Survivor: South Pacific (Season 23)

[A Big Kid]

After Benjamin's ARROGANT rant to Cochran about being picked on for his intelligence, I missed the rest of the show cuz I was in the restroom purging by breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Is that knucklehead for real?!!?!?!?!?!

[SBETigg]

I finally saw the show I missed when our power went out. I have to agree with Ian, that I have been back and forth on Cochran all season whether I like him or not and finally decided definitely not. He would have been much better off taking a rock. Odds were pretty good to stay and no one would have been turned against him over it. He can't win now. He's in that bad place where no one will trust or like him, or vote for him to win. Stupid move. Very weak, whiny, and cowardly way to go.

That said, I thought Keith was a real jerk to Cochran and couldn't really blame Cochran for wanting to be rid of Keith after some of Keith's comments.

Also, I thought Coach was playing Cochran beautifully. He knew exactly what to say to put the right thoughts in Cochran's head to make the move to benefit Coach at TC. I'm not a big fan of the guy after his misogynistic side came out again and didn't like his last show post merge with all the sudden religious talk. But strategically, that talk with Cochran was brilliantly played. It's not that I like what he said, it's that he was saying the right thing to the right person at the right time, and that's the sense that a lot of Survivor players have been lacking. I think it's all downhill for the former Savaii from here, starting with Ozzy who no longer has an idol and overdid it on the acting.

[meldan98]

There is actually a deleted clip of Survivor floating about that shows that Coach is setting Cochran up and that Coach's tribe is fully aware of what's happening. They have Cochran convinced that he is going to make it to the final 4 and that's why he actually flipped.

Anyway, on another note, I actually got to meet Coach a couple of weeks ago. He seems like a nice guy.

[Melanie]

I could have sworn there was confirmation somewhere that there wouldn't be more than two people competing at RI after merge. Gosh I hate RI!

[laprana]

I could have sworn there was confirmation somewhere that there wouldn't be more than two people competing at RI after merge. Gosh I hate RI!

I thought so, too! And I wish that had been the case. It looks like they're going to load them up at RI and change the "duel" to a multi-player challenge again, which I hated last time. I also wish that RI was done so that Ozzy really would be gone with no chance of getting back in the game. I only hope he loses whatever challenge they have at RI, but even then, I don't think his inflated ego will lose too much air. He's just so full of himself!

I felt bad for Dawn at last night's TC. Brandon really twisted around what she said about it being hard for her to watch the others eat while she competed in the challenge. Of course it was hard for her to watch that! I couldn't believe that there wasn't one single member of the Upolu (sp?) tribe who competed in that challenge. Talk about being arrogant! I guess in reality, they really did have the luxury of not competeing...but I couldn't imagine NOT competing just on principle alone. You can have donuts when you get home!!

[DizneyRox]

Were my eyes blurry, or did just about everyone vote Jim at the second TC?

Didn't expect the rest of his tribe to turn so quickly...

[SBETigg]

I could have sworn there was confirmation somewhere that there wouldn't be more than two people competing at RI after merge. Gosh I hate RI!

Yes, I had seen that too. Probst had said it in earlier interviews, so I don't understand this multiple people at RI scenario.

I didn't like Cochran much and it would have been much smarter to take a chance on rocks, but... I think it's really interesting that his former mates are all throwing out the "I saved you and then you did this to me?" card. It's not like anyone saved him out of kindness or because they just loved Cochran so much. It all comes down to individual play and the choices people make to get further in their own game.

They saved Cochran because he was more useful to them at the time, please. Like he's supposed to be all grateful and not save himself when he needs to make a move? If it came down to all Savaii at the end, he would be the first one to be sent home, unless again someone saw him as a good bet for the end game. They get out there and all seem to forget that they are playing Survivor, where you don't win a team million dollars and your honor becomes up for interpretation.

But I'm really glad it was Ozzy and Jim who went. I wish Brandon was next. He is clearly intellectually-challenged, mentally unstable, or both.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Were my eyes blurry, or did just about everyone vote Jim at the second TC?

Didn't expect the rest of his tribe to turn so quickly...

I think they showed three Cochran and four Jim votes, then when the 5th Jim vote came out there was no reason to read the 9th vote.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

I could have sworn there was confirmation somewhere that there wouldn't be more than two people competing at RI after merge. Gosh I hate RI!

Yeah, I thought I read an interview with Probst at the end of last season where he said Redemption Island would be back, but that multiple player challenges would not be part of it.

I suppose they could still eliminate 2 players at the next RI challenge and then go back to 1 vs 1. Next week will tell us how it will play out.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

I didn't like Cochran much and it would have been much smarter to take a chance on rocks, but... I think it's really interesting that his former mates are all throwing out the "I saved you and then you did this to me?" card. It's not like anyone saved him out of kindness or because they just loved Cochran so much. It all comes down to individual play and the choices people make to get further in their own game.

I think for Cochran's former tribe mates it comes down to the "why" he did it. There was no long term strategy in Cochran's move, as Jim said "it was a great strategy for finishing 3rd". Yeah they saved him out of self interest, for themselves and the tribe but Cochran's was a selfish cowardly move. Six other Survivors were willing to take the risk of drawing the purple rock, Cochran was the only one too cowardly to take the risk.

If they are going to keep Pagongin Savaii members, then I hope Dawn is next to go, she was totally insufferable sucking up to Upolu last night. Normally can't stand Brandon, but thank you for shoving it back in her face, basically saying, kiss up all you want, but you're next! I hope he's right.

[Ian]

Worst part for me was when the entire former Upolo tribe opted out of the challenge. I can't fathom that really ... I would have found a way to send one of them home just to punish them for their arrogance!

Annoying ...

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Worst part for me was when the entire former Upolo tribe opted out of the challenge. I can't fathom that really ... I would have found a way to send one of them home just to punish them for their arrogance!

Annoying ...

Yeah, but that's just it, there was no way to send them home, it was 6-3 and no one was about to make a move, so they could all sit out.

Stupid challenge, like most of them so far this season. I understand the concept behind it, try create controversy, reveal pecking orders, whose in trouble, etc., but having it at final 9 when you know that one tribe could easily have a numbers advantage doesn't make much sense. Would have made more sense to do it at final 10 or 11 or wait to final 6 or so. Where they did it, well it predictably occured the way everyone knew it would happen.

Most disturbing thing for me, the "hear, rest your head on my shoulder" moment between Cochran and Brandon, as if those two were creepy enough as is.

[JanetMegan]

Worst part for me was when the entire former Upolo tribe opted out of the challenge. I can't fathom that really ... I would have found a way to send one of them home just to punish them for their arrogance!

Annoying ...

Actually what I would have done if I had been one of the three competing is, decide who you want to win and have everyone drop the balls right away so they other team couldn't eat anything

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Actually what I would have done if I had been one of the three competing is, decide who you want to win and have everyone drop the balls right away so they other team couldn't eat anything

The ideal situation would have been if there were only two of them and one had the hidden immunity idol. They both would have had immunity and could have blindsided Upolu. As it was, Jim knew he needed it and no way he steps down and Whitney probably felt she would be next to go after Jim, so really no way they step down from the challenge.

[Ian]

Actually what I would have done if I had been one of the three competing is, decide who you want to win and have everyone drop the balls right away so they other team couldn't eat anything

That's so funny ... we're both equally devious, because that's the same exact thing I said. DD and I were actually shocked when they didn't do that and even moreso when Dawn inexplicably tried to extend the challenge so they could eat for longer. That was just obvious and dumb.

[SBETigg]

This will be more interesting once it's down to Upolu and they have to turn on each other. It seems pretty obvious that Whitney and Dawn are going next. Cochran might wheedle his way into sticking around longer.

[SBETigg]

So apparently, no shake ups. Last night's show was all too predictable. But at least we got rid of Dawn and Whitney in one fell swoop. Now we can get to the good stuff, with Upolu turning on each other and maybe Cochran wheedling his way into sticking around (hope not, but won't mind losing Brandon).

Sophie and Albert are my favorites. I have a love-hate thing going with Coach and I am not sure which will win, if I will be happy if he stays or goes. But I can't see a scenario where the good people will stick together to the end. If I were Sophie, would I want to be at the end with Albert? Or Coach? I think anyone could win against Brandon and Cochran, or maybe Edna or Rick, which has me a bit nervous at how this could go from here.

[Buddy08]

Yea, I'm starting to like Sophie. Maybe they'll wise up and gang up on Coach, although he is much more tolerable that in his previous seasons. (almost amusing in his moments of arrogance.) I'd like to see some kind of shake-up. Hopefully now it will get more interesting.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Sophie and Albert are my favorites. I have a love-hate thing going with Coach and I am not sure which will win,

I can't figure out if Sophie and Albert are total geniuses or utter morons. I just can't figure out their possible endgames. The only scenario that makes any sense right now is that they both believe that they have airtight alliances with Coach for final 3. We haven't been shown, basically since about 3 episode, and Upulo discussons regarding the tribal totem pole (pecking order).

From our perspective as viewers it certainly seems like Sophie and Albert are on the outside looking in. Rick and Edna appear to be in Coach's back pocket and Brandon his moral high ground probably wouldn't allow him to flip on Coach, which gives Coach 4 and control of the tribe.

Really surprised that a 3 person alliance of Albert, Sophie and Cochran didn't pull in Dawn and Whitney to take over the tribe.

Right now Coach is playing right out of Boston Rob's and Evil Russell's playbook. Search out and exploit the weak minded and useless (Edna and Rick and to some extent Brandon) then control the rest of the tribes movements and the interaction with the other tribe, then slowly turn on your tribe.

I don't particularly like Whitney, but had she beat Sophie in the 2nd immunity challenge it would have been interesting to see who would have been booted, my guess Cochran.

Between Sophie and Albert, Sophie seems to be the most clueless, sort of like "yeah, we need to make a move, but not yet". She's going to "not yet" herself straight to the jury. Based on the editing, Sophie seems to be the stumbling block to Albert making any moves.

I guess the next tribal will lay out how the remainder of the season will unfold. I guess the only wild card is if Edna or Rick actually do something in this game. I don't see it, but I can't think of too many other things that might shake up the game.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Despite the preview to the contrary, according to my dvr guide, next week's episode is a recap episode, not a new original one.

Probably why they planned a double elimination.