The Poo Zone

[Jeff Probst]

Blogs Incoming!

[Jeff Probst]

Pregame Assessment

Ashley -

Ashley was so hard to cast because she really did not want to play against the ever-growing number of enemies that were sure to be in this season. She really did get a raw end of the stick in that a lot of her main allies (sophie, grant, jeff v.) are not playing in this season. On top of that her enemies are playing (mia, chad, katie). However, everyone who knows me knows that I have a hard on for an underdog story. On top of that, I really like Ashley a lot. So I’m really hoping she pulls through and overcomes the odds. I’d really love to see that more than anything. Either way, I’m excited she’s playing and glad she decided to play even with a bunch of haters. Takes guts.

Carter -

Carter is one of the players that I’m taking a risk on. He was kind of meh in his first season and at the end kicked it into high gear. I’m banking on the fact that he learned how to play the game towards the end of the season and that will carry on into this season. My fear is that with all the huge personalities he’s going to be pushed to the back and fall into the same trap of not making a big enough impact.

Caryn -

Caryn is someone that I’m iffy on. I think she could easily do really well here. Especially if she has a lot of friends. In Portugal she was amazing and I really thought she would get to the end and then the situation with Katie happened. I think going into this game Caryn probably has a huge reputation, but that could almost work to her advantage. I think all of the new players want to work with Caryn because she’s so crazy. Whether she scares them off will be another thing entirely. Either way this season should solidify Caryn’s Legend status.

Chad -

In Chad’s season he was a superstar. And then he never came back to play again. i think this is Chad’s chance to steal the limelight yet again. He’s crazy as hell when he’s on, and I’m hoping he brings it. He already is going into this season with a massive beef with Ashley and some friendships with Mia. I think this could be a really villainous Chad that we see here. Either way I’m sure he will deliver in spades. Again, he was very reluctant to play so I’m hoping for the best.

Chris -

Chris is someone who really earned his stripes last season. He was kind of a forgotten All-star. He was really good in Costa Rica, but never could quite get him to play again. Scheduling worked out last season and I think he probably played the game the hardest of anyone. I really see him doing very well here. He’s my pick because he’s just coming out of a game where he’s done really well, i feel like his knives are sharpened and he will make a ton of enemies here. I do think in the end he will be able to sweet talk his way to a victory.

Cochran -

Cochran’s someone who I haven’t really thought about this season. He already gave us a legendary performance in Portugal, so I’m not expecting a whole lot from him here. However, he has a ton of buddies in this and I see him doing very well. I just hope we get to see some egomaniacal moves like we did in Portugal and of course i’m looking forward to the unfinished business between him and Vytas. Probably one of my favorite storylines in the history of Stranded so I’m looking forward to see that fleshed out here.

Debb -

Debb is someone who is a legend in her own right. Not only is the character legendary but the comedy behind it is as well. So when I got someone like Rudy to play as this legendary character it was a huge GET for the series. Unfortunately her comedy kind of fell flat last season and hse faded into the background a bit. That didn't stop her for making a name for herself with her epic poetry and being dubbed the Poet Laureate of Stranded. I think we haven't seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Debb and I'm really hoping she shines in her second go round. She can also thank Jeff for repaying the favor and getting her this last minute spot. I thought that was kinda cool that he could repay her for getting him the win last season. She's definitely someone I'm excited to see play though and last-minute editions have been notoriously successful in Stranded, so here's hoping for the best!

Gina -

I’m taking a huge risk on Gina. The good thing is that I think she knows it and knows she has something to prove. She was fantastic in Venezuela and really for the first 2/3s of Legends was amazing. Unfortunately she sat on her lead and kind of went semi inactive toward the end and earned herself a third place spot. Im taking a chance on Gina because I believe in her epicness. It’s pretty rare that I choose all-stars based on being strategic threats. The fact that she can transcend “strategist” and still be compelling to watch says a lot. She’s got a speciial something and I’m really hoping she can prove herself here. She’s my underdog pick… being incredibly enthusiastic about playing doesn’t hurt.

Jane -

Oh my god, I’ve been wanting to get this hag goddess back into Stranded for SO.LONG. Probably one of my most depressing early boots in that she gave us so much good stuff and went way too soon. I think if she goes again early I will scream. She needs to do well here because it would be a fucking tragedy against the Stranded gods if she didn’t. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how seriously she’s taking this or how well connected she is, but you know she seemed up for it and I’m praying for the best. Nothing would make me happier than seeing her leave a path of enemies in her wake. If anything, seeing her interact with Caryn will be worth it.

Jolanda -

Jolanda is such a unique stranded character. Super likable without being really an underdog or very “nice” In her first season she was kind of dominant and too overbearing. In her second season she really hit her stride and became one of the most likable characters to ever play. I think having her back is amazing, she’s definitely a Legend that should have been back already for her third go, but maybe it’s KISMET. I could easily see her winning here if she can get deep enough without being too big of a threat.

Katie -

Katie is kind of a wildcard. I know she was great in Portugal, she was killing it socially, being a bit of a twat to everyone and kind of a backstabber. The thing is, I’m not sure how many people SAW how big of a backstabber she was. That could lead to some real drama here. She’s earned her all-star status for her controversial exit and I do love a good redemption story. I could definitely see Katie backstabbing some IRL friends leading to permanent feuds. She just seems overall kind of slimey to me and she’s already coming into this with some enemies who used to be friends. That doesn’t bode well. I see her making the merge and pissing off a lot of her close friends.

Ken -

In his first game, Ken went out very early for playing too aggressively too soon. After dominating a ton of online games, I decided to let him play Stranded again and luckily for us he accepted. He came back and made a ton of enemies in Patagonia as he betrayed most players in the game and was generally an ass about it. The good thing is that he has a lot of friends and I think some people may have forgotten just how much he backstabs. I think in this open ID we could see Ken losing a lot of friends in the long run. One thing’s for sure, if he isn’t sussed out as a threat early, he is definitely in this to win it.

Kristina -

Kristina’s one of the players I’m most looking forward to seeing again. I’m not sure how many people will be expecting her back, but she was pretty okay in Stranded. However, when she went on to Isolated she dominated the game. She’s bringing that same dominant attitude into this season and looking to make a name for herself and earn some respect from other players. That’s really exciting for a host like me. I see Kristina really becoming a huge star here. I like her style and I don’t think anyone will see it coming. On top of that she actually has a few allies from Namibia she can call on.

Lisa -

Lisa’s popular and everyone knows it. I think she knows her mistakes from Nepal. However, I think Lisa might over-correct here. I’m afraid she will take a permanent back seat and that’s not going to work well for her. If she can tap into the controlling side of her in Nepal but keep the obsessive side in check, she could very well win. The problem is that I don’t see Lisa being able to control herself and she is going to have a lot of enemies in this from Nepal. Fortunately she’s got a ton of friends, unfortunately that’s going to hurt her too. It’s 50/50 here.

Mia -

Mia’s the biggest threat coming into this game and everyone knows it. So far it’s being billed as the Mia vs. Ashley show. Two sworn enemies with lots of friends. This could get ugly and early. I think they will both end up canceling each other out if they can’t get out of each other’s way. Of course, I’m hoping both can end up making it very far, but thats going to depend on how aggressively they go after one another. I could easily see Mia going too hard against Ashley and making everyone turn on her in the process. Mia’s coming into this with the most friends and unfortunately for her that means she has to piss someone off. Early on in the pickem I could see this being a real problem for her. Later down the line, I would be willing to be money that she makes a permanent enemy out of an old friend.

Papa Bear -

Oh lord. Papa Bear might be the most fascinating player in Stranded history. I’m just going to say it. There is no one that is more fun to watch. The man is insane and in the best way possible. I would have him back every season if I could. I think he will not do well here, but I’m praying he does. It’s like the train wreck that you can’t stop looking at and hoping it never ends. If he somehow miracles his way to the end of this game it will most likely be the best season ever. That’s how entertaining he is. I can safely say that without even knowing how the game would go. Just by his being there it will be great. How long can he be there? That’s another story…

Ralph -

Do people realize how devious Ralph is? Do they care? Ralph is known for being the most likable and adorable player ever. I mean instantaneously lovable, you just want this guy to win. He’s also known for being a bit of a buffoon, or baboon if you will. What he’s not known for and what a lot of people don’t realize, is that Ralph is really devious. He’s not stupid at all and is very capable and willing to backstab his friends at the drop of a hat. That’s going to be delicious to see. I actually could very well see Ralph winning this whole game if he taps into that and lulls people into a false sense of security. Ralph’s already a Legend, everything else he does this season is just the cherry on the cake.

Ramona -

Ramona’s another wildcard pick. I saw something in her in her fight with Jeff, her passion for saving Stacey and going out of the game kicking in screaming that I really loved. I think she has the potential to be one of the greatest players/characters ever and that’s why she’s here. Early in Rai she was the strategic mastermind out of nowhere, she’s likable and fair. It’s just a gut feeling, I could be totally wrong and i’m taking a huge risk in bringing her back, but I just really loved her and I saw something in her that I want to see more of. Here’s hoping she delivers!!

Sarah -

My booboo. I’m of course rooting for Sarah to win. I can’t explain why, I just adore Sarah. I think she’s a legend and one of my all-time favorite players. She’s seriously one of my best friends online and I know she’s shit ass crazy in the game, and emotional as hell but I can’t help but love her for it. She will always deliver an entertaining showing and that’s something every hosts dreams of. I’d love to see her do really well here, she kind of deserves it after getting shit on for two seasons and being completely underestimated / not respected. I don’t think anyone takes her seriously and I’m praying she can take the game by the balls and show people how amazing she is. I have to pick her to win because she’s my boo.

Sean -

Sean is someone I’ve really loved watching both times he played and he went tragically early in Legends. He’s someone that no one knows really well, he doesn’t lurk a lot, he’s not in the community a lot… but he’s smart as hell. He’s a dangerous player with huge balls and that could really do well for him in this season. He’s got a great shot at going far and proving his worth here. He’s definitely one of the best players the game has ever seen and I can’t wait for him to remind everyone as to why. I’ve wanted to see him play again for a while now and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun watching him.

Stacey -

Stacey is someone that i don’t know what to expect of. She was kind of wrongfully hated on last season, but somehow managed to miracle her way through the game. On top of that she had never watched Survivor before and for someone who was universally hated on to make it that far was just amazing to see. She has an underdog star quality that isn’t appreciated until she’s made it a lot further than you expected her to. I would expect for her to be pushed to the background and an easy early boot, but… a lot of people would have said that about her last season and she seems to do the best when she is against the ropes. Should be fun tow watch.

Ted -

Ted’s another person like Gina. Amazing in their first season, then came back to be kind of disappointing. I know he has it in him to be the flip flopping strategic goddess he was in Greece, the center of the universe, the Ted Show™ - Season 3. I’m thinking he will be very underestimated here and will really do some serious damage. There are a handful of other strategic threats that he’s going to go up against and will be serious competition for. Looking forward to seeing some of Strandeds greatest minds battle it out with the crazies peppered in.

Vytas -

Last but not least, probably the biggest GET for this season. The elusive Vytas. He gave me a really hard time about playing, but thank the lord he said yes. Vytas is probably the player I’m most excited about having back. He’s got the best star quality, he’s shit ass crazy and dominant as hell. He will definitely make a great show. His relationship with Cochran is one that will definitely be something I’m looking forward to. Their frienemy status is amazing and I can’t wait to get more of that. On top of that he’s going to be against Caryn and some other enemies that he will drive crazy so it should be a lot of fun to see. Im really hoping he can do well here again and honestly, if anyone could do it even with a big target… it’s Vytas.

[Jeff Probst]

Going into this season there are a ton of storylines that are already underway and that is a beautiful thing. I used to shy away from pre-games and go out of my way to prevent them and trick players, but as this is the 6th All-stars season of Stranded and the umpteenth returnee season, I've learned a lot. In the end, it doesnt really matter if the entire cast has a pregame, eventually someone will betray their friend for the win. They'll say "it's just a game" to justify it, but ultimately they've just betrayed a real friend outside of the game in a pretend game with no real prize. I am sure we will have some enemies born of this season that will continue for years to come. Hell we're already going into the game with a ton of enemies. Going into it it seems to be Ashley vs. Mia with a huge group of supporting characters. I'm most excited to see how the huge strategic threats (Sean, Ted, Chris, Ken, Vytas, Gina) clash and if they team up or go head to head or both. Of course we have some of the biggest characters in Stranded history (Caryn, Ralph, Papa Bear, Jane, Cochran, Chad) and everyone inbetween. We have controversial choices that were made based on potential (Katie, Gina, Papa Bear) and some new players that havent proven themselves but have the makings of legendary players (Ramona, Carter, Kristina). We have some legends (Mia, Sarah, Jolanda) and some huge online gamers (Lisa, Ken). I think ultimately this is one of my favorite casts of all time. It has everything I could possibly want. It's my favorite cast since Rivals and I say that with confidence. I have no idea if they will deliver or they will flop and the season will be super predictable and all mapped out with pregame alliances, but I do know that this is an amazing cast of players and even just seeing them interact will be surreal and special for me. I of course am hoping for the best and the possibilites and scenarios are so exciting I can't stand it. Either way, i'm glad they all decided to play again and I hope they have an amazing adventure.

[Jeff Probst]

Day 01

So instead of doing a rundown of everyone this season, which I might still continue to do especially in the later stages when there aren't that many players to blog about, I'm going to just blog about what is in my immediate attention.

The first of which I'll talk about is yesterday's events with the pickem and opening twist. Wow, I loved how explosive the opening to the game was, I really think it helped kick off the season and pump some serious enthusiasm and intrigue into the season going in. May be doing a free for all opening again some time soon because i think it worked out pretty well here.

The pickem went completely unexpected. I kind of expected Jane or possibly Papa Bear to be left out completely, but that was hte only predictable part. Ashley picking... LISA?! What in the fuck. Oh Ashley... how could she so easily be duped this early in the game. Then to have Lisa turn around and immediately pick Mia what the fuck... The only good thing to come of this is that I really don't think we'll see Ashley getting voted out early or even any time soon, which is a relief. Having Mia and Ashley last long into the game together will be epic as fuck. Mia definitely has the most connections by far in the game and is poised to go very far. However, let's look at her close allies:

They consist of Lisa, Ted, and fucking Ken... these are some of the most notorious backstabbers and biggest game players in ORG history... I give them absolutely zero shot of sticking together for an extended period of time. In their seasons each of them were the backstabbers to multiple alliances, and now we're supposed to believe that they will all be friends and loyal throughout the season? Ahuh... no. It will be hella entertaining watching some friendships go down in flames though.

I'm going to talk about my sympathetic underdogs who I'm really worried for and am really rooting for to pull through. The first of which is Vitinho. He is probably my biggest All-star this season and a huge GET for me. I'm really hoping he doesn't become a very early boot. If so that would be a tragedy. I'm hoping Refuge or something can save him. i'm actually hoping he and Ashley can pull together with some of the other underdogs and take a jab at Mia's alliance.... we'll see what happens. Especially if Hiva Oa wins a lot (which is likely) and several of them end up on refuge together. That's my biggest wish is maybe Ashley/Vytas/Kristina ending up safe on Refuge. The other sentimental favorite of mine is Kristina. Her story of her marriage problems is just heart wrenching and I also love her as a person/player and I really want to see her succeed and become confident in herself because i think it would be an amazing story and this really means something to her personally. I love that she dedicated it to her (his) wife. The feeeeelz.

So speaking of underdogs. Jane was not picked to be in the game, as predicted by me, and thankfully she is now on Refuge and fucking safe. I was kind of worried she might be inactive or not really care, but the minute she got here she started verbally assaulting anyone and everyone who spoke against keeping her in the game I really REALLY want to see Jane do amazing here and finally become the hagress we all need and deserve. She is a goddessa most high. So thrilled she is safe for a majority of the pre-merge.

So the other big story, and maybe the last big story I'll talk about is the Doom Squad. they are a sentimental favorite of mine. I love how devious Cochran is being, but I just love that Papa Bear, Ralph and Cochran might all be safe and also in a power position??? Wtf!!! LOVE IT. The more papa bear the better so him not immediately being voted off is always fun. Hell I'd love to see him make deep merge, the guy is a fucking card. I cant help but eagerly read everything he posts and laugh hysterically afterwards. it's so amazing. They're all backstabbers though, despite being awesome and loveable people, I don't see them lasting together, but I would absolutely love it if they did.

The last person I'll talk about is Caryn because i've seen the most change out of her. She really is in a good headspace this season and she's very non-threatening in terms of the game player. I mean she's constantly threatening people, but she's not a serious threat so I could easily see her slipping by and hte way she is talking about playing, i definitely see here shocking the hell out of some peopel and doing REALLY well here. Her plus the doom squad is the greatest alliance in the history of alliances btw. That's all I got.

[Jeff Probst]

Day 06 - Episodes 1 & 2 Recap

So despite there being so many pre-game alliances, I feel like the game is still wide open. The first two boots were predictably Stacey and Papa Bear, but they were the perfect early boots. Crazy and entertaining but not crucially involved in the series... which means that players who are crucially involved have remained in! Yay!! I'm super happy that Vytas, Kristina and Ashley have survived the early boots. I feel like Ashley and Vytas are two of my biggest all-stars and Kristina has such an amazing story that i'm genuinely just rooting for her to make it through. She will deliver if she ever gets the opportunity to make some moves. She's a player and the fact taht she's been able to get a lot of people to want her to stay despite being on the outs is incredible. Especially in a cast that's so thickly connected from previous games.

I think the best thing to happen to the game so far was Jane getting the Refuge spot. She really set the dramatic tone for the season and it was a big, holy fuck, amazing dramatic moment that I love. More than that, she really called out alliances that were going on and got people thinking. Furthermore, she picked Mia as the first Refuge which put Mia in a good spot, but also separated her from her pregame alliances. I think that was brilliant of Jane and completely unexpected and also allowed for the underdogs of the tribe to have a shot at overtaking a larger alliance, which she then pointed out. That lead to another surprising pick. Immediately after Mia was selected I began to worry that she would then just take her entire Hiva Oa alliance and combine them with her Nuku Hiva alliance and give them all a free pass throughout the game. Luckily, that's not what happened at all. Mia took someone who isn't super connected and not particularly threatening in Sarah. I also fucking adore Sarah so I'm extra happy with that choice. Here's why it's smart: Mia is being built up as the most connected and dangerous player in teh game. She was surrounded by her freinds and allies on Hiva and setting herself up for a huge blindside when people got too threatened. So by being isolated on Refuge and picking people who she is not super aligned with I think she did herself a great service. That said, I think people now think that she is really close with Sarah? And she's just pissed off the people on Nuku Hiva that she didn't pick. That's another thing that I predicted that Mia is already struggling with. When you have so many friends heading into an all-stars game you HAVE to pick favorites and you HAVE to betray others... meaning she is going to lose some friends as a result of this game, which will be HELLA entertaining to watch.

On Hiva Oa I'm currently loving Jolanda of course, she's starting to step up and gain her confidence again. I also love that she's stepping outside of her pregame relationships and forming new ones and trusting in those more than the others she may know outside of this. She gets that this is an individual game and this is a new season and I think that's really going to benefit her the most.

On Nuku Hiva I think Cochran is in the best position and it seems like everyone has forgotten just how shady/impulsive he was in Portugal
That will definitely be an entertaining finish. Power players on that tribe include: Cochran, Ralph and shockingly Caryn. I think she's in a good headspace and has been humbled a bit by people out-douching her (Jane / Vytas). I think maybe because of that she wont focus so much on outraging people and will instead focus on outplaying them.

Chad is of course stepping up as a huge power player, dominating challenges and making crucial alliances. Gina I think is making good social gains but will it be enough? I don't know, she'll ahve to do some fancy footwork with alliances.

[Jeff Probst]

Day 07 - Episodes 3 & 4 Recap

Well well well, the game has finally ratcheted up to All-star Status. THIS is what we all were hoping for when the season began. After somewhat of a slow start (however entertaining...) we finally got to the meat of the situation. Shit hit the fan and alliances started to crack and we FINALLY saw some of our all-stars deliver in the way we knew they could. I'm not even going to talk about Nuku Hiva because they pretty much are still on the same course that they were originally, but damn... Hiva Oa... THIS is where are star power is currently.

Thus far, I'm sad that we lose Sean and Gina, but really happy that we kept everyone else. Sean and Gina were kind of our outsider all-stars, definitely star power in their own right, both were in Legends and did extremely well in their season, but they never really got their feet wet here. Although they certainly COULD have delivered, they really weren't just yet so their loss didn't really impact things. Still sucks to see them go becuase them getting to the end of any game would be amazing.

Wow okay so Hiva Oa has been dominated by Mia and her cronies for the majority of the game and it looked like we might have a boring outcome until the Refuge picks started happening. This really illustrated that Mia was strengthening her army. It also let some of her alliance feel left out AND it left them alone with time to think and become paranoid. That's where Chris/Ken/Jolanda step in and try to make a move ahead of time on Lisa/Ashley/Ted. Initially excited to be going along with the plan, Ramona and Kristina were on board, as was Vytas. But when Chris/Jolanda aggressively targetted Ashley, that set Vytas off. He went full Vitinho. Vytas says to Ramona, why are we just settling for picking off Ashley and doing hteir dirty work, why don't we form a majority and pick off who we want them to. This is when I really feel like the game clicked for Ramona.

Up until now everyone was calling me crazy for bringing her back, but we truly saw the strategic genius that is Ramona step up, grow some balls and start making some crazy moves. She lays out everything plain and simply for Ashley. I'm loving htis girl.

Here's where things get fucked up. Ashley goes into panic mode and tells all her allies what Ramona is claiming. When Lisa hears this, she goes to Ken. Ken then starts lying his teeth off... and they believe him. That is... until Ken fucks up so badly in the Immunity Challenge that it looks like he is blatantly throwing it. Ken manages to successfully pin everything on Chris, but Chris comes on and reveals that they have been working on this for a while. Ramona becomes vindicated.

Ramona, Kristina, and Vitinho, the outsiders, form an alliance with Ashley after hse finally believes that they are all lying to her. Thus forms my favorite alliance of all time: Vytas, Ashley, Kristina, Ramona. I'm hoping and praying these four can last to be the final 4 of Hiva Oa.

On Refuge, the dynamics are mixed. I'm really hoping it isnt just Mia's power alliance controlling the game and refuge because that would be boring. But I think with Ken, Sarah and Jane on there it's enough to fuck shit up. The next two Refugees will probably be down for joining wtih Jane and Sarah and taking out some power players I would think. There's still a lot of wiggle room there, but even if it does end up with Mias gang, there's still an entire other tribe that knows about it to go up against them in the merge.

Season's getting good yall.

I'm really loving Ashley's predicament. Sure she's a terrible judge of character, sure she's far too trusting and naive, but damnit she's amazing and a sweetheart and I want her to do well, even if she is a pain in my ass at times. Seeing her succeed is fantastic becuase she was so hesitant to come into the game. I'm just glad Vytas was here to slap her back into reality and out of the buttholes of Mia's cronies.

[Jeff Probst]

The Mia Blog and the status of Refuge Recap

So I'm dedicating this blog to Mia and the Refuge tribe because I've somewhat neglected them and they are clearly stars/focal points of this season so I'm taking the time now to blog about them. While they have been away, they have been kind of pushed to the backburner as they are somewhat out of the game (for now). Still, Mia has managed to bulldoze her way back into the game and into the forefronts of everyones minds. From bullying other Refugee's into picking who she wants them to pick, to being on everyone's minds when they are voting people out... Mia is clearly the boss bitch, the biggest threat, the most connected player and the kingpin this season. For that reason I'm both a fan of hers and rooting against her. i think its' only human nature to root against an overdog and root for the underdogs. That said, in the game of Survivor, it can become more difficult to have the most power and have to maintain that power and with such a humungous target on her back she will have a huge uphill battle. In that sense I think it's epic as fuck and I love that she is owning it in terms of being a boss bitch. That said, I do think it's a little bit put on. In dealing with Mia, yes she's a cunt, but she's also a bit of a pussy. She often has other people fighting her battles, but in this case that kind of works to her advantage. SHe's the kingpin so having other people do her dirty work is part of her M.O. and I'm so glad that she is owning that. I think going forward it's definitely Mia who everyone will be watching and as such I hope she can last as long as possible.

Jolanda is really impressing me as a refugee. I think the thing that's shocking myself and everone else is that these all-stars are not completely solid even as early as this in tehir alliances. I expected alliances to shift around, but I honestly thought that there would not be backstabbing until merge and it's started already. Already people are looking out for #1. The big Mia alliance has completely imploded and players like Ted/Lisa/Ashley were left in the dust and are furious about it.

Jane I absolutely adore and I really hope she gets the chance in this refuge tribe to make an alliance or two and not be the first boot because she's a diva and amazing. I kind of see Mia bringing her in, for some odd reason. I think there's a mutual respect there between the two.

Sarah, poor Sarah, I think she just has a really misunderstood social skill (or lack there of) that makes her seem harsher than she really is. She's really a sweetheart and an amazing person and i can't say enough about how much I love her, but in the game she really rubs people the wrong way. They don't feel like they can trust her adn that's really going to hurt her here. I could see Sarah going pre-merge. It's unfortunate, but I also think she has the chance to maybe wake people up to the fact that Mia is running things.

Kristina is someone I'm still rooting for and I will be VERY disappointed if she goes out early before the merge. I'm really hoping to see her run away with this thing and I totally can see her makingg the merge, teaming up with her namibia people and making it very deep into the game and potentially winning.

Okay enough about those boring safe bitches, there isn't enough to talk about yet. Let's get to the meat of the situation:

Hiva Oa

- I LOVE this tribe. I kind of love that the remaining 3 mia players are anti-mia now because she abandoned them and didn't take them into Refuge. I also love how blissfully unaware Lisa is of how hated she has become with the rest of the players. She's an asshole and Ted is not much better. However, that makes her a great character to me.

I need to write a good blog for Ashley because I think my frustration over her trusting people she shouldn't has translated into what may come across as hatred for her and that's totally not the case. Ashley is one of my closest friends and someone I completely respect and love outside of this game and to see her get shit on and follow the people who are shitting on her was frustrating for me. I think, however, that now that the swap/merge has happened she is in a much much better place. She is no longer moping about how hated she is and how much she wants to leave the game, but instead is finally enjoying the game and realizing just how much people love her. She was ranked 1st in the refuge ranking and i think that really gave her a confidence boost along with reuniting with some old friends from Nuku Hiva. This is the Ashley we all love and want to see, the bubbly happy enthusiastic girl that got by despite coming in late because she was just so darn likable. I want to see her shed these fair-weather friends that she thinks are her #1 allies who are actually quite scumbaggy towards her. Like Ted is a fucking dickhead who is totally using and abusing Ashley and I want so bad for her to escape his grasp because he's quite the dick when it comes to her. I'm glad she's starting to wise up to that fact and not completley tank her game to save his...

That brings me to Vitinho who is definitely our biggest all-star here and for sure our newest Legend. The guy is just amazing to watch and watching him weasel his way out of the bottom and just do some freaky ass shit is not only really entertaining but also really educational for me. I think he should teach a course in how to be a bad ass gamer, have respect for yourself as well as call people out to their faces and still survive and succeed. We could all take lessons from Vitinho. I cannot wait to see how he fucks the merger up with his buds now that they are all together. Mia has another thing coming and his name is Vitinho. She might be focusing on Ashley, and rightly so, but... she better watch her back.

Cochran's kind of a douche, but I'm glad to see him back with Vytas and i think now his storyline can finally begin because before he was kind of just waltzing through the game wiht his allies at his beckoning call. The most fascinating thing to happen there was with Chad and Katie who I think know screwed them over.

Thus ends the blogs by events and now I will transition into blogging about each individual as we get to know them in this game and the real game starts to take shape. Very exciting stuff. Although we lost some great characters in the beginning there is absolutely no shortage of star power or great things in the works. So excited.

[Jeff Probst]

OMFG I've fallen way too behind on blogs, peopel are going to be so disappointed when they don't see anything.

The game has of course shifted and those who were once overdogs that i was rooting against are now underdogs that i am rooting for, such is life I suppose.

Let's catch up to the merge then I'll do a rundown of everyone.

The Refuge tribe's drama pre-merge was DELICIOUS. I loved watchign their crazy ass votes and htem going to war with one another. I am so thrilled iwth the Ted blindside because it really broke up a big alliance. I like Ted, I feel like he wouldve added a lot to the season with his schemey ways but seeing him go was justified since he was very quick to use and abuse ashley. That may actually be too harsh in retrospect, i just felt like his friendship with Ashley was a bit one sided.

After being blindsided, Ashley was literally on the verge of Quitting as we all expected. I for one was thrilled to have her crutches taken away so we could see the true goddess in action instead of this wimpering battered wife who was supporting people who were abusing that friendship. Now finally maybe we can see her succeed in the game.

And succeed she did. She rebounded and made an inroads into the Carter/Cochran/Debb/Vytas/Ralph alliance by teaming up with Carter and Debb and pulling off a successful blindside of Vitinho.

THus falls an epic hero this season, Vytas... gone too soon :'( Loved watching him survive council after council against enormous odds and being a complete badass in the process. He will be sorely missed this season. I did like watching Lisa escape yet another vote, a precursor of what's to come. On Refuge, all hell broke loose when Kristina ended up being blindsided by Sarah/Jane and company. So epic to see. Just when everyone thought the game was all under wraps, boom, blindside. Of course, I'm devastated that it was Kristina because she had such a good shot to go far and a great storyline, but... what a great way to go out! Then Jane ends up leaving, who I also was really looking forward to seeing do well here, but on the other hand, maybe it was best she left because she was going along with the ride and unfortunately for Jane, in All-stars... that just doesn't cut the mustard. So we end up losing a lot of epic players in this stage of the game, but... with so few players in teh game we are bound to lose some all-stars, hell every vote off has been an all-star, this is a fantastic cast!!! I forgot to mention how Katie played an idol and pissed everyone off multiple times by spewing all her shit and double crossing her alliances. So great.

[Jeff Probst]

Tahuata - Episode 12 rundown of the Merger

Ashley - Ashley's game thus far can be described as a lot of things: Battered wife, gloomy, underdog. However, I see it as so much more than that. She came into the game as apart of one of the biggest storylines this season: Mia vs. Ashley. She didn't really enter into that war though. She quickly mended fences, or so she though, with Mia, Katie, Chad and others. She then put her faith and trust into these people that had said that they were friends with her and all was forgiven. This would turn into a life lesson for Ashley. Every chance they had to disappoint her they took it and slowly and surely she was finding herself out of allies. Luckily though she found that her IRL friends, Ted and Lisa would soon meet up with her and hse would then go about protecting them despite their loyalty to Mia/Jolanda. This is the really messed up part. These two that Ashley put her complete faith and trust in really were somewhat indifferent to her. In confessionals it was kind of "yea ashley's loyal to me, but in the end I'm really only loyal to Ken and Mia." "I don't see myself going to the end with Ashley, but she's good for now." Which was beyond fucked up because she was handing them idols, putting her neck on the line for them and everything. Then something glorious happened. People began to like Ashley because she was genuine. She was just a sweet person and nice to be around and they really started to hate her allies who never spoke to them and were generally fake. So one by one her allies began to be blindsided and Ashley was left without anyone to protect. This was my favorite version of Ashley. When the peopel she was playing FOR left the game, she finally began playing for herself and it was amazing to see. I've loved seeing her gain some confidence and realize that hey, peopel do really like her and maybe it's not the people she thought it was. She needs to stop putting stock into these people that are fairweather friends and start realizing that therea re people who genuinely like her for her and she doesn't need to apologize or bend who she is to fit into what other people want from her. I look forward to seeing how she closes out her storyline. As of the merge she only had Lisa left, but now we find her without her #1 ally and hse had a hand in sending her home. Now she's left with just Ashley and in some regards, that's my favorite version of her.

Carter - Carter entered the game as someone who was earning his stripes. A LOT of people felt like he was boring and maybe didn't deserve a spot in all-stars. I think thus far Carter has completely earned his stripes. Teaming up closely with someone who he was against in his season, Debb and Cochran have made quite the pair. Carter truly earned his all-stars stripes when he not only teamed up with Ralph/Cochran but then betrayed them to get out Vytas. This was a big move because it allowed for Carter to have complete control over Cochran/Ralph and not simply go along for the ride that a Vytas/Cochran/Ralph trio would surely bring. I'm very impressed by how he's done but it's not over for Carter. Now he gets to experience the fun of a Stranded All-stars Merger. They are crazy, you cannot trust anyone, and he will have to adapt quickly to this fast pace and high-guts high-glory scenario if he stands any chance of winning. The good news is that he's not firmly in any camp. I think he stands a good shot of making it deep and if he can keep his head about him, winning the whole game. Because he's brand new to the game, though, that's going to require at least one big move in the merge in order for him to be seen worthy of the win. For some players like Mia, Ashley, or Jolanda it may be enough to just MAKE the final 3 because that in itself will be a miracle for some of these players, but for Carter he doesn't have that target and he doesn't have that reputation. So he's going to have to really earn the win if he hopes to get it over some of these huge caliber players.

Chad - Chad is someone who is quickly becoming the favorite to win in the hosts eyes. He has definitely played a hard game, but also an honorable and shifty game. He hasn't relied on outside-of-game friendships with Mia or anyone else, he's had some friendships with players like Cochran and Ralph from outside games, but those quickly went away when he was blindsided pre-merge when they decided to go with Debb and Carter over him. He's had to assimilate to Refuge and has had a really rough go of it. Fortunately he's been great at seeing gaps and taking advantage of those. He took advantage of the lifeline that Sarah and Jane threw him the first round of Refuge when they booted Kristina. He seems to be completely in the middle of all the alliances. He has very close ties with Nuku Hiva and also with oldschool players like Mia and Jolanda from Costa Rica. He's been in the mix with every major shift in teh game and has held the cards close to chest showing whoever he decides whatever he decides. That's been working very well for Chad. He hasn't even been a suspect up until this very last council where Lisa went home after a tie breaker. Mia and Jolanda had no idea he was working with, much less voting with, Cochran's gang. Even still though, while his cards are kind of on the table now, he still might have a shot of working between both alliances if they still last. I'm not sure how much alliances will stand strong in this season, they seem to be fracturing every round and that might benefit Chad if he has a genuine relationship with everyone. If he can milk those for a majority of the game he should be safe for a while longer and hopefully he can weasel his way to the end game without getting caught. He will at some point have to dirty his hands a bit if he hopes to win in the end, but I think that his threat is going to get bigger and bigger from here on out so it might not matter.

Cochran - In a season that started out billed as Mia vs. Ashley it has now fully become Cochran vs. Mia. I think going into this season people had really underestimated Cochran, which is crazy considering how universally hated he was at Portugal's TC for having played everyone (including his buddy Vytas). Never the less he was able to pick and choose his allies on Nuku Hiva and truly called the shots for the first half of this game. The very first time Cochran was blindsided was around the 11th Council when Vytas left. That's insane to think about. He had been calling the shots for 10 councils. Hell in a normal season that would lead him up to the finals. This season though that was only the midway point. Going into the merge, Cochran had a fractured alliance but was able to cobble together some votes to successfully form a solid group. He picked up Carter and Debb yet again and he's really been playing a strong game. I'm not sure how long it can last with him at the forefront but solid nonetheless. The first council of the merge almost saw him get his walking papers for being so in-the-spotlight when Ashley tried to orchestrate his ouster by giving her idol to her friend Lisa. It backfired when Sarah's spidey sense was tingling and she decided to save ole-cochy and threw a vote Katie's way, who ultimately ended up going home. Then something amazing happened. Lisa was set to go home until Cochran decided to sit out of the challenge in return for an idol clue which Ken and Lisa also took. In the difference of less than a minute, Cochran and Ken both found the idol. Ken beat out Cochran and thus Cochran knew that someone had found the idol JUST before he did. He wrongly assumed it was Lisa which sent him into panic mode. Cochran knew that if Lisa played an idol, he was going home. So he herded his alliances together and got the votes to counter a potential idol blindside and vote for Mia. This epic vote ended up in a 5-5-1 tie vote. On the revote his alliance-member Debb switched and voted out Lisa. This left Cochran's alliance exposed and the person he was going after, Mia, still in the game and completely aware of her target. This set off a chain reaction that is beyond epic. Two Stranded Legends now going head to head. Cochran vs. Mia... you can see me creaming, can't you? It's so amazing, these two are literally fighting like bitches in PMs... when people fight in PMs you know that shit is legit and not just for show. I fucking love it. These two powerhouses, leaders of huge alliances, are going head to head. Heading into the final 10 it's 5 v 5, Mia vs. Cochran. Congratulations, Cochran, you've become the focal point of the season yet again. The problem this season is that he has to share it...

Debb - Debb's frustrating because like, she's involved with everything, but she couldn't matter less. Like, I don't find her poetry that hilarious or anything because it's been done a lot before. I think actually Jane out-grossed her in public and was actually funny. Jane was also really likable and fun to watch. Debb's kind of predictable and a solid vote for Carter to do what he pleases with. I'm sure she's actually a participating partner in her alliance but she's certainly not at the forefront of it and no one is ever going to come after her as a threat since she isn't one so i dont know... I'm super "meh" about her. I really wish she would actually start making moves and getting her hands dirty a bit instead of just pushing for moves to happen? Like how long are you going to hid behind someone else girl, you did it all last season and this was your chance to step out on your own and you did it with... carter?! The fuck? Not much else to say here really. Not like I'm pissed at her as a character, but she's just not remarkable. Thus far she has not proven me wrong for not putting her in the initial line-up :(

Jolanda - Jolanda is someone who is epic for just being who she is. She's tight into the Mia clique, but she's also a big threat, a former fan favorite and a huge character in her own right. That has to count for something even if hse isn't at the forefront of the alliance riding the white horse in the front of the troops. It also means she wont be shot at first. Jolanda has potential to really do well here if she can start making her moves NOW. If she waits too late then the game will happen to her. So far she's been really great at finding out what is going on and either prohibiting it or causing it. She's been on the losing side of votes despite being in the perceived "majority" for most of the game. She really is great at sussing out what is going on though and knowing that something is afoot when it's time to play. It's early merge and she hasn't had her moment yet. In Patagonia she had her immunity runs, in Costa Rica she had her alliances, she doesn't have that game-defining moment yet and i feel like it's going to happen soon, i just don't know what it will be. Regardless, Jolanda is a legend in Stranded, a fan favorite and someone who I was REALLY looking forward to see play again and so far she hasn't disappointed. She's not what I would call the fan favorite of this season, she's certainly a major player who is in the mix, but she's not THE major player, not yet anyway so there's not a lot to write about her just yet. To be continued...

Katie - Shady Lady Katie 2.0 (see: Legend Katie from India)... Wow, I knew that the first time she played this she came across as a scumbag and then when she cheated she furthered her bad rep, but... this season she has firmly cemented herself in the Stranded Villain Hall of Fame™. It all started when she was picked for Refuge and immediately began playing both sides of the fence. She seemed to be in a great position, friends with Mia and company, but also with the newer players from Nuku Hiva. Then, when Sarah and Jane made the play to oust Kristina, she was solidly on board with that. Infact she played a fairly large roll in making sure it all went down. Then, the panic happened. When the votes didn't go the alliance's way, Katie began telling everyone on the other side of the alliance that Chad and Sarah started everything and she just went along with it. That's when the shit REALLY hit the fan because immediately Jolanda goddess went into cop mode and checked the story. Only... no one corroborated it. Chad, her previous closest ally, was LIVID that she woudl sell him down the river like that and Sarah, her other closest ally, who went to bad for her twice was even more LIVID. They booted Jane, but Sarah never forgot what Katie did to her. Katie ended up playing an idol unnecessarily further putting salt int he wounds and letting everyone know she wasn't to be trusted. In the merge, this would come to bite her when the votes were dog piled onto Lisa and Lisa played the idol. Shouldve been a slam dunk 11-1 vote, but Sarah seized this opportunity to repay Katie for fucking her over in the past. She finally got her comeuppance. The epic conclusion to an epic storyline of betrayal, chaos and well... everything that pretty much sums up Katie as an epic trainwreck <3 When it came to the tie breaker between Cochran and Katie, well... she didn't stand a shot, everyone had enough of her shady ass.

Ken - Well, Ken's just having found the idol and playing it bumps him up a few notches in visibility but other than that we haven't seen much from him. In Patagonia he was the Russell Hantz of that season, the Boston Rob... he had an alliance with everyone, a finger on the pulse of everyone and would pick and choose which ally he was going to backstab next. He orchestrated that entire season only to lose in the end to a jury full of people he pissed off... This is like... invisiKen™. I'm just hoping he's laying dormant waiting for his chance to strike, but so far it's been just a loyal ally to Mia/Jolanda and nothing else... really boring and that's not the Ken we all know and that's not hte All-star we saw in Patagonia. I'm hoping that this outing of his alliance, this idol play, everything being out in the open will force Ken to become the old devious self we all loved. Otherwise... he's going to be a footnote on a fantastic cast/season.

Lisa - I really didn't expect Lisa's all-star return to go like this. Last season she came out swinging and immediately built alliances and counter alliances and bulldozed her way through the first few councils until her inevitable pre-merge boot. This season, she came in with a lot of friends and kind of... rested on that? Early on she got folded into an early alliance and when half of that alliance abandoned her on Hiva Oa, she became tighter with Ashley and Ted. But really, she was kind of just a curmudgeonly bitch throughout most of the game? Like she didn't really reach out to a lot of people, she didn't play that hard to save herself. Luckily, Ashley was fighting for the both of them and managed to help her get a LOT further than she would have otherwise. Still, she was almost like dead weight that Ashley lugged around. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Lisa and in the right environment she can be a huge epic cunt, but here she was more like... a bitter old INV hag? It wasn't until she was able to convince Carter and Debb to go with Ashley and her (and I'm not entirely sure how much of this was Lisa so much as it was Ashley's social skills) and blindside Vytas. Still, after having escaped that vote via blindside, most people were on the warpath to get Lisa out. So much so that she quickly became the obvious merge-boot and would face certain elimination until... wait for it... Ashley saved her again! She gave her her HII and Lisa played it on herself only to send Katie packing. It wasn't untli last night when it was almost certain AGAIN that she would go home that a miracle almost happened. The vote freaking TIED. Cochran panicked and assumed Lisa had found the idol again (or so he thought) so he quickly arranged a counter vote for Mia. After a 5-5 tie Debb switched the vote to Lisa instead of Mia and heart-wrenchingly for Ashley I'm sure, she stuck to her Lisa vote thus sending Lisa home. The thing is, this is finally some dead weight that Ashley doesn't have to work hard to save. I'm hoping she can find a way to successfully play for herself and not have to worry about other people for once. Thus ends the epic storyline of the cockroach of Stranded in the Marquesas... but there's still plenty of game left to be played, I won't ™ it just yet.

Mia - A lot of the premerge revolved around Mia. Saying that is an understatement. Going INTO the season the talk was about Ashley vs. Mia and recently it has become Cochran vs. Mia as I have mentioned earlier. But the fact that it's always SOMEONE vs. MIA is saying a lot. She is the centerpoint of this season, there's no denying that. Whether it's from the amount of friends she had coming into it or her own skills in the game is irrelevent. All eyes are on Mia. She has played the game masterfully thus far, I have to say. Remaining completely in control while still being the frontrunner. That's not an easy task. She's come a long way from Costa Rica and Legends. This is a much much more controlled Mia. She knows she's owning this shit and she's letting everyone else do her bidding and taking all the credit for it. All without breaking a sweat and without letting her enemies see her sweat. She's had plenty of shots fired her way but ultimately I think people are just afraid of the ramifications for coming after her. I think she's headed towards her boot because no one, not even Teresagoddess, can evade a huge target like that forever. For all the shit I've given Mia, i really hope she wins because it would be an epic win. She's played really hard and really well and it's showed. She's entering into the most exciting chapter of her storyline here though. Will she end up winning or will the darkness finally engulf her? That's the question isn't it? I think she will end up losing some friends in the end, and probably already has as a result of this, but other than that she has been masterful. I really have been rooting against her most of the season but now that she's so obviously a target and has made the merge, I'm starting to root for her because she is such a huge threat and is such a huge target. She is quickly becoming an underdog for being such an overdog??? I can't wait to see how this all plays out but her and Cochran goign toe to toe is giving me life because ironically Cochran reminds me a LOT of Mia in Costa Rica and Legends. Kind of a loose cannon and a bit all over the place but still a power player. This is giving me shades of Frank vs. Teresa where you see a player who is a lot like the new version of the older player and they both go toe to toe. I can't wait to see how that shakes out but it's giving me the biggest Stranded boner thus far.

Ralph - Ralph is the same old goofy lovable mother fucker as he's always been. I want to see his epic round of making a big alliance and a huge power move only to go home immediately afterwards if not the same TC. That seems to be a trend of his. Thus far his storyline has been almost exclusively tied to Cochran's but he does have some really sweet moments with Ashley. Basically Ralph is just amazing to watch, he's already a Legend so just watching him interact with everyone is aces. I don't have a whole lot to say here, what you see is what you get with Ralph, just a lot of fun and adorable hilarity. I can't wait to see his big epic move taht he goes out in flames with.

Sarah - Last but not least is Sarahgoddess. She started the game quietly but then immediately got picked to go to Refuge by Mia in a shock move. She was kind of everywhere in Nuku Hiva and playing REALLY well. Then when she went into Refuge she really laid dormant for quite some time. Then, we saw a new Sarah awaken from her slumber. One that we had never seen before. This Sarah had learned from her previous two seasons. I've always said that Sarah most closely resembled the game that Teresa played in Mongolia for me. It was almost a mirror image of her reign of Terrible Teresa to the swimming goddess. I know I compare Frank to Teresa, but that's mostly just their impact and polarizing characters. Sarah's different though. Sarah really reminds me of Teresa in her personality and gameplay. Frank was more of just a blowhard who bulldozed through the season. Sarah's first game was identical to Teresa's. Not many people remember this but Teresa came back for All-stars 2 and went home mid-season in a wimper. Sarah was kind of the same way although her feud and epic TC fallout with Brenda was the stuff of well... Legends. Still she wasn't being taken seriously as a threat only really a semi crazy person who was just floating along in the game. Then this season is really like Teresa's game in Rivals almost. I could totally see Sarah running away with this thing. She came out in a big way when she saw the writing on the wall in Refuge and finally decided to go with her gut and act on her impulses and change the fucking game. She wrangled in Jane and her buddy Katie and picked up the newest refuge, Chad to blindside Kristina (and mia/ken/jolanda in the process). Every since she's STILL being underestimated as "one of mia's numbers" or "a floater". Well, she put another big fat X on that label when she saw the writing on the wall again and just like last time she fucking acted on it and CHANGED THE MUTHER FUCKING GAME <3333. She decided to stop the blindside of cochran in what she thought was really obvious and get rid of her thorn, Katie. Then this round, she knew something was going on when she wasnt included on the plan to blindside Mia. This girl is fucking smart and she is constantly being underestimated. I picked her as a winner going into this season mainly because i just loved the girl. Include me in the group of people who thought she was not a serious threat to win, but by damned she has learned a lot since hosting/playing a few times. She has evolved into the next form of Teresa, the strategic beast. That may be a bit premature, but it's shaping up that way. A lot of people were SHOCKED when she mid-council sussed out that idol play and countered it. Ashley even said she stole her blindside thunder and basically took credit for it by virtue of stealing her move. This girl is a serious threat to win and the best part is that I'm not sure many people even take her that seriously. Sarah is the dark horse here amongst the Mias/Cochrans/Katies... she's a serious threat and I cannot wait to see just how far she can make it and I'm hoping she can pull out a victory because she would have fucking earned it.