Aubrey and Jonathan both had winning games. Aubrey got the nod for being more of a legacy. She got the right people out when she needed to and won crucial challenges. Really loved Jonathan's game and would have picked him, but can't hate on Aubrey either. Joe was just along for the ride.
Survivor 50
- Thread starter CYdTracked
- Start date
I want so bad to go back to a retro season. No twists, have only one tribe swap, one or two idols total, no fire, and back to final two. Let the amazing game play itself out.
Have you ever watched the Australian survivor? You should give it a go, that’s what it is.
I'd like to see the post contest interviews as a separate show. I also generally tune out after the winner is announced. Usually because I was pulling for a different player. But I prefer to just watch the game. I didn't like the back and forth, but the Jeff P f/u was funny. My buddy actually considered it might be a twist and they'd show the fire making and Rizo won.
I thought they got it mostly right in the end. Yes, that last immunity got her the win, but because everyone wanted her out, seeing her very strong chances. To navigate as she did without the power much of the time was masterful. Johnathan was worthy, but less so IMO. The other 2 had no shot. She picked Joe knowing this. Didn't help that Joe was incapable of even approaching a convincing case. I think he did more than he was able to articulate. I would have enjoyed more interview.
I have before but not lately. I also watched Australian Big Brother and omg trainwreck.
She really did play the middle game well....though much easier to do in today's game.
Old School: Alliance to the end. You cross me, we'll never work together again.
New School: I get it, you had to cross me to get to the next round but let's figure out the next round together.
Both styles are needed at times, but the best players are the ones that can be flexible to work with either type - Audrey did that.
Joe was pretty worthless this season. I was rooting for Rizo or Johnathon. Someone already mentioned it, but Aubrey had a GREAT final tribal. She wasn't my favorite player, but she made a great argument, and it felt inevitable after she made her case.
In games with returning players, the amount of pre-gaming is through the roof. Rizo literally had to play this one blind...so its pretty amazing how well he did.
Riz had a massive advantage going in. Nobody knew him or his game because the players had not seen his season.
Seems helpful, but also had no relationships and the specter of being voted out simply because he was an unknown risk.
He also said a little too much early on about voting against one of his closest allies (i'm terrible about remembering their names). I know Charlie was really pissed about that from the get-go
My thoughts on the finale:
- They really missed the mark on what the live finale should have been. Probably lots of former Survivor members in the audience they could have interviewed. That is what they used to do was get thoughts from former players before or after the final vote was revealed.
- The Rizo interview that revealed he lost the fire challenge before they even aired it was a big goof. Not sure what happened there but even with a script and probably teleprompter how did that happen? He probably will be back for another season at some point but if he can't make fire or has an idol he won't play I hope he gets voted out early. He's right up there with Coach as one of the most annoying players to ever play the game and he is far from the legend status he says he is.
- Aubry is a deserving winner but I think Johnathan should have won. He may be one of the most impressive physical human beings to play the game and to make it to final 3 with his name only coming up once in a vote is impressive. Stephanie was lobbying hard for him to win and I have to agree he played the most complete game as he played a combo of old and new school strategy.
- I love Joe a a person. He has had some very memorable moments in the game both seasons he played, but he played a very flawed game. If I was Aubry I probably would have put him up against Johnathan in the fire challenge as a final 3 with Joe and Rizo it would have been a forgone conclusion that she would win. I thought the vote was going to be closer than the 3 votes Johnathan got but I don't think Rizo would have got 3 votes.
In all this was a great season even with the disappointment of the live finale. Season 40 was probably better. The 1 thing I did enjoy was watching my kids like the older players they had not seen before. We'll probably go back and watch some older seasons this summer so they can see how Survivor was played before they were born.
- They really missed the mark on what the live finale should have been. Probably lots of former Survivor members in the audience they could have interviewed. That is what they used to do was get thoughts from former players before or after the final vote was revealed.
- The Rizo interview that revealed he lost the fire challenge before they even aired it was a big goof. Not sure what happened there but even with a script and probably teleprompter how did that happen? He probably will be back for another season at some point but if he can't make fire or has an idol he won't play I hope he gets voted out early. He's right up there with Coach as one of the most annoying players to ever play the game and he is far from the legend status he says he is.
- Aubry is a deserving winner but I think Johnathan should have won. He may be one of the most impressive physical human beings to play the game and to make it to final 3 with his name only coming up once in a vote is impressive. Stephanie was lobbying hard for him to win and I have to agree he played the most complete game as he played a combo of old and new school strategy.
- I love Joe a a person. He has had some very memorable moments in the game both seasons he played, but he played a very flawed game. If I was Aubry I probably would have put him up against Johnathan in the fire challenge as a final 3 with Joe and Rizo it would have been a forgone conclusion that she would win. I thought the vote was going to be closer than the 3 votes Johnathan got but I don't think Rizo would have got 3 votes.
In all this was a great season even with the disappointment of the live finale. Season 40 was probably better. The 1 thing I did enjoy was watching my kids like the older players they had not seen before. We'll probably go back and watch some older seasons this summer so they can see how Survivor was played before they were born.
Good recap. On your point about Rizo, I agree. I think he could end up being a Russell Hantz 2.0... really good at getting to the finale, but as a result of their gameplay that gets them to the finale, they have zero chance of actually winning.
So being one of, if not, the best at making it to the finale, but at the same time having no chance of winning or even getting a single vote at final tribal council... does that make you an all-time great player, or an all-time worst player?
Rizo could not hold Russell Hantz jock strap. Hantz played a much more cutthroat game.
He did. I'm just saying they both are players who are really really good at getting into the final 3, but who also screw themselves out of any chance of winning on their way there. Hantz because he's cutthroat and burns every bridge, Rizo because he's milquetoast who basically does nothing except carry an immunity and getting by without using it.
Exactly. Rizzo is not the strongest player, but I really wanted him to make final 3 so he could argue his case.
Argue what case? That he was no threat to win challenges because he has to watch others complete a puzzle first? The puzzle challenge at final 5 if you noticed he was literally standing there watching everyone else compete because he is terrible at puzzles. If he didn't have an idol either of his seasons he probably would have been voted out sooner as he can be cocky any annoying. If he gets a chance to play again he better practice up on puzzles and fire making skills because now everyone knows he milks immunity idols to the last time he can use them so he won't be able to pull that off next time.
Russel Hantz won immunity challenges and everyone figured out he would go idol hunting too in his seasons so he was a much stronger player than Rizo. He pissed off jury members is why he never won. He played cutthroat and he used idols at the right time while also playing a decent social game to have alliances that got him to the end. The jury's just had no respect for him because he played about as dirty as any player has. Rizo just plays a lazy game and if if it were not for the idols he had things probably play out differently for him. I bet once he got back and watched his 2 seasons he probably wish he has played a little differently.
