Survivor-Samoa

[Ian]

I was/am so annoyed. I hate when the jury doesn't elect the person that outwits, outlasts ...blah, blah, blah.

What a waste of time.

At least the public got it right.

Ummm yeah. What Carol said. I'm digusted with that outcome.

I mean Natalie wasn't even the second most deserving of the three finalists!! I would have given it to Mick before her. At least he won a challenge or two!!

Natalie was the consummate coattail rider and she just managed to craft a believable enough story for a group of people looking for any reason not to give the money to Russell. I think the jury was just bitter and they clearly chose the wrong winner.

I haven't been this disappointed since Vecepia won ... and I think even she deserved it more than Natalie!

Blech. Just ... blech. Ruined the entire season for me.

[Granny Jill A]

Loved it when Russell DIDN'T WIN. Knew he was shooting himself in the foot when he made all those enemies. Guess he thought the jury would have amnesia.

Not too crazy about Natalie winning. I was really rooting for Brett after Jaison got voted off.

[laprana]

Am I the only one who thought that Brett looked like the "Church Lady" from SNL sitting up there?

Ha, ha! Yes! It was totally the hair...he just needed glasses and a purple sweater!

[SBETigg]

Am I the only one who thought that Brett looked like the "Church Lady" from SNL sitting up there?

Ha, he did! Very funny. For a t-shirt designer, he wore some ugly shirts. I think he also looks like the actress Lea Thompson.

[SBETigg]

Natalie was the consummate coattail rider and she just managed to craft a believable enough story for a group of people looking for any reason not to give the money to Russell. I think the jury was just bitter and they clearly chose the wrong winner.

I haven't been this disappointed since Vecepia won ... and I think even she deserved it more than Natalie!

Blech. Just ... blech. Ruined the entire season for me.

I don't see how you can think that. Natalie made the biggest move of the game-- convincing Galu to vote off Erik. Russell had no idea that was going down. And that's what set the whole defeat of Galu into motion. Without that move, Russell would never have made it. So while Russell is an excellent player, I give Natalie credit and think she did a lot more than ride his coattails (though why she didn't speak up and say so blows my mind).

[d_m_n_n]

OK, I've calmed down a bit, but I still don't think she deserved to win.

The best part of the entire night...when Russell stood up and pulled out the socks for Jaison only to throw them in the fire too!!! Totally a classic Russell move!!!

[KarenP]

All I can say is WOW!! Natalie REALLY???? In all the seasons I have watched there was never a better player than Russell. He knew how to play the game for sure. The jury was awfully bitter. I am very disappointed!!!

[RenDuran]

I wasn't rooting for anyone in particular last night. I thought with that particular jury it could go either way, regardless of Russell's feelings that he had already won! He was ridiculous at camp with Natalie and Mick and his thoughts on what questions the jury would ask. Maybe he should have thought about all that himself a little more. For a guy that could read people so well in the game, he did a very poor job at the end. And it cost him.

[Ian]

I don't see how you can think that. Natalie made the biggest move of the game-- convincing Galu to vote off Erik. Russell had no idea that was going down. And that's what set the whole defeat of Galu into motion. Without that move, Russell would never have made it. So while Russell is an excellent player, I give Natalie credit and think she did a lot more than ride his coattails (though why she didn't speak up and say so blows my mind).

Well first off I'm not 100% sure that was the biggest move of the game. It's kind of hard to determine what really is "the biggest move of the game" because it can be tough to judge how early decisions affected what happened later on. For example, Russell thought that voting off Marisa when he did enabled him to gain control of Foa Foa early on. Maybe that was the biggest move of the game, who knows?

And even if that was the biggest move of the game, it was only one move. Russell engineered the exit of virtually everyone else who left the game.

[SBETigg]

And even if that was the biggest move of the game, it was only one move. Russell engineered the exit of virtually everyone else who left the game.

Russell liked to talk a lot in front of the camera, so he gets credit but I think many of those moves were group decisions. In an interview, Mick and Jaison claimed to be the masterminds who were dragging Russell along to the end, and he was just so full of himself to believe his own hype. I think he was a fantastic player. Mick would have been the worst winner for me, because he certainly didn't look like a leader. But the biggest part of the game is lining that jury up to vote for you, and Russell failed that one. I think Natalie failed that one, too, since Erik made a more compelling argument for her than she made for herself.

Still, Natalie paid attention to the social game. She didn't just sit there and get dragged to the finish. I give her some credit. And to Russell's disadvantage, this was one petty, bitter jury. But, if he had been the "best player ever" he might have seen that going in and played a different closing argument instead of brow-beating Natalie over hers.

[Stich8818]

Throw me into the catagory of dissappointed..Russell should have won and I dont blame Natalie or Mick or even Russell..I blame the lamest jury in survivour history. Some of the final questions were just really strange...Jaison "what do you do for a living?"...Really?...Jon said it before that Galu tribe was not the smartest players ever to play the game. No jury memebers asked one question that really stood out to why a player did what they did. Never question motives behind their actions.

[SBETigg]

Dean, good point. Jaison's question was more of a statement, and it didn't do anything to help make anything clear for the jury. If anything, it leveled the field a little for Russell by pointing out that yes, he has money-- but so do the other two. So what did he mean to accomplish, exactly? Perhaps if he had added to it by asking what they planned to do with their winnings? I don't know. I expected more from the jury, but it was pretty obvious this was not a jury that was going to reward strategic game play. I wanted more confrontation, more questions. This jury was more about keeping the focus on themselves than on truly making the best choice of a winner, though I'm sure they think they did since no one but Shambo seems to have actually liked Russell.

It would not have been Russell's style to pour on the flattery and say what they wanted to hear, and it would have been more disappointing if he did. So I liked that he was true to his game play, even if it kept him from winning. Can't wait to see him on Heroes and Villains. This was aired while that was filming, so if Russell's in the cast (and I think he is, though it's unconfirmed), I think the others won't know what to expect. He could win the next one, if he's in it. I doubt he will improve his social game, so it could be interesting.

[Melanie]

Russell is on Hereos v. Villians. There are TONS of spoilers out there if you really want to know. I've already read too much. Regardless, official cast announcements should be coming soon since the premiere is in February.

[Disneypixie513]

I have to say I was disapponted with Natalie winning, but not totally surprised. If it had been a jury from season's past, Russell probably would have won. But this jury was bitter and easily offended. Yes, Russell was utterly confidant, annoyingly so at times, but to me he was the best player. I totally agreed with what he said about if the other two outplayed him, give them the money. Well ,IMHO, Natalie Definately did NOT outplay him. She had good moments, but she just was there to me, she didn't "Play".
The one time I was rooting for the "bad guy" because he played the game, the jury was pathetic.
On a brighter note, I'm so excited for the nest season to start

[MNNHFLTX]

I think that was pretty evident by his wanting to buy the title of 'sole survivor' from Natalie, which I thought was weird.

That was weird. How does the title mean anything if you aren't the winner?

I have only watched this season's survivor a handful of times this season, but as my sister is an avid fan and my family was staying at her house, I did find myself watching the finale. It was--interesting, to say the least. Since I don't have extensive knowledge of everything that went down over this season, I'll withhold judgement on whether Natalie deserved to win, but I will say that it didn't surprise me too much, based on what was going on at the very end. Russell seemed to be setting himself up for a big fall, which is what eventually happened.

And I must say that I am looking forward to actually watching the Heroes and Villians season. That's a cool concept.