We still watch the show, but viewership is dwindling, so they have to pull the WTF stuff out to keep as many people watching as possible.

Had to get rid of Michaela to break up that Sister alliance

What I find interesting is the evolution of Survivor. There does not seem to be any more alliances.

When did alliances become a thing of the past? I think some people screw up their end game by trying to make a "big move" while ignoring obvious threats.

I think Culpepper will win it all. and the girls will kick themselves in the ass for not getting rid of him when they could.

Finale tonight. That sure came up quick.

They had 2 weeks of double episodes but that really did seem fast.

Winner predictions?

Everyone has a case except for Audrey (Aubrey?) and Troyzan.

I think Cirie wins.

I've been thinkkng Sarah forthe past few weeks. Which mildly annoys me- I'm not that impressed with her gameplay, but she's going to have the most moves and best resume should she reach the final. She does seem tohave lucked into good spots and had people trust her implicitly right as she slides into a spot where she can benefit by betraying them, but I guess falling into that position happens. I just don't see her working relationships in the way Tai or Cirie or Zeke has, but she gets that trust anyhow.

Would be a double disappointment because I think that'll also cost me the pool.

Even after last week I think Cirie wins it all. I assume it's a final 3, but haven't really done the math. I think Sarah is in the final three based on edit. Odd thing is that I don't think either would want to be there with the other. For the third spot I think anyone but Troyzan could make it. Brad could win his way there, but doubt he does. Tai could, but the preview makes it look like he screwed up. He would lose any way if he does get there. Aubrey could make it since she isn't much of a threat.

My guess is Cirie, Sarah, and Aubrey or Tai.

Wow. It happened as many thought it could. Didn't think Tai would do it. I was wrong. Sarah for the win?

Such an unexpected way to go home. That would be even worse than unluckily pulling a rock

My wife called it (not specifically who, but the concept of idols galore) after work today. I've been vocally opposed to her gameplay, and still am, but what a crappy way to go out.

If brad sends Tai home and keeps Sarah, that would be even crazier than Woo keeping tony over kass

Uh-oh, sounds like a bitter jury.

I hate mikayla

I'm good with this. Deserving winner.

If Brad wouldn't have been a jerk to people, he would have won.

Brad looks like the ******bag middle school principal that everyone hates.

Seemed like an example of letting emotion screw up your game at the end.

I'm glad Jeff actually pursued that point with Brad. Wow! What a game changing (in a bad way) move for him! Instead of losing 7-3 to Sarah, he would've won $1 million 6-5 vs Tai AND we would've had the first tiebreaker vote ever

Yep. Bitter jury. Female James Bond won.

LCE said:

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Yep. Bitter jury. Female James Bond won.

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I would say that they were not bitter enough. Sarah played a critical part in putting every single one of them on the jury. Brad put some of them there, but not as many as Sarah. Brad's only chance to win was for them to be bitter at Sarah.

I noticed Brad say that he's never had a million dollar case. Don't get me wrong, that's a ton of money that I'll never make, but a personal injury lawyer never arguing a million dollar case is kind of shocking

LCE said:

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Yep. Bitter jury. Female James Bond won.

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When are people going to realize social relationships and strategic play are just as important if not more than just winning challenges.

Brad's a lawyer. Michaela works in HR. Just because that's your field doesn't mean you are good at it. Have you seen anything from Michaela that would make her good at HR? I assume Brad is equally as talented as a lawyer.

Brad let emotion dictate his decisions.

Sarah deserved to win.

Who knows. Sarah treated most as idiots and they voted for her. Good for her. Culpepper should have been making friends instead of acting like an *******

My wife and I both can't stand Culpepper but thought he played a slightly better game than Sarah, mainly because of his winning the immunity Idols - until he got rid of Tai instead of Sarah. Any idiot knew Tai didn't stand a chance, but Culpepper was mean and vengeful and that was his undoing.

One of Sarah's best moves was Not agreeing with Tai to vote Troyzan and send Tai and Troyzan to a fire building contest which might have affected her in the final vote.


Best show of the series.

Ok, enough from Zeke. Shut up!

After thinking, I'm ok with Sarah winning. I wish we'd seen a bit more of the relationship aspect she had, because it seemed that every tribal in the back half of the season someone who she didn't seem associated with walked up to her and gave complete trust, and she went ahead and voted them out. I don't think I ever got a sense of any sort of relationship she built, but from what the jury said they were there.

I don't understand why after this many seasons people walk around and act like the king of the island, where everyone has to do what you say. When you do that you breed a lot of resentment, and even if you can power through immunity challenges and get to the final vote you won't have the friends or respect of the jury to win. Brad really felt he was in complete control of all the peasants, could run all of the votes and push folks around; it cost him bigtime.

The best part of Survivor (and what sets it apart from just about all of the other reality shows) is that the interpersonal relationships are central to the game, and the one who wins is usually the one who can bond with their tribemates. They usually need a break or two to finish it, but this season is proof that winning immunity does not automatically win Survivor.

I found Ozzy's comments about the immunity respect pretty telling during final tribal- he still doesn't quite get it.

"I feel gross." Thanks for you input, Andrea. Go EAD

It was kinda weird how reverent Jeff was with Cirie.

Culpepper blew it. I can't believe how he treated Tai.

I really do not understand the cult fascination with Cirie, and I feel like it starts with Jeff. I feel like a lot of people have gone out of the comfort zone to be on this show doing things that were huge for them. She wasn't the first, last, and in my opinion not even close to the best.

She plays a good social game by identifying the people with lasting power and jumping on their coat tails. She doesn't help at camp, she gets dragged along and told how to vote usually, and is a joke in challenges. All the while she's lauded as one of the best Survivor players ever being on the show 4 times now.

I get the fascination with Ozzy, he's super productive, great at a lot of challenges, but inept in the social game. Boston Rob makes sense, Parvarti is logical, even Cochran makes sense, heck, Sandra does more to help, but Cirie just doesn't.

Bulldog73 said:

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She doesn't help at camp, she gets dragged along and told how to vote usually, and is a joke in challenges.

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If you think Cirie is told how to vote, then you don't understand the social aspect of the game.

Cirie is one of the best at identifying a target and then planting the idea is someone else's head. Someone else gets credit for the move (and gets a big target on their back for being a threat) while Cirie pulls the string in the background.

Cirie's strength is that a ton of people like and trust her. But it has generally torpedoed her in the late game- when you get down to 4 or 5 she is clearly well loved by the jury and obviously needs to be goted off. This is where nit being able to compete in challenges sinks her, because that one key immunity at the end would put her over the top.

I felt Jeff dwells on it because he wants to push the "you watching at home could be doing this" angle, more to draw in viewers than to get contestants.