Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

[Bard]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

It wouldn't really surprise me. Mark Burnett has said in interviews that he uses classical game theory to make his shows as interesting as possible, and the people who usually win Survivor are the ones who understand game theory on some level (or get very lucky).

And yeah I agree.. the whitey tribe was probably the most boring.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

I'm not really heavy with laws and stuff, but how is it ok to profit on segregation? Even if there are no laws on it, looks like ethics in TV production has gone out with window.

[nachodaddy]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

Bard hits the nail on the head. The pairing of the tribes in groups of 5 with different ratios is no accident.

Using game theory coupled with past Survivor events, without regard to race, creed, or color, or age the white and african american tribes are at a disadvantage in the physical challenges. That is my hypothesis (or for non technical types call it my "theory"). My statement to prove or disprove.

If that happens, one thing that has played out a lot in the past, MAY happen. Boys versus girls at immunity. Girls win. Boys down by one. That will play out until no more boys are left and the girls will have to cannibalize within themselves. The odd girl out needs to think about not getting to this point and align with a boy at 2-2. Then it is a coinflip. Just switch the boys and girls above for the latino and asian tribes.

One thing that throws a very interesting wrench in the works is the loser at immunity gets to pick a member from another tribe to go to exile island. It would be REALLY interesting to use the pick to disrupt the 3-2 dynamic. For example, last night the chicken stealer from the white tribe got sent to exile island leaving 3-1 girls back at camp. To me that is a push with regard to boys versus girls. It would have been more interesting to send one of the girls leaving 2-2 back at camp.

IMO, race is not going to play out until they merge. Then it is the "old alliances versus new alliance" played over again. Just this time, it has a different name.

These are just opening moves. We have yet to see the mid and end games.

Throw in love triangles, being a lazy @ss, socio-economics ("so and so don't need the money"), and out and out deception and lying and you got a pretty good reason to watch TV on Thursday.

So.............when do you think 4 becomes 2? 15 or 13?

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

I'm watching it because:

I want to the see the white tribe burn a cross.
I want to see the latino tribe get used for cheap labor.
I want to see the african american tribe conduct a drive by.
I want to see the asian tribe back their car into a pole.

C'mon it would not be not be technically correct if none of the above occurs, right??????

For those who cannot recognize bitter sarcasm, please see above.

First of all this is a tightrope that CBS is walking on and I applaud them for giving it a shot. They have already explored segregation by age and by sex and pulled it off. I expect this exercise will open some minds as well as weld some shut. The show has already shown some interesting dynamics that will only get better as the season matures.

LOL---yeah, I appreciate the sarcasm

But somehow, it seems a bit more acceptable to pit "boys against girls" than it does to pit "blacks against whites." The latter is fraught with memories of atrocities that can't be pushed aside with a "hey, we're just having FUN here!"

What will the ratings-grabber be for next season? Shiites vs Sunnis? Lutherans vs Baptists (nah---too boring,,, )? Wooohoooo.

Apparently I'm getting a bit too righteous here. Ah well.

JMHO .

[nachodaddy]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

LOL as well.

How about................

Emergency room nurses vs hit men
Bail bondsman vs trust fund child molestors vs Mexican government vs US reciprocity
Spinach eating vegetarians vs carnivores
Octopus vs Shark

That way, we can start with a preconceived notion of how things will turn out and then be pleasantly surprised when we are wrong.

[Bard]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

That way, we can start with a preconceived notion of how things will turn out and then be pleasantly surprised when we are wrong.

There seems to be some of that in each season I've watched.

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

LOL as well.

How about................

Emergency room nurses vs hit men
Bail bondsman vs trust fund child molestors vs Mexican government vs US reciprocity
Spinach eating vegetarians vs carnivores
Octopus vs Shark

That way, we can start with a preconceived notion of how things will turn out and then be pleasantly surprised when we are wrong.

Preconceived notions are often proven wrong. I don't think many people need a nationally televised competition between the races to jolt them into that realization.

Most of us are well aware that there are white men who CAN jump.

There are no doubt people who will watch the show just for the fun of it and barely notice the racial or ethnic divisions. They may see the groupings as merely amusing...a fun concept. I think many of the folks posting here fall into that category. No harm meant.

There are those, however, that I believe will tune in just to root for their racial or ethnic group and cheer the failures of others, based solely on their prejudices against those other groups. Complete with racial epithets shouted out in their living rooms. Might even be a few of those here, too.

This is where the ugliness lies, IMHO.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

looks like ethics in TV production has gone out with window.

Been in hiding for awhile, Mike?

it's not really "reality TV".

*DING!* We have our winner; there is no "reality" to "reality TV" - what goes out is tightly controlled by the producers.

[lavagal]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

I like the idea of a vegan group pitted against a group of protein-chompin' body builders pitted against a group of cheerleaders pitted against a group of nerds pitted against of uber moms.

We could call it "Years after High School Musical"

[nachodaddy]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

There are no doubt people who will watch the show just for the fun of it and barely notice the racial or ethnic divisions. They may see the groupings as merely amusing...a fun concept. I think many of the folks posting here fall into that category. No harm meant.

There are those, however, that I believe will tune in just to root for their racial or ethnic group and cheer the failures of others, based solely on their prejudices against those other groups. Complete with racial epithets shouted out in their living rooms. Might even be a few of those here, too.

This is where the ugliness lies, IMHO.

Totally agree with you but you posted the negative and the neutral aspects of such an exercise. You forgot the positive. Learning about different people and where they come from. Learning how they interact and communicate with themselves and others. History, ancestry, provenance, terroir, call it what you like, it can't be all ugly. There has got to be some beauty there.

Right?????

[Bard]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

There are those, however, that I believe will tune in just to root for their racial or ethnic group and cheer the failures of others, based solely on their prejudices against those other groups.

Dunno, there's probably been some of that with each season too. They always have the token gay guy(s), a couple of black guys, a couple of "alternative" people (hippies with dreadlocks, whatever), some jocks, some cheerleaders... it's gotten to be kinda hackneyed actually. But they do have those within the ethnic groups too. To me the interesting social commentary is throwing together all those types of people and seeing how they interact. In that regard the "segregated" groups in this season and the last are kinda ehh...

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

Totally agree with you but you posted the negative and the neutral aspects of such an exercise. You forgot the positive. Learning about different people and where they come from. Learning how they interact and communicate with themselves and others. History, ancestry, provenance, terroir, call it what you like, it can't be all ugly. There has got to be some beauty there.

Right?????

I think you might be assigning far too lofty intentions to the project. Collaterally, there may be some positive outcomes. But do you really think that people will learn about interaction, communication, history, ancestry, etc, through a competition pitting racial and ethnic groups against each other? Do you actually believe the corporate execs had this in mind when they came up with the concept?

This is CBS, not PBS.

[nachodaddy]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

I think you might be assigning far too lofty intentions to the project. Collaterally, there may be some positive outcomes. But do you really think that people will learn about interaction, communication, history, ancestry, etc, through a competition pitting racial and ethnic groups against each other? Do you actually believe the corporate execs had this in mind when they came up with the concept?

It sure beats dispelling it as "idiotic" and dwelling on the negativity.

If it swells, ride it.

Plus, I now know of a new way to get rid of a headache .........

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

Dunno, there's probably been some of that with each season too. They always have the token gay guy(s), a couple of black guys, a couple of "alternative" people (hippies with dreadlocks, whatever), some jocks, some cheerleaders... it's gotten to be kinda hackneyed actually. But they do have those within the ethnic groups too. To me the interesting social commentary is throwing together all those types of people and seeing how they interact. In that regard the "segregated" groups in this season and the last are kinda ehh...

Sure, there has always been diversity among the contestants. Wouldn't be much of a show if they were all accountants from Dubuque.

It's simply the segregation along racial and ethnic lines that is disturbing to me. It just seems plain wrong. Really disgracefully wrong.

I find it interesting that the producers, in response to critics who have branded the concept an ill-conceived ratings-grabber, have taken to referring to this year's show as a "social experiment."

Pfffffft. Somehow I doubt any noble intent.

[blueyecicle]

Re: Survivor 13 :Cook Islands

Pfffffft. Somehow I doubt any noble intent.

Since when has any reality TV had any nobility!!! It's exploitation at it's finest!