4/4 Show Discussion **Spoilers**

[spockwhat]

Just curious, why would it be excellent?

Funny thing is, what was arguably the first 'girl power' season was Vanuatu. It failed miserably. Of the last 7 players only 1 was male. And yet, he was the sole survivor.

I think tonight's show exemplified my view on 'girl power'. Women use gender alliances as strategy while men use it for self-defense. A sad commentary as far as I'm concerned.

I think in this case the women/men alliances can be excused. Time after time we see alliances that are formed early are strongest and hold together. Generally, the trust is there to keep the alliance going. The only reason we have a women's alliance is because the women were thrown into a tribe from the beginning. They formed relationships and trust. In other words, it has nothing to do with gender, but more to do with the fact that they were in the same original tribe.
I think I've mentioned it before, but Kim says she hates the term 'girl power'.... she doesn't want any part of it. I do think she wants to stick with people she's comfortable with.

The scene with Tarzan and Chelsea was ridiculous. I suppose, as a plastic surgeon, he can spot a boob job a mile away, but to bring it up like that to her was really dumb (and kind of creepy) so kudos to her for biting her tongue like she did and (shudder) recognizing that sometimes you have to drag along the players who don't stand a chance while you take out the strong competitors first. Tarzan sure has a God Complex doesn't he? He does not like to be questioned or second-guessed at all. I did laugh out loud at his saying she was "subliminally aggressive" or something like that to him. How does one even do that??

It was just an amazing scene of how deluded Tarzan is about himself.

First we have Tarzan: After living together, blah blah blah, you can tell when people are getting irritated with you... (at this point, I kind of expected him to say that he could see Chelsea was getting irritated with him... but nooooo...)
Instead he says something like: I can tell Chelsea is trying to sublimally irritate me.
Then: the next scene is Tarzan talking to Chelsea about her plastic surgery and her disliking him because she hates plastic surgeons in general. Forget sublimally, HE was being as irritating as H#LL!

The guy is a complete fruitcake. I hope he's around awhile for my amusement. And everyone on the show's irritation.

[echo226]

What on earth was up with Chelsea talking to Jay in front of the women, not in their alliance?! I really thought she had ruined the plan.

I thought it was part of the strategy ... maybe letting the outsiders think they're in ... or fence straddling and presenting it as a slip-up because she's tired or something? Not sure, but let's see if there are some repercussions later.



Also ... I wonder if Kat is really as unintelligent as she seems? Kat, Tarzan and Alicia in the F3?

Would the jury want to give the win to a ham sandwich ?

[spockwhat]

Do me a favor, and name two occurrences where men formed a gender alliance with the intent to eliminate the women first.

My memory is not good enough to remember seasons and names.

I can't think of any that were successful. I do vaguely recall guys saying sometimes they were going to bond with guys and go to the end. But it just never played out that way.
Didn't they go all manly man on the season with Coach and JT...blathering on about honour and integrity and wanting to be against 'the best' at final tribal ?

I think in general it would be less advantageous for guys to go together to the end because they are pitting themselves against other physical threats. We have had guys who said they want to go against "the most deserving" by going with other physical male players to the end, but they usually opt out when they start to smell the money.

For women, however, it does make more sense to stick together. That's just the nature of the game.

[Jaceegirl]

I've been surprised to see how much Jay is thinking game. We had been calling him a himbo, but he's not. Of course, it would have been nice if he could have used his brains to figure out last vote that it would be stupid to vote out a guy - but, hey, I'm just impressed that himbo has more than just his looks going on.

I've never seen a girl alliance work, so I'm interested if it works this time. Of course, that will make for a boring rest of the season because it will be too predictable, but the producers always shake it up when it gets too boring. (or they try)

I agree with you regarding Jay. There seems to be something off this season. Are they not showing us a lot of what they use to? Even going back to Jonas who mentioned he was going to be the leader and then you saw what happened. Troyzan I thought was emerging as a leader, but look at how quickly he accepted what was told to him about Mike. We saw some game talk between Kim and Sabrina, but still not the same as we have before. Is it just because of this particular group of survivors? I keep waiting for it to get better and better, but I am not feeling it like I normally do. There just seems to be so much missing. Where are the people who stick out as far as challenges? At this point I try to imagine the F3 arguing why they should be named the sole survivor and frankly I can't see any of them being able to give great examples. Is it just me?

[KatesMom]

I thought Kim played a good game last night. I was also surprised Troyzan believed her so easily. I think it is going to be interesting to see what happens from here on out. All female alliance is interesting, but I will be really surprised if it happens. One thing I will note that they need to be thinking about - if you pepper the jury with men, you better make sure it is an all female F3. If a man makes it that far, and all the other men feel screwed over by the women, I guarantee you the man will win the season - even if that man is Tarzan!

[AZChristian]

Also ... I wonder if Kat is really as unintelligent as she seems? Kat, Tarzan and Alicia in the F3?

This scenario would be an absolute, 100% (110% if you're Lou Ferrigno) guarantee that I would NEVER watch Survivor again.

[Fanny Mare]

I thought Kim played a good game last night. I was also surprised Troyzan believed her so easily. I think it is going to be interesting to see what happens from here on out. All female alliance is interesting, but I will be really surprised if it happens. One thing I will note that they need to be thinking about - if you pepper the jury with men, you better make sure it is an all female F3. If a man makes it that far, and all the other men feel screwed over by the women, I guarantee you the man will win the season - even if that man is Tarzan!

Oh good point! As an aside If I were Christine, I would try and get them all to see me as the swing vote .She is just sort of following along .

[Brooks]

Kat, Tarzan and Alicia in the F3?

Could be some interesting scenes, Tarzan and Kat trying to figure out what in the world the question was and how to answer it, LOL. Unfortunately it would mean Alicia would win, the worst possible outcome this season.

[AJane]

I think in this case the women/men alliances can be excused. Time after time we see alliances that are formed early are strongest and hold together. Generally, the trust is there to keep the alliance going. The only reason we have a women's alliance is because the women were thrown into a tribe from the beginning. They formed relationships and trust. In other words, it has nothing to do with gender, but more to do with the fact that they were in the same original tribe.
I think I've mentioned it before, but Kim says she hates the term 'girl power'.... she doesn't want any part of it. I do think she wants to stick with people she's comfortable with.

I was going to make a very similar comment - gender lines were drawn right away, and they had everything to do with production & nothing to do with any concept of girl power.

I still see the perception among female competitors that they are at a physical disadvantage. It may have been true in early seasons, where physical strength seemed a more prevalent advantage. Now many if not most of the challenges are based on problem-solving & endurance. It's more strategic to base alliances on complimentary skill sets. This season's female competitors are mostly strategically lazy.

[fan999]

Here's a hint, Tarzan. Sometimes? It's just you. Not your job. Not your vocabulary...YOU.

Has anyone actually looked into Dr. Tarzan's background? It's hard to imagine him functioning well in the real world with the attitudes we're seeing.

Is this the same guy?
http://reg.tmb.state.tx.us/OnLineVer...sePermit=G2484
https://www.abplsurg.org/ModDefault....ection=PubFind (You have to insert "Gregory Smith" into the search form.)

Note that the board says he's retired. For someone who graduated from medical school in 1974, he's probably about 64. Did he just retire a little early? Or was something else going on?