Hey!
Only 165 responses to the survey this week, plus 2 comments on reddit + 1 on discord, so I’m not gonna put that much effort into this week’s write-up I guess 🤷♂️ I’m like a rat in a maze; I need positive reinforcement.
Enjoy ~~
Player of the Week
- Big T — 104
- Leroy — 30
- CT — 11
- Kaycee — 8
- Kam — 4
- tie with Kyle & Cory — 3
8) tie with Amber B & Aneesa — 1
and no votes for Fessy or Nany 😢
Big T overcame her fear, jumped out of a plane, performed well in Fire Escape, got her first elimination win, finally earned her skull, and had a glowing edit the entire time.
Leroy & Kaycee won their fourth mission this season — a puzzle one, at that! — which truly is mind-blowing. Allan Aguirre pointed out that Leroy was on seven partners seasons before Double Agents and only won 4 dailies combined. So he’s doubled his pairs wins this szn — WOW. That’s impressive.
Lee got more votes than KC because he’s a fan favourite, has been on a tonne of seasons, has more personality, and is featured much more prominently in the episodes. Not good for their team’s overall edgic, since KC is so underedited, but I’m happy that his last appearance has been so fantastic!
CT knocked out the mission’s puzzle in seconds and helped Big T train in Hall Brawl to raise her confidence before going into the Crater. He also berated her after finishing the daily yet still stuck with her as a partner, right before the final, so was he Player of the Week? Definitively not.
Kam & Cory were the winners of the other heat of the mission, and also were hilarious throughout the episode with their banter. They work great together, and I honestly do hope they make the final and win it 🤞🏼
Kyle threw his partner Aneesa under the bus during deliberation, but the end justifies the means, and now he has a more capable partner for missions and the final in Amber B. Amber B, on the other hand, did nothing all episode and deserved no votes.
But who DID deserve some was Nany, who didn’t gas out on the run like Big T & Aneesa did, but she got a goose egg. As did Fessy, who is being edited as an over the top caricature of a villain. Other people didn’t run alongside their partners other — including Golden Boy CT — yet the edit buried Fessy by failing to do this. It’s actually laughable how uneven it is, and people are eating it up like it’s ambrosia.
Best Social/Political Game
- Nany — 56
- Kam — 31
- tie with Big T & Leroy — 28
5) Kyle — 7
6) CT — 6
7) Cory — 4
8) Kaycee — 3
9) Amber B — 1
Nany is in tight with the power couple Kam & Leroy, and therefore was in no danger of going in this ep. Kamroy + Kaycee continue to have the political game on lock, with seemingly no opposition possible at all. Very 1984.
Big T whipped up the votes to go into the Crater, as she wanted, and Kyle also got what he wanted — for his deadweight partner Aneesa to go down and go home. Big T also somehow had CT agree to stay with her, which makes zero sense after he dragged her through the mud for not being able to run a half mile. So how is that good political game? How is getting so heated for no good reason during an 80s party good social game? Idk but the stans are persistent.
Amber B also deserved no votes this ep, because she did exactly NOTHING, but I guess she has one loyal fan. And then Cory was just an enjoyable, likable guy all episode. Did he make any moves? Not really, but he gets along with his partner Kam, who is wielding all the power, so some votes here make sense.
Best Edit
- Big T — 106
- Leroy — 17
- CT — 16
- Kyle — 10
- Aneesa — 6
Obligatory nod to Rake’s Ep 15 Edgic post for this week, which I can’t wait to read, & which probably describes all this better than I can. Take a gander.
Definitely another glowing Big T episode — this is her sixth week where she was voted to have the Best Edit. Second place is Devin & Kyle, who earned it twice. Whoa 🤯 Bow down to the Queen.
She got her skull and kept her partner, who is the best man left in a final. But more than that — we also hear soundbites from her about what she’d do if she won (buy hospital beds and blankets for Malawi) — and get a super positive team-building and confidence-boosting scene where she’s training for Hall Brawl with CT.
Amazing, rootable edit — but not a flawless one. The edit included her failing on the run and CT chewing her out for it… Not great, considering the whole cast is on the cusp of the final. This might be a red herring designed to make us question if she makes the final and wins, but I personally don’t know, either edgic- or spoiler-wise. It’s possible, I guess.
Nonetheless, T explains her mission performance in a confessional. She lays out how she just did something that terrified her, which might’ve affected her running ability, and CT should recognize that instead of admonishing her. Again, this is good for an edit.
We see Leroy overcome his fear of heights by jumping out of the plane and then proceeding to slay the run and the puzzle. Lee isn’t known for his puzzle prowess, so this is especially significant.
CT trained Big T in Hall Brawl and agreed to stay her partner, after some confessionals where he said she’s one to look out for. Positive. But in between those scenes, we also see him disappointed in her and, while frustrated, explaining to her in a level-headed manner how this won’t cut it in a final. Because obvi they can do the puzzles, but if she can’t run to make it there — they’re going to lose. More edgic nuggets.
Oh, and then we see him blow his top against Fessy, which honestly is just a terrible look for CT. It reminded me of Darrell & Brad on The Ruins — one is being foolish and needling the other, who should be grown enough to ignore it. But instead, they let it get to them and get all worked up for no good reason. Like, what does that accomplish? Nothing. At least CT didn’t punch Fessy and get DQed, I guess.
Kyle’s edit is the same — a jokester snake who will cut someone’s throat to get ahead, but you love him for it. This is my favourite Kyle szn, so I’m not complaining.
Aneesa — with a good edit? No way. She completely flopped in the mission and elimination and got disrespected and upset during deliberation. Her showing in Fire Escape is honestly up there with the worst elimination performances of all time. The girl did not move more than a foot, while Big T zipped up and down that pole. It’s embarrassing. Aneesa, I love you, but it’s time to hang up your jersey. Stick with the OG Challenge, kthx.
Biggest Misplay
- Aneesa — 68
- Fessy — 42
- Big T — 36
- CT — 13
- Kyle — 3
Aneesa 100% deserved all the votes this week. It was a pitiful performance for someone who talks incessantly about how much it means to her to make a final and win. Like — why don’t you train harder? That’s how you get respect. Not from floating through the game and being eliminated right before the final. Same goes for Nany, but at least she has stamina.
Fessy beefed with CT and didn’t run beside his partner in the mission. Is this worthy of 42 votes? Not in this universe, but he is edited to be this cartoonish villain and (as a result?) people despise him. And then they think he won’t get cast next season, when everyone can’t stop talking about him? Lol k.
Big T also failed at the half mile run — but then earned an elim win and skull and kept her partner. So how did she misplay more than Aneesa? Plz enlighten me.
On the contrary — CT got pissed both during the mission and the 80s party. Not a good look for a father pushing 40. Water off a duck’s back, dude. Relax.
He also, bafflingly, stuck with Big T as a partner. Of course, it was ultimately her decision, but he gave her the go-ahead. Wouldn’t it make more sense to try to convince her to switch? She was considering Fessy, so this is a win-win. CT gets a better partner for the final (in Nany, or I guess Amber); he shakes Big T; and his enemy Fessy gets sandbagged with a much greener woman. So… Why did he make this move? Total misplay (but not worse than Nees).
Then Kyle pissed off Aneesa during deliberation. Ok, and? He upgraded.
Episode Rating & Fave Momentz
Y’all voted this episode an average of 7.46 — the highest since episode 8, which was the mud wrestling daily and Josh-Mechie “blowout.” So glad we’re on the up-and-up… But I’m also forecasting a fall. Tomorrow’s ep is only 1 hour long, and I’m expecting a cliffhanger before the Security Breach double elimination. No, that is NOT a spoiler, but just what my gut says. We’ll see.
What did people like this ep?
- Big T winning her first elim!
- Nany’s hitman/bare hands confessional
- Cory’s 80s outfit & Ryder t-shirt
- Hall Brawl training
- Kayroy’s 4th mission win!
- CT-Fessy fight with snatching off the wig and wearing a tutu
- the skydiving, & Kyle screaming “WHY AM I SPINNING?”
- adorable Kamroy banter — “It’s babe, I can smell her” and Kam screaming for Lee when he’s up in the plane
Back or Buh-Bye?
- 51.5% do not want to see Aneesa back on 37
- 25.1% do
- 23.3% said “maybe on 38”
For someone who has done 14 seasons + 2 spin-offs, and showed herself on many occasions as 100% unprepared to run a final, let alone win it… I’m surprised that nearly half of the respondents want Aneesa back either on next season or the one after. But diversity of opinions is good, so I respect it.
..
And that’s all for today. I know I said that I wouldn’t put much effort into this write-up, but I just got in a groove and kept on writing — and whining. I guess that’s what happens when you have too much caramel cold brew and not enough food 😅
Results in a nice, organized spreadsheet here — check it out.
See y’all next week!
🖤
