FTA-TV Survivor Season 39: Island of the Idols

[Chicago1]

Thank God some drama in this most boring of seasons so far.

 

[Hamingja]

From what they've shown us its not hard to see why it would be happening. iirc Kellee did sit down with Dan and tell him that she didn't appreciate how much she touched him, but the fact that others seemingly piggy backed on that for game play purposes is pretty bad

Yeah this is really off.

If Dan wasn't inappropriate why did the producers play it up with the text on the screen about meetings etc.

They are as guilty of piggy backing it as much as the players if he hasn't really done anything.

CBS could end up getting sued by both sides!

 

[Chicago1]

What an effen coincidence - Mother Superior Janet finds an idol. They should have Senate Hearings about the rigging of this show.

 

[Chicago1]

Did Jamal find that note hanging on a noose??? Racists!

 

[drd23]

What an effen coincidence - Mother Superior Janet finds an idol. They should have Senate Hearings about the rigging of this show.

I thought you liked old people and nuns?

 

[Chicago1]

I thought you liked old people and nuns?

LOL Good one. I just got invited to a boomer Christmas lunch from the City of Moonee Valley! I'm not used to hanging around old people. They're just so, so yucky! And my physiotherapist doctor wants me to join an old people's exercise class. Just kill me now!

 

[Chicago1]

Why have two necklaces based on sex? Why not two based on race or religion. How about Democrats and Republicans?

 

[drd23]

Yeah this is really off.

If Dan wasn't inappropriate why did the producers play it up with the text on the screen about meetings etc.

They are as guilty of piggy backing it as much as the players if he hasn't really done anything.

CBS could end up getting sued by both sides!

This is part of why its somewhat confusing to me.

Presumably if the producers had one-on-one conversations with all the "girls" as they implied they did, Missy, Elizabeth and Lauren would have told them that they had no problems with Dan's behaviour, just as they did in their confessionals, and then it probably didn't need to be dealt with the way it was (the very sombre looking title cards have a very blunt and shocking effect)

 

[Chicago1]

I know of a New York lawyer who will soon be out of a job that Dan can hire to sue CBS.

 

[Chicago1]

Janet, just shut up.

 

[drd23]

Just reading Survivor reddit and almost all of them are going HAM on most of the contestants, but especially Dan, Aaron, Missy and Elizabeth.

They all seem to assuming that Elizabeth and Missy actually did feel uncomfortable and were lying when they said they weren't

 

[Chicago1]

Those two episodes have to be two of the most confusing ever. I remember when Survivor was such a simple, fun show to watch.

 

[Underarm]

Just reading Survivor reddit and almost all of them are going HAM on most of the contestants, but especially Dan, Aaron, Missy and Elizabeth.

They all seem to assuming that Elizabeth and Missy actually did feel uncomfortable and were lying when they said they weren't

Kellee feels uncomfortable being touched by Dan and has a talk to him about it in episode 1.
In last weeks episode, all the women on New Vokai (including Elizabeth and Missy) complain about Dan's wandering hands especially when they are trying to sleep. They repeat these allegations this episode.
Missy complains to Kellee about this and adds that he was playing with her toes at the merge feast.

This is all evidence that they were uncomfortable with it before they decided to Ham it up for Janet.

 

[drd23]

Kellee feels uncomfortable being touched by Dan and has a talk to him about it in episode 1.
In last weeks episode, all the women on New Vokai (including Elizabeth and Missy) complain about Dan's wandering hands especially when they are trying to sleep. They repeat these allegations this episode.
Missy complains to Kellee about this and adds that he was playing with her toes at the merge feast.

This is all evidence that they were uncomfortable with it before they decided to Ham it up for Janet.

The difficulty I have with the situation is that we can't know when Missy and Elizabeth were communicating what they really felt.

I'll admit that I don't remember the conversations as I tend to not pay attention to a lot of the camp life discussions, but its not inconceivable that they were were relaying the stories about when they are trying to sleep so as to relate better with others and not because they were uncomfortable with his actions. Us deciding when we think they are lying and when they aren't doesn't exactly gel with "believing women".

Either way the situation is all kinds of messed up

 

[Jaymin]

Was it Elizabeth who said she felt uncomfortable when Dan was touching her thigh while they were sleeping?

 

[Gasometer]

Full on had to concentrate the whole time; that’s why I keep coming back year after year. What a show!

 

[Underarm]

The difficulty I have with the situation is that we can't know when Missy and Elizabeth were communicating what they really felt.

I'll admit that I don't remember the conversations as I tend to not pay attention to a lot of the camp life discussions, but its not inconceivable that they were were relaying the stories about when they are trying to sleep so as to relate better with others and not because they were uncomfortable with his actions. Us deciding when we think they are lying and when they aren't doesn't exactly gel with "believing women".

Either way the situation is all kinds of messed up

The Kellee stuff was real enough that production had to step in and give a warning, which was a first for Survivor.

The Missy/Elizabeth are trickier to figure out, and I hope they can explain themselves in the future. Either they felt uncomfortable and are protecting Dan, or they're making up fake accusations and shitting all over the #metoo movement and gaslighting Janet in the process.

However keeping Dan was the right move, strategic wise. No one is ever giving him a Million dollars, and if Missy and Elizabeth think they can put up with his innapropriate touching for another 15 days then they should keep him around. Plus Jamal and Janet were the ones leading the vote against Dan and those were the only 2 they hadnt played with.

 

[nobbyiscool]

That whole 90 minutes made me feel gross. I'm not done with Survivor - but I might be done with this series.

I'm very conscious that we see 3 days played out over 42 minutes. And that it's not done week to week, but to weave storylines throughout the season.

But this felt like everything that's wrong with society. They talk about Survivor mirroring reality so much that it's a cliche - but if that's true, the bad guys are winning. The patriarchy are winning over women whose stories should be listened to, and their male allies. (Aaron personified this patriarchy in the second tribal council, and it was stupid to do so. I'm so ******* sick of men saying "I get it, I work with women, I have daughters, I have a mother blah blah ******* blah". It's used as a shield by men who think they're above being educated about what equality is.)

And the worst bit about it? Missy and especially Elizabeth sold out Kellee and Janet to ensure that was the case.

The one thing that Dan and Janet agreed on, and that I agree on, is that it's shitty that this very real life issue that society still hasn't grappled with became just another device in the game for people like Missy and Elizabeth. Which as I say at the top, is ******* gross.

The victim (Kellee) and the vocal ally (Jamal) became direct victims of this device, which is also ******* gross.

The one thing I did appreciate out of this sorry bullshit was Jeff shutting down Dan trying to claim victim status saying "you're right, I'll never stop bringing this up". Jeff has become a bigger part of tribal council since Survivor started - but that's the most monumental role I can remember him playing in tribal council and in the game. And given the issues they were grappling with, it was the right thing to do. Much as I'm sure there are plenty of privileged men opposed to equality also wanting to see Dan as a victim.

 

[glenferry23]

That was intense, compelling viewing.

All kinds of ****ed up that Janet is now ostracised, and Kellee and Jamal are out and Dan somehow remains. They’ve been showing him being touchy feely from the opening of this season, with Kellee asking him to stop, yet he somehow appears baffled that someone would feel uncomfortable around him. The male privilege and entitlement was once again on show at tribal and fantastic to see Jamal call that s**t out.

If only Kellee played one of those damn idols.

 

[Jaymin]

Dan should have been shipped off to IOI for a lesson on how to not make women uncomfortable around you.

 

[Gak Attack]

A lot of unlikeables left. Stupid from Kellee though not to play idol when you have two first tribal after the merge when there's no way you can be certain what's happening.

 

[Hamingja]

The sexual harassment stuff has overshadowed how stupid the IOI was.

Jamal got stiffed there.

Listening to RHAP and Rob said he would have just torn up the parchment as there was no upside for Jamal as he had already lost his vote anyway.

If it was me I would have kept the blank piece of paper and tried to convince someone that you were giving them an extra vote for the next tribal and then blindside their arse when they try to get too fancy.

 

[Ochre]

Apart from medical evacs, that's the second time in 39 seasons they've shown crew/cameras etc to highlight Dan inappropriately touching people, and I've never heard a producer talk during a confessional before. The show went out of their way to make it extremely clear that something inappropriate did happen. Missy and Elizabeth lied to Dan about it because they were playing the game.

I feel awful for Janet. Lowest night for the show since Zeke/Varner.

 

[Teen Wolf]

I think it was one of the show's best ever attempts at demonstrating the tightrope of game vs reality. Basically a complete opposite to the Varner disgrace for me. His calculated and vindictive actions were never going to help further his cause, Survivor equivalent of a loser flipping over the Monopoly board.

In this case, I'm convinced Dan is just oblivious to how much of a creep he is, while the only thing we know for sure about Elizabeth and co is their actions are consistent with people trying to win a competition built around social dynamics.

But even from a pure strategy perspective, the Kellee voters still approached the aftermath wrong. It's not just about keeping your allies happy, and they lost sight of that. Regardless of the abnormal specifics, you can't blindside the 60yo woman (ie the motherly figure, no matter how well she can swim) and be surprised when it rips her to shreds.

Except apparently you can be surprised, because they were. Maybe that's because onscreen interpersonal stuff like this hasn't featured so heavily and relentlessly in such a long time. Advantages/twists aside, this season has been something of a return to the classic Borneo-to-Palau period, not just through the tribal council talking points but a lot of post-TC hard feelings too.

 

[Underarm]

The sexual harassment stuff has overshadowed how stupid the IOI was.

Jamal got stiffed there.

Listening to RHAP and Rob said he would have just torn up the parchment as there was no upside for Jamal as he had already lost his vote anyway.

If it was me I would have kept the blank piece of paper and tried to convince someone that you were giving them an extra vote for the next tribal and then blindside their arse when they try to get too fancy.

The extra vote was my first thought. Otherwise a map to a fake HII? For a more sinister route, write a fake letter from home?

I think he was pretty much screwed as soon as he put pencil to paper though. Why would anyone think that is real?

The lesson was bad as well. There's been 100 HII and advantages and free things given out, and not one has had a bad outcome. And I wouldn't be surprised if they never did this twist again.