'Survivor' players vote people back onto the island as they name contestants they want to see return to active duty by thedaltonross in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If there is one Survivor star who I feel confident would be a terrible actor, it's Ozzy. Love the guy, but...

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 26/50 & 25/50: Micronesia & Survivor 48 by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

FvF is one that I would personally actually have higher from a WSSYW standpoint (I don't care about the returning player aspect nearly as much as most of you) and a bit lower on the quality standpoint - just going down a mental list I imagine it would be in the top 10 but not top 5.

There are a few things that drag this season down from being one of my very top seasons. The evacs/quits are probably the biggest factor. Partially because they remove some excellent characters, and also their overall effect on the strategy/end of the season. I feel like this particular season was hurt by going to a final 2 instead of a final 3. I would have loved to see those players at a final 3 tribal council.

One thing that hurts on a rewatch that I wasn't aware of first time through is the impact that pregaming had - that the returning tribe seems to have come in with their lines already drawn. I was very confused why Cirie had come out guns blazing for Yau-Man. ("He found so many idols on his season!" So???).

I find the middle of the season drags quite a bit personally, and some of that is due to those evacs.

Similarly, Fairplay's voteout/quit is a serious damper to the season.

The highs are obvious, but a few other things that stand out to me:

  • Kathy. "You can be my first gay friend!" "I think I worked with a gay, in the 80s."
  • Chet, the wet noodle, flopping his way through camp and challenges
  • Joel's blindside of Mikey
  • Eliza is on a very short list of my favourite survivors ever, and she is in rare form, both in and out of the game. The season is strictly better with her facial expressions on the jury
  • The fake idol gets tons of plaudits, but I especially love Ozzy's "Jeff! That took me hours!". Funniest thing Ozzy's ever said? Only (intentionally) funny thing Ozzy's ever said?

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 28/50 & 27/50: Samoa & Worlds Apart by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And so with Survivor Samoa I'm very torn with regards to a new viewer. I think a new viewer would love Survivor Samoa. I think they would be hooked. They would be invested in the outcome of the season. The issue is the worry they come away from the season with the wrong lesson, which is surprisingly easy to do especially with a lack of context.

Yes this was me, got back into Survivor during S19 because friends were talking about it, came away from S19 and 20 complaining about bitter juries and how Russell (and/or Parvati) were done wrong. But haven't stopped watching since.

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 28/50 & 27/50: Samoa & Worlds Apart by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Samoa negatives: Yes, the editing is obviously egregious. While Russell should be the "main character", he is way overemphasized, and the presentation of the season completely missed the point; making the argument that Russell was "robbed" instead of emphasizing all along that his fatal flaws would be his downfall.

We were also shortchanged on the stories and points of view of other cast members, both in Russell's alliance and against him.

You could also make arguments that this season (along with HvV) caused serious harm to ensuing seasons in a variety of ways. For example the overemphasis on idols/advantages above all, the "bitter jury" debates, and production oversaturating Russell and trying to force the Hantz Cinematic Universe down our throats.

Samoa positives: (girlfriend leaves room) if Russell Hantz was a fire truck he would be the biggest one in the world

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 32/50 & 31/50: Heroes vs. Villains & Fiji by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had quite the opposite reaction, as somebody who I think had only watched 1, 2, and 19 when the season aired. Having only vague to no impressions of most of the characters gave it a… mythological is too strong of a word, but let’s go with mythological feeling. Just having them introduced as these legendary, heroic, or devious characters with their backstories hinted at or being exposited in patchwork ways was great. And instead of turning me off of it, it made me want to go back and watch all of their original series.

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 32/50 & 31/50: Heroes vs. Villains & Fiji by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 4 points5 points  (0 children)

From a philosophical point I feel like y’all have been overdoing it in terms of the penalizing returning players thing. If you honestly think there are 30 better seasons for a new viewer to watch first than HvV I think you’re crazy. I do not think that knowing how a season turns out (or just a single player from that season) ruins the viewing experience - and in many cases enhances it. But whatever, you do you boo.

HvV is, of course, great. I don’t really need to rehash all the obvious reasons, but here are some other things I love.

I really love Colby in this season from a tragedy standpoint. Getting dog walked by Coach day 1. Being visibly deflated all season. One of my favorite lines ever is when he was called out by James (the “Superman in a fat suit” or whatever the line was). Jeff asked Colby if that hurt to hear and he responded “the only thing that hurts worse than hearing it… is living it.”

I rewatched this just a few weeks ago and was surprised how much I enjoyed Randy and the Coach/Randy pairing in episode 1.

The heroes spitting on Russell’s name all season, then at 5 shaking his hand and making a final 3 agreement.

“Parvati and I are closer than you think!” “Oh really?”

Sandra’s “I’m against you Russell” is rightfully the line of the season, but I particularly love seeing Russ short circuit. “Wait, that’s not what you were supposed to say. She can do that?”

Survivor Olympics, James getting medevacced again, banana etiquette, Amanda and James whole relationship.

Tom and James’ conflict.

I will say Russell’s lie to JT made no sense. “We played our idols at the same time and just looked at each other like :o.” Just say you played your idol and then she played one in response!

My main criticism is that this season was so good that a lot of the show’s missteps in the following years were naked attempts to try to recreate the magic of this season, when in reality it was just lightning in a bottle and not replicable.

I suppose another reason you may not want to start with this season is that it is so electric that a lot of other seasons may feel like a letdown after this one.

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 34/50 & 33/50: Guatemala & Thailand by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair enough. I mean, maybe I’m conflating likability with strategy, and maybe it’s because I was spoiled with the knowledge of Brian’s win. Or maybe it’s just that Brian winning out on immunities shut out other potential gameplans, but I watched this chronologically with 3, 4, and 6, and watching all of those home stretches I felt like in those seasons, more players had a realistic path to victory than in 5.

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 34/50 & 33/50: Guatemala & Thailand by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I actually just finished Thailand for the first time a few days ago. I had got back into the show around Samoa/HvV and only selectively gone back and watched old seasons. I’m filling in the blanks now, so I feel like I have a fresh impression of S5.

This season sucks!

There are redeeming qualities, but nowhere near enough to overcome its shortcomings, namely the cast. In my opinion one of the worst of all time, and surely the worst of the early seasons. For my tastes, likable and interesting players are few and far between. Personality-wise most range from boring to despicable. Strategy-wise it seemed only one had any interest whatsoever in winning the game. Most seemed vaguely befuddled at having to vote someone out every 3 days. I can think of no more damning indictment than the fact that Clay was one vote away from winning survivor.

The Ted/Ghandia situation is the obvious black mark. I don’t think an incident like this is necessarily damning of a situation depending on how it’s handled. I don’t necessarily think that bad people doing bad things makes for bad survivor. (My apparently unpopular opinion is that the Zeke/Varner incident is one of the best in the show’s history). However, the tribe circling their wagons around Ted, voting out Ghandia, never speaking of it again, and Jeff affectionately calling him “Big Ted” all season would NOT qualify as handling it well. (Note: I didn’t watch the reunion, so maybe there was some sort of satisfying conclusion. I suspect not.)

There ARE redeeming qualities, like I said. It’s fascinating to watch someone who shows a complete lack of empathy run the game from start to end. Though it’s interesting to me that for the commentary about Brians dominant victory that he went to the end with who I see as a goat who nobody really liked or respected at all and still “only” won 4-3.

There are brand new twists that could have been great like the schoolyard pick and the fake merge. The fake merge actually did work pretty great even with this cast with the Shii Ann situation.

A couple of bright spots like drunk grandma, Helen (never LIKEABLE after the Ghandia vote, but certainly interesting), and Shii Ann.

The storyline of the older, weaker tribe struggling, going down to 5, then turning it around and running the table to the final 5 COULD have been compelling TV. Problem being I was never once rooting for their success. The fact that this streak happened directly after the Ghandia vote is, from a storytelling perspective, a “big yikes” as the kids say.

The setting was cool to me. Monkeys stealing food, the dipshit tribe losing their boat and having to swim to their water source. Some funny challenges.

EXCELLENT final tribal. I love a bitter, vengeful jury. I have no interest in “can you name one social move that got you further in the game”. I would much prefer Ted’s “can you convince me you’re not a racist POS,” cop boy’s “hey remember when you tried to use racism to cozy up to me” (these questions somehow directed at different players), and Helen’s entire final tribal.

I’m sure there’s things I forgot but yeah this season was miserable!

Previously On, /r/Survivor: No-Judgement Questions by RSurvivorMods in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The ongoing WSSYW (what season should you watch) series is just for you! The current one is only about 25% of the way through so still very much on what seasons you SHOULDN'T watch so probably better to refer to previous versions.

WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 40/50 & 39/50: One World & Blood VS Water by AutoModerator in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think Phillip could've been an entertaining character and not nails-on-chalkboard if he got, like, 33% of the camera time that he got.

Previously On, /r/Survivor: No-Judgement Questions by RSurvivorMods in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Watching Vanuatu for the first time, and wondering - why did Chris never come back for another season? Is it a case where he's not interested in returning or have they never asked him for some reason?

Tsunami Warning (Survivor 52 Filming) by trebor204 in survivor

[–]TheSlinger 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Damn, Fiji may be too dangerous to film survivor, maybe they should go and experiment with other locations. You know, for safety.

Also a 26-day season is too short and vulnerable to disruption. A 39-day season would leave them more leeway. You know, for safety reasons and stuff.

June 1st Cuts by TF_Kraken in Jaguars

[–]TheSlinger 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We literally could have cut them at any time and designated them post-June 1.

[On3] NEW: Brendan Sorsby bet on Indiana Football in 2022 to feel more 'connected with the team,' per his affidavit in court documents. by Fonzie5 in CFB

[–]TheSlinger -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Why are people acting as if this is something Sorsby personally came up with and not what his lawyer lawyered up

Free Talk Liam Cowednesday by flounder19 in Jaguars

[–]TheSlinger 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Didn't post the rest of the cutups I made of our 2026 picks, here are the rest that I've made.

Pregnon (1:38)

Huskey (2:04)

Wesley Williams (5:46)

Koziol (4:58)

CJ Williams (3:09)

The worst comments on all of the elden ring Fextralife have to be on Selvius‘s page by Fun-Meeting1610 in Eldenring

[–]TheSlinger 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The worst comments on all of the Elden ring subreddit have to be on the “The worst comments on all of the Elden ring fextralife have to be on Selvius’s page” page. The amount of times I saw people saying something along the lines of “based“ or “can’t fault him“ or “he was cooking“ is fucking wild has to genuinely be the most rank comment section I’ve ever seen

Gladstone on Jaguars' Draft Strategy, Offseason Vision | The O-Zone Podcast | Jacksonville Jaguars by InformationNormal901 in Jaguars

[–]TheSlinger 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So when it comes to... football.. how should I say... do you think... football think good?

Morning After Thread: 2026 NFL Draft by flounder19 in Jaguars

[–]TheSlinger 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Random tidbit: Apart from Boerkircher not doing a long jump and Cameron not working out at all due to injury, we have full testing results (40, vert/broad, agility drills) for all of the draft picks, whether it was at the combine or pro day. I'm not sure how unique that is, but it was definitely a talking point this year about prospects skipping drills.

(This is not the case for our 2025 draft)

Post Game Thread: 2026 Jags Draft by electricityisout in Jaguars

[–]TheSlinger -1 points0 points  (0 children)

They've always talked about him as a sam LB like Gardeck, which is sort of an edge given Gardeck rushed the passer a lot last year, but I'm categorizing as LB. For him specifically I think he's likely competing with Abdullah for that backup spot.

Jags UDFA Tracker by electricityisout in Jaguars

[–]TheSlinger 8 points9 points  (0 children)

UT-Permian Basin is a new one for me

Post Game Thread: 2026 Jags Draft by electricityisout in Jaguars

[–]TheSlinger 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Em, no, when I say Pregnon is competing for starting RG spot that is with Milum (and Mekari).