survivor | More Whatnot

Archive for the ‘survivor’ Category

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 7 Recap: Fields’ Mettle

April 19, 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”

Last Week: Jeff’s poor choice of words helped him avoid jury duty.

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)
Aubry, 30
Brad, 47
Cirie, 45
Hali, 26
Michaela, 25
Sierra, 29
Troyzan, 54

The Nuku Tribe (wearing blue)
Andrea, 27
Debbie, 51
Ozzy, 34
Sarah, 32
Tai, 52
Zeke, 28

We start things off the morning after the outtening (that’s a word, right?) where Sarah is still furious over Varner’s mistake. She once again tells us that meeting Zeke as a person has opened her eyes to the transgender community. Here’s hoping there are a lot of Sarahs watching.

Everyone is ready to move past the Tribal, Zeke hopes it has made them stronger as a unit.

Zeke says there’s still a game to play, so “Let’s just get back to it.” Couldn’t agree more, buddy.

Next up, both tribes are walking towards Probst and what seems to be a merge feast. He informs them that the only way they’ll enjoy the feast is if one person from each tribe agrees to not eat.

Mean.

Both sides weight the options with both Culpepper and Tai agreeing to sit out. Well, how much was Tai going to eat anyways?

The remaining eleven dive into the meal while Brad and Tai are sent to sit on a log. Brad is psyched to have a chance to chat with Tai because he wants to fill Tai’s Caleb role. Considering Caleb’s most memorable role was on his back on a stretcher…that might not be such a good thing.

Brad also tells us that he doesn’t trust Michaela and Hali and would like for one of them to go home next.

Sierra reminds us that the next Tribal is one of the two times she can use her legacy advantange. Oh yeah, that thing.

Meanwhile, Debbie is grinding on Cirie. Yes, for real. Apparently, Debbie had a little too much to drink. Hali refers to this as Debbie using the alcohol as an excuse to “Go Debbie.”

“Go Debbie”?! I’m stealing that.

Then, Debbie moons Tai. Well, probably a good thing Tai wasn’t eating.

Later, Debbie claims that she didn’t have a drop of alcohol and it was all an act to make people feel comfortable with her. Interesting.

Back at camp, Debbie immediately makes peace with Brad. He forgives her.

When things calm down, Zeke tells everyone what happened with Varner. Everyone seems to support Zeke.

After that, politicking explodes. We’ve got Ozzy, Troyzan, and Brad, Ozzy and Zeke, Troyzan and Tai, Ozzy and Sarah, Tai and Hali, Sierra and Brad, Sierra, Cirie, and Aubry, and they’re all saying one name…Michaela.

So…she’s going to win immunity, right?

Anywho, we later learn that Cirie, Andrea, Sarah, and Zeke might want to keep Michaela around as a number.

The tribe comes up with the name Maku Maku which makes me wonder whose mother is named Ukam Ukam.

The next morning, there’s a hilarious moment where Troyzan pretends to take photos of bathing beauty Andrea. She promptly wipes out on the rocks.

Michaela eventually gets wind that her name is being tossed around and touches base with Cirie. Cirie gives her some pointers. You probably can’t have a better mentor than Cirie. She’s like an in-game Cochran.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a beam and use their heads to press a block against a second beam. The last person with their block in place will win immunity.

As usual, not much to describe except for standin’ and sweatin’. Hali is out quickly, she’s joined by Troyzan and Zeke. Probst says it took about three seconds.

Cirie is out next. We then lose Debbie and Michaela.

Heh…when Michaela goes out, they cut to Andrea giggling about it.

From there we lose Ozzy, Aubry, and Brad. We’re down to Sarah, Andrea, Tai, and Sierra.

After 25 minutes, Sarah is finally out. Sierra too.

Andrea and Tai battle it out with Andrea finally claiming immunuity.

The post-challenge debate starts off with Sierra wanting to pick off the outsiders; Hali or Michaela. However, she’s worried that Hali has an idol. She pitches splitting the vote with most of the votes going to Michaela.

Wait, why not split so if Hali doesn’t play the idol, she goes home?

Zeke’s name is floated to Michaela and Hali with Debbie even saying, “He has the absolute best story.”

Cirie doesn’t love the idea of getting rid of Michaela, she’d much rather see Hali go. She shares this concern with Zeke.

Zeke asks Sierra why they’re targeting Michaela over Hali with the same reasoning I used above. Sierra says it’s because Michaela will have a fit if she realizes she was a target.

Sierra and Debbie wonder why Zeke cares so much. They decide it’s because he wants to be in charge.

Finally, Cirie approaches Michaela and tells her to vote for Zeke. Her hope is that she’ll manage to save Michaela and not tip people off that they’re working together.

That night, Probst welcomes Cirie to her first Tribal of the season. She even gets the full spiel about fire equaling her life.

Andrea thinks the merge is where lines are drawn and the first couple of votes are huge.

Debbie is very confident with tonight’s vote.

Hali claims to be in the dark on the vote. Michaela agrees. She doesn’t understand why her name is on the chopping block.

Ozzy wants to vote out someone who is risky and to be careful around someone who might have an idol.

Hali offers to strip down to prove that she doesn’t have an idol. I…uh…I’m gonna leave that alone.

Nobody takes her up on this offer.

Voting Time: Michaela votes for Zeke, Hali votes for Zeke, Cirie votes for Michaela and says she’s doing it to save both of their lives, Sierra votes for Hali, and the rest of the votes are secret.

Probst tallies and returns. We’ve got two votes for Zeke, one vote for Michaela, one vote for Hali, one vote for Michaela, one vote for Hali, one vote for Michaela, one vote for Hali, one vote for Michaela, two votes for Hali, and the eighth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” and the first member of the jury is…Hali.

So…I guess Zeke and Cirie were able to convince the others that Hali should go first? And now nobody knows that Michaela and Cirie are in cahoots.

The next morning, Michaela vows to do whatever she can to help Cirie out. Cirie once again reiterates that she doesn’t want people to know that they’re working together.

Later on, the sentiment around camp seems to be that it’s time for Sierra or Brad to go home. Zeke has separate meetings about this with Cirie and Andrea. Andrea thinks they shouldn’t let Tai or Debbie know. Well, you shouldn’t let Tai know anything ever.

Meanwhile, Zeke seems annoyed that Andrea and Cirie are getting more information than he is. Too soon, dude.

Sure enough, Zeke is considering sending one of them home in order to get on top of his alliance. Too soon, buddy.

He even knows he made a move too early last time. TOO SOON!

Immunity Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into two teams of six. Two members from each tribe will swim out to retrieve a net full of fish puzzle pieces. Then two other members will untie the fish and carry them to the finish line on a pole. The final two members will complete the puzzle. The first tribe to finish the puzzle will win a spa day courtesy of Marshalls.

Marshalls: Never Pay Full Price for Fabulous!

Our teams are Sarah, Brad, Aubry, Michaela, Sierra, and Cirie vs. Andrea, Tai, Ozzy, Troyzan, Debbie, and Zeke.

The Survivors are ready…and they go. Troyzan and Ozzy manage to get their net to the shore before Sarah and Brad. But it was close.

In the second part, Tai and Andrea make a big mistake by leaving a fish behind. They have to go back. This allows Aubry and Michaela to pass them.

Cirie and Sierra have a big head start over Zeke and Debbie but they aren’t able to maintain it. Zeke and Debbie win.

Back at camp, Cirie is super bummed for letting her teammates down. Aww…it’s just a Marshalls spa day.

We meet up with the winners and they’re having a good ol’ time. So good in fact, that Tai decides to go streaking…for some reason. There’s a lot of nudity this episode.

Andrea thinks Troyzan should go streaking next. Anyone who read my Malcolm exit interview knows he’d probably trip.

The best part of the Marshalls Lounge spa day? They didn’t have to watch “Jack and Jill.”

Once the silliness dies down, Zeke pitches getting rid of Andrea and Cirie to Tai and Debbie. They listen, but Debbie does not trust Zeke.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will climb a pole. Last person on that pole wins immunity.

Fun Fact: Ozzy is undefeated in this challenge, having won twice.

Not much to describe here except for grippin’ and slippin’. Yee haw!

It eventually comes down to Andrea, Ozzy and Tai. After forty minutes, Andrea takes a nasty spill. Fortunately, she’s OK.

The remaining two battle it out for another fifty five minutes before Ozzy finally falls. Tai wins immunity.

Post-challenge politicking kicks off with Zeke going to Sierra and telling her that Andrea is gunning for her.

CUT TO: Sierra tells Cirie what Zeke said.

CUT TO: Cirie tells Andrea what Sierra said that Zeke said.

As you’d imagine, Andrea is not thrilled with this info.

Meanwhile, Debbie sees this as an opportunity to blindside Ozzy. Sierra, Tai, Sarah, and Troyzan seem into it.

That night at Tribal, Ozzy thinks the stakes are higher this season and that everyone thinks they’re a secret agent.

Sarah compares the tribe to a bunch of single people who are just looking to hookup.

Ozzy makes sure everyone knows that his ability to get food is important around camp. Yeah, but people don’t think that way anymore. They’ll put alliances over camp usefulness every time.

Zeke is looking for people that think they can beat him. Tai is very impressed with how Zeke sees things.

Cirie wants to work with people who have displayed trust.

So…are we going to talk about who’s being targeted?

Apparently not.

Voting Time: Sierra votes for Ozzy, Andrea votes for Zeke and rips into him, Cirie casts a vote to “spice things up a little bit,” and the rest are lost to the magic of editing.

Before Probst can tally the votes, Debbie asks to play her extra vote.

Voting Time Continued: Debbie’s second vote isn’t shown.

Probst tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Ozzy, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Sierra, one vote for Aubry, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Ozzy, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Ozzy, one vote for Zeke, two votes for Ozzy, and the ninth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” and the second member of the jury is…Ozzy.

Verdict: So nice to get back to “Survivor” as usual after last week’s heartbreaker.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Hali in spot seven, I had her in spot three. We both had Ozzy in spot thirteen. The current score is Team Adam 84, Team Gordon 80.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor game changers
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 7 Recap: Fields’ Mettle

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 6: Merge Edition

April 18, 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 Sierra is voted out this episode, Adam will receive one points and Gordon will receive seven 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 Jeff in spot fourteen. I had him in spot thirteen. The current score is now Team Adam 64, Team Gordon 64.

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 = 64 Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein	Gordon’s Score = 64 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

1. Sierra: Whew. What a week. There is so much about real life to unpack from the last episode that is almost seems frivolous to do this ranking this week. At the same time, this is how this crazy game goes. Zeke doesn’t get to pause the game despite being outed in front of millions. There is no time to decompress, no loved ones to call home to. And so, we carry on. Sierra has the option to play the legacy advantage this week if she feels any danger. She has been playing a rock solid game so far and if the preview is any indication, she seems to be involved in almost every conversation on the beach. (This is too much info for most but for those who don’t freeze frame every shot of the preview and are curious, the groups shown are: 1. Sierra + Sarah + Andrea, 2. Brad + Troyzan + Ozzy – more on this later, 3. All women minus Sarah, Andrea, and Aubry, and 4. Sierra and Debbie).	1. Troyzan: I always try to figure out who the big players are going to be as we hit the merge. They tend to be the first targets. Brad’s got his people, Ozzy has his people, Sarah wants to make a move, Debbie has a bridge to mend. People like Troyzan have time to float. And float they should. As I always say, you can’t win the game early, but you can sure lose it. Add an idol to that and you have the safest person in the game.

2. Troyzan: So let’s try to figure out how this all plays out. Since the merge is 9 original Nuku and only 4 original Mana, the Nuku split is likely to happen almost immediately after the merge, and the Manas are likely to be used as numbers for the time being. I see two main sides forming. Since I believe the edit has been underplaying both of their impacts in their respective alliances, let’s call one side Team Sierra and one side Team Andrea. Team Sierra: Sierra, Brad, Troyzan, Aubry, Tai Team Andrea: Andrea, Ozzy, Zeke, Sarah, Debbie Swings: Hali, Cirie, Michaela When I get to each of the swings I will discuss where they are most likely to fall. For now, Troyzan gets the 2nd spot as he not only has an idol, but at least Zeke, according to his secret scene, thinks that he can swing him to his side. We know from the edit how unlikely that is, but Zeke and Co. do not. It’s always good if people think they can work with you down the line.	2. Tai: The man with two idols should sooper safe, but as Tai himself said, he’s bad at Tribal. Ozzy knows you’re gunning for him. And he knows that you possibly could have been swayed if Varner didn’t set the world on fire last week. I’m thinking this drives you back into the welcoming arms of Camp Culpepper.

3. Tai: If there was ever the time to play an idol with any hint of danger, it’s at the merge. Tai should find himself courted by both sides, as his old Mana 2.0 crew of Brad and Sierra will want him back, and his current tribe has signaled that they trusted him at least more than Varner. Based on the fact that he clearly doesn’t trust Ozzy, he played an idol for Sierra, and he is tight with Brad, I see Tai flipping back to Team Sierra.	3. Hali: Miss Merican! Lost in all of the terribleness of last week’s episode was Hali’s performance (and salute) in the immunity challenge. Adorable. Most of the original Mana tribe is gone, so I doubt the Nuku-strong vibe will last long.

4. Sarah: I’m so confused by Sarah’s edit! I thought Sarah was supposed to be the villain of the season? But she’s the hero!! The way she stood by Zeke and called out her own ‘metamorphoses’ was moving and inspirational. She’s been shown talking like someone who would shake up the game with quotes like “silent assassin,” “playing this game like a criminal,” “I know how to lie to these people,” and now “I’m ready to prove why I’m a game changer.” But in reality, we have seen Sarah support her tribe mates and stick to her original alliance. I’m putting Sarah up this high because we still haven’t seen the Big Move™ that has been teased for 7 episodes now. If this is the night it happens, it would make sense that it would be to turn on Ozzy, as she suggested doing in the last episode.	4. Michaela: Varner’s gone, Sandra’s gone, and Aubry is too smart to hold a grudge, that makes Michaela a free agent. There’s plenty of time for her to figure out which way the wind is blowing and decide which way to play it.

5. Andrea: I think Andrea is one of the least likely targets on her side, although idol fears could always screw that up. Ozzy is a much bigger physical threat and Zeke is now likely considered an end-game threat. One scene from the preview that has me puzzled is: why are Sierra, Andrea, and Sarah talking? If even Andrea is willing to flip on Ozzy than we may have a merge vote with an overwhelming majority like the first few boots of the season, but I don’t see how that would benefit her. In a secret scene, Andrea talked about how her group could pull in Cirie and Brad at the merge. Cirie I could see, but if she plans on trying to flip Brad, she’ll be ignoring others that are far more likely to join her side.	5. Aubry: “Survivor’s” unluckiest player has made the merge! And, she finally seems to have a foothold in an alliance. Surely that means Brad will be med-evaced this week.

6. Cirie: My next three are my three swing votes so I think these are the most important. I think Cirie will have options. In a secret scene, she talked about the Nukus on the other tribe as “my Nuku people,” and “my Nuku family.” But she also said, “reconnecting with Brad has turned out to be good,” and importantly, her renewed relationship was highlighted on the show. Equally as important is remembering her early content, which was all focused on her tenuous-at-best relationship with Ozzy. That storyline took a back-seat when they were separated at the 2nd swap, but it would make sense for it to come back now. Another editorial sign pointing to an Ozzy vote.	6. Andrea: Kudos to Andrea last week. While Sarah looked ready to tear the game apart, Andrea was the one who kept a cool head. That should serve her well once the merge feast leftovers are gone.

7. Hali: I’m not sure why anyone would target Hali right now except to avoid an idol play. I have no idea who she will go with. Logically, it would make sense that if she is on the bottom of the Sierra group, that she would attempt to find a new home with Andrea’s group. I think that makes the most sense for her. But she also doesn’t know them at all, and may decide that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. Regardless, she should be safe.	7. Sierra: Your comment about being the new sheriff in town has me nervous for two reasons. One, “Survivor” loves to strike down people who make big claims. And two, are you referring to Sarah? Both of you should be hanging back and letting the targets have at it.

8. Michaela: Michaela, like Hali, is a woman without a home. She was once in a strong position on the Mana tribe surrounded by allies, but now pretty much all of those allies have been voted out, and we have no sense from the show, nor from secret scenes, of what she plans to do next or who she is looking to align with. The only hint, and it is minor, is the disinterest she was shown to have when Brad and others were connecting over their shared experience of returning home from Survivor. To be fair, Michaela has only been home from Survivor for 2 weeks, and has not yet seen herself on TV, so the disconnect is not all that surprising, but it could also be a subtle editorial hint that she will side with the Andrea group and turn on Brad.	8. Cirie: Oh good, Cirie finally gets to see what the Tribal Council set looks like. It’s cool. Take a minute to go to the top of the lighthouse and check out the view. I for one am psyched that Cirie made the merge. This is where she shines. If she can play the big dogs against each other, she can take this thing. But, she has to be careful not to show too much of the magic that makes people fear her.

9. Debbie: I’m guessing based on her blowup with Brad and the way she was welcomed into her new tribe that Debbie will stick with Team Andrea. Her problem is that she doesn’t seem to be in the core of either of the two groups, but there is good news. At least one person, Sarah, wants to take her to the end, according to Sarah’s secret scene this week, and I doubt she is the only one. If Team Andrea wins out, and frankly, even if they don’t, I can easily imagine Debbie in the final 3.	9. Brad: So, right now it looks like Brad has Troyzan, Sierra, Hali, Cirie, and Aubry on his side. Aaand…he has the potential to pull Tai and Debbie back into the fold. Aaand…it seems like he and Ozzy were close at the original Nuku. He has a lot of options. But, that power will also make him an early target.

10. Aubry: Aubry is in an interesting spot. She also doesn’t seem to have a real home, but at the same time, the edit highlighted her relationship with Brad, and in her secret scene she talked about being a better position on new Mana because she was “forming new bonds” and “mending old ones.” To me, that signals that she will stay with Team Sierra, but it would not be totally surprising for her to flip either. She is lucky that a couple of the people that were after her, Varner and Sandra, are now gone, and so I think the only person left that she probably doesn’t have the best strategic relationship with is Michaela. She will have to work quickly to establish lasting bonds, though, or she will quickly find herself alone and unprotected. Debbie said in a secret scene that she “wants to extend an olive branch to Aubry if the chance arises,” so there is a glimmer of hope.	10. Debbie: Was Cochran’s Mr. Miyagi speech too little, too late to help Debbie-San? Probably not. But, she is on thin ice if she wants to get back on the Culpepper train. If I were her, I’d make peace with him quickly, but then keep my eyes and ears open for other opportunities.

11. Brad: Brad has to be target #1 for Team Andrea. Or that’s at least what looks obvious to the viewers. The problem for Team Andrea is they don’t seem to realize that Brad isn’t on their side, and how well connected he really is. People that talked about working with Brad in secret scenes this week include Andrea, Cirie, and Aubry. On the show, you can add in Troyzan, Sierra, and Tai. That’s a lot of people that want to work with Brad. Brad also discussed in his secret scene about having an alliance early on with Ozzy, so presumably Ozzy might trust him as well. However, if he loses Michaela and Hali, which is very possible, and Andrea and Ozzy realize that he is not with them, Brad could be our surprise merge boot for this season.	11. Zeke: I can see the fallout from last episode’s disaster going one of two ways. Either the tribemates who rushed to his aid will feel closer to him and more likely to trust him. Or…they realize that going to the end with Zeke is a ticket to a second-place finish. I’m betting on the latter. Also, guess which dummy thought it would be a good idea to break the ice with Varner during his exit interview by leading off with, “In the first Tribal, why did you target Ciera?” This guy. It did not go over well.

12. Zeke: Zeke had one of the most incredibly powerful moments ever seen on reality television, and he will rightfully be celebrated by many, both on his season and at home. The problem for Zeke, in the context of the game, is that he just had what I like to call a “Dave moment.” What I am referencing is the scene in my season at a reward challenge where Dave offered to sit out, and had a beautiful moment about what his Survivor experience meant to him. It was truly touching and brought many of us to tears, but it was also the moment I decided that there was no way I could go to the end with Dave. In addition to outing Zeke to the public and changing his personal life forever, Varner dealt a potentially fatal blow to Zeke’s game. I cannot imagine this group letting Zeke get anywhere close to the final 3, and the reason for that is truly heartbreaking.	12. Sarah: If I were a mad “Survivor” scientist and I tried to make the perfect person to win this game, my creation would come out a lot like Sarah. But…apparently during the process I may have accidentally knocked over a beaker of “Feels the Need to Make Big Moves at Times When They Are Unnecessary” into the mix. If she’d just relax, she’d be in a great spot to pick and choose her allies. Instead, I’m worried she’s gonna do something risky just to fulfill her “Play like a criminal” philosophy.

13. Ozzy: Ozzy is a master at getting to the merge (4 for 4!), but the modern post-merge game is simply too long for someone like Ozzy to stand a real chance of getting to the end unless they are someone that everyone knows they can win a jury vote against. Ozzy is not that guy. And all signs point to this being his swan song. Tai has targeted him, Cirie has voiced concern over his presence in the game, Sarah considered turning on him already, Zeke talked about only needing Ozzy for “a couple votes” in a secret scene, and most clearly of all, in another secret scene, Brad, a former ally, explicitly states all of the following: “Ozzy’s too good.” “No way I’m getting back with Ozzy.” “He’s going to be target #1.” “I’m not connected to him. I’m all for getting him out early.” In the preview, he is shown talking to Brad and Troyzan, two people he likely thinks he will be able to trust, but that he most certainly should not. If Ozzy is able to turn this around and win this game, it will be one of, if not the most incredible win of all time.	13. Ozzy: Welp…it’s merge time. Which means there’s never a bad time to send Ozzy packing. Fortunately for him, a lot of the big challenge threats are long gone. Unfortunately for him, the individual challenges rarely reward speed and strength. Add to that the fact that he has to survive two episodes this week, and I just don’t see it happening.

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

Tags:adam klein, survivor, survivor game changers
Posted in General, RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 6: Merge Edition

‘Survivor’ Castaway Jeff: ‘I Assaulted Zeke That Night, Outting Someone Is Assault’

April 13, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: There are two stories that are going to come out of last night. Zeke has been outted as transgender and now he has to go about his life with that information known to the public. I feel like that story is being told. Zeke himself penned a piece for The Hollywood Reporter. The other is about a guy who supports the LGBT community who made a mistake that could harm the LGBT community. What’s it been like to live with what happened for so long?
Jeff Varner: It’s been ten months of hell. I have dug through all kinds of stuff. A couple of different therapists. Been involved with many different LGBT groups. I’m heading in a direction that I can’t wait to tell you about as we go forward, but this morning is not about me. This morning is about Zeke and transgender people and what I have done. And I am profoundly and profusely sorry. I have no excuses. I can’t sit here and make one. I made a massive mistake. I own it 1000%. I know that I hurt Zeke. I know that I hurt those who love him. I know that when we’re in pain and we’re in fear, we’re dangerous and we do the wrong things and we say the wrong things.

Holmes: Have you spoken with Zeke since that night?
Varner: We’ve spoken several times over the last few months. He continues to forgive me. He just an amazing human. I’m amazed at that forgiveness. But, I also know that watching that had to have been doubly traumatic as it was for me. And it’s put him in a different place. I think he’s calling me a bigot today. He’s calling me full of hate today. That is the opposite of who I am. I respect him. I deserve it. If he wants to take swings at me, I’m the one to hand him the bat. I give him every inch of every room to react how he needs to react. I respect him for that. I deserve it. And I’m sure that it’s frustrating for the transgender community that I’m the one out here talking about this today. We need trans voices. I hate that we don’t have more trans voices out here talking about this situation. We’ve got to stop separating and dividing. Trans people are humans and we need to elevate their dignity and their voices and lift them up. We shouldn’t reduce them to things that objectify them and dehumanize them. They are not deceitful people, they’re just trying to live their truth…safely…

Note: At this point, Jeff starts to get very emotional.

Varner: I’m sorry.
Holmes: It’s OK.
Varner: They’re just trying to thrive, you know? And I’m just sick of the fact that I am part of what some people will use as a tool to further do this to them. It’s horrible. I assaulted Zeke that night, outting someone is assault. It robs them of so much. It stigmatizes them and it shames them. It forces them back in and that’s the opposite of what needs to happen. I’m devastated. I will forever be sorry and do…I’ll talk to you in the future about what I’m doing and where I’m headed…but today I just want to make sure that this is all about Zeke.

Holmes: I had some advance notice of what was going to happen last night. And I felt sick watching the lead up. But in the end, it felt like it was headed in a positive direction. Zeke said that his “Survivor” experience has made him strong enough to deal with this. The tribe supported him. He forgave you. Do you know why Zeke is feeling differently today?
Varner: This was us then and we’ve grown and moved past it. I’m not sure what caused him to shift his gear, but it’s OK. I support him. I don’t know that Zeke and I will ever be friends, but it’s important for me to have him know how much I care about him and people like him. I’ll spend the rest of my life doing whatever I can to make this right, because it’s wrong. It’s not in my character. It’s a game and nobody can truly understand what we’re going through. What that “Survivor” brain does to us. At the risk of sounding like I’m making excuses, because I’m not. There are no excuses. I don’t know where he is today or where his head is, I can only read what he’s writing. He’s wrong on a bunch of levels about who I am as a person. I knew Zeke for five days. We spoke probably an hour and a half total. He doesn’t know me. I hope that he one day will. I’ve heard from so many transgender people today who understand and are inviting me to be a part of their effort. I’m so grateful for that. I just love Zeke, I’m so profoundly sorry.

Holmes: It seems like all parties involved are dedicated to turning this into a vehicle for good. For bringing transgender issues to the forefront. And I know you don’t want to talk about you, but you’re a human being. The “Survivor” community reaches out to me. And yeah, there’s a lot of “(expletive deleted) Jeff Varner.” But, there’s also a lot of “How is Jeff today. I hope he’s alright.” You’ve been living with this for months. Now that it’s finally out there, does that help you move on now that you can more openly support these issues?
Varner: Yeah…I’m not ashamed to tell you that coming out of this I had thoughts of suicide. What I’d done is horrible. But when Zeke reached out to me and we were able to talk, that’s when I felt like the healing began. We both feel like we’re both victims on some level for many different reasons. Not being able to talk about it has been tough. Last night was an end in a lot of ways and a beginning in a lot of ways. There is a relief that it’s out there and I can start making amends publicly and start trying to help people. I forgot what you asked me. I’m a wreck. (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs) You got there.

Holmes: There was some confusion about how you knew Zeke was transgender. When we spoke in the pre-game interview, you said that you had noticed things about his physique that had led you to believe that he was transgender. Was there ever a point where Zeke opened up to you or was this based on your pre-game observations?
Varner: Not directly. He talked about all kinds of things that led me indirectly, not only that he was OK and out, I believed he was out. I had no idea that Zeke had not come out. Everything led to that. I don’t want to talk about how I knew, because in respect to Zeke, I don’t think that’s the right direction to go. When I said that out loud at Tribal, I was not 100% certain.

Holmes: Sarah is an example of someone who didn’t have much experience with the transgender community. She met a guy she liked and when she found out his story, it opened her eyes. Hopefully there are a lot of Sarahs in the audience.
Varner: I want to thank Sarah for that. That went a long way. Out of everyone who was at Tribal, she’s the one I’ve heard from the most. She’s been so supportive. She explained to me how this moment and preparing her family to watch it has changed their perception. She went out of her way to make me understand that no matter what Zeke and I are going through, this has been a positive thing for her family, it has to be for others. Ultimately, that is where this will go, but right now what’s important to me is that Zeke is safe and healthy and that he hears me when I say I am profoundly sorry. I didn’t come after him with malice. It wasn’t intended to be a commentary. I hate that the deception theme was there because it’s such a massive stigma that trans people deal with. People think they’re deceiving and dangerous and they’re not. These people are strong and courageous. All of these bathroom bills are horrible. They’re not about whether trans people can use the bathroom. They’re about whether trans people have the right to exist in public. There are so many people, especially here in North Carolina, our hateful General Assembly is trying to erase trans people from our society. I really want to do everything I can to stop that crap. I hope that this opens up the door for Zeke and I to do some great stuff.

Holmes: I know you don’t have to do exit press. I’d imagine this is the second worst day of your life. But I think you’re doing the right thing by using this platform to further transgender awareness.
Varner: I hope that any press that anybody puts out there is pro-trans and anti-outting. We’re both trying to make this a positive thing.

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

Tags:jeff varner, survivor, survivor game changers
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor’ Castaway Jeff: ‘I Assaulted Zeke That Night, Outting Someone Is Assault’

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 6 Recap: Zeke the Guy Who Plays ‘Survivor’

April 12, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Debbie won a date with a sitcom writer, Tai’s idol bag got a lot tighter, and the Queen went out while proving she’s a fighter.

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)
Aubry, 30
Brad, 47
Cirie, 45
Hali, 26
Michaela, 25
Sierra, 29
Troyzan, 54

The Nuku Tribe (wearing blue)
Andrea, 27
Debbie, 51
Jeff, 50
Ozzy, 34
Sarah, 32
Tai, 52
Zeke, 28

We kick things off after Tribal where Debbie is telling everyone how terrible Exile was. C’mon, Cochran’s a good guy.

Ozzy admits that Tai scared the crap out of him. Tai still thinks it was a solid move to target Ozzy, but he confesses that he’s “terrible at Tribal.” I love you, Tai. But you’ll get no arguments from me on that one.

Meanwhile Varner wants to punch everyone in the “throat bone.” I haven’t seen a “Survivor” rulebook lately, but I’d imagine there’s a passage that forbids that sort of activity. Zeke apologizes for deceiving Jeff. He understands, but says he would have voted for Sandra if they had wanted him to.

After they make peace, Zeke tells Varner that he wants to take him to the end. They hug it out.

Immunity Challenge Time: Teams will retrieve a key from a pole that is wound up in some ropes. They’ll then create a ladder and use the key to unlock a bag of balls. They’ll then carry the balls through a cargo net. Finally, they’ll have to teeter-totter the balls into five different targets. The first tribe to get all five of the balls into the correct bins will win ten pizzas and various fixings.

Nuku jumps out to a pretty sizable lead during the ropes portion. In fact, Mana never really makes it competitive.

Ozzy works his teeter-totter magic to bring home the win for Nuku.

Back at Mana Beach, Hali does the math and points out that ten pizzas are more than a pizza a person. She’s not wrong.

Sierra, Aubry, and Cirie start to commiserate about how stressful and emotionally taxing the game is. This strikes a chord with Brad who didn’t appreciate how hard it was for Monica to make it as far as she did in “Blood vs. Water.” He breaks down in tears.

Is it dusty in here?

Both Aubry and Cirie approach Brad at different times to thank him for being so open with them. Aubry even calls him the most genuine person she’s met out there. Wait, she met me out there!

So, it looks like Brad finally has his numbers advantage with that duo, Sierra, and Troyzan.

Over at the Nuku Pizzaria, everyone dives into the reward.

Later on, Jeff starts making moves to get rid of Ozzy. He approaches Sarah with a plan to get rid of the alpha males in the game. She doesn’t commit either way.

Immunity Challenge Time: Four members of each tribe will swim to a raft and then pull it to a series of stations. At each station, they’ll have to dive down and release buoys with letters on them. Once all of the letters have been retrieved, the other three members of the tribe will have to spell out a word. The first tribe to figure out the 13-letter word will win immunity.

The Survivor are ready…and they go. Nuku again jumps out to a lead thanks to Ozzy’s diving prowess. Culpepper, in particular, has trouble releasing the buoys.

Nuku is the first tribe to the puzzle portion and they have a huuuge head start. Mana eventually catches up and both teams are struggling to figure out the word.

Eventually, Hali comes up with “Metamorphosis” to win it for Mana.

Quick Aside: I wonder how long that puzzle took, because it looks like everyone’s hair is dry.

Varner knows he’s in trouble, but he’s going to do everything he can to keep from going home.

Back at camp, Jeff tells everyone that he knows he’s on the chopping block. He just asks for one-on-one time with everyone to plead his case. That’s unique.

While Jeff and Ozzy head off, Sarah makes the case that they should probably get rid of Ozzy soon. Zeke says he likes Varner a lot, but their best bet is to keep Ozzy around for a while.

Zeke admits to us that he wants to use Ozzy as a shield.

Varner pitches getting rid of Ozzy to Zeke and he shuts that train of thought down quickly. Varner takes this to mean that Zeke has plans for Ozzy.

Varner takes this information to Andrea and Sarah and Sarah seems pretty ticked off about it.

Then, Varner hints that there’s something about Zeke that nobody knows. He also promises to raise “mortal hell” if he has to.

That night at Tribal Council, Varner says that he did his best to not be the next to go home, but all of his conversations have led him to believe that his time is up.

This makes Debbie nervous because she’s not used to people being certain at Tribal Council.

Varner then claims that they aren’t six strong because some people have agreed to vote for Ozzy if he could get more numbers. Varner then outs an alliance between Ozzy and Zeke. He proposes for the others to target Ozzy. Debbie seems into it.

Jeff then claims that there is another level to the deception around camp. When Probst asks him to enlighten them, Varner asks Zeke why he hasn’t told anyone that he’s transgender.

This is followed by a long pause and then an explosion.

Zeke looks like he’s been punched in the stomach. Tai, Debbie, and Andrea all yell at Varner that it’s not his place to out Zeke.

Varner claims that it was to show that Zeke is being deceptive.

Tai is yelling…Andrea is crying…hell, I’m crying…and Zeke just looks like his world is never going to be the same.

Varner, who is an advocate for transgender rights, claims that he would never say or do anything to hurt anyone, but he’s fighting for his life.

Tai argues that outing someone who hasn’t outted themselves is hurtful. Andrea and Debbie agree.

Zeke finally speaks and says the he hasn’t shared that secret with anyone during his two seasons on the show.

Varner tries to explain that his intention was to prove that Zeke has the ability to deceive. Probst calls that a leap of logic.

Varner, realizing that this strategy has backfired spectacularly, apologizes to Zeke.

Ozzy thinks Varner should be ashamed of what he’s willing to do to get ahead. A defeated Varner admits that he is ashamed of himself.

Probst asks if there is a line Varner won’t cross to get ahead. Varner says he now knows that he has made the wrong choice and he feels horrible.

Varner goes on to say that he thought Zeke was out and loud about it, which Sarah immediately disagrees with because nobody on the tribe knew.

Then Probst points out that you can’t say that Zeke is deceptive and then say that he was out and proud.

Ugh…all of this is making my stomach hurt. Will someone please give Zeke a million hugs for me?

Tai eventually comes around and thinks that Varner sincerely feels bad about it. Andrea agrees.

Varner assumed that everyone in Zeke’s life knew and he was only keeping it from the members of the tribe.

Zeke’s family and friends do know that he’s transgender, but he doesn’t tell everyone in his life. And, he didn’t want to be Zeke the transgender “Survivor” player, he just wanted to be Zeke the “Survivor” player. He’s not happy with how he was outted, but he is prepared to talk about it.

Zeke then points out that “Survivor” has made him a stronger person and that strength will help him deal with whatever’s next.

Varner seems mortified about what he’s done, but Sarah isn’t ready to move on yet. She feels like it was a malicious attack. She then goes on to say that she doesn’t have many LGBT people in her life and that Zeke simply kicks ass. She wants to come away with the million dollars, but it’s worth more to her that she got to know Zeke.

Zeke laughs and says he shouldn’t be a role model, but he hopes that people seeing him play the game will help them.

Finally, Probst asks if there’s any doubt of who’s going home. Everyone agrees that it’s Varner. They don’t even bother voting.

Varner says that he’s ready to go. He and Zeke hug, then Probst snuffs his torch.

The seventh person eliminated from “Survivor: Game Changers” is…Varner.

Verdict: We don’t all watch “Survivor” the same way. I thought Jonny Fairplay lying about his grandmother’s death was brilliant. You might have thought it was horrible. I thought Dreamz accepting Yau-Man’s car reward and then going back on the deal was reprehensible. You might have thought it was a clever move.

We all have our idea of what this show is supposed to be. But at the end of the day, they throw these people out there, give them rules and twists, and say “Reward the person you think deserves to win.”

With all societies, there’s a line of what’s acceptable and what isn’t. What’s gameplay and what isn’t. What’s entertaining and what isn’t. And we all probably draw that line in different places.

I think it’s safe to say that Jeff Varner crossed everyone’s line tonight.

By outing Zeke as transgender, he has put his real-life happiness and safety at risk.

But, I’m sure Jeff Varner knows this. I’m not close friends with Jeff, but knowing what I know about him, he was probably caught up in the intensity of a game and simply didn’t think things through. I think it is reasonable for him to think that Zeke was open during “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” (which hadn’t aired yet).

I’d imagine Jeff feels horrible. I’m sure he’s been beating himself up over this and dreading this day since that Tribal Council was filmed.

But, if Zeke can find it in himself to forgive Jeff, then the “Survivor” community should too.

This is a low point in “Survivor” history. There’s no debating that. But when I look back at it, I’ll choose to remember Zeke’s inspiring strength, his tribe’s unconditional support, and Jeff’s maturity in owning his mistake.

Now go be nice to everyone.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Jeff in spot fourteen. I had him in spot thirteen. The current score is now Team Adam 64, Team Gordon 64.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor game changers
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 6 Recap: Zeke the Guy Who Plays ‘Survivor’

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

April 6, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

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
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor’ Castaway Sandra: “Grabbing That Wrong Buff Is What Killed My Game”

‘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
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 5 Recap: Idol Wave

‘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.

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.

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

Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 4: The-Buff-Gets-Going Edition

‘Survivor’ Castaway JT: “It Was Sandra’s Way or the Highway”

March 31, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: I’m sure you’ve gotten this a lot, but why didn’t you bring the idol to Tribal?
JT Thomas: I actually found it not long before Tribal. After going through “Heroes vs. Villains” being caught finding the idol, I knew I had to get it off my person. I only had my jeans and underwear, I ran up to this place we called “Lookout Mountain” that was a really hard-to-get-to spot. I knew the idol would be safe there. I buried it and came back down, but most of the rest of the afternoon before Tribal was spent with all of us talking. It was Aubry, myself, Jeff, and Sandra. And they did a good job of selling it. And Michaela was chilling out like she does all the time. To me it made no sense at all. And I knew if I went back it would be obvious and I’d have to explain where I was going. So, I really wish I had took it. And I didn’t wish I had it until right before the vote. I’m not sure I would’ve played it. It just made no sense to vote me out over Michaela at this point except for payback or revenge. That’s something you wouldn’t expect out of Sandra being the seasoned player that she is.

Holmes: One of the questions I get from everybody is; why are people letting Sandra run the show? Is she that good of a shield?
Thomas: Sandra is definitely leading the show on the tribe I was on. Varner’s on board to do whatever Sandra says. He wants a free ticket to the merge. And I don’t know Sandra personally, but I have played with her before. And she’s really playing out of character. She’s up on her high horse. It was obvious at camp that it was Sandra’s way or the highway. And I told her that I’d do whatever I could do to help them at the merge. The other option is Michaela who has no connections and nothing to offer. It just made all the sense in the world to stick with me.

Holmes: Did you find out about Sandra’s sugar stunt as you were leaving Tribal or did you find out last night?
Thomas: I didn’t know until last night. (Laughs) And then it made perfect sense. And Sandra kept instigating it and I never knew why. I guessed she just liked to hear me and Michaela go at it. Actually, it was her stirring it up more to prove that I was safe. That’s a lot of work to make a horrible move in my opinion. We were fixing to merge with people I’ve been camping with already. Who are they going to turn to for leniency? The former Mana tribe is going to be picked off like sitting ducks.

Holmes: The Tribal where Malcolm was voted out; did you mean tell them Sierra in the hopes that they’d idol Sandra out? Or, did you slip up and just mean to tell Brad that he was safe?
Thomas: I was hoping Sandra was going home, so I couldn’t own up to it at the time. And that’s only if they had an idol. I wasn’t sure. And if they didn’t, there was nothing I could do about it. That’s the reason why I still voted for Sierra. I didn’t want to out myself for no reason. And if they did have an idol, “I give you this knowledge, Brad. Your end of the deal is to vote out Sandra.” It was that simple. I had Malcolm and Aubry on-board with me. The only way they’d vote with me was if we had numbers. I had to get one person off of that tribe. It was a chance for me to get numbers.
Holmes: What was Malcolm’s reaction after you were voted out?
Thomas: My reaction was, “Dude, I hate it. I’m so sorry.” But he knows he was the last person I wanted to see go home. He played so hard. We were both upset about it. We hugged. I trusted the wrong person in Brad. I shot myself in the foot. And Malcolm and I together were probably the two toughest to beat at challenges.

Holmes: The original Nuku tribe never went to Tribal Council, so we don’t really know the dynamics. What was life like there? Who was on the outs?
Thomas: I went from the top of the best spot in the house, to the worst after the swap. I don’t want to say I was running the show, but I was definitely among those who were in charge. The most solid in-game alliance was Sarah, myself, Brad, and Ozzy. We were a tight four. Debbie and Tai were in that six, and then there was Zeke and Sierra. We had a good alliance, plenty of food, a nice home, and a pick-off order.
Holmes: Was that pick-off order Cirie first and then Andrea?
Thomas: Yeah, that’s correct. It wasn’t always that way. I wanted to work with Cirie. Everyone’s expecting us to have our differences. Immediately I went to Cirie and said, “We can work together and nobody will ever see it coming. We can take it to the end, you and I. I owe you one.” I didn’t get a good vibe at all. I felt like it was me or her. And Ozzy felt the same way. It’s not what I came into the game wanting to do, but I felt like I’d better get rid of Cirie. Then, Andrea actually told Cirie that I was gunning for her. Sarah let me know about it.

Holmes: Word association time. Let’s start with Zeke.
Thomas: Very intelligent. Strong competitor. A huge threat.
Holmes: Culpepper?
Thomas: Physical threat. Very untrustworthy.
Holmes: Sarah?
Thomas: Great person. Strong ally.
Holmes: Cirie?
Thomas: Huge threat in the game. Great person.
Holmes: Ozzy?
Thomas: Solid guy. Dependable.
Holmes: Tai?
Thomas: Good guy, but can’t hold his words.
Holmes: Andrea?
Thomas: Sneaky.
Holmes: Malcolm?
Thomas: Solid. Genuine, good athletic guy.
Holmes: Sandra?
Thomas: Great person, but on her high horse.
Holmes: Varner?
Thomas: Lacks self-confidence.
Holmes: Debbie?
Thomas: (Laughs) Very smart. Doesn’t fit in socially…socially awkward.
Holmes: Sierra?
Thomas: Sweet girl but a pawn in this game.
Holmes: Aubry?
Thomas: Very smart. Great person. Strong ally.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Michaela.
Thomas: Chip on her shoulder. Very immature. A lot to learn.

Holmes: One of the big moments from last night was the Debbie/Brad Culpepper explosion. And the thing that stuck with me is she kept saying how Hali took longer to do the balancing portion. Do you remember their part of the challenge? What didn’t we see?
Thomas: I have to say, to Debbie’s point, it was a really hard challenge. It’d take the whole episode to show the whole thing. The bow part was really hard. I was the third person on my tribe to try it. Aubry tried it, then Varner. Maybe Michaela even tried it. And it took me a while to do it. It did take Debbie a long time on the handle part, but it took Hali just as long on the bow. But, the bow, in my opinion was harder. I get where Debbie is coming from, it did take Hali a long time. But, it took all of us a long time. So, it didn’t make Hali look so bad.

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

Tags:jt thomas, survivor, survivor game changers
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor’ Castaway JT: “It Was Sandra’s Way or the Highway”

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 4 Recap: Unbalanced?

March 29, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Malcolm was voted out and apparently I’m contractually obligated to continue writing about this heartbreaking show.

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
JT, 31
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 at Nuku Beach where JT’s got some ‘splainin’ to do. He swears up and down that he didn’t tip Mana off. I guess they can’t prove it until 6 months later.

Sandra knows she can’t prove anything, but she wants revenge. She doesn’t mention if she’s still the queen. Probably safe to assume she is.

The next morning, JT goes on an idol hunt. And…he’s successful. He finds a clue that is very similar to the one Tai found. When everyone is away from camp, he has a chance to retrieve it. Well done, JT. But how are you going to get it to Russell?

Reward Challenge Time: The tribes will use a grappling hook to retrieve a bow. They’ll then dig up a bag with a ball. One player will balance the ball on the bow and walk over a balancing beam. They’ll then do the same with a handle. Once both balls are at the end, one member from each team will have to complete a slide puzzle. The first tribe to complete the puzzle will win peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with all the fixins. The second place tribe receives sandwiches that are fixin’less.

Before the challenge, Andrea’s reaction to seeing a Malcolm-less Nuka would put Eliza Orlins to shame.

During the pre-challenge strategy talk, Debbie talks about how good she is at balancing. Brad, because he’s a logical person, thinks this means she should do one of the balance portions.

Troyzan will sit out for Tavua.

We start off and things are pretty even until Debbie gets to the balance beam portion. It…is…a…trainwreck. She just can’t do it.

As she struggles, Zeke picks up the win for Tavua and Sandra takes second place for Nuku.

Before we head off to commercial, Debbie lets us know that they lost because Brad is a dictator who tells people what to do.

FLASHBACK: Debbie telling everyone she has a really good sense of balance.

Wait, is this what she’s so upset over?

Later on, we learn that that’s exactly what she’s upset over. Debbie immediately tells the other four that they can give her clothing to Hali after they vote her out.

It’s so weird and abrupt that Brad honestly asks if she’s acting.

Debbie tells us that Brad has a total lack of respect for her. She even tells Hali that he has his head so far up her (tush) that his eyeballs are sticking out of her mouth. Well, that’s graphic.

Then, she says that Hali took ten minutes to do the balance beam while she zipped across it. Which…is…not…at…all…what…happened. At first, I wondered if this was an editing trick, but Tai backs it up saying Hali was way better with the agility.

I guess it’s alright though, because Debbie tells us she doesn’t explode in anger.

CUT TO: Debbie screaming in Brad’s face as he tries to apologize.

Quick Aside: I’ve been doing this gig since Gabon. In my experience, either Brad is a jerk and they aren’t showing it because they want us to like him. Or, Debbie is reading into things. Either way…yikes.

Later at Tavua, Sarah starts talking to Troyzan. She tells him that she’s willing to work with him. He’s happy about this, but he doesn’t trust her enough to tell her about his idol.

At Nuku, Michaela requests a cup of coffee that is seven drops of coffee and a scoop of sugar. This infuriates JT because he doesn’t like the rate at which Michaela is consuming the sugar. Or he’s some kind of coffee purist.

Sandra sees this as an opportunity to rile everyone up and eats the rest of the sugar. Varner, knowing that JT and Michaela are the only ones who consume the sugar, finds this hilarious. I agree.

Sure enough, JT sees an empty sugar jar and flips out.

Back at Mana, Tai decides to get away from his crazy camp and go on an idol hunt. He finds an idol clue that seems to be hinting at the water source. But, he doesn’t have time to follow up on it.

Immunity Challenge Time: The tribes will race up and over a wall. They’ll then roll a wooden cube to a post and retrieve a key. They’ll use the key to open a chest full of beanbags. From there, they have to carry all of the beanbags over a balance beam. When all of the bags are transported, they’ll use a slingshot to launch them at targets. The first two tribes to hit all five of their targets will win immunity.

Cirie will sit out for Tavua.

Before the challenge, Brad proposes that Tai should do the balance beam portion. Debbie does not approve. Then…it…gets…ugly. Once again she claims that it took Hali way longer to complete the previous balance beam portion. After some bickering, she decides that she doesn’t want to do the balance beam.

The Survivors are ready…and they go.

Debbie is the first one over the wall and makes a point of making sure that everyone knows it. Man, people who brag about their challenge prowess are annoying. #nineinarow

Mana is the first tribe to get to the chest, but their lead is tiny.

Tai and Hali are the balance beam team for Mana. Andrea and Ozzy go for Tavua, and Varner and Michaela go for Nuku.

Tai wipes out at one point and Debbie lets him have it, saying that she’s glad they didn’t pick the gymnast for this challenge.

Quick Aside: Is it possible that Debbie and Brad cooked up a fake feud so they can work opposite sides after the merge?

Tavua is the first tribe to get to the slingshot portion. Mana and Nuku eventually catch up.

Sierra hits the first two targets quickly, then Brad takes out the rest. Mana wins immunity.

Ozzy and JT battle back and forth with Ozzy eventually taking the win for Tavua.

Back at camp, Aubry and JT want to target Michaela. It seems like Varner and Sandra are on-board as well.

Later on, Sandra tells us that she wants to get vengeance for Malcolm. I can dig that. She plans to get Michaela and Varner on her side and send JT home.

That night at Tribal, Sandra claims to not know who leaked Sierra’s name to Tai.

Michaela is annoyed because JT thinks he’s running the show.

JT says he’s never been so excited to be at Tribal Council because he can’t wait to get rid of Michaela.

Sandra claims they’re going to keep the strongest player in the game and with HIM they’re going to move forward.

JT is tired of babysitting. He doesn’t think Michaela does anything around the camp.

Michaela begs to differ, pointing out several occasions where she’s done things.

Aubry tried to work with Michaela, but she’s tired of it.

JT wraps it up by saying that some people aren’t game changers, they’re just taking up space.

Voting Time: JT votes for Michaela, Michaela votes for JT, Aubry votes for Michaela, Sandra votes for JT, and the rest are secret.

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

We’ve got one vote for Michaela, one vote for JT, one vote for Michaela, one vote for JT, and the fifth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” is…JT.

…and his idol.

On the way out, Michaela tells JT to tell Malcolm that he sent him out of the game. A defeated JT says he will.

And finally, Sandra admits to being the sugar thief. I’m not sure that was smart, but it was funny.

Verdict: Sandra has been to the first five Tribals and hasn’t received a single vote. (Edit: Oops…four of the first five.) That’s amazing. Also, there’s only one winner left in the game.

The Debbie thing? That’s just hard to watch.

That said, I’m ready to see Tavua take a trip to Tribal.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had JT in spot fifteen. I had him in spot sixteen. The current score is now Team Adam 38, Team Gordon 36.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor game changers
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 4 Recap: Unbalanced?

‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 3: Won’t-You-Fly-Freberg-Yeah Edition

March 28, 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 three points and Gordon will receive seven 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 had Malcolm in spot five, while Gordon him in spot four. The current score is now Team Adam 23, Team Gordon 20.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research


Adam’s Score = 23 Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein	Gordon’s Score = 20 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

1. Sierra: Took a big hit last week with Malcolm, but I was right in thinking that the unknown twist could mess everything up. Malcolm never would have gone home if his own tribe voted, and my rankings this week are taking into account that last week was an anomaly. I anticipate that the tribes will go back to their previous status quo for the most part. Sierra is in a very comfortable position with a strong alliance on Mana, and is the only person in her alliance not being yelled at by Debbie in the preview. Safe.	1. Troyzan: Welp…I’d like to thank Malcolm for making it so I’ll never look at Troyzan the same way. Add an idol to that and it’s clear that some guys have all the luck.

2. Troyzan: Even in secret scenes, Tavua players are still talking about Troyzan like he’s an easy vote. They clearly have no idea he has an idol, so I imagine they are going to clearly telegraph to Troyzan if he does end up needing to play it. He could also share it to create some new allies.	2. Tai: I don’t think it was worth burning an idol to keep someone safe so early in the game. But, between Hali being on the outs and this odd Debbie/Brad blowup, nobody is going to be targeting you. Except for me. Because you took Malcolm from me. You are lucky that they don’t give random middle-aged journalists a jury vote. Because I swear, on everything that I believe in, that I would never, EVER vote for you. From this day until the day the Sun above burns out…that’s how long I can hold a grudge. From now on, every time I sink my teeth into a chicken sandwich or a buffalo wing, I’ll consider that a tiny measure of revenge for what you did to me. Consider me the opposite of Sia.

3. Michaela: Malcolm talked about how he wanted Michaela gone next from Nuku in exit press, but he made it sound like he was never going to get his way on that. And now, with Malcolm gone, Michaela seems even safer than before.	3. Sierra: Boy, did you dodge a close one last week. If JT doesn’t spill the beans, Tai has a one-in-five shot at making the right call. And with those odds, he might not have done it at all.

4. Brad: The Brad, Sierra, Debbie, Tai quad sure seems like the strongest alliance in the game. But what is going on with Debbie in the preview?! Even if Debbie turns on Brad (or vice versa) she doesn’t have the numbers to send him home.	4. Zeke: How much is Zeke loving life right now? His tribe is dominating, he’s not a target, and he can listen to Cirie and Ozzy tell classic “Survivor” stories.

5. Varner: With JT in hot water, Sandra a perpetual target, and Aubry still without a strong foothold within Nuku, Varner should be relatively low on the kill list. His consistently underwhelming challenge performance is the only thing that could get him into trouble.	5. Sarah: Jefferson Starship once told a differently spelled Sara that “no time is a good time for goodbye.” This is a lie. There will come a time where you need to say goodbye to this classic Nuku alliance. The question is, “When?”

6. Zeke: In a secret scene, Cirie worried that a big fan like Zeke might want to live up to the ‘Game Changer’ title and take her out down the line. That could be a reason for her to gun for Zeke, but for now he seems to be in a really good position on Tavua. (Side note: Zeke also talked about not giving a “rat’s-patootie” about winning reward challenges, and as someone who didn’t get a food reward until day 26, I can confirm that neither food nor coffee wins you the game.)	6. Varner: Ah…Jeff. You coughed up a huge lead in the challenge that sent Nuku to the nightmare Tribal. But, there are much bigger fish to fry right now.

7. Sandra: Queen Sandra still has a massive target on her back, but I still have faith in her relationships on Nuku to carry her through. JT just doesn’t have the numbers to get rid of her. Only way she goes out, I think, is if JT finds and plays an idol.	7. Michaela: Is Michaela clicking with anyone out there? That’s going to cost her later in the game, but right now she should be OK. Especially in a tribe that just lost one of their best challenge performers.

8. Cirie: What happened to Cirie vs. Ozzy? Are they beyond that now? Cirie seems well integrated on Tavua but I have to imagine that at some point the story with Ozzy will lead us somewhere.	8. Brad: After last week’s miracle, I’d imagine your alliance would be clicking on all cylinders. But, Debbie’s mega-freakout has me a little concerned. What could you have possible done in-between Tribals to upset someone so much?

9. Ozzy: The closer we get to the merge, the more likely Ozzy will be to go home. I still think it’s too soon, though, and both Cirie and Ozzy will keep their knives in their pockets for the time being.	9. Cirie: Of everyone at Tavua, Cirie seems like the most likely to reach out to Troyzan. That could land her in trouble…but she’s also reaching out to a guy with an idol.

10. Tai: TAI!!! What an idol find and play. How much can one guy do to prove his loyalty? He voted out his buddy that wasn’t in the alliance, and now he saved an alliance member with his idol. He should be rock solid now with Brad, Sierra, and Debbie, but Debbie going off on him is clearly concerning.	10. Debbie: Your blow-up in the trailer was so big and dramatic. Is it a ploy to throw someone off another plan? And if so, why continue it during an interview? Something doesn’t add up.

11. Sarah: Sarah said she was the “silent assassin” in the premiere and now in the preview she says she’s “playing this game like a criminal.” We’ve seen the silent, so it seems like now is the time for the assassin. This episode will either be her epic flameout or her coming out party, and I would guess the latter. Could she align with Troyzan to turn on one of her own?	11. Sandra: You’re never, ever safe. Ever.

12. Aubry: It seems like Aubry is always surviving by the skin of her teeth, but has yet to ever be target #1. She needs to hang on a little longer until her situation changes, but as long as Sandra is on her tribe she won’t be safe.	12. Ozzy: I don’t think you’re going home this week, but I wouldn’t put it past Troyzan to make you the victim of an idol play. I also wouldn’t put a preemptive strike past Cirie.

13. Debbie: I actually have no idea what Debbie’s freak out could possibly be about. Tai’s idol play? No, she knew about the idol. The Malcolm vote? No, she was in on that. Could she stumble upon the others finding an idol and not telling her? Or are they turning on her to save Hali for some reason, and she finds out? That all seems pretty implausible but whatever it is, it’s likely to put her in hot water.	13. Aubry: I didn’t know Aubry and Sandra weren’t getting along until my Malcolm exit interview. If Sandra wants to keep the tribe strong, Aubry could be in for a long night.

14. Andrea: We didn’t see much of Tavua, so the best I can go on is that if they lose, they vote for Troyzan and he idols out Andrea, since she’s the only one he has negatively referenced. Sarah’s preview confessional is telling, though, that there could be a major switch up.	14. Andrea: We don’t get to spend much time with Tavua, so Andrea is still my pick for the most likely to get idoled out.

15. JT: I would not want to be poor JT coming back to camp after that Tribal Council. He lost his only potential ally and his whole tribe blames him for Malcolm’s elimination. He better win immunity or find an idol, because I don’t see a path out of this otherwise.	15. Hali: If you were Sierra, would you protect your Dirty 30 sister who kinda tried to throw your alliance under the bus or the gardener who just coughed up an idol to keep you safe?

16. Hali: Hali was clearly uncomfortable with the status quo as they headed to a vote, and was vocal against Brad at tribal council, even plotting with Nuku to vote him out. You would think she would be a clear target if they lose, given how much loyalty the other four have shown to each other. Could be it that simple? I’m thinking that yes, it could be, and Debbie’s explosion is momentary and a red herring.	16. JT: Remember when you gave an idol to Russell Hantz? I don’t think that was a stupid move, it was a big gamble. Remember when you told Brad who to play an idol for? Yeah, that was probably a stupid move.

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

Tags:adam klein, survivor, survivor game changers
Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 3: Won’t-You-Fly-Freberg-Yeah Edition

More Whatnot

Archive for the ‘survivor’ Category

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 7 Recap: Fields’ Mettle

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 6: Merge Edition

‘Survivor’ Castaway Jeff: ‘I Assaulted Zeke That Night, Outting Someone Is Assault’

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 6 Recap: Zeke the Guy Who Plays ‘Survivor’

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

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 5 Recap: Idol Wave

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 4: The-Buff-Gets-Going Edition

‘Survivor’ Castaway JT: “It Was Sandra’s Way or the Highway”

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 4 Recap: Unbalanced?

‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 3: Won’t-You-Fly-Freberg-Yeah Edition

Archives

Categories

Archive for the ‘survivor’ Category

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Archives

Categories