Sadly the remainder of this season has become obviously predictable...unless we are treated to another impressive Mike-like run winning the last several ICs culminating in a satisfying and deserving win. But quite frankly, no misdirection and all the edit cards in the world may not be able to save it from its certainty.

GOOD

JULIA – If smarts equate to an impressive “character” sketch, you’ve gotta like Julia this past episode. She hit a HR with her selection of teammates for the RC...and it turned into a Grand Slam with her winning effort in the challenge. Well Done, Sorority Girl! Could have gone either way (girls or Brawn) to advance in the game and she chose girls. We know she’s good with puzzles and balancing giving her decent ammo for potential key IC wins down the road. But her likability could be a curse as it was for Kat in One World.

TAI – Anyone who is unable to acknowledge Tai’s effort in the IC as the epitome of “Survivor,” find yourself a time machine so you can go back and watch MTV Real World to get your dose of Reality TV. As golfing great Bobby Jones always said, “The game is played on a seven inch course...the area between your ears.” Interestingly Jason mentioned “psychological warfare” in the preview—that’s exactly what Tai used on Cydney in the IC. Most deserving of the win, but will need a Chris-like (Vanuatu) finish to pull it off.

CYDNEY – Under Debbie’s tutelage, Cydney proved to be a quick study in “offensive play.” She gets kudos for orchestrating the game-changing move. Although targeting the stronger is hardly an innovative tactic, she still set the wheels in motion...and she didn’t need to narc out Jason’s idol to do so making it all the more impressive. Tai’s landmark effort this episode notwithstanding, with Scot/Jason eventually out of the way, she puts herself in outstanding position to dominate future physical challenges.

DEBBIE – Losing steam with each episode, yet after Tai, I still have her as most deserving on Day 22. For weeks I wasn’t sure she could ultimately be our Sole Survivor, but if she makes the Finals I could see the men (who may constitute the majority of the Jury) rewarding Debbie for her “offense” as the most proactive player over the coattail riders she carried to the end.

BAD

AUBRY – The props I gave Julia for her smarts in the RC, goes the opposite way for Aubry. Big Brother viewers had to put up with Vanessa’s CRYNG all last season; I guess we’ll have to deal with that same tearful nonsense again. I enjoy giving Michel a hard time for all the Imagery and Stream of Consciousness he incorporates in his posts. But in all fairness, as the saying goes, “Don’t knock it until you try it.” So here goes…
Being carried during the RC could serve as an excellent and appropriate metaphor as being carried in the game. Difference is she couldn’t reply on luck to bail her out at the challenge. HMMM, maybe there is something to this Imagery stuff after all. I may actually begin to like it! LOL

SCOT – Stick with rebounding and lose the impersonations. A Rodney from BBB he’s not. It’s just a matter of time before he falls victim to the Anti-Darwin Syndrome even though he was in complete denial of this component of the game right up to TC. Jason will be targeted too, but Jason has an idol. Translation: You’re down by 20 with a minute left and no TOs. Game Over.

JASON – He wasn’t going to bring his daughter’s condition into the game...BUT...
His daughter’s autism is a powerful element he might be able to use to his advantage, but it is not as powerful as the Anti-Darwin Syndrome. His HII should get him by for the next TC, but he’ll need to find five more idols to get to the Finals.

BORING

JOE – Much like “Tarzan” in One World, I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe was the last man to remain in the game. At least Tarzan was slightly more relevant as a wacky character during his season.

MICHELE – Keep riding them coattails, Girl! Fortunately those coattails allowed her to chow down some decent food this week. Like I prophesied last week, why did Jeff even bother to tell Michele to put her torch in the fire at TC???

BOOTED

NICK – NAILED IT!!! Just as I accurately stated, he’s as dumb as a brick AND a pile of rocks. What a bona fide MORON! Although I guess I can understand now why he thinks he’s God’s gift to women—he’s gifted the remaining women a realistic seat in the Finals and a million dollar handout for one of them.

• RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,michel2, 02:22 PM, 04-10-16
  • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,Aruba, 07:51 PM, 04-12-16
    • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,michel2, 10:02 PM, 04-12-16
      • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,Aruba, 06:19 AM, 04-13-16
        • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,michel2, 10:48 AM, 04-13-16
• RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,kingfish, 10:38 AM, 04-11-16
  • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,michel2, 10:35 AM, 04-12-16
    • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,kingfish, 11:38 AM, 04-12-16
      • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,Aruba, 07:38 PM, 04-12-16
        • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,kingfish, 09:56 PM, 04-12-16
    • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,Aruba, 08:25 PM, 04-12-16
      • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,michel2, 10:08 PM, 04-12-16
        • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,Aruba, 06:00 AM, 04-13-16
          • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,michel2, 10:39 AM, 04-13-16
  • RE: Kaoh Rong: The Good, The Bad, The Boring, etc., etc. Ep.8 ,Aruba, 07:54 PM, 04-12-16
  • Best analyses around,suzzee, 11:37 AM, 04-13-16

LAST EDITED ON 04-10-16 AT 02:31 PM (EST)

We certainly don't see this game the same way. While I liked Mike more than anyone that made the Final 6 in Worlds Apart, I think the way he won wasn't entirely satisfying. Winning challenges is certainly part of the game but the key word is "part". It shouldn't be one's only game. But that different way of thinking has sustained our rivalry all these years so it's appropriate that a season that seems bound to crown a thinker over a muscle man should displease you. I'm really liking what I see.

The Very Good

1- Debbie: She planted the seed for this vote immediately after the swap when she first talked to Cydney about a female winner. She reinforced that idea at the merger when she "stole" Nick's closest ally by using the same ploy. The thing is though that Debbie has a secret weapon over the other women: She still has Joe's vote in her pocket!

The Good

1- Michele: As she said, TC revealed what type of player she is and we saw that she didn't hesitate to make a big move. However, by voting out the person that was perceived as her closest ally, she told her new allies that she can’t be trusted. She should be an early target once Scot and Jason are gone but then Tai and Cydney will have become the major challenge threats so she could skate by for a little while longer. I think the canoe ride she took with Julia, Cydney and Tai was more important than what was shown. The foursome probably talked about going with the Brains right there and then. Michele looked very impulsive, voting out someone that could still help her along the way when the move was probably planned much more carefully.

2- Cydney: She had a magnificent episode from a strategic point of view. She showed the evilness of this game when she used Jason's touching moment as the trigger to go against the men. Her actions against the group of seven will certainly cause some feelings of ungratefulness from Jason after he pledged to stay with her to the very end. He considered her part of his family so the betrayal will hurt deeply. This was supposed to be her big moment, the first move of the game yet it was as if Jeff didn’t even see her sitting there at Tribal Council.

3- Aubry: Her interview about the jocks and the pretty people getting outlasted by the nerds was a powerful statement about the outcome of the game. However, this was the time for being decisive so it would have been perfect to hear her thoughts but she simply followed Debbie's lead. It will be difficult for Aubry to sell her case.

4- Tai: The camera showed us that the chicken was still alive and well so maybe Tai still has a chance. The edit is certainly going out of its way to show him as a hero type of character: We heard Jeff mentioning that Tai was in pain right off the bat but a careful look at the images told us that he didn't really start having back pains until AFTER the food was offered. Anyway, the challenge may have been hard but it lasted only FORTY minutes. "Survivor UK" had an endurance challenge lasting 25 HOURS! Now that is the epitome of Survivor!

His vote against Jason is really intriguing because the story didn’t explain it at all. I’m sure it had something to do with the canoe ride that he took with Julia, Michele and Cydney. Either he decided then and there that he’d be voting with them or one of the big guys questioned his loyalty after seeing him talking with the girls. Like Cydney, that could have angered him into making a move. His comment about the super-idol looked like a big mistake but what if that was also intentional. Cydney said she would blow the game by talking about idols so maybe she told them about Jason's idol so Tai, feeling betrayed by Scot for not telling him, decided to tell all. Jason and Scot will be fuming when they get back to camp making it easier for everyone to unite against them.

The Boring

1- Joe: The episode started with Joe saying he’d need to put his thinking cap on but we only saw him wearing his sleeping cap. Zzzzzzzz!

2- Julia I simply can't believe all the praise that Jeff gave her for the reward challenge decision and I find it even harder to understand how an astute observer like Aruba could parrot our host! Julia had the first pick, chose Scot and that was it! After that she was going to get either Nick or Jason with her second pick. Who was left for Aubry’s second pick?! During the challenge, all she had to do was stand still, not make any sudden moves and she's had 22 days of practicing that! I would think she'd get at least some criticism for quiting the immunity challenge even before lunch was served!

The Bad

1- Jason: It was his ally that flipped so he bears more responsibility than the NBA player. He was confidentn that all they had to do was to split the votes and they'd be safe and now I think the vote will be split between him and Scot. Oh! the irony!

2- Scot: I always love it when someone mocks our host and the goofy voice he used to imitate Jiffy's Previously on Survivor bit was the best we've had since Shane mocked Jeff's challenge comments. In itself that could have put him in the good category but his overconfidence showed his weakness.

Booted - My Friend Nick: Not going to Tribal Council and Neal’s evacuation did Nick no favors. He would have received some inestimable information if he had entered his first TC with the immunity necklace. If the tribe had voted out Neal or Aubry first, it would have been hard to reverse the momentum this week but if Jason or Scot had been targeted then Nick would have had time to scramble or at least to fight for immunity.

What made Mike’s win satisfying is he PROACTIEVLY took matters into his own hands and controlled his own fate without having to ride someone’s back. Yes Mike’s proactive play was winning ICs down the stretch but it does not have to be challenge wins. In B vs W II, Natalie was no challenge stud but proactively earned her win with big moves and playing harder than anyone else at the end of that season. I’ve been throwing a ton of kudos Debbie’s way this season for initiating her own PROACTIVE play without dominating challenges.

If anyone has been “parroting” the host it was YOU after the premier blowing sunshine up the Mental Meltdown Maiden’s butt when Jeff was trying to pick her up in the aftermath of her pathetic Day Two spectacle. Especially when it came down to a challenge the Brains and Beauties were gifted thanks to Darnell and Alicia.

If the schoolyard pick’em went as you stated then I’m shocked you have Aubry as “good.” Sure Scot was a no-brainer first choice, but Aubry was a moron for not picking Nick next. Although Jason is burly, Nick is taller and athletic and has proven himself far more formidable in challenges over Jason. Yet selecting the team was just part of it...choosing who would be balanced was equally important. Aubry choosing herself when Cydney and Michele were on the team compounded her idiocy. I don’t care who were holding the platforms, what Julia accomplished was no easy feat. She had several KEY saves opening up an insurmountable lead causing Michele and Cydney to try too hard to make up the hole Aubry dug them into.

A 25 hour challenge? What kind of challenge was that? NO WAY it could have been anything as physically demanding as what Tai accomplished. You can’t be fixated on just the time...it’s what you have to endure during that time that epitomizes “Survivor” I’m guessing that marathon challenge must have been something similar to what Westman and Ian had to endure during their final IC in Palau. Those are the type of challenges I wish they would bring back...ones where the castaway who wants it the most gets rewarded.

Jeff called Mike the best winner ever which was idiotic. The guy's social was atrocious at times so he NEEDED to win those immunities. Luckily he didn't have something like FIC in Panama where he would have been at a disadvantage for once.

You're only thinking of the RC when you say Aubry should have picked Nick. If you think at the big picture, it was very smart to choose Jason once Scot was picked by Julia because you don't want to have both guys tag-teaming a new alliance. They had to be separated. I also see you're giving excuses for Michelle and Cydney but they were just as bad as Aubry. If they rushed because Julia was far ahead then THEY are idiots because they should have realized that they simply had to go slowly and hope Julia took a dive. It's so easy to make up arguments for one's favorite.

The UK merger IC was similar to the F6 in Borneo, the one where Kelly outlasted Colleen. They had to stand on a small balance beam over the ocean. Not as uncomfortable as having your arms over your head but 25 HOURS!! Here's a link to that episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqYAEeBwzyk&list=PLNXZLuF6Qz5ShFFo8AtDg_Ot21pSwZDi0&index=7&nohtml5=False

You should be able to see all the episodes if you scroll down the right hand margin. Not a bad season but there is a lot of what you call ADS and the video quality is poor.

LAST EDITED ON 04-13-16 AT 06:40 AM (EST)

I missed the scene with Jeff calling Mike the "best winner ever." Clearly a case of being over zealous on his part.

Having Scot and Jason on the same side during a RC is "tag-teaming a new alliance? REALLY??? Assuming they won, having them sit next to each other eating ice cream about 10 feet away from the other castaways would have been a game-changer??? Sounds like someone IS making an argument for one's favorite. And with all due respect a rather lame one at that.

Forcing Michele and Cydney to rush making up for so much lost ground is not an excuse; it was a factual occurrence. Pinning your hopes on winning by hoping your opponent takes a dive or screws up is being an "idiot?" That response isn't even worthy of a reply.

Thanks for the link. Not even close to the physical demands of last week's IC, but hey, even standing for 25 hours is beyond commendable...and VERY Survivor-like. With a lot of ADS then I'll probably skip that season all the same. But thanks again for the thought.

LAST EDITED ON 04-13-16 AT 10:52 AM (EST)

In the promos before Worlds Apart, Jeff said that we would probably consider the season's winner as the best ever.

When you fall so far behind then you do need the front runner to trip up. It isn't idiotic, it happens in every sport when you hear athletes say that they will need help in catching another team.

For just the latest example: Willett couldn't have won the Masters without Speith's quadruple bogey. Before that, many players ran themselves out of contention trying to do too much to catch the young sensation but Willett simply played his game.

LAST EDITED ON 04-11-16 AT 10:39 AM (EST)

Trying a new approach. Supermen, those with an excellent chance to make F3, In The Phone Booth, those whose outlook is muddy, and the Clark Kents, those nice guys who finish last

Supermen (Super People?):
Tai. There are plenty of reasons why Tai shouldn't make F3 (he's nobody's goat, for one, in fact he's the anti-goat), but the editors are telling us that he does. And they already know who gets there, so that alone would put him in this category. The editors do mislead us when they can, but this has been a (so far) season long build up of why he deserves to win, and that's a lot of trouble to go to just to plant a red herring.

Big problem for him is that it seems that the women have teamed up, and he's not with them. He has shown that he has the intelligence and social game to outlast Scot and Jason, and this should be long enough for tensions between the women to cause disruptions in that alliance. Somehow I think he'll survive this danger.

His biggest advantage is his combination of excellent social game which could get him to within shooting distance of the F3, and his definite ability to mount a run of challenge wins to hop into F3. Usually one of the F3 survivors are there because of winning the last challenge (or series of challenges), Tai just might be that guy this season. And he has an HI which could be played at a strategic moment, especially after Scot is booted.

Personally, he's my vote to win. The sight of him walking around with that chicken tied to his ankle is Survivor Hall of Fame material.

And it goes without saying that Tai is that chicken's favorite to win also, although now that it's become a camp pet, I would bet that even if Tai goes to Ponderosa, that it doesn't get eaten.

Debbie. Debbie has been given a season long story as the crazy lady with some crazy as a fox social skills, and in addition she would be a great goat (reference 'Crazy'). Lately she's been talked about in negative terms, but she's in the women's alliance, and so that should allow her to go further in the game.

In the Phone Booth:
Michele. She might make F3, but probably not. She, like the other girls will make it a couple more rounds at least, but it seems that she want's to make moves for her final TC resume, and big moves are dangerous.

Julia. She is a low level target that will probably be evicted because of the perception among the women that she is capable of switching sides, and is an unreliable ally. When the women have to start cannibalizing themselves, she and Michele are likely to land in the stewpot.

Joe. Because he's is such a good goat, and not a challenge threat down the stretch, he could very well make it to F3. In fact I dithered about whether to place him there or here, but because he's such an imbecile, I think there's an equal change that he'll blow it for himself. And he may miss vital communications because of his hearing inability. There's an argument for him making F3, but I just don't seem him there.

Aubry. I'd like to put her in the Super-Person category, she started off as the mentally weakest person on the island, and although her character curve has been sinusoidal ever since, she has gradually rehabilitated herself to the point to where she probably will survive her tormentors and now is in the strong (for the moment) alliance. I would not be surprised if the Survivor editors are going to give her a rags to riches story and have her make it to F-third with Debbie and Tai.

Since there have to be 3 people in F3, poor hapless whining Aubry would be my best bet.

Cydney. I'm going to be generous and put Cydney here, because if there is a sleeper this season, Cyd just might be it. But I can't put her in the Superman category because her story is of a supporting cast member, not a winner, and not even an F3 Survivor.

Clark Kent:
Scot. Meat. Probably next to go.
Jason. Also Meat. Probably following Scot after the TC that boots Scot also flushes out Jason's HI.

Lex Luthor
Nick. Sympathies to Michel, his neighbor was booted. But if there was a Lex (not as in Lex's Gut) Luthor this season, it was the arrogant self deluded and destined to never realize the transparency of his arrogant character, Nick.

Reddest Red Herring this season, and biggest flop as a twist:
The super idol twist.

They'd have to be idiots to let Tai get anywhere near the end zone. Then again, we've seen plenty of idiots in this game. The chicken has survived against all odds so why not the chicken whisperer.

You have a lot of clowns in that phone booth! Maybe down the road Survivor will go to a Final 4 or 5 but we're not there yet. We could even have another Final 2 this time. Hopefully we won't have another Woo...

F2 is a possibility, depending on how many more Med-evacs happen. They have to have an odd number of Jury voters. They wouldn't allow an even number of jury voters if they have an F2.

Or even an F3.

It's possible to have a tie with an F3 final, even with an odd number of Jury voters. But then they could just revote leaving the low scorer out. Which would essentially reduce them to having an F2, and to decide a winner they would still need an odd number of jury voters.

After 32 seasons, you think you've seen everything? A jury revote in the Final show? Drawing rocks? Three hours of Fire making?

In Skankivor: Micronesia they had a Jury of eight voting in a F2 Finale.

I remember reading somewhere when the question of a possible tie came up, Jeff stated he had an envelope that he would have opened during the Live Finale if the vote ended in a tie. But because it didn't, he left the envelope sealed. Of course you could take that for what it's worth...assuming there was any truth in what I read.

If it was true I'm thinking the envelope had a message stating something to the effect..."CONGRATULATIONS, you BOTH won a million dollars. EPMB and CBS could afford it.

I just knew when I wrote that that there would be at least one exception.

Right you are...they'd have to be idiots to let Tai get anywhere near the end zone. Then again, at this same stage of the game (F9) in Worlds Apart they'd have to be idiots to let Mike anywhere near the end zone also.

AHHHHH, but the beauty of taking control of your OWN fate. No one let Mike near the end zone...he deservingly and satisfyingly earned it.

I'd rather have another Woo than another Lil.

I know the players didn't let Mike skate to the end, I was talking about Tony. An idol and a lucky set of challenges enabled Mike to win.

If Tai can win out, that would be funny but at the same time a bit unsatisfying for those who like the game for what it truly is: A test of social skills. At least Tai has gotten people to like him so he doesn't need all those wins.

"lucky set of challenges" Too funny.

It's not like he was building a House of Cards or guessing what number the ball would drop into on a Roulette wheel. LOL
Searching harder than anyone else earned him the idol. Mike played and worked just as harder than anyone else which made his win deserving and satisfying.

Whether it be natural charisma or leading by action or example, what Westman was able to accomplish with his tribe mates following him or Kim with the girls in One World are examples of "social skills." I will never consider someone haplessly inept advancing in the game because they are considered non-threats as a "test of social skills."

"It's not like he was building a House of Cards or guessing what number the ball would drop into on a Roulette wheel."

But that's just it! Survivor often throws in those mickey-mouse challenges so he was lucky that his set of challenges didn't include anything like that.

If someone is really inept they don't survive the tribal portion of the game. Sandra played twice and went to total of 8 TCs before the mergers and survived them all because of her social skills. They were even more in evidence in the way she maneuvered both post-merger games. That's the kind of talent that earns two titles!

Love the "Superman" twist...Well Done!

"poor hapless whining Aubry" LMAO

Way too funny...but extremely dead on!

Nice reads you three.