Survivor: Cambodia

[Garak]

I'm happy that Jeremy won but I think Spencer deserved the win more - I feel like he was really on the bottom at one point and fought hard to get to the final 3.

Too bad for Wentworth, I would have been happy had she won too.

That was a pretty epic season of Survivor I have to say - the challenges, the tribals, the strange strategies.....it had everything.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Spencer played a great game going into the end but I think he blew it with his attitude in the last few tribal councils that was perceived as arrogance. If he had gone in with two goats he might have still won, but given that the final three all played a great strategic game the jury were free to vote emotionally.

I was sad that Keith didn't whip out the fake idol at tribal. That may have worked. In HvV Rupert got an extra three days by pretending he had an idol and Jeremy was super-nervous about that idol, and it looked totally believable as an idol.

By the way, I accidentally saw a little information about things that happen next season. This has nothing to do with any eliminations or twists or anything like that, but it's still semi-spoilery, so I'm tagging it. It could make the season play out differently than any other.

Spoiler: Next season

The weather is really terrible for the entire game and there are three medical evacuations.

 

[Timewalker]

I was sad that Keith didn't whip out the fake idol at tribal. That may have worked. In HvV Rupert got an extra three days by pretending he had an idol and Jeremy was super-nervous about that idol, and it looked totally believable as an idol.

I was hoping he'd take it out before the voting... just casually put it around his neck and let everyone think it was real (Jeff Probst would have had to keep his mouth shut about it), but not play it after the votes. I can respect Keith's decision not to play an idol he knew was fake (since it would have given everyone except Kelly the impression that he was a liar), but any sensible player would have used the misdirection of it beforehand.

Where are they going next time? I didn't catch that.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Still Cambodia, it's another Brians/Brawn/Beauty season.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I didn't even notice that Vytas was missing at the reunion...

I am okay with the winner, though not thrilled. Out of Jeremy, Tasha, Spencer, and Kelly Wentworth, my order for who I thought should win would be:

1. Kelly
2. Tasha
3. Spencer
4. Jeremy

However, they all did really well and them getting to the final four was satisfying in itself.

I was also surprised by the jury questions in the final tribal council. I felt like they could have asked more interesting and insightful questions. Based on the questions and answers, it seemed like the jury was all over the place in who they would vote for, so it did come as a surprise to me that Jeremy's win was unanimous. I knew he would get some votes, but some jury members seemed to be leaning elsewhere.

And I wonder how the jury would have voted after seeing the whole season...watching from home, Tasha seemed like a really great player who overcame a lot to put herself in great positions. I feel like she played sort of a Sandra type game. Yet she seemed to get no credit. I guess they were just seeing a different perspective out there with her.

As for next season, I thought brains vs. braun vs. beauty was one of the better seasons, though not necessarily due to the gimmick. I just happened to find several cast members interesting. Hopefully this next season is even better. But Caleb...ugh. I am into Big Brother and remember him very well from his season. He had an inflated ego (he calls himself "beast mode cowboy") and became obsessed with a female housemate who he was convinced wanted to not only date him but move across the country to live near/with him after the show (she had no interest in him at all). He was creepy to the point of just watching her sleep...he is weird, that's for sure. Could be a strange season of Survivor.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Why Kelly? I thought she was mostly around due to blind luck finding idol clues.

Tasha though played more of a Cirie game. Great social game being on good terms with everyone and always in the majority. Just Jeremy got all the credit for her strategy due to his Y chromosome. What she needed was something like that 'Coach was my young girl' comment that won Sophie? (Forget her name) the vote. Tasha was the best player this season.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Why Kelly? I thought she was mostly around due to blind luck finding idol clues.

Tasha though played more of a Cirie game. Great social game being on good terms with everyone and always in the majority. Just Jeremy got all the credit for her strategy due to his Y chromosome. What she needed was something like that 'Coach was my young girl' comment that won Sophie? (Forget her name) the vote. Tasha was the best player this season.

I tend to admire those who can stick around even when they are public enemy #1. Kelly did this for a while. Also, I felt like she played especially well in the first half of the game, similar to Tasha's game, being friendly to everyone and doing well in challenges, yet not coming off as a threat. I think she would have continued this type of play had she not aligned with Ciera and Abi Maria, but aligning with them made her more visible and then she became the underdog. I do think that Tasha and Spencer are very very close behind, and really all three of them deserved it most in my eyes. Jeremy was good too but I felt those three did the best.

 

[Timewalker]

As for next season, I thought brains vs. braun vs. beauty was one of the better seasons, though not necessarily due to the gimmick. I just happened to find several cast members interesting. Hopefully this next season is even better. But Caleb...ugh. I am into Big Brother and remember him very well from his season. He had an inflated ego (he calls himself "beast mode cowboy") and became obsessed with a female housemate who he was convinced wanted to not only date him but move across the country to live near/with him after the show (she had no interest in him at all). He was creepy to the point of just watching her sleep...he is weird, that's for sure. Could be a strange season of Survivor.

Caleb will either be very popular or he'll be very unpopular. It should be interesting to see if someone who can manage 3 months of cameras 24/7 in luxury surroundings can manage 39 days of camping with cameras all around.

Why Kelly? I thought she was mostly around due to blind luck finding idol clues.

Tasha though played more of a Cirie game. Great social game being on good terms with everyone and always in the majority. Just Jeremy got all the credit for her strategy due to his Y chromosome. What she needed was something like that 'Coach was my young girl' comment that won Sophie? (Forget her name) the vote. Tasha was the best player this season.

I barely noticed Tasha most of the time, so I don't understand why she made it anywhere near the end.

Kelly had some luck in finding the clues, yes. But that's because she actively went out looking for them. And when she found them, she took the opportunities she had to find the idols. After that, she had the smarts to know when to play them to save herself. This, and her ability to do well in challenges, are what put her high on my list of hoped-for winners.

Kelly Wigglesworth was a disappointment. I really got the impression that she did this season for the money instead of because she actually wanted to win (everybody gets paid something, depending on how long they last in the game). And that last "pick a number" thing at the final tribal council - that was bitter. I get the impression that she's blamed Greg all these years, because evidently Rich picked the closer number.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The first idol clue Kelly went out looking for. The second just fell in her lap. Anyone could have found it just as easily.

The thing about Tasha is that she was a great player in ways the camera doesn't focus on. When she and Savage were thrust into the minority they rose into control. Again, credit went to the male. After the merge, nobody ever targeted her. She was in the majority almost every vote and when she wasn't, the traitors specifically didn't target her. I feel like if they replayed the game over and over with no memory and slightly different random draws, Tasha would get to the finals over and over and Jeremy and Spencer would only get there some of the time.

Every time there is a male/female team, the male gets the credit for the strategic decisions and the female gets the blame for betrayals. Parvati is the exception. Tasha deserved to win in my book.

I thought it was Africa that the random number draw determined the winner, with a different Kelly. I forgot about Greg. For season one I always remember Rich letting go of that pole as the determining factor. Season 3 Kelly though made them pick a number from 1 to 1000 and picked the room number from The Graduate. That was also a 4-3 vote.

Hey, that would be an interesting Survivor. John vs Kelly. One tribe of Johns, one tribe of Kellies.

 

[Timewalker]

I thought it was Africa that the random number draw determined the winner, with a different Kelly. I forgot about Greg. For season one I always remember Rich letting go of that pole as the determining factor. Season 3 Kelly though made them pick a number from 1 to 1000 and picked the room number from The Graduate. That was also a 4-3 vote.

Hey, that would be an interesting Survivor. John vs Kelly. One tribe of Johns, one tribe of Kellies.

In the very first Survivor, Greg just told each of them to pick a number between 1 and 10. Evidently Rich was closer, so that's who Greg voted for.

Why did he do that? It's probable that by that time he really didn't care, or maybe he didn't think either of them deserved to win.

I thought Greg was a hoot, though, with his coconut shell cell phone routine.

And I'm pretty sure it was Rudy who let go of the pole, or were there two challenges that involved hanging on to the pole?

Survivor having one tribe of Johns and the other tribe all being female? Dunno if the CBS censors would go for that...

 

[JirinPanthosa]

No, Rich let go of the pole first. And, it was a brilliant strategic move. Rich wins, he brings Rudy, Rudy wins. Rich wins, he brings Kelly, he loses Rudy's vote. But Kelly wins, she brings Rich. Rudy wins, he brings Rich. Rich had no reason to win that challenge. Rudy let go of the pole accidentally, Rich let go intentionally. I somehow remember that part really well. "I'm going to do you both a favor."

I'm pretty sure Kelly from Africa did the number thing too. Maybe I just remembered Sue's speech better so I forgot Greg did it too.

It would have been nice if Kelly Wigglesworth made the finals. If I were in the jury with her as a finalist I would have made an ironic reference to Sue's speech. 'I think I speak for all of us when I officially promote you from Rat to Snake.'

 

[Timewalker]

Ah, right. I'd forgotten about Rich's strategy move. I just remember how mad Rudy was at himself for being so absent-minded about letting go.

As for Kelly Wigglesworth... meh. I didn't like her (either time), but I expected more from her. She pretty much did nothing but coast until the others decided to get rid of her.