On Day 39 (always great hearing that) the Triad awakens to a final surprise. A mirror and scale to see how decimated they are. Tash confesses she made this season all about business, and how she feels she accomplished that. Even though she never won Immunity and never found/played any idols. Her sole feather in her cap was her social game, which, according to Varner, was nearly non-existent. Every season there’s always someone who’s totally unaware of how they’re perceived, and this season, we had two of them: Tash and Abi. But for some reason, only one got a “hero” edit. Guess which one? Just makes you wonder how much effect the producers/editors of the show have in steering the season toward certain players, by NOT showing their negative aspects. For shame!
They head over to treemail and find their “winner’s banquet.” Heading back to camp, Spencer regales us with his “I got to play out my Second Chance, but even with all these new things called emotions, I’m still not done.” As he admits, this is the most important night in his life, the second being the night he lost his V-card in that U. of Chicago dorm with that fat girl from Rockford…
Back to the game, and Jeremy reminds us this is all about his family (yeah, we get it) and in his opinion, he did enough to win. Now, he just needs to convince everyone else of that. Many questions linger as they all head to Final Tribal.
Taking their seats, Jeff calls in the Jury:
Kaos
Jeremy Piven/Ashton Kutcher/David Beckham’s beanie
Caitlyn
Girl who gets more credit than she’s due
Sinister Pussy
Adonis
Psycho Bitch
Long Island cowgirl
Ragin’ Cajun
Idol Whisperer
Oddly, there are no opening statements – or perhaps we’re not shown them – so let’s just get to the Jury questions. Ok, guys and gals, this is it. Your last chance to have a huge effect on this season. Bring it, please…
Savage: Tells them that it’s still an open book, so be “open, honest and heartfelt.” That said, he attacks Spencer for his arrogance at what he said to get here, and why he lambasted Jeremy in front of the jury. Spencer admits his actions may be masking some insecurities, and while he doesn’t regret his actions, he does regret how he presented it.
He asks Jeremy about his arrogance at how he voted out Kimmi. Jeremy says he was just pissed off because he trusted her, and that’s how his anger came out. He then says, “And why is arrogance such a concern to you, Savage? Because you’re probably the most arrogant mother**ker this whole season. Now, go sit your honkey-ass down.”
Fishbach: Congratulates Jeremy for bringing trust, honor and integrity to the season (and hey, thanks for that idol!). He asks Tash to defend the notion she was just Jeremy’s 2nd Lieutenant. She chimes up that she’s a strong woman, and “just ask Varner how well I was liked this season…” SP tells Spencer he’s a bit disappointed that instead of being a great strategist, he turned out to be more of a backstabber in how he jumped between voting blocs so often. Spencer owns it, and may have lost SP’s vote.
Ciera: Why should flipping be rewarded? Jeremy says they didn’t flip, the voting blocs just shifted around like ice cubes in a drink. Tash replies the flipping was essential considering all the tribal shifts. And Spencer tells her that since the blocs were so fluid, he had to flip to position himself in a way that helped him get to the top. Ciera seems satisfied.
Keith: Since humility means a lot to his “kind of folk,” he wants these guys to be humble. Tell me why the other guy should win. And not surprisingly, all he cares about is “the guys.” Jeremy and Spencer both say…just enough…to pat each other on the back a little. And Tasha, “go wash my britches”…
Abi: Dumb b**ch is obviously drunk, which means she’ll be a kitten. There’s goes the drama… She just wants to know about some little moves each made. Who cares about little moves? And will no one have strong words for these people? Where’s Reed Kelly!?
Kimmi: Calls Spencer an outright bully. So, f**k you, Robot. She also wants to know how she was replaced by Spencer in the Triad and Jeremy tells her she wasn’t. She did that to herself, and she made the choice to backstab Jeremy, so go back to Australia, or Texas, or Long Island, and think about how you f**ked yourself this season…
Joe: His vote is open, so he wants to know from Tash what was one time where you made something happen? She – and this is how jury responses work – says it’s when they voted him out, as if the feeling of getting kicked out of the game will suddenly be erased by the admittance she had a part in it. Not sure that was the best question to ask, but as someone said to me, “Joe ain’t exactly a genius, but he looks pretty.”
Kelly: Alright, here we go. 15 years have passed. 29 juries have come and gone to learn about how to ask a pointed, cogent, revealing question. Ok, Kelly, what do you got?
“Pick a number between one and ten.”
Jesus f**king Christ, no! Are you f**king kidding me? All those years, all those juries, and this is your last time to make a statement and THAT’s what you come up with? “Pick a f**king number?!” You’re an idiot, Wigles, and I bet this is the last time we’ll ever see you on television again. Go back to Mexico…
Kass: Okay, here we go. Chaos Kass, the trial lawyer. Bring the fire, bring the pain. She directs her question to Spencer, and asks him to justify how he could spend 2 years calling Kass a dumbass for being playing like Chaos Kass, when that’s all he did this season. He replies that many of his criticisms came from a place of anger, but he’s gone through a lot of changes since then, and he hopes she’ll cast a vote for the “New Jan Brady.” I’m beginning to hate this season…
Wentworth: What was your Second Chance story about, and did you accomplish it?
Tash – I built relationships, and they knew I was faithful.
Spencer – I upgraded my operating system and installed Making Relationships 1.0 and Feeling Stuff 1.5. However, I couldn’t decide on which platform was best, so a lot of programs failed to load properly…
Jeremy – famously brings up family, the fact he’s gonna have a son, and that he had to keep it all inside to keep his game face on. With his emotions and the effect this speech is having on the jury, I think he just won…
Jeff sends everyone off to vote and then collects the urn. We know he’s gonna walk off and then walk out on stage in Los Angeles, so let’s just get to the reading of the votes. And by the way, I just saw the back of my head on a wide shot of the audience.
Jeff thanks everyone for a great season and reads the votes:
Jeremy
Jeremy
Jeremy
Jeremy
Jeremy
Jeremy
Was it ever in doubt?
I’m gonna skip through much of the reunion show, unless something really important comes up. Here’s a summary:
With the full cast on set – all except Vytas, who violated his contract when he left “Ponderosa” early to get back home to his 1 year old son, but can you really blame him? He evidently lost out on the last place money from the show, plus the $10,000 appearance fee all players get for being on the reunion show, so it may not have been a frugal move, but considering “family” is what won the show for Jeremy, can you really fault Vytas? I think the show could have made that concession and at least allowed Vytas to sit in the audience with his family. But, I hate to say it, these shows are more about Hollywood than they are about the “Survivor family.” Mess with their rules, they’ll shut you out. Keep that in mind the next time you wanna be on Survivor…
Jeff goes on to reveal:
– It was a clean sweep for Jeremy. Everyone voted for him.
– Jeremy would have left just like Deitz did if there was a problem with his kids/wife
– Everyone felt an obligation to play harder since they were voted on. All except Kass, who only cares about herself (heartless bitch)
– When Tash was down, she thought of the fans and that’s what kept her going. Since, you know, she doesn’t have anyone who gives a s**t about her for real (per Varner).
– Idols were fun this season!
– Kelly was a goddess but lost 23% of her body weight. (Wow, think about that. That’s like if I lost 48 lbs. That’s crazy…)
– splitting the votes is never as easy as it looks
– the voting blocs were incredibly shifty
– Keith is either really emotional, or he’s had about 10 Bad Mother Shucker beers…
– He didn’t play the fake idol because, “Ah, heck…” (???)
– He has “ball savviness”
– Probst is in love with Joe (along with a lot of other people)
– Spencer is second guessing a lot of his decisions
– Joe can be the next Tony Robbins
– Abi still doesn’t get it
– Tash was drowning (Varner and Abi yell: “Let her drown!”)
– I wanna be in the Deitz family
– Survivor: 32 is going to be one hell of a ride. Looks like there are medical evacuations, bruising, infections, and some nasty injuries. Wonder why it was so physical?
Alrighty, then, that just about wraps it up. But before I say goodnight to this season and all of you, I want to review the predictions I made on Week 1. I’ve included my comments, the players finish, and for some unknown reason, a baseball reference that has nothing to do with Survivor. Enjoy!
Women
1. Kelly Wiglesworth – As much as we all want to see her do well, I’m just wondering if she still has the balls to win the game. Just watching her videos you can tell she doesn’t have the eye of the tiger anymore. I think the other players will keep her around out of respect for her role in Survivor history, but that’s not enough to compete against her at Final Tribal. Prediction: Final 4 (Finished: 11th — swing and a miss)
2. Kimmi – her mouth will probably get her into trouble (again) at some point, or her lack of athleticism will spell her doom. I think she thinks she’s a better player than she really is, but I see her as an also-ran. Prediction: No Jury (Finished: 6th — swing and a miss)
3. Peih-Gee – Jeff thinks she has no shot, and I would tend to agree. I don’t think she’ll be in a power position in any alliances, and that’s kind of what you need to win. Prediction: No Jury (Finished: No Jury. Safe on first)
4. Ciera – Somehow, she’ll spin her magic and get farther than I think she should. I know everyone’s anointed her the Second Coming of Something (her mom wasn’t THAT great at puzzles, btw…) but all she really did was flip-flop and make bold moves. Not exactly a recipe for winning the game. Prediction: Jury (Finished: Jury! Runners on first and second.)
5. Abi-Maria – I hate her. She shouldn’t be here. There’s no way she can win. Why is she here? And god forbid if she’s the next in a long line of “players who get dragged to the end because they have no shot to win.” And in the process, get to cash a larger check and annoy me for 10 weeks too many. Prediction: Out 1st or 2nd (hopefully) (Finished: Jury, but I was right in my assessment. Batter out at first, runner’s advance)
6. Kass – the other head-scratching addition to this season. Yes, I know “America loves a Villainess,” but once again, here’s another player that can never live down their previous gameplay and will be targeted for it. It’s like if you were given the choice who to have at your private dinner and you choose Gilbert Gottfried, because he gives the other 3 someone to hate. Rather than choose great players, America chose Gilbert Gottfried. F**k you, America. She’ll make it interesting for a few episodes, but again, no chance to win. Prediction: No Jury (Finished: Jury, but just barely. Popped up at the plate… Two outs.)
7. Monica Padilla – Somehow, the show needs to keep her around for a while. I can’t tell you what her gameplay is, how she’ll be received by the others, or what she’s even capable of, but this season needs Monica to stick around awhile. Call it…a personal favor to me. Prediction: Boner, I mean, Jury… (Finished: No Jury. But catcher drops the ball and she’s safe at first! Bases loaded)
8. Kelley Wentworth – Yes! My “bikini, no wienie” girl is finally going to get her moment to shine. Let’s put all that Blood vs. Water II bulls**t behind us, shall we? Not sure if she’ll find the magic to make it to Sole Survivor, but my spider sense is tingling that good things are in store for Kelley. I think that’s my spider sense that’s tingling… Prediction: Final 4 (Finished: Final 4! A double clears the bases!, and did you notice I used a “magic” reference back then?)
9. Shirin – Another gal who Jeff thought had no shot. I tend to agree with that. Remember how much drama she brought to her tribe, and yes, all the players she’s playing with SAW all that drama, so I think she’s SOL. She’ll get eaten up by stronger players and thrown overboard early. Prediction: No Jury (Finished: No Jury! Another double drives in another run.)
10. Tasha – Always a strong competitor who knows the importance of the social game. She’ll probably make her alliances early and stick to them, because she’s not exactly a Kass/Ciera kind of girl. I’ll stick with my home girl and give her the Fish jinx. Prediction: Jury (Finished: FT, and I was right about her making an early, and long-lasting, alliance (with Jeremy on Day 1). A triple drives in another run.)
Women: 5 runs scored
Men
1. Jeff Varner – The only other video I saw included Varner and how well he connected with a few on his tribe. I think that’ll bode well for him, until he tries to play too hard and gets taken out via blindside. Prediction: Jury (Finished: No Jury. Swing and a miss…)
2. Keith Nale – Should’ve voted Shane here instead of him. I can’t believe America is that dumb. Can’t wait to see them vote in President Trump next year. Oh, you heard it here first; real players won’t respect Keith’s game (if you can call it that). Prediction: No Jury, and Trump will be impeached before his 4 years are up… (Finished: #5, Batter strikes out.)
3. Vytas – Love his game, not sure why. Seems to play both sides of the coin (strategy/social) very well. Doesn’t have Aras to bring him down this time so let’s see if his Varner/Dietz/Kelley/Kelly alliance will keep him afloat. Honestly, I don’t think ANYTHING in the first few episodes should be game critical for Vytas, but let’s hope he doesn’t fall victim to any immediate blindsides. Prediction: Jury (Finished: Dead last. Ouch. Batter strikes out, 2 down!)
4. Terry Dietz – With everything he’s dealing with right now at home (his son needs a heart transplant and it’s a rallying point amongst the Survivor family) it seems silly to discuss his odds of winning a “reality show” when his son’s health is the only reality that matters. I loved Terry before any of that, and I hope he finally gets the comeuppance he deserved 10 years ago in Panama. Prediction: Final 4 (or more) (Finished: No Jury. Batter swings but is hit by the pitch! Take your base…)
5. Andrew Savage – another stud who deserved more last time out. Hopefully he’ll find a groove (and alliance) to his liking and have the chips fall favorably. His age may be an advantage, actually, as the bigger targets may fall on the younger and more devious (Joe, Jeremy, Vytas, Spencer), so fingers crossed Andrew is able to make some waves. Prediction: Jury (Finished: Jury. Single up the middle.)
6. Stephen Fishbach – Yin to Spencer’s Yang, these two will have to mind their P’s and Q’s to not go home early. Everyone knows what these two bring to the game, so it’ll be tough to fly under the radar. And it doesn’t help they’re starting out on separate tribes. Oh, was that a spoiler…? Prediction: Jury (Finished: Jury. Another sharp single loads the bases.)
7. Woo – I’ve said enough negative things about Woo in the past to fill a couple pages. Don’t need to say any more. He shouldn’t even be here… He should have won BBB and not been eligible; but, he made the single biggest mistake in Survivor history. So no thank you. And I think the other players are not ones to forget either. Win when you can, baby, that’s what you’re playing for… Prediction. No Jury (Finished: No Jury. Double off the wall drives in 2. Men on 2nd and 3rd.)
8. Jeremy Collins – Love this guy. I did see a video where he said he went in not being so fit so he wouldn’t come across as such a big threat. At least he’s thinking! Blood vs. Water was such a huge disappointment (for him and the whole season) so I hope he gets to PLAY, and goes deep. Prediction: Final 4 (Finished: Sole Survivor. Boom goes the dynamite. Three run homerun ties it up.)
9. Joe – Everyone loves Joe. Let’s just admit it. Hell, I love Joe. The warm smile, the physique, his idol-making abilities, the man bun. We all love Joe. And, since everyone loves Joe, Joe can’t win. No one will take Joe to the end and that’s his downfall. Don’t think he’ll get voted out early, but that wouldn’t surprise me either. He was never a real leader on Collars, which is what’s needed to win. Look at 4 of the 5 past male winners: Mike, Tony, Tyson, and Rob, all had definite leadership roles in their tribes, and the 5th? John Cochran, who won simply because he was up against 2 of the worst finalist ever (Dawn and Sherri). So Joe needs to step up, be a leader, and put together one hell of an alliance, lest he’ll go home. Prediction: Jury (Finished: Jury. (damn, my assessment was seriously accurate) Triple off the wall.)
10. Spencer – Aside from Kelly and Joe, he was the other shoo-in for S31. Trouble is his gameplay is such a big part of who he is that it’ll be tough for him to win this thing. Truth be told, his first go-round provided so many fortunate twists, he really had no business going as far as he did, but that’s the game. I hate to say it, but he’ll probably go pretty quickly because of how big a threat he is. And maybe we can stop anointing him the “greatest player to never win.” Come on, it was one season… Prediction: No Jury (Finished: FT. Swing and a miss, but it’s a passed ball, allowing Joe to score from 3rd. Spencer is subsequently thrown out of the game for arguing locations on the next pitch…)
Final Score: Men – 6, Women – 5
Well there you go. Season 31 is done. It’ll probably go down as one of the greatest seasons ever, but I got to say that Final Tribal was a disappointment. And I hate to say it, but there have been far greater winners than Jeremy. I love the guy, I like the game he played, but he never really dominated anything. He just kind of was always present in every situation, until the final couple episodes, where his judgement suddenly went kaput. And just when everything was going to turn against him, he pulls out the family card and somehow gets a clean sweep. Unreal.
I know there have been far worse winners (Cochran, Natalie, Chris, and Vecepia) and there have been some great ones (Earl, Boston Rob, JT, Tony, Tyson, Yul, Mike) and I pray Jeremy isn’t awarded the title of “Greatest Winner Ever” just because he won a great season. He didn’t perform all that well in challenges, and his “bulls**t meter” was way off at the end. I just wonder if all future Final Tribals will feature a player crying about “playing for their family” and that’ll be all it takes. We’ll see.
So that’s a wrap. It’s been my pleasure to bring you these recaps once again. I have to thank RealitySteve for the opportunity to be your recapper, and I have to thank my wife and family for allowing me to lose myself in Survivor every Wednesday night to indulge my addiction. I’ve said it many times before, I write these for you, and pray I can bring a smile (or guffaw) to you a few times per column. This season has been particularly interesting, because of things going on in Fish’s aquarium. We’ll see where things end up…
I always leave with the intention of coming back, but one never knows what the future holds. I love writing for you, but this season has been a little different for me. I really don’t want to lose the feeling of being a fan of the show, and sometimes I feel writing recaps makes me watch the shows in a different way. Not sure where this’ll go.
But I know where I want to go. I had the choice to hit the cast/crew after parties with Christina or go home to my family. I chose to go home. And yeah, I would have loved to have a drink with Christina, and Joe, and Monica and Kelley, but I’d rather go home and see my kids. Plus, the ice cube trays needed refilling and I’ve taught my 8 year old how to hold the bar tray with one hand when he brings me my next drink. Daddy couldn’t be any prouder.
Now, it’s time to start thinking about my next Survivor audition tape, and just how to sell myself as the greatest puzzle maker in Survivor audition history. I’ll gladly kiss Lynne Spillman’s butt for considering me, and I’ll play into any character they want. Just let me play!
And lastly, one final shout out to Coach Wade, who was going to be my “date” for the finale. I’m sorry things didn’t work out, but I appreciate you trying to make it happen. It’s because of him I got to share this amazing night with Christina, and I look forward to meeting you over the Christmas break. Congrats on the Survivor Hall of Fame nomination, you deserved it more than anyone. Now, when is Survivor: Legends happening…?
For (possibly) the last time, I thank you for your support, your dedication, and your interaction. Keep the emails/comments/tweets/likes coming. I’m always here to discuss whatever you want to discuss…
Adoringly,
Fish
Email: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com
Twitter: @BF_TheFish
AIM: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com or Bryan Fischer
Well worth the wait my friend . Great column . In the game of life based on the little we actually know about these people Jeremy is a slam dunk winner . Firefighter , family man and sure seems to be a great guy . Survivor though is a game . A game he did not deserve to win . I am not upset that he was given the million dollars . I am happy for him and his family . Personal feelings aside Spencer deserved to be named sole Survivor . I think he is an egotistical , self centered , obnoxious ( plus clumsy ) baby . I think his whole I wanted to grow as a person garbage was gameplay and total bulls%$t . However he won challenges he maneuvered himself from the bottom of the pecking order into a power alliance . He played better than Jeremy its that simple . I wonder if Kimmi and Tasha were Jeremy ‘ s preferred final three . Kelley Wentworth may go down as the player with the best game that didn’t make final tribal . Too skinny for me ( need a girl with a bit more meat like RC or Morgan ) but a charming and beautiful young lady . It was an honor to watch her play . Keith impressed me a little by not trying to play the fake idol . The former competitive athlete in me respects losing with dignity . Thanks for a great season of recaps .Best wishes for your future . Love to see you return in Feb but you have to do what is best for you . I mean sure my boss might fire me if there is no column to recap and she sees how little I actually do here but hey you do you . Merry Christmas Fish !
I totally agree with rick above that Spencer probably played a more intense game and if that’s the measure of a winner, than he deserved it. But I also think Survivor is so fun to watch because its a game of finesse which Spencer never had. So, while you can be fierce in competitions and it can help you win sometimes (Mike), with other groups of contestants, it can also not help you-especially if you are an obnoxious conceited geek who thinks he’s better than everyone else. So yes, Jeremy didn’t win much but he did win when it counted and was savvy enough to use his idol at the right moment. I don’t really think that it was such a big deal to play the sympathy card with the jury. It worked so why is it wrong? t found Fishy Back much more appealing in that while he was whiny and a bit weird, at least he didn’t have that smug glare that Spencer wore the whole season. He had this angry look on his face like a newborn baby about to shriek. Fish, I have a question. Did they do much talking to the non-jury contestants at the live show? They hardly spoke to them at all on what we saw but I wondered if that was just edited out? I noticed Shirin looked totally bored and disinterested (maybe bc the attention wasn’t on her?) and was playing with her necklace every time the camera panned over her. Can we please NEVER see Kelly Wiggles again! What a baked, over filled, weirdo. I agree-go back to Mexico, please. Interesting tidbit about Vitas. I didn’t even notice he was gone. Tasha def. did not deserve to be in final 3 but she filled the role of goat well. She sure was different from the challenge beast she had been. Woo was so disappointing too. Just a total bore. I swear Abi said she was a realtor on her Ponderosa video. Next season looks awesome. Big Brother Fans, did you notice that Caleb (AKA Beast Mode Cowboy) is going to be on it? Hope you will be back Mr. Fish. We all love you and hope things go just your way in 2016. You sound like a great dad, you are a great writer and I bet you are a pretty cool guy. Big Kiss from your favorite redhead!
Obviously I was the only one waiting with baited breath for this column so I will continue . Tasha embarrassed herself and my hometown of St Louis . Every year some delusional person thinks they are playing a winning game when they in fact are doing nothing but playing someone elses stooge (this season we had two ) . Tasha it cant be easy being a terrible person and player but kudos for pulling it off . Vytas had a choice 15 k or so at the Ponderosa spending time with Kass and Abi or go home . Pretty easy choice . Pack your bags and go !!!! Of course he missed out on some bro time with Joe and a possible night of hot monkey loving with Wentworth but I understand his choice .
Rick: Thanks for the comment — and all your comments — this season. It’s nice to know I’ve connected with you and your Survivor viewing group. Yes, I agree, it seems that Jeremy is one
hell of a class act. I’ve seen nothing to indicate anything but that. Now, I get what you’re saying about him not qualified to win. You’re echoing the same thing I wrote about in my recap. But…I
will say that as a game, the rules shift based on each season, and the few contestants left in the game. And while his game may not have been strong enough if he was going up against
the Boston Robs, the Ozzys, the Russell, the Coaches, the Tysons, etc…it was good enough to win THIS season. And even though he was going up against a guy like Spencer (who, we
both agree, did enough to win) the simple fact is…it’s not up to us. All he has to do is convince those 10 players, not Jeff, not America, not us. I know you know all this, but it’s important to
remember how little one season has to do with another. Look at last season. Mike played one of the greatest games ever statistically, but again, compared to other great players, would you
really stick him in the same class as Rob/Tyson/Tony/Yul, etc? BUT…because he was part of one of the WORST groups of players ever, he shined. Kinda messed up, but that’s the game.
Yeah, I get what you’re saying about Spencer, but I just look at him as a child. Seriously, the fact no one called him out for being such an immature brat is shocking. Who knows? Maybe
someone did and we just didn’t see it. Like I wrote, the Triad all got the “hero edit” this season, so who knows how he was really treated? Jeremy just beat him on the most important
aspect: the personal one, which is definitely the way to win. As I’ve mentioned, I adore Kelley, but I don’t know if she was such an amazing player. She found idols. That was her greatest
accomplishment. And hearing what she heard at Tribal, she played them to save herself one more vote. Just so happens that those two plays were the two biggest moves all season. Good
for her. I think we’ll see her again sometime… (I hope). And you can have the meaty girls. I’ll take the skinny, pretty, girls with small booties… Now Keith, on the other hand, won’t get my
respect. He had a move to make. Whip out the idol and see if anyone panics. That was his ONLY play left. He has to try. If you’re down a run in the bottom of the ninth, you’re not gonna
simply take 3 strikes. You’re going to go out swinging. At least try!
I’ll try my best to return. I still love the show but recapping makes it a little more like work. Gotta balance that a little better. We’ll see what happens. It’s a long time til Feb. 17th. so we’ll just
have to wait and see. A very Merry Christmas and a great New Year to you and your boss.
Kate: Thanks for your unfailing support. I adore you…
I’m really surprised that Spencer didn’t get a single vote. I guess his antics at the last 2 Tribals were enough to wipe away everything he had done to that point. Something for future players
to keep in mind. No petulant babies at Tribal Council, please… And I’m not criticizing Jeremy for playing the sympathy card. More power to him. What he did right — and I think this fact
escaped the viewers because we were always privy to his situation back home — is that he surprised everyone with his “It’s a boy” comment (as if his 2 daughters didn’t already qualify him
as a great daddy…?). Did anyone else find that weird? Like, “I’m going to have a son so that’s so much more important than having another daughter.” I don’t get it…
I think Fishbach recovered once he was out of the game. He was seriously creepy in it, and I don’t think he’s cut out for this kind of show. Many people aren’t. I’ve always wondered just how
difficult it would be, but I think the hardest part would be the bug bites, the rats/snakes/scorpions slithering around, and the hunger, but not the interpersonal relationships and time away
from family. I mean, this is what they signed up for…
Regarding your Live Show question, what you see is what you get. There isn’t any additional conversations, at least on camera, as the show really plays out in real time. Maybe during a
commercial break Jeff goes up and speaks to someone, but it’s not mic’ed, so the audience doesn’t hear it. I guess they don’t mind, considering they get $10,000 for being at the reunion,
but I’m sure they’d all LIKE to say something. Gotta extend that 15 minutes, right. What did surprise me (I mentioned it) was when Jeff asked how many people felt any additional pressure
to play better based on being voted on the show. Everyone — except Kass — raised their hand. Seriously? What kind of bitch/asshole doesn’t feel obliged in any way to their “fans.”
Personally, I hope this is the last we ever see of her, considering how selfish she obviously is. What the fuck is wrong with you, America, for voting her in?
Speaking of the “last we see of her,” I’m glad you agree with me on Wigles. She’s just not all there, and I just wonder if years of smoking weed just fried her brain. Not that I know that, but
she just seems “off” a little. And all her surgery doesn’t fit the natural, healthy vibe she’s trying to give off. Just a confusing person… RE: Vytas, as I tweeted to Coach this week, it’s funny
how Vytas is booted for making family a priority, but that’s what won it for Jeremy. You’d think — because these shows are loaded with smart, resourceful people — that if Vytas really wanted
to be with his family, perhaps some arrangements could have been made to bring them to him? (And yes, I know passports are hard to acquire when both parents aren’t around.) But that
should have been something he thought about. Again, he probably had NO IDEA he’d go home first, and was not looking forward to being away from his wife(?)/kid for another 36? days. He
could have tried something different. And did they really have to drop the anchor like that? It’s not like he spoiled anything, so maybe they say, “Come to the Reunion show, but you won’t get
paid?” I don’t know. This season was supposed to be about the fans, not the stupid players or the show.
Yeah, Tash really didn’t get how little she was valued. Funny how she thought she was so important. Woo = never again on the show. Watch Abi’s Ponderosa again and tell me the exact
minute:second she said she was a realtor. I believe you, but I want the proof! 😉 Next season looks intense. Wonder why it was so rough? Same location. I know time of year counts in that
part of the world, so maybe it was just that much hotter/humid? You know I don’t do Big Brother…
And thank you again for all your kind words. I’m an okay dad, an okay hubby, an okay writer, an okay everything. I’m just not great at anything. However, I’m a fantastic Survivor fan, which is
what I really wanna get across in my recaps. I know there are errors, I know other people write better, and I know a lot of my stuff is really inappropriate/juvenile/dare I say prejudiced? “Ah
heck,” I’m just trying to get a laugh. And I hope people realize that. As I’ve said, it’s right there at the top of the page: “slanted, sophomoric, and skewed,” so if anyone’s offended, “kiss my
ass.” Thank you, Kate. And give my best to the bartender! Merry Christmas! XOXO
Rick x2: You and Kate must have been writing simultaneously… Yes, delusional is never good, especially when millions are watching. Players try everything they can to find those
soundbites that make them seem important, but it’s funny when they get burned by it. Tash must be a very nasty person, but again, I don’t know what kind of person Varner is to have said,
“There’s a reason she’s a “40-something, single, childless,” scrooge. The one thing I keep noticing about many players is how brusque they are. The show wants big bold characters, and
that’s who they cast. Wallflowers need not apply, because you’ll never get on the show. Too bad, I know a lot of nice wallflowers…
And not that it matters, but Vytas would have gotten to hang out with Varner, Woo, Shirin, Peih-Gee and Monica, not the jury members. Bro time with Woo, and hot monkey loving with
Monica, more likely… But, I think he just wanted to see his baby…
Peace out, everyone, unless I see some more comments. Come on, where are you doc, ericah, thatguy…? 😉
I keep trying to post, but blocked at work and site crashes pretty often while at home. I have posted a few times to only to have a crash before I can hit Post Comment. So I will go back to multiple short posts.
Congrats on attending the finale and hitting the daily double, Asian and rackalicious!!
Pretty much everything I wanted to comment on has been covered. Jeremy clear choice but no one could throw Spencer a vote? Glad to see the challenges stepped up, but why wait until he end? With the more grueling challenges at the end, doesn’t that give certain players an advantage? Mix it up!
Us home viewers did not get much of a look at Monica, I hope you were able to, but then your eyes may have been occupied by a couple nearby large objects.
I sure hope there is more to the next season than evacuations medical emergencies. Not sure why Survivor promoted that aspect so much, do the viewers really go for that?
Hey doc, Merry Christmas! Thanks for the comment. Not sure what’s up with site, since I have nothing to do with that, but glad you were able to send them in. I know the frustrations of being blocked at worked (government jobs blow) but I was able to work around it using something called Tor. Look into it…
Yeah, Christina looked amazing but unfortunately, not showing any boobage. It’s been a cold December in LA meaning mazophiliacs are SOL on the cleave…
Agreed, not one vote for Spence? He’ll regret attacking Kelley for a loooooong time. And I get that they want those huge challenges at the end, for spectacle, but you’re right, they do tend to favor the strong. Whatever happened to simple balance things to give everyone a shot?
I was sitting far enough away (and on the wrong side of the audience) to get a good look at anyone. After the show ended, I could have tagged along with Christina to get a close-up of players, but I’m not that guy. I simply don’t care about meeting people… And I agree that there’s gotta be more than “it’s physically grueling.” Maybe it’s another weak season with no standout players, which is why they promoted the Evac aspect. Who knows? We’ll find out in Feb. Have a great holiday season and a safe New Year. And thanks for all the comments this season.
Fish
Hey Fish – I’ve enjoyed your recaps all through the season but didn’t always have a chance to tell you so. I’m a huge Survivor fan but am a distracted viewer, so having your recaps to fill in the blanks has always been helpful. I thought the season was okay – not the best, certainly not the worst – but overall I was entertained, and isn’t that the point? I’m extremely happy for Jeremy and his family – I always liked him, even in his prior season. Thanks for the laughs, the finale insights, and the great writing – as an editor, I value and appreciate that! Hopefully, you’ll be back at it next season!
It was a great season, but final tribal was definitely lack luster.
I’m overall happy with the winner, but I do hate how people can suddenly throw down “I came out here for family! I got a baby at home!” Would have had infinitely more respect for Jeremy’s win if not for that. Given the way the questions went, I’m not convinced that Jeremy had a clean sweep until he dropped that bombshell on everyone. I honestly feel like Spencer had the stronger game and was probably the more deserving of the two, but you can’t fight “I did this for the baby! Without the million, the baby may starve to death!” (I know that’s not exactly what he said, calm down). Yes, he definitely lost a lot of points in that final four tribal, but come on, he didn’t lose them all. It’s just one of those things that suck to be completely honest. You can’t force people to not use it, you can’t force the jury to pretend they didn’t hear it. It’s effectively a trump card which just feels like Jeremy played the hidden immunity idol that forces votes to him. It was obvious from the second he dropped the baby bomb that he won (although I didn’t think he’d get ALL the votes, I knew he won). Oh well.
Having no votes count was definitely more exciting than I thought it would be, but really only because it resulted in yet another tie and the threat of someone who hadn’t received a single vote being the person to leave the game.
Thanks for your write ups after the fact! Always a pleasure to catch up and see everyone’s opinions afterwards. See everyone in Feb!
PS, sorry for the late response, holidays, family, log cabin in the woods, very spotty internet/phone service…
Had to save my phone for an emergency medical evac if I started hearing Banjos playing in the woods…
jlb! Glad you’re here one last time before the off-season. Thank you for checking in every week, I couldn’t do it without you. And I’m glad I can make your Survivor experience a little better. I try not to miss anything good, but sometimes I blink too… You’re right, the season was good, not great, not bad, not just okay. Pretty good. Yeah, it was pretty good. All this talk of it being “the best ever” is such bloat. There have been much better seasons — Heroes vs. Villains, Australia, Cook Islands, to name a few — but this one was definitely entertaining. I think if they had an amazing Final Tribal, it would be near the top. Everything just kinda fizzled… I really appreciate your kind words. And if you’re an editor, tell me what I can write for you! I need a job… Hit me up if there’s anything I can do for you…
thatguy… FT: agreed (as stated). And I know what you mean about the “family” thing. Everyone’s gotta family, wants to make a family, or misses their family. And I’m sure on a fireman’s salary and benefits and pension, his family isn’t suffering. As I’ve said many times, this show seems to have a lot of contestants who are well off. Maybe not 1%ers, but who else can afford to take 6 weeks off from whatever it is they do? You know, I never really thought of Spencer as a possible winner because he (once again) was on the bottom much of the game. Remember when he was sitting pretty, and then the tribe swap, and he’s effed again? It’s like the deck was stacked against him. Maybe he’s just a prick…? And even thought he dropped that bomb at final four, you would think someone on the jury may have lost respect for Jeremy for caving to Spencer’s threat… Ya know? And yeah, that “no vote” tribal was crazy. Probably one of the best ever. How the hell did Wentworth become the player who dropped the mic at 2 tribals?! Amazing. Thanks for your support, guy, really means a lot to me.
And one last cherry on the top of this season… Does anyone wanna know the tiniest spoiler I just read about next season? Not “who wins,” of course, but it concerns hidden immunity idols. Let me know if you’re intested. If not, I’ll see you in February…
I’m more than happy to hear what you’ve read personally.
Ok, you win, 1-0, thatguy. Here’s what I read… And again, this ain’t gonna spoil anything for you. It’s just intel.
Seems the show is tinkering with Immunity Idols next season again. This time, multiple idols are in play (duh), but they can be “connected,” as in, one piece is Yin, the other Yang, and will fit together creating a “Special Powers” Idol. Maybe it’s like Fishbach’s, maybe it’s like Dan’s, or maybe it’s like Tony’s “advantages.” IDK, and there’s some other piece that needs to be attached to let you know the pieces go together. I’m not sure how that works, and I have no desire to play investigative reporter and sniff this out. I read it somewhere, I’m giving it to you, go with it…
Have a wonderful and safe New Year everyone. 2016 had better be better than 2015. Fish, out! XOXO