Survivor 44

[CYdTracked]

Hadn't started up a thread for this season yet. Am enjoying this season so far, the cast has some fun personalities and are already playing the game hard it feels like. Crazy they had the medical issues from the start too.

I like the new twists from the start too with the risking up to 2 votes for the possibility of an advantage then the advantages were not identical either. The bag in the cage with the idol and fake idol was a great new way of creating chaos. Already have 1 fake idol successfully planted with Danny planting the key again and Matt finding it.

Wish I had started this from episode 1 to keep better track of what has gone on so far and been more fresh in my mind plus I'm watching it a day or so later now that my 3rd grade daughter wants to watch it with us now too. Some random thoughts I have:

- My favorite player right now is Danny. He's playing a sneaky game strategically while not overplaying it so far.
- Carolyn is a bit nutty but I think she would be a good person to align with if you can keep her calm enough as I think her only move at the moment is to find a few people to stay loyal with and be part of some votes
- Yam Yam is quite the character, such a happy personality and playing a good social game so far
- The "love connection" going on with Matt and Frannie while entertaining we all know how that winds up eventually as they just put bigger targets on them to be voted out.
- So far there isn't a player that I just loathe but maybe give it a couple more weeks and someone might start to annoy me. Overall really think they put together a good cast this season compared to some of the more recent ones.

 

[CyHans]

To show how unobservant I am, I didn't realize they had gone down to 26 days back during the Covid era and have basically adopted the 26 day model. The question had come up as to how you can sit out 3 challenges in a row and they said in the past you couldn't sit out two in a row in one cycle. So basically a reward and immunity challenge. A cycle is each tribal council. They eliminated the reward challenge because they couldn't get it to fit in 26 days. So that allowed Claire to sit out three in a row which turned out to be her demise. The love connection will definitely come back to haunt them.
Favorite players:
I like Danny and how he handled the idol in the cage. Very good game play IMO.
I also like Brandon. He seems like an interesting guy and good around camp.
Too bad Bruce hit his head and had to be removed. He seemed like a tough competitor.
Carolyn is nutty but likeable and makes things interesting.

 

[HarryClone]

Thanks for starting the thread!
- Great twist with the birdcage to promote paranoia and allow idol finders to reuse the prop for gameplay. Did I understand correctly that one tribe's real idol is another's fake and vice versa? Could be some fun outcomes with that after the merge.
- Third for liking Danny.
- Love Carolyn and Yam Yam so far. Curious if either of them breaks or wears down over time. Really miss the 39 day season here.
- An amazing moment when Carson, self-proclaimed reader of body language, incorrectly reads body language when Tika was trying to figure out who got into the bird cage.
- Bad feeling about Matt's position between the fake idol, his heartbreak before filming, his rebound showmance... tragedy awaits, I fear.

 

[CYdTracked]

Thanks for starting the thread!
- Great twist with the birdcage to promote paranoia and allow idol finders to reuse the prop for gameplay. Did I understand correctly that one tribe's real idol is another's fake and vice versa? Could be some fun outcomes with that after the merge.
- Third for liking Danny.
- Love Carolyn and Yam Yam so far. Curious if either of them breaks or wears down over time. Really miss the 39 day season here.
- An amazing moment when Carson, self-proclaimed reader of body language, incorrectly reads body language when Tika was trying to figure out who got into the bird cage.
- Bad feeling about Matt's position between the fake idol, his heartbreak before filming, his rebound showmance... tragedy awaits, I fear.

My wife caught that as she thought Carolyn put back the wrong idol and kept the fake but I guess that is how they did it. Genius idea to whoever came up with it as it will create some interesting scenarios if the idols are still in play at the merge.

The birdcage thing was a great addition to this season. It's easy to think about it watching at home how you would handle it as we know more about it than they do. I would be keeping an eye on that thing like a hawk to see if I could catch someone getting into it or seeing if it looks like it was tampered with. Definately would have done what Danny did and put the fake back in the cage and plant the key then watch to see what sucker finds it. Knowing that someone has the fake and thinks its real presents so many gameplay options.

This is the first time since season 40 that the first few episodes has me excited about a season as seasons 41 and 42 were pretty rough and the cast were mostly forgetable. Season 43 was much better although the gameplay did not get off to the start that this season as so far. I hope they keep doing the after-show stuff immediately after the final vote as the reactions and Q&A is so much better with all of it being in recent memory rather than months later at a live show when the cast has had more time to process it with the TV edits and public opinions.

 

[CYdTracked]

Another great episode this week. They really have added some great twists this season that is making gameplay more strategic. The journey for the 3 people that ended with a temporary immunity idol and a tribe swap was a good one. Just when tribes were getting comfortable with who was next to go they throw a wrench into it.

Biggest most of the week was Carolyn. Instead of letting Yam Yam bully her and dictate the vote once again she teams up with Josh and blinsides Sarah who also found Carolyn's fake immunity idol. Was hoping she would play it so there was even more drama to deal with afterwards but now Yam Yam goes from calling the shots to hoping he can survive until a merge now. Carolyn may be a little odd at times but I think she just showed she can also play smart strategy too.

 

[HarryClone]

- Really enjoying the episodes that focus more on tribe/interpersonal dynamics so far. Feels like challenges are what they are... run here, carry that, do a puzzle, congrats. But spending more time at camps has been nice.

- Matt leaving off-screen was weird to me. Was it just to add dramatic flair to Jeff telling purple there's no tribal? Or setting up a flashback to him bequeathing his idol before leaving?

- Feels like Danny and Brandon dropped the ball with how they treated Carolyn at Sanctuary. I know they don't know what's she's been up to within her tribe, but almost outright ignoring someone and telling them they're good to keep around because they're a not a threat? Fast track to making an enemy. I like Danny still, but also kind of hope Carolyn goes on a revenge tour.

 

[cytor]

Carolyn is a bit of a drama queen, but you are correct that she should not be ignored. She does have a nice rack, so I will keep watching.

 

[laminak]

I'm glad Carolyn was saved a tribal council. I'm not necessarily rooting for to win, however she's so nutty and makes great tv, so want her around as much as possible.

 

[MeanDean]

I found it a little anticlimactic last night after they spent 20 minutes back and forth about who Yam Yam was going to team with to vote the other one out - to just have it be a non-event.

I think since the tribe lost the challenge there should have been some kind of penalty. Instead they benefit from the guy going home with an injury. Yeah, it's the luck of the game sometimes, but if I were in one of those other tribes who actually WON the right to not vote a tribe member out, I'd feel like that was unfair.

 

[stormchaser2014]

Will somebody please use a fake idol and get absolutely embarrassed by Jeff.

 

[HarryClone]

I found it a little anticlimactic last night after they spent 20 minutes back and forth about who Yam Yam was going to team with to vote the other one out - to just have it be a non-event.

I think since the tribe lost the challenge there should have been some kind of penalty. Instead they benefit from the guy going home with an injury. Yeah, it's the luck of the game sometimes, but if I were in one of those other tribes who actually WON the right to not vote a tribe member out, I'd feel like that was unfair.

Is it usual for them to skip tribal and count the med-evac in its place? I’m relatively new to the show so I don’t have the historical context.

 

[MeanDean]

Is it usual for them to skip tribal and count the med-evac in its place? I’m relatively new to the show so I don’t have the historical context.

I haven't seen them all, but in most cases the person who leaves for medical or personal reasons does so before there is an elimination contest. So in those cases, no tribe had yet been identified to go to tribal.

Definitely not 100% sure, but that's the way I remember most of them happening.

 

[CYdTracked]

Carolyn is socially awkward but she's playing a good strategic game so far. I would have loved to see them goto tribal as I have a feeling Carolyn would have played her idol and either blindsided 1 of the guys if they both voted for her or tell them before the vote she was playing it and have them scramble to not vote for 1 of them. We'll never know but I think Jeff just robbed us of a possible epic tribal.

Right now my favorite players are Danny Matt and Carson and probably Carolyn too as I think she is good entertainment and has been underestimated as a threat so far. Merge is coming, should kick things into a higher gear with game play and this cast so far has played things well that should be some good strategy plays coming.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

I'm only 2 episodes in and Carolyn is the most annoying player I've ever seen. It seriously scares me that she is a drug counselor. She makes me want to do them.

 

[CYdTracked]

I'm only 2 episodes in and Carolyn is the most annoying player I've ever seen. It seriously scares me that she is a drug counselor. She makes me want to do them.

Socially awkward is how I describe her but she is far from most annoying Survivor player. That title hands down goes to Colton who quit the game twice and was probably the most entitled brat to ever play the game. Even Jeff took a shot at him on the way out the 2nd time



I'd put Coach, Shan, Brandon Hantz, and Shambo as a few others that come to mind right away that that were way more annoying than Carolyn.

 

[MeanDean]

Socially awkward is how I describe her but she is far from most annoying Survivor player. That title hands down goes to Colton who quit the game twice and was probably the most entitled brat to ever play the game. Even Jeff took a shot at him on the way out the 2nd time



I'd put Coach, Shan, Brandon Hantz, and Shambo as a few others that come to mind right away that that were way more annoying than Carolyn.

She does those over the top facial expression things. To me that's very very very annoying.

I enjoy that she is energetic and says what she means. But her facial gyrations are way over the top.

 

[CYdTracked]

She does those over the top facial expression things. To me that's very very very annoying.

I enjoy that she is energetic and says what she means. But her facial gyrations are way over the top.

For some reason that is kind of why I am somewhat rooting for her to go far. She is basically saying what she is thinking when it happens without having to say something. The eye rolls and looks when someone is talking right in front of her or talking down to her like she doesn't know anything are priceless. I can see how some find it annoying, I find it entertaining so far as she doesn't come off fake like some of the cast can at times.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Sad we had two medical leaves. Technically both were accidents but Bruce suffered his in a challenge. I have no idea what Matt was doing on the rock but it was unnecessary and cost him.

 

[CYdTracked]

Sad we had two medical leaves. Technically both were accidents but Bruce suffered his in a challenge. I have no idea what Matt was doing on the rock but it was unnecessary and cost him.

Matt's was just pure stupidity. I mean why would you climb that jagged tall rock for no other reason than you were just showing off and messing around. He made no excuse for his poor decision but he kept saying he had been training to play this game for a long time - well maybe part of your training for next time if you get another shot is to not climb dangerous rocks for no reason LOL

It is amazing there are not more serious injuries that happen given some of the challenges they do. I do wonder if Matt was just hoping to make it to a tribal council where he could volunteer to be voted out because of his injury and not have to make the decision to tap out. Getting to go through tribal and getting voted out would be the way I would prefer to go out if I was hurt.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Another thing as I watched all the season so far all last night. There should be a rule you can't sit out consecutive immunity challenges. Claire made it so easy for her to be voted out when her tribe finally went to tribal.

I love the immunity birdcage and that 2 people took the fake thing in the bag to appear like an idol.

Another cool thing was 3 players all going to a new tribe but given immunity.