Board 8 > CBS Reality Topic 3.5: Purge-free through BB24, Survivor SA9, and Challenge USA

(+) Yeah! (+)

Chaeix posted...

This season is so fluid at this point I love it. Everyone is a mercenary.

Well... maybe not Killarney. She THINKS she's a mercenary, but she's really just fodder. If you apparently "made a big move" and nobody's threatened by you enough to want your head... you might be missing something.

This scoring system sounds so confusing

Underleveled posted...

This scoring system sounds so confusing

Welcome... to Big Brother!

It didn't end up being as bad as I thought it would be based on the instructions.

Anyway, Joseph finally has an interesting role in the season other than as eye candy.

And Taylor is petty as fuck but BY GOD if anyone has a right to be, it's her.

Underleveled posted...

It didn't end up being as bad as I thought it would be based on the instructions.

Anyway, Joseph finally has an interesting role in the season other than as eye candy.

And Taylor is petty as fuck but BY GOD if anyone has a right to be, it's her.

Yeah. Michael can go fuck himself after that last confessional. Taylor's aligned with all the big threats and her four options are four people who have won next to nothing. Whatever reason she wants to target Alyssa is no better or worse than the reasons to target Terrance/Indy/Jasmine.

Also, this opening sequence on Challenge US is hilarious.

This challenge seems especially dangerous.

Watching The Challenge...

Kyland certainly is daft if he thinks that Domenick and Cayla were being "petty" instead of "strategic." No, Dom wanted to take out a big threat to him, because who wants to work with someone who's gonna beat their ass? And Cayla knew Kyland had ZERO interest in working with her, until it was mighty convenient. Angela, meanwhile, was smart enough to make a deal to protect her interests, and to be transparent "Look, I'm being strategic. I admit it. But I'm not going to put either of you in the arena, even if your partner wants that money, and all I can give you is my word." Also, Angela is gorgeous... as I've said numerous times in this topic. (Edit was to finish this paragraph whoops)

I also saw spoilers in the preview. Not very subtle there.

Survivor SA later tonight. I'm literally juggling like 8 things at once here, but I'll get 'em all done.

Woah two episodes tonight??

Hahaha Taylor

The word "bully" was really just used to describe Taylor.

What the holy heck is happening in this season.

Please don't let this happen every season now...

These Houseguests must be thinking something's up since the eviction hasn't happened yet.

Yeah this is a hectic final 5 I cant wait to see how it shakes out

Survivor SA episode 21

Shocked at how the Tribal was in the middle of the episode, but this is the final week so I get it.

What a fucking insane F4 this is. ANY of them could win. ANY of them! Because they voted out joke character Killarney... and Marian lying to Phil about the booth vote steal after she'd made her vote look like Dino's font is going to blow this game apart. Phil thinks he can trust Marian. Phil thinks he's making fire at worst. The goal is to blindside him. Marian is definitely one of my favorites this season. And if she makes F2, she could beat anybody. Marian/Phil is a toss-up, which is why Phil doesn't want her anywhere near there. Shane ain't winning, no way. He's just been along for the ride. So... Dino needs to get to the end with Shane. Phil and Dino played relatively interchangeable games but Phil has more intangibles, so... yeah.... Phil should want Dino or Shane. Marian should want Shane since Dino would get more votes from her, but she still probably wins 6-3. Shane... doesn't matter.

Phil's insane luck and agility have really helped him win challenges. Luck is an oft-forgotten stat (unless you're Jeanne, in which case LOL) that can truly help someone excel in Survivor; sometimes all it takes is one lucky break and you're back in the game. It's not so much the luck so much as how you utilize it (which is what Jeanne failed to understand). That said... picking Dino for Mega-Simmotion was... an odd choice. Can he really trust Dino? Dino turned out to be a good partner, who didn't wanna throw it. And then they cliffhang mid-challenge again. GREAT. That probably means Phil recovers just fine. Like he SOMEHOW did after his boneheaded Shona vote. He finessed that well.

I think the schedule is gonna be tomorrow is the Rhino Sanctuary reward that looks kick-ass plus the F4 IC + Tribal. Wednesday is the final IC + the F3 Tribal + Day 39 Breakfast, and it may have a cliffhanger after FTC opening statements. Thursday is JUST the FTC and reunion (is that one not 90 minutes long?).

What a season this has been. It may be even better than SA6 tbh, and that's largely because of how it's a 24-episode epic that feels like what US Survivor could be. The episodes are just three

I saw some clips BB10, a season I haven't seen, and I gotta ask... what is the general opinion of this season? From what I saw it seemed like an entire cast of loud assholes just shouting at each other. I could see it either being really well loved as an entertaining trainwreck or really hated.

Underleveled posted...

I saw some clips BB10, a season I haven't seen, and I gotta ask... what is the general opinion of this season? From what I saw it seemed like an entire cast of loud assholes just shouting at each other. I could see it either being really well loved as an entertaining trainwreck or really hated.

It's largely beloved.

Underleveled posted...

I saw some clips BB10, a season I haven't seen, and I gotta ask... what is the general opinion of this season? From what I saw it seemed like an entire cast of loud assholes just shouting at each other. I could see it either being really well loved as an entertaining trainwreck or really hated.

It's quite possibly my favorite season. It doesn't have a major twist and largely just relies on its cast. There's another big reason it's so good, but I don't want to mention it, in case you ever go to watch it.

BetrayedTangy posted...

It's quite possibly my favorite season. It doesn't have a major twist and largely just relies on its cast. There's another big reason it's so good, but I don't want to mention it, in case you ever go to watch it.

I already know that it has the first unanimous winner and have a general idea of who Dan is.

Underleveled posted...

I already know that it has the first unanimous winner and have a general idea of who Dan is.

Oh sweet, yeah his story from absolute underdog to the greatest BB player of all time is super satisfying to watch play out.

So apparently there have been no live feeds from the Backyard group for several days. Rumors are that they are dealing with wall shouters. Indoor house guests have reported hearing music constantly from outside and believe it's some sort of punishment, but most likely they're using it to block out the sounds of the wall shouters. So most likely, they can't have the feeds going because of the music.

AMP tag bump

Underleveled posted...

Rumors are that they are dealing with wall shouters.

This has become a major problem in recent years. Why haven't they found a way to fix it? Maybe they need an armed security guard trained to shoot to kill. Please note I'm NOT saying he should actually kill people who seek to undermine the integrity of the game - just be there to intimidate idiots enough to get them to drop their megaphone and run. And if they insist, he can escort them out at gunpoint. A second violation would result in their ticket for criminal trespass, since their voice was in a place it was unwelcome.

And if intimidation tactics are unsuccessful, then maybe it's time for them to move the house and set up the backyard in a way that would prevent disruptions. People just know they can do this and get away with it, so they do it to help their favorite (which often backfires) or to seek fame. That has to change in one way or another.

BlueCrystalTear posted...

Survivor SA episode 21

Shocked at how the Tribal was in the middle of the episode, but this is the final week so I get it.

What a fucking insane F4 this is. ANY of them could win. ANY of them! Because they voted out joke character Killarney... and Marian lying to Phil about the booth vote steal after she'd made her vote look like Dino's font is going to blow this game apart. Phil thinks he can trust Marian. Phil thinks he's making fire at worst. The goal is to blindside him. Marian is definitely one of my favorites this season. And if she makes F2, she could beat anybody. Marian/Phil is a toss-up, which is why Phil doesn't want her anywhere near there. Shane ain't winning, no way. He's just been along for the ride. So... Dino needs to get to the end with Shane. Phil and Dino played relatively interchangeable games but Phil has more intangibles, so... yeah.... Phil should want Dino or Shane. Marian should want Shane since Dino would get more votes from her, but she still probably wins 6-3. Shane... doesn't matter.

Phil's insane luck and agility have really helped him win challenges. Luck is an oft-forgotten stat (unless you're Jeanne, in which case LOL) that can truly help someone excel in Survivor; sometimes all it takes is one lucky break and you're back in the game. It's not so much the luck so much as how you utilize it (which is what Jeanne failed to understand). That said... picking Dino for Mega-Simmotion was... an odd choice. Can he really trust Dino? Dino turned out to be a good partner, who didn't wanna throw it. And then they cliffhang mid-challenge again. GREAT. That probably means Phil recovers just fine. Like he SOMEHOW did after his boneheaded Shona vote. He finessed that well.

I think the schedule is gonna be tomorrow is the Rhino Sanctuary reward that looks kick-ass plus the F4 IC + Tribal. Wednesday is the final IC + the F3 Tribal + Day 39 Breakfast, and it may have a cliffhanger after FTC opening statements. Thursday is JUST the FTC and reunion (is that one not 90 minutes long?).

What a season this has been. It may be even better than SA6 tbh, and that's largely because of how it's a 24-episode epic that feels like what US Survivor could be. The episodes are just three

This has been such a killer season. And such creative gameplay. If anyone wants an incredible postmerge, this is a season to watch.

SA9 episode 22 (yes, you all should watch Survivor SA - it puts both Survivor US and especially that Australian garbage to shame)

Phil asking Marian and Shane to target Dino was his undoing. Stupid move. His best move was 1) pitch Dino to force an unexpected 2-2 tie between Phil and Marian, 2) promise Dino that if he DOES do this, Phil will take him to the F2 if he wins the final IC, and 3) after winning at fire, betray Dino anyway if he does indeed win Hand on Hard Idol. By giving Marian and Shane the power, he makes them choose between himself and Dino. They wouldpick Dino every fucking time because - guess what? - Phil has beaten them at immunity constantly. Dino managed to only once, with a car on the line too. And then Phil blew it BIG by saying Marian's disability made her have a sob story that makes her a jury threat. Think before subconscious thoughts flow out of your mouth.

Also, it was heartbreaking to watch them saw off that rhino's horn, simply because thugs want $$$ for that aphrodisiac. Might as well just cut it off to ensure the rhino lives and sell it themselves to get money for the sanctuary to continue protecting them. "Give us your horn instead of your life so we can sell it to take care of you" is certainly better than poaching, but it's a tragic necessity.

I am Team Marian. All the way. I like how she's like "So what, my skin looks different? It doesn't matter. Vote me out because I played a hell of a game, not because of some story I would never weaponize." I think Marian probably wins but this is Survivor SA so they may surprise me. If Dino wins the final IC, he probably takes Shane since he's easier to beat. If Shane wins, he takes Marian since he loses to either (but he should take Dino, because closing the last two challenges and slaying Phil is more than Dino can say he did). Marian probably takes Shane. Shane could throw it but he's sorta looked like a bystander compared to Marian, Phil, and Dino. So... Marian beats Dino beats Shane. Just a matter of who wins the necklace.

This is also why Jeff Probst doesn't like F2s. It can make results more predictable. CAN, but not always. F3s always have somebody shut out and that itself is predictable so...

Wow Michael's real guess was 1 off

Christ, Brittany and Michael were good at that challenge

At least most of this episode's footage was mostly from the side of the house that has been shut out of the live feeds.

Do we know what happened to Taylor's arm? She was wearing a bandage of some sort last week and now that it's off something looks pretty clearly up with it.

I loved how Lacina was bashing Angela and how she "hasn't proven herself" only to lose to Angela by four seconds. Pretty sure Angela has a much thicker wallet than Lacina, who hasn't proven herself at all and has acted emotionally instead of strategically. Angela was also focused on praising Alyssa instead of being mean. Respect where it's due is a sign of a good competitor.

Starting to really dislike Lacina. She's just gross.

It's pretty rich for Sarah to say someone else "hasn't proven herself" given Sarah's grand total of 0 individual wins in 2+ seasons.

This was the first time Sarah has finished in the top 3 of a challenge (and keep in mind that Desi/Cayla both got DQed for slipping off the initial dismount)., and she still couldn't win it. She needs to STFU.

As for Big Brother, I've already hated Kyle most of the season for being an attention-whoring tryhard whenever there's the potential for screen time, but I hate him even more for pushing this "anti-cookout" bullshit. "Let's form an alliance with Michael, Brittany, Alyssa, and Turner (even though I haven't actually discussed anything with Turner and there was no evidence he was interested)." And people wonder why the Cookout was needed after 22 goddamn seasons (and ESPECIALLY after BB22).

It really sucks that the people who have actually kinda made this season strategically interesting and suspenseful have either been incredibly unlikable (Kyle, Daniel, Nicole) or in Paloma's case left the house in such a toxic state in her wake that it's hard for me to appreciate her.

In other news, TAR34 cast is up. As we all pretty much knew, Derek & Claire are on there, as well as Rex Ryan, who I'd venture to say is the most notable celebrity they've ever had on the show.

Mewtwo59 posted...

It's pretty rich for Sarah to say someone else "hasn't proven herself" given Sarah's grand total of 0 individual wins in 2+ seasons.

Inviso posted...

This was the first time Sarah has finished in the top 3 of a challenge (and keep in mind that Desi/Cayla both got DQed for slipping off the initial dismount)., and she still couldn't win it. She needs to STFU.

Her arrogance is fully unwarranted.

Also worth noting that Angela just won her THIRD challenge and has had enough social capital to avoid the arena; the one time she was in danger, she copped a deal to bus Kyland instead (remember how good her scum play was in BB20). And this includes against a certified badass like Sarah Lacina. I'm calling that certification into question right now.... because Angela probably deserves one more. Imagine if Lacina is the only girl to get locked out of the final due to being shortchanged. That would be richly embarrassing, probably even more so than her Cagayan exit.

Only guy not in right now is Danny. Which sucks, because I like Danny. No way would ANY of the guys would've wanted to go against him in Hall Brawl. Danny's the only one here to have been paid millions to tackle people.

I also loved the "previously on" and even more so since those two ended up facing off. Leo petting one of his many cat friends and Enzo popping out to say "Meow meow, yo" is the kind of crossover stuff that I wanted to see here.

Oh, and it looks like it may just be a woman going home the next episode, followed by the finale. Which means if neither Danny nor Lacina gets enough dough... well, I'd be mad to see one go and happy to see the other go.

Underleveled posted...

In other news, TAR34 cast is up. As we all pretty much knew, Derek & Claire are on there, as well as Rex Ryan, who I'd venture to say is the most notable celebrity they've ever had on the show.

Holy shit, a big name ex-NFL coach is definitely a BIG get. Not quite to the level of Jimmy Johnson being on Survivor, but mighty damn close. Still not sure if I'll care to watch it tbh. It's just not that exciting anymore.

Survivor SA season finale spoilers

...the Car Curse is broken! The Car Curse is broken! Congrats Dino on a game well-played!

So, earlier in the season, Dino replied to me in a Survivor Facebook group when I talked about how Survivor doesn't need a "good" winner - the winner just has to make sense with the story presented. He said he loved that take. Does........... this mean he.... thinks he's not a good winner? Or... am I reading into that too much? The meta-ing this season has rubbed off on me XD

I liked how the reunion was the night after Dino and Shane cleaned up and featured the entire pre-jury. MUCH better than being the night of with the jury only. This way, Dino got time to digest. And a LOT came out of the woodwork (I hadn't recalled that Seamus had actually managed to plant his fake).

This was better than Heroes vs. Villains. There, I said it. No Hantz being a big factor. 24 episodes being a big factor. Seriously, this season restored my faith that Survivor can still blow my socks off, and it's worth watching Survivor SA seasons 5 through 9 in their entirety. If you want some GOOD Survivor, there ya go.

BlueCrystalTear posted...

If you want some GOOD Survivor, there ya go.

Despite some frustrating twists, 42 was actually a pretty great season. I'd put it in the "minor flaws hold it back from being one of the truly amazing seasons" tier, and say it's probably the fourth-or-fifth-best post-HvV season, behind DvG, Philippines, Cagayan, and maybe Kaoh Rong.

Anyway, it's really frustrating that Kyle has constantly shown in full display that he is a completely self-interested player with no loyalties other than to himself and will throw anyone under the bus if it means getting him one round further, yet people are still willing to form alliances with him, and believe him when he denies it when he's called out on his bullshit.

Underleveled posted...

Despite some frustrating twists, 42 was actually a pretty great season. I'd put it in the "minor flaws hold it back from being one of the truly amazing seasons" tier, and say it's probably the fourth-or-fifth-best post-HvV season, behind DvG, Philippines, Cagayan, and maybe Kaoh Rong.

This was significantly better than S42.

There, I said it. S42 had those frustrating twists, as you mentioned, which detracted from what should've been the "new Cagayan."

Now that SA9 is finished, making myself a season ranking list. This one is gonna be top 5 all-time.

SA9 handles an increased episode count far better than AU did.

Obviously there's still plenty of time for someone to do something amazing (or tank their popularity) but my read on the fanbase right now is that it's looking like the top 3 for America's Favorite will likely be Taylor, Joseph and Turner.

Twenty minutes left. Let the fireworks begin.

When was the last time someone winning veto truly changed the course of a season for the better?

So, I was spoiled that this was going to be brought up this episode and I was a bit concerned that Michael had had this information for a long time and is only offering it up now when it benefits him strategically but he's actually navigating that part of it pretty well and putting as much of it as he can in Monte and Taylor's hands.

Watching live tomorrow is a big question mark for me, leaning on the side of probably can't. Of all the episodes to miss live.

Sarah Lacina is so awful it's actually funny. She's spending this entire challenge whining instead of competing! Great way to show why you haven't qualified yet.

Does... she not realize that her "Fab Five" alliance is up against the Survivor guys too? Her logic is so dumb, too. Did it not occur to her that a guy's gonna win this too? He's not just gonna do whatever the girl who wins says like she seems to think.

I'm rooting for Angela and Alyssa, who have delivered multiple sick burns toward Sarah in this episode. And it's highly warranted. She's gotta be unbearable to live with.

Yeah, she doesn't understand. She thinks it's all about her. And that other people are playing their own game. They want to win, too!

If Sarah's unbearable to live with, I can't imagine how bad Brad was if he couldn't even beat her.

Mewtwo59 posted...

If Sarah's unbearable to live with, I can't imagine how bad Brad was if he couldn't even beat her.

I mean... "Fuck You, Brad Culpepper" is a meme for a reason.

I think winning may have fueled Sarah's ego. Expecting literally everyone else to stop and help her over themselves is not how you play. And she seems to think Danny and Desi will let her pick Angela. It would be awesome if they said sure and Angela beats her. It would be even more awesome if Danny refused and wanted to choose one of Desi's allies, because he has no relationship with her. Sarah and the others will learn the hard way that they needed some guys on their side.

Danny qualifying is so great! And he's calling Sarah's shit out, just assuming he'll do what she wants. Shows how clueless she is. Angela and Alyssa are still mocking her entitlement complex, xD

I hate Sarah, but I love rooting for her delusional ass to fail.

So... what happens if the winners can't come to a mutual decision? Does it get randomized? Or would Desi have to go in? Since this is women only.

I'm pretty sure that saying the only two options are Angela and Alyssa would blow up in Desi's face. And seriously, Alyssa wanted to talk game with you, Sarah, and you treated her like an annoyance. Great way to make enemies!

Based on edit, I think Danny gets his way, solely due to Cashay saying she's excited about the final and acting like she has nothing to worry about. I flagged that immediately since it was early in the episode.