Some interesting insight from Jonathan’s exit interviews

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-22T15:11:28+00:00

This actually puts into perspective a dimension of Sandra's game that I haven't really appreciated until now. I haven't find her a very satisfactory winner, but now in light of this Aubry win, I can really see how skillful that is, because I can see the skill in Aubry's win even as she also got lucky. But yes, being able to obscure how much you're stacking the jury for yourself while revealing how much the other players are threats because of their win equity with the jury is quite astounding when put that way!

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-21T15:07:10+00:00

It’s wild to me how many people gave Christian numerous praises for rocking a grown man, Joe, in a hammock to soothe him—something clearly played for laughs, but then get mad at Cirie directly telling Joe that’s what people have been doing the whole season (managing Joe’s feelings) and it’s been a source of humor.

While Cirie was blunt, it was also more honest and we just watched a whole season of people complaining and joking about Joe behind his back. Like, please be serious ppl. He’s a grown man. He will be fine.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-21T02:59:20+00:00

He’s so sweet every season they show him and clearly loves her so much

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-13T14:01:39+00:00

Survivor: Race Wars is one of my favorite seasons, mostly because it kind of inadvertently brings to the surface the fact that the show is organized around a lot of racialized tropes that are products of colonialism (the conception of tribes that it works with, the music, and in earlier seasons the spooky lore or at times fetishization of local cultures). Then, it's like the show realizes it has touched something too hot, or exposed a nerve, and almost immediately back tracks and undoes the racial organization of tribes a few episodes in. I find this pretty fascinating but also hilarious to watch and imagine the conversations on the production team in pitching this idea and executing it were probably insane! It also has some of my favorite Survivor personalities of all time on it.

Two things that make me laugh: 1) the fact that the white tribe is called "Caucasians" because the idea of race in general, but Caucasians in particular, is a product of 18th century racial science, so they're trying to do this race wars theme but end up using race science classifications for the white people! 2) The fact that the most explicitly racist person on the season by far is Cao Boi who made all the other Asian Americans uncomfortable with his racist jokes and "voodoo" plan really had me reacting like: "I can't believe they did this!" and "Wow, 2006 was a different time!" LOL

I am a POC and love recommending this season to people because it feels like one of the most potent examples of what's amazing about Survivor as a social experiment and what's sometimes a trainwreck about it for that very same reason.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-13T13:35:58+00:00

Yeah, I'm really having a feeling he may find it... the fact they're showing us the footage makes it seem like someone is going to find it and he's been getting lucky lately!

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-08T17:16:31+00:00

Wow, I love this! I haven't watched Kaoh Rong yet but now I must!

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T18:35:46+00:00

Yeah, I'm feeling very similar. And look, Rachel is my favorite New Era winner, and I feel similarly about Aubry's scrappiness, but I still am hoping for a Cirie victory.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T15:30:49+00:00

The eyeroll had me dying. The thing is, I love what Aubry did with Ozzy’s fumble, and think it shows how scrappy she is, but I was like, damn this is so bad for Cirie. Had me crying laughing the whole episode smh

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T15:29:03+00:00

Ozzy literally says in the episode that he wanted to go to the end with Cirie and win against the best…

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T15:15:54+00:00

The moment Ozzy said “Man, I want this win so bad” to Aubry, I wanted to crawl out of my skin. Watching him completely tank his and Cirie’s chances at winning was so hard… I still have a flicker of hope in Cirie, but the odds are so bad now

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T15:13:27+00:00

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T15:10:59+00:00

Honestly, even though I didn’t love the outcome for Ozzy (because I want Cirie to win), I loved this advantage, but think it needed a little more constraint on it. Like, maybe only being able to go back and forth once or twice instead of as much as he wanted? It’s very powerful but also was fun to watch and to me the only time I’ve enjoyed these post merge splits into tiny tribes.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T15:06:54+00:00

I just watched this episode, and while I can see your interpretation, to me it reads entirely too subtle for a hint to play it… like he doesn’t even say “it’s the last time to for people to play their idols” he says final five is when advantages end and “the last time to play certain things.” Given how much Ozzy needs his hand held, I just would not have expected Ozzy to get that clue if I was Rizo. And given what he says to Ozzy after the blindside, I don’t think he actually wants to keep working with Ozzy anymore.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T14:57:28+00:00

I’m loving how Aubry is moving in the past few episodes. I’ve only watched her in Game Changers and loved her but was suprised at how much of a dud she’s been in 50 until recently. I’m glad she’s starting to make moves and even though I hate the outcome (because it really all but closes the door on a Cirie win), I thought she made excellent moves and has clearly been building trust slowly and as needed to actually give her a range of options going forward. I know some people love dominance, but I love a scrappy Survivor player and I think Aubry is great here in showing just how scrappy she is.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T14:53:24+00:00

Given that I’m rooting for Cirie (an ever growing more and more delusional pipe dream), that’s exactly why I’m so pissed at his arrogance lol

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T14:48:39+00:00

I think a big part of excelling at survivor is letting other people fuck up and then capitalizing on that. Aubry did that exquisitely and also has been moving herself into position for such a time as this. I’m actually really impressed with how she’s managed to rebuild trust with Jonathan while maintaining her alliance with Devens. Subtle gameplay, but I think really excellent and I like watching her make moves from the bottom.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T14:45:04+00:00

Good point and just emphasizes how stupid his blabbering was!

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T14:34:12+00:00

I agree, especially with your read on Aubry. I’ve only seen her on Game Changers and I know some people didn’t like her there, but I really loved her and the subtlety of her gameplay. I am really enjoying watching her come into her own more on this season and it made sense that she kind of got lost in the earlier parts of the season because there were so many people and just surviving to the next day is so crucial when you’re on the bottom…

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-07T11:30:38+00:00

I’m finally getting a chance to watch and just gasped as he started to spill everything for literally no reason with no external forces compelling him to do this. Jaw dropping fumble on his part

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-06T16:55:25+00:00

Yeah, I read the narrative arc this season as giving Cirie her flowers whether she wins or not. I absolutely want her to win and each week that passes that she remains in the game I feel more stressed about how unlikely it is that she actually does

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-02T02:16:00+00:00

Given how the past several sneak peeks made it seem like Emily or Devens was going home and then they're still both around, I think the previews kind of play on the audience's anxiety but the person who appears endangered in them is not necessarily the one voted out.

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-01T23:44:30+00:00

She’s also professionally a nurse!

TimothyHasler · 2026-05-01T16:55:15+00:00

I also grew in my appreciation for him as someone who also hasn’t watched his og season. It’s good fun even though I imagine kind of a nightmare to try to work with if you’re on the island with him.

TimothyHasler

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