Survivor 20**HvV**No SPOILER THREAD**

[wisblue]

Oh, and if Russel makes the top 3 again I say he is indeed the best Survivor ever. Finding those idols. Having people give him idols. Giving away idols. Just because the jury holds grudges and won't vote for him means nada to me. He plays the GAME.

But Parvati didn't want Russell out, she just wanted to keep the Villains in the game while establishing herself as the leader of the group and, at least for now, she has done that. If she had arranged to vote Russell out she would have probably been the next to go. As I said before, I now expect the Villains to knock off the Heroes one by one, or at least quickly enough to retain their majority. That will leave 3 Villains in the final 3 unless one of the Heroes puts together a dramatic run of immunity challenge wins, and I don't see that any of them are capable of doing that. I expect Parvati and Russell to be 2 of them, and right now Parvati has the upper hand over him. It will be interesting to see next week how Russell reacts now that somebody else has done something that he wishes he had done.

 

[daughtersrus]

I agree. Maybe not THE best but he's up there.

I think he's at a huge disadvantage. Because he didn't know the results of his season before this one was filmed, he didn't have a chance to learn from his prior mistakes. The man is not stupid. I believe that had he played Heros vs Villiams knowing that Natalie won, he would have done some things differently.

He may not have officially known the results but I would bet that there was no doubt in his mind that he had won. Because of this, he's playing the same game thinking that it was good enough to win the first time. Even if this took place after he realized that he didn't get one vote, I doubt that he would have changed the way he plays. Even after he lost, he tried to buy the title. My guess is that while this was being filmed, he was thinking how nice it was going to be to have two million dollar checks to cash.

 

[jrmasm]

You should be on Survivor that is even more brilliant than what Parvati did last night.

But then the numbers would have been on the other side and I doubt the Heros would have supported her after this vote. What she did was her best move.

 

[wisblue]

You should be on Survivor that is even more brilliant than what Parvati did last night.

I disagree. Voting Russell out would have given the Heroes the upper hand and put Parvati squarely on the chopping block. I don't think the Heroes would have welcomed her into their alliance.

 

[jrmasm]

He may not have officially known that results but I would bet that there was no doubt in his mind that he had won. Because of this, he's playing the same game thinking that it was good enough to win the first time. Even if this took place after he realized that he didn't get one vote, I doubt that he would have changed the way he plays. My guess is that while this was being filmed, he was thinking how nice it was going to be to have two million dollar checks to cash.

I agree with everything you said except the bolded. I have no doubt he would have made changes if he knew that people wouldn't vote only on strategy.

 

[wisblue]

He may not have officially known that results but I would bet that there was no doubt in his mind that he had won. Because of this, he's playing the same game thinking that it was good enough to win the first time. Even if this took place after he realized that he didn't get one vote, I doubt that he would have changed the way he plays. My guess is that while this was being filmed, he was thinking how nice it was going to be to have two million dollar checks to cash.

If he thought he had won the first one it would only show how arrogant he is, and how he apparently doesn't realize how his behavior makes it unlikely that the jury members will vote for him.

 

[daughtersrus]

If he thought he had won the first one it would only show how arrogant he is, and how he apparently doesn't realize how his behavior makes it unlikely that the jury members will vote for him.

I think that the interviews after the final tribal for his first game showed that all along he thought that he had won. I liked Russell in the beginning of his first game but his attitude and arrogance in and outside of the game have made me change my mind.

 

[legalsea]

I do think Russell is one of the best players to ever be on the show. Indeed, when this season began I thought he would be gone quickly simply because none of the other 19 players knew who he was. It is painless to vote off someone you don’t know at all. Yet, he has played well and remains in the game.

However, he lacks that one crucial, fundamental skill: the social game. The ability to, at the end, get votes from people you had lied to, screwed over, etc.

Russell obviously thought (for Samoa) that the jury should have voted him a million dollars because they were awed and humbled by his superior playing skills. He wanted to be recognized for his greatness. The jury, however, simply did not like him.

After her ouster Courtney stated that even if Russell made it to the end he would not receive one vote. She said that he was not social to you unless he needed you for something; since he thought Courtney was beneath contempt and worthless, he (according to Courtney) never spoke to her (beyond camp necessities, she said).

 

[shortbun]

I think the 'heroes' need to start an all out search for the hidden immunity idol and put Sondra in place as their spy to see how to use it. Parvati obviously did not know that Sondra had spoken to the Heroes so she could fly under the radar. If I were them, I'd guarantee her a higher place in the finish to do it.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Heroes need to get Sondra she is smart enough to realize she is most likely to go so now would be her time to flip. especially with the idols gone.

 

[gometros]

After her ouster Courtney stated that even if Russell made it to the end he would not receive one vote. She said that he was not social to you unless he needed you for something; since he thought Courtney was beneath contempt and worthless, he (according to Courtney) never spoke to her (beyond camp necessities, she said).

This is a huge point. We don't see this part of the social game that much, because it doesn't make good TV. The interactions we see are usually the meetings to determine who to vote out and interactions and rewards. How many challenges have we seen in the past where the survivors had to answer questions about each other? We don't know any of that because we don't see it. But on the game, as in real life, we react more positively to people who show an interest in us than people who ignore or use us, and that plays a big role in the final vote. Let's face it, only rarely are the final jury votes truly based on how well a person played the game. It's more about what they did or didn't do and how they related to the members of the jury.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If he thought he had won the first one it would only show how arrogant he is, and how he apparently doesn't realize how his behavior makes it unlikely that the jury members will vote for him.

An interesting thing about Russel--I don't really know how one can guage the "best player ever" if the only rule is the person had to have one a million. That leaves only 9 contenders.

What is important to note is that many get booted b/c of the threat that they are. I don't think that qualifies them as worst ever.

So if you were to take out the million--Russell does rank up there. Sure his social game isn't all that good. But he has set the fate for many--especially last season. If he wanted someone gone, it was so. He is very cunning that way. I do think that makes him one of the top players.

Best ever? I have no idea. But winning the million isn't enough. It just means that enough people liked what you did so that you could win the million.

Remember, there is only one person (I think) that got a unanimous vote. Sadly, I don't remember who they were--but that is an amazing accomplishment--to make it to the final and EVERYONE (except who you are up against) wants you to win.

I think this crew will read Russell very differently than the last crew if he were to make it to the end. But I have no idea of knowing if he'll win the million.

I'm not sure anyone of us to predict it.

Thus far this season, the "women" were able to get him to vote differently than he had planned. So he does have his work cut out from him.

 

[shortbun]

Heroes need to get Sondra she is smart enough to realize she is most likely to go so now would be her time to flip. especially with the idols gone.

Yeah, they need to flip her and they need to find an immunity idol to play a switcheroo in the next tribal council. Also, I'd like to see the women take over. They certainly have the numbers.

 

[Desiree]

And as if you needed more proof that Russell is a troll...

http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/23/survivor-star-russell-hantz-arrested-assault-lafayette-lousiana/

 

[suzannen]

To me she looked like she did know Amanda was lying. Parvati is a smart player. She knows just because she and Amanda were in together last time around doesn't mean they are allies this time. Amanda seems to feel the same way.

I absolutely agree with you! By Amanda constantly telling her she should play the idol, she should play the idol, she should play the idol - Parvati knew it wasn't her on the chopping block but that the Heroes were trying to flush out the idol. Both DH and I thought Amanda really needed to work on her "acting" skills because she was not believable at all.

I hated Parvati the year she won, but I've become a bit of a grudging admirer - she is playing the game well.

 

[andrews_dad]

I hated Parvati the year she won, but I've become a bit of a grudging admirer - she is playing the game well.

Me, too! I thought that Parv was all flirt and no game her first season. Now I see just how good she is. That move last night was one of teh Survivor history books. I tip my cap to her.

Too bad in my Survivor fantasy pool I only have Sondra left, and I totally dislike her!!! I am rooting for Russel to villian his way to the top! HAHAHA

 

[andrews_dad]

Your standards are different than a lot of others. Getting votes from the jury is the ultimate essence of the GAME. Finding the idols is a skill, but so is having the physical ability to win individual challenges, and Russell is far from one of the best at that.

I think some of the best players are the ones who simply had the misfortune to be on a losing tribe, and yet still hung in by winning challenges. To me, the all time best is Ethan because he was strong physically and managed to earn the respect of the other players while he was at it.

Guys like Ethan and Ozzie don't impress me as much as someone like Russel. If you are Mr. Super-athlete, you get kept on when there is two tribes to keep your tribe strong. After the merge, you go out and win the Indiv Idol.

I like the folks who play the GAME to survive. To me, that is a real survivor. Russel is no physical threat. He is not going to win 5 Indiv Idol in a row on puzzles nor on physical challanges. He stays around by outsmarting, playing head games ... convincing others to do his bidding. It is a joy to watch, IMO. Yule is not a great Survivor to me. He was a nice guy athlete. The popular jock in high school.... easier road. Richard Hatch, Russel .. these guys are Survivors.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

And as if you needed more proof that Russell is a troll...

http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/23/survivor-star-russell-hantz-arrested-assault-lafayette-lousiana/

I saw that, but all it says is he was arrested because he shoved someone to the pavement. I haven't seen anything to let us know why he shoved that person. Maybe it was a Survivor fan who loved JT, and was verbally assaulting Russel.

Until more facts come out about the incident, I will reserve my judgement.

 

[legalsea]

I saw that, but all it says is he was arrested because he shoved someone to the pavement. I haven't seen anything to let us know why he shoved that person. Maybe it was a Survivor fan who loved JT, and was verbally assaulting Russel.

Until more facts come out about the incident, I will reserve my judgement.

I agree. It may well be that Russell gave some drunken idiot exactly what he deserves.

 

[declansdad]

And as if you needed more proof that Russell is a troll...

http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/23/survivor-star-russell-hantz-arrested-assault-lafayette-lousiana/

Not much to that story; it doesn't even tell us what happened.