SURVIVOR: MILLENNIALS VS GEN X RECAP – 10/20/16

Upon returning to camp, everyone (sans Zeke) is/should be apologetic about the way the challenge went. CeCe, David, Michelle, and Chris all have something to be sorry for, but they just chalk it up to “it wasn’t our day,” and hope to move forward. CeCe is none too worried about her performance in the challenge, because even though she’s found herself in another crappy tribe situation, she knows she has the 3 to 2 advantage, and one of the “Millenniums” are going home.

Seriously? A producer couldn’t alert her to that mistake and have her redo the take? What? Is the Show Producer that dumb and didn’t notice it, or are they trying to make her look bad? Wouldn’t put it past them at all…

The Gen-Xers get together and discuss the merits of Zeke vs. Michelle and decide that Zeke is better at puzzles and would help the tribe more moving forward. They agree that it’s alright to tell him, so there are no surprises.

Chris then confesses that while he’s playing along with this Gen-X plan, he’s devising his own strategy, and is going to turn on one of them, because they both lied to Chris previously. Since David has some numbers later on, Chris puts his target on CeCe. Not sure how he came to that conclusion, but let’s go with it for now.

While out collecting some wood, Chris clues David in on his plan to take out CeCe, and David is relatively on board with it. There’s a big cat & mouse of “is that the best plan,” and “you can trust me,” but they both know they’re savvy players and nothing is really solidified.

Chris and David find Zeke and Michelle and let them know “it’s Christmas” and they’re not going home. However, the way they approach them is so full of bulls**t I can’t believe the Millennials wouldn’t be suspicious of these two. You know they have the numbers, and this is exactly how an alliance who has the numbers would approach the minority alliance. Michelle is especially wary of this supposed plan and confesses her spider sense will be tingling at Tribal.

When CeCe comes over to have a “hammock chat” with her “sister from a white minister,” Michelle does her best to petition CeCe to get rid of David first, but CeCe is doing her best “I don’t give a crap about what this white chick is saying” vibe, so Michelle knows her only plan is to go along with Chris and David and hope for the best.

While Michelle heads off for a poop break, CeCe reveals to the other four what Bible Barbie just presented to her, which is to take out David. This doesn’t surprise David, knowing how he’s been treated by beautiful women all his life, but it does give him the notion that he might want to give his idol to CeCe, because he doesn’t want to find himself in a tribe fighting against The Okie Boys and Bible Girl alliance.

The Vanuans head to Tribal and await the probing questions that JP will undoubtedly throw at them. They all sit and Jeff starts by asking about the stakes at today’s Immunity Challenge. Zeke responds that since the Millennials have the numbers in the other tribes, it probably means that he or Michelle is going home tonight.

Jeff asks David what he thinks, but naturally, it’s a web of “I know how the game works, or I don’t…”

Zeke says he’s ready to make a move…

Chris thinks the Millennials aren’t “all that,” but he does feel a connection with Grandpa… Maybe it’s the fact they both lost their virginity in a barn (and I’ll let you decide which sex/species that happened with). But Chris does confirm these Millennials are still playing the game.

And when Chris mentions he’s been burned the last two Tribals, he does the perfect thing and say he’s going to use this vote to regain trust. So smart, that Ed Sheeran.

David then adds that he’s going to use tonight’s vote to prove his loyalty, but to whom…?

Michelle is asked what the hell David and Chris are talking about but she just thinks she needs to keep attacking David and how he’s blindsided Chris twice. And when asked point blank by Probst who she would take out, she says “David.”

“This is fun,” he replies…and you gotta wonder if he’s considering playing that idol for himself now (the paranoid numskull that he is) or give it to CeCe, or go along with Chris. You know David’s head is spinning right now…

But he makes one last admission that the Gen-Xers are united so they shouldn’t have to worry, but I do recall David told the Millennials they needn’t worry about anything said at Tribal, but who knows if that was authentic, and who cares, it’s time to vote…

With no votes revealed, Jeff tallies the votes. To the shock of many viewers, David does not get paranoid and play his idol for either himself or CeCe and it’s time to reveal the votes:

Michelle
CeCe
CeCe
CeCe

Boom goes the dynamite and I’m left chewing on the email that was sent to me today by RealitySteve himself. If you saw his Daily Links on Thursday, you can click to an article that someone wrote about the propensity of People of Color departing Survivor early in the game. With 5 episodes down this season and the cast-offs being:

3 Asian women
1 black woman
1 white rocker

You gotta start to wonder if there’s some inherent racism on Survivor. Now, I don’t want to open a huge can of worms here – and TBH, I didn’t bother reading the whole article or analyze the stats (because that third cocktail made it impossible) – but I have been aware of a subtle form of racism on Survivor (and other shows) but I don’t want to believe it’s the fault of the players themselves.

As I’ve mentioned many times, there have been a number of People of Color on Survivor, and while some have been successful (Jeremy, Vecepia, Sandra, to name a few), there have been a number of “crazy ghetto bi**hes” (NaOnka, X’XXX, Alicia Ghandia, Marissa) – maybe it’s just girls who names end in an “a”? – who could have performed better had they not fallen into the stereotype of being a ghetto biscuit.

True, there have been a lot of other women of color who don’t come across that way, but if you get on the show, why play into that stereotype? It just makes me wonder how much the show casts these women as “characters,” rather than cast women of color who are just fans of the game and ready to play.

I’ve long held a chip on my shoulder for casting characters on Survivor – confirmed in my interview with Coach – but you can’t tell me that Lucy was such a huge fan of the show, and that she intentionally designed her intro video to showcase her best (ass)ets, who then proceeded to stick her ass toward camera more than a dozen times in 90 seconds… I’m guessing a producer said, “Show us your booty…”

It just makes me believe the show casts overly dramatic People of Color, and instructs them to go hog-wild once the cameras start rolling. You know reality shows cater toward a certain ethnicity – just look at how many black & Asian contestants have been on The Bachelor – but to even bring up the question makes everyone nervous. Tell you what Survivor, stop casting 90% of white people, and I’ll stop mentioning it. Or simply say it’s “White Survivor” and “you can check out ‘Black Survivor’ on the BET Network this fall” and I’ll STFU about this. There’s obviously something going on, and the inherent racism it confirms about white America is very revealing.

I know no one likes to discuss it, but it’s true. Now, let’s have a season of hot Asian women and porn stars and let’s see where the ratings go. Something tells me you’d have a knockout season, but they’re too afraid to make that happen, and too wrapped up in giving us these evangelicals. Time to get back to your reality TV roots, Jeff, and cater to the masses. Give us another season of Cook Islands with tribes divided by race, and let’s see what unfolds.

I’ll shut up now…

Good luck with everything this week, folks, and pray for my Dodgers. By the time I’m writing this, they’ve dropped both games 4 and 5 and are on the brink of elimination. God, I hope Kershaw can bring them back from the abyss. And no, I’m not praying to any god, I’m just capitalizing a word…

As Rev. Probst sends the Vanuans back to camp, he bids a fond adieu and a “be careful who you trust, because they could be lying to you.”

Next week, Figgy and TayTay are exposed for being a Power Couple, and someone needs medical again. JFC, can these people complete a friggin’ challenge without almost dying?! Let’s see if it’s Hannah, Ken, or some other clumsy fool.

Well, that brings us to the end of another scintillating episode of Survivor and another recap that makes you wonder: “is he f**king with us?” True, I do have many opinions about Survivor, the casting, gameplay, contestants, and production, but my opinions mean as much as an alliance on Day 2. Take it for what it’s worth, root for your favorites, and play any Survivor fantasy leagues that float your boat. Personally, I just wanna watch the show and then write a silly little blog that maybe makes you pee your pants. That’s really all I want…

Until next week, keep staying Survivor savvy, keep rooting for the Dodgers, and pray The Walking Dead continues to be the best show on television. And when it comes to reality TV, just come back next Wednesday.

As always, I love to interact with my readers, and I appreciate all your comments, likes, follows, favorites, and whatever social media that floats your boat. I think next week may be the perfect opportunity to offer my take on social media, but we’ll see if the Dodgers make the World Series and how my week plays out. Got much on my plate…

Until then, take care of your families and pray that everyone else is doing as best as they can. 2016 has been a biscuit for the Fish family, and I’m just hoping to get to next week. Pray for me and my little Fishlings…

With my deepest thanks, love, and lustful thoughts (to the ladies, schwing!), I bid you all a fond adieu…

Meow,
Fish

Email: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com
Twitter: @BF_TheFish
AIM: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com or Bryan Fischer