of intense socializations with not only 25 year olds, selected for being attention seekers auditioning for a podcast. No way.

This might be the most unbalanced season of AR since the family season, I can not imagine anyone but two teams winning.

 

[Timewalker]

Yeah, it's gotten to the point where they should just flip a coin between the two guy teams. I'd like to see Taylor and Kyland win, now that Turner and Megan have been eliminated.

Izzy can't go fast enough...


I would absolutely never be able to manage Survivor. They do let Canadians into it now (the guy who got sent home for medical is from a city about 2 hours north of me), but for one thing, I'm physically disabled (multiple disabilities); for two things, I'm over 60, and for three things, I'm a cool-weather person and would never be able to tolerate the heat in that part of the world.

Big Brother... would drive me up the wall. Seriously. Too many people, and all that hugging? Thank you, no. Hugs are nice between family and friends, but not when it's insincere or a means of manipulation. And you're right about the podcast thing. Constantly mugging for the camera, posing (in the expectation that any fans they have will take screenshots and post them), etc.... when did they stop casting real people?

TAR... There's a guy on one of my gaming forums who would be perfect for this. I kept trying to convince him to apply for Amazing Race Canada, but he keeps saying he doesn't have anyone close to him to be a partner. It's a shame, since he's got extensive experience as a traveler who enjoys active things and different varieties of food.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I think I'd be good on the Amazing Race but don't know anyone else but my dad who's into reality shows and he's 70 and overweight.

I'm 42 and fairly fit so physically fine to do well on Survivor. I think I'd make good strategic moves, I'd just have trouble influencing people to vote with me.

With BB I also think they've had a problem with edits. When Hayden was on Big Brother I couldn't stand him then on Survivor I liked him. Same with a couple of the Big Brother people who went on The Challenge. Big Brother producers egg on players to trash each other. The podcast generation has made all reality shows harder to watch but Big Brother has had these problems well before that.

I really hate the way Jeff brought up the possibility of being cast on Survivor 50. He put them in a mode where they're more focused on putting up a personal show instead of just focused on winning.

Spoiler: Survivor

Sad to see Nate go because I liked him. But he was an obvious "First from other tribe" target. I'm not sure what Juwan and Sage's long term plans are flipping sides, but I guess with Steven they're not necessarily on the bottom of the other alliance.

Oh, and since we're talking about people we know and AR castings. I have a close friend who is cousins with somebody who went on AR. (Leo of Leo and Amala).

 

[Timewalker]

My impression of Survivor this season is that they've reached the merge and very few of them have realized that they no longer have the luxury of it being all about the original tribe. It's naive to expect those alliances to stay strong until the very end (though it worked on the first Survivor show, how many times has that worked since?).

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I'm in the middle of watching the finale of Survivor 28, Tony's first season. The last season to have a two person final two.

And it just boggles my mind, why did Woo take Tony to the final two? He would have beat Kass, he obviously would have beat Kass. He still took Tony.

The current season, I have no idea who's going to win. Rizo gained my respect the last two episodes. Juwan feels like he's going to be caught being cagey. Pretty much everyone is playing a unique game.

 

[Timewalker]

Some of them say they want to take a strong player so they're perceived as being stronger still when they beat them. The problem is that they often don't beat them.

Agreed on Rizo. It's been hard to find people to root for this time. Most of them are just really boring people, and so help me, three of those women look so much alike that I still have trouble telling them apart until they speak. And then I wish at least one of them would shut up because I don't like her voice.


So... non-elimination leg. At this point I'm wondering if the people filming the team with the diabetic guy includes anyone with medical training. If he has a hypoglycemia incident, that could put him in the hospital if it's not treated immediately. And treating it would cost them at least 15-20 minutes for testing, ingesting something sweet (cookies, juice, or Dex4), waiting 15 minutes, testing again, and hopefully the numbers would be in the safe zone.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Challenge is going to the final, Michaela/Cedric are still in. I'm rooting for them but at this point, the final is so strong I'd be happy no matter who won.

Spoiler: Amazing Race

Happy to see Tucker gone, even though he was the strongest team. It felt like the detours were so short they would have lost even if they weren't U-turned. They dominated every physical challenge but can't memorize things. How it feels like Jas/Jag's to lose.

 

[Timewalker]

Challenge is going to the final, Michaela/Cedric are still in. I'm rooting for them but at this point, the final is so strong I'd be happy no matter who won.

Spoiler: Amazing Race

Happy to see Tucker gone, even though he was the strongest team. It felt like the detours were so short they would have lost even if they weren't U-turned. They dominated every physical challenge but can't memorize things. How it feels like Jas/Jag's to lose.

Re: TAR. I am in full agreement. And may Izzy and Whatsername be the next ones gone. Please.

I loved that they went to Greece. Those shots of the Porch of the Maidens were beautiful, and seeing that ampitheatre... memories of the 1994 Yanni concert, Yanni: Live at the Acropolis. That concert was absolute magic.

The thing about the alphabet task is that it would have taken me about 2, maybe 3 tries, tops. I already know the Greek alphabet and can write maybe half of it. I can't string a coherent sentence together in Greek, but I have been learning to read it.

Oh, and one amusing thing: TAR contestant walks up to local in charge of a task, and the first thing they say is "Epharisto."

Epharisto doesn't mean "Hello". It means "thank you." So they were thanking the locals before they'd even started doing anything!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I don't know the Greek alphabet completely but so many of them are mathematical symbols I would have gone in knowing half of them.

I just finished Survivor season 29 and started season 30. Another season where there's one ultra-misogynistic person. They usually go home quick but he's still here so far, hopefully he goes home soon. Also this is the only sesaon I've rewatched where I don't remember who won. I remember literally noone. It's the "White collar vs Blue collar vs No collar" season. Even the other seasons I remember nothing, I at least knew immediately who won. This season I don't even remember who won. I think it's this guy named Joe for no other reason than every other player is notable enough I think I'd remember. This might be the least memorable season in Survivor history.

(Survivor 29 was Natalie's win, Blood vs Water 2).

 

[Timewalker]

I don't know the Greek alphabet completely but so many of them are mathematical symbols I would have gone in knowing half of them.

I just finished Survivor season 29 and started season 30. Another season where there's one ultra-misogynistic person. They usually go home quick but he's still here so far, hopefully he goes home soon. Also this is the only sesaon I've rewatched where I don't remember who won. I remember literally noone. It's the "White collar vs Blue collar vs No collar" season. Even the other seasons I remember nothing, I at least knew immediately who won. This season I don't even remember who won. I think it's this guy named Joe for no other reason than every other player is notable enough I think I'd remember. This might be the least memorable season in Survivor history.

(Survivor 29 was Natalie's win, Blood vs Water 2).

Joe Anglim? I don't think he won (just looked him up).


I'm glad Taylor and Kyland managed to eke out a 2nd-last finish on TAR. I'd prefer them to win, but it's looking like it's Jag and Jas' game to lose. The medieval-themed stuff looked like fun.

No disagreement on who got voted out on Survivor. And for the life of me, I still can't tell most of the women cast members apart except by their voices.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Yeah, I just watched the end of the season, a guy named Mike won. I also watched the reunion show which I skipped all the other seasons which included the reveal of the fan vote for Second Chances. And damn that is a well cast season. I wish they'd do a Second Chances 2, cause that'd be a great season.

 

[Timewalker]

So, cliffhanger. They didn't tell us who the final three teams are for the Amazing Race finale. I just hope Izzy and Paige aren't among them.

The Braille typing is something I wouldn't have been able to manage well. I'm a good typist in English, but not if I have to use a manual typewriter (the difference is something on the order of 30+ words per minute). Manual typing requires more strength in the hands and fingers than electric/electronic keyboards.


Survivor... I'd be okay with Rizo winning, but am hoping for Steven to win. That was some navigation around that little island, and a classy move with the reward.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

I'm not able to watch TAR as much as I used to because of my schedule, but what I've seen of this season, Paige and Izzy are the couple you love to hate.
Maybe it's the way they're edited, but there's something "off putting" about them.

 

[Timewalker]

You can watch TAR on the CTV website. The episodes are available for 6 days without having to sign in to watch them. That's how I do it. I watch Survivor on Global.

Izzy wasn't one of the Big Brother winners, but she did make an impression. A very unfavorable one with me, as she latched on to Cirie and declared that she would happily sacrifice her own game so Cirie could win (Cirie showed about half a second's surprise at that before cynically taking advantage).

Izzy treated Cam like shit, even pushing him away when he tried to hug her after her eviction. She was very open about how much she hated him, not caring one bit that his child would be watching. And while he could be occasionally annoying, he didn't deserve that.

So I wasn't happy to see her on TAR and kept hoping week after week that she would be eliminated. She's disgusting in how she treats other people, and I'd like to see her gone.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

At this point I'd be okay with Rizo, Sophi, Savannah or Stephen. Rizo is the strongest player so far but he made himself too much of a target. Sophi has played a controlled smart game but also the kind of game that doesn't get jury credit. Savannah has played an "In your face" game that if she gets to finals will get respect. Whereas Stephen has more been good at defense rather than controlling anything.

Strategy wise I would have no problem with Sage, but just the blackhead thing makes me gag whenever I think of her so I hope she doesn't. Cristina seems like a cool person but I can't see her winning outside a spite vote.

I didn't like Izzy in BB but I've liked her more in AR. And I like Paige better than I like Izzy, she seems like somebody I could be friends with. They haven't been physically strongest but they've stuck it out just by being consistently good at challenges, which I respect.

I didn't dislike Cam as a person so much as I usually root against players with no social game who only skate by on comps. The only exception is Keanu and only because his season was cast so badly.

Challenge 41 ended this week. The guy who won, Yeremi, turns out was from Amazing Race. I assumed he started on a dating show cause he's good looking. But he was on AR 35, Liam & Yeremi, a fairly forgettable team that finished 9th. I wonder how the hell he got considered for Challenge. Did they just go through the AR cast photos looking for the prettiest face?

Second place team included Syndey from Survivor 41. Third place team was Michaela (Survivor) and Cedric (Big Brother).

The other winning player was Olivia who you wouldn't have heard of but it's significant because she's a player who's been deep into the game multiple times but never won.

 

[Timewalker]

Cast can be good-looking without being on a dating show. What matters is if they actually have a personality that isn't just geared toward social media clicks.

Remember Blue on Big Brother? Her whole schtick was finding reasons to pose so her social media fans could drool over her and share those images. She had no actual personality that wasn't shallow and spiteful.