Survivor Finale

[DeuceKicker]

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On last week's Survivor Live, Stacey said that the deal actually included everyone - everyone had to agree to vote Yau's way at final 4, in order for Dreamz to get the truck. Like wtf, what do they stand to gain from that? He painted a huge target on his back with that move. IMO this wasn't shown, in order to preserve Yau's "best strategist" edit, because this was a huge tactical blunder (and I say that as a total Yauman fanboy from the 1st episode).

[/ QUOTE ]Wow. That's a pretty significant fact to leave on the cutting room floor. I guess they didn't want to confuse the audience by giving them anything more than a one-dimensional view of any contestant. He made a move earlier in the game that seemed a little socially naive to me, and I was surprised when he ended up a hero. I guess I fell victim to the editing.

In that case Earl played the best. Stake me?

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LOL @ the jury, that was pretty cool, the bitter jury is always the best thing about a Survivor finale.

[/ QUOTE ]Agreed. Even though it pisses me off every year when these idiots show a complete lack of understanding of the game, it is always the highlight of the season.


Here's another question: If you make it to the final six as part of the majority alliance, but know you're not part of the smaller, tighter alliance, would you take the truck deal from one of the leaders?

You're basically settling for fourth, but chances are you were going out fourth or fifth anyway unless you won that immunity challenge. I'm sure the value of the truck is more than third place gets paid. And you can probably sell it for more than sticker value as a 'Survivor item'.

Does your answer change if you're unemployed?

[wisehandpoker]

- I think Dreamz background is one in which integrity is great but ultimately you do what you have to in order to survive. I think when he accepted the deal, he meant to honor it, but he just couldn't allow himself to be undone by it.

- I've watched every season of Survivor and Lisi was by the far the most irritating character in the history of the show for me. Everything that came out ofher mouth re-defined idiocy.

- With regards to Alex' speech to Cassandra about her treatment of Stacy, i found it a little surprising considering the outward abuse Stacy and Lisi heaped on Dreamz and Cassandra early in the season when the two of them were the obvious tribal outcasts. The two girls behaved like D and C were already gone.

- I think Yao made two mistakes. I think he was right to feel Dreamz was a good guy, but silly to forget the survival instinct the streets instill. He also should have made contingency plans for a Dreamz betrayal.

- I wouldn't be shocked at all if Earl was a 2+2er. He played a very tactical game.


I thought the betrayal made up in part for the producers really bad decision to let one tribe live in luxury, which essentially made the first 6 episodes worthless. Still one of the weakest seasons though.

[BillNye]

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I really think Yau shoulda asked Dreams to drop during that last immunity challenge. I think Dreams would have and really did have plans to give the II up.

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It was clear when Dreams didnt drop that he didnt intend on giving it up imo. I immediately laughed when he didnt drop. Likewise if Dreams was going to drop he should of said something to Yau such as "its all yours" regardless of if he was dropping on purpose or not.

[rsk111]

- I doubt Earl is a 2+2er. If he is, he needs to work on his hand reading. Even a huge fish should have been able to see through Stacy's bluff during final 6, when she told Earl that she was just going to go quietly and "with dignity" because there wasn't anything she could do. Earl, should have been able to see this bluff for what it was (i.e., attempt to blindside Yau). Instead, he believed that she was being sincere.

-I think Yau's blunder was not making it easier for Dreamz to hold up his end of the bargain. If I were Yau, what I would have done is one of the following:

Option A: "Dreamz, since you are a nice guy, and clearly are going to keep your word, here's what I'll do: Give me the idol and tell me who you want me to vote for. I'll vote for whoever you say.

Option B: "Dreamz, I know this is a tough decision for you, so to make it easier for you, I won't hold you to your promise to give me the idol, if you promise to vote for Cassandra (or Earl)"

Either of these plays would have allowed Dreamz to resolve the conflict he was faced with (i.e., keep promise, but get eliminated), and worst case (i.e., option B) Yau goes to a tiebreaker to make it to the final three. Like previous posters, I don't for a second believe that Dreamz was genuinely thinking that he was going to reneg the moment he took the truck (I'd actually respect that). He truly was conflicted, and one of the above plays would have allowed him to avoid the conflict entirely.

I also don't believe Yau's reason that he gave in the reunion for why he didn't have a back-up plan if Dreamz didn't come through. I think Yau's real problem was a lack of confidence -- he didn't realize how popular he was. I'm not sure that he believed that he would have destroyed any of the other two in the final three (which he would have). I think that somehow he believed that it was important to get the supposedly sympathetic Dreamz out of the final three in order for him to win. That's why he stuck to his plan.

[Zurvan]

I really think Yau thought he was doing a great job of manipulating Dreamz at the end. All his talk of "I know he'll do the right thing", and so on, was very much like a father talking about the son he trusts absolutely. This was Yau trying to make Dreamz feel too guilty to reneg, and make him feel better about himself afterwards.

I'm actually a little surprised it didn't work. Dreamz just made himself look like an idiot later on. He should have admitted that, faced with the possibility of $1M, he couldn't do it. And, there's still a big money jump from #4 - #2/3. The runners-up get $100,000 I think, or maybe $75K. #4 is $25K.

[TheCroShow]

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Lastly, Probst is a douche.

[/ QUOTE ] eh? did i miss something?

yeah dreamz is an idiot, i hated cassandra, earl was cool, i like that Earl won.

[talentdeficit]

yau wasn't half as smart as he was edited to seem. he could have ensured his place in the final three as early as six remaining. he passed that one up, passed up another in the final five, and then totally messed up with dreamz. i also think he probably loses to earl in the final vote no matter what happens, regardless of what people claimed after the show. i think a lot of those votes were out of sympathy for dreamz screwing him over.

brian, from survivor: thailand, is still far and away the best player to ever appear on survivor. not only did he have 100% control of the game the entire time, he also retained the loyalty of people he personally screwed over.

[AntonHeat]

What were the payouts?

Also it was the first ep of the season I watched but thought that azn guy and dreamz really rooked it. And after he screwed the azn guy over no way he was going to win a 3 way vote.

[RubbishCards]

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What were the payouts?

[/ QUOTE ]This is kind of interesting because they don't seem to like to talk about this on the show - all you ever hear is they are playing for $1 million, and 2nd gets 100k. From what I have read, there is a pretty flat payout structure leading up to that 100k - for example I have heard 85k for 3rd, 35k for 7th, 2k for the first one voted out. Presumably this changes a little in the last 2 seasons with the final 3 - i.e. there is no distinction between 2nd and 3rd. But assuming this is true, it does explain a lot of the apparent total lack of strategy from some many players, as they basically try to "fold" their way up the payout ladder instead of taking risks to put themself in a final 2 spot.

[kylephilly]

One of the best finales of all time