from wikipedia:
After the championship season, he paid for replica WWE World Heavyweight Championship belts to be made for each of his teammates and presented them as gifts when the 2004–05 regular season started... Throughout the 2004–05 season, Wallace often carried the belt into his locker before games to inspire the Pistons' title defense.
During the 2010 NBA Playoffs Wallace, a native of Philadelphia and Flyers fan, frequently wore hats and other articles of clothing with the Philadelphia Flyers logo during Boston Celtics press conferences and interviews. This caused a stir with fans throughout the Boston area as the Philadelphia Flyers were playing the Boston Bruins in the NHL Playoffs at the time. The resentment by Bostonians only grew[37] after the Flyers' comeback from a 0–3 game deficit to win the series 4–3. Wallace continued to wear his Flyers gear despite criticism from sports commentators and fans.
Saturday, July 11, 2020
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Millennial politics
Millennials were trained since birth to be enablers of capitalism. They were taught to produce all the time-- taught that it's good to produce all the time-- and taught not to speak up or think too much or challenge any rule or idea that gets in the way of constant, mindless production. The millennial generation is a generation of yes-people conditioned to accept their surroundings, to make-do with what they have, to toil tirelessly even when the cause is unjust. This is how you get ahead. This is what life is about, for millennials. Perpetuating the system, doing what you're told, so that eventually you can go on vacation or enjoy exotic foods or go to a microbrewery or watch "Hamilton." Those are your rewards for doing so well. Millennials are dogs in a small yard begging for treats. We'll do anything for treats.
This mentality has obviously not been conducive to a millennial political consciousness. The ultimate form of politics, for millennials, is a non-politics or an anti-politics, especially as embodied by the millennial god, Barack Obama. When "they" went low, Barack Obama went high. While the Democrats and Republicans quarreled, Barack Obama sought the common ground. Not red or blue states: purple states. The great American consensus. Barack Obama wasn't trying to hurt anybody-- he was just trying to do the right thing. He thought-- or made other people believe, at least-- that the sheer force of his personal magnetism, good will, and thoroughly decent, common sense politics would allow him to make gains for the American people.
But what exactly did Obama do? We're not four years out from his last days in office, and his legacy is increasingly hard to parse out. Because it didn't matter how good-looking or charming or articulate or amenable Barack Obama was: Republicans weren't going to work with him. Republicans are awful, thoroughly fucking irredeemable. But Barack Obama couldn't believe that. And that unwillingness to acknowledge the immovable fact of Republican shittiness dramatically hampered his administration. Just as the unwillingness to embrace a non-capitalist critique of class will hamper millennials until they die.
Millennials just want things to be "okay." They have no instinct for justice-- they weren't taught to recognize or correct problems-- they were taught to obey. Barack Obama was going to make things "okay" as long as we played along. The bad guys couldn't touch him-- he was cool, he made funny appearances on TV, he had a beautiful wife and adorable children. He was the millennial ideal: rich, powerful, attractive, and relevant... But also, safe. Not loud or proud or challenging in any way. A man who refused to enter the fray. A man who was too wise, too savvy, and too thoroughly enmeshed in the morays of capitalism to even think about struggle.
Barack Obama sealed the deal, for us. We came of age, we voted for him once or twice, and we told ourselves that this is it: this is the best it's ever gonna be. If Barack Obama can't do it, with his style and grace and good manners, then who can? Barack Obama is the young professional president, designed for the upwardly mobile college grad, engineered by the Democratic party to quash any aspirations toward real equality, real justice, real change. The perfect millennial leader.
He reached out and held us and now we just want to stay in his comforting embrace forever.
This mentality has obviously not been conducive to a millennial political consciousness. The ultimate form of politics, for millennials, is a non-politics or an anti-politics, especially as embodied by the millennial god, Barack Obama. When "they" went low, Barack Obama went high. While the Democrats and Republicans quarreled, Barack Obama sought the common ground. Not red or blue states: purple states. The great American consensus. Barack Obama wasn't trying to hurt anybody-- he was just trying to do the right thing. He thought-- or made other people believe, at least-- that the sheer force of his personal magnetism, good will, and thoroughly decent, common sense politics would allow him to make gains for the American people.
But what exactly did Obama do? We're not four years out from his last days in office, and his legacy is increasingly hard to parse out. Because it didn't matter how good-looking or charming or articulate or amenable Barack Obama was: Republicans weren't going to work with him. Republicans are awful, thoroughly fucking irredeemable. But Barack Obama couldn't believe that. And that unwillingness to acknowledge the immovable fact of Republican shittiness dramatically hampered his administration. Just as the unwillingness to embrace a non-capitalist critique of class will hamper millennials until they die.
Millennials just want things to be "okay." They have no instinct for justice-- they weren't taught to recognize or correct problems-- they were taught to obey. Barack Obama was going to make things "okay" as long as we played along. The bad guys couldn't touch him-- he was cool, he made funny appearances on TV, he had a beautiful wife and adorable children. He was the millennial ideal: rich, powerful, attractive, and relevant... But also, safe. Not loud or proud or challenging in any way. A man who refused to enter the fray. A man who was too wise, too savvy, and too thoroughly enmeshed in the morays of capitalism to even think about struggle.
Barack Obama sealed the deal, for us. We came of age, we voted for him once or twice, and we told ourselves that this is it: this is the best it's ever gonna be. If Barack Obama can't do it, with his style and grace and good manners, then who can? Barack Obama is the young professional president, designed for the upwardly mobile college grad, engineered by the Democratic party to quash any aspirations toward real equality, real justice, real change. The perfect millennial leader.
He reached out and held us and now we just want to stay in his comforting embrace forever.
Monday, May 11, 2020
Survivor: Amateur Edgic, Winners at War, Episode 13
I'm not rewatching the fucking episode... Even w/ Coronavirus, and even w/ this season being mostly fantastic, I got better things to do. So here's a very hasty, probably very inaccurate Edgic based on a single viewing I did... last night! So fresh. It was a double episode which means I'm gonna say half as much.
Merged Tribe
Michele- CPP4 - Michele dominated both halves of this episode, as players "on the bottom" on wont to do. In testimonies and in interactions with other players, we saw in Michele a capable, strategic player, one who I think the viewer is meant to root for (hence the extra "P"). She is rarely undermined (as opposed to her off-and-on ally, Nick), and even in defeat is shown to be sympathetic (her sad finish to the first immunity challenge was made to look semi-heroic, and not lame, I think). I do wonder if her edit isn't just a little too positive, a little too repetitive... For all her talk about trying to play a more aggressive, memorable game this season, I'm not sure if Michele has really shown herself to be one of the all-time greats. I don't think she's evolved quite enough to win this thing.
Nick - MOR2- The double episode's second boot, Nick certainly went out in style, but his exit was Edgically a foregone conclusion. He never established himself as a threat, or even a player to look out for. Constantly a hanger-on, and a frequent target of words like "shifty," Nick was never gonna win this thing, and never really moved past Middle of the Road. His somewhat disappointing finish makes me think of his debut, when his "play all sides" antics almost got him voted off first. His game just couldn't find a foothold against superior players-- he was often the butt of jokes, and made to look speechless against Michele's "what the hell did you just do" rant-- and I doubt he's coming back for more.
Denise- MOR4- Players are finally acknowledging that Denise is a major contender in "Winners at War," a special combination of a "big move maker" (the Queen slaying) and "decent, sincere, likeable human being" (has Denise ever upset anyone in her two seasons?). But is the edit acknowledging this? Given the quality of Denise's resume, and her great personality, you'd expect to see more of her. And yet, she's constantly being kept away from the main storyline. When she did do some strategy this time (the old "I'm throwing in the towel" trick), a bunch of players (including little Adam!) appeared to see right through it... And yet, her gambit worked, in a way, resulting in the end of Nick. It's a curious edit, all and all, and yet, talented and neat as she is, I don't think she's going to pull off this second victory.
Jeremy- MOR2- I knew Jeremy was in trouble right from the get go. He got some funny character moments in his finale-- he's a reliable narrator of the game in testimonies, and his look at Michele during Tribal was priceless-- but he was never shown to be seizing the reins this time. Constantly at the mercy of other players, and other advantages, it makes sense that Jeremy's story ended with a failed 50/50 flip (not even played for him!).
Tony- CP3- Tony wasn't quite the force he has been as of late, and yet, he was still an obviously "complex" player, still the guy to beat, still the person making the moves, still somehow avoiding any conflict from the other Survivors or the producers. His lions-and-hyenas line was repeated-- at this point, it's an even more defining part of this season than "old school versus new school"-- and the drama of the episode came from Tony and Sarah's efforts to tinker with the formula. And the end of the day, it was "Cops R Us" which held the fate of the other players in their hands. I still think he's gonna win it all. This closer to MOR edit suits him well going into the finale.
Sarah- CP2- Sarah is Tony's partner, and yet, Sarah always somehow seems to be in Tony's shadow, too. An interesting point came during Michele and Sarah's "chat" about Michele's prospects. The look in Sarah's eyes when Michele suggested a Tony blindside was interesting... but Sarah did not consider the move seriously, telling the rest of the tribe about it immediately. Will this deference to "Cops R Us," which she appears to need more than Tony, be Sarah's undoing? Possibly. Until then, Sarah remains one of the strongest edited characters this season, a lethal combination of smarts and strength and cunning.
Ben- UTR3- Though Ben provided the title of the episode (wait, maybe not), he wasn't in it much. Even the conversations about his fate didn't include him-- he really only factored in during the "disadvantage" saga (which, again, focused far more on Nick and Michele's "win" than his "loss") and his disarmingly frank testimony about post-Survivor social trauma during Tribal Council. Ben's candor in that second moment brought him out of negative territory (for all of his talk about improving his social game this season, how often do we see Ben just lying around, throwing shade at other players?). He's a long, long shot for a win.
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam, Tyson, Sophie, Kim
I'll eat my shoe if the returnee isn't Natalie, Tyson (again!), or Rob. Natalie is the only one w/ a coherent story relating to the Edge, and the only one who I believe might pose a real threat upon returning to the game (all the rest will be voted out immediately).
Merged Tribe
Michele- CPP4 - Michele dominated both halves of this episode, as players "on the bottom" on wont to do. In testimonies and in interactions with other players, we saw in Michele a capable, strategic player, one who I think the viewer is meant to root for (hence the extra "P"). She is rarely undermined (as opposed to her off-and-on ally, Nick), and even in defeat is shown to be sympathetic (her sad finish to the first immunity challenge was made to look semi-heroic, and not lame, I think). I do wonder if her edit isn't just a little too positive, a little too repetitive... For all her talk about trying to play a more aggressive, memorable game this season, I'm not sure if Michele has really shown herself to be one of the all-time greats. I don't think she's evolved quite enough to win this thing.
Nick - MOR2- The double episode's second boot, Nick certainly went out in style, but his exit was Edgically a foregone conclusion. He never established himself as a threat, or even a player to look out for. Constantly a hanger-on, and a frequent target of words like "shifty," Nick was never gonna win this thing, and never really moved past Middle of the Road. His somewhat disappointing finish makes me think of his debut, when his "play all sides" antics almost got him voted off first. His game just couldn't find a foothold against superior players-- he was often the butt of jokes, and made to look speechless against Michele's "what the hell did you just do" rant-- and I doubt he's coming back for more.
Denise- MOR4- Players are finally acknowledging that Denise is a major contender in "Winners at War," a special combination of a "big move maker" (the Queen slaying) and "decent, sincere, likeable human being" (has Denise ever upset anyone in her two seasons?). But is the edit acknowledging this? Given the quality of Denise's resume, and her great personality, you'd expect to see more of her. And yet, she's constantly being kept away from the main storyline. When she did do some strategy this time (the old "I'm throwing in the towel" trick), a bunch of players (including little Adam!) appeared to see right through it... And yet, her gambit worked, in a way, resulting in the end of Nick. It's a curious edit, all and all, and yet, talented and neat as she is, I don't think she's going to pull off this second victory.
Jeremy- MOR2- I knew Jeremy was in trouble right from the get go. He got some funny character moments in his finale-- he's a reliable narrator of the game in testimonies, and his look at Michele during Tribal was priceless-- but he was never shown to be seizing the reins this time. Constantly at the mercy of other players, and other advantages, it makes sense that Jeremy's story ended with a failed 50/50 flip (not even played for him!).
Tony- CP3- Tony wasn't quite the force he has been as of late, and yet, he was still an obviously "complex" player, still the guy to beat, still the person making the moves, still somehow avoiding any conflict from the other Survivors or the producers. His lions-and-hyenas line was repeated-- at this point, it's an even more defining part of this season than "old school versus new school"-- and the drama of the episode came from Tony and Sarah's efforts to tinker with the formula. And the end of the day, it was "Cops R Us" which held the fate of the other players in their hands. I still think he's gonna win it all. This closer to MOR edit suits him well going into the finale.
Sarah- CP2- Sarah is Tony's partner, and yet, Sarah always somehow seems to be in Tony's shadow, too. An interesting point came during Michele and Sarah's "chat" about Michele's prospects. The look in Sarah's eyes when Michele suggested a Tony blindside was interesting... but Sarah did not consider the move seriously, telling the rest of the tribe about it immediately. Will this deference to "Cops R Us," which she appears to need more than Tony, be Sarah's undoing? Possibly. Until then, Sarah remains one of the strongest edited characters this season, a lethal combination of smarts and strength and cunning.
Ben- UTR3- Though Ben provided the title of the episode (wait, maybe not), he wasn't in it much. Even the conversations about his fate didn't include him-- he really only factored in during the "disadvantage" saga (which, again, focused far more on Nick and Michele's "win" than his "loss") and his disarmingly frank testimony about post-Survivor social trauma during Tribal Council. Ben's candor in that second moment brought him out of negative territory (for all of his talk about improving his social game this season, how often do we see Ben just lying around, throwing shade at other players?). He's a long, long shot for a win.
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam, Tyson, Sophie, Kim
I'll eat my shoe if the returnee isn't Natalie, Tyson (again!), or Rob. Natalie is the only one w/ a coherent story relating to the Edge, and the only one who I believe might pose a real threat upon returning to the game (all the rest will be voted out immediately).
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Survivor Amateur Edgic, Winners at War, Episode 12
I'm not rewatching the fucking episode... Even w/ Coronavirus, and even w/ this season being mostly fantastic, I got better things to do. So here's a very hasty, probably very inaccurate Edgic based on a single viewing I did half a week ago.
Merged Tribe
Michele- MOR2 - We still hear from Michele here and there, but her impact on the story is getting more and more negligible. Her granting Jeremy her 50/50 coin showed that her mind is thinking strategically, but to what effect? We're losing sight of her place in the game, and it's not good.
Nick - UTR2- Nick, linked with Michele in many ways, is also sliding. Though he got some content in the challenge, it wasn't exactly positive: even if he got a Fire Token out of it, it's never a good look to cede an immunity in exchange for food.
Kim - MOR3- Kim was finally identified as one of the island's great strategic threats and, after a lot of hemming and hawing, "dealt with" by Tony. She had a pretty quiet, average boot episode, which makes sense given her quiet, average edit. We did see flashes of her ally-making genius throughout the season, but never enough to sustain a narrative.
Denise- MOR2- Denise only getting an MOR because of her compelling immunity idol victory, which was shown to by the sort of gutsy, winner-worthy play we're supposed to admire (as oppoed to Kim and Michele stepping down). She was otherwise pretty UTR this episode.
Jeremy- MOR3- We got more swinging from Jeremy this episode, and a bit of strategic content between him and Michele. He seems too Game Bot-y to win this Winners Season. We never get a sense of a "larger narrative" here, not like we did with "Second Chance."
Tony- CPP4- More Tony dominance! How is this guy still around? He didn't seem quite as strong as last episode, and was shown making some strategic mistakes. Nevertheless, it is Tony's lens through which we are meant to view the island's proceedings, and it's Tony's machinations that are winning the day. It'll take a big upset to knock him out at this point...
Sarah- CP3- The big character story now is the on-and-off partnership/potential blindside/frenemy "Cops R Us" pairing of Sarah and Tony. Sarah did well to re-assert her bonafides in this episode. She initially seemed furious with Tony, as one might expect, but eventually calmed down to make her typically careful, cunning decisions.
Ben- MORN4- Lots of screentime for Ben here, but maybe not too much content? Caught between the bigger (better?) forces of Jeremy and Tony, Ben is consistently involved but still a inconsistent strategist. His effort to hide his idol, "his season"-style, from Tony, met with laughter from Tony and at least two viewers. I detected a bit of negative shading, too: in his relationship with Jeremy, Ben still seems like the catty, unprincipled one.
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam, Tyson, Sophie
Another exhausting (some might say... overlong) challenge leads to a boatload of testimonials. Natalie is consistently (appropriately) getting those "challenge beast" comments. Rob busted his elbow and was made to seem like a GOD when even w/ no hope of success, he continued the challenge. Is fucking Rob actually coming back?
Merged Tribe
Michele- MOR2 - We still hear from Michele here and there, but her impact on the story is getting more and more negligible. Her granting Jeremy her 50/50 coin showed that her mind is thinking strategically, but to what effect? We're losing sight of her place in the game, and it's not good.
Nick - UTR2- Nick, linked with Michele in many ways, is also sliding. Though he got some content in the challenge, it wasn't exactly positive: even if he got a Fire Token out of it, it's never a good look to cede an immunity in exchange for food.
Kim - MOR3- Kim was finally identified as one of the island's great strategic threats and, after a lot of hemming and hawing, "dealt with" by Tony. She had a pretty quiet, average boot episode, which makes sense given her quiet, average edit. We did see flashes of her ally-making genius throughout the season, but never enough to sustain a narrative.
Denise- MOR2- Denise only getting an MOR because of her compelling immunity idol victory, which was shown to by the sort of gutsy, winner-worthy play we're supposed to admire (as oppoed to Kim and Michele stepping down). She was otherwise pretty UTR this episode.
Jeremy- MOR3- We got more swinging from Jeremy this episode, and a bit of strategic content between him and Michele. He seems too Game Bot-y to win this Winners Season. We never get a sense of a "larger narrative" here, not like we did with "Second Chance."
Tony- CPP4- More Tony dominance! How is this guy still around? He didn't seem quite as strong as last episode, and was shown making some strategic mistakes. Nevertheless, it is Tony's lens through which we are meant to view the island's proceedings, and it's Tony's machinations that are winning the day. It'll take a big upset to knock him out at this point...
Sarah- CP3- The big character story now is the on-and-off partnership/potential blindside/frenemy "Cops R Us" pairing of Sarah and Tony. Sarah did well to re-assert her bonafides in this episode. She initially seemed furious with Tony, as one might expect, but eventually calmed down to make her typically careful, cunning decisions.
Ben- MORN4- Lots of screentime for Ben here, but maybe not too much content? Caught between the bigger (better?) forces of Jeremy and Tony, Ben is consistently involved but still a inconsistent strategist. His effort to hide his idol, "his season"-style, from Tony, met with laughter from Tony and at least two viewers. I detected a bit of negative shading, too: in his relationship with Jeremy, Ben still seems like the catty, unprincipled one.
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam, Tyson, Sophie
Another exhausting (some might say... overlong) challenge leads to a boatload of testimonials. Natalie is consistently (appropriately) getting those "challenge beast" comments. Rob busted his elbow and was made to seem like a GOD when even w/ no hope of success, he continued the challenge. Is fucking Rob actually coming back?
Monday, April 27, 2020
Survivor Amateur Edgic, Winners at War, Episode 11
I'm not rewatching the fucking episode... Even w/ Coronavirus, and even w/ this season being mostly fantastic, I got better things to do. So here's a very hasty, probably very inaccurate Edgic based on a single viewing I did half a week ago.
Merged Tribe
Michele- UTR2 - Yeesh. Michele's slide under the radar continues. As the story of her and Nick is eclipsed by the story of Tony and... uhh... Tony... Michele's narrative of a "lesser" winner becoming a player to be reckoned with just can't find any air. Her alliance with Jeremy, noted by other players, is perhaps tellingly never seen by us viewers, and when Tony went to make his big blindside move, it might be revealing that Jeremy was considered his liason, not Michele. Yikes.
Nick - UTR2- Though Nick got in a funny comment about being called"Vampire Donathan" (which is totally dead on!), he still was underused in this episode. He increasingly seems like a tool used by other, better players to accomplish their ends (see how quickly and easily he acceded to Tony's Fire Token plan). With no longstanding, meaningful alliances, I think it's only a matter of time before Nick is deemed... Well, a tool... Who has lost his usefulness.
Kim - CP2- Kim has become the strategic force contra-Tony in "Winners at War," and I suspect their rivarly, which has been hinted at in previous episodes, will come to a head at some point this season. From humble beginnings, she has become a player we are meant to view as a scrappy, intelligent underdog. I think she's got the second best chance of winning, but I don't think she's had enough content to pull off a final upset.
Denise- MOR2- We got some decent strategy talk from Denise here, who is playing double agent along with Kim. Still, she is routinely shown to be a player in league with other players, not one who is changing the flow of the game. She's likeable and smart and she looks like she could kick your ass. But she's not gonna win this thing, no way.
Jeremy- CP3- Jeremy was the swingiest of swing votes this episode, and we got a lot of strategy talk out of him as he tried to figure out... well, Tony. He's a consistently engaging narrator, and clearly viewed as a threat-- the early part of the episode highlighted his advantage-play at the last Tribal Council, as well as his burgeoning rivalry with Ben. Still, it's tough to say what's driving him, or where his narrative is going. At this point he seems like just another "meat shield" in the story of another player...
Tony- CPP5- Tony turned in one of the greatest single-episode performances of Survivor I've ever seen. He thoroughly dominated this episode, finding an immunity idol, being "extorted" by Parvati and Natalie (and somehow finding a way to extort his alliance members to help him out), winning the immunity challenge (having narrowly escaped being denied a chance to participate), and successfully pulling off a truly devastating blindside. Throughout it all, Tony seemed very much in control of the situation, making his moves with characteristic energy but also, an impressive amount of savvy and social play. He's the clear winner edit at this point, but now he's sure to have a very big target on his back.
Sarah- MORN2- Another odd episode for Sarah. Again, she's contrasted with Tony, and again, she seems to get a slightly negative coloring. Her fashion show as fun, but it was predicated on some perhaps overinflated (though probably tongue-in-cheek) ideas about herself. Like her advantage-give to Nick, it again showed her as a played who's thinking about things other than "the game": in Survivor, this attitude is death.
Sophie- MOR1- Sophie's compelling but finally underedited run ends here, when Tony, who recognizes game when he sees it, singlehandedly decides to take her out. This episode largely left out Sophie's voice, perhaps to intensify the effect of the (rather shocking) blindside. She had a nice, graceful finish though. Her story of a "lower tier" winner commanding respect from others and making a nice go of it got a fitting conclusion.
Ben- UTRN2- I got a distinctively negative tone from Ben here, who's paranoia came to a head in conversations with the more rational, more thoughtful Jeremy, and who was caught making a very damning (though accurate, if you consider inflation) side-comment about how a million dollars just doesn't get you far any more. Shades of "Obama's just gonna tax it anyway" baseball man... Never, ever a good look to be criticizing the game itself. Hate the players, not the game, Ben!
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam, Tyson
A curious trip to the Edge, in which Tyson, in conversation with Wendell, claims that losing the game "does things" to people, making a point to say that Adam is going to take it hard. Why single out Adam for further humiliation? A very interesting, possibly loaded choice. Parvati and Natalie also found an advantage, which they used against Tony. Not sure if this reflects anything about Parvati or Natalie's respective edits.
Merged Tribe
Michele- UTR2 - Yeesh. Michele's slide under the radar continues. As the story of her and Nick is eclipsed by the story of Tony and... uhh... Tony... Michele's narrative of a "lesser" winner becoming a player to be reckoned with just can't find any air. Her alliance with Jeremy, noted by other players, is perhaps tellingly never seen by us viewers, and when Tony went to make his big blindside move, it might be revealing that Jeremy was considered his liason, not Michele. Yikes.
Nick - UTR2- Though Nick got in a funny comment about being called"Vampire Donathan" (which is totally dead on!), he still was underused in this episode. He increasingly seems like a tool used by other, better players to accomplish their ends (see how quickly and easily he acceded to Tony's Fire Token plan). With no longstanding, meaningful alliances, I think it's only a matter of time before Nick is deemed... Well, a tool... Who has lost his usefulness.
Kim - CP2- Kim has become the strategic force contra-Tony in "Winners at War," and I suspect their rivarly, which has been hinted at in previous episodes, will come to a head at some point this season. From humble beginnings, she has become a player we are meant to view as a scrappy, intelligent underdog. I think she's got the second best chance of winning, but I don't think she's had enough content to pull off a final upset.
Denise- MOR2- We got some decent strategy talk from Denise here, who is playing double agent along with Kim. Still, she is routinely shown to be a player in league with other players, not one who is changing the flow of the game. She's likeable and smart and she looks like she could kick your ass. But she's not gonna win this thing, no way.
Jeremy- CP3- Jeremy was the swingiest of swing votes this episode, and we got a lot of strategy talk out of him as he tried to figure out... well, Tony. He's a consistently engaging narrator, and clearly viewed as a threat-- the early part of the episode highlighted his advantage-play at the last Tribal Council, as well as his burgeoning rivalry with Ben. Still, it's tough to say what's driving him, or where his narrative is going. At this point he seems like just another "meat shield" in the story of another player...
Tony- CPP5- Tony turned in one of the greatest single-episode performances of Survivor I've ever seen. He thoroughly dominated this episode, finding an immunity idol, being "extorted" by Parvati and Natalie (and somehow finding a way to extort his alliance members to help him out), winning the immunity challenge (having narrowly escaped being denied a chance to participate), and successfully pulling off a truly devastating blindside. Throughout it all, Tony seemed very much in control of the situation, making his moves with characteristic energy but also, an impressive amount of savvy and social play. He's the clear winner edit at this point, but now he's sure to have a very big target on his back.
Sarah- MORN2- Another odd episode for Sarah. Again, she's contrasted with Tony, and again, she seems to get a slightly negative coloring. Her fashion show as fun, but it was predicated on some perhaps overinflated (though probably tongue-in-cheek) ideas about herself. Like her advantage-give to Nick, it again showed her as a played who's thinking about things other than "the game": in Survivor, this attitude is death.
Sophie- MOR1- Sophie's compelling but finally underedited run ends here, when Tony, who recognizes game when he sees it, singlehandedly decides to take her out. This episode largely left out Sophie's voice, perhaps to intensify the effect of the (rather shocking) blindside. She had a nice, graceful finish though. Her story of a "lower tier" winner commanding respect from others and making a nice go of it got a fitting conclusion.
Ben- UTRN2- I got a distinctively negative tone from Ben here, who's paranoia came to a head in conversations with the more rational, more thoughtful Jeremy, and who was caught making a very damning (though accurate, if you consider inflation) side-comment about how a million dollars just doesn't get you far any more. Shades of "Obama's just gonna tax it anyway" baseball man... Never, ever a good look to be criticizing the game itself. Hate the players, not the game, Ben!
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam, Tyson
A curious trip to the Edge, in which Tyson, in conversation with Wendell, claims that losing the game "does things" to people, making a point to say that Adam is going to take it hard. Why single out Adam for further humiliation? A very interesting, possibly loaded choice. Parvati and Natalie also found an advantage, which they used against Tony. Not sure if this reflects anything about Parvati or Natalie's respective edits.
Monday, April 20, 2020
Survivor Amateur Edgic, Winners at War, Episode 10
I'm not rewatching the fucking episode... Even w/ Coronavirus, and even w/ this season being mostly fantastic, I got better things to do. So here's a very hasty, probably very inaccurate Edgic based on a single viewing I did half a week ago. Half of episode 10 was devoted to an epic-length Loved Ones Visit. It was delightful. It didn't tell us much about strategy, though I think it wrapped up at least one of this season's smaller storylines.
Merged Tribe
Michele- MOR2 - We keep checking in with Michele, but maybe not enough? I'm pretty sure she was the one who flipped against the Kim alliance, thereby sending Tyson home... But we didn't get any insight as to why Michele might have done this. She's got a great underdog story going, but it does seem to have enough "oomph."
Nick - UTR2- Nick is kinda like Michele but without the personality. He's sorta like mediocre gamebot this time. That's all I'm gonna say for now, whoops.
Kim - CP3- Kim's idol play was curious, and she was given a line about playing idols for others that was not undermined as foolish. We're supposed to view Kim as a dynamic, capable player. Her gambit didn't work out this time, but she is nevertheless building a resume. She'll be considered a threat sooner than not.
Denise- UTR2- Denise's edit seems to be petering out, too. Sad! Her alliance with Adam is done, and while her partnership with Kim seems to be substantial, Kim is increasingly the dominant force in it. Ever since her big play against Sandra, Denise has lingered in the background. She could roar back for a dramatic finish... But I'm skeptical.
Jeremy- MOR3- Jeremy got another decent episode, but nothing great. His edit seems like a milder, less human, less nuanced version of Tony's: a big threat playing down his ability, making semi-good moves, but never really seeming in control of the game. Now that he's played his advantage (and thereby turned his alliance members against him?) I can't imagine his plot extends much further into this season.
Tony- CPP3- Wild, wacky Tony again portrayed as a smart, reasonable player. The "advice" he gives to other players (she is talk with Sarah this ep, and his talk with Sarah last ep) never seems condescending, and he always make an effort to be polite and respectful, even as he develops a cunning strategy. His Loved Ones visit seemed notable to me and to Probst, who claimed to see "another side" of Tony: the human side. Tony is re-inventing himself this season and it's led to Edgic dominance thus far. I still think he's got a good chance to win this thing.
Sarah- MORN2- Weird things are happening with Sarah's edit. Her threat level has increased, meaning other players are less likely to work with her... And the producers are backing up these other players' decisions. She's increasingly coming off as a rash, sort of heedless person, being contrasted every step of the way with her cop partner Tony.
Sophie- UTR2- Sophie seems to be getting a "Victoria edit" (s38). She appears to command respects from her tribemates, just not from the camera. She's not getting the testimonials she needs to make a deep run, even if her game is strategically sound (I think she's always on the right side of votes?). I think she'll be one of the first boots in the final episode.
Ben- CP2- Ben again with another visible, notable performance, but it's tough to gauge... to what purpose? The only consistent threads I'm seeing with Ben's play are (1) his efforts to better his social game (though we haven't seem him mention that in at least four episodes) and (2) frantic paranoia. #2 doesn't usually mean Edgic success.
Tyson- MORP3- Tyson had the cutest and most heartbreaking Loved Ones visit, as we might have expected give the amount of content this season has reserved for talk about Tyson's Loved Ones. Now that that subplot is done, is it really a surprise that he was voted out this episode, and with such little strategic fanfare (at least from him)? It sucks because he rules, but I think it's fair to say that Tyson's finished for good this time.
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam
Good to see the Loved Ones Visit here. There was something especially powerful about Adam's testimonial... And while it seems improbable that he will be able to claw his way back into the game, he still seems like he'll be playing a role in the rest of the season. Highly doubtful the next EOE-returnee gets to FTC, ala Chris in season 38.
Merged Tribe
Michele- MOR2 - We keep checking in with Michele, but maybe not enough? I'm pretty sure she was the one who flipped against the Kim alliance, thereby sending Tyson home... But we didn't get any insight as to why Michele might have done this. She's got a great underdog story going, but it does seem to have enough "oomph."
Nick - UTR2- Nick is kinda like Michele but without the personality. He's sorta like mediocre gamebot this time. That's all I'm gonna say for now, whoops.
Kim - CP3- Kim's idol play was curious, and she was given a line about playing idols for others that was not undermined as foolish. We're supposed to view Kim as a dynamic, capable player. Her gambit didn't work out this time, but she is nevertheless building a resume. She'll be considered a threat sooner than not.
Denise- UTR2- Denise's edit seems to be petering out, too. Sad! Her alliance with Adam is done, and while her partnership with Kim seems to be substantial, Kim is increasingly the dominant force in it. Ever since her big play against Sandra, Denise has lingered in the background. She could roar back for a dramatic finish... But I'm skeptical.
Jeremy- MOR3- Jeremy got another decent episode, but nothing great. His edit seems like a milder, less human, less nuanced version of Tony's: a big threat playing down his ability, making semi-good moves, but never really seeming in control of the game. Now that he's played his advantage (and thereby turned his alliance members against him?) I can't imagine his plot extends much further into this season.
Tony- CPP3- Wild, wacky Tony again portrayed as a smart, reasonable player. The "advice" he gives to other players (she is talk with Sarah this ep, and his talk with Sarah last ep) never seems condescending, and he always make an effort to be polite and respectful, even as he develops a cunning strategy. His Loved Ones visit seemed notable to me and to Probst, who claimed to see "another side" of Tony: the human side. Tony is re-inventing himself this season and it's led to Edgic dominance thus far. I still think he's got a good chance to win this thing.
Sarah- MORN2- Weird things are happening with Sarah's edit. Her threat level has increased, meaning other players are less likely to work with her... And the producers are backing up these other players' decisions. She's increasingly coming off as a rash, sort of heedless person, being contrasted every step of the way with her cop partner Tony.
Sophie- UTR2- Sophie seems to be getting a "Victoria edit" (s38). She appears to command respects from her tribemates, just not from the camera. She's not getting the testimonials she needs to make a deep run, even if her game is strategically sound (I think she's always on the right side of votes?). I think she'll be one of the first boots in the final episode.
Ben- CP2- Ben again with another visible, notable performance, but it's tough to gauge... to what purpose? The only consistent threads I'm seeing with Ben's play are (1) his efforts to better his social game (though we haven't seem him mention that in at least four episodes) and (2) frantic paranoia. #2 doesn't usually mean Edgic success.
Tyson- MORP3- Tyson had the cutest and most heartbreaking Loved Ones visit, as we might have expected give the amount of content this season has reserved for talk about Tyson's Loved Ones. Now that that subplot is done, is it really a surprise that he was voted out this episode, and with such little strategic fanfare (at least from him)? It sucks because he rules, but I think it's fair to say that Tyson's finished for good this time.
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Rob, Parvati, Yul, Wendell, Adam
Good to see the Loved Ones Visit here. There was something especially powerful about Adam's testimonial... And while it seems improbable that he will be able to claw his way back into the game, he still seems like he'll be playing a role in the rest of the season. Highly doubtful the next EOE-returnee gets to FTC, ala Chris in season 38.
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