The SURVIVOR series (Season 26 airs Feb. 13!)

[LivewiresXe]

Penner proved yet again he doesn't know how to play Survivor end-game. He did it in Cook Islands betraying every player left in the game, and now he did it by TURNING DOWN A FINAL FOUR DEAL?! HOW DO YOU TURN DOWN A FREE FINAL FOUR DEAL?! Lisa/Skupin wanted to be with them over Malcolm and Carter and Penner goofed it bad.

I wouldn't say Carter "goofed" anything since he wasn't involved. And I think 90% of the time, Penner not making the F4 now would be a good idea, since if he took it and Malcolm/Denise found out, they could form their own alliance with Abi/Pete, and would have 2 Idols.

 

[Smasher89]

Jem- First of all, he would be in a terrible 3vs1 situation when he would have gotten there.
He would also not get any jury votes since he would have gone the easy way and is a returning player so it´s expected from him to have some mayor control in order to win the game. And as allready mentioned, theres 2 idles still in play that can easily make 2 of the 4 in that alliance gotten rid of, and Penner would be an easy target in that situation.

 

[LivewiresXe]

I also should point out, I meant "that F4 deal". I very much so want to see him make F4/F3/F2/whatever.

 

[Jem.]

So you get carried to Final 4, and just have to win one immunity to make it into the Final 3. Penner is likely going to get picked off at 5-7 now for refusing that deal. If Penner can't win one immunity when he needs to at final 4, then he probably doesnt deserve to win the game. What's he going to do now? Hope he wins every immunity? I think there is still a lingering fear of bringing a returning player to the end thinking they get pity jury votes. Boston Rob says he is still 100% confident in Redemption Island if he didnt win the final immunity, he would have been going home.

Lisa seems to like Penner more than Skupin anyways, and if they were deadlocked, it would be a fire making challenge at 4 if Carter and Penner and Lisa&Skupin refused to change their votes. Whose to say Lisa wouldnt be willing to ditch Skupin just to be guaranteed final 3 if it were Penner, Lisa, Carter, and Skupin. Theres no way you want 2 returning players with you at the end.

 

[Smasher89]

Malcoms easiest target with the immunity idle is Penner. So theres no way he would get himself in a position where Malcom has to play the idle and Penner is open to get picked off.

 

[LivewiresXe]

So you get carried to Final 4, and just have to win one immunity to make it into the Final 3. Penner is likely going to get picked off at 5-7 now for refusing that deal. If Penner can't win one immunity when he needs to at final 4, then he probably doesnt deserve to win the game. What's he going to do now? Hope he wins every immunity? I think there is still a lingering fear of bringing a returning player to the end thinking they get pity jury votes. Boston Rob says he is still 100% confident in Redemption Island if he didnt win the final immunity, he would have been going home.

Lisa seems to like Penner more than Skupin anyways, and if they were deadlocked, it would be a fire making challenge at 4 if Carter and Penner and Lisa&Skupin refused to change their votes. Whose to say Lisa wouldnt be willing to ditch Skupin just to be guaranteed final 3 if it were Penner, Lisa, Carter, and Skupin. Theres no way you want 2 returning players with you at the end.

I have to admit that I've NEVER bought the "if you don't win Immunity when you need it, then you don't deserve to win the game" thing. I've always been of the mindset that since Survivor's a social game, if you get to the end part and NEED those Immunities in order to get to the next round, then you've done something wrong. It's also the same where if you would have been voted out had you not used your Immunity Idol means you've done something wrong.

 

[Jem.]

I'm just confused why you guys think Penner saying no to a final four deal is smart in any sense

He just became public enemy #2 once Abi is gone.

He would have coasted to final four most likely, and a chance for Lisa to flip over to him. Or atleast a fire making challenge to see who makes it on a deadlock tie. Now its Penner&Carter, Abi, and a foursome of Malcolm Denise Lisa Skupin.

 

[The Real Gamer]

Jem's right. By refusing to align with Lisa and Skupin, Penner and Carter are now the odd men out unless if someone decides to flip, which seems very unlikely at this point because flipping on a group of people that are guaranteeing you a final four makes no sense at all from an endgame standpoint.

 

[Jem.]

It would have to happen next episode. Abi desperately going with Penner and Carter would only be 3 vs 4. So if Abi gets the boot, it'd be 4 versus 2 and one flip wouldnt be enough.

 

[LivewiresXe]

It would have to happen next episode. Abi desperately going with Penner and Carter would only be 3 vs 4. So if Abi gets the boot, it'd be 4 versus 2 and one flip wouldnt be enough.

A flip to make it a tie is always enough, it's just people are too scared to do it, really.

 

[Holder of the Heel]

Sucks that Penner was Penalized for having been the rational one, he didn't want to make promises that he knew could possibly not fall through. Funny how it was Malcom and Denise's idea to make that alliance to the end with LISA and SKUPIN. Yeah, they totally weren't thinking of themselves doing that, Denise's words about how she doesn't want to bring along people she can clearly beat was all talk, which I figured, because otherwise she would have been stupid to genuinely feel that way. Penner was right, going to the final four with those two means to give a million dollars to one of them.

Never have I ever received the feeling of seeing the players I like the most win. >_<

 

[Jem.]

No, Penner got voted out because he refused to pick a side and then picked too late. That's his own fault. No one wants to deal with flip votes that late in the game

So now if anyone wants to say Jem you were right.. I'll accept it.

 

[Holder of the Heel]

That's just another way of putting what I just said, he got voted out because while HE was smart everyone else was being DUMB.

In other words, his mistake was thinking everyone was going to do what would be best. Naive in that he can't verify people are going to do that, and the people in this Survivor don't have a good track record with doing what is optimum. Really though, just some dumb stuff keeps going down.


Anyone find Abi being a little too obvious with her made up secret?

 

[Yonder]

There's no one on this season that's left that interests me any more...tbh.

 

[LivewiresXe]

No, Penner got voted out because he refused to pick a side and then picked too late. That's his own fault. No one wants to deal with flip votes that late in the game

So now if anyone wants to say Jem you were right.. I'll accept it.

Yeah, I for one, unfortunately am not going to credit you as right as I respectively believe you to be wrong, with no offense intended.

 

[WIDL]

I agreed with you all the way Jem. It makes perfect sense. I liked Penner a lot, but I want Denise to win way more, so I'm very happy she stayed.

Abi is so weird. Hope she goes next week. Her or Carter. Either will be fine. I think Carter is clueless and even more undeserving of the win than Abi.

 

[The Real Gamer]

I don't think I've ever seen someone so entertaining when they got voted out. Even Jeff was like "WTF?" XD

I guess the moral of this story is that when someone offers you the final four, YOU TAKE IT. Playing the middle of the road simply doesn't work that late in the game unless if you're a pro at staying under the radar (aka Sandra Diaz).

 

[SnackAttack]

DENISE

I ****ing love Penner lololol

 

[Jem.]

I hate knowing that (BIG SPOILER)

Spoiler

Malcolm doesn't make the Final 3 because he is a favorite on Survivor 26 fans vs favorites and everyone that is a favorite did not win the game

 

[samb]

Not that I don't think It is ultimately Penner's fault he got voted out, but Skupin made the wrong decision, sitting the final 3 with potentially Abi and Penner would be great for him. Why take Malcolm and his idol, further?

 

[WIDL]

I hate knowing that (BIG SPOILER)

Spoiler

Malcolm doesn't make the Final 3 because he is a favorite on Survivor 26 fans vs favorites and everyone that is a favorite did not win the game

(Spoiler blablabla)

Spoiler

While I agree with you, and had figured that out myself, I don't think it's entirely impossible for Malcolm to be in the final three, but yeah, he won't win. And I think everyone sees him as a winner if he hits the final three

Abi in the top 5. That's crazy. Lol. But they made the right choice imo. Rootin' hard for Denise. I will be fine with either Denise, Malcolm or Skupin winning, really. Preferably Denise or Malcolm.

 

[The Real Gamer]

Lisa is such a freaking wildcard lol. Malclom would have been gone if he didn't win immunity.

 

[LivewiresXe]

Lisa is such a freaking wildcard lol. Malclom would have been gone if he didn't win immunity.

Nah, I think she was all talk and would've waffled on it.

 

[Smasher89]

If that spoiler is true and that player doesnt win, congrats Denise.

 

[Hat N' Clogs]

I hope one of the former Matsings win, preferably Malcolm

 

[The Real Gamer]

If that spoiler is true and that player doesnt win, congrats Denise.

Really dude? You really couldn't put that in spoiler tags?

 

[WIDL]

^ while I agree (about the spoiler tag thing), but since the cat is out of the bag: I don't think Denise is a shoo-in. Out of the five, I could see Malcolm, Denise and Skupin winning. At the moment, I have a feeling that Skupin won it, but we'll just see. Don't really see Lisa winning, but who knows. Abi is a definite no.

 

[Holder of the Heel]

Lisa angers me. She wants to act like she is so loyal and nice, but she ends up being the most fickle, making her not very loyal and making past moves seem pointless because she doesn't remain consistent. That being said, it just doesn't seem like if she were to reach the end she could make a proper case for herself as to why she should win.

 

[The Real Gamer]

Lisa angers me. She wants to act like she is so loyal and nice, but she ends up being the most fickle, making her not very loyal and making past moves seem pointless because she doesn't remain consistent. That being said, it just doesn't seem like if she were to reach the end she could make a proper case for herself as to why she should win.

I agree. She's a huge flip-flopper. One episode she claims she wants to be loyal and that "she isn't cut out for this game" and then the next she wants to betray her own alliance... And then it's back to being loyal.

But regardless she has made the right moves and said the right things that have allowed her to even make it as far as she did (even though I'd say she was lucky).

 

[LivewiresXe]

Lisa angers me. She wants to act like she is so loyal and nice, but she ends up being the most fickle, making her not very loyal and making past moves seem pointless because she doesn't remain consistent. That being said, it just doesn't seem like if she were to reach the end she could make a proper case for herself as to why she should win.

Agree, she's a total hypocrite, has a holier than thou attitude, did that whole "God's will" thing so that she could avoid responsibility for who went last week, and is constantly saying how much she sucks at the game. Now, I'm not spoiled and I'm not editing expert despite having analyzed it since season 12 but...part of me thinks if she won the editors wouldn't constantly be showing her saying how bad she is at the game.

 

[WIDL]

I like Lisa, but I agree that she is kind of a hypocrite. I think she has figured out stuff, but a little too late, missy.

This episode's TC made me shake like a leaf, then again, I have been nervous every TC post merge almost. I really like this season. Best non-All Star in a good, good while. Probably since... Micronesia? Samoa?

 

[LivewiresXe]

I like Lisa, but I agree that she is kind of a hypocrite. I think she has figured out stuff, but a little too late, missy.

This episode's TC made me shake like a leaf, then again, I have been nervous every TC post merge almost. I really like this season. Best non-All Star in a good, good while. Probably since... Micronesia? Samoa?

Er...I'd say since China. Micronesia was slow pre-merge and the post-merge really wasn't as good as they say, Gabon's ending kills it, Tocantins was meh, Samoa I maintain is horrible, Nicaragua is underrated, and Redemption Island and One World were terri-bad.

 

[WIDL]

Actually, you probably could exclucde Micronesia since half of the cast were returnees, lol, but still it's one of my favorite seasons. Mainly because of the hilarious stuff like Chet/joel. Erik giving up immunity. Erik in general being like a "wide-eyed kid in a candy store". And all them blindsides. Unlike the female alliance on One World, these girls talked strategy all the time "what if we.., or what if we do this.." they always had a plan or thought of SOMETHING. Watching them talk strategy entertains me a lot. Also, I actually remember pretty much all the names from that season. But yeah, maybe since China. I do like Samoa though, but it's not great-great. The only thing I like about Nicaragua is the winner. So many unlikeable people, and I was sads about how Jill went home, cuz she had great potential, but she played it way too safe and didn't widen her alliance etc. Dealt bad cards etc.

 

[LivewiresXe]

I tend to be alone in this thinking, but I've always maintained that in Micronesia, Natalie would've been way better off making sure Jason stuck around instead of sticking to the female alliance. Like, if she did a whole Final 3 with herself, Alexis, and Jason then not only does Jason give her the Idol if she needs it along the way, but both Alexis and Jason would take her to the end and she would likely win against both of them.

 

[Jem.]

My prediction is holding strong. Rob Cesternino thinks the editing is set up for a Lisa win. And there is high suspicion its a final 2. It'd be 9 jury members and its a 2 hour finale. They usually kick off 2 people at final five when its final 3 on finale night. Example: Ken was on the finale episode because he got 5th, Ozzy played in two immunities, etc. Which hurts Malcolm A LOT. He HAS to pull the Fabio run... And I'm not sure if he can. Even Ozzy couldnt do it.

I still think Denise will turn on Malcolm, and I think somehow Denise wins the game. I'm not sure if Skupin can win unless he's paired straight up vs Lisa in a final 2. I think Malcolm wins in every scenario vs anyone, but does he make it is the question.

 

[LivewiresXe]

The way I see winner scenarios based on potential final 3/2 makeups is this:

Final 2:

Lisa/Skupin: Skupin wins
Lisa/Denise: Denise wins
Lisa/Malcolm: Malcolm wins
Skupin/Malcolm: Malcolm wins
Skupin/Denise: Denise wins
Malcolm/Denise: close, but Malcolm


Final 3:

Denise/Malcolm/Skupin: Malcolm wins
Denise/Malcolm/Lisa: Malcolm wins
Denise/Skupin/Lisa: Denise wins
Malcolm/Skupin/Lisa: Malcolm wins


So yeah...I truthfully don't see a scenario where Lisa wins.

 

[Holder of the Heel]

So wait, they voted off Abi for WHAT reason exactly? I'm sorry, but I'd want her with me at the end if I was Skupin and especially Lisa. ._.

 

[LivewiresXe]

So wait, they voted off Abi for WHAT reason exactly? I'm sorry, but I'd want her with me at the end if I was Skupin and especially Lisa. ._.

Probably because she was outside the alliance of 4. That...and I'd imagine they just couldn't stand being around her.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

I was blown away when Malcolm didn't play his idol for Denise. Sure, it ended up being unnecessary, but egads, why take the chance? That could have been disastrous.

 

[The Real Gamer]

He was probably worried about preserving his image... And I think he really wanted to keep the idol as a souvenir lol.