RHAP Cast Wishlist for Survivor 50: Edge of Extinction, Island of the Idols, Winners at War, 41, 42
Summary: Welcome back. We've finally reached the penultimate recap for the wishlist project. Today, Mike and Co make their way into the New Era of Survivor, but first, they also discuss a couple of the more controversial seasons at the tail end of 30's before also enjoying a fun recap of the winners in Winners at War. As always, Mike reiterates that if someone doesn't make it on the ballot initially, it's not an indictment against them, and if there is fan support for them, they could be added back on a wildcard round to happen before the final vote, so if there is someone you want, please let them know! Also, if I don't cover a specific contestant in these summaries, it doesn't necessarily mean they weren't discussed; I'm trying to avoid just transcribing all of the discussions so folks still have something to listen to for Mike's series.
Borneo, The Australian Outback, Africa
The Amazon, Pearl Island, All-Stars, Vanuatu and Palau
Guatemala, Panama, Cook Islands, Fiji
China, Micronesia, Gabon, Tocantins, Samoa
Heroes vs. Villians, Nicaragua, Redemption Island
South Pacific, One World, Philippines, Caramoan, Blood vs. Water
Cagayan, San Juan del Sur, Worlds Apart, Cambodia, Kaôh Rōng
Episode 38: Survivor: Edge of Extinction
Summary: An oddball of the season, the twist for this one was the eponymous Edge of Extinction, a quasi-redemption island for the boots that would go live on to try and win a spot back in the game, those who didn't but still endured could still remain as a juror if they stayed ot the end. The winner of the season, Chriss Underwood was somewhat controversial as he spent much of his time in the game on the Edge, winning his way back into the game at the 11th hour and taking it all home.
Gavin Whitson: The YMCA youth director, Gavin, was someone some fans considered robbed compared to Chris. He made it to the end of the game without having to come back in from the Edge. Mike and Matt both pointed out that he was part of many of the significant moves of the season and was part of a strong core final four that was dismantled due to the return from the edge mechanics. He might have shined through more in a regular season, with more normal editing.
Rick Devens: Arguably the most prominent character from the season, Rick was a little quiet in the early game before being sent ot the Edge, where he won his way back into the game where he proceeded to go on a tear. Between winning idols, finding advantages, and scrapping his way towards the end, he seemed poised ot potentially be the winner until Chris Underwood returned and took him out at final four fire making. Mike and Matt noted that Rick not only has a lot of folks who are fans of his, but Production also seems to like him a lot, given that he cohosted the first season of the On Fire podcast with Jeff Probst.
Victoria Baamonde: As a newer player, she showed a considerable amount of social and strategic depth in the game, with Matt pointing out that for a season with some returnees, Victoria did an excellent job of clocking those returnees and working to eliminate them, in particular with her playing an understated game in the first few episodes before organizing a blindside on Aubry. Like Rick and Gavin, she also is someone who could be seen as being screwed over by the Edge of Extinction twist. Chris returned to the game with an idol advantage and a secret alliance with Rick.
David Wright & Kelley Wentworth: David and Kelley were punted here from their respective season's wishlist episodes, and both were added here. Matt and Mike noted that both didn't go as deep here compared to their other seasons but still had the entertainment factor and good gameplay factor that made them fun to watch on their seasons, and they would be happy to see them play again.
Reem Daly: The first boot of the season, Reem falls into a very unique category for first boots in that while she was eliminated in the first tribal council due to the twist of Edge of Extinction, she remained in the game for the entirety of the season, living out 32 days on the eponymous Edge. After being voted out, Mike and Matt noted that Reem was a breakout character of the season due to her personality and confessionals. Mike, in particular, said that Reem is what made tuning into the Edge more tolerable due to her fun personality, noting that otherwise, it was a bummer version of Alone.
Considered but not selected:
Chris Underwood: The winner of the season, Chris's win is somewhat controversial given that he stayed on the Edge for most of the game, came back in basically at the last minute, and proceeded to steamroll out several other players who were poised to potentially go all the way. Mike and Mike noted that his appearance on the Challenge showed a more fun and messy personality.
Julie Rosenberg: Matt considered her a strong, scrappy underdog for the season with her gameplay moves, mainly when she worked to jump ship on her alliance in the big live tribal council of the season. The two noted that her personality shone through in the post-merge and would be fun to see again. There were others they were slightly more interested in seeing.
Ron Clark: The founder of the Ron Clark Academy, Ron was a player that both Matt and Mike really liked. They noted that if season 40 had been a non-winners returnee season, he probably would have been cast for that season. They said he had a positive presence in the game and was voted out mainly due to his likability being seen as a threat by other players.
Episode 39: Survivor: Island of the Idols
Summary: THAT season. Island of the Idols has been maligned by many in the community since its premiere, the main reason obviously being the sexual harassment incident that occurred in this season, which cast a lousy pall over the entire thing. Additionally, absent that incident, the season was awash with idols and advantages throughout the season, which affected the gameplay as well, and the conceit of having Boston Rob and Sandra being Survivor coaches to the players while handing out advantages was also somewhat mixed in its reception. Mike and Beth noted that while the controversy of the season does cast a cloud over the season, in a vacuum, it did feature several interesting characters and people who they do agree would be interesting to see return and hope that just because this season justifiably is not a top favorite of many, it does not preclude others from returning.
Lauren Beck: Taken out at final four fire making, Lauren was a strategic player, often coordinating with Tommy with plans she helped to concoct. Beth noted that in her time taking a more prominent role in the fan community, she has a fairly journalistic quality in her interactions, being able to bring up topics to discuss ideas while not necessarily having those opinions be attributable to her, something which could provide invaluable in a return season. Mike also noted that Lauren is heavily involved in the fan community, often hosting or appearing at events on the West Coast.
Janet Carbin: A lifeguard and the oldest woman on the cast, Janet managed to make a deep run in the game, scrapping by with strategy and an idol play after she turned on Dan when some of the women expressed concern about him and his actions.
Elaine Stott: One of the bigger personalities of the season, Beth noted that Elaine is somewhat of a unifying force from this tumultuous season, noting that folks who might not have liked her strategy or gameplay still liked her a lot as a person. Mike said that Elaine was in an odd headspace during the season as she had just lost her mother and was still processing the grief while competing, so a second round of competition from her, with a clearer head, could yield a potentially exciting return.
Karishma Sandesara: A record holder for most votes cast against an individual person in a season, Karishma had an unfortunately rough time on the island, often not getting the time of day from the other contestants, and before Q, was a player frequently used as a decoy vote. Karishma played in the Survivor sequester game and actually went pretty deep in that game. Beth thinks that in a different season, folks would underestimate her, and if she could find an alliance partner, she could come back to play a deep strategic game. Additionally, on a return, the elements and other difficulties inherent to playing Survivor might not be as rough for her as she now knows what to expect.
Jamal Shipman: A bright spot from the season, Mike noted that in the early episodes, he initially was a bit cocky, thinking he was calling the shots on the tribe until he was blindsided with the loss of an ally and later forced into a weak position due to the swap. Mike noted that Jamal approached several somewhat sensitive issues this season, from having a frank discussion about race with Jack to later standing up for Kellee and Janet during some of the controversy. Mike noted that Jamal is active in the fan community and a frequent RHAP contributor.
Considered but not selected:
Dean Kowalski: The runner-up for the season, Mike and Beth noted that, unlike Tommy, he was all in on the theme of the season, accumulating several idols and advantages going into the FTC, only to lose out as Tommy's social game and FTC performance undercut him. The two noted that he did make good TV compared to some of the others from the season; they felt others might be more interesting to see. Additionally, Mike pointed out that his archetype is filled by people who've appeared more recently, like Xander from 41, Jonathan from 42, or Charlie from 46.
Noura Salman: A prominent personality from the season, she was apparently an inspiration for Carolyn from 42. Beth noted she is also a bit of a Debbie-like character in terms of her antics and actions. Mike and Beth both agreed that while she would be fun to see in a return, the issue is that for her archetype, there are other more prominent individuals, such as Carolyn, who would probably come back first, and while Noura has a bit more challenge strength. In this season, she was just under the cut with so many other personalities.
Would not return:
Tommy Sheehan: Mike noted that Tommy, for winning a season where idols and advantages were everywhere, never actually played or received any. Tommy never won an individual immunity, advantage, or idol and still managed to pull ahead and win due to his social game. He later appeared on the Challenge, where he suffered a concussion and was pulled from the game. He's since said he's done with reality TV.
Kellee Kim: Kelle's time on the island was sadly fraught, given the incident with Dan and Production not stepping in to help her. Mike noted that while she handled the situation and the post-game incredibly well, his read of her has been that she's since stepped away from the community and would not want to play again.
Missy Byrd & Elizabeth Beisel: Mike noted that the two were closer allies of Dan, and as such, Production probably wouldn't be keen on them returning to avoid dredging that incident back up. Additionally, Missy expressed ambivalence about returning in interviews, and Elizabeth has been busy with Olympic swimming, both in 2020 and in 2024.
Aaron Meredith: Mike noted that, unfortunately, he said several really dumb things this season, both in relation to the sexual harassment controversy and a few other things in the game. He has since apologized for his words, admitting he was not privy to all the information about what was going on during the game and Production giving some contradictory instructions. Both Beth and Mike stressed that Aaron had expressed great remorse regarding his actions during the season and that Production likely would not want him back, more so to avoid putting anyone in who made waves this season. Mike also noted that his archetype of challenge beast guy characters is pretty full up already.
Jack Nichting: Mike and Beth noted that he and Elizabeth aren't in Production's good graces because they skipped the reunion show.
Excomunicado:
Dan Spilo
Episode 40: Survivor: Winners at war
Summary: The returnee season to end all returnee seasons. Winners at War saw 20 winners from Survivor's history duke it out to see who would be crowned the ultimate Survivor. After a harrowing 39 days and an Edge of Exnctinction-sized jury, Tony Vlachos from Cagayan emerged at the top, taking home the victory.
Starting off the discussion, Mike and Rob noted how WaW took place right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the mandatory shutdowns, Production was forced to take a hiatus for a bit before resuming the show. Because of this, certain aspects of the show, such as fire tokens and Rick Devens running a general store for advantages, which were reportedly going to be in 41, were scrapped as Production retooled the show for the New Era.
A legends season was already done here with WaW, which Rob noted was already presented as a last hurrah for many of the players who came onto the season. Mike said from previous Wishlist episode discussions, several winners have also expressed that they really only would ever play in legends or winners-style games as if they played on a more basic season with new players or general returnees, they'd be dead meat as they'd be too tempting of a target for the other players to eliminate.
Jeff had said that an all-winners season would not happen, but then it happened. The fan community was excited during that time. Robb noted that he did get an interest call for the season in 2018 before the season's theme was solidified and that there were whispers that it might initially be a theme of "best ot not have won" or something akin to that. Mike then noted that some discussions and casting calls indicated that the season would be a rival's season before. Finally, Production settled on trying to get the winners to play.
For the casting, Mike and Rob discussed groupings of folks based on their origin seasons, as many played in multiple other seasons.
Pre-All-Stars:
Amber Mariano (nee Brkich), Ethan Zohn, Rob Mariano, Sandra Diaz-Twine
Mike noted that Ethan being cast for the season was a welcome surprise, noting that he was still one of the most well-regarded Survivor players (and was Rob's winner pick), and folks were excited to see him play. Amber was also a surprise, with Mike saying that the perception was that Amber had stepped aside from reality TV. Both are not on the current Wishlist ballot, as Ethan has more or less said he would not play again, especially with how much the Edge of Extinction took out of him. Amber is not really being much of a reality TV contestant, ceding that to her husband. When asked if Boston Rob or Sandra would return to Survivor, Rob C said he wouldn't bet against it. He noted that the pair have since gone on to play on other reality TV shows with great success, and given how important Survivor has been to them, one or both will likely return. Mike noted that Boston Rob has been more vocal about returning only if a specific theme spoke to him, while Sandra still might have unfinished business with the game.
Post-All-Stars, Pre-Heros vs. Villains:
Danni Boatwright, Yul Kwon, Parvati Shallow, Tyson Apostol
Danni was a reasonably surprising pick, as Guatemala was a season that only got a little representation, apart from Stephanie LeGrossa, and because Danni didn't play ball with Production during her season. Yul was also someone Mike noted folks were happy to see, as many thought he wouldn't come back given that he was busy doing some other things outside of the show, including working in the White House for a bit of time. During his time this season, Yul was working to spread awareness for ALS. Rob noted that he's reasonably sure Yul is done playing Survivor and that while he's said he would play for a charity season, Mike indicated that he's said in interviews that since folks know he'd be playing for charity, he wouldn't make it far in the game if he ever did. Danni and Yul are both off the ballot, with Mike noting that the current meta of the game probably isn't up Stephanie's wheelhouse and Yul stating that he doesn't want to play outside a particular circumstance.
When discussing Parvati, Mike noted that she's gone through several life changes relatively recently compared to where she was during her time in the game. Rob countered, asking if life changes necessarily translate to a difference in playstyle for folks, especially since Parvati had said she probably wouldn't play again, given the target she'd have on her back. Mike noted that in her appearance on the Traitor's, she approached it as more of a fan vs. favorite game style. Rob, admitting he does have some bias, thinks that Tyson is someone who could come back on Survivor multiple times and still bring it, noting that in his different seasons of both Survivor and The Challenge, he did an excellent job of assessing the season he was on and figuring out strategy to work within it, his adaptability also makes him entertaining TV per Mike.
The 20's
Sophie Clarke, Kim Spradlin-Wolfe, Denise Stapley, Tony Vlachos, Sarah Lacina, Natalie Anderson, Jeremy Collins.
Mike and Rob started discussing Sophie, noting how the discourse around her win in South Pacific had been somewhat negative among the fanbase, only for her performance in Winners at War to show that she possessed a good deal of gameplay chops. The two noted how, in WaW, she played a lot more openly and even fought fiercely in challenges. Both agreed she was a rare player in WaW that they would be interested in seeing play again for a third time, mainly because of how much her gameplay evolved between seasons. Kim was someone the two were happy to see play again, given how dominant she was in her season, but she is also confirmed to be retired from Survivor. Denise also played a great game and was also good.
Talking about Tony, Rob, and Mike, both expressed how much his flameout in Game Changers really colored their perception of him going into the season; Tony apparently was at the bottom of the RHAP season draft for winners, and most of the RHAP community/contributors thought he couldn't go far. Rob noted that Tony played into his earlier loss, acting far more subdued during the season until it was his time to strike. Likewise, Mike thought Sarah wouldn't go far since Game Changers was still reasonably fresh in the community's mind, and the other players would zero in on her game. Rob noted that WaW showcased Sarash's social game better and how she earned people's trust compared to Game Changers. Mike said that Tony is on the ballot as he expressed interest in being in season 50, and given his legend status, it was something they had to consider.
The two then spoke about Natalie and Jeremy, noting that they formed a close friendship in San Juan del Sur, which persisted after the show ended. Mike thinks that starting them on the same tribe for WaW did them a disservice as it invited a target on their backs early in the game since they were close, much like how Amber and Boston Rob got targeted. Mike noted that Natalie wants to play Survivor again, and Rob agreed she would be fun to see, but they'd prefer to see her in other shows. Jeremy has expressed that he doesn't want to play Survivor again, and considering he's appearing on more reality TV shows that don't take him away from his family, he might be soft-retired. Rob thinks that Jeremy is well-liked by a current player cast of Survivor, and coming back for a New Era style might incline him to play, especially after he plays in the upcoming season of The Traitors.
The 30's
Michele Fitzgerald, Adam Kline, Ben Driebergen, Wendell Holland, Nick Wilson
Mike noted that the 30's cast as a whole wasn't too much of a surprise. Starting their discussion with Michelle, they said how, like several other players, Michelle came out to WaW to prove her game and show that her winning wasn't just a fluke. Rob especially noted that she played a strong game, considering she came in third and had a good mix of social depth, strategic depth, and physicality to win challenges, but not so much as to appear like a challenge beast.
Mike was surprised to see Adam and Nick cast in the same season, as they both filled in for the young superfan archetype. Rob had some pushback for Mike's prediction that Adam wouldn't be invited back due to the casting assistance business he's been running. Rob felt that if there was a theme that Production had in mind and Adam fit in for it, they'd invite him back, considering his issues with them are minor compared to other past players. Rob's more significant point was that he felt that Adam's story is Survivor has been told and that there really ins't much more.
When discussing Ben, Mike noted that since he was a more recent winner, especially with his unique story, it made sense to bring him back on for WaW, even with his controversial win. Rob noted that Production and Jeff Probst really liked Ben, and that the perception from the outside lookin in during HHH was that it seemed like they thought they had a winning story with Ben. As Rob pointed out, during the HHH reunion, they brought out a number of Marines and Ben's friends, and Mark Burnett was also present. Mike noted that considering how advantage-heavy WaW was, it also made sense to bring Ben in since he was someone who showed he was winning and able to pay with and try to find as many advantages as he could. Mike also pointed out that Ben's primary goal in WaW was to make friends and not have to be alone when he played, exemplified by his asking to be eliminated at the final five rather than being dragged out of the end as a goat. Rob and Mike both think Ben is done with reality TV. Rob noted that Ben is a fun, gregarious guy to be around based on his interviews with him.
Wendell had a rough season for WaW, both in terms of his gameplay and edit, and Mike admitted that he was surprised that he said he'd play again on Survivor. Rob pointed out that the editing team and Survivor's style have changed over time and that his networking with New Era players might set him up nicely if he ever plays again. Talking to players who didn't get the call or were cast, Mike noted that Chris Daugherty and Tom Westman were not considered and that Earl Cole was initially slated to go, but due to the premature birth of his child. Mike and Rob hypothesized that Adam or Nick was an alternate for the season who got on since both also filled the archetype Cochran would have filled if not for him bowing out of Survivor. Chris Underwood reportedly bowed out of WaW after getting the interest call during his honeymoon.
Looking forward to Survivor 41, Rob said he'd be interested in seeing Shan, Danny, Ricard, Evie, and Xander play again. Mike pointed out that since this was the first season of the New Era, and if the past casting is anything to go by, then 41 might be one of those season where there might not be as much returnee season, and that looking into the meta of the New Era might shed light on some more casting processes.
Summary: The dawn of the New Era, and coincidentally, the season I first started watching (on a binge-watch on a plane ride home). As Mike and Maggie noted, Production returned with a vengeance after the year's hiatus to try a bunch of new ideas for the show in terms of advantages, gameplay mechanics, and the structure as a whole. Maggie pointed out that this season was the first to have the diversity initiative in place and was strongly reflected in the cast, of whom both Mike and Maggie agreed was very strong. Conversely, in many ways, she felt that Production dropped the ball from both the editing and how the season's narrative played out for the winner.
Mike once again wanted to stress that when it comes to evaluating folks for this wishlist, especially for this era of Survivor, it becomes more of a question of who will return versus who should return, and depending on what the theme for season 50 is, there is going to be a very limited pool. As such, they have to look into more meta things, such as archetypes that folks might fill. Maggie noted that she does think there is a chance that some of the 41 cast gets looked over, as the legacy of the season was not well served by Production and, because of the minimal edit for Erika's win, makes the season less noteworthy compared to something like 43 and Gabler's more shocking win.
Mike said that, with only a couple of exceptions, it will be hard for pre-merge contestants to get cast for the New Era. He noted that all the New Era seasons have had strong characters going into the merge with huge dynamic personalities, making it harder for the premerger.
Xander Hastings: The zero-vote finalist for the season, Xander was a bit of a nonentity in the pre-merge due to being on the outside of the Yase alliance and also losing his vote to a beware advantage, but he did come alive for the second half, allying with several strategic players. Mike noted that from an editing perspective, Xander looked like the winner but also pointed out that he was more regarded as a goat when listening to exit interviews with players. Maggie also noted that the other strategic players never tried to get him out all season. Both agreed that his archetype of the young athletic guy might be filled by others in later seasons, but since he was pretty memorable from this season, he stands a good shot of coming back.
Ricard Foyé: One of two strategic partners from the Ua tribe, Ricard cut a deep swath in the game, partnering with Shan and others to strategically dominate the pre-merge until he turned on Shan at an opportune moment. Maggie wondered how much Ricard's betrayal played into the mindset of later New Era players who've been willing to cut out their number ones. He had the physicality to win the most immunity challenges for the season and had a deep strategic mind for the game. Maggie said that from his social media feeds, he was recently diagnosed with Bell's Palsy.
Shan Smith: The pastor with a big personality and a strategic mind for the season. Despite her tribe being decimated in the pre-merge, Sham, and Ricard emerged as two strategic powerhouses of the post-merge, with Shan building a sizable alliance while maintaining her relationship with her tribe partner. Taken out halfway due to a misplay on her part, Mike and Maggie agree that she would be a fun personality to see come back in light of what she is capable of in the game. Mike did note that Shan was diagnosed with MS, so that might preclude her from coming out, either if medical decideds its not a good idea or she might have to bow out due to the physicality of the game.
Evvie Jagoda: One of the more prominent strategic thinkers of the season, they settled at the center of the Yase and survived several fraught tribal councils due to coordination with other Yase members. Mike noted that in the space between the filming of 41 and its premier, Evvie came out as nonbinary, so like some of the other LGBTQ+ players in other seasons who have since come out, being able to return while being able to fully express themselves might put them in a space to fully capitalize on their strategic mindset with a true sense of self. Evvie is also a frequent RHAP contributor who has been big in networking with other Survivor alums.
Naseer Muttalif: Mike said that Naseer reminded him of Mike from season 42 in that when you look at him from the surface, you expect him to play a more fatherly role on his tribe, but he ended up being a wildcard in some of his gameplay. He also had an infectious, joyous personality, which endeared him to many people.
Considered but not selected:
Deshawn Radden: The runner-up of the season, Deshawn had a messy game in the post-merge, moving between potential alliances but having moments of triumph, such as during final-four firemaking. Unfortunately, due to potentially alleviating some jurors, he fell short at FTC. Mike and Maggie noted that Deshawn is someone who they would also be interested to see him play again, both from the gameplay side of being able to learn from his mistakes and from the personal side where, like Erika, he recently came out as queer. Unfortunately, it might be hard for him to find a slot due to some of the more prominent personalities from more recent seasons who also had messy games.
Tiffany Seely: Tiffany was an alternate for the season who was thrown into the deep end of the game and had a sizable personality in the premerge before being voted out as the first jury member. Both Mike and Maggie agree that she'd be a blast to see, but her archetype might be filled by others like Carolyn, and if it came down to being a choice between them, Carolyn would win. Maggie noted that she had some strategic plays and wasn't just a personality.
Would not return:
Erika Casupanan: The winner of the season, Erika's poor editing sadly contributed to her game being understated in 41's run, despite, as Mike pointed out, the fact that she did mastermind a few big plays in the season, such as Shan's boot. Both Mike and Maggie think Erika would be a strong player to come back if she ever did so, but Erika did say in multiple interviews that she would only return for an all-winner season, and both believe that 50 will likely not be that.
Danny McCray: A physical powerhouse of the season, Danny went pretty deep into the game and is well known for speaking out against the hourglass twist that happened in the season. He later played on two seasons of the Challenge. Danny explicitly said he would not want to play Survivor again, as he felt burnt by the hourglass advantage being placed in the game.
Summary: The follow-up to Survivor 41, 42, while also suffering from some of the advantage focus as 41, had an even stronger cast, which made the season a blast to watch. I'm traveling today as well so the write up is a little more sparse.
Maryanne Oketch: The winner of the season, Maryanne was a prominent personality in the pre-merge before coming into her own in the post-merge, with Mike and Scally noting that her move of cutting out her ally Omar and carrying her idol to the FTC being moves that other players in the New Era have referenced as a significant play that influenced them. Her FTC performance is one of the better ones in the show's history, which allowed her to change some minds to give her the win. Post-win, she's been present in the fan community.
Mike Turner: The runner-up of the season, Mike Bloom, noted that he had a more unique arc for Survivor. He talked about how Mike was the oldest guy on the island and wanted to play a more morally upright game, but in the end, he didn't realize or own up to the fact that he did play a cutthroat game. Scally believes that Mike, on a return, would know how he goofed up and would be able to play a better game, with Mike Bloom bringing up that Mike Turner did either participate in or mastermind several big moves in the season, either socially or through the use of idols or advantages.
Jonathan Young: The challenge beast of the season, Jonathan was noted for his uniquely insane physical prowess in the show, at one point, he dragged his team and a ladder through rough sea surf to win a challenge almost singlehandedly. As Mike and Scally noted, he is one of those personalities from the season that folks still talk about and remember, though they did note that his weakness of the season was some of his strategic moves and social moves.
Omar Zaheer: One of the big strategists of the season, Omar acted as a strategic coordinator for the Taku alliance and organized several blindsides and other moves from the season, notably at the merge, where he coordinated a vote on Lydia while not even having a vote. Mike noted that after spending time with Omar in the RHAP community, he's surprisingly chaotic and goofy, which would make a return from him reasonably entertaining.
Tori Meehan: Tori was initially on the outs of her tribe, which resulted in her coming into the merge with few allies and a target on her back. She was saved primarily due to an immunity win streak she was able to go on before ultimately losing out. Mike and Scally discussed how Tori's social game struggled in the edit, but apparently, according to cast interviews, she was more well-liked than maybe the edit indicated.
Natalie Cole: Retroactively added to the David vs. Goliath cast.
Considered but not selected
Romeo Escobar: The zero-vote finalist, Romeo was big in the per-merge, running many things on his tribe, but then was pushed aside and mainly was used as a decoy vote for most of the post-merge. Mike and Scally think that while he did have potential, there are others in his archetype who might have a better shot at making it onto the show.
Lindsay Dolashewich: Mike and Scally noted that she was a very well-rounded contestant for the game. She won several challenges, going neck to neck with Jonathan in a couple more, had some strategic moves, and was well-liked by her cast. Both were surprised she hadn't been back on their reality TV. However, compared to some of the other personalities on the season, she didn't make the cut for the list, but Mike and Co. both agreed that if she ever did come back, they would be happy to see her play again.
Drea Wheeler: Drea accumulated several advantages in the season and was a strong player in her tribe's dynamics in the premerge. However, due to the threat of the various advantages she accumulated, she was voted out almost unanimously halfway through the post-merge. Mike and Scally noted that from 42, initially, Drea was someone they would have considered a lock, considering she also was awarded Sia money for the season, partially from her and Maryanne's discussion about race at Tori's tribal council after Chanelle and Rocksroy were voted out. Mike noted, though, that Drea hasn't been as active in the fan community, and in light of other personalities that pop u in later seasons, she didn't make the cut here.
Hai Giang: Hai was a strong strategic player in the season, negotiating his way to a position of power in his tribe pre-merge when one-third of them lost their ability to vote. Come the merge, he organized several moves before being taken out. Mike and Scally noted that he did very well as a mid-merge threat and was someone they thought was fun to watch with his screen presence, but noted that since some time has passed from 42, he might not be as in consideration for a season 50, though like Lindsey, he's someone who if he does come back, they'd be happy to see.
Jenny Kim: An unfortunate boot from the season, Jenny was well positioned in the pre-merge on her tribe, being in an alliance with Mike and Chanelle, and also performed well in the challenges. Sadly, she was voted out when Mike and Chanelle lost their votes, and Hai threatened to go to a rock draw when Lydia was on the chopping block, resulting in her being eliminated. She is a character many fans have asked for a second chance for, given the unique way she went out, but as Mike and Scally sadly noted, for the five slots on the wishlist for today, others come out ahead.
The link to the spread sheet once again.
See you all next week!
Posted Aug 2, 2024, 12:46 PM UTC