Survivor Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers - Season 35

[Magic Mountain]

Wow. Four weeks since someone posted in this thread. If that doesn't say ho-hum season, I don't know what does. It finally got interesting last night. A good couple of blindsides.

I'm really liking Lauren for the win. She's very level-headed and smart. She might not last because people are going to realize how smart she is, and that she could win. But she's my favourite right now.

The thing that might make her last is that everyone else is delusional and believes they are the masterminds behind what has been her ideas all along. Hilarious. Her personality is such that she also seems to stay under the radar.

[paythesnuka]

You know it is a bad season when it is almost over and this thread is only two pages.

I think had Joe stayed and lasted a while, the season could get good. But these "characters" are just plain bland.

One good blindside does not a season make, for sure.

[NeonKnight]

If they had taken Ben out, like they teased us with, it might have turned this yawn fest around.

Going for Joe instead was about as vanilla as you can get.

Still, the challenges were again really well done, as they have been all season. Great comeback by Crissy, who likely would have been gone otherwise.

[hippypants]

Oh well, the coconuts were good.

[NeonKnight]

Good one!

That TC was priceless.Just whacky.

Great move by Ben, apparently one of the few out there who can keep their mouth shut when they find an idol.

For some reason I think it may be Devon who pulls this off in the end, but still rooting for bellhopper Ryan.

[paythesnuka]

I wonder how it would have worked out if Lauren wasn't so stupid and held onto her idol and played it.

Ben would have been the deciding vote since everyone still would have voted for him. Probably Chrissy would have been gone.

Just another case of trying to outsmart the tribe when all you have to do is play your idol to live another day.

[Duncan Glenday]

...Ben, apparently one of the few out there who can keep their mouth shut when they find an idol.
...

^^This

[ForeverAutumn]

OMG! LAUREN! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???!!!

I really, really wanted Lauren to win. What a bonehead move to give half her idol to Mike. That one dumb move may have cost her the game. Had she not done that, she could have played her idol as soon as Ben played his. STUPID!

Ben! Wow. This is why you should never share that you have an idol. Jeff Probst says it in his blogs over and over and over again. And finally someone listened.

Finally someone plays an idol this season that actually needed to play it. All the other idols plays so far were wasted as that person wasn't going home anyway.

[Gruno]

Lauren: This will go down as one of the dumbest Survivor moves in the history of the show.

Wow. I can't even put my head around her logic. I suppose it's easy for us in the comfort of our homes, with full stomachs, plenty of rest, to truly understand the thought process of these contestants. The mental challenges they face during their days out there is something I do not envy. Still, all that work she did and she goes out like that. I was rooting for her as one of my top 3.

Ben, Devin, and Ryan... I will be ok with any of those coming out on top. Ryan... every episode I start yelling "Fire! Fire! Fire! I am Cornholio!" when they show him on screen.

[NeonKnight]

Lauren: This will go down as one of the dumbest Survivor moves in the history of the show.

Wow. I can't even put my head around her logic. I suppose it's easy for us in the comfort of our homes, with full stomachs, plenty of rest, to truly understand the thought process of these contestants. The mental challenges they face during their days out there is something I do not envy. Still, all that work she did and she goes out like that. I was rooting for her as one of my top 3.

Ben, Devin, and Ryan... I will be ok with any of those coming out on top. Ryan... every episode I start yelling "Fire! Fire! Fire! I am Cornholio!" when they show him on screen.

At least Lauren went out with some dignity and class as opposed to that lady who was in the Olympics who left whining...

And her colossal blunder turned into Mike's fifteen year dream when he tossed the idol in the fire! Never seen that before, so for my money, I thought it paid off anyway....

[wideopenears]

Well.....Ben is dominating this thing, isn't he?

[Duncan Glenday]

That was another great TC - 2 in a row.

I hope he does well - my wife and I have been rooting for him and the Doc from the beginning.

[wideopenears]

Me too, Duncan. He works hard. Even his social game, or anti-social game, is a thing of carefully constructed beauty. LOL.

[SteveSly]

Does anyone else think that it was just a little bit too convenient for Ben to find an idol? I usually don’t have a problem with stuff like this on Survivor, but had that not happened, Ben would have been long gone. Was this a case of producer intervention to make something happen, as reality shows are often accused of? Maybe not, but they sure seemed to make the idol easy for him to find.

[Duncan Glenday]

Does anyone else think that it was just a little bit too convenient for Ben to find an idol? I usually don’t have a problem with stuff like this on Survivor, but had that not happened, Ben would have been long gone. Was this a case of producer intervention to make something happen, as reality shows are often accused of? Maybe not, but they sure seemed to make the idol easy for him to find.

He searched for the idol. The others did not.

The others were saying stuff like "I'm going to take it on faith that he doesn't have an idol" ... while standing around in camp.

[SteveSly]

He searched for the idol. The others did not.

The others were saying stuff like "I'm going to take it on faith that he doesn't have an idol" ... while standing around in camp.

True, but it just seemed like the clue to the Idol that he found was really really easy for him to find. Maybe it was all legit.........

[ForeverAutumn]

Remember that you're seeing a couple of days condensed into an hour. He might have searched for the idol for days before he found it. No one knows for sure, but I think it was legit. He knew he was toast without the idol.

Besides if the producers helped him and that ever got out, the damage to the show would be huge. I don't think Survivor would risk that. It's a huge money-making franchise, there's too much at risk.

[ForeverAutumn]

Okay Survivor fans, the season finale is tonight. Predictions? Thoughts? Comments?

Here's a short summary of each player's game.

https://www.usmagazine.com/entertain...n-the-final-4/

I think they all played good games in their own way. But I'd like to see Ben or Devon win. My husband is rooting for Chrissy.

[ForeverAutumn]

So that actually turned out to be a pretty great finale. My heart went out to Ben when he missed that final challenge with the upside down letter, but it all worked out in the end.

I really liked the format for the final tribal where it was an open discussion as opposed to each jury member asking a stupid and boring question. But I hated the format of Jeff giving a recap before each commercial during the show. I was watching, I saw what happened, and I don't need someone to repeat it for me. Just show the finale for two hours uninterupted and then bring Jeff in at the end for the live show. I don't think his commentary added any value. But that's just me.

It wasn't the best season, but it was a very entertaining finale.

[Duncan Glenday]

It actually became a good season on the last few weeks.

So that actually turned out to be a pretty great finale. My heart went out to Ben when he missed that final challenge with the upside down letter, but it all worked out in the end.
...

I was pulling for him from the beginning. And if not him, then the Doc.

[ForeverAutumn]

I was pulling for him from the beginning. And if not him, then the Doc.

I liked Dr. Mike, but Devon was my 2nd choice and that was reaffirmed when he went with his gut and voted for Mike during the final five TC. That was a huge moved and saved his ass. I cheered out loud! Too bad for him that he couldn't build a fire.

[SteveSly]

The season definitely got better towards the end. All of the final 4 had a legit claim to the title IMO. I was happy that Ben won thought as I won my survivor pool. $180 bucks!

[Gruno]

The season definitely got better towards the end. All of the final 4 had a legit claim to the title IMO. I was happy that Ben won thought as I won my survivor pool. $180 bucks!

Awesome!!! Congrats!

I'm happy with the season, overall. The twists at the end -- good or geared toward keeping Ben in? Hmmm...

I'm glad Chrissy lost. Her smugness and gloating were only bested by her shock and disgust each time she got burned at a Tribal vote. Glad she got burned one last time!

I haven't watched the full reunion hour.

Isn't it odd that the final tribal ran so far into the last hour?

Any comments on the town hall meeting style of final tribal?

[Gruno]

I liked Dr. Mike, but Devon was my 2nd choice and that was reaffirmed when he went with his gut and voted for Mike during the final five TC. That was a huge moved and saved his ass. I cheered out loud! Too bad for him that he couldn't build a fire.

I was also fond of Devon and Dr. Mike.

[NeonKnight]

A really good finale, for a forgettable season.

Ben really got saved by the bell with that final twist. Gruno mentioned he was suspicious when Ben found the immunity clue for the idol under the shelter. I did not feel that way at the time, but now, after the new "twist" thrown in at the end, when it looked like Ben had no chance, I am not so sure...and sorry, I feel for Ben the person and his PTSD, but I can't take these emotional appeals to "vote for me for all the other vets" complete with swelling piano chords and violin strings.

Even if it's not phony it feels phony as hell.

I will say a few words for Crissy and Ryan. Crissy really did a great job out there, under pressure. Sure, her bossy personality could grate, yet she won immunities time and again on the brink, after nearly passing out at her first. Plus trying for sixteen years and finally getting on the show at her age was impressive.

Ryan had to be the most unlikely finalist-the epitome of the 98lb weakling who never even went camping before, getting by on mere social skills among the Survivor tigers like Ben and Lauren. At least he got Devon's vote....