Survivor Season 31 - Second Chance discussion thread

[Joe McGurl 8358]

As the title suggests, this is a place to discuss the new season of Survivor.

 

I thought it was a pretty great premiere and I'm stoked for this season.

 

Early thoughts:

 

Bayon is going to run the board on Ta Keo in challenges so I suspect a tribe swap to happen pretty quickly especially with Vytas gone as he was one of Ta Keo's strongest competitors.

 

Abi Maria..ugh.

 

I could've watched Fishbach try to chop that log for another solid 5 minutes.

 

I like Varner's "balls to the wall" attitude and isn't just being complacent because he hasn't played in 15 years

 

Woo's surprised face is the best face.

 

My predictions for final 3: Keith, Jeremy, Kelley Wentworth

 

 

Also, stealing this from Parade but it's essentially a Survivor fantasy draft. I'm not organized enough to keep track of points but I think it would just be interesting to see people's picks. I'll put my picks on my next post.

 

Winner Pick: The player who will win this season.

Challenge Beast: Someone with a reputation for his or her challenge prowess.

The Strategist: Players known for his or her strategic aptitude.

The Black Widow: In honor of Parvati Shallow, who is on location; this is a player who might be underrated or not so front-of-mind from her first season, and can therefore sneak her way to the top.

The Old Schooler: Either a player from an earlier era of Survivor, or a newer player who has that old school mindset.

Under The Radar: Someone entering Second Chance aiming to play an undetectable game.

Wildcard: A player who is completely unpredictable at this point in time.

Two Utility Spots: The two players who could potentially fit in most of those categories for any number of reasons, people who are strong in the clutch.

The Bench: The final two picks of the draft by default.

[Joe McGurl 8358]

Winner Pick: Jeremy - I think Jeremy is looking good coming into the season. He's physical, smart and has a good alliance already filled with alpha males who will get picked off before him post merge.

 

Challenge Beast: Joe - I think Joe is probably going to have a similar fate as last season where he just kills it in the pre-merge game but is too much of a threat to bring into the later game. That said, dude is THE challenge beast.

 

The Strategist: Terry Dietz - He reminds me of someone who would be an FBI Agent...maybe it's just because he said "dossier." But I like his stuff

 

The Black Widow: Wentworth - She was barely a blip on the radar her first time through and is already looking really strong making a play at the hidden immunity idol. I like her chances this year

 

The Old Schooler: Keith - You just don't get much more goddamn old school than Keith

 

Under The Radar: Peih-Gee

 

Wildcard: Varner and Kass

 

Two Utility Spots: Savage and Woo

 

The Bench: Tasha and Spencer

[marshall mellow 1671]

Here's my final three: Spencer, Ciera and Keith

 

Fantasy draft picks:

 

Winner Pick: Spencer (aka Cochran 2.0)

 

Challenge Beast: Tasha (much like Joe, she's v. good at individual immunity challenges)

 

The Strategist: Kelley Wentworth (she's a hardcore Survivor fan that I hope goes far)

 

The Black Widow: Ciera (did you know she voted her mum off last time she played?)

 

The Old Schooler: Kelley Wigglesworth (Season One player, super old-school)

 

Under The Radar: Keith (If Keith were to have a strategy, gun to his head, he would play under the radar)

 

Wildcard: Shirin (she can be unhinged/pantless one minute, and then clear-thinking the next)

 

Two Utility Spots: Joe and Jeremy (love these guys, hate to call them 'utility', more all-round great players)

 

The Bench: Fishbach and Woo

 

DISCLAIMER: I haven't seen the season premiere yet so this is going with gut-instincts only, which will make it that more impressive when I nail the final 3 pick.

[greggy 15909]

hmm, i was going to just paste my notes in here but there were too many images for earwolf i guess and it wouldnt let me, i guess i'll have to plug my stupid website instead sorry:

http://podcastsarewonderful.com/post/129830800061/survivor-31-episode-1-notes

 

idk aboout picking all these names but i like keith, i would like it if he wins. joe and woo will probably win a lot of challenges. shirin will either do a lot of strategizing or get voted out pretty quick

[rod aug 5637]

No spoilers guys I haven't seen the episode yet! brb lol i'll c u tomorrow

[honlads 8798]

Abi is so bad at Survivor. What is she doing. I have never seen someone be so bad at something.

 

I like Keith because he feels like some guy who was just already on the island when everyone arrived.

 

Great episode. This show's good.

[JacobCrites 4977]

I thought this was the best season opener in a long time. Hidden Immunity Idol at the challenge? Genius. Such a new level of intensity.

 

I'm diggin' everyone's vibes, 'cept for Abi, who is this season's embodiment of "you can only suppress your negative qualities for so long." I hated Pyynis or whatever his name was, but he got voted out, so good.

 

I'm also kinda meh on the Firefighter dude who let his wife get sent to Exile a couple seasons ago. I hold grudges.

 

Agreed that it's Spencer's game to lose at this point. His social game is top notch--he's likable, he listens, he has good ideas but is totally fine with going with somebody else's idea. And he's been beastin' challenges. The old ladies like him, the young ladies like him, and he can be "one of the guys" more than Cochran could. I'm also rooting for Varner and Blonde Chick Who Got the Idol

 

I guess Survivor kind of gave up on diversity? I get that fans voted, but did they at any point think to themselves, "Hey, is it bad that all except 4 people are white?"

 

I have no memory of Fishbach ever existing.

 

Winner: Spencer

Challenge Beast: Joe, obvs

The Strategist: Savage is looking good. Likable, made quick alliances, has a trustworthy face. He's strong as hell but looks like a dad. I think people will underestimate him.

Black Widow: Keith. Keith knows when to shut up, which is maybe the most important quality in a Survivor winner. He's old, but holds his own in challenges. Not a physical threat, but not dragging the team down, either.

The Old Schooler: I'm diggin' Varner. He's hungry. Gotta let yer big dog eat.

Under the Radar: Shirin. Even though I ended up liking her on her last season, and I like her this season, I immediately forget she exists the second she leaves the camera.

Wild Card: Tasha. She's talking like she's going to be more confrontational, but I don't think it's actually in her nature. She's likable. I have no idea what she's going to do.

Two Utility: Woo and Terry. Woo is a dumb douche who doesn't know he's a dumb douche, so it's kinda cute.

Bench: Kellie Wentsworth (I have a crush on her because she's my girlfriend) and Kimmi. Not sure what's goin on with Kimmi. I'm gonna keep an eye on her.

 

EDIT: Not sure if you guys are actually doing a draft and I have to pick people that you guys didn't pick...I just picked people I liked.

[rod aug 5637]

I only know 3 of these people so these predictions will be awful!

 

Here's my final three: Savage, Monica, Shirin

 

Fantasy draft picks:

 

Winner Pick: Savage

 

Challenge Beast: Spencer

 

The Strategist: Peih-Gee

 

The Black Widow: Kass

 

The Old Schooler: Kelley Wigglesworth

 

Under The Radar: Ciera

 

Wildcard: Abi of course!

 

Two Utility Spots: Varner and Woo

 

The Bench: Fishbach and Tasha

[seeley 836]

Man, this season has, like, my favorite Survivor castaway (Savage, who got screwed in Pearl Islands by the goddamn scab Outcasts tribe) and possibly my most hated (the wholly unlikable Kass). I managed to rope in my girlfriend to watch this season, with no previous Survivor experience, and she enjoyed the first episode! So that's good! She's all-in on Kelley Wentworth and I think I might be too, as far as most appealing castaway. Was that one of the draft choices? No? oh. Also - great, great twist on the increasingly tiresome hidden immunity idol.

 

Jeff Varner is relatable, in that if you showed some clips of me from 2000 and then showed clips of me today in 2015, you would totally note the bloat. While I generally enjoyed his "The game has changed so much since I played" narrative -- like a man transported from the 1950s to an America with phones that can deposit checks -- as greggy said in his v. good blog post, he really fuckin' went to that well a little too often.

[greggy 15909]

my prediction for who goes home tonight is Peih-Gee. i dont think shes bad or anything but hey i wanted to go for an outside the box pick

[robinsbruce 4985]

It has to be Abi even if the other tribe loses I'm done with her and her dumb bracelet.

[Joe McGurl 8358]

Ta Keo is almost certainly going to lose immunity again this week and unless something drastic happens, it's gotta be Abi going home.

[rod aug 5637]

Keith

 

he's going to blow it again and they will have no choice but to vote him off

[marshall mellow 1671]

I predict that Terry D. is getting his torch snuffed tonight.

[Joe McGurl 8358]

I predict that Terry D. is getting his torch snuffed tonight.

 

Attention everyone, Marshall Mellow is coming in with the Doritos JACKED 3D: Bold Prediction of the Week!

[greggy 15909]

[greggy 15909]

‣ oh yeah kelley got that idol last week, pretty sweet

 

‣ gunning for spencer and shirin on day 4 is pretty bold of jeff, probably a good move

 

 

‣ pretty sweet joe, i love when folks do a good job making good camps…also cambodia seems particularly idyllic, chilling out on hammocks you built yourself on a beautiful beach sounds legitimately fun

 

‣ jesus abi what the fuck, i really wanted to hear about that fire chimney

 

 

‣ survivor_hunks.jpg

 

 

‣ jeff looking like fred flintstone

 

‣ lawyer dude couldnt think of a good ending to his meeting his wife story so he had to start crying to cover for it

 

‣ yeah kass i bet you being a real person is going to last

 

‣ man that wife story really got to everybody

 

‣ ok im sorry andrew i was wrong to make jokes about your story, youre a good guy

 

‣ all last episode i thought “fishback” was a nickname

 

‣ i like jeff a lot more now that he isnt talking about being an old guy playing new survivor constantly

 

 

‣ yyyyyowza, ill be back in a few minutes you guys, i got to …uh… go to the bathroom

 

‣ my kind of reward, i hope joe wins it

 

‣ oops ta keo got their puzzle backwards

 

‣ abi is such a master strategist, telling the people who thought they were A#1 top of the heap that they were getting voted out this week, if she hadnt done that they wouldnt have scrambled at all

 

‣ its cool woo is being so above board on things though

 

‣ lol probst cold blooded on shirin telling her she fucked up with abi

 

‣ spencer straight throwing shirin under the bus

 

 

‣ is it just me or is spencer giving shirin the ol’ sly bird here?

 

‣ RIP shirin, i was hoping you would get a good second chance after how badly you were treated last time

 

‣ damn that next time on, going to be fun

[robinsbruce 4985]

Episode 2 notes:

 

1. Joe is going to build theses people a straight up house on this island and then they are going to vote him out because he's a challenge monster.

 

2. Day 5 everyone is ready to weep because they all miss their spouses so much. Really? No, really?

 

3. Shirin was right to leave abi hanging, abi is so bad that she will probably make to the jury based solely on how much of an unhinged non threat she is.

 

4. Varner won't wear pants but he will wear his tie. Who's this guy trying to impress. I mean besides me.

 

5. Decent challenge. Ta keo deserves to lose for as long as they keep abi.

 

6. Spencer likes to cut his deals in tribal so that everyone knows he can't be trusted.

 

7. Is varner leading this tribe? Wtf you guys get it together.

 

8. Probst is going to break the tribes because he doesn't want another season 19 with one tribe losing 8 of the first 10 challenges.

[Joe McGurl 8358]

Jeff Varner is THE dude this season. He's getting such a good edit that I don't think he will win but he's gonna go far and goddamn it if he isn't just a lovable and entertaining southern boy!

 

Love that Varner is already double crossing people. He's in it 100% Bold to go after Shirin and Spencer but really smart

 

Peih Gee is pretty

 

Abi and Spencer walk up to PG and Abi immediately says, "So what's really going on Peih Gee????" because of course she does

 

I've become very adept at knowing when a hashtag is going to pop up on screen. Last week I knew as soon as Kass said Joega that #Joega would appear on the screen and goddammit if I didn't call #SurvivorMacGyver

 

Bayon is so much more chill than Ta Keo, I want to live there. Joe is putting up hammocks and being superman, someone is handing out fruit slices and Keith is there giving out awesome nicknames like "Big Steve" for Fishbach. So chill

 

Jeff is fun

 

Savage REALLY loves his wife.

 

Jeremy REALLY loves his wife

 

Kass acting like a real human being with feelings is cool to see. I hope this new version keeps up because she's been kind of fun this season so far. KASS REDEMPTION ARC I DUNNO GUYS ITS SECOND CHANCES ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN

 

Lol Fishbach can't catch a break in that tribe. "Hey everyone is crying and emotional, you think Jeremy is looking for an idol??" Talk about misreading the tone of a room

 

Lol at Shirin and PG talking shit on Abi when she's like 2 feet away

 

Aw man, I feel bad for Abi. I know she's crazy but that's straight up mean for everyone to just laugh at her like that. And aren't these people in her alliance wtf you guys doing Ta Keo?!

Words to live by

 

Dietz stepping up to the plate. I bet he would be a nice dad who would build me a nice treehouse to play in

 

This is so perfect for Varner to use as ammo to boot Shirin out

 

Oh yeah, Ciera is on this show. Oh and so is Monica. How about that

 

There is nothing that Joe cannot do.

 

Kimmi with the interception.

Ciera pets the Idol like Gollum would the one ring

 

Abi straight up tells Shirin that her and Spencer are going home because if you fuck with Abi, you're dead.

 

Shirin - "so...we good?"

 

 

Woo be like

 

Kelley, how is Ta Keo doing?

 

I'm kind of sad to see Shirin go but ultimately not bothered. I'm much more glad that Spencer stayed in the game. I love that lil rascal

 

HOLD UP TRIBE SWAP NEXT WEEK AND 3 TRIBES NOW SAY WHAAAAA

 

Oh my god I hope Kass and Spencer get put onto the same tribe. Kass, is this what Joe wants?

[JacobCrites 4977]

Joe you're the best. Please do this every week.

 

I was moved to tears by Savage's story of how he met his wife in his house and she was hot, the end.

[agata 2789]

i've been away from my wife for 30 seconds please send help immediately

[JacobCrites 4977]

I mean, the one dude's wife is pregnant, so I get that, but Savage's story was just "My wife is a model. And we met...and then we got married! *Sobsobsob**"

Which isn't even a story.

Dude needs to chill.

But not netflix and chill, because his wife isn't there.

[honlads 8798]

I watched the ep.

 

Varner should go home for tearing the sleeves off his shirt but not taking off his tie.

 

Okay now Varner has put his arms into the loose, detached sleeves. This guy is asking to go home. Probst CAN'T not mention this at tribal council.

 

Nice try with the filler shots of the moon, Survivor, but we've all seen the bloody moon now and we are not impressed by your shitty white one.

 

Savage: I miss my wife. By the way she's smoking hot I mean fuuuuuuck daddy likey aye aye aye the legs on this top model.

 

Jeremy: I'm not going to tell anyone that I miss my wife and am emotional about it.

Jeremy +5 mins: I cried at your story.

 

Savage is going to send Fishbach home because he doesn't have a wife and kids. Now that is a true family man.

 

Wow, Abi is right there. Great TV.

"Put yourself on my shoes". They subtitled it like "Yes, you heard right. She said "on"."

 

Probst loves that they're going to lose skin on the wood.

 

I'm glad Probst just broke down what a puzzle is for me. I was so confused.

 

"How poetic!" Stop it.

 

I don't want Spencer to go.

 

Varner: Spencer is the smartest person I've ever met. Shirin is smarter.

 

Tribal council. Elephant in the room is Varner's flip-flopping sleeve game. So awkward.

 

Deitz played this well. Alliance with a crazy person paid off and a threat is gone.

 

Spencer meant every word he said about being all about building relationships instead of strategy, because that is the best strategy.

 

Good ep.

[greggy 15909]

on the P to PROBST scale, i give episode 2 a PROBS

[rod aug 5637]

I am excited by Abi being involved in a big alliance. It guarantees a few more eps worth of her outbursts, plus we'll get to see her walking around all smug like she earned her place in camp. Her face is going to be hilarious when she gets backstabbed.

 

The other camp looks like paradise, Joe is approaching Malcolm status. Not as handsome but he seems like a man I could be a best friend with.

 

Probst has a wood burn fetish, he wouldn't stop talking about people sliding down those structures.

 

Shirin didn't play the game very well by siding with Abi in the first place so I wasn't surprised that she's gone. I predict a win for Ta Keo Spikes next week.