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‘Survivor’ Castaway Sandra: “Grabbing That Wrong Buff Is What Killed My Game”

April 6, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: I need you to help me out, Sandra.
Sandra Diaz-Twine: Oh no, what?
Holmes: I’m not dealing with this well.
Diaz-Twine: Don’t tell me you’re doing worse than me!
Holmes: In order to cope with this, my mind went back to day four. And I’m dreaming about this scenario where Tony doesn’t freak out and you, him, Aubry, and Malcolm manage to dominate the game and get to the end. How would that have worked?
Diaz-Twine: That wouldn’t have worked, Gordon! Here’s the issue with that alliance, when Tony grabbed me and offered me that alliance he had already been working with Aubry. He says, “The only way the winners can get to the end is if we’re all together. And now that Ciera’s gone it’s going to be me, you, Aubry and I still have to talk to Caleb and Malcolm.” So, I go to Caleb and I go to Malcolm and I tell them that Tony is going to invite them into this five-person alliance. When that happens, can you let me know? The day comes and goes and Tony in his interview said he spoke to those guys. He never approached them about an alliance with me, him, and Aubry. So, that was a little suspicious to me. He’s trying to send my vote in a different direction. I wasn’t going to have an alliance with Caleb, he isn’t someone I wanted to play with. And Malcolm was my number one, so he didn’t have a reason to lie to me about Tony coming up to him. In the episode where we vote for Tony, I asked Hali, because I was worried that he got five people together without me. I swear that when push comes to shove, that five-person alliance would never come together.
Holmes: Well, now I have nothing.
Diaz-Twine: (Laughs)

Holmes: What happened at Tribal last night? It seemed like Tai was about to flip, but then he ended up where he started.
Diaz-Twine: I offered Ozzy the same type of alliance I offered Malcolm. “Ozzy, I’ll protect you after the merge. You’re a physical threat. But you have to help me get to the merge. I’ll vote the way you want me to vote. Just keep me in the game. These people are all smiling in your face, but after the merge they’re all going to come after you.” So, I thought we were cool. When we go into Tribal, Tai kept grabbing at his pocket like maybe he had an idol. I felt that it was supposed to be Tai, but Ozzy got spooked because Tai was saying Ozzy’s name out loud. He wasn’t being quiet about it. And if Tai had played his idol, Ozzy would have went home. So, that’s how all of that went down. It was very confusing. I didn’t know 100% that there were coming after me. But, I felt it. My conversation was Ozzy was enough to keep me in the game longer. And I’d talked to Sarah too. It just didn’t pan out for me.

Holmes: In past seasons, it’s been under-the-radar Sandra, anyone-but-me Sandra. We did not see this in “Game Changers.” You came out swinging. Was the plan that if you were too subtle, people would notice and get rid of you? Or was the big play to make yourself more of a shield?
Diaz-Twine: I didn’t have a choice but to take control of everything that was going to happen to me. I knew they were going to come after me. Before the game started, the stares, the looks. No eye contact. Not that they were afraid of me, but there was no way I was going to be able to hide behind anybody. I had to get my foot in the door and work my magic. I had to get in front of it. I had to make relationships with everybody. Some people think I’m mean on TV, but I do take the time to sit and talk to everyone on an individual basis. With the exception of Aubry or even Caleb. I didn’t say too much to them. I really try to have the numbers. I let them know about me personally. I’m really a very nice person. I needed people to have my back, what I called “The Queen’s Army.”

Holmes: If before the season started, you and I sat down and talked about the tribe swaps, and the forty idols, and the legacy advantages, and the Exile advantages, would you think it’d be hard for a player who makes big moves to succeed with the game being switched up so frequently?
Diaz-Twine: There’s potential for anyone to go home. It’s not like it just hurts me as the biggest threat. It can hurt anybody. We’ve already proven on “Heroes vs. Villains” that a big target can go far. Even a winner can go really far. The twists and the turns, that’s really what can get someone. I 1000% feel that me picking the wrong buff is why I went home. If I’d gone to Exile there was so much I could’ve done. If I’d gone to Mana I would have had Troyzan and Hali and Michaela and even Aubry. But grabbing that wrong buff is what killed my game. All the twists and turns and swaps, the fans love that stuff.

Holmes: Word association time. Let’s start with Malcolm.
Diaz-Twine: Brilliant.
Holmes: Aubry?
Diaz-Twine: She’s good. She’s scary.
Holmes: Michaela?
Diaz-Twine: Sweet.
Holmes: JT?
Diaz-Twine: Pompous.
Holmes: Tony?
Diaz-Twine: Crazy.
Holmes: Hali?
Diaz-Twine: Genuine.
Holmes: Andrea?
Diaz-Twine: I didn’t have much interaction with her.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Diaz-Twine: He’s such a great person. Awesome.
Holmes: Ciera?
Diaz-Twine: I got to know her really well in Vietnam. Knowledgeable. Ciera is one-of-a-kind.
Holmes: Ozzy?
Diaz-Twine: Unaware.
Holmes: Sarah?
Diaz-Twine: Tough.
Holmes: Caleb?
Diaz-Twine: Dreamy…meaning he’s always dreaming about something else. He’s not dreamy in my eyes.
Holmes: Zeke?
Diaz-Twine: He’s your friend in your face, but he’s very calculating.
Holmes: Tai?
Diaz-Twine: Gosh…I can’t understand him half the time. I hate to be like, “Huh? What’d you say?” He’s misunderstood. He has trouble communicating.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Varner.
Diaz-Twine: That’s my heart right there. I love him to death. He can do no wrong in my eyes.

Holmes: Before the game we talked about how a loss can affect your legacy. I’m of the belief that getting as far as you did is a win. How do you feel about it?
Diaz-Twine: Although I did get voted off, which I expected. I still feel very successful. I like how it went down. I easily could have been the first person voted out. I am very happy. I don’t feel like my legacy is tarnished. I’m still the only two-time winner. I’m not like some of these winners where it took a second time out to win or a third or a fourth. I think I’m untouchable when it comes to the winners. I feel like my game is solid and people didn’t get to see what I was doing in “Pearl Islands” or “Heroes vs. Villains” because there were bigger characters out there. I’m not a player? Think again. I watch “Survivor” and I evolve with “Survivor.” I learn something from every season. I said I’d be gracious when I was voted out, because I was trying to do what they did to me. They got me and I have no hard feelings about it.
Holmes: And now that you don’t have that perfect record, people will be less intimidated by you when you play a fourth time.
Diaz-Twine: (Laughs) You think I’ll play a fourth time! I don’t know if I want to see an all-winners season. Then there’s a chance for the queen to be dethroned. But at the end of the day, I did it first.
Holmes: Hey, I learned one things from this season and that is “Queens stays Queen.”
Diaz-Twine: (Laughs) I love it! Isn’t that awesome?

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

Tags:Sandra Diaz-Twine, survivor, survivor game changers
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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 5 Recap: Idol Wave

April 5, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Troyzan and Sarah formed a team, Debbie was bested by a balance beam, and JT fell for Sandra’s sugar scheme.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Mana Tribe (wearing orangey-red)
Brad, 47
Debbie, 51
Hali, 26
Sierra, 29
Tai, 52

The Nuku Tribe (wearing blue)
Aubry, 30
Jeff, 50
Michaela, 25
Sandra, 41

The Tavua Tribe (wearing green)
Andrea, 27
Cirie, 45
Ozzy, 34
Sarah, 32
Troyzan, 54
Zeke, 28

We kick things off after Tribal where poor Aubry’s head is just spinning. She asks Sandra why they kept her over JT and Sandra admits that it was revenge for Malcolm. Again, I approve of anyone who is made to pay for the lack of Malcolm on my TV.

Later that night, Tai sneaks out to try to find his second idol. He douses the well with water and finds the tribe’s symbol. He digs…and is rewarded! Way to be, Tai. I have to ask though; wouldn’t the logo show up if it rained? I guess people wouldn’t know to dig there.

The next day, Probst shakes the game up for the 112th time by demanding that the tribes drop their buffs.

So, it looks like we’re going to two tribes. Is Tavua the second tribe that never went to Tribal? (I don’t think Tandang ever went during “Survivor: Philippines.”)

New buffs are handed out. Some people get orange, some people get blue, and Debbie gets nothing.

Probst informs her that she’ll be heading to Exile Island and joining the next tribe that goes to Tribal Council.

Alright, let’s look at these new tribes; Mana has Troyzan, Michaela, Sierra, Hali, Cirie, Aubry, and Brad. While Nuku has Ozzy, Sandra, Jeff, Tai, Andrea, Sarah, and Zeke.

Right off the bat, this looks bad for Sandra, Jeff, and Michaela.

Although, it is adorable that there’s already a gay clique of Tai, Jeff, and Zeke on New New Nuku. I want a royalty if they use the term “gay-lliance.”

At the Reimagined Mana, Brad and Troyzan bond over the fact that they’re both dudes. They also have that “One World” connection.

Meanwhile at Nuku 3.0, they don’t show us Tai’s reaction to being short a few chickens. That’s probably for the best.

Sandra and Varner aren’t psyched to be on the bottom of their new tribe, but Sandra is confident she can figure it out. She also says this clever little thing about “The queen stays queen.” That’s cute. She should make that her thing.

In other news, Zeke, Andrea, Sarah, and Ozzy are rightfully scared to death of Sandra. They decide to tell her that they’re targeting Tai.

Later on, Tai decides to try his wet-the-well technique at Nuku. Sure enough, it totally works. Two idols in one episode!

Next up, we meet up with Debbie on her way to Exile. She is not psyched about it until she learns that Exile is a luxury ship that is full of food. Game Changer!

As she’s lounging in a hammock, she is joined by none other than “Survivor: Caramoan” champion John Cochran! Sooooo random.

Apparently, he’s there to be a sounding board for her. This is actually a really good reward. You often hear about how having an objective third party to talk to is a big help. That happens with the loved ones visit a bunch.

Quick Aside: Cochran’s lower-third says “Caramoan.” I’m sure he’d rather that than “South Pacific.”

Debbie tells Cochran that she doesn’t have any reservations about anyone. So that whole Brad blow-up…that’s not a concern?

True to form, Cochran worries that she’s not being paranoid enough.

She admits to calling Culpepper a “wanker.” After which, Cochran smartly advises her to mend fences.

Before he leaves, he presents her with a game advantage. She’s given the choice between a fake idol crafting kit, an extra vote, and an advantage in a team immunity challenge. She decides on the extra vote.

Back at Nuku, Zeke and Jeff bond while relaxing on the beach. Jeff admits that he’s freaked out because he’s never made a jury before. Zeke likes Jeff a lot, but knows that he has to convince Jeff that Tai is their next target.

Jeff shares this info with Sandra, but she doesn’t seem to buy it.

Immunity Challenge Time: The tribes will race through the water while collecting heavy puzzle pieces. They’ll put the pieces in a sled and then drag them to the finish line. The first tribe to complete the puzzle wins immunity.

Quick Note: I messed around with a handheld version of this puzzle at challenge headquarters. It took me forever to get it right.

The Survivor are ready…and they go.

Mana gains an early lead during the monkey bar portion and maintains it until they reach the finish line.

Sierra, Cirie, and Aubry are the puzzle team for Mana. While Zeke, Ozzy, and…wait…Mana finished it?!

Mana wins immunity!

Another Quick Aside: Are you kidding me?! It took me forever!

Back at camp, Jeff seems confident that Tai is going home. But, Sandra’s spidey-senses are freaking out.

She approaches Zeke, Sarah, Andrea, and Ozzy with the idea of separating the remaining Kaoh Rong players. And her pitch is good. Maybe too good as Ozzy and Sarah realize that they’re falling for it.

Meanwhile, Tai is getting nervous because he isn’t being included in conversations.

Tai approaches Ozzy and Jeff to make sure they’re all still targeting Sandra. Oh Tai…

Jeff immediately takes this information to Sandra. She plans to act like she’s going home, but she’s going to go for Tai full blast.

Although…who did they tell Jeff they were telling Tai they were voting for? Surely it was Jeff or Sandra.

That night at Tribal, Sarah, Ozzy, Zeke, and Andrea have to get fire. Probst does not let them know that it represents their life. Then how will they know, Jeff?!

Ozzy admits that every day he thinks of another big name to get rid of.

Sandra knows he’s referring to her. She even says she thinks her number is finally up. She claims that nobody is talking strategy with her.

Tai isn’t sure that Sandra is going home because he made a big move by taking Malcolm out.

Sarah says that she’s heard a few names. This concerns Tai because the only name he’s heard is Sandra.

Then all hell breaks loose.

Tai whispers a name to Sandra, then Jeff. He eventually tells everyone that he’s targeting Ozzy.

Now everyone is whispering. What a mess.

In all of this, Tai hilariously tells us how loyal he is.

Voting Time: Sandra votes for Tai and the rest are secret.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…nobody does.

We’ve got two votes for Tai, three votes for Sandra, and the sixth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” is…Sandra.

BOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Verdict: BOOOOOOO!!!

Sigh…it would have been nice to see what Tony, Sandra, and Malcolm could’ve done in a traditional season instead of this twisty mess.

Blargh.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Sandra in spot twelve. I had her in spot fifteen. The current score is now Team Adam 50, Team Gordon 51.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

Tags:survivor, survivor game changers
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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 4: The-Buff-Gets-Going Edition

April 4, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Michaela is voted out this episode, Adam will receive seven points and Gordon will receive eight points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Game Changers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Adam Klein had JT in spot fifteen. Gordon Holmes had him in spot sixteen. The current score is now Team Adam 38, Team Gordon 36.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research


Adam’s Score = 38 Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein	Gordon’s Score = 36 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

1. Troyzan: The game seems to be playing out along mostly original tribal lines, so without knowing the new tribes, the question for me becomes: which side will win out? In order to figure that out, here is what I believe to be roughly the way the sides would figure, given who is tight with their original group and who might be looking to make a switch: Original Nuku + Likely to Flip (LTF): Brad, Sierra, Tai, Ozzy, Zeke, Andrea, Aubry (LTF) Original Mana + LTF: Sandra, Michaela, Varner, Hali, Troyzan, Sarah (LTF), Cirie (LTF) ???: Debbie In conclusion, I have the sides completely even and have no idea what is going to happen. Praying for a power rankings miracle this week. Troyzan gets the top spot because his idol, an alliance with Sarah, and a fresh start on a tribe with more familiar faces will only help.	1. Troyzan: Another tribe swap?! Seriously?! I have to update these graphics again?! Curse you, Jeff Probst! Anywho, another tribe swap is on its way and a former player is being boated in for some reason. Who knows what’s going to happen during this nutty “Calvinball” season. All I know is one dude is truly safe and he’s the one packing an idol.

2. Tai: The question now becomes: if each side loses out, who is the least likely to have the arrows of the other side pointed at them? Those who stand out as leaders or traitors are likely to be the first targets. Tai keeps jumping up in the rankings. After a brilliant idol play, he is now poised to hopefully find another right before a swap. He has a shield in Brad and has proven his loyalty over and over again. If his side loses out, I can’t imagine that he would become the target, as they might suspect he has another idol.	2. Zeke: I think Zeke would be a bigger target if this cast had seen “Millennials vs. Gen-X.” But, since they didn’t, right now he’s just the lovable guy who’s super good at puzzles and knows his “Survivor” trivia.

3. Sierra: Next least likely target is Sierra. Shielded by Brad as well, and loyal to original Nuku, Sierra seems like she’ll survive long enough to keep the legacy advantage until the first time it can be used, at least. Didn’t go so hot for Mana last time they targeted her.	3. Tai: Oh Tai…I hope you don’t delay that idol hunt for too long. But even if you do, I think you’ll be OK. Tai has that cool thing going where he makes big moves, but most people probably view him as a pawn.

4. Jeff: Varner is laying low and is shielded by Sandra and Michaela. This could finally be the year Varner makes the jury!	4. Sarah: Sarah’s keeping all avenues open and she’s doing a good job of not advertising it. And, apparently she’s close with Brad and his crew. My only concern with her is her itch to make big moves. With all of the twists and turns we’ve seen this season, I would wait.

5. Zeke: Zeke is doing well on puzzles, lying low, and seems to have good relationships. Can’t see him becoming a target next.	5. Sierra: This tribe swap seems like the motivation to send a big player home. Sierra’s playing a good game thus far, but nobody is viewing her as a big player.

6. Sarah: The Big Move™ has been teased… will Sarah be the one to join forces with Troyzan and the rest of original Mana and shake up the game? Seems likely. Far less likely but also possible is that she’s found out by original Nuku as a potential flipper and is Matt Elrod’d.	6. Hali: Is Brad sucking up to Hali? Wouldn’t we have seen it? Hali does seem to be on the outs with classic Mana and getting in good with classic Nuku, so maybe she’s in the best position with a swap.

7. Michaela: This is where it starts getting tough. From here on down, I think everyone is a big target that could take a hit, and it just depends on how the tribes shake up. Michaela is still really useful in challenges and somewhat shielded by Sandra, so likely the safest of the unsafe.	7. Jeff: Being Sandra’s right hand isn’t exactly the safest role. But, if Sandra and Jeff end up on opposite tribes, I think most people will view Varner as harmless.

8. Cirie: Cirie will have options. She can stick with original Nuku, but I think it’s more likely that she flips. The show has made it a point to show her as not feeling like she ever felt very solid with that group, and she also says in her secret scene this week that “I don’t want the old Nuku to stay together.” Nevertheless, Cirie still is a massive threat and will never be completely safe.	8. Michaela: I don’t think Michaela gets enough credit for keeping her cool and going with Sandra’s plan last week. If Michaela had done anything to tip JT off, he could’ve played that idol (well, if he had it with him) and the game would be completely different.

9. Ozzy: Ozzy is playing well socially and seemingly strategically, but JT’s elimination is a big loss for him. He loses one of his only shields and a loyal ally, and with the merge nearing, has the potential to be sniped before he gets a shot at individual immunity.	9. Ozzy: I know I said this would be a week to get rid of a big player, but I don’t think anyone is actually afraid of Ozzy’s strategic and social game. I think whichever group ends up with the Hall of Famer will like the idea of his challenge prowess keeping them away from Tribal for a while.

10. Aubry: This swap could not come at a better time for Aubry. She knows she is on the bottom of original Mana, and seems likely to join back up with her pal Tai and his original Nuku friends. She would have much more room to maneuver on that side compared to where she’s sitting now.	10. Andrea: The original Nuku never went to Tribal, so we didn’t know what the social dynamics were until JT was voted out. I was surprised to hear that Andrea is not trusted by the classic Nuku majority. The question is; does she know that fact?

11. Brad: Here’s who I still have left from each group: Nuku: Brad, Andrea Mana: Sandra, Hali ???: Debbie Of these 5, I think Brad’s strategic control should allow him to get the majority moving forward, and even if not, he could be spared as someone that is still probably underestimated.	11. Aubry: How does Aubry always find herself on the bottom? Is it because she doesn’t get along with Sandra and they always end up on the same tribe? If anyone is due for some good luck on “Survivor,” it’s Aubry.

12. Sandra: It’s Brad’s group vs. Sandra’s group, and Sandra would have to pull out all the stops to win out here. She’s the biggest threat of her group, so if she’s in the minority, seems like it would be a rare chance to vote her out. What could save her from the target would be the fear that she has an idol or would have someone play one for her. No matter what happens from here on out, Sandra has already proven to her doubters that she is undoubtedly the Queen of “Survivor.”	12. Brad: Oh Brad…Debbie’s meltdown was tough to watch. I’m all for aligning with people who will be easy to beat in the end, but you have to be able to predict that person’s actions. Debbie may be too much of a wildcard to keep around. Unless…

13. Hali: A swap is great news for Hali, but the editors haven’t given us much of Hali, even when she would have been in a prime position for the ‘rootable underdog’ edit. The lack of meaningful focus doesn’t suggest longevity in the game, and she could easily be targeted as someone Nuku knows does not have an idol.	13. Debbie: I have a theory…stick with me on this; Debbie and Brad have wanted to work together since before the game begin. They were passing notes during the pre-game Ponderosa. Is it possible that this blow-up is a ruse and they’re hoping to work both sides after a merge? It’s that or Debbie lost it. I’m not sure which is more likely.

14. Andrea: I’ve had Andrea low ever since Troyzan called her out on Tavua. Why would the editors include that unless it paid off somehow? Seeing as Tavua never went to Tribal Council, could now be the time that Troyzan pulls off the Andrea blindside?	14. Cirie: Sandra and Cirie have had it out for each other since “Heroes vs. Villains.” If they end up on the same tribe together, one of them is going home. And Cirie is more likely to have numbers.

15. Debbie: To me, Debbie is the biggest question mark moving forward. Is she out on original Nuku because of her crazy blowup at Brad? Or will she fall back into line? She’s also had an interesting secret scene in the past where she claimed Sarah was her closest ally. If Sarah flips to go with Troyzan and Mana, will Debbie follow? She seems like an easy target for both sides as a potentially unreliable ally and someone that most people wouldn’t mind seeing go.	15. Sandra: If Wednesday night is Sandra’s night to finally have her torch snuffed, she’ll still be the queen to me.