1/11 Show Discussion **Spoilers** (Finale)

[John]

We've finally reached the end. Please keep all discussion of tonight's finale in this thread only, until at least 1am Eastern.

Thanks!

[Google]

 

[William13]

Go Sara!!!

[Krom]

Originally Posted by William13

Go Sara!!!

Task 1: Each finalist gives a speech to the eliminated contestants as a group about why they deserve to win (Sara and Shawn had prepared the speeches unaware of who they'd be speaking to). I missed parts of this, but from what I heard, Sara's was very focused on her real world business acumen, and Shawn's was an emotional motivational type thing about people having "dreams". From what I saw (but as I said I missed some) no definite winner or loser was picked.

Task 2: She won the physical challenge by completely subverting the rules. Smart smart girl. I'm not sure if Branson intended for her to do it the way she did, but he sounded pretty impressed.

Basically, for those not seeing this, Branson put her and Shawn on a beach in a tropical storm, pointed to a sailboat and something called a "kite sail" and then at a reef way in this distance, and said, you each take one of those and the first one to the reef and back wins. Shawn took the sailboat and Sara the kite thing (a waterskiing type harness strapped to a huge kite). Shawn blundered around on the sailboat and set off. Meanwhile Sara realizes that Branson stated very few rules, so she coopts the cooperation of the big athletic guy setting her up with the kite harness and asks if he'd been willing to carry him on his shoulders while HE operated the thing. In tandem with Sara, this guy--obviously a professional at this--gets to the reef and back before Shawn is even halfway to the reef. Sara is wrapped around his back like an eel, but is obviously having a ball.

[Krom]

Task 3: Each finalist picks a team from the former contestants. Several people on camera comment that they think Sara picked a much smarter team, as well as one most likely to really want to help her. The teams' purpose is to work with their team leader to very harshly interrogate the opposing leader.

I'm flipping with Biggest Loser, but from what I saw Shawn REALLY gets put through the grist mill. He's confronted for being selfish, self-centered, uneven, etc. Sara's team especially crucifies him with a question where they ask him to tell each of them back the names of their companies and what they do for a living. I don't think he got even a SINGLE person right (he makes some horrible guesses in fact), and in interviews they all act pretty disgusted at him.

Shawn's team? They were vicious to Sara, but I don't think they ever broke her composure. At least until Nichole asks her to explain why SHAWN would make a better winner, and then... Sara is stymied. She totally freezes up--almost rambles. It's a trick question, but still... The main charges against Sara are that she's too private and that a few people thought she won on the backs of her teammates.

TAR is coming up, so I doubt I'll see more than tiny bits on this. Heck, I'm at least curious who will win Biggest Loser too... so I'll be flipping a lot.

[dberk]

They TOTALLY killed Shawn in the Q&A part!

For Sara to not be able to come up with a strength for Shawn makes him look bad. I couldn't think of anything either. Before they decided to ask that question, they should have anticipated the possible backfire.

Based on what I've seen so far, I can't see how Shawn could POSSIBLY win.

WOOHOOO!

[Krom]

Originally Posted by dberk

Based on what I've seen so far, I can't see how Shawn could POSSIBLY win.

WOOHOOO!

Trick or selective editing?

Plus, one more task I suppose.

I'd hate it if he did though. I know who I'd want running my company.

On to TAR. Hopefully I'll see bits of the rest of this between that and "Loser".

[Krom]

I'm seeing enough mid-flip to see that TASK 4 is to pick an advocate to argue their cause for them.

Once again, both leaders chose Gabriel--a repeat of what happened when they started to pick the teams last challenge. He ain't happy. Shawn, by the way, was the one who forced the tie-pick each time. As before, Gabe gets to pick who he goes with (he picked Sara last time).

Commercial.
{FLIP}

{FLIP BACK}
He picks Sara. Shawn winds up picking as second choice, Heather--who is complimented although everyone else is shocked since she's always bad mouthed him. He claims his pick was because Heather can argue both sides of anything.

But the twist? These "trusted" people aren't advocating, they are actually CHOOSING the winner.
{FLIP BACK TO TAR AGAIN}

[EXlurker]

Thanks for the posts Krom. Sure looks like Sara is easily going to win this but you never know. Too many shows to watch tonight.

[EXlurker]

These "trusted" people...Gabriel and Heather are going to pick the winner???

[Krom]

{FLIP}
I see bits of the two designatees, Heather and Gabriel, talking to the other contestants to get their feedback.

Heather, despite earlier in the show seeming to hate Shawn, is virulently for Shawn. Gabe seems just as strongly for Sara. Heather is being a bit of a bitch and using a lot of anti-logic to champion Shawn, but the rules apparently say they have to be unanimous, and to all appearances she's never giving up.

In the last meeting, the contestants "interview" to the camera that most of them think Shawn will win.

Richard reveals that the great debate took 2 hours, not a day or so like earlier editing made it seem.

STALEMATE. Despite the earlier stated rules, apparently Branson halted their debate.

Branson makes an executive decision and picks Shawn. Feh.

Sara was a very gracious loser though. In fact, when Branson presents the next twist (a coin flip for a bigger prize against a sure 1 million dollars) she encourages him to take a risk.