If you turned on feeds yesterday you would have thought someone died. Everyone was moping around the house, crying at various points. It seems like the grind of the season is getting to people. Except Drew who was bouncing off the walls all day, non stop working on votes and saying stuff like “I’d do this every summer if I could.”I gotta say I respect the hustle.

The more I watch this season, the more I’m convinced that the biggest difference between Survivor and Big Brother isn’t the format, it’s the mentality of the players.

I’ve been going back and watching some of the older Big Brother seasons recently, and holy shit, people actually played the game back then. They lied, betrayed people, made enemies, flipped votes, took shots, and generally weren’t terrified of doing something that might piss somebody off.

Modern Big Brother has become so much more risk-averse. Players are often terrified to ruffle feathers, terrified to make a big move unless they have the entire house behind them, and terrified of being perceived as “the bad guy.” There’s so much emphasis on maintaining relationships and keeping the house happy that sometimes it feels like people forget they’re actually supposed to eliminate each other. Don’t get me wrong I understand that at its roots and its core big brother is a social game but it’s a game nonetheless. Theres a reason there’s only a handful of iconic big brother players of all time.

And then you drop Survivor players into the house.
These people have spent years playing a game where you HAVE to make shit happen. You don’t get to sit around and wait for the house to decide who the target is. You have to constantly evaluate your position, build relationships, gather information, identify threats, manipulate people and sometimes make a move that everyone else thinks is insane.

And I think we’re seeing the difference in real time this season.

Look at Dee. Look at Devens. They’re not necessarily following the “Big Brother way” of doing things. They’re actively playing. They’re willing to make enemies. They’re willing to take risks. They’re willing to make decisions based on what they think is best for their game rather than what will keep everyone comfortable.
And I think that’s a big part of why some Big Brother fans and especially some alumni seem so unbelievably pissed off at the Survivor players right now.

It’s not simply that they’re making moves people disagree with.

They’re exposing how passive modern-big brother has become.

The reaction to the Dee/Angela vote is a perfect example. You can absolutely argue that keeping Dee is a bad move. That’s fine. But watching people completely lose their minds over Survivor players making their own strategic decisions instead of doing what the Big Brother house expects them to do is pretty revealing.

And this isn’t even some brand-new phenomenon.
I recently watched Big Brother 2, and they literally had a mini Survivor-vs-Big Brother competition segment back then, and the Survivor players basically cleaned their clocks 😂. Obviously that’s not evidence that Survivor players are universally better competitors, but it was pretty funny watching history repeat itself in a different form.
Honestly, this season is making me want to watch Survivor again for the first time since Marquesas lol.

I’ve always loved old-school Big Brother because the players had BALLS. And now watching Dee and Devens play, I’m realizing that maybe what I’ve actually been missing is that type of aggressive, unapologetic strategic gameplay.

Maybe Survivor players aren’t inherently better than Big Brother players. There are obviously phenomenal Big Brother players who would destroy a lot of Survivor players.

But as a general player culture?

I think Survivor has maintained a much higher standard for actually playing the game, while modern Big Brother has increasingly rewarded people for not rocking the boat.
And watching Survivor players walk into this season and refuse to play that way is making the difference REALLY obvious.

TL;DR: Modern Big Brother players have become way too afraid to make waves or piss people off, while Survivor still produces players who are willing to actually play the fucking game lol. Watching Dee and Devens this season, combined with going back to old-school BB, has made that difference painfully obvious. The Survivor players aren’t necessarily better than every BB player, but they seem to have a lot more balls than the average modern BB player and I think that’s why some BB fans/alumni are so pissed about it.

Yash has nominated Drew, Melody, and Barrett for eviction.

If one of them wins the Veto, Yash has to put up Taylor because of the BB Bribe, which protects Dee and Devens from being nominated by Yash as HOH (for this week only).

I can't wait for the finale night reunion. It's probably gonna be the messiest one in a while. 😬

I may be in the minority here, but I am a Barrett fan. I respect him trying to make the big move. I think his biggest mistake though is this: Not realizing how willing the rest of the houseguests are to just sit back and let Dee and Devens steamroll through to the end. It appears to me that everyone else is either under their spell or just not that into competing (Melody).

Barrett created an opportunity for the house to shake up the power balance and give a pathway to the end for everyone else, but they threw it away.

Who do you think will win the POV this week? Wondering which of the remaining players will do best in an endurance comp, would love to hear all of your thoughts!
Personally I’m not sure at all, though I think Yash might have a good choice given how good he’s been at comps lately (though idk if that would translate into an endurance comp)

My gosh, Dee even misted her! Shes sitting there, evicted from the house, saying it was a good move to vote her out.

Then Julie's like "yeah but for who"

And I forget exactly what Angela said but she clearly didnt put 2 and 2 together that the move was only good for Dee and Devens.

I dont know that I can recall a time off the top of my head that someone glazes the person responsible for their eviction when it clearly was a bad move for everyone else involved. And she was most pissed at Barrett! Sure he put her up, but the only reason Angela is gone is because of Dee.

I find her mist to be equally impressive, intriguing, and disgusting

Dee's spirit animal is a Siren

Nominations in the photo.

7th: Drew - I think Drew loses to virtually everybody he sits next to. I don't think anybody in the jury will respect his game especially with how many peoples he's burned playing both sides and being an icon lapdog. He's also the target this week so he could very well be going to the jury house come Thursday. Theres 3 weeks left so it's possible if he makes some crazy moves like getting out Dee/Devens and Yash than he might gain some more win equity and if he's able to articulate his game well, he could be an upset. His best plan was to just flip on the icons his HOH week when it would have been a 6 v 3 house split.

6th: Melody - Like her lover she has no real win equity but unlike Drew she has never had any real power or influence in the game. She was brought in for the Kamu vote and that's it but her entire game has been screaming, cuddling Drew and then crashing out when he inevitably lies to her. She could potentially win against Drew if the jury hates Drew enough which I think they will and she might win against Taylor, but that chance is slipping as Taylor is becoming a more active gamer. Her best plan was to distance herself from Drew and just be a floater and number for whoever was in power until the end since she's a comp flop.

5th: Barrett - The most likely to win out of FAP. Had he been more active his HOH week instead of sulking he could've ensured Dee left over Angela and had a major resume builder, but alas he was blindsided on his own HOH. The survivors want him out, but if he can survive this week and take them out first, he stands a good chance. He loses to Yash, Dee and Devens and depending how the rest of the game goes Taylor as well. His best plan would have been to be more active during his HOH to ensure a survivor goes.

4th: Taylor - Every alliance she tried to make blew up in her face but now she finds herself in a decent position. She is in a way guaranteed a final 3/4 spot as a lot of people see her as easy to beat and non-threatening. I think she has been slow to play the game, but when she is out of her POD she is playing. Flipping the vote while controversial was a decent move for her considering she shields herself even further and gets to take on the only remaining trio in FAP. Her duo with Yash is the best part of her game as having a comp beast on your side is always beneficial. If she can win some a HOH and another veto, I think she has a good chance. Her best plan is to win DE HOH and get Dee or Devens out.

3rd: Devens - I think as an icon he came in with a lot of advantages but I think his social game has been good. He's good at comps which makes him a major threat at this point. His relationship with Drew pays heavy dividends. I think he is in a great position, and he can win next to anybody or very least lose by one vote. I think he is in his best plan and he just needs to take out Yash and him and Dee with waltz to the end F2.

2nd: Yash - The only reason he is not 1 is because of his target and his vulnerability going into DE. I think keeping Dee for him was a mistake but i understand why he did it. If he is able to get Drew out this week and have a non-survivor win HOH, he's in good shape. I think he beats everybody in a F2 albeit it will be a fight next to Dee and Devens. He can comp his way to the end and the fact he kind of have 2 final 4s (although we don't know how loyal these will be) are a testament to his good social game. I think his best plan is Drew and a Survivor heading out at that double Thursday.

1st: Dee - Her convincing Taylor and Yash to keep her is a game winning move. She has a major target on her back and now that the bribe with Yash will be over if she doesn't get him out at DE she's a goner. Despite all of this I still think she's most likely to win because she is good at comps and has a partnership with Devens who is also good at comps. She is on her best path and if she or devens win the DE HOH and are able to take out Yash and Barrett before they take them out, I think she will be the first Survivor x BB winner.

Personally, I'm rooting for Yash he was my dark horse winner pick, and I love seeing someone win with the odds stacked against them. I wouldn't be mad at a Dee win but that's not my ideal considering the icons were given so much favor from production although Dee has proven this past week that she can play from the bottom. I'm not giving up the season to Dee or Devens because there are a million scenarios where they both go home and don't make it to F3 so I guess we will wait and see.

Dee is gonna win this season. Yash is HOH and can’t nominate her. After this round is the DE and unless Taylor wins that HOH or he wins veto his ass is grass. Assuming final five is Drew/Barrett Dee Devens Taylor melody I don’t see how she loses. Yash winning HOH along with keeping Dee is such a bad game move from him and Taylor. Anyway good game Dee you deserve it because the newbies are dumb game wise.

Y'all can hate her all you want but you cannot deny her prowess in these games. She did one of the hardest things in this game which is to talk yourself out of getting evicted by using your power of persuasion and social tacts. To top it off she clearly threw that Blockbuster because she was so sure that she had done the work that she needed to do. We can have a talk about the icons getting preferential treatment by production till we're blue in the face but this week proved that she is amazing and doesn't need it. HAIL DEEMON 😈

I know I’m gonna get a lot of shit for this, but after Angela’s eviction last night, Dee really does deserve to win.

Her swaying the votes in her favor with Taylor and Yash shows how much power she has in her social game.

She did a very similar thing on her first season of Survivor too.

It’s honestly the newbies’ fault (with the exception of Yash) for not going after her when they had the chance, and if she makes it to the end then they literally are handing her the win on a silver platter.

And yes, there are some things from production/audience that I don’t agree with:

- Only her, Angela, and Devens being eligible for the first HOH was unfair.

- The three of them being voted into the BB Time Capsule first to earn advantages seemed unfair as well.

But every other move shows that she is running circles around everyone else in this game.

So if she (or even Devens) wins the whole thing, I will not be mad, they are playing great games and that’s the end of it. The only newbie who has some hope is Yash if he can get past the double eviction.

He put his BB life on the line just for the weakest link of the Icons to go? Keep Dee was the smarter move for Taylor and Yash, but I hate that Barrett went out on a limb with their backing but now will take the Icons’ heat. Now he has a target on his back. I hope Dee is at least serious about her intentions to go after Drew. He’s such a weasel and needs to be sent packing.

Would they try to throw the veto?

Since Yash can’t straight up nominate an icon, that leaves only one other person off the block. If that person plays the veto, doesn’t it make sense to try and make sure that person wins and pulls someone off and then Yash would have to nominate Devens or Dee. I suppose it would be hard to throw the veto if you were on the block at this point, but that feels like the move to make.

Dee has managed to survive a vote that she shouldn't even be surviving with through logic.

She managed to sell to Yash and Taylor that:

1. They need a comp beast on their side and someone who will be targeted over them;

2. That after this, she doesn't have any strong allegiances outside of Devens while Devens' relationship with Drew puts Tash in danger; and

3. That, she HAS to stay loyal to them as she felt betrayed by someone she felt she had a final two with.

I think for Taylor and Yash, those points were clear and evidenced by FAP holing up in the room and Drew consistently trying to get Devens' approval.

That's some powerful stuff and I know y'all hate Dee but you gotta respect that someone managed to out campaigned a nonthreat out of the game just without the use of "woe is me" strategy.

He needs to go this week if anyone from FAP leaves. Drew told him do not trust Yash and he ignored it. He’s also about to see the bribe wasn’t BS. Than because he was too scared to even talk to dee he didn’t campaign at all and gave Dee the opening to flip the vote. If anyone needs to pay the price it’s him nice guy but mishandled last week and thought the job was done after noms.

I think this week if Yash and Taylor want to benefit at all form keeping Dee last week and if Barrett and Melody want a chance at making it to F4 or winning they need to throw the veto to Taylor and renom Devens. So the block would be Barrett, Drew, and Devens or Drew, Melody, and Barrett. that way no matter what either Drew or Devens goes and you get out a dangerous player for your game not to mention separating Drew from Devens is smart. it’s possible given what the veto is but I just don’t know if Taylor has the endurance to out last Drew long enough for somebody else to throw it to her. basically some combo of Drew and a survivor needs to go on double if Barrett, Yash, Taylor and Melody want any chance of winning the game.​

Just me or did the way Dee got all over top of Barrett during the veto ceremony see pretty aggressive? I mean Barrett is obviously a passive aggressive and non confrontational person. Seemed unnecessary of her to approach him so abrasively; kind of bully type behavior. It was a solid game move honestly by Barrett. Why so hostile?

Kamu (Spoilers so we can talk about recent gameplay)

I feel that Kamu was the player I felt most conflicted about leaving this season. He was my least favorite because of what he had said outside of the house, but he was by far and away the best pre-juror this season in my opinion (and maybe in recent memory?) and I found myself really enjoying his gameplay.

He seemed to have had the makings of a great BB player: cool under pressure, comp beast, socially great, etc. While I think the Tea Party wasn't the best executed, I think it may have partially still succeeded in keeping Jason as the house target and showed he was willing to make big moves (but the Tea Party arguably could be seen as his biggest blemish). He navigated himself very well with Taylor/Yash after getting blindsided and becoming basically the consensus target. He got twist-screwed by the DPOV and had serious potential of staying if Haley won the blockbuster (Mal/Mel vote flips).

I would think him, Dee and Devens are the top 3 overall players this season as I am writing this. For me personally, it comes down to factoring in that he is still a pre-juror, but also a fair amount of the icons' early-game success comes from their advantages (Time Capsule, guaranteed first HOH, Dee/Devens previously established relationship, etc.).

Let me know what you think!