Topic: LIVE! SHOW DISCUSSION

[Bookworm]

Regarding the above, Denise beats Natalie. She played a killer game on Edge, but she survives 2 tribal councils MAX (6 and 5)  to get to the end. Denise survived 14. Natalie may have bonded more while on the Edge and she truly dominated the Edge, but Denise is second to Michele in terms of bequeathed tokens, demonstrating a powerful social game. As Nick said this episode, Denise is loved and is a serious social threat. Just because the edit doesn't reflect it doesn't mean it isn't true. Denise was the one person left out of the Kim vote and then suddenly she's in a tight four within a day.
Natalie is the best player on the Edge, but I don't think enough people on the jury (Adam, Kim, etc.) will want to reward someone who got voted out, period.

[Jobby]

Nobody beats Denise at the end and that's why even Tony doesn't want to sit with her at the end.

From interviews, Denise is a worker. She builds her social relationships based on how she serve others, in terms of bringing them food, water, coconut etc. She doesn't stop and she keeps doing it, and that's what edit can't show because it's honestly built-up from Day 1 and let's just face it - it's boring for the editors. How many times can they show Denise helping others, as compared to - a spy shack?

And that's why, Tony - an entertaining winner, outspoken etc., will never be in my good books.

I've learnt to move on from seasons quickly with winners I don't like, and while everyone enjoyed Cagayan, I didn't. It's a personal choice, but it doesn't mean I disrespect Tony or think he doesn't deserve to win.

It's just my favourite type of winners would be those like Yul and Kim. Just being pure strategist and as much as it not being entertaining on TV, but they did it through pure interaction and social connections. Denise was a good winner too, but I was rooting for Malcom that season lol.

[Bookworm]

That being said, Tony clearly has a killer social game.
Yes, his tightest relationship is with Sarah, but what returnee season hasn't been marred by prior relationships?
He has Ben around his finger, selling him on the idea of a "heroes" final 3 with Sarah. Nick trusted him completely. Denise, while working with him through Ben, recognizes his danger and threat level and still doesn't want to take him about before 4 or 5.

The best example of Tony's social game was the F9 Extortion Advantage. Fire Tokens aren't great, but they allow for the physical manifestation of social capital- Michele, Denise, and Sarah have tangible evidence of the power of their social games. Tony seemingly effortlessly got tokens from Jeremy, Nick, and Ben. It is public knowledge that Fire Tokens have some relationship to advantages, yet these three willingly gave them to a winner well-known for his flashiness. Incredible. It clearly indicates that Tony cultivated strong relationships with them prior to this.

Tony is loved by editors because he's hyperactive and pulls crazy stunts, but he has to have charm that goes underreported by the edit.