I’m not crazy about the setup whereby there are 12 players left, but only 5 that can be voted for. Of those 5, I thought Lydia was the most expendable, from a viewer’s standpoint. I had nothing against her though, and several of the 7 immune players deserved to go much more.
I predict that Tori will be this season’s player that everyone wants to vote out, but somehow never gets voted out. She’ll get to the final and get no votes.
I hope I’m wrong though, as she bugs the crap out of me. Maryanne is annoying in an adorable way, but Tori is just annoying.
I agree that it’s stupid, especially as presented this season. Last season, it was kind of a “fuck you for sending me away”. This time at least they were warned whoever was send away was going to be offered a game changing deal. I’m not defending the game changer thing, but they could have chosen better.
I think I’d rather the person sent away is both immune and doesn’t vote; they essentially just sit out the next tribal council. And Jeff tells the group before picking the person to go that they will be immune and that they won’t vote.
Then that person could make a real decision about changing the outcome since it won’t affect them.
I don’t like the Hourglass twist, but if they are going to have it, there should be some consequence for the contestant like lose Vote in the next two tribal councils or losing the right to play in the next immunity challenge where he/she is at risk.
Last season, I heard there was a lot of blowback by Danny (the football player). Probst specifically said that this was an immunity challenge last season (and this season, which Danny claimed (rightfully IMO) was a lie.
Most of the complaining by Danny hit the cutting room floor.
I understand why the second tribal went the way it did, and don’t fault any of the players for it. I do note that had the first tribal gone the way everyone expected it to, a gay man would have been on the bench and everyone would have been just fine with that. Also, if the players knew why Rocks was blindsided, they would understand that he deserved what happen to him. And, of course, the order of the final Tribal councils mattered.
From just a pure play point of view, it was pretty good:
First Tribal - great blindside.
Second Tribal - two idols flushed.
Edit: I was amazed that Jonathan didn’t realize that flushing one idol would flush them both when he told Mary Anne that she would be the decoy. Even when this was explained to him, he didn’t get it. What a maroon.
My husband and I were talking during it, about how it seemed that the group of black players was actually one of the largest there. At the start of the night I think there were four black contestants. Out of ten total, that barely qualifies as a ‘minority.’
How many different smaller ‘minorities’ could you have pointed to? There’s one asian man. There’s one muslim. There’s one older person.
I am certain that neither Chanelle nor Rocksroy getting voted out had anything at all to do with their race. I’m also certain that Drea’s reaction to seeing two black people on the jury was genuine, and I can’t blame anyone for feeling what they feel.
It’s a complicated thing. I’m a white cisgender straight male, which kinda doesn’t give me the right to argue with any minority regarding their perceptions of bias and prejudice. I can’t truly understand what they go through, but I try to empathize.
I am curious about something Drea said though, which was essentially “black people always get voted out early.” Are there any statistics that bear this out? I can think of several who’ve reached the final four and at least one winner.
Anyway, getting back to the game, I am not mad that Tori is out. Didn’t like her. Also not mad that Drea’s idol is out of play. However uncomfortable that tribal council was to watch, I didn’t mind the outcome at all.