tbird
Prediction Writer
Posts: 165
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Post by tbird on Apr 26, 2015 5:59:41 GMT
169. Cassandra Franklin (Fiji): I feel bad for this writeup because I don't have a ton to say about Cassandra. I think it was an oversight to let her get this far, and if anyone (namely Stephen) disagrees, feel free to educate me, but Cassandra had an entire season to be entertaining, and she never really delivered in any longstanding appreciable way.
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Austin
Prediction Writer
Posts: 139
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Post by Austin on Apr 26, 2015 18:23:35 GMT
168: Dan Kay (Gabon): Let it be known, I had absolutely no opinion on Dan going into Gabon - I didn't know who he was as a character like, at all. Having watched the season, I friggen' adore this guy. Being the big guy who got on his tribes nerves (over-strategziing, eating too much food, etc.) was low-key fun over on Kota while Fang was disintegrating. It was an under the radar thing, but it was fun until the double tribal spelled his end.
The are two Dan moments I want to highlight. First, his stay at Exile. That was so great - him being completely unable to find the FIRST clue, that SUGAR of all people was able to find on her first try, despite him seemingly being a "power player," was excellent. Just a lot of fun. The other is a singular line that had me burst out in laughter, which is pretty rare on Survivor - when Jeff asks them who they're sending, they say Sugar, for the umpteenth time. When Jeff asks why Dan says "Purely comedy, no strategy." That line alone made me adore the guy, cause it was just so quick-witted.
Having said all these positive things, Dan was very much under the radar in Gabon, and is the weakest character left there, simply because others had so much more to offer. But 168 is a very good spot for him - he was fun, but he's not Top 150 .
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Post by lexvandenberghe on Apr 26, 2015 20:11:14 GMT
167. Taj George (Tocantins) - Taj was a perfectly sweet person, and she did well in the game. However, I really get the feeling that the producers and editors were hoping she'd be a Cirie substitute, and she was more Cirie lite. She had some personality, some sass, but there was also a, dare I say, blandness to her as well. Which I get, as she's married to a famous person and was somewhat famous herself, and didn't want to come off too badly. But I just think she held back a bit, which is why she's just not as memorable as she should have been. Bonus points for her being on Survivor directly leading to the reunion of SWV, which was a boon for all us 90s Hip-Hop/R&B fans. Points deducted, however, for the reunion leading to a shitty reality show.
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Post by Host Brian on Apr 26, 2015 22:08:20 GMT
166. Sierra Reed (Tocantins) Sierra Reed is quite possibly the biggest wet blanket Survivor had seen since Lillian Morris. On the first day, she was chosen as the weakest member of Timbira, which she tried to justify by saying she was sick, pretty much confirming the tribe's decision. Her "I'm the weakest player" storyline falls off super fast because Erinn, an actual angel, pretty much takes it from her. Sierra was apart of the Exile Alliance, and we all know how that turned out. My other issue is Sierra plays the victim all season long. Everyone but JT and Brendan said they actively disliked her on the season, and even JT tried dancing around that. Even Probst didn't like her, and said her winning fan favorite was an upset, and after she won moved on from her and didn't let her talk about it.
While she is a weak standalone character, Sierra does make other characters stronger. For example, the firepit scene with Debbie. Tyson shitting on her. Her fight with Debbie. Her FTC speech which criticizes JT for not bringing strong players like Debbie to the end. Oh, and by other characters stronger, I mostly mean Debbie.
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Post by Jonny "FIGGA" Fairplay on Apr 26, 2015 23:04:26 GMT
165: Jon Misch (San Jesuit Del Sassafrass): I will never get the Jonclyn love. I liked Jon better in his initial episodes where he was just this goofball who lost flint and howled at monkeys, while his whole thing with his father gives a bit of dimension. But once he gets reunited with Jaclyn and IS THE SWING VOTE FOR LIKE 3 EPISODES IN A ROW is when I start to fall off the bandwagon. Having to watch them always kissing just got boring, and I was just ready to be done with it. After the Josh-Jeremy boots, Jon becomes the main threat to win, and I'm just done. His argument with Jaclyn on the beach I don't really dig because first off his forehead dirt makes him look like he has a unibrow and that just gives me the jibblies and second because it just seems like some sort of thing I'd see on The Bachelor or something. Him getting booted sixth makes me happy. Personally I like all three other SJDS people better than him, so I'm cutting him here. FIGHT ME.
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kass
Prediction Writer
Posts: 105
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Post by kass on Apr 26, 2015 23:14:20 GMT
164. Brenda Lowe (Nicaragua): I liked Brenda at first in Nicaragua and then "I'm the queen! Everybody's doing what I want and I don't have to do ~anything~" x20 got really old really fast. Then, her boot episode where she just lays down and dies and people hale her as this iconic strategist...okay. Nicaragua Brenda is a fun character on the whole, I guess, but I don't think she's strong enough (especially on rewatch and factoring in teethgate) to make it further than this
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tbird
Prediction Writer
Posts: 165
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Post by tbird on Apr 26, 2015 23:28:47 GMT
163. Chet Welch (Micronesia): Poor Chet. I don't think there's anybody who had a worse time on Survivor that this fragile little guy. Chet is left out of the core alliance of the fans tribe and forms the "We are actually interesting and compelling people" trio with Tracy and Kathy. These three proceed to have an absolutely compelling shared arc where the Fans begin to self-cannibalize, and these three misfits survive intact for FIVE episodes. Unfortunately it all comes crashing down in a heartbeat as we lose all three in two episodes, leaving the most useless fans to get ritualistically slaughtered in uniquely useless ways.
Now I can't talk about Chet specifically without mentioning his incompetence in challenges, which I was never all that entertained by. So people aren't athletic, and I don't derive a ton of pleasure in seeing that point hammered home (unless the person in question is a fucking Olympian <3 ). This fact culminates in the Hunter/Hunted challenges where Joel the asshole literally nearly critically injures Chet. This is played off for laughs, which I found kind of gross considering what could have happened. So yeah ... if you like seeing an uncoordinated older guy be uncoordinated for a long time, you probably think this is too early, but he's my cut.
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Post by lexvandenberghe on Apr 27, 2015 0:21:11 GMT
BOOOOOOOO
I was planning on carrying Chet to the top 100, Weekend at Bernie's style.
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Austin
Prediction Writer
Posts: 139
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Post by Austin on Apr 27, 2015 0:45:51 GMT
162: Laura Morett (BvW): If Coach is the dragon slayer, I guess I'm the Laura slayer - which is weird because I didn't think I had any particular inclination of her aside from vaguely liking her, but I guess y'all just have stronger feelings on her.
In Blood vs. Water, the dynamic between Ciera and Laura was probably the most interesting one, or at least second most interesting behind Aras and Vytas. And while I do think Ciera carries that dynamic, since a big part of it is the role reversal and how Ciera is now the alpha, the mom, in their relationship, there are some good scenes of Laura showing just how proud she is of her daughter. And it's really fun to see that parental pride, even when her daughter votes her out.
And there's also her redemption island (and no I'm not capitalizing it, that gives the damn thing power) run. The people who ran the table on redemption island make for fun characters, and Laura is no exception, particularly because I don't think anyone saw her doing that from the outset. After she goes out for trusting Aras too much, she returns, (in part for her daughter, which is kinda funny seeing as Ciera didn't really want her to return) reaps her vengeance on him and his brother, then promptly returns to redemption arena to spend the rest of her game, and is eventually Elroded in 6th place.
Laura has some fun moment in Blood vs. Water, but ultimately, I don't think there's enough to justify letting her get too much further. The sheer charisma needed for the role the proderce were trying to put her into just isn't there for me - at times the mother/daughter dynamic felt forced, in a way I didn't feel with regards to Aras/Vytas. While I do like her, Laura's run ends here.
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Post by lexvandenberghe on Apr 27, 2015 1:08:40 GMT
161. Angie Jakusz (Palau) - I remember she was the last person picked in the tribal pick, and she was pissed that Coby didn't choose her. And I remember she went out on a revote. Other than that, she doesn't stand out that much to me. I'm sure someone will explain to me why she made it this far, but this is the end of the line for her.
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Post by Jonny "FIGGA" Fairplay on Apr 27, 2015 1:59:48 GMT
161. Angie Jakusz (Palau) - I remember she was the last person picked in the tribal pick, and she was pissed that Coby didn't choose her. And I remember she went out on a revote. Other than that, she doesn't stand out that much to me. I'm sure someone will explain to me why she made it this far, but this is the end of the line for her. I will, eventually. But not now. Gonna probably go back to sleep soon .
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Post by Host Brian on Apr 27, 2015 5:32:59 GMT
160. Jenna Morasca (Amazon) This is nothing against Jenna herself, I'm sure she's sweet. However, she's probably one of the weakest winners ever, and has a bizarre edit that fucks with the narrative of Amazon, and it really brings the season down for me.
Jenna is a young, hot girl who can't wait to flirt with young, hot guys. Instead, she learns it's Men vs. Women, and is saddened. On Jaburu, she bonds with Shawna and Heidi because they're the hot young women who don't do much around camp and instead leave it to JoAnna. Now, the rest of the season, we see Jenna as cliquey, lazy, rude, and mean-spirited towards other contestants, especially Christy. Now, apparently Christy was awful and Jenna was nice, but we didn't ever see those moments. Before the auction, we see Heidi, Jenna, Alex, and Rob making fun of the fact Butch, Matt, and Christy actually put time in and work, and while it wasn't just Jenna, it's bizarre how the winner of the season is shown making fun of people who have a work ethic. The Amazon auction is pretty infamous because they go at each other again and there's Lettergate, and I think we all know how that unfolds.
In the end, Jenna smokes Matt 6-1 at the FTC, and it's a complete what the fuck moment. We see Jenna as a MORN brat who contemplated quitting and bullies a deaf chick and makes fun of people who get off their ass and do stuff, and then she's apparently this beloved social threat? Meanwhile, Matt's storyline of going from awkward outsider to Rob's protege to usurping Rob himself is completely ruined because the editors lied to us. Matt wasn't actually seen as this threat, and Jenna wasn't seen as this Grade A bitch (unless you're Christy). I don't mind being misled, but the viewers were blatantly lied to, and I won't forgive them for that.
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Post by Jonny "FIGGA" Fairplay on Apr 27, 2015 6:02:54 GMT
159: Jake Billengsly (Thailand): The oldest guy out there, when faced with drafting an entire tribe he chose to go the more athletic route and get all the young people, which was probably a good idea on his part, and they do go on a three challenge winning streak. That all comes crashing down in the ATTACK ZONE challenge though, because Robb's insatiable bloodlust starts a downward spiral for the Sook Jais, who continue to pretty much lose for a while, with Jake being the dad of the group. The more I think about it, Jake is pretty fucking awesome. He was 61 when he was on the show, yet looking at him the oldest you'd say he was would probably be like 50. He did pretty well in the challenges, and had a few fun moments to him, but really out of the other Thailand people I just like them more, so I'm gonna cut him here.
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kass
Prediction Writer
Posts: 105
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Post by kass on Apr 27, 2015 12:33:45 GMT
158. Vytas Baskauskas (Blood vs. Water): Sorry Don, but Vytas doesn't work for me as a character. Slimy older brother of Aras doesn't work especially when he brutally shanks Kat and Laura Boneham (by the way, not a particularly impressive roster of people to turn a tribe against when it's KAT and adorable, naive farm girl Laura Boneham who legitimately believed she was voted out to spite/target Rupert). Other than that, he was just kinda gross and slimy and gave off this used-car-salesman vibe and was never particularly endearing. Props to aligning with Tina/Katie at the merge and for making Tina have a subplot of getting her daughter hitched, but Vytas just ain't my cup of tea.
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tbird
Prediction Writer
Posts: 165
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Post by tbird on Apr 27, 2015 15:25:37 GMT
157. Bobby Jon Drinkard (Palau): Bobby Jon is the supporting actor to Stephenie's leading lady over on Ulong. Unfortunately, Stephenie had SO MUCH HEART that we really didn't get to see a lot in terms of character development from Bobby Jon. There's the dichotomy that everyone loves to point out: That Bobby Jon goes crazy in challenges but is a perfect gentleman everywhere else (except when he's blowing snot rockets).
One thing that doesn't get talked about a lot with Bobby Jon is how viscerally stupid he is and how his stupidity is a major contributing factor to the trainwreck that is Ulong. Every time Tom spanks Bobby Jon and sends Ulong to another tribal council, people are going to Bobby Jon trying to figure out who they should vote out. In the tribal portion of the game, unanimous votes are very important to team morale so that nobody feels like they're in trouble and need to panic. Bobby Jon is also a likable, athletic guy, so he's gonna be in his tribe's inner circle 9 times out of 10. However, Bobby Jon refuses to vote alongside his tribe for the entirety of Palau. He votes for who he wants to vote for, tribe be damned, and as a result he (and Ibrehem) end up sending stray votes at people at every Tribal Council except for Kim's, a testament to how useless Kim Mullen is. While Tom and Ian, the core of Koror, were making the tribe really feel like a team, a point which is stated explicitly by Willard and shown implicitly by Coby, Bobby Jon is splintering the Ulong tribe with help from Ibrehem and Stephenie's me-first attitude and James Miller's James Miller-ness ... God that tribe was a shitshow.
So yeah. Bobby Jon is okay. Bobby Jon commits 100% in challenges. Bobby Jon doesn't get enough credit for killing Ulong. Beyond that, not much to say about Palau Bobby Jon. He was way better when he loosened up a little in Guatemala, and we can all be thankful for that.
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