Survivor 30, Episode 10
"BRING THE POPCORN"
Last week I laughed out loud at Rodney's impersonation. This week I'm tearing up at Shirin's story.
The episode starts by kicking off a chain of disasters for Mike. In a meeting with Carolyn, Tyler and Will; Rodney, with passion, suggests that they blindside Mike next. And this conversation is overheard by Mike.
Good line:
"Good thought. Pause it and we'll come back and revisit it." - Lmao. The Audacity of Tyler Fredrickson: A Memoir.
Then we move to #traderjeffs for the auction.
Before finding out that there were food and drink stashed for Will at camp, I thought the show making him pay $100 just to send him back to the camp five seconds into the auction was just mean. People come to the auction for the fun. Ask Max, it's one of his Survivor goals. Although it might have dented the fun for this season's auction, I guess it could be good for future seasons', keeping players on their toes. A lot of other things could also be waiting at the camp: idol, loved ones visiting, extra vote, chance to practice for the next challenge, real food.
(But which is worse? A glass of river water while you'll still be part of the group, observing its dynamic, or get sent back to camp early?)
And before I saw the blowup that was waiting for Merica 10 minutes later, I actually felt sorry for Will and thought it was sweet of him to share the rations.
Well, we'll get back to that.
So, since most of us already knew about the extra vote advantage revealed by Jeff a few days before the episode, this first-time twist is not our biggest surprise. The suspense shifts to finding out its winner, and it's Dan. Maybe it's good for Shirin not to care about the advantage, as it keeps her off the radar for a bit. Not only that, she also helps the whole tribe to get their letters from home with her Survivor knowledge (I wasn't aware of such rule).
That radar is on Mike. But let's talk about letters from home first. If I'm starving or really need an advantage to go further -- which is usually the case for all Survivor players -- I'd choose food and advantage over letters from home anytime. Will would say that I have no soul. And it's easy for me to say that while sitting in front of my PC, sipping my delicious, delicious coffee. But practicality, people. I'm there to win a million dollars while starving. That plate of food could help me to literally stay alive for the next few days. Also, I've been living away from my parents since I was 12 for school and work. Not only can I suck it up for 39 days, I can also imagine what my mother would write, "How are you? What did you eat today? Don't forget to pray."
So, Mike and Dan are practically pushing each other to be the last in line. In the end, Dan gets his letter first, and while he's tearing up telling Jeff about his wedding anniversary, horror music starts playing in the background.
NO.
And Mike turns around.
Good line:
"Wow!" - Jeffrey.
OMG, evil, evil Mike. While you could argue that everybody's going to deceive somebody at some point in the game, why not do it now, it's still awkward. Yes, he retracts, but the retraction is also awkward. But God, as a viewer, I looovve it!
I also love it when Carolyn doesn't take that well and wants to return her letter. I'm positive Jeff didn't allow it, and we probably have missed a pretty good exchange between Carolyn, Jeff and Mike, but no one should mess with Carolyn.
Honourable mention:
Jenn, with tiny umbrellas in her hair, slurping her drink loudly while Carolyn, Mike and Dan, still tense and emotional, picking rocks to win the advantage.
Back at camp after the reward challenge, Mike continues to fall deeper into the rabbit hole, announcing to Merica of Rodney's plan -- worse, when his fellow Mericans were about to read their letters.
Good line:
"Oh my God." - Rodney, shaking his head when he almost stops yelling at Mike. People yelling at other people shouldn't be an entertainment to you, but this one is an exception.
I feel bad for Mike for his two blunders in 10 minutes. His apology tour doesn't seem as effective as Rodney's PR tour, which includes hugging Carolyn and Dan. Not that apologizing isn't a good move, but not doing something that you have to apologize for later is usually way, way better.
Then the saddest part of the episode starts. As in previous episodes, I won't write those kinds of exchanges here. I get Will's frustration, but yelling at someone about their personal life and family like that is wrong and sad. What more can I say other than stating the obvious.
At the immunity challenge, Will asks Jeff if it's possible for him to get the letter from home in exchange for his chance at immunity. Jeff says he would allow it if nobody objects to it. Then in what feels like a slow motion movie scene, Shirin raises her hand. If I knew how to make a GIF, I'd have made one.
Good line:
"Yeah, Mike! No one else gets too excited." - Jenn, holding out her hands at Mike's win, when clearly no one except her and Shirin are cheering for Mike.
Mike has a good record in winning people back. Maybe what he needs is a couple of days for Sierra and Dan to cool down. Or maybe he has never lost them in the first place. Dan realizes that being a swing vote is not a dream position. As much as I want to ignore him, I can agree with that. I love Tyler and Carolyn. But Tyler, especially, is confusing to me. Is he a quiet strategist, or has he missed his opportunity to win the game?
At tribal, among other things, Rodney yells some more. Maybe my brain has gotten confused by all these blowups, but Rodney's yelling is making me lmao every time this episode. I don't know, maybe it's the amount of passion that he puts in, or maybe the way he ends it -- the way he shakes his head and comes to an abrupt stop. LOL.
All that, and the person voted off is... Jenn? In her exit speech, which is moving and concise, she practically hates everyone.
Image: CBS
Last week I laughed out loud at Rodney's impersonation. This week I'm tearing up at Shirin's story.
The episode starts by kicking off a chain of disasters for Mike. In a meeting with Carolyn, Tyler and Will; Rodney, with passion, suggests that they blindside Mike next. And this conversation is overheard by Mike.
Good line:
"Good thought. Pause it and we'll come back and revisit it." - Lmao. The Audacity of Tyler Fredrickson: A Memoir.
Then we move to #traderjeffs for the auction.
Before finding out that there were food and drink stashed for Will at camp, I thought the show making him pay $100 just to send him back to the camp five seconds into the auction was just mean. People come to the auction for the fun. Ask Max, it's one of his Survivor goals. Although it might have dented the fun for this season's auction, I guess it could be good for future seasons', keeping players on their toes. A lot of other things could also be waiting at the camp: idol, loved ones visiting, extra vote, chance to practice for the next challenge, real food.
(But which is worse? A glass of river water while you'll still be part of the group, observing its dynamic, or get sent back to camp early?)
And before I saw the blowup that was waiting for Merica 10 minutes later, I actually felt sorry for Will and thought it was sweet of him to share the rations.
Well, we'll get back to that.
So, since most of us already knew about the extra vote advantage revealed by Jeff a few days before the episode, this first-time twist is not our biggest surprise. The suspense shifts to finding out its winner, and it's Dan. Maybe it's good for Shirin not to care about the advantage, as it keeps her off the radar for a bit. Not only that, she also helps the whole tribe to get their letters from home with her Survivor knowledge (I wasn't aware of such rule).
That radar is on Mike. But let's talk about letters from home first. If I'm starving or really need an advantage to go further -- which is usually the case for all Survivor players -- I'd choose food and advantage over letters from home anytime. Will would say that I have no soul. And it's easy for me to say that while sitting in front of my PC, sipping my delicious, delicious coffee. But practicality, people. I'm there to win a million dollars while starving. That plate of food could help me to literally stay alive for the next few days. Also, I've been living away from my parents since I was 12 for school and work. Not only can I suck it up for 39 days, I can also imagine what my mother would write, "How are you? What did you eat today? Don't forget to pray."
So, Mike and Dan are practically pushing each other to be the last in line. In the end, Dan gets his letter first, and while he's tearing up telling Jeff about his wedding anniversary, horror music starts playing in the background.
NO.
And Mike turns around.
Good line:
"Wow!" - Jeffrey.
OMG, evil, evil Mike. While you could argue that everybody's going to deceive somebody at some point in the game, why not do it now, it's still awkward. Yes, he retracts, but the retraction is also awkward. But God, as a viewer, I looovve it!
I also love it when Carolyn doesn't take that well and wants to return her letter. I'm positive Jeff didn't allow it, and we probably have missed a pretty good exchange between Carolyn, Jeff and Mike, but no one should mess with Carolyn.
Honourable mention:
Jenn, with tiny umbrellas in her hair, slurping her drink loudly while Carolyn, Mike and Dan, still tense and emotional, picking rocks to win the advantage.
Back at camp after the reward challenge, Mike continues to fall deeper into the rabbit hole, announcing to Merica of Rodney's plan -- worse, when his fellow Mericans were about to read their letters.
Good line:
"Oh my God." - Rodney, shaking his head when he almost stops yelling at Mike. People yelling at other people shouldn't be an entertainment to you, but this one is an exception.
I feel bad for Mike for his two blunders in 10 minutes. His apology tour doesn't seem as effective as Rodney's PR tour, which includes hugging Carolyn and Dan. Not that apologizing isn't a good move, but not doing something that you have to apologize for later is usually way, way better.
Then the saddest part of the episode starts. As in previous episodes, I won't write those kinds of exchanges here. I get Will's frustration, but yelling at someone about their personal life and family like that is wrong and sad. What more can I say other than stating the obvious.
At the immunity challenge, Will asks Jeff if it's possible for him to get the letter from home in exchange for his chance at immunity. Jeff says he would allow it if nobody objects to it. Then in what feels like a slow motion movie scene, Shirin raises her hand. If I knew how to make a GIF, I'd have made one.
Good line:
"Yeah, Mike! No one else gets too excited." - Jenn, holding out her hands at Mike's win, when clearly no one except her and Shirin are cheering for Mike.
Mike has a good record in winning people back. Maybe what he needs is a couple of days for Sierra and Dan to cool down. Or maybe he has never lost them in the first place. Dan realizes that being a swing vote is not a dream position. As much as I want to ignore him, I can agree with that. I love Tyler and Carolyn. But Tyler, especially, is confusing to me. Is he a quiet strategist, or has he missed his opportunity to win the game?
At tribal, among other things, Rodney yells some more. Maybe my brain has gotten confused by all these blowups, but Rodney's yelling is making me lmao every time this episode. I don't know, maybe it's the amount of passion that he puts in, or maybe the way he ends it -- the way he shakes his head and comes to an abrupt stop. LOL.
All that, and the person voted off is... Jenn? In her exit speech, which is moving and concise, she practically hates everyone.
Image: CBS
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