Survivor Finale

[stephm0188]

Spoilers below!

[stephm0188]

I'm pretty satisfied with the outcome. Those last couple of tribals were crazy. The jury also seemed more relaxed/unstructured than it did in the past.

[wildrice]

I am happy too! I would have been just as happy with Chrissy winning, though. In the end, I think both of them played good games and earned their place at the end.

I liked the jury discussion. I agree it was more relaxed, and I like that that meant there was more back and forth and that if someone didn't agree with something that was said, they could challenge them on it immediately. I honestly wasn't sure who won after that discussion, which is rare!

[anastasia517]

That was the most blatant production favouritism since Cochran and Boston Rob. The idols are barely hidden and when they are they put one in the spot you always see Ben going to to hang out. They butcher the F4 in a twist that could only benefit one person. I have a feeling it was a more last minute addition because such additions always involve at least one tribal where everybody is immune before the finale. This changes the premise.

A lot of former players are not impressed on Twitter, including several big name winners are and returnees.

[jinkies]

I think either Chrissy or Ben could have been considered a deserving winner. (Sorry Ryan). I didn't like Ben, but he got to the end against all odds, so I can't fault the jury for rewarding him.

I feel bad for Devin, though. I think he would have won a Chrissy-Devin-Ryan final 3, and he got screwed out of the opportunity by a rule changing "twist" that negated the work he'd put into building his alliance. Any other season, those 3 would have been free to vote out Ben at 4.

[claudiajean]

I hated it. The producers clearly wanted a Ben win, so they made it happen.

Generally, I hate the focus on immunity idols in recent seasons. Remember when there were none? Or one per season?

[hermione]

Dec 21, 2017 12:03:38 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

That was the most blatant production favouritism since Cochran and Boston Rob. The idols are barely hidden and when they are they put one in the spot you always see Ben going to to hang out. They butcher the F4 in a twist that could only benefit one person. I have a feeling it was a more last minute addition because such additions always involve at least one tribal where everybody is immune before the finale. This changes the premise.

A lot of former players are not impressed on Twitter, including several big name winners are returnees.

Yes to all of this. Production should have just said, “ Hey, Ben has the best story so we want him to win.” Probst’s comment that this (the fire making challenge) would be used in future seasons did nothing to hide that fact. Ick.

[wildrice]

Dec 21, 2017 12:03:38 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

That was the most blatant production favouritism since Cochran and Boston Rob. The idols are barely hidden and when they are they put one in the spot you always see Ben going to to hang out. They butcher the F4 in a twist that could only benefit one person. I have a feeling it was a more last minute addition because such additions always involve at least one tribal where everybody is immune before the finale. This changes the premise.

A lot of former players are not impressed on Twitter, including several big name winners are returnees.

Yeah, I do agree with you about the twist. I think Ben did a good job and earned his spot in a lot of ways - but in reality, he should not have had a chance at being at the final tribal since he didn't win the last immunity. I felt like both Devin and Chrissy really got screwed by the last twist (and it was in no way an "advantage" for Chrissy - I think it  cost her a million dollars!).

I actually am not sure Devin would have won against Chrissy, but I do think he deserved to be at the end too. He played a good game as well.

I kind of hate it when they play on heartstrings for the final tribal votes. Remember a couple of seasons ago when that guy won because he was crying about his mom dying? I cried too when he was talking about it, and felt horrible for him, but I remember that I didn't think he had played the best game overall. I really wish that the jury would put more weight on game play than on who has the "best story". 

[anastasia517]

Dec 21, 2017 12:27:23 GMT -5 wildrice said:

I kind of hate it when they play on heartstrings for the final tribal votes. Remember a couple of seasons ago when that guy won because he was crying about his mom dying? I cried too when he was talking about it, and felt horrible for him, but I remember that I didn't think he had played the best game overall. I really wish that the jury would put more weight on game play than on who has the "best story". 

I agree with it all, but I have to say yes to this eapecially. Iin 31 it was the “I have a pregnant wife and kids”. That makes 31, 33, and 35 where the winner’s real life becomes a huge part of the final tribal. Lauren didn’t even try to hide it last night, her vote speech said it was because of what Ben could do for veterans.

[miso]

Chrissy was absolutely robbed.

She is easily one of the best players ever. She strategized. She manipulated. And she won so many immunity challenges.

What did Ben do?

Fucking dig.

That's what he did.

[Deleted]

I guess I'm in the minority and was thrilled that Ben won.

I couldn't stomach Chrissy and her disdain for and targeting all of the other women and crowing about how SHE wanted to be the only woman standing. Say you want to be the sole survivor, fine, but I just could not with her and her attitude toward other female players.

For at least one third of the game, Ben had NO ONE. He had only himself to really on. And yes, the idols (which I don't disagree are getting old along with all the secret advantages) certainly helped but I have a feeling some might have been less bitter about the idols if anyone other than Ben had found them. Desi summed up why he won - 4 people, 1-2-3-4, lazing around while he went to work digging and saving his ass.

[miso]

I guess I just don't think digging in the dead of night merits a prize of $1 million.

[dianecourt]

I started out the season not really liking Chrissy, but you have to respect how well she played. But she and her alliance made huge mistake not constantly hanging onto Ben around camp. I know sleep was important, but put them on shifts! Even before Lauren left, that was an error. And that advantage was certainly not a friend in this case. Shouldn't Ryan as a "superfan" become expert at fire-making before getting there?

Even more egregious was the so-called Reunion show, which basically consisted of three clip packages devoted to Ben.

[AvonHo]

I hate that there was no real reunion show! What about Jessica and Cole? Is she still a virgin? Does the jury regret votes for Chrissy after watching her a-hole commentary each week?

I'm good with Ben winning, but agree with anyone who called it engineered. Last season, transgender, this year ptsd.

[mccallister84]

I don’t think the twist was designed to help Ben win, because I think production has some integrity and I also know there are strict regulations for game shows after the quiz show scandals, but I do think it was designed for strong players like him to make it to the final 3. I also don’t think production would have been mad by a Chrissy win.

It frustrates me because no one was told about it in advance so they couldn’t plan for it. And the final 4 vote has always been a back to basics vote - idols and advantages are gone and you either have to win immunity or survive the vote.

I think they went to a final 3 versus a final 2 because they were tired of great players getting cut at 3. Well then they started getting cut st 4. So now they have two chances to win their way in - the immunity challenge and fire making. Such a fundamental change in the game shouldn’t be a surprise to the players.

[marcyiam]

Dec 21, 2017 20:55:31 GMT -5 dianecourt said:

I started out the season not really liking Chrissy, but you have to respect how well she played. But she and her alliance made huge mistake not constantly hanging onto Ben around camp. I know sleep was important, but put them on shifts! Even before Lauren left, that was an error. And that advantage was certainly not a friend in this case. Shouldn't Ryan as a "superfan" become expert at fire-making before getting there?

Yes - after all this time, anyone making it onto this show has no excuse for not knowing how to make a fire.  And if they don't learn, that's on them.

Ben could, Devon (and Ryan), couldn't.

[zitiqueen]

Dec 21, 2017 21:23:17 GMT -5 AvonHo said:

I hate that there was no real reunion show! What about Jessica and Cole? Is she still a virgin? Does the jury regret votes for Chrissy after watching her a-hole commentary each week?

I'm good with Ben winning, but agree with anyone who called it engineered. Last season, transgender, this year ptsd.

And what about the vote with Lauren's advantage where not enough votes were counted and nobody noticed? I wanted to know everybody's reaction to that while they were watching the show!

[abbandkaa]

Producers make have skewed it so that Ben was in the final 3, but ultimately, the jury decides. I thought Chrissy nailed her speech, counting herself as a hero, healer, and hustler, and it might have swayed me to vote for her if I'd been on that jury, despite not wanting her to win. She played a hell of a game, that's for damned sure.

In theory, I did really like the fire making challenge. First of all, every person should be able to build fire from flint before stepping foot onto the island, period. But I also like that a competitor gets an opportunity to fight for his place in something head-to-head.

Ghost Island looks intriguing but we'll see how it goes. I am thrilled there are no returning vets and if I'm writing a wish list, I'd like to see fewer idols, fewer comforts like blankets and such nonsense.

[wildrice]

Dec 21, 2017 22:43:05 GMT -5 marcyiam said:

Dec 21, 2017 20:55:31 GMT -5 dianecourt said:

I started out the season not really liking Chrissy, but you have to respect how well she played. But she and her alliance made huge mistake not constantly hanging onto Ben around camp. I know sleep was important, but put them on shifts! Even before Lauren left, that was an error. And that advantage was certainly not a friend in this case. Shouldn't Ryan as a "superfan" become expert at fire-making before getting there?

Yes - after all this time, anyone making it onto this show has no excuse for not knowing how to make a fire.  And if they don't learn, that's on them.

Ben could, Devon (and Ryan), couldn't.

They actually showed Devon making fire a few times in the other episodes! I remember being impressed that he could do it so easily, because I think so many people DON'T know how when they go on.

I think Devon just choked under pressure. He totally was capable of doing it. 

[marcyiam]

Dec 22, 2017 14:08:50 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Dec 21, 2017 22:43:05 GMT -5 marcyiam said:

Yes - after all this time, anyone making it onto this show has no excuse for not knowing how to make a fire.  And if they don't learn, that's on them.

Ben could, Devon (and Ryan), couldn't.

They actually showed Devon making fire a few times in the other episodes! I remember being impressed that he could do it so easily, because I think so many people DON'T know how when they go on.

I think Devon just choked under pressure. He totally was capable of doing it. 

I agree. He just couldn't do it when it mattered. ;-)

[sporklemotion]

I was rooting for Devon, who was a low key but effective manipulator. His interview after his booting was so awkward.
I do think Chrissy deserved it more, but I don’t care that much about the outcome. I think Ben and Chrissy had strengths and weaknesses— I don’t think it was just good digging skills, but also his ability to keep his damned mouth shut. Usually, people who find idols blab it all over the place (lookin at you, Ryan).
Cole got a 34 on the ACT? I know that test scores don’t fully reflect intelligence, but he seemed really not smart.

[marcyiam]

Dec 22, 2017 17:35:01 GMT -5 sporklemotion said:

I was rooting for Devon, who was a low key but effective manipulator. His interview after his booting was so awkward.
I do think Chrissy deserved it more, but I don’t care that much about the outcome. I think Ben and Chrissy had strengths and weaknesses— I don’t think it was just good digging skills, but also his ability to keep his damned mouth shut. Usually, people who find idols blab it all over the place (lookin at you, Ryan).
Cole got a 34 on the ACT? I know that test scores don’t fully reflect intelligence, but he seemed really not smart.

My friend and I were actually saying he sounded smarter during the final tribal interviews than he did the rest of the show.  Because the rest of the show?  Yeah...  lol

[katfco]

I’m okay with the win. Each player in the final 4 had a legitimate claim for the win and none of them annoyed me too much.

I think the editing was shown to because of the winner, not the other way around. They were all strategic players.

[Jalapeñomel]

Dec 21, 2017 12:03:38 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

That was the most blatant production favouritism since Cochran and Boston Rob. The idols are barely hidden and when they are they put one in the spot you always see Ben going to to hang out. They butcher the F4 in a twist that could only benefit one person. I have a feeling it was a more last minute addition because such additions always involve at least one tribal where everybody is immune before the finale. This changes the premise.

A lot of former players are not impressed on Twitter, including several big name winners are and returnees.

Amen. Once Ben found the idol at the beginning, I just read the spoilers. How disappointing that Survivor was just like “here’s who is going to win, fuck all y’alls.”

[Jalapeñomel]

FUCK THE ONE HUNDRED BILLION IMMUNITY IDOLS AND SECRET ADVANTAGES. One per season is enough, Jesus.

[peachy]

The finale soured the whole season for me.

That twist was bullshit. Ben winning over Chrissy was bullshit.

She won the final immunity challenge and her advantage was...not being able to vote off her main threat to the prize (Ben) as planned.

Also wtf at that Ben montage after he won showing all the moves he made? They have never done that before.

[zoomzoom]

I wish they'd bring back the original Survivor. Now, it's like so many rewards that no one is really going that long without food. In the beginning, they were dropped into a jungle in the dead of night with only what they were wearing. They had to find their camp, find their water, figure out how to build shelter to stay dry, how to make fire WITHOUT flint. Now, it's like, eh...here's your camp, your water, your rice, and one tribe gets flint...until after the first challenge so that tribe has to go without fire for about 12 hours.

I would love to see a Season 1 survivor interviewed with a recent season Survivor.

[claudiajean]

Dec 23, 2017 6:18:31 GMT -5 zoomzoom said:

I wish they'd bring back the original Survivor. Now, it's like so many rewards that no one is really going that long without food. In the beginning, they were dropped into a jungle in the dead of night with only what they were wearing. They had to find their camp, find their water, figure out how to build shelter to stay dry, how to make fire WITHOUT flint. Now, it's like, eh...here's your camp, your water, your rice, and one tribe gets flint...until after the first challenge so that tribe has to go without fire for about 12 hours.

I would love to see a Season 1 survivor interviewed with a recent season Survivor.

I remember season 2, they hadn’t taken care of their food properly and had to make a deal to trade their tarp for a basic amount of rice. It was much harder.