Topic: S40: Ep 12: "Friendly Fire" (4/29)

[RealityFreakWill]

Survivor - Friendly Fire (Preview)

Alliances may crumble after a tribal blindside, and an undercover operation escalates to new heights. Also, there's another brutal challenge on Edge of Extinction, on Survivor: Winners at War, Wednesday at 8/7c.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/J6n_rr-GsQk" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/J6n_rr-GsQk</a>

[RealityFreakWill]

Survivor - Friendly Fire (Sneak Peek)

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/lvBmhTJsk0U" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/lvBmhTJsk0U</a>

[RealityFreakWill]

vids are up...

[Jobby]

I literally stopped watching because this season is trash from the get go. Disappointment after disappointment lol.

It’s so obvious who is gonna win. And the remaining winners just keep listening to Tony, which I don’t get at all.

Boring as hell season. Predictable. And so many pre-game alliances ruined it.

[Jobby]

...and reaffirmed my thoughts about Sarah. Really don’t like her.

There was a secret scene of Kim and Sarah where Kim consoled Sarah about the game, but she just broke down and cried and said she’s a bad person.

Well, you are a bad person. You don’t treat friends like that. 

[Jobby]

....and don’t get me on the idols this season.

I thought the front part pre-jury, the half and half idol was good.

However, nowadays the idols are literally SO EASY to find. Russell would have found every idol with all these lame hiding places.

It’s like, production is so scared nobody finds it and use it, and they just place it in a hole in the tree.

It’s like luck is even more important than fire tokens. KIM has 3 fire tokens?? Make them be able to buy Idol clues and Immunity advantages with the tokens!!!

Instead, they hung on to it, with no idea what to do until they get voted out.

So infuriating!!!

[TARUSAFan]

I came to watch this Season because of the Old-Schoolers. All of them voted off. The last 7 remaining players are meh. I'd be happy if someone on the Edge of Extinction, only up until Kim Spradlin, excluding Wendell Holland & Adam Klein returns and wins.

[panikmoon]

I just don't understand whyyyYYYYYyyy everyone feels the need to whisper amongst each other at tribal council. Way to let everyone know who you're working with and who has an idol  It's seriously annoying every time they start doing that. I agreed with Denise tonight when she said she was tired of this and that she was ready to vote. Why has this become the thing to do at tribal council this season?

[Jobby]

And Tony doing the Natalie thing.

jEremY/SaRaH lEt mE pLaY aN iDoL fOr U

DUDE, I have no idea why would Nick and Ben and ANYONE else continue to work with Tony?

The end of this season felt exactly like Game Changers. In Game Changers, I at least had Cirie to drive some normalcy into things.

Everyone remaining is just... NOT very winner worthy I feel. Tony is playing an awesome game and if he wins, I respect that. BUT that doesn't mean I like him as a winner. Why do you have to try so hard? Lame.

[Musicon]

I didn't think that Tony snitching on Ben was very clever, whatever the edit says.  He could have questioned Nick without giving a name out.

The fire tokens somehow seem very extra, and the extinction lot as well.  I thought there would be some other challenge to do than just running back and forth to get coconuts, it's just a repeat of the logs running earlier in the season.

[Kamineko]

Everyone remaining is just... NOT very winner worthy I feel. Tony is playing an awesome game and if he wins, I respect that. BUT that doesn't mean I like him as a winner. Why do you have to try so hard? Lame.

Somehow I agree with you Jobby. I think after the old schools are eliminated, the remaining players starting to feel too comfortable with the state they are in and nobody really wants to make a big move by blindsiding someone or just anything really.

I think the pre-merge of this season is interesting but somehow heartbreaking with the old schools are getting voted off one by one. However, with no more old school players remaining in the tribe, they don't really have the main target anymore, hence all the whispering every tribal council . I feel that now they're playing just to stay safe but without making any necessary moves, because they don't want to become a sudden target after an absence of a target. That's why I think Jeremy suddenly become the target because he's using his advantage.

I think the remaining players want to make a case where: (1) they have an Idol or any advantage but don't have to use it because they're not the target or (2) they helped creating/voting off some "sudden" threats and stay safe because they're not a threat anymore. But that makes the game so boring to watch. With Tony winning 3 (2 before this episode) immunity challenges in a row should make him a target, but nobody wants to win against him because they are starting to become his minions . They would rather seeing him winning the immunity challenges, and then just follow any instruction he gives for the voting, instead of winning themselves so that they don't become a target for winning a challenge .

[Bookworm]

The chief issues are issues with modern survivor and are easily solvable- too many advantages that stifle instead of ramp up gameplay (the HII being the best example of a "good" advantage) and poor storytelling that focuses on individual episodes and shock value rather than season-long storylines. The latter in particular should be so easy to fix, and it's more noticeable & noteworthy this season because we as an audience know everyone well and got to know most of them during a time when there were stories in survivor.

I look forward to Survivor every week, but last episode didn't really thrill me at all. If everything is falling into place for Tony, at least show other players talking about him to diversify the perspective. Give them storylines that link to his, like Sarah.

And I agree with Kami that people are too averse to make targets of themselves and it's sickening. Let's make pacts that last more than a single vote; otherwise we get the same unsatisfying endgames that we've had since Game Changers. It should have been an alarm to CBS/Survivor during the IOI finale that something needed to change when none of the players had ever made fire (Tommy, Lauren, Dean) by Day 38. If the show has progressed to a point where the gameplay, derived from the game format, actively discourages survival skills, then the show isn't Survivor anymore.

[Nuku]

I'm also fairly disappointed with this season. It's like none of them actually want to play besides Tony! The boot order was extremely saddening for most fans and now we still have ben nick and michele in the game who have floated and flip flopped which ever way they please! I'm not sure about the way the did the immunity challenge either with the tempting coming at what seemed like a very late point in the challenge. The most entertaining parts of the show are usually on edge of extinction so i'm kind of glad that that's in play although I think a final 7 return would work better than 5! This season is really disappointing me so i honestly think the best way to rebound would be bring back the best players to never win: they'd game incredibly hard! I hate watching this because tony and sarah have controlled the game from the beginning and the only person who would be able to dethrone them would be jeremy, but he has to work with them in order to stay alive! So at this point i think our best final 3 would be Sarah, Tony, and Jeremy and i just pray this season picks up the gameplay by ALL players in the next few episodes!

[Jobby]

Everyone remaining is just... NOT very winner worthy I feel. Tony is playing an awesome game and if he wins, I respect that. BUT that doesn't mean I like him as a winner. Why do you have to try so hard? Lame.

Somehow I agree with you Jobby. I think after the old schools are eliminated, the remaining players starting to feel too comfortable with the state they are in and nobody really wants to make a big move by blindsiding someone or just anything really.

I think the pre-merge of this season is interesting but somehow heartbreaking with the old schools are getting voted off one by one. However, with no more old school players remaining in the tribe, they don't really have the main target anymore, hence all the whispering every tribal council . I feel that now they're playing just to stay safe but without making any necessary moves, because they don't want to become a sudden target after an absence of a target. That's why I think Jeremy suddenly become the target because he's using his advantage.

I think the remaining players want to make a case where: (1) they have an Idol or any advantage but don't have to use it because they're not the target or (2) they helped creating/voting off some "sudden" threats and stay safe because they're not a threat anymore. But that makes the game so boring to watch. With Tony winning 3 (2 before this episode) immunity challenges in a row should make him a target, but nobody wants to win against him because they are starting to become his minions . They would rather seeing him winning the immunity challenges, and then just follow any instruction he gives for the voting, instead of winning themselves so that they don't become a target for winning a challenge .

Exactly. I don’t even like Tony. But at this point of time he deserves to win because those people are not even trying to get rid of him.

Even without his Immunity, they are not even going to do it. That makes Tony a potential deserving winner this season, and it makes me infuriated because he is playing with so many post season 30 winners, who are refusing to do anything.

It just cements my thoughts that the new school Survivors are no way in comparison to the old school ones. They had the skills and the talks to bring themselves to the end.

Watching Sarah pisses me off. She deserved to win her season, but was she the best person if there’s no advantages? No. It would have been Cirie.

And then you look at Ben. It just confirms that he’s really a Low-tier winner. He just hopes to find advantages and build alliances but what does he bring to the game.

Then you have Michele and Nick. What are they doing???

What is Denise even doing for her strategic game?

I am just confused with Jeremy’s game play as well.

Even Kim. I feel that if I were her I rather go to EoE! These people just refuse to make big moves for fear of being the next Denise.

Best season ever? You gotta be kidding Jeff Probst.

I’ll rather have full hour EoE episodes watching those people who have a fighting spirit.

[Jobby]

The chief issues are issues with modern survivor and are easily solvable- too many advantages that stifle instead of ramp up gameplay (the HII being the best example of a "good" advantage) and poor storytelling that focuses on individual episodes and shock value rather than season-long storylines. The latter in particular should be so easy to fix, and it's more noticeable & noteworthy this season because we as an audience know everyone well and got to know most of them during a time when there were stories in survivor.

I look forward to Survivor every week, but last episode didn't really thrill me at all. If everything is falling into place for Tony, at least show other players talking about him to diversify the perspective. Give them storylines that link to his, like Sarah.

And I agree with Kami that people are too averse to make targets of themselves and it's sickening. Let's make pacts that last more than a single vote; otherwise we get the same unsatisfying endgames that we've had since Game Changers. It should have been an alarm to CBS/Survivor during the IOI finale that something needed to change when none of the players had ever made fire (Tommy, Lauren, Dean) by Day 38. If the show has progressed to a point where the gameplay, derived from the game format, actively discourages survival skills, then the show isn't Survivor anymore.

THIS THIS THIS.

And the narrative we have here are so different from the ones I see on Survivor’s social media. They are calling Denise’s move the best one ever (have they truly watched EVERY SEASON??) and they adore Tony’s craziness plus the tribal whisperings.

I get it. Tribal whisperings are good for TV, but it is so annoying when we don’t even understand what they are even whispering about because the outcome was so expected. KIM or Denise will GO HOME. And I’m telling you with all the edits, there’s no way Denise is making it to the end.

And my main issue with it is how easy these idols are now found. I know it has been the case since Season 20 when Sandra randomly found an idol but at least it was FAIR. Everyone scrambled to find one after Jeff gave a clue. But these idols now are so easily placed and you wonder, why bother to strategise when you can just keep finding HII!!!!?

[Jobby]

I'm also fairly disappointed with this season. It's like none of them actually want to play besides Tony! The boot order was extremely saddening for most fans and now we still have ben nick and michele in the game who have floated and flip flopped which ever way they please! I'm not sure about the way the did the immunity challenge either with the tempting coming at what seemed like a very late point in the challenge. The most entertaining parts of the show are usually on edge of extinction so i'm kind of glad that that's in play although I think a final 7 return would work better than 5! This season is really disappointing me so i honestly think the best way to rebound would be bring back the best players to never win: they'd game incredibly hard! I hate watching this because tony and sarah have controlled the game from the beginning and the only person who would be able to dethrone them would be jeremy, but he has to work with them in order to stay alive! So at this point i think our best final 3 would be Sarah, Tony, and Jeremy and i just pray this season picks up the gameplay by ALL players in the next few episodes!

THIS Too.

The EoE is just so pointless with two entries and there’s just too much narrative to focus on. So Redemption instead. The best people who got back into the game at least fought for it EVERY WEEK.

This season is just trash for me. I don’t care what others say but it’s not even anywhere near top tier. With all the hype about it, just a major disappointment with an expected winner.

[fossil-racer]

Honestly, I was really hyped for this season but the producers and CBS really dug their own grave with this one.

Here are the problems:

1. Episodes
For the 40th season, I wish the episodes were 90 minutes or 2 hours. Wasn't there a rumor stating CBS would consider 90-minute episodes? Jeff said in an interview people wouldn't watch more than an hour and that's bull. People have been wanting longer episodes for a while.

A major problem is being able to cram content in an hour-long episode when you have so much going on. The family visit episode is a great example of an episode that needed to be longer. That episode was crammed to the max and I didn't really get the Tyson boot because of it.

2. Edit - It's obvious Tony is winning.
Denise's edit is too inconsistent. Ever since her savage boot on Sandra, she hasn't had much content.
Nick's edit is inconsistent as well.
Jeremy has been on the bottom and he will be gone soon.
Sarah isn't winning after last night. She's gonna ride Tony's coattails or be eliminated soon.
Ben hasn't played the best game and has a somewhat negative edit.
Michele is the player that is attempting to play the game but is overshadowed by Tony's edit, imo.

3. EOE
EOE should replace Ponderosa until players reach Ponderosa. Make it an aftershow exclusive people have to go watch elsewhere. EOE eats up a lot of screentime and it's not even great content sometimes. It's only used to show the players are alive or what advantages/disadvantages are sent to players in the game.

The coconut race wasn't the most original challenge in the world. It was like they were trying to replicate the log challenge (the only plus to EOE)

4. Fire Tokens
I didn't mind the tokens at first but now it's hard to keep up with them. I don't know who has how many and what you can do with them if you don't get an advantage offer or disadvantage from the Edge.

Plus, when Tony was borrowing them, they didn't even show him paying the players back, irc. I think the producers left the viewers thinking that players did get paid back but it was implied. I think Michele tried selling her 50/50 coin but that was subtly shown.

There have been a lot of problems with this season but I'm still trying to enjoy it. We'll see how the rest of the season plays out.

[Maanca]

It's true. After the dumpster fire of season 39, I was so excited for this all-winners season. And yet I find myself being less excited which each passing week.

Being winners, you'd expect so much more competitiveness across the board, but it's like no one except Tony is even playing. He's obviously going to win. What the heck happened to this bunch since their first seasons?

And knowing this is the last Survivor we're gonna get for maybe a year makes it sadder.

[Bookworm]

Let's clear this up; the players are playing, but the edit just isn't showing it. Between EOE, challenges, and Tribal, there's only about 15 minutes to include camp life and strategy. Editing used to have several, balanced narratives, but now they're inconsistent and we're only seeing one or two lenses at a time.

[Jimmer]

Maybe I have an unpopular opinion but I actually have been enjoying this season. I generally appreciate how hard everyone is playing to win and I have been entertained with every episode thus far and look forward to Survivor every week.

I do agree that I think all the twists and advantages and fire tokens make the game incredible confusing and definitely would love to see it a lot of this brought way down in future seasons. Having fewer advantages forces people to use their social skills as opposed to how advantages are played, and I prefer social skill gameplay better.

I do agree that episodes are so jam-packed that they cannot fit everything into the episode, but I think generally the editing does a good job of presenting a different vibe for each episode, which I enjoy. I do agree I think their needs to better season-long narratives, but understand that it might be difficult to 'edit in' if the game is constantly changing.

I generally don't pay a lot of attention to edits or edgics, but I don't remember Tony being incredibly visible in pre-merge and early merge episodes. I thought the episode where he found the idol + had to pay up 6 tokens, and drove the Sophie vote he just stuck out and I thought, "where did he come from?" And that was just last week. I think for the most part all players left have had a fair amount of visibility and had moments where they have shined.

[Hubickichibi]

We got another tony brilliant moment in this eps