Survivor: What Makes A Winner

Survivor

By Schoonie | Monday, December 21, 2009 | 4:11 pm | 50 Comments

So we’re actually going to do things a little differently this year and start with the reunion, for a couple of reasons. For one, there’s actually more to discuss in the reunion than in the finale itself, and also I’m sure you guys are just itching to throw in your two cents on the outcome. And it turns out that I kind of have a lot to say about this. So…away we go!We begin right after it’s been announced that Natalie is the winner. Even Probst looks disappointed as he tells us to stay tuned for the reunion. Russell pulled two votes to Natalie’s seven, which is a pretty definitive win. If you need further evidence that Russell may have misplayed his social hand a little, you can see in the background (while Probst is literally saying the word “Russell” over and over again with a lack of irony bordering on hilarity), you’ll notice that no one is exactly greeting him with open arms.

Coming back from the break we get a montage of Natalie going to town on the challenges, and it is easy to forget what a badass she was, swinging from that platform and dragging puzzle pieces out of the water and whatnot.

Anyway, back from commercial it’s impossible not to notice that Russell honestly, literally looks as if he wants to cry, probably more than anyone ever on this show. I kind of feel…bad? For him? I mean, I don’t want his bullshit from this season vindicated, necessarily, and I don’t really think he deserved it any more than Natalie (which we’ll get to in a minute), but he’s clearly pretty floored.

Natalie thanks the jury. Probst points out that she had a hard time deciding whether to even join the cast or not; she missed her plane to go to casting, had to quit her job, all of it. She talks about how she did indeed sacrifice a lot, but obviously it paid off. Probst asks Natalie what “key move” she made to cement her victory, and she wisely points at Erik’s boot, and props to her for saying that because she did that pretty much singlehandedly. Probst then asks what her relationship with Russell was, and she says that they were a team, doing the same things and making the same moves. “I was doing the same thing, but it was a little more subtle. I played a better social game, and that was the difference.”

Russell interrupts Natalie’s time in the sun here like a dick, saying that her key move in the game was aligning with him. God forbid we take a break from The Russell Show to celebrate what was actually the very good gameplay of the WINNER. Jesus.

Natalie clearly wants to cut a bitch.

Russell also says that he disagrees with the fact that he played a bad social game, because he had Jaison, Mick, Natalie and Shambo eating out of his hand. “That seems like a pretty damn good social game to me,” he says indignantly. Russell is missing the point: creating a solid alliance is one PART of the social game. Making the people you beat feel respected enough to vote for you is also a major part of the social game, and he completely shit the bed there because he was too busy trying to look like a badass on television. And you know what that gets you? SECOND PLACE.

Probst points out here that Russ looks visibly upset. “I am upset, I think I played the best game out here, and the best strategic game in history,” he says, pausing so the audience can cheer. Dave Ball is behind him giving the ‘cut’ sign, and I can’t say I don’t agree with Dave. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: Russell did not even come close to playing the best strategic game in history; he found idols. Yes, he made a good move here and there, but the “Russell is a master strategist” message is one that has largely been generated by this show to keep this season from completely sucking (since he was the only compelling character), and to keep the producers from looking stupid when he took advantage of their apathy to uncover some idols. I’m not saying his gameplay was bad; it was quite good at certain points. But the statement that he’s the best ever? Not even close to true. He’s not even the best player to never win.

The actual best player never to win: Rob C from Amazon.

Just to prove my point, here are a few people who are better than Russell: Boston Rob from All Stars. Rob C from the Amazon season (the best player to never win, in my opinion). JT from last season. Parvati in the Fans vs. Favorites Season. And no, I’m not kidding about that last one.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: Russell is Jonny Fairplay with less hair. Russell made many of the same moves Fairplay did. Fairplay lies about his grandma, Russ lies about Hurricane Katrina. Fairplay makes alliances with everyone and overthrows the majority, Russell makes alliances with everyone and overthrows the majority. Jonny Fairplay plays a good (but not great) game and loses in the final three. Russell plays a good (but not great) game and loses in the final three. But here’s the most important similarity: Jonny Fairplay acts like a jackass for camera time, and it ends up costing him the game. And, guess what? Russell acts like a jackass for camera time, and it ends up costing him the game. There is absolutely, positively no difference between the two of them. And yet, you probably hate one and love the other. Just saying.

Probst asks Russell if he brought the wrong people to the final, and then he wants to do one of those stupid fake votes he always does with Russ in a hypothetical final three with Shambo and Jaison. This is dumb, because everyone’s already seen the show, which alters their perceptions enough that this is irrelevant. But Probst seems vindicated when Russell wins the stupid fake vote.

“Congratulations, you win a fake vote! Enjoy your fake million.”

“I have a question for Natalie,” Russell says, zooming right past this. It turns out he wants to purchase the “title of Sole Survivor” from her for ten thousand dollars if Jeff will call him the Sole Survivor and puts it on paper. I found this extremely distasteful, by the way. Natalie beat you fair and square, dick. Give her the time in the spotlight that she’s earned.

“Are you asking her to admit that you’re the better player?” Probst asks. “No, I want her to tell you to tell me that I’m the Sole Survivor!” he says, and people laugh. OMG, isn’t being a sore loser hilarious?

Probst goes to Erik here, strangely, asking him whether Natalie’s win means that she’s actually the best player. Erik wins points from me by declaring that allowing the blustering jackass to take all the bullets for you is a perfectly legitimate strategy, and he gets an applause as loud as Russell’s been getting. It seems like the audience might be fairly divided on this issue.

Probst then asks Jaison to make a statement about social politics, for some reason. Why? Anyway, Jaison says the game is a lot like the workplace, where people are trying to get a team win while attaining individual distinction at the same time. “I find it interesting that people seem to be valuing Russell’s negative contributions over someone like Natalie who is trying to be more positive.” Jaison gets loud applause here, too. I happen to think he’s full of shit, because it’s a stupid comparison to make: Work is real life, and Survivor is a game. If I beat your ass at Monopoly by bankrupting you, that doesn’t mean I’m going to try and steal your money in real life, and it certainly doesn’t make me a hypocrite for congratulating people for making bold moves and trying to win at GAMES. Shut it, Jaison.

Just because you’re smart doesn’t mean that everything you say is smart.

Jaison mentions the sock burning from the first episode and how it was unnecessary (which it was, and if I were Jaison I would certainly be holding a grudge too). Russell is all “Jaison is still upset about the socks, quit being a baby!” and then he pulls a new pair of socks out of his pocket and tosses them into the fire on live television. Was that really necessary? It’s a pretty douchey move, it’s mean spirited, and it’s all for show so that Russell look like a badass. It’s a shocker that these people wouldn’t vote for him, don’t you think? His game was so perfect, except for the fact that he tries to be intentionally mean so that he can get attention. It’s just not necessary, it’s needlessly dickish, it’s this kind of asshole thing that cost him the game, and it’s exactly why he doesn’t deserve to win.

Best response ever is: “Yeah, burn your million dollars. Oh, wait, YOU LOST!”

After the break, it’s time to talk to Shambo, unfortunately. Sham says she’s getting a positive reaction from everyone, apparently. Who are these people giving her a positive reaction, The Thundercats? “This game just gives me a venue to lambast (!) positive energy and touch kid’s lives,” Shambo says. If anyone can explain to me what that means, I will pay you cash money.

Probsts asks her about her hair, and they show a pretty great picture from 1986. Shambo is hilariously horrified at the picture, despite the fact that she has changed absolutely nothing about her look since then. She tells them the photo is from 1986, but the mullet actually started in 1984. That mullet is positively Orwellian, y’all. Big Brother is watching from beneath those flowing locks.

Wait, which one is from 1986?

The subject of Laura comes up. Shambo tells P that they’re both strong women that “rule the roost” at home, so when they saw each other they just kind of did the “BWAWK!” and walked away from each other. And yes, she makes that noise.

Laura says that she doesn’t recall the whole “BWAWK!” part, but that Shambo was probably threatened when Laura was viewed as strongest woman on the tribe, a title that Shambo thought she deserved. Jeff asks whether asks what the status of their relationship is today, and it’s pretty apparent that they’re not super friendly, but have resolved their differences.

Jeff moves on to Brett, telling him that “a carnival game thought up in a field somewhere cost him a million dollars”. I’m sure the producers are ecstatic about their challenges being called “carnival games”, incidentally. Brett says that it hurts, duh. He’s boring.

Probst then holds ANOTHER fake vote with Brett in the final three, and it’s pretty clear that he would have won. “When you saw that challenge replayed, did you relive it?” he asks. What kind of question is that? “It’s tough to have your fate determined by a figurine falling over,” Brett says. This would be valid, except for the part where Brett’s terrible strategy painted him into a corner in the first place, and therefore the statue was just the final straw in a haystack of idiocy, but whatever.

Seriously, no idea who this guy is.

Hey, let’s relive Nice Russell’s near death experience, shall we? Delightful! He tells Probst that he was pretty mad at him for removing him from the game, and he had no idea just how bad he was until he watched the episode a few weeks ago. There’s also a cute little story about how he argued with his wife about whether or not he is still currently living.

Back from the break, Probst asks Natalie whether she’s going to take Russell’s offer of ten grand. She declines it, and good for her: she won. That’s it. Eat it, Bitter McGee. He then ups it to 100 grand, and she still says no. Because we’ve now reached the part of the show that’s actually been allocated to Russell (as opposed to the other parts of the show featuring Russell, where he simply hijacked the spotlight rudely), Probst gets to ask his pre-written questions. What do people on the street think about Russell? He says people hated him at first, but now they love him. Then Probst asks what children think, for some reason. Who gives a shit what kids think about Russell? Of all the questions you could ask him, this is what you choose?

I asked some babies what they thought of Russell, and they were all “He’s alright, mostly because all his teeth haven’t come in yet, either.”

Probst admits that production was surprised that he managed to find idols without any clues, and Russell tells Probst the same thing he’s been saying, which is that he knew that the idols had to be near landmarks. He also admits that it took him a really long time (like, days) to find them all. “Did we create a monster? You’re really into this game, aren’t you?” Probst says. “Yes, I take it very seriously, and I thought I’d win because everyone else did too, but apparently that’s not the case,” he says indignantly. There is no possible way the jury could legitimately think Natalie actually deserved to win, right? Yes, Russell, the only way that these people can “respect the game” is to admit your awesomeness and award you money. Convenient. Fuck you in the pants, dude. Jesus, I can’t believe I have to watch this shit again next season.

Probst points out that Russell has two little girls and a wife, and yet he talked a lot about his “dumb ass girl alliance”, which a lot of women thought was disrespectful. “Do you regret saying that, Russell?” Probst asks.

Russell’s response is the most telling thing he’s done all season: “I have no regrets for how I played the game,” he says. Here’s the thing: Russell called Natalie a “dumb ass girl” in a confessional, an aspect of the show that has literally nothing to do with gameplay and everything to do with angling for camera time. That comment is not a part of Russell’s gameplay, it’s something Russell did to earn some attention, because Russell is 49% strategist, and 51% camera whore. In short, Natalie spent her time thinking about how to win the money, while Russell spent his time thinking about how to get on camera. This is why he will never, ever be the best player in the history of the show: he’s too busy trying to LOOK like the best player, which is entirely different from actually BEING a good player.

It doesn’t make Russell The Best Player Ever to call someone a dumbass or burn their shit, and these people are not babies for refusing to reward that kind of behavior. Like I’ve said a million times, if he had just shut the hell up and played the game, I’d like him a lot more, the audience would like him a lot more, and most importantly, he’d probably be a millionaire. But time and time again, Russell has chosen to LOOK like a badass instead of actually BEING a badass.

The truly sad thing? Is that he can’t make the distinction. Doing mean shit for no reason other than to look cool is not “taking the game seriously”, as he seems to think. It’s being a dickhole. There’s a difference.

Maybe next time don’t be such a dick. It’s not that hard.

The whole “dumb ass girls” thing is just one instance of Russell choosing attention over resourcefulness. Burning the socks (both times)? Paying Natalie to give up the title? The countless other mean spirited things he said to production only that have no real purpose in the game itself, and exist only to make him look awesome while belittling others? These things are designed to earn Russell attention. The fact that he thinks it’s “gameplay” is ridiculous, and that’s the shit that cost him the win. None of it makes him a good player, it makes him kind of sad, and he got what he deserved when all that stuff came back and bit him in the ass.

Okay, I’m done.

“Well, it looks like one of those “dumb ass girls” beat your ass,” Probst says to very correct whoops and hollers. Good for Natalie for getting in on that action too, because he’s been rude to her this whole time.

Word, Probst. Man, it’s weird to say that.

At this point Probst goes out into the audience to introduce us to Russell’s wife. She looks exactly like what you would expect: pretty, simple, probably a lot of fun, but dressed like new money. She tells Jeff that Russell is actually very charming, and calls him a “great guy and father”. Russell does look legitimately sad here that he couldn’t bring the win home for her. To qualify, I’m sure he is a great guy when he’s not on television. However, I’ve only ever seen him on television, so: asshole.

By the way, my theory is that Russell would not have won, no matter who he took with him. Jaison wins if he goes (he’s too good at speaking), Natalie wins if she goes (for obvious reasons), Mick probably wins if it’s Russell-Mick-Shambo, for the same reason that Natalie just won. You can’t have your douchebag flavored cake and eat it too. Plenty of people have dominated the game, didn’t have the best reputation, and won at the end, because they only did sneaky things in order to advance themselves, not to look tricky for America. JT, for instance. He did literally ALL the same shit Russell did, but he was a better player because he made it look like did it because he had to and not because he wanted to. Parvati, who blindsided literally everyone and still managed to win. I could keep going.

Anyway, at the break, there is a bongo player who is just WAY too into it.

Bongo Guy for the viewer prize.

After the break, I guess we have to talk to Ben, who is still flashing the stupid outlaw tattoo like the poseur he is. Probst asks if he made up with Yasmin. The correct answer is: no one cares.

Yay, racism!

Now it’s time for the viewer awarded prize, which should be abolished forever. The top three turn out to be Russell, Shambo and Brett, mostly because America never got the chance to meet anyone else. The money ends up going to Russell. Again, if anyone in America had any idea who the rest of these people on stage were, this could be seen as legitimate. “Hey America! Who’s your favorite character on The Russell Show? Why, it’s Russell? Shocking!”

And now it’s time to talk briefly with some of the also-rans. Mike B who passed out in the second episode makes fun of Russell for crying on camera, heh. Ashley watches Survivor with her dad. Monica says she had fun. Yasmin says she’s forgiven Ben and they hug, forever united by the power of racism. Probst tells us that people apparently really liked Betsy, who says that Jeff “makes her sweat”. Information I did not need to know, but Jeff gets a nice little comic moment here.

.
Up next: a preview of Survivor 20! We get a montage of some great Survivor moments. Sue Hawk’s snakes and rats speech. Mike from Australia falling into the fire and getting burnt, which makes that whole “Russell Swan passing out” episode look pretty tame by comparison. Jonny Fairplay lying about his grandma. Coach slaying non-existent dragons. Erik with the floppy hair giving his immunity away to Natalie on the Fans versus Favorites season, then promptly getting voted out. Russell playing the one immunity idol he used effectively.

So, the worst kept secret ever is officially revealed: next season is going to be an All-Star edition, pitting Survivor Heroes versus Survivor Villains. Here’s what’s going to happen:

1)Yes, Russell will very likely be on it.

2)The news stories tell us that Season 20 was filmed back to back with Season 19 for budgetary reasons (revealed because a natural disaster hit Samoa), which therefore means that the other castaways will have no knowledge about him whatsoever, which is a huge advantage, if you think about it. During the first All Star season, everyone had at least seen a few episodes of Rupert before they all left.

3)This means that Russell will probably do well, given that he will be both familiar with the terrain and unknown to the others, which means no prejudices, which means that they are more likely to trust him. He will also very likely continue to be a dick. He’ll probably pull all the exact same shit, including finding the idols, thereby making next season boring to watch, because we’ve all already seen it once.

4)Therefore, if life is just, he will make the final three and then be promptly served a tasty Second Place Sandwich, just like he was this season. Except it will not be as satisfying as it should, because:

5)Stupid CBS will give away ANOTHER viewer million, thereby enraging me and completing Russell’s transformation into Alternate Dimension Rupert.

Seriously, watch it happen, people. If he’s not voted out in the first episode, I’m rooting for him to get to the end just to watch him pull an Amanda.

And with that, what I believe to be the single worst season of Survivor ever draws to a close. Congratulations, Thailand Season: you’re the real winner here. See everyone in February!

Comments (50)
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About Schoonie

Like most people in America, Schoonie watches entirely too much reality television. Unlike most people, Schoonie gets to share his opinions with the world, which is pretty rad. Currently living in Chicago, Schoonie's been with Tvgasm since 2006. He spends his free time writing Survivor fan fiction (Letters to Penthouse, all featuring Rupert!) , playing with his cover band, and playing with his other cover band. Also, this one time, Lisi fell.

50 Comments

1

zerocool

Posted December 21, 2009 at 4:31 pm

Schoonie, you need to give credit where credit is due to both Shambo and Russell. He may not be the best player in history, but he changed the game and you can’t deny him his props. He thought out-of-the-box and that’s why the viewers awarded him the consolation prize. And at least Russell and Shambo were playing with some very good strategy. The rest, nothing.

However, I do think if Shambo and Russell weren’t there this season, Erik and John would’ve been able to shine more. I think they would’ve made it something to watch.

And Shambo’s earrings totally clashed with her look.
2

schoonie

Posted December 21, 2009 at 4:34 pm

I definitely haven’t denied Russell his “props”. The words “Russell played a very good game” are in the recap several times. Unfortunately, that’s the best thing I can say about the guy. He certainly hasn’t “changed the game” in any way that I can think of. In fact, he played it very similarly to some others in the past. And no,finding an idol with no clues is not “changing the game”. That’s finding an idol, which several people have previously done.
3

cattyfan

Posted December 21, 2009 at 5:28 pm

I said it over on the news side, and I’ll say it again: It was gratifying to me that Russell wasn’t rewarded for his lying and machinations. It’s been proven by other winning players that you can play the game without resorting to what Russell pulled. I think the easily found idols were the only reason Russell polaced second. Without them he would have been long gone…but by finding them (strewn in his path for easy location,) the other players were annoyed. Not jealous. More like irritated by the producer manipulation. they may not have handed the idols to Russell, but TPTB continually putting idols in easy locations I think ultimately hurt his game.

I wish when Jeff asked Mick why the audience liked Russell but the players didn’t, Mick would have pointed out that the audience sees an edited version…but the players had to live with Russell and his Ego, and there’s a lot we, the audience, never see.

Natalie, however, needs to thank Erik. Without his speech, she wouldn’t have won. But she played a good game, and deserved the win.

As for Heroes and Villains…imagine a possible season with Coach, Little Russell, and Johnny Fairplay on the same team…and then stock up on plenty of alcohol.
4

cattyfan

Posted December 21, 2009 at 5:32 pm

One more thing: I think Russell throwing fresh socks on the fire for the reunion was also producer “inspired.” How else would he have been sure there would be fire so conveniently located.
5

cattyfan

Posted December 21, 2009 at 5:41 pm

okay…I wasn’t really done.

The flashbacks of past seasons made me think of “JEEPERS!” No one this season gave us anything as memorable.
6

slutty_whore

Posted December 21, 2009 at 6:42 pm

Every Survivor jury is bitter, but no Survivor jury has had someone so idiotic, delusional, and egotistical to vote against. Russell played a great game to get to the finals, but not to win. I don’t blame them for voting against Russell because he made the biggest mistake on Thursday: not taking Shambo and Jaison over Natalie and Mick. Had he played a better social game and not spent every waking hour searching for an idol, Russell would have realized how disliked by Galu that Shambo actually was and how few votes she really would have gotten (as evidenced in the reunion what-if questions). For someone who loves the game so much and claims to venerate it, Russell should have realized that the only way to win in front of a bitter jury is to take the person/people more hated than you and that would have been Shambo in his case! Russell put himself in a position to lose and did nothing during the Q&A to help himself. Maybe Erik did give Nat an assist, but that was a refreshing twist.

And, now, Russ is bitter, begging Nat for her title of Sole Survivor and crying that he got gagged. I smiled a lot while he was whining and begging and Nat, in her way, said “fuck you, Russ!”
7

realitee

Posted December 21, 2009 at 6:46 pm

Ugh Laura – she just bugged me the entire season – pompous ass. Her “cool grandma” crap is such bs. If you want to play the mama figure…fine, but she’s just another middle aged chick trying to be accepted by the in crowd. Being part of some mean girls club does not a cool grandma make – it only goes to prove what a coward she is by not standing up for the odd man (or woman) out. A true tough grandma would have told those girls to knock it off – especially if Shambo is as odd/mentally deficient as we are led to believe.

I’m no Shambo fan…she comes off as obnoxious and overbearing and I get why people would tend to distance themselves from her – but to claim mature strength at the same time you are literally pointing and laughing at someone on your own team is just shameful.

Laura’s response to Shambo’s answer about their strained relationship is Laura in an nutshell and proves she is as much a bitch in real life. Instead of just nodding in agreement – that they just didn’t get along – she had to try and take yet another jab at Shambo by laughing under her breath and saying something as stupid as “well…I don’t remember anyone squawking”. Oh duh you stupid beyotch. What a dick move, thanks grandma! and the equaly as lovely, “I just think Shambo was threatened by my strength” It really shows what a delusional moron this one is.

Oh and congrats Natalie.

I’m glad this season is over. Can’t say I’m a big fan of all-star seasons, but I’ll be there with bells on.
8

slutty_whore

Posted December 21, 2009 at 6:50 pm

realitee…. How Fans v. Favorites turned out was probably THE BEST SERIES OF TRIBALS ever in Survivor history.

schoonie…. IMHO, Cirie was the best strategist during both of her seasons to not win.
9

soapboxx

Posted December 21, 2009 at 7:15 pm

One of Natalie’s best moves was to be so nice to Brett the last few days. All of Galu liked Brett and having him go into the Ponderosa saying nice things about Natalie probably helped her in getting votes. Mick’s opening speech was one of the lamest ever. I wouldn’t have awarded him a wet dollar after that pathetic monologue. And can anyone explain what Brett was saying/getting at in his bro-date comment to Mick?
Thanks for the season recaps Schoonie, I agree this season sucked!
Oh yeah what was up with Russell’s reunion outfit??? I didn’t know the Gap had a troll section! If he was sitting under a bridge in that outfit you know you’d have to flip him a quarter.
10

mere2142

Posted December 21, 2009 at 7:44 pm

You can’t have your douchebag flavored cake and eat it too.

LMAO.

Thanks for sticking with this mess of a season Shoonie. You made it much more enjoyable.

I was rooting for Russell to win for a while there but he totally turned me off with his reunion show antics!!
11

sab85

Posted December 21, 2009 at 8:18 pm

I agree with almost everything said about Russell- Dude played a fine game to get himself to the end but he seemed to forget about the second half of the equation which is you then have to convince those that you voted off to hand you $1 million. He was too busy congratulating himself and giving 938 confessionals about his own awesomeness to have that happen.

Also, I think it is easy for us as viewers who only have to see Russell for only one hour a week to really appreciate what good moves he did make (and he did make some good moves) and write off how annoying him must be to be around 24/7. Those that had to live with him for nearly two months probably saw it differently. (I think this is where Jaison was trying to go with his comments, i.e. the “Russell” may be an entertaining character on a TV show but when you have to constantly put up with them they go from entertaining to asshole quickly, it just didn’t quite get there all the way.)

I about laughed my head off that Brett was in the top three for fan favorite. Who ever voted for he is a genius. Take that producers and your crappy editing- the invisible man almost won!
12

ThisShowRocks!

Posted December 21, 2009 at 9:32 pm

A little annoyed and angry there, Schoonie? haha
I hear ya on Russell, though.

In case anyone is wondering, I saw this list online.
I’m not sure where this person got it, but nonetheless…

This is the cast for the next season of Survivor:

Jerri–Australia/allstars
Colby–Australia/allstars
Boston Rob-Marques/allstars
Rupert-Pearl Isles/allstars
Sandra-Pearl Isles/allstars
Stephenie-Paulu/Guatamala
Tom Westman-Paulu
Cirie-Panama/FvsF
Danielle-Panama
Candice-Cook Isles
Parvati-Cook Isles
Amanda-China/FvsF
Courtney Yates-China
James-China/FvsF
Randy-Gabon
Sugar-Gabon
Coach-Tocantins
Tyson-Tocantins
JT-Tocantins
Russell H.-Samoa

I guess we shall see.
13

Memememe

Posted December 21, 2009 at 9:53 pm

Soapboxx, I want to know the same thing! I think Brett was coming on to Mick. It was like a Dating Game question. If we went for a date, where would we go….? geesh that was uncomfortable. And Probst said NOTHING. Mick barely got a word in edgewise during The Russell Show.

ThisShowRocks, that lineup sounds absolutely dreadful. Coach and Randy and Russell and Jerri. Good Lord.

And did you people SEE the CBS morning show where Natalie got her check? My goodness. Russell stayed up all night on his “she stole my title” bender and was still at it on live TV this morning. He actually sat right there next to her and told the interviewer she didn’t deserve the win. They gave her the big fake posterboard check, then the interviewer said, ‘oh give her the actual million dollars for real. let’s make this tougher on Russell.’ What a complete and total asshole. Talk about egocentric. No more Meme fandom for youuuuuu, Russell.
14

Phlip

Posted December 21, 2009 at 11:00 pm

I don’t know if anyone else visits the Reality TV forums at Survivor.com but the people there are LIVID with Russell not winning. They’re all over him being the “greatest player ever in the history of Survivor” and calling Natalie all these names and saying she had no game, period. It’s kind of frustrating, honestly.

But anyway, Schoonie: wonderful recaps, terrible season. Thank you for making the most of it and calling Russell on his bull. Not especially looking forward to next season (if it has the contestants as rumored) because:

1. Half of them have already reappeared on Survivor, and I don’t think it’ll be too exciting to watch them a THIRD time.

2. The half that hasn’t reappeared on Survivor consists primarily of strong characters instead of strong players, and they will probably annoy the crap out of me, albeit probably entertain me at the same time.

3. Coach, if the producers humor him, will be on the “heroes” tribe, and he will continue to be an elitist pig and boss around all the good guys.

But whatever. I’ll still watch anyway, and look forward to your fantastic recaps. Have a great holiday break!
15

itchy

Posted December 22, 2009 at 12:31 am

Well, I for one feel completely vindicated for my obsessional insistence that Russell is a douchebag.

Not because he didn’t win. Because it’s one thing to be a douchebag during the season if that’s your strategy. It’s another thing to keep it up months later during the reunion (and apparently even after).

Face it, Russell fans, you backed an ass.

Amen, Schoonie, for your comments on his ‘strategy’.

The fact is, it’s now obvious that Russell never had a chance of winning and that in fact the others were carrying HIM to the final knowing that he couldn’t win. Every one of Russell’s ‘big bold moves’ were in fact coordinated with and/or directed by the others in his alliance. The editors didn’t show us this part of the season–which is what I’ve been complaining about.

Nathalie (and Mick) rightfully recognized that they could use him as a battering ram to get to the end. THAT, people, is true strategy.

Now, as for the “it’s a GAME, people” justification for Russell’s actions: I call bullshit.

We all make a choice of how to play a game. Every single game. Doesn’t matter if it’s for a million dollars or for that distinct pleasure of beating your snotnose 10-year-old nephew. Supporting Russell’s choice of gameplay just smacks of the purest hypocrisy — YOU wouldn’t want to be with someone like that. You would never play a game with him. You would despise him and ostracize him. Why embrace him because he’s on TV?

Anyway, the producers threw Russell a bone with the viewer’s vote. It’s a shame he’ll be on the all-stars, but as Schoonie points out, he’ll be a minnow among sharks. Assuming he maintains the same style of play, he shouldn’t last too long.

I hate the Heroes vs Villains concept, but they’re already hinting that that’s going to break down pretty quickly.

My biggest complaint is that they didn’t give enough face time to Kelly and Monica, both of whom were stunning.

No need to recap the final challenges. Boring and lame. Especially that last immunity challenge.
16

briar

Posted December 22, 2009 at 2:26 am

What itchy said.
17

LisaMay

Posted December 22, 2009 at 7:16 am

check out Jeff Probst’s finale/reunion blog on ew.com. He says the second runner up for viewer choice $100,000 reward was Shambo with 10%.
Oh, and if it’s any consolation, the taxes in Arkansas are horrible so Natalie will only get about $600,000 after taxes.
18

v_cap_1

Posted December 22, 2009 at 8:01 am

Let me first start off by saying that Ratalie’s strategy was a legit one. Align yourself with a power player and let him make all of the bold moves and then come in and reap the rewards. Having said that, I still think that russell should have won. he was absolutly right in the fact that nobody out wittted him or out played him. He sis however make two very big mistakes. The first one was a season long mistake. HE TALKED TOO DAMN MUCH! if he would have just kept his mouth shut and still kept up with empting canteens and burning socks, etc. he would have had a much better shot at winning. His strategy was legit also and very effective. But his constant need to tell others (even those in his alliance) what a bad ass he was, was his downfall. His second mistake was taking natalie to the finals. He was thinking how could they give this coattail riding girl a million bucks? Easy she was nice, cute as button and never pissed anyone off. Take mick and shambo to the finals and he wins for the reasons mentioned above. By the Way, it was mentioned that Russell only got two votes…EW’s recap yesterday said that Russell got the other two unseen votes, making it 5 to 4…another reason that he took the wrong person to the finals!

I will admit that I was a russell supporter, but I did recognizes his faluts very early on. Someone above mentioned JT and it got me to thinking that he was just as dominating and controling of his season as russell was. but he did it with tact and without all of the bluster that is russell.

Maybe I am a sucker for this show but I am very excited about the Heros vs. villians season. I read all of the above comments and most of you said that even thosgh you think the season will suck you will still be watching. Why? if it sucks so bad why do you keep watching?

I think that even with the 3 time returners it will be great to see some of these personalities clash. Boston ROB, Coach, Russell, Jeri, Rupurt, Tyson, etc…all strong personalities, each bringing something different to the game, I think it will be great!

As usual I did enjoy the recaps and look forward to what is to come.
19

southern_essence

Posted December 22, 2009 at 8:08 am

Looks to me…if Russell is in Season 20 and they have finished filming, he obviously didn’t win there either. Otherwise, he would not have been such a whiny crybaby wanting to BUY the title of Sole Survivor.

I also think he must not have lasted long on Season 20 because he looked pretty healthy and rotund at the season 19 reunion.
20

zerocool

Posted December 22, 2009 at 8:23 am

Where’s Mr. Dangerous when you need him?

All I’m saying is that I am personally thankful for Russell and Shambo this season because they made it interesting. And he did change the game regarding the hidden idols. Yes he was a jerk, but that is a legitimate strategy. Natalie’s strategy is also legitimate. The jury just voted for who they liked, but both have a case for winning.
21

cattyfan

Posted December 22, 2009 at 9:03 am

I’m with itchy…just because it’s a “game” doesn’t mean you abandon ethics, morality, and integrity. And since what you’re playing for is REAL money (and affecting real lives,) your real values should definitely be a factor.

Poker is also a game. Do you think the casinos will let you keep playing if they discover you cheat, and you steal other people’s cards? That is, in essence, what Russell did by taking other people’s property and dumping out the water.

And, by the way…I wouldn’t cheat at Monopoly, either. If you have to cheat and lie to win, where is the victory?

Russell did not deserve to win, and I hope he was voted out first in the Heroes/Villains group.

But if that’s what they chose for a cast, the producers are idiots. They had far more compelling players who could have been selected. Do we really need to see some of these people for a THIRD time?
22

reality

Posted December 22, 2009 at 9:05 am

I think you did a great job with the recap. Natalie was a boring winner but I think just as entitled as Russell. He’s just more interesting to watch. I do think finding idols when no clues were indicating as such was awesome to watch.

My kids, ages 6 and 8, watch this with me and we HATED Russell in the beginning. Dumping water in that environment was horrible. But oddly enough, we were cheering hinm on at the end for his continued success. So, I think Jeff’s question was based on this, not a 2-year-old’s reaction. Just a natural, some kids know right from wrong but started liking you, point-of-view.
23

itchy

Posted December 22, 2009 at 9:07 am

Well, like I said, I HATED the fact that they made this season all about Russell. We have NO idea if any of the other people were interesting, simply because they never showed this to us.

So I take exception with the idea that Russell made the show. I’d say it’s more the case of the show making Russell.

Look. He did NOT outwit anyone. They ALL were wise to his game. And probably from the very start. That’s the point I’ve been trying to make : THEY outwitted HIM. By allowing him to believe that he was controlling the game and had any chance in hell of winning.

In that light, he’s one of the great Survivor buffoons, in the line of Coach. Nowhere near the strategists that JT and Stephen, Parvati, et all were.

Really, in retrospect, it’s like watching Wile E Coyote walk off a cliff — he only falls when he finally realizes that he’s walking on air.
24

itchy

Posted December 22, 2009 at 9:09 am

Oh yeah, I’ll be watching next season because it’s still the greatest show on tv, and one of the greatest shows of all time. Even with a sucky season like this one, it still kicks ass over all others.
25

zerocool

Posted December 22, 2009 at 9:48 am

Okay, when he convinced Shambo to join the Foa Foa side, they outwitted him? When he used the second idol to save himself, they outwitted him? When he talked John into voting Laura off, they outwitted him?

C’mon itchy, that’s ridiculous.
26

myfavoritesunglasses

Posted December 22, 2009 at 10:10 am

Southern_essence, I totally agree with you. It made me so happy to see Russell’s shirt busting at the seams, because it made me think he must have gotten an early boot the next time around. We can hope

Also, Schoonie, I might just forward your article to all my friends … they’ve all gotten into Survivor in the last few seasons due to my obsession, and they refuse to believe that Russell is not, in fact, the greatest ever. You put it into much better words than my sputtering anger whenever I’m confronted with this topic … see ya next season
27

itchy

Posted December 22, 2009 at 10:22 am

No, Shambo convinced herself to join their alliance, remember? She was pretty much sold from her visit to the Foa Foa camp.

All she needed to push her over the edge was Galu’s ‘betrayal’ of Erik — which was Natalie’s doing (at least, that’s what we were shown).

Forcing him to play his idol was a good move, since it got it out of the way. He’d already wasted the first one, anyway.

By the time it got down to John, it didn’t matter as much. But I tend to believe that (according to them) the other Foa Foas were just as active in pursuing what was a common strategy (and not Russell’s), just not nearly as obnoxious as Russell about it.

This is the whole problem with the season — the producers became so obsessed with developing Russell as a character that they forgot to show us all the other elements of the game.
28

martiny59

Posted December 22, 2009 at 11:09 am

@soapboxx- Brett wanted to see how much detail Mick would put into his answer equating to how much he thought of Brett as a person. As you saw, he miserably failed by using all generalities like “we’d talk about girls and cars and just hang out.” If he knew anything about Brett, he could have came up with something better. In the end, it just exposed that Mick never took the time to talk to the other players and get to know them. He never sized up the competition.

I’m still upset that Mick and Jaison never talked to each other to come up with a plan to get rid of Russell. Seriously, they just did whatever Russell wanted, which is why both of them looked weak in my eyes.
29

kittkatt357

Posted December 22, 2009 at 11:48 am

Lets not forget that Natalie was the one who orchestrated the outting of Eric. That in turn made it easier for Galu to vote out their own people on subsequent tribals. I thought Russell played a good game and probably would’ve won if not for his arrogance. The question/answer part is what got him in the end. After all, the juries in the past did tend to vote on gameplay rather then niceness. He screwed himself in the end when it comes down to it. If only he had said “yeah i did messed up things to get here, but I had to” while showing just a tad of remorse for his actions I personally think he would’ve gotten the votes. Instead he went in there like “yeah, I screwed you, and you, and you, and I had a blast doing it so hahaha! I’m an ass but that was the plan so there!” He came off badly in the end where if he had just kept his mouth shut he might have won it all simply based on gameplay alone.
BTW the use of “feckless” by Shambo had me LOLing. I love it when seemingly uneducated people use 50 cent words.

“Who are these people giving her a positive reaction, The Thundercats? ” ROFLMFAO!!!!!

Plus isn’t Natalie the first woman to win against just guys? I think (and I may be wrong about this since there are a few seasons I skipped)but the other women who won were up against all female final three.
30

pappy44

Posted December 22, 2009 at 11:57 am

soapbox:
i think brett was trying to get the point across that mick never bothered to get to know him, so how would he know what the two of them would do on a guys night out?

This show rocks:
I am pretty sure I have read in numerous places that colby is NOT going to be on the show…and he has been widely known as the one that has leaked out the probable cast members…

southern essance:
filming for survivor 20 wrapped before the storm in september…he has had almost three months to get porked back up.

speaking of porking up…i didn’t like natalie’s look…it wasn’t so much the weight, but her makeup looked terrible…she is one of these girls that looks just as hot (if not hotter) with no makeup….hooooooooot….

I am glad she won…russell made great plays, but his ego was cashing checks his butt couldn’t cash. If it was me, I would have voted him off that last night he could use the idol…that was just really arrogant…
31

kittkatt357

Posted December 22, 2009 at 12:23 pm

One more thing,(yeah I don’t plan on doing much at work today it seems lol)if you need proof that you can win survivor while being strategic and nice at the same time you only have to look at Bob Crowley (the bow-tied high school science teacher from the Gabon season. He had brains, integrity, won challanges when needed(5 in a row if I remember right)and he was a decent guy.

IMO Gabon was the best season since it consisted of several fake idols, sugar living at Exile,and a glimpse of actual peen during a challange instead of just boobies lol.
32

jennaboa

Posted December 22, 2009 at 12:30 pm

Soapboxx: Maybe I’m giving Brett too much credit — easy to do when I can barely remember who he is — but I think it was some sort of fluffy psychological test. I’m guessing Brett was trying to figure out how much Mick knew about him, i.e., what do I like? Do you know anything about me? Apparently, Mick knew as much about Brett as we did: he has nice hair, blends in with the scenery and comes out to win immunity on occasion and talk God stuff with Natalie, so possibly he likes Southern blonds. Given his lack of votes, Mick might need to work on his people skills a bit before he heads back to the hospital to put people under.

Russell and Natalie and Mick. Mick didn’t seem very popular. Russell was Russell, so that leaves Nat. Natalie had a great game “ she played stupid and let other people do the dirty work — and it worked out pretty well for her, even if it is only $600,000. She did work for the win, just not in a way I like or in a way that sticks out in any way besides her occasional rally at immunity challenges. Besides, it appears she’s the only one on Foa Foa who was actively courting the Galus with the end goal of winning in sight. Jaison and Mick moaning to Brett Russ certainly wasn’t! Schoonie is right that that is where Russell really failed. That and he failed to read the Galus properly; a bigger bunch of stuck-on-themselves edjits I’ve yet to see on this show. I still can’t tell them apart except for G’ma Laura who was horrible to Shambo (“My sister died of cancer” “Aw, so sad, do you think I’m getting too much sun?” Gag) and Dave Ball who annoys me because I liked Gallagher, he goes by Dave Ball, and he led the yoga movement. I know some people liked the whole yoga thing, but it really rubbed me the wrong way.

I was backing Russell for the win, mainly because he was the only player that seemed to do a damned thing and every one else seemed content to do anything other than play the game. (And I hated Johnny Fairplay, the tosser, so there may be something to your theory, Schoonie.) Yes, this was the editors fault for making this The Russell Show. The editors really dropped the ball this season something major, as did casting.

I didn’t see a Russell win possible after Shambo was voted out, and then Jaison. I really think Russell lost the plot at the end, right around the time he voted for Rocket Scientist John. I think everyone else has said it “ Russell played a great game to get him to the end. He’s exactly the sort of fool you want standing next to you in the final 3, behaving like a chimp, flinging his pooh about and watching it fall. I enjoyed watching Russell, but, yeah, he failed to realize that people would rather vote for a stupid little girl over a blustering new money millionaire hick. If he had kept his mouth shut, only given up pertinent info, done his deal, and taken Shambo and Mick to the end, then maybe he would have won. Maybe.

I also don’t care that I backed an arse, really, because that’s better than backing a woman who used the Stupid Card to get herself through to the end. I don’t think any of the final three got to the end on good ethics — Natalie v Erik, for example — but I don’t watch Survivor to watch people do yoga on a beach. Just because the editors chose to focus on Russell behaving like a malevolent toad doesn’t mean Nat didn’t have her moments. She was particularly good at getting attention off herself and onto someone else.

Russell v Natalie: It was one or the other, really, after Shamwow was gone. I mean, backing Mick? Nah. There’s something unsettling about him, and apparently the jury thought so, too. Jaison? Maybe if he hadn’t cried all the time. Besides, they could have blindsided Russ at any time but they didn’t. Eff ‘em. As for the Galus, yoga. I couldn’t stand them. And I kept forgetting their names.

Nat wasn’t in as good a position as the others for most of the game. I can respect Nat for reading Russell well enough to know not to “be strong” around him and his male cronies, but I don’t think her ends justify her means either. Setting herself up as “good” to his “evil”? Whatever. She was just as conniving; she just let others get credit. (Except the Erik thing.) She was willing and complicit in every vote Russell made. She wormed her way in with him and played on his chauv tendencies. She let herself appear weak “- a legitimate strategy — and everyone bought it enough so that it is hard for some to take seriously her win. Which is how she won. Good for her. I would have better liked it if she had owned it a bit better at the reunion “ “Maybe I played a stupid little girl, but I’m a millionaire now. Suck it, haters.”

But, no, she whinged. More. Man, this was a season of whiney babies, another reason I didn’t mind Russell and his antics as much. Russell didn’t bother to do his whinging until the end (and then it was funny because he sort of reminded me of that baby that smoked the cigar on Who Framed Roger Rabbit). I think if any of the other players were even remotely more endearing or memorable, maybe there would have been someone else to back, but there you go. And it is just a game. Outwit, Outplay, Outlast. Natalie did it, did it well, and probably earned Russell’s wife a year’s worth of listening to him bellyache. Congrats.

Thanks for another great season of recaps, Schoonie.

P.S.: The Heroes v Villains season has “Return, Revenge, Redemption” at the top of the header. Lord help us, Coach and Russell H on the same screen? Might blow up my TV with the sheer force of their ego. Colby and Jerri are returning, too? Ugh. Redemption, my foot.
33

jennaboa

Posted December 22, 2009 at 12:33 pm

pappy44: Russ’ “mouth was making checks his butt couldn’t cash.” Heh. Love it and so true. I was hoping Mick and Jaison would wake up and blindside Russell, too.
34

southern_essence

Posted December 22, 2009 at 12:43 pm

Thanks for clearing that up, pappy…but it IS that special time of year when we can all hope and pray for what we want and I want Russell to be voted out early in season 20. Maybe an early double eviction the first week and they can get rid of Russell AND Coach!

A girl can dream.
35

Insidious heresy

Posted December 22, 2009 at 1:11 pm

Anyone else think it was significant that Jaison decided to wear purple to the reunion? Seems like a final FU to his former Foa Foa tribe members.
36

xqzmoi

Posted December 22, 2009 at 2:01 pm

To everyone wondering why they didn’t get rid of Russell when they could have easily blind-sided him on numerous occasions: I believe that everyone’s strategy was to KEEP Russell in the finals because THEY ALL KNEW he could never win. Unfortunately, the producers kept that bit of information to themselves in order to protect and add suspense to the outcome of the game. Russell was THE one everyone knew was pretty much hated by all.

Kudos, Schoonie, on articulating my innermost feelings regarding this moron who some want to crown the best player ever. Please, he’s a joke.

And southern_essence, I think you’re right on with your observations that Russell would not have asked to buy the title of sole survivor so badly had he actually made it to the finals of the the next season, where he might win it legitimately. Guess that means I’ll watch it, afterall.

Happy Holidays!
37

pappy44

Posted December 22, 2009 at 3:48 pm

crap, i screwed up that line…his mouth was writing checks his butt couldn’t cash….dammit goose…stop talking to me when i am typing….

I too hope he goes out early…and I have a feeling he will. He dominated this cast because they were mental midgets. Someone made the point here above that they all knew what russell was doing…and that is absolutely correct…AND THEY STILL DID NOTHING ABOUT IT!!!! That is how stupid they are. We will see how good he is against verteran players, and I have the feeling he will be out early…woot…
38

slutty_whore

Posted December 22, 2009 at 3:53 pm

Jennaboa, it’s just that Nat’s strategy doesn’t translate well on-screen, especially when you have the likes of Russell and Shambo dominating the screen time. I mean, she had to convince Galu to vote out Erik, when Galu had a clear majority and no incentive to listen to her? Could Mick or Russell have done that job? Not at all! I mean, she pulled her weight for Foa-Foa, considering it was she who got the Galu destruction started. Nat ingratiated herself into the Laura/Monica dynamic and did not get many votes during the course of the season!

But it’s like I said earlier: Russ had no social awareness and should have taken Shambo over Nat. Every season, (except Guatemala, where Danni won based on winning challenges and not being aligned with Stephenie and Rafe), you drag the person you can beat. Aras beat Danielle, JT beat Stephen, Yul won over Christina (I think that was her name), etc.
39

Memememe

Posted December 22, 2009 at 5:24 pm

I have to say I’m not pleased to see namecalling. ‘Face it, Russell fans, you backed a loser?’ I’m not really getting my head around how 11 people supposedly knew exactly what he was up to, yet did nothing to stop him, and 9 ended up on the jury instead of in the final 3, yet HE’S nothing but a failure? At least he came in 2nd. Say anything you want about his shitty morals (I’ll agree too) but just because his game was entertaining to watch (til the finale, natch) doesn’t mean anyone who liked it during the season is necessarily dirty by association.
40

Considerthis

Posted December 22, 2009 at 5:48 pm

We can debate ot but we can’t change it. Russell LOST – Natalie WON. I think the next reunion show should be Survivor Losers where all 20 of the first voted off compete.
41

itchy

Posted December 23, 2009 at 12:50 am

Mememememe: It’s because Russell was never the person they needed to stop. Simple as that.

He was as loudmouth and obvious and arrogant as they showed us, he proved that much at the reunion. What the editors didn’t show us is that, apparently, the other contestants never took him seriously because they just did not need to. He was NEVER a threat to win.

He was, however, part of a team that recognized Galu’s weakness and skillfully exploited it. So he gets credit for helping his alliance who, presumably, were all pursuing the same strategy –that is, convincing the Galus to turn against each other. They SKILLFULLY used their loudmouth, arrogant teammate as a beard in order to pursue their strategy.

Look, given my well-known feelings toward jeebus types, you’d think I’d despise Natalie. Instead, I tip my hat to what I see as a skillful, INTELLIGENT game.

She was much smarter than Mick and Jaison apparently were, because she took the time to get to know and become appreciated by the others. An INTEGRAL part of a game in which the winner must achieve at least some amount of respect from the jury. Even if the jury is bitter.

At the final TC, very few questions were directed to Russell because the jury was not debating whether to vote for him –they were trying to decide between Mick and Natalie. Mick fucked up by being inarticulate and exposing the failure of his own social game.

My difficulty with the Russell character was not the deception –because that is part of the rules of this game– it was his willful mean-spiritedness. The moment he spilled out people’s canteens — which, in a real-life survival scenario would have meant that he put his own tribe’s LIFE at risk, if not condemned them to death– he was dead to me as a human being.

This season was all about the editing, really. They wanted to create a character from Russell –and in order to do so, they couldn’t show the actual game.

I’m not sure where “Face it, people, you backed a loser” is namecalling — it’s just telling it like it is. The guy is a loser. I kept saying that the entire season. I AM surprised that so many people chose to support such a despicable, nasty character.

I can recognize the pleasure of ‘loving to hate’ him, but from there to wanting him to win (and believing despite all the evidence to the contrary that he should have won)? Nope, can’t do it.

See, this is what is ultimately interesting about this season’s Survivor. We all make choices all the time. It’s the choices we make that speak about who we are.
42

southern_essence

Posted December 23, 2009 at 8:20 am

I have to agree with itchy on this one (and I didn’t see any name-calling except toward Russell, which totally works for me lol). I hate 2 things in reality tv contests….vile, despicable players who only do what they do for camera time and call it “strategy” (i.e. Big Brother’s Natalie from last season) and floaters. Russell was the former and Mick the latter, so Nat (the nice one…who btw looked and probably smelled better after 39 days without a shower than the one from BB!) was the only choice for me.
43

jennaboa

Posted December 23, 2009 at 8:53 am

slutty_whore: Natalie was the only other one I would have wanted to see win the big prize. She did deserve to win because she played everyone. I just hate the Stupid Girl act, especially as it works so danged well. BTW, I thought her determination during that swinging challenge was awesome (personally, I would have puked something awful from motion sickness, so props to anyone who can swing around in circles!).

My main objection is the good v evil connotation Probst was bandying about. Nat wasn’t “good” or a “hero;” she was just better at manipulating people and keeping her sneakiness under wraps for the most part. Calling Russell “evil” just jacks his ego up a few notches it doesn’t need. He’s not evil, he’s an egotist with no power who seized what little power he thought he had and ran with it. In the end, his house of cards fell because he believed a girl riding his coat-tails wouldn’t get picked over his brilliant game play. Idiot. He forgot that intense dislike is a great motivating factor to vote against someone. Anyhoo, Stalin and Hitler were evil; Russell is just a fat bastard from Texas and went on a game show and scammed people then got scammed in return. He’s not the first, and given the current lot of casting directors who prefer character drama, he definitely won’t be the last. And he should have taken Shambo with him. Instead he stayed true to his Mick alliance and took Nat. That said, he had some great moves during the game and they should be recognized, even if he was an arse who most feel should have been taken out by a fleet of coconut bearing flying foxes.

southern_essence: I’m sure the editors would arrange for immunity idols to fall off the roof of the tribal council hut and hit Russell and Coach on their noggins if they thought their Cash Cows O’ Eveel would be voted out first.

xqzmoi: True. Plus, Russell was slightly more stable than She Who Talks To Chickens. I never thought Mick/Jaison would do vote out Russell; I just wanted something to liven up the game a bit, make those two a little less predictable.

Considerthis: A top twenty losers would be kind of cool, actually.

itchy: “I’m not sure where ˜Face it, people, you backed a loser’ is namecalling — it’s just telling it like it is.” I agree. He lost; we backed a loser. Well, I backed him until he ditched Shambo, at which point I threw a temper tantrum about stupid casting directors and started looking for more invisible Bretts to pop up out of nowhere as a second option. I disliked the whole lot of Survivors this season, especially the ones whose names I couldn’t remember. Which was most of them. I did feel for him at one point in the reunion show when he was talking about his daughters; I do think that those tears were the only real emotion the man has shown on this show. Then again, maybe I just felt sorry for his girls. But you were right, itchy, and I don’t mind saying so. (Though I will say I didn’t pick Russell b/c of his character’s moral fiber, which I find revolting. I just prefer a bad boy act over the Southern damsel routine, I guess. I get too much of the later where I live.)
44

slutty_whore

Posted December 23, 2009 at 11:02 am

Jennaboa… ITA with what everyone has mentioned and I also agree with your analysis. I guess I didn’t really see Nat’s act as “Stupid Girl” because that was what Russell called it, as quiet threat. Russ’ shot himself in the foot by not taking Shambo and not being able to read that she was more hated and despised by the jury than he was, so he deserved to lose. Other than Brett, she was the most liked by the jury of those who were left. Clearly, Mick had less of a personality than I thought (the decided lack of screen time on the reunion show and his garbled pop-psych answers when asked a direct question).

I do think Russ/Idolgate is a valid point, however. How interesting that the past few seasons has had an Exile Island, but this year the idols were in the individual camps. I call BS on this.

Also, as far as Bob Crowley being the deserving Gabon winner, I also call BS since Sugar basically handed him a victory in her annoying perky hands.
45

juddfan

Posted December 23, 2009 at 12:15 pm

Still rolling thru the comments, but wanted to comment on the recap first . . . .

I think it was the Russell show because he was the show . . . I thought this season rocked, and he made it interesting, tho he is without a doubt, a complete, Napolean’d complexed D-bag, with incredibly bad taste in hats and a rockin’ midget bod . . .

He was soooooo douchey at the reunion.

I thought this reunion was funny. Becky’s thing was funny, Shamwow’s Bawk was funny, The socks burning, Probst-”One of those dumb girls beat ur ass”, and I loved it when they tortured us with the “outlaw” footage, but gave him no time to speak after–yay! Should have montaged Jaz tho–all in a loop she would have been funny.

For the show end, Russell should have played nicer and not enemized everyone–it is fair and part of the game to make them vote for you, BUT, Mick was the most clueless candidate ever, rambling and not making sense, at all, and Nat was also quite bimbo-ish making her points, if any . . . she could have really done better with it, but she was most transformed . . . looked FAB!

It’s legit for her to take it, I just wish she had been clearer on why she couldn’t be aggressive, but could participate in the slaughter, and the Eric ouster. Her rodent kill was one of my favorite moments.

Soap box, you bring up one of my points that I thought was missed. That little bible quoter Brett totally served Mick with the bro-date thing. When he answered all losery and mumbling, saying nothing, Brett said, “I just wanted to point out how much time you invested in getting to know me”–which was NONE, and he was getting his vote NEVER! It was bitchy, if you ask me . . .

Jaison and his articulate bitter spew, and weirdly unappealing bald head aggravated me . . . He would have never won in any configuration. Nat was the one to leave off the vote, and perhaps Russell could have taken it against whoever else. I kinda wish he had given Brett the chance to take out Mick–could have at least split the Nat vote–if he didn’t just win coz . .

Lastly, when a Foa Foa had to go, that was the time to get rid of Russell–huge fail on all the remaining–if they had done that, they’d have had a good chance to win in the end . . .

Sorry you’re so disappointed Schoonie, but thanks for taking us for the ride this season, and I think next one looks hot–but I really can’t stomach Coach, like really–and Fairplay–moan–despite the fact their all douche’s, I guess having a hot troll bod makes a diff to me . . . sigh . . . what do you think Mr. D?
46

Memememe

Posted December 23, 2009 at 1:37 pm

“See, this is what is ultimately interesting about this season’s Survivor. We all make choices all the time. It’s the choices we make that speak about who we are.”

is the kind of sweeping generalization of disdain that I referred to as namecalling. It’s like you’re saying anyone who enjoyed watching the troll only did so because they appreciate that behavior and maybe even engage it it themselves. Not true.
47

itchy

Posted December 23, 2009 at 2:09 pm

No, those are just sweeping generalizations (what can I say, I was a big Gogol fan).

I reserve my namecalling for the attention whores who insist on populating reality television. I consider those people fair game.

The rest of you/us…well, we’re REAL people, we’re not an image flattened to fit into a television screen.

Which is why I make a distinction between enjoying watching Russell (’cause I did too, and I especially enjoyed bitching about him) and cheering him on and thinking his actions are the bee’s knees.
48

juddfan

Posted December 23, 2009 at 3:00 pm

bee knees–hee

Well, seems were all over on this, as usual, and I love the debate. I still say it would have been dull as dust without Russ, and perhaps even Shamwow.

Never heard it was 4 to 5, but that’s interesting. Russell should take the voter thing and use it as his crown and STFU–I’m soooo over this by now. Big, Roger Rabbit baby . . . boo-hoo–and I pity that poor wife, Russ is the type of guy you do, with a ball gag preferably, and then leave with your memories–marrying a never going to be satisfied dictator, power hungry troll is a mistake IMHO–her ears will be bleeding by the time he’s done ranting.

On the next season, I had the feeling the montage was revealing some of the players–obv Michael and immunity giver are heros and Russ, Hatch, and Fairplay Villians. Not sure what they would call Coach, or Hawk, But I could be totally crazy.

did I mention, that pole holding last challenge was surprisingly suspenseful . . . And Russell lost me even before the reunion with his stupid ass baiting of Mick and Nat on the last day . . .

I would love to see Judd, for whom I am named, get a second chance to bandy about in skivvies, and give Mr. D and me something to talk about . . . I doubt Jerri, Colby or Boston would come back, and I perfer as few 3 timers as poss . . .

Happy Holidays all!
49

billybop428

Posted December 27, 2009 at 1:01 pm

hello! I’ve never commented, but I’ve read all your recaps and I just want to say THANK YOU!!!! EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS TRUE!! Your recaps were TEN TIMES BETTER THAN THIS SUCKY SEASON.

I am horribly frustrated over this season. Russell was awful to watch, and this season sucked. You put into words everything I want to say.

Russell has NOTHING. NOTHING. on Parvati, JT, Todd, Yul, Tom, Ethan, Tina, and Richard, all winners who deserved to win.

And these are some players who didn’t win but are still better than Russell: Stephen, SUGAR! (she was the swing vote FOUR TIMES!!! HOW POWERFUL IS THAT? I hope she takes Russell out in all stars.) FvF Natalie, Courtney, Cirie, Stephanie, Rob, Lillian, Rob C, Neleh, Teresa Cooper from Africa, and Sue.

I feel that anyone who truly understands and appreciates survivor and has watched every season (like me) disagrees with the fact that Russell is the greatest player ever.

Those who have only seen a few or watch it like a reality show will tell you Russell is amazing! Please do some research first, people.

And as for the fact that Russell found 3 idols, tell me this:

IDOLS HAVE ONLY BEEN AROUND SINCE SEASON 12! how can you compare him to the 11 seasons worth of players who never got the chance to find them?

In addition, IDOLS HAVE ONLY BEEN ON THE TRIBES BEACHES AND NOT ON EXILE ISLAND IN FIJI, CHINA, AND SAMOA.

(The idol in Tocantins was also on the beach, but there was already an exile island, so players would never know it was at camp unless they were actually sent to exile island.

That means that in only 3 seasons could a player actually find the idol without having to be sent to exile island first. So Russell already had a HUGE advantage over the past 18 seasons of players.

Finally, the only reason he made it far was because he was so predictable! EVERYONE knew his gameplay: Find idols, and run around making deals with everyone, even though everyone knew his intentions were, no matter what he said, that at the end of the day he was going to stick with the Foa Foa four. And thats just what he did.

Same thing with Coach: They thought they were in control, but only because others just let them do what they wanted, knowing how they were going to vote.

Russell did a lot of talking about making game changing moves, but never acted on them. He just stuck with his original tribe mates, as most people do every season.

Finally, is anyone pissed about how Jeff not only made the whole season Survivor: Russell, but the Reunion, too.

For example:

Jeff: “Natalie, you’ve just won a million dollars. Russell, tell us how you feel about that.”

“Marisa, you were first off. Tell us something about Russell.”

Let it be known that this is the first season IN HISTORY that we didn’t get to hear from all the castaways at the reunion. Jeff spent so much time drooling over Russells awesomeness that he never talked to Liz, Kelly, or John.

And is anyone mad that the early show has had the winner, AND ONLY THE WINNER, on their show the next day, but this time they included Russell? Screw him for stealing Natalie’s moment. What a jerk.
50

pappy44

Posted December 28, 2009 at 8:51 am

Juddfan…if you are saying hatch will be on the show again, I don’t think that is possible…he was in jail in sept during filmiing…i doubt rudy will be in as well…he was 70 something when the first show aired…

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