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Episode Australian Survivor (2016) - Episode 12 Discussion

Well I must be getting my beauty sleep so I'll see y'all tomorrow for another (possible) instalment of Vulva goes to Tribal Council. Must say I'm really enjoying watching and discussing Survivor with you all! It's helping fill the void left by BB. :D
There are some on here I don't care to know what they think but you aren't one of them. Sleep well and we'll reconvene tomorrow evening. Hopefully The V team will be spared.
 
By the way, I hope I don't sound too harsh. I really enjoy discussing the show here. Just meant there is no point saying the same thing over and over!
 
People like different things, different people and different personality traits, and that is fine. Some love the Boston Robs/Russell Hantzes/Parvati's/countless others, some can't stand them. It's purely subjective who is playing a good game or not, and there other reasons to enjoy the contestants beyond strategy and opportunism and clawing your way to the middle without displaying any positive traits to counter it.
 
Ok my take on tonight:

Give it up for Phoebe. Love her, hate her - she has now outvillained not one, not two,
not three but four other "masterminds" that have plotted against her.
Its for this reason, that production simply cannot afford to have her voted off before
a merge. So they cant fool us with that "Phoebe turns on Kristie" preview for tomorrow.
One of two things will happen - Production make sure Vavau will win their first immunity
and probably last before merge. Or they will merge. Another swap-save now seems unlikely.

Connor, puppy eyes and disheveled hair, is the dark horse. He makes very good tv, falling
into the mud - twice - and appologizing. His disheveled hair twin sister, will now stick with
him, after Craig, at least until she can find another male alliance in Sanapu.

The idol play by Kristie and Phoebe was genius. But - Did they pick the right person at
Vavau? Craig was pulling the strings? or was it connor? Sending Connor home, who was
Sanapu originally anyhow and weak on the challenges, the two girls could sideline sue as
a liability in any future merge, and form a new four-alliance going into a merger.
Phoebe may have had to return the favour for production leading her to the idol,
and could not vote for Connor. The decision was not shown at all, on the pretence of
keeping us in suspense, just as the other vavau's. Phoebe might have thought long term
to start elimination of the strong guys, who will have a target on their back come individual
immunity challenges. But it could just as easily have been dictated to her from the
same "survivor gods" that granted her another idol - "anyone, but connor".
You might say - Connor came and told her it would be her, she owed him back.
Oh well. That dialogue between them came in almost too handy as an excuse for that.
 
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I called it back in the episode 10 thread (http://www.behindbigbrother.com/for...sode-10-discussion.54884/page-12#post-2306911) the obvious and fail-safe way if they went to tribal again was to split the vote between Phoebe and Kristie. Phoebe did mention it anyway.

I'm not pretending I'm clever with suggesting that tactic, it's basic Survivor gameplay. Yes, I knew that Phoebe had the idol and they didn't know if someone did for sure, however it's still the obvious move if you trust your alliance of 4 (and they did). So I have to say it was a very stupid move going for one person. Of course it enabled a good blindside for the show, and that is effective when the audience knows what is going to happen and most contestants don't have a clue.

And then that old 'honesty' theme comes back (though it has little to do with Survivor). Conner saying he's an honest guy and he wanted to tell Phoebe she was going, and Kristie thanking the others for being honest in telling her that she isn't going. In this though it's kind of irrelevant, they could have told them to their faces together 'we're really sorry guys we're being honest but one of you is going, the vote will be split'. Wouldn't have been great TV as Kristie was then obviously going, but it would have been normal. In normal gameplay I don't think that would always happen either, those two knew they were on the outs so just let them guess who's picked.

The interesting sideline was that Craig got voted out, weakening the tribe further. I really expected Sue to be gone. It was good that the edit left suspense on that, though it did feel like another bad gameplay. For the show though it's effective at that tribal, as Craig said the idol he was looking for was used against him. Still make me wonder why if he couldn't find the idol he didn't think someone else could have found it first. Though I'm hardly a Craig fan I would have preferred Sue to go, or Conner even, but Sue has featured so little, she seems loyal but that's it. Another potential gameplayer voted out this episode, they dwindle.
 
It's also pretty funny that after having a discussion about how to spell Phoebe's name, they still didn't know at the end. Especially Craig.

That was curious to me, I think it might have been some kind of joke. Bad spelling in votes been seen on the US show before as a wind up thing, though also sometimes just ignorance of spelling of course.
 
She's adaptable but she's also strategic and bold enough to take action.
When Sue gets to the end because she's an old lady who has a good attitude, it will have nothing to do with her being adaptable.

Oh, steady on old bean. Don't dis Sylvania Wentworth!

There's a lot more to her than meets the eye and I am waiting/hoping for circumstances to bring it to the fore.
 
I am really enjoying watching Phoebe. Only Kate was able to spell her name, I noticed. Wish they hadn't gotten rid of Creg, because he's so enjoyable and was their only challenge muscle and height, and digs in.

Vulva are a far more interesting tribe to watch than Snapple currently, so I am enjoying so much focus on them because of their long losing streak, but geez. Just give them a food reward and a shower Pags! The poor little muppets look so bedraggled and dirty even after they've scrubbed up.

I don't see them winning anything now Creg is gone - so idiot move, in my view, on Phoebe's part. She was thinking ahead to when he'd be more dangerous gamewise, but there won't be much 'ahead' at this rate.
 
First thoughts: Phoebe is playing one of the best runs from the bottom ever. It is a streak that deserves attention. For the last four episodes, she has been the best player, and should have been the target each time, and yet, she survives. Possibly the best streak since Vanuatu. Let's see how she goes without an idol.

Craig as the target? Maybe that was a mistake. It ensures they will be back at tribal next time, where she has to be back in the mix as the boot. If she went Sue, maybe some youth bonding could happen. Sue will never trust her. Conner, Kate, even Craig may have worked with her, with numbers down and Sue gone. Now, she needs to out charisma Sue next episode.

Like virginity, though, the first transgression in an alliance is the hardest, but once it has happened, the alliance is never quite the same. Voting out Andrew cracked the seal. Kate may choose Phoebe and Kristy over old Sue and Saanapu boy Connor.

Long-term, I'm not sure of Phoebe's viability. Everyone must see her as a threat - except Kristy, who would probably follow her all the way to the end, and then lose to her. It's a long road, though.

Come the merge, current Vavau will split, reinforcing whatever faction of Saanapu pleases them best. The cracks over there are starting to show, and the merge won't be a pagonging. Maybe she can slip through.

An underdogs alliance is one way - Jenna Louis, Kylie, Matt, Kate, Kristy, maybe Connor... There are people who feel on the outs.

A tribe that stays together, come what may, who will never turn on each other, like the great band of misfits on Panama, can achieve greatness. The Vavau 5 had that chance, but blew it. Now, Phoebe has gotten rid of her greatest competition. She can probably manipulate soft-hearted Connor easily enough. And to get out Sue... There are arguments to be made to Kate and C. She may have just flipped herself from 6 to 1.

This is a truly great 4 episode run. One of the best.
 
That was curious to me, I think it might have been some kind of joke. Bad spelling in votes been seen on the US show before as a wind up thing, though also sometimes just ignorance of spelling of course.

It wasn't a joke, sadly. There was footage of Creg asking the others how to spell her name and they came up with the wrong spelling and were practising it. They just had no clue.
 
It wasn't a joke, sadly. There was footage of Creg asking the others how to spell her name and they came up with the wrong spelling and were practising it. They just had no clue.
To be fair they seem to be working on half their normal brain power. Craig seemed exhausted at tribal.

They aren't merging until 12. So I think this next Sunday.
 
I don't get what the problem was with Kylie wanting to sleep on the bed?

I think I'm missing something. Kylie didn't used to sleep with the group because there was never room for her, then she did and they're all pissed off about it?

Survivor royalty Boston Rob once explained that if you want to know who is with who, look at where they sleep. She used to sleep in the ditch, because no one was with her. Just as a science nerd who one day wants to sit in the backseat must endure the abuse of the heavy metal boys, the jocks and cheerleaders turned on Kylie. (Phoebe should latch onto her, come the merge. Then she'll have 3 votes. ) People sleep with who they are comfortable with. No one is with Kylie. She will flip at the merge.

The whole Snapple winning every time is getting boring.

I find it fascinating. Watching Phoebe play a blinder, as things simmer on Saanapu, to build the drama. When they get the chance to vote, it is going to explode. They may even throw a challenge just to get the chance. Let the tension build, I say, as Vavau hone their skills in tribal after tribal, growing stronger and smarter all the time, as iron sharpens iron.

...wow!... The Pag sure knows how to stack the questions to influence a vote doesn't he?... he reveals way too much in his questions with 'knowing' how they are going to vote after listening to them plot and plan all day doesn't he?... cheers.

Not sure if he does know. Probst doesn't, and just follows up what he notices. He isn't briefed about what has been happening. Maybe this is different, though. Often, he does seem to be asking questions that support the narrative the editors has been trying to build - but it could just be that tribal council goes on for hours, and the editors choose the bits they want. I think he's doing a world class job. Better than all global BB hosts, except maybe Emma.

I don't care for her. I didn't care for her before she was an underdog, and her becoming an underdog hasn't changed that. What happened today was due to pure good luck finding an idol and playing it at the most obvious time. Any idiot would have done what she did in tonight's ep. Is she a great player? Meh.

It wasn't pure luck. She noticed that Craig took the tribe to a spot, for no real reason, and that that spot had an unusual tree. Prime idol hiding territory. Then, she emotionally manipulated Connor into telling her, with backup plan of Kristy gathering Intel.
 
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Oh wow, I can't believe Craig is gone. He was the only person holding Vavau, like with strengh (He held that girl up forgot her name for ages! when they had to hold they're team mate up from dropping into the water) and every one knew it even the production team I'd be surprised if they didn't do like a merge or rearrange teams soon. There's still some tough people on that team, but he was strong mentally and physically.
 
It wasn't a joke, sadly. There was footage of Creg asking the others how to spell her name and they came up with the wrong spelling and were practising it. They just had no clue.
To top it off, Sue put Pheb's, presumably to be pronounced Pheebs and why on earth put an apostrophe in the mix?
 
So if they aren't voting at TC then...? Can't just be a merge, that's hardly the MOTHER OF ALL TWISTS.
Maybe someone is leaving either voluntarily or from injury or illness? Ooh, maybe someone is volunteering or being co-erced into going to Vavau? Could it be that the producers are over the one team being so dominant? All will be revealed in the fullness of time.
 
Go Phoebe!, but poor Craig, I really liked him and he was good entertainment value. Phoebe is playing a good game so far, love it! Would like to see more going on with the other tribe, Kylie needs to speak up a little about the sleeping arrangements, but then of course they would then be gunning for her.
 
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