Trader wrote:Still not sure where Zippy's comment about there being heaps of disapointments this season comes from..
Just my opinion (but shared by HEAPS on Survivor related boards), there were plenty of things that made it one of my least favourite seasons, despite starting really well.
- Don't like the way R.I. messes with the game in every way. Tribal councils have a lot less weight and drama with the evictee getting a second chance.
- 15 mins of R.I. 'duels' means we see much less strategy and gameplay back at camp
- It also meant few if any reward challenges where one player would be forced into picking people to share a great trip or cultural experience etc (which also brings out a lot of strategy). I think about the best they did was a chocolate cake?
- The 'duels' on R.I. amounted to things like dominos and breaking tiles. So weak!
- R.I. is not even an island FFS!
- The lack of hardship seen in previous series - these guys were given hammers, nails, wood, lots of tools, grooming stuff, deck chairs. They didn't look to be wanting for anything on R.I. for that matter - nice and cosy
- The ongoing Bible stories. Not my cup of tea, sorry.
- I found Matt generally annoying and hated the idea that such a clueless player could be voted out twice and let back in. He had way too much coverage
- Bringing back past players in this way, esp Russel who has played in 3 of the last 4 series. Lazy.
- The vacuous Barbie dolls who had little to contribute other than sucking up to Rob. Some people like that element I guess. In their defence though, Ashley and NAtalie said at the reunion they knew Rob had an idol all along, which changes the complexion of the game a bit and certainly shows some biased editing. But it also shows they had time to plot against and blindside Rob which they didn't even contemplate
- The general lack of gameplay by most contestants and the fawning over Rob. Had any of these players even seen him in action before? They seemed to be in his thrall in a desparate attempt to be taken to the end with him. Who REALLY wanted to win it apart from Rob? Rob's gameplay was truly amazing and it's what I'll remember from this series but c'mon, he was playing against muppets. His best move was getting people like Kristina, Julie and David (people with opinions and strategy) out early.
- The disappointment that for all his entertainment value and time invested in his story, ultimately Phillip fizzled out without a whimper. How good would it have been if he did at tribal what he said he was going to do - tell them his whole shtick was a calculated fabrication? Instead he said ' I owe it all to Rob'
- The final tribal and reunion - just cringeworthy. The other two just handed it to Rob no doubt about it. David's proposal was one of the most uncomfortable bits of TV ever seen.
"A no vote from any club means there is some sort of risk involved in our entry into the competition not working," Steven Trigg.