5/13 Show Discussion *Spoilers*

[Bearcata]

Thanks echo226 and justCoz sometimes the contestants mutter so much I can't hear a word.

If nothing else this episode reveals the difference between the strategy/game play of Russell, Parvati and Sandra. Russell takes things way too seriously, instead of sticking to his overall game plan; the long view, he is willing to let that all go for the immediate gratification of eliminating anyone who he precieves has crossed him. As a ruler of a nation he would be a horrible dictator, probably killing off most of the population before his own people would turn on him and put him down as the rabid dog he can be. Parvati and Sandra are more fluid in their games. While wanting a certain person gone they are adaptable to voting for someone else as long it is not them. I know that Sandra can't stand Russell and she has tried several times to get rid of him but she doesn't try to go against mob rule so she survives without the hatred toward herself that Russell is accumulating.

[Krom]

instead of sticking to his overall game plan; the long view, he is willing to let that all go for the immediate gratification of eliminating anyone who he precieves has crossed him.

Previous to this episode I might have agreed with that, but I think you are dead wrong that this episode proved it. In fact, it weakened the case for proving it, because we saw a very clear instance where he DIDN'T go after the person who'd backstabbed him. Jerri. His targets were Sandra, and then later he allowed himself to be shifted by events, Rupert.

In other words, even if it was grudging and atypical, this episode showed him being flexible. It not only doesn't prove what you say it did, it dinged that assumption about him overall a bit.

If Parvati didn't have immunity things might have gone down completely differently, but even still it was a definite case of Russell changing his strategy based on the events around him.

[KeepItReal]

Normally I'd say it's a bad idea to tell someone you are against them, however, that could do nothing but buy Sandra votes in the end game. Parvarti only helped by letting the jury know how straight forward she actually was with someone who they all disdain. Honestly, if I were Parvarti I'd need to target Sandra after I get rid of that last hero who they would all love to vote for. If I were Sandra I'd need to do the same. If Colby gets to the end he may win because they hate the villians, and if he makes the only available argument he has and says that he "pretended" to lay down so that he can appear as the least threatening of the hero tribe and came on strong at the very end of the game he may convince someone to vote for him that was on the fence. Weak argument, but the only one he has at this point.

Russell has a better chance of farting rainbows than he has of winning this thing. I'm sure a ton of them hate Parvarti as well, which makes Sandra a very dangerous woman.

The hero tribe cannot be angry with her because she came to them and they declined her offer to vote with them. That vote would have changed the entire game. The villians may not respect her, but her vote helped them at times, and she was not sitting back not playing the game and awaiting her fate, she was scrambling the entire time. Even her unsuccsessful scrambles will help her in the end. They will say that they can only blame themselves for getting ousted from the game. She has truly come out with clean hands even when her vote was a critical vote that could have saved someone. By being on the outs within her own tribe and everyone knowing it she is actually in a pretty sweet spot should she make final 3.

Jerri may be in a good spot as well, however, she appears more tightly aligned with the villians than Sandra does. If the jury hates all things villian they will take the person that seperates themselves the most from the carnage.

[Brooks]

That was a great challenge. I am glad Jerri won and I love that she asked to bring one more.

I doubt that she changed the reward structure of sending along a third couple, she just happened to ask before Jeff had a chance to offer.

I'd really like to see one of the ladies tell Russell that she wants to take him to F3 because he doesn't have a chance of winning. In other words, turning around his pomposity that he will take them to F3.

I was so relieved to see Rupert voted out, because my nightmare scenario was the three guys in F3. I think the current five ensure a F3 where Colby cannot win. I could accept Russell or any of the ladies taking the prize.

Russell blew it voting for Rupert (not that it would have mattered because of teh HII). His best chance was one of the women gone.

[AZChristian]

Russell has a better chance of farting rainbows than he has of winning this thing.

I read lots of stuff off this board to my hubby. We both agree that this is the funniest line we've EVER read.

Hats off to you, KeepItReal!

[straycat80]

I can understand having Russell in the F2 or F3 this late in the game because I don't think anyone on the jury will vote for him. He's screwed over everybody. I doubt Colby will make it unless he wins immunity twice but he's been so weak in challenges the whole time I doubt this will happen. I see three villians in the finale.

[Mariner]

At the beginning of last night's episode, Russell said something like getting rid of Danielle was smart because now Parvati will have noone to lean her head on but him. To me, that means that he still doesn't understand that Parv is a strong, independent player. Her strategy doesn't involve latching on to anyone.

[sweetpea]

At the beginning of last night's episode, Russell said something like getting rid of Danielle was smart because now Parvati will have noone to lean her head on but him. To me, that means that he still doesn't understand that Parv is a strong, independent player. Her strategy doesn't involve latching on to anyone.

That scene they showed during this, in the beginning, where Russell was laying near Parvati and staring at her from about 12 inches away really creeped me out. Ugh.

Russell still doesn't get it. Parvati and Sandra are not the kind of player, or women for that matter, who will cower beside a big strong man when things don't go their way, especially not in this game. It must have driven him mental hearing them laughing at him after Sandra's "I'm against you, Russell" when he realized that Parvati would be just fine after Danielle was gone, that she doesn't need him at all, and that the whole thing amuses her.

I think I love Parvati and Sandra for that scene. Especially their refusing to be intimidated by him in the slightest. And for that, and for Jerri's "betrayal" they are all "b**ches" to him.

[jadewarlock]

That's what I see also; then again, Sandra reminds me of me, and everyone calls me "mean". Nope, I just don't mind calling BS when I see it.

GO SANDRA!!!! (And if Parvati wins again, I'll just spew. I can't stand her)

Totally agree with this assessment, there's mean - *ahem* Russell, and the "Mean" that is Sandra and calling it like she sees it.

Even Jerri really isn't mean - she does have a bitch factor, but like Sandra I think she just reacts the way she feels (and unlike some others, her anger is warranted.)

I'm hoping it's Sandra that wins this game now - I won't mind if Jerri or to a point Parvati wins (she has played a good game without threatening contestants with such vileness that Russell has), but Sandra is definitely I think the one who could do it.

And I loved her comment of "I thought I wouldn't need it, but these people are sneaky, so I'm not going to be the one who gets voted out with a HII in my bra." (You know what? - more I think about it the only ones who have been voted out with the Hidden Immunity Idols in their possession are all men. I think even the fake ones save Parvati (but even she knew that it was not a HII it was a "f-in stick" - her words) were all men )

[dantrb]

Previous to this episode I might have agreed with that, but I think you are dead wrong that this episode proved it. In fact, it weakened the case for proving it, because we saw a very clear instance where he DIDN'T go after the person who'd backstabbed him. Jerri. His targets were Sandra, and then later he allowed himself to be shifted by events, Rupert.

In other words, even if it was grudging and atypical, this episode showed him being flexible. It not only doesn't prove what you say it did, it dinged that assumption about him overall a bit.

If Parvati didn't have immunity things might have gone down completely differently, but even still it was a definite case of Russell changing his strategy based on the events around him.

He said early on the episode how he had Jerry under his spell. Of course he got pissy about Jerry not choosing him, calling them “a bunch of unappreciative little bitches.” He’s such a charmer, and it’ll be fantastic to watch him lose again.

He only sided with the girls "again" because he had no choice. He has no control of the game. He's just no-vote bait at this point.