Survivor Cagayan: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > TV IV > Survivor Cagayan: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty

Smorgasbord: Jun 18, 2004; Our review identified changes needed to be made and, in Stephen, we have a coach who has a reputation for demanding the highest standards.

Anonymous Zebra posted:

Is Boston Rob still the only returning player whose only win was on a season with no other returning players (Russell got removed by his own tribe so early, that he never really came into play)?

Well no it wasn't because as you noted Russell was in his season. Also there has never been a single returning player, always at least 2 if any so there have been no winners with that criteria.

As played out as Russel/Parvati/Sandra/Samoa/HvV chat is I don't think we'll ever beat the awesomeness of Tocantins, Samoa and HvV back to back.

edit: last time Samoa came up I went back and read the thread, was awesome seeing the reactions to Russell's chicanery week after week. Also I called the winner surprisingly early on in the season :smug:

# ? May 14, 2014 10:25

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# ? May 31, 2024 16:42

Bigass Moth: Mar 6, 2004; I joined the #RXT REVOLUTION.

he knows...

Russell was clearly losing his mind towards the end of HVV having essentially been starving on an island for 80 days straight. His social game always lacked but he made a huge error keeping Sandra who was very popular with the other returning players and not recognizing the metagame of off-show connections would hurt him in the finals. On the other hand, he never got to go to any of those alum parties and make friends with all the cool kids, so it's very possible he didn't think anyone would bring that kind of attitude into the game but it makes sense that when up against someone who is popular and who didn't screw other people over that the jury would reward their real life friend. I personally think Parvati played a better game than Sandra or Russell that season, but the jury didn't like her either, so Sandra got the win. She played well and deserved the win, but IMO was the least deserving of the three.

That's the problem with returning players; on a season of all returnees there are outside the game alliances and agreements made before they even step foot on the island. In games with only a few returnees, the new people are shown videos of how cool these past players are which influences the game in their favor. The absolute worst was Fans Vs. Favorites where the returining players had such an insane advantage over the newbies that it wasn't even a game from day 1. I'm willing to bet that Boston Rob's win the new players were only shown his heroic edit from HVV, not his manipulative gameplay from Micronesia and All Stars. Same goes for Tyson, they were shown the greatest hits and not his neurotic egotistical and stupid gameplay from past seasons.

This is the first season in a long time where I truly believe at least some of the people are legitimate Survivor fans, which makes a huge difference. I don't think someone like Kass has ever watched the show since she only seems to understand that Big Moves must be made, but not how to make them or how to keep social connections in your favor; on the other hand Spencer and Tasha have done basically everything right despite being the clear targets for half of the game which leads me to believe both have seen a lot of the show.

# ? May 14, 2014 12:03

Rarity: Oct 21, 2010; ~*4 LIFE*~

Bigass Moth posted:

Same goes for Tyson, they were shown the greatest hits and not his neurotic egotistical and stupid gameplay from past seasons.

Tyson had good moments before BvW? :confused:

Just finished Caramoan, Cochran's win was very satisfying although I did kinda want Eddie to make it to the end so he could go 39 days despite being on the bottom the whole time. Heading into BvW I know Tyson wins it but I have no clue about anything else that happens so hopefully there'll be some excitement.

# ? May 14, 2014 12:14

Joose Caboose: Apr 17, 2013

Rarity posted:

I did kinda want Eddie to make it to the end so he could go 39 days despite being on the bottom the whole time.

Also - dog bar.

# ? May 14, 2014 12:33

Rarity: Oct 21, 2010; ~*4 LIFE*~

Ok this opening twist to BvW is pretty hardcore :stare:

Joose Caboose posted:

Also - dog bar.

It couldn't be a worse use of the money than Fabio's!

# ? May 14, 2014 12:36

The Lord Bude: May 23, 2007; ASK ME ABOUT MY SHITTY, BOUGIE INTERIOR DECORATING ADVICE

I found BvW rather boring compared to Philippines, Caramoan and the current season.

# ? May 14, 2014 13:46

Asiina: Apr 26, 2011; No going back; Grimey Drawer

I really enjoyed BvW a lot because the twist actually put some cross-tribe strategy into pre-merge, which has rarely happened before and never as extensively.

I hope they do the twist again with all new players at some point down the road.

# ? May 14, 2014 13:53

LeJackal: Apr 5, 2011

Asiina posted:

I really enjoyed BvW a lot because the twist actually put some cross-tribe strategy into pre-merge, which has rarely happened before and never as extensively.

I hope they do the twist again with all new players at some point down the road.

It was kind of an interesting twist, but as you allude, completely ruined thanks to having returnees. I really don't like mixing experienced returnees with novice players, it stacks the odds so severely that there doesn't seem to be a point.

# ? May 14, 2014 13:58

GaussianCopula: Jun 5, 2011; Jews fleeing the Holocaust are not in any way comparable to North Africans, who don't flee genocide but want to enjoy the social welfare systems of Northern Europe.

Asiina posted:

I really enjoyed BvW a lot because the twist actually put some cross-tribe strategy into pre-merge, which has rarely happened before and never as extensively.

I hope they do the twist again with all new players at some point down the road.

Cross-Tribe strategy is done a lot after tribal switchups and the most extreme (in terms of actual impact on the game) cross-tribe "strategy" was probably HvV where JT and they boys gave Russel a HII to help him survive against Parvati and the girls.

BvV was probably the only twist where I didn't mind returnees playing with newbs, because of the built in support system of the blood bonds. The fact that it was the season that was decided by a pre-game alliance on the other hand, makes you wish they will not do returnees again.

GaussianCopula fucked around with this message at 14:04 on May 14, 2014

# ? May 14, 2014 14:01

Joose Caboose: Apr 17, 2013

The Exile alliance in Tocantins was also some cool cross-tribe strategy. Even if it didn't necessarily stay together long-term, it still had effect on the post-merge game/relationships.

# ? May 14, 2014 14:05

Truther Vandross: Jun 17, 2008

Poque posted:

I feel like Tony is enjoying the game 150 to 200% more than Russell ever did.

They both enjoyed it immensely. The difference is that Tony is enjoying playing Survivor and Russell was enjoying controlling people.

# ? May 14, 2014 16:08

Rick: Feb 23, 2004; When I was 17, my father was so stupid, I didn't want to be seen with him in public. When I was 24, I was amazed at how much the old man had learned in just 7 years.

BGrifter posted:

Yeah it's one of the great tragedies in Survivor history that Parvati doesn't get the credit she deserves for her HvV game. It was a better game than her winning Micronesia performance and arguably the most impressive game ever played.

The only game even in the ballpark in my mind was Dr Will's ridiculous run in Big Brother All Stars.

Yeah I agree with this. The big injustice is Parvati's loving awesome play wasn't rewarded.

# ? May 14, 2014 17:05

Zesty: Jan 17, 2012; The Great Twist

Rick posted:

Yeah I agree with this. The big injustice is Parvati's loving awesome play wasn't rewarded.

Second place consolation prize money?

I don't see how people don't get it's your job to win the jury over. You don't deserve anything.

# ? May 14, 2014 17:09

Aerox: Jan 8, 2012

Rick posted:

Yeah I agree with this. The big injustice is Parvati's loving awesome play wasn't rewarded.

If you rewatch HvV you can see how the last few tribal councils kind of devolve into this stupid slap-fight between Parv and Russell where they bicker back and forth about *~*~*who is controlling who*~*~* while they continually sabotage each other's games while remaining in a bizarre committed alliance. I think Parv could have won that season if she had booted Russell out right before finals -- he's this weird kind of anti-goat where he's such a hideous human being that even dragging him to the finals to win against him becomes a black mark against you at final tribal.

# ? May 14, 2014 17:10

Propaganda Machine: Jan 2, 2005; Truthiness!

sportsgenius86 posted:

They both enjoyed it immensely. The difference is that Tony is enjoying playing Survivor and Russell was enjoying controlling people.

For anybody who missed the reference, Tony is 150 to 200% stoked to be playing this game.

# ? May 14, 2014 17:19

Joose Caboose: Apr 17, 2013

Propaganda Machine posted:

For anybody who missed the reference, Tony is 150 to 200% stoked to be playing this game.

Thank you. There's no way I was ever going to rewatch Thailand so I would not have ever remembered this quote.

# ? May 14, 2014 17:53

Propaganda Machine: Jan 2, 2005; Truthiness!

Joose Caboose posted:

Thank you. There's no way I was ever going to rewatch Thailand so I would not have ever remembered this quote.

You know, it was pretty bad, but I still think RI and One World were worse.

# ? May 14, 2014 17:55

BGrifter: Mar 16, 2007; Winner of Something Awful PS5 thread's Posting Excellence Award June 2022

Congratulations!

I liked Thailand. Pretty underrated winner mostly cause he turned out to be a puppy-murdering rear end in a top hat after the show. I'd probably put it middle of the pack.

Robb Z was awesome. Vanilla Ice on a beach with a skateboard. Comedy gold.

He also gave us my favourite Survivor related thing ever. MTV's Men vs Women Rumble in the Jungle Survivor Amazon Preview Show starring Robb Z and Shii-Ann!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQ36WsW6O0
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Io91MKjtoZM

Between that and his hilarious mid-challenge choke slam he'll forever be one of my favourites.

# ? May 14, 2014 18:05

blue squares: Sep 28, 2007

So tonight is Spencer's must do moment, right? If he doesn't win immunity, he is going to the jury. I can't see any other possible outcome, even with Tony's insanity. Especially after admitting that he is going to vote for Tony to win.

# ? May 15, 2014 00:15

Robnoxious: Feb 17, 2004

blue squares posted:

So tonight is Spencer's must do moment, right? If he doesn't win immunity, he is going to the jury. I can't see any other possible outcome, even with Tony's insanity. Especially after admitting that he is going to vote for Tony to win.

That's pretty much it.
I'll still watch tonight but it seems there hasn't been a more phoned in foreshadowing result for a long time.

# ? May 15, 2014 00:31