Survivor: Heroes vs Villains Discussion Thread - Spoilers

[kalkamel]

This season is shaping out to be one of the best in Survivor history. I've been rooting for Russell from the get go (after his brilliant play last season) and he's still doing a good job of outwitting, outplaying and outlasting everyone. His move to blindside Tyson last week was simply awesome and his showdown with Boston Rob this week makes for a great episode. Here's hoping he makes it all the way and win.

 

[micdavis]

Russell was robbed last season. He's doing great so far as well.

Heroes kicked ass tonight.

 

[Lynn TXP 0369]

It was a great show last night. Russel is the man. I hope he goes all the way this time, but I think he will be taken out during the merge.

Lynn

 

[Guri]

I have to agree, last and this weeks episodes were pretty epic. Russel's willingness to take risks really is paying off. I loved the moment when he just decided it was pull something dangerous off or go home, and if it didn't work, and he went home, he'd done his best and that would be that. It was his best moment, IMO by showing he does look at this as a game and isn't taking it personal.

Last season Russell's constant insulting of the other players really got on my nerves and the nasty, personal trash talking prevented me from enjoying his wins. I don't know if they just aren't showing it this season or if Boston Rob being there made him have to keep focused, but he has been much more bearable to me during his interviews. We'll see now that Rob's gone what happens.

I'm also finding coach a lot more bearable this season than his other one where he was telling tall tales and completely blinded to his hypocrisy. This season he seems to understand better that he's lying and betraying people just like everyone else. He still often sounds like Micheal Scott from "Friends" to me, but his alliance with Jerry seems to have had a very interesting affect on both of them.

Rob leaving and calling him a 'small man' just goes to show why Rob was on the villain's team. Once you're voted out, the game is over for you, taking a jab at someone means you're taking it personally and trying to hurt someone just because you know how and you can. :thumbsdown

 

[knightdriver2001]

I am loving this season too. All star seasons are the best ones.

I used to love Rupert. he was one of my favorites but this
time around he seems lackluster on the whole things. Russell
is my man now. I was really hoping it wasn't him last night.

I don't think Russell will make the end but I hope he gets far enough
in to keep things interesting.

Can't wait until next week.

 

[tripoli]

I like Rob, think it was a mistake. Russel is a goof that cares only about himself, is willing to lie and has sabotaged his team over and over again. Russel is shortsighted and chaos unleashed. He is not as refined as he thinks and it shows in what happens after each of his key moves. His camp will be torn apart, it may kill his chance of a successful merger. His first game plays had the same effect, instead of coming in on the merger with a strong team, he came in with low numbers which ultimately did him in. Same mistakes all over again. He was a fool not to swallow his pride and work with Rob.

 

[Art Andrews]

I have only been watching Survivor a couple of seasons because Mirax loves it... and in my mind, Russel was made for this game which is not a game of honor (as Coach would pretend to play it) but a game of pure manipulation and self-interest. I don't think Russel will make it to the end, but whether he does or not, he has shown that deviousness and the ability to manipulate sets you apart as a leader, a mover and a shaker in this game. His only failing, if any is that a master of this game can manipulate without the person knowing they have been manipulated... which in my opinion is why he lost last season.

There are others who will make it far in the game... perhaps further than Russel, but they are mere pawns in the greater scheme and aren't actually playing the game.. they are just hovering in the background, hoping attention doesn't get turned on them.

It is interesting to me how much Rob was built up as a great player, because it seemed to me he road through this season on his reputation alone, and didn't really make any big or meaningful moves. While it was edited as a big showdown between Rob and Russel, in my mind, Rob never had a chance and only a fluke would have sent Russel packing first.

 

[Zcoberly]

i will bet russell makes it to the top 3 again this season......and the only reason i dont say win, is because the players wont be able to seperate the game, from their feelings, so the jury probably wont pick him...

i think russell knows this game, he knows how to handle people....like he said in last season, once their is choas in the camp...he can control people.... and i think he will, which that is probably why he wanted rob gone sooo bad, because he knew it would cause chaos, and well, just look at the preview, thats what he gets, chaos! cant wait to see what he does next!

 

[Guri]

Russel is a goof that cares only about himself, is willing to lie and has sabotaged his team over and over again. Russel is shortsighted and chaos unleashed. He is not as refined as he thinks and it shows in what happens after each of his key moves. His camp will be torn apart, it may kill his chance of a successful merger. His first game plays had the same effect, instead of coming in on the merger with a strong team, he came in with low numbers which ultimately did him in.

Russel's game is about division and he knowingly destroys the team spirit in order to pick people off when their insecurities surface. He is the perfect troll and even though he came in with low numbers he STILL was in the final two. That says a lot...

The only place he fails to calculate is the social likability part of the game. Some here I know don't think that should count, but it does - it's a jury vote and jury members are envious and proud and not all/very few will vote on 'merit' for people who burned them. You must calculate that in, and Russel didn't last time.

This time, I'm not so sure he's making the same mistakes. He's risked himself for Parvati (however you spell it) and he's continually trying to 'honor' coach - did you hear what he said to coach when he gave the idol to Parvati? I don't know that it's working on coach, but it's working really well on Jerry.

He was a fool not to swallow his pride and work with Rob.

It appeared to me that Rob was the one not willing to work with Russel... of course Russel was asking him to turn on his alliance with them sitting right there, but still... If Rob took that deal and got rid of Courtney, I bet he'd still be on the island.

 

[hankey01]

I am glad to see Rob gone. He is way too cocky for his own good. After Russel's play last week a real man would have shook his hand and said, "that was well played".

Instead he gets all concerned that Russel is insane and what kind of guy would do something like that?" How about a person that plays hard and wants to win?!

Rob's constantly talking down about Russel's game play and saying things like, "It's been real". I never liked him, and never will.

 

[Guri]

hankey, I always find it amusing when people get hypocritical and mad at someone who plays them the same way or better than they are playing others. Like the people who lie and then get indignant when others lie. :lol I find it really amusing that so many people are blinded to their own behavior and so judgmental of others.

 

[hankey01]

Yeah I dunno. Rob didn't have to hurt Coach after the fact. Bad Form. I don't think Russel would stoop so low...."it's a game".

 

[DoubleD]

It doesn't bother me one way or the other that Rob went before Russel, but I do think the villains will tear themselves apart with Russel at the helm. The drama will increase since Russel's attitude is one of being self-centered. He's not a team player and will double cross anyone just to further himself. That may be part of the game, but to Russel, it's the only game he knows.

I hope the Heroes win the next couple matches just because its good to see how they've finally come together. That, and the villains need to lose a couple more players in order to make it interesting later on. The drama in the villain camp is going to be through the roof if they have to go to tribal council for the next couple weeks.

 

[Guri]

Yeah I dunno. Rob didn't have to hurt Coach after the fact. Bad Form. I don't think Russel would stoop so low...."it's a game".

Oh, I totally agree. What I meant was Rob complaining about Russel, like Rob wasn't doing the same thing... and worse.

 

[Art Andrews]

The drama in the villain camp is going to be through the roof if they have to go to tribal council for the next couple weeks.

The drama might be high, but I think the next couple of go-homes are pretty obvious from Russel's standpoint.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I'm rooting for Russell also. That last show was awesome.

I still don't get how that Courtney girl got back on the show. She was horrible in the season she was in and she looks like a corpse.

 

[DarkKnight]

I like Amandas green swim suit!

 

[Eopie Herder]

Okay, tonight was weird. Russel voted for Courtney, but Parvati and Danielle voted Coach, even after Danielle tried to convince Russel to vote Courtney? Didn't see that one coming.

And the promo for next week was priceless.

 

[Guri]

I think Russel is playing to the jury now. He signed his name on his vote for Courtney - he wants Coach's vote.

As for J.T. :confused and if the rest of them go along with J.T. :confused

 

[tripoli]

Saw this coming, same exact dynamic with Russel from last time. Except, he is trying to ingratiate himself with some and all the others "should" know what he is. Still taking out the wrong people to the point its going to come back and haunt him.

However, surprised at the newest potential greatest survivor mistake that could come next week. THAT WOULD be an incredibly stupid mistake in the works.