Anybody have any idea why these people don’t train for Survivor? It’s not a new show folks. If I was selected, knowing that I’m not an outdoorsy person, the first thing I would do is buy the U.S. Army Survival Handbook and do my best to memorize the critical things like fire and shelter, and then try to get the rest of the stuff committed to memory.
Yeah, I think it was lousy that the losers got fire.
Poker-playing fanatic here at work says that guys is on TV a lot and wins a lot, so he may be pretty good at poker, at least.
There will be Immunity Idols, though. Jef has interviewed that they are in plain view and the tribes see them every day. I’ll be curious to see what it turns out to be…
Yup…I have seen him on TV often…I knew who he was right away.
Wasn’t he in the BAD Boys of Poker touney?
How will I know who to bet on, er, make that root for?
Oh, hey, where are the ratings? I just looked, and there weren’t any for last season either, apparently. If someone else doesn’t step up by then, I’ll do them before the next episode airs.
And my Christian God has no problem with me typing out the word “God,” but if you’d rather not because of your religious conviction, instead of criticizing you, I’d simply pass it off as a cultural difference. Tolerance and all.
Lesley didn’t bug me at all. It’s so tempting to throw out our convictions under the guise of a game show, but as long as you don’t tread on me, you go right ahead and (pray to Buddha, kneel towards Mecca, refrain from eating meat) if you want. I thought that realizing that James was feeling left out was astute of Lesley and very Christian of her, in the noble sense of the word, to try and bring him into the fold.
I lived in New York. I know lots of New Yorkers. They can be brash and direct, but none of them are openly hostile like ** Courtney **. She needs to go visit some of the villages in China and get some freaking perspective.
** Why did Chicken cross the road?** Because he’s too proud to stay on the sidewalk. Talk about a self-defeating attitude. I wanted to smack him for repeatedly refusing to offer an opinion because THEY IGNORED HIM. Wah!
I get this terrible image of something running into the wrestler’s boobs and causing a Hindenberg type fiasco. Thar she blows!
I think they had to give the teams fire because when you’re wet it’s easy to get sick and/or hypothermic once the temperature drops.
I thought it was amusing how they China-fied the the theme song and logo.
My spouse has some notion that the losers “always” get flint/fire at the end of the first Tribal Council. I can’t recall any such thing, and I’d swear I remember tribes never getting a flint before the merge, because they were such losers. Am I wrong?
I’ve only watched since season 10 in Palau, so I don’t know about further back, but all but one of the seasons I’ve seen gave fire to the team at the first Tribal Council, each time with the reasoning that since they now had their torches, they have their fire.
Only last season, with the “haves versus have-nots” theme, was one tribe deprived of fire until they managed to make it on their own. Of course, they would also have earned fire if they had won a challenge, but they were so starved and dehydrated that they couldn’t win anything.
Considering that the song is a Paul Winters song derived from a Russian song, I wonder what either the Kursks or the Chinese think of it. 
They haven’t given fire to the losing team at tribal council in a long time. Jeff usually tells them that they have to earn it.
I’ve heard that the reason they gave flint this year is because there hasn’t been much sun or dry wood, which makes it near impossible to start fire. Have we ever seen anyone make it by rubbing two sticks together? It’s usually the old glasses-in-the-sun thing.
The only times in the history of the show that someone has made fire without flint or matches, it has been by using a glass of some kind, IIRC. Twice someone uses glasses, and once someone used a telescope lens, I think. Fire usually has to be earned, although that is not a hard-and-fast rule.
I missed them last season. Yay, rockle!
Just got back from vacation; thanks to DVR (which is to me what fire is to the Survivors), I caught the show last night. It seems to me that more contestants established themselves on the first show than in most previous seasons (though that may be due to better editing than in the past). Most of what I thought during the show has pretty much been said here; just a few random observations from yours truly:
Chicken absolutely deserved to go home. OK, slick, you tried to give them some advice and were rejected. This actually is a very common occurrence on the show; the thing to do is hang back until someone asks for your input, then you offer to help out. Instead, you refuse to help at all. Guess you showed them , huh?
Courtney – Ya know, it’s one thing to cop a big-city attitude and look down on those you consider inferior because they don’t have the privilege of living in a $1500-a-month broom closet, but did you actually say that you can’t stand people who give encouragement to others? I’m a native NYer, and I’m ashamed of you!
Sherea – There’s one of these every season, isn’t there? Shows up in a dress and heels and whines about everything (What am I doing heeeeeere? ). Do you not watch this show? Where do you think you were going, Sandals Resort, fer chrissakes? There’s always the chance that you will be thrown into the game with just the clothes on your back!
Leslie – I was kinda put off when she walked out of the opening ceremony, but I’m willing to give her a chance as long as she doesn’t start with the BB8 Jameka-style Godbothering (“taste God”). Should be interesting to see if she proffers any insight into Todd’s homosexuality, though.
BTW, Todd is not just a gay flight attendant; he’s a gay Mormon flight attendant! Maybe I’m misinformed, but isn’t homosexuality frowned upon by the LDS? If there are any gay Mormons out there, please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.
So far, this is shaping up to be an absolutely classic season. I for one am glad to see a departure from the same old tropical island settings.
And there are still monkeys for our friend rockle ! Missed you over the summer, sweetie! Yes, you really do need to start watching Big Brother; we need your unique insights in the BB threads!
Aww, I’m blushing here – I had no idea people found me interesting in the least. (People besides Draelin and jayjay, anyway.)
Anyway … if there are no other takers, I’ll have the rankings up by lunchtime tomorrow at the latest, so you all have time to laugh and point before the next episode thread goes up.
I don’t see that this is so much different. I was really hoping for colder more mountainous setting. They could say this is Jamaica and nobody would be the wiser (well, ok, maybe not Jamaica, but you know what I mean).
Sorry, that’s out. Two reasons: dudes dying of hypotheria, and skin sells.
I’ll take a shot at this, I guess – my only qualifications here are having watched the show for the last three or four seasons (after seeing the last half of the first season and all of the second). I usually lurk these threads and rarely post, but what the heck, I’ll take a stab.
Appetizers
Here for a bit, or staying a while? These amuses-bouche might earn their stay, but it could be too early to tell:
Erik, Sherea, Amanda, Denise - All I know for sure from this group is Sherea brought her high heels and Denise brought her mullet. I’m pretty sure the others are on the show, but I’ve no idea what they’re doing there.
Lunch Combos
With your choice of soup or egg roll, these should stick around for a little while:[ul][li]Courtney – the attitude might serve her well in getting through the random b.s., but it could also bite her in the ass.[]Jaime – didn’t have a bra when they tossed the luggage, and . . . yeah, that’s pretty much why she’s not just an appetizer ;)[]James – definitely has the build to be a great help around camp and in challenges; we’ll have to see how well he interacts[]Jean-Robert – might just be able to parlay his people-reading skills into a longer stay, at least as long as he doesn’t try to read any more flight attendants[]Ashley – the wrestling skills should serve her well in physical challenges[/ul][/li]
Dinner Combos
A little more to consider, and two sides come with; we should definitely see more of these:[ul][li]Frosti – yeah, even with the odd nickname – dude does free-running, did you see him attack the wall at the challenge?[]Leslie – showed some real people-skills with her approach to James, don’t think the “religious” angle is a detriment so far[]Peih-Gee – showed some aptitude for leadership, but really needs to cool down the bossy nature. Even if you know what you’re doing, you won’t be liked for demanding anything gets done. Also needs to lighten up a bit.[]Todd – could be a sleeper, seems able to get along; will have to see if he’s found out as a schemer[/ul][/li]
Chef’s Special
Hot & spicy or vegetarian deluxe:[ul][li]Dave – has shown some ability to lead while not being abrasive, might be this season’s Tom.[]Aaron – has been thrust into a leadership role (by Todd) but seems able to handle himself. If push comes to shove, can always claim he didn’t ask for the role, and step back gracefully.[/ul][/li]
Deep-sixed & egg rolled away
Rejected by the patrons: Chicken - Damn! Well, what I did understand of what he said sounded like it might have been helpful, but you just can’t pout when they don’t listen (or understand). Could’ve been useful as comic relief, but oh well.
ETA: Oh hell, rockle, I’m sorry; I didn’t realize you were working up something.
Naaaaah, s’alright. I hadn’t actually started it. Very nicely done, sir or madam! And welcome to the fold. I can’t say that what I would have come up with would have been much better, and frankly, I like any ranking system that includes a good amuse bouche. But who doesn’t?
Yay, the rankings are back! Just wanted to get my appreciation in before attention shifts to an expected Week 2 thread. Nice twist on the old (highly derivative) Rich Rankings. Well done!
My sister says “THANK YOU!!” for the Rich Rankings.
Actually, she wrote Rich Wankings.
Hmm.