Survivor: Game Changers

Great episode last night, btw. I did not appreciate Sandra coming into the season. I thought she got very lucky in her first season, and rode coattails in her second. But damn, she can straight up brainwash people when she wants to. I half expected her to get Tai to vote for Tai.

It was really fun to see her put her game on display this season and it really increased my respect for her. I'd love to see her play again in a winners or a super all-star season.

 

Tai drives me crazy.

JT took an unnecessary gamble confiding in Brad in the Brad's people would knock out Sandra.
Everyone on his team knew what he'd done, which makes it even more inexplicable that you'd come to the next vote-off without his idol.

Probst and a lot of players often say you have to make big moves, but I don't think that is true.
You have to make good moves. Players who become focused on making big moves get knocked.
It is much more a game of tactics than strategy, and you to take what presents itself.
Multiple good, small moves are better than a big move.

 

Well, something tells me we won't be seeing Jeff Varner on Survivor again.

Man, talk about a heel turn. I was really enjoying his presence these last few seasons. I'm sure he feels horrible, but given some kind of similar situation, I feel like he'd make the same decision again. That slimey desperation is a part of his character, what made him fun to watch in the game, and what ruined him.

The amazing thing about it is he's gay, and keeps somewhat quiet about it on the show. (I didn't watch Season 2, so maybe it was known then.) That he could be so insensitive to someone else... hard to fathom.

 

What got me was Varner accusing Zeke of deception. He wasn't deceiving anyone or looking for an advantage in the game.

Deception is the athletes and cops who lie about their jobs not to be a target, not someone deciding not to share their sexuality.

 

Yeah, it was just a tremendously bad decision all the way around, in life and in the game.

What, for instance, was the best case scenario? That everyone would get all riled up that Zeke hadn't told them he was trans? That everyone would change their vote and get rid of Zeke because he's trans? That's a pretty shitty plan.

As Probst pointed out, there was no logical point Varner could have possibly been trying to make other than that trans people are living a deception, which would go over well with the Breitbart crowd, but few other places.

Some of the whispers around the internet last night indicated Varner had really, really struggled with this after the show, that CBS had put him in counseling after he talked about suicide.

Zeke's column about this was very powerful and definitely worth a read:
'Survivor' Contestant Opens Up About Being Outed as Transgender (Guest Column)

 

Just watched recorded episode.
What a lousy, dick move.
Zeke handled it with class and grace.
In fact, maybe tasteless to say, but he could've won himself $1m because of his class and poise there.
Very impressed with the way he handled it in the moment.

 

Probst on Tribal....

'Survivor': Jeff Probst Reacts Strongly to Jeff Varner outing Zeke as Transgender

 

Wow, just caught up on it and I was blown away by how horrible of a person Varner is and how impressive a person Zeke is. Zeke, once the shock of what happened wore off, handled himself very well.

Varner - just wow. As others have noted, as a gay man himself, he knew better than to out someone else. Trying to walk it back and say Zeke was out and loud and proud transgender while saying Zeke was being deceptive made zero sense (obviously, he was scrambling).

Probst, as usual, handled it masterfully. Though he asked everyone if they really needed to go vote, I got the sense it wasn't as much a question as it was a decision. He wasn't letting them vote, he was getting Varner off the show. He didn't even look at Varner when he snuffed the torch.

Sarah's reaction was probably the most powerful, and it really is how progress is made. She got to know Zeke for who he is, not for his gender, and the revelation didn't change who Zeke is as a person. That part was probably the most poignant.

 

I wish Varner had an idol, though. That would have made it even better.
Probst says 'Do we even need to vote?' They all confirm that they will vote for Varner. Probst says 'Varner, bring me your torch.'
Then Varner says 'Wait, I have an idol and I vote for Zeke!'

 

That would have been something!

Interesting to think about now is the fallout. One way or the other, Varner has irrevocably altered Zeke's fate in the game. Everybody already liked Zeke, but now they've all kind of coalesced and bonded with him in a way that wouldn't have happened otherwise. So it's possible Varner handed him $1 million because nobody wants to vote out Zeke now. On the other hand, they may suddenly realize that if Zeke makes the final three, he's practically guaranteed to win and therefore they may now see him as a bigger target than they did before Tribal Council.

 

Zeke would be incredibly dangerous at the end no matter what. If you assume he has a decent resume, then he's tough to beat because he speaks so well.
Being a good speaker is underappreciated attribute in the game when it comes to the end-game.

Zeke would be tough no matter what. This would make him a lead-pipe lock.
The people who were at that pivotal tribal would all vote for him because of the character, poise and grace he exhibited.
Anyone else would probably vote for him out some type of sympathy.
If you combine those elements with his speaking ability and the assumption that he'll have a decent remedy - he's is just too tough.

Zeke was a bad choice to go to the end with before. Now he's even worse.
If you want to win, you have to get rid of him.

 

Totally agree.