Survivor - 11/5/09

I think Erik fell into the whole we have numbers I am safe but after the merge when your tribe has numbers, especially such a huge lopsided number of 2 members for each of their 1 chances are your tribe will turn on each other and vote someone out.

I think those in the game right now made a smart move to go for Laura and then when she won immunity change it to Erik.

 

I am also surprised Russell played the idol. I don't think the numbers were there to force a flush of it so he probably should have held on to it for awhile.

Also who mentioned they should vote out Jaison cause he is useless to the tribe? I think that may have been Erik. That is stupid reasoning, after the merge you want the useless and hated people around.

 

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Not saying it is impossible, but it will be hard for Foa Foa to come back, I think Russell or Mick though do have a chance at it. What they need to do is get Galu to vote off some of their own the next few times, especially the stronger ones. Then once it is about even Russell (or Mick) will have to start winning immunity a few times to ensure their safety (probably losing the other Foa Foa members during that time) and then hope that with the people left you can form a new smaller alliance.

 

As much as I can't stand Russell, that was one sweet blindside. The more Erik kept talking the more I wanted someone there to tell him to STFU. He was just digging deeper and deeper, making his ouster go from something strategic that Galu reluctantly had to do to something that they probably all enjoyed.

 

The merge at 12 with such a lopsided balance in old tribes was fun. When the 5th vote against Erik was read, you could see it in his face.

And that other clueless person voting with Erik? She needs go soon. I wanted to like her, but she's just too inept.

Edit to add: And Erik is the first member of the jury. Bigger than usual jury this year? Indication of a Final 3?

 

Love the episodes where a player who thinks they are in control gets blindsided.
From the previews it's almost a guarantee that

Spoiler

Russell will not be going home. When they make it look like someone is going home it's almost certain that they won't.

 

This is the best episode of Survivor in a long time. I loved the scrambling at the end after Laura won individual immunity.

How many times, across all seasons, has the III actually been used successfully and beneficially to save someone who would have otherwise been voted out? I think I remember one time, but there must have been more.

 

When it was first introduced the HII didn't need to be played. I forget when, but later the rules were changed you had to play it before the vote so that way you can't find it and just sit on it.

 

I think Gary Hogeboom was the only one who played the II correctly...but I could be wrong...

first time in a LONG time I did not know who was going home before going to tribal council...once the council started, it was pretty obvious...it's my pet peeve about the show...at least they kept up the suspense until much later than usual...

hated the challenge...each player should have had more than one shot so they can get used to the ball, bat, etc. plus, players hitting later had the advantage of knowing what score they needed to beat...

 

I hate Russell, but I love Russell. He's so into this game. Fun to watch. Too bad he didn't trust Natalie when she said the vote was for Eric. But I really don't blame him for playing the idol. Could have very easily been him. And he almost won the individual immunity!

I loved when Shambo said "Eric who"? She cracks me up! Wonder why she voted Jaison? Guess she didn't believe that it was really Eric?

 

When the "hidden" idol was first introduced, it was the survivor that originally pitted whites vs. aisans vs. blacks and the aisan (ultimate winner) found it, he simply let everyone know he had it, so nobody ever voted to eliminate him since they all figured their vote would be wasted. The producers, seeing this, and not wanting the hidden idol to simply be a guaranteed path to the final, changed the rules the following season to specify the idol had to be played prior to the vote tally. MANY people have gone home with the idol in their pocket, neglecting to play it.

Now, as to Foa Foa: they still have a chance. Right now it is 7 to 4. Foa Foa needs 2 people to "cross over" to their side to make the vote 5 to 6 in Foa Foa's favor. Possibility 1: Russell figures out the "men + shambo" vs. women alliance and approaches the "other" 3 women on the other tribe to jump over - he only needs 2 of them. Possibility 2: Same deal as today's episode before the immunity challenge - Foa Foa + the 3 men on the other side vote off the other woman they planned on voting off before she won immunity. That would leave the tally at 6 - 4. Then Russell convinces 1 woman from the other side to jump (possibly Shambo or Monica) - that makes it 5 - 5 if he gets 1 to jump or 4 - 6 in Foa Foa's favor if both jump.

 

I think that says a lot. He must have thought there was a chance for him to be voted off. Maybe he was paranoid that his tribe mates organized a blindside because he'd been such an ass at the beginning.
If not, he made a stupid move. He could have still used it as a bargaining chip. Plus, he is more vulnerable without the idol because now, everyone knows he doesn't have it and can easily band together and vote him off with a simple blindside.

Mis-direction for those looking for mis-direction.

Spoiler

Prediction: if he doesn't get voted off, it'll be because he wins the next II challenge.

 

That's exactly what I said. Galu should have wanted to keep Jaison around as long as possible. He's no threat to anyone.

Exactly, and that was great. But the only reason we didn't know who wasn't going is because they already showed us who everyone was voting for and then she won immunity. It will be interesting to see if Foa Foa can get the consensus back next week to get rid of Laura, or if the fact that they all just voted out one of their strongest members will open their eyes.

 

Russell went all in this round by showing the idol to multiple Galu members. Once they talked about Russell and discovered he showed the idol to their minds different factions of Galu in order to sway voting blocs, Russell was in deep doo-doo. He's a smart player and surely it got back to him that all of Galu knew he had the idol. Is there a prohibition in Tribal to discuss who has the idol? For the length of time that Tribal goes I'm sure that would be a topic of discussion and serve to force his hand.

Shambo again didn't know what the hell was happening with the voting so thats a potential vote for Foa Foa next round.


Laura can't win the idol next round thats about the only way Russell can sway votes to Foa Foa and keep that tribe together.

 

Even though Russell is not nearly as smart as he likes to think he is, he does seem to be the only one playing the game. His plan with Laura failed so he tried Monica. He realized she wasn't buying it so went to the rocket scientist (who is not as as smart as his title implies). Some good game playing there. Showing the idol and then feeling like he had to play it will probably come back to bite him though.

 

Russell playing the idol may not have been as dumb as it appeared.

He may have been thinking that, while most people seemed to be ready to vote for Erik, there might be a couple of votes for him (if not a blindside). He didn't want to take a chance on holding the idol, fearing Erik playing his own idol and Russell getting voted out on only the 2 votes that were for him since the 10 against Erik were now void.

When Jeff asked if anyone had the HII, Russell wasted no time at all and stood up and even mumbled something like "since everyone already knows I have this."

Still don't like Russell, but he *is* playing the game and Erik was an ass.

 

Best Episode I seen in a while!

 

I liked his quote about Babe Ruth and how much he struck out. "I'll just keep on swinging"

I agree that he had to play it "just in case". No one wants to be the one voted out with a HII in their pocket (*cough* Eric *cough* )

Did Jeff actually ask if anyone had the HII? I don't remember hearing that question.