RHAP: We Know Survivor - Zach, Omar, and Frannie Talk Survivor David vs Goliath Encore Episode

Episode Date: February 17, 2026

Zach, Omar, and Frannie Talk Survivor David vs Goliath Encore Episode Today, Zach Wurtenberger, Frannie Marin, and Omar Zaheer get together to discuss the encore episode of Survivor David vs Goliath. Never miss a minute of RHAP’s extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH:  Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT:  Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Welcome, welcome back to the Encore episodes discussion on Rob has a podcast today, brought you by none other than Roberta Sester Nina. That's me. Happy to be here with my two fabulous guests. If you're watching on YouTube, you know who I have with me. We are joined first by David Ass Bitch. Would you like to introduce yourself? I was a David Ass Bitch. I'm a Goliath. That's my story. And who left us in charge of this? This is crazy.

This is crazy. We really found out that we were driving this ship two minutes ago. Driving is a generous term, Roberta. Generous term. Big word for what's about to happen. But we have who everybody wants to help you drive a ship. We have a white guy. Woo! Listen, I'm watching, I'm watching my boy Mike White back on Survivor. I'm just going to say it. I'm a white guy. I've always been a white guy. Huge white guy on the pod. Huge white guy.

Well, we have a fabulous episode to discuss from David versus Goliath. Today we have jackets and eggs, an iconic episode for many reasons. Quick take. Do you prefer jackets or eggs? You have to choose gun to your head. As a concept? It's a concept. In whatever way you want. I don't know. this is abstract. It's not like, you know. Eggs, if I had to get rid of one from the entire universe, getting rid of eggs would mess up so much more than getting rid of jackets. To be good. Eggs, think about how much, you're not just the food.

You used to be able. We're talking a lot of life that goes away if we get rid of eggs. Fascinating. Fascinating. Eggs of all kinds. I prefer eggs. Yeah, if we're talking cross species eggs, then I'm team eggs. We're talking just chicken eggs. Maybe I'm Jackets. Okay. Oh. Why do you hate chickens so much? No, no, no.

I don't have a problem with chickens. There's often not well-treated. I don't know why these people didn't think about, honestly, like, sitting on the eggs. Like, they're talking about eating them right away, burying them. Why don't you just sit your ass down on them like Mother Nature intended it to? And then would that lead as like a bird guy, would that lead to the eggs turning into chickens? Or is that shit? Depends how much effort we put into.

it, you know what I mean? Well, this is a such, this is such a fun episode of Survivor that I'm so excited to get to be recapping with you guys. It is an episode that in the moment, like when it first aired, I remember thinking like, yeah, that was one of the most iconic Survivor episodes of all time. Really? Yes, yeah. Okay, good.

I'm glad you felt that way. And I went back. Did you not feel that way? It's so good. I thought it was funny, but it was just such a, I thought, I thought, I was. I thought the episode before where Natalia exited in like a very dramatic fashion was more entertaining. But I think this one has aged really well,

like the wine that Mike White was drinking. I assume because I never would drink it myself, but I'll take his word for it. Or like the eggs that Learso wanted to keep in a cool spot. I could have lasted like two more days. You know, I would have paid to see you on a tribe with Natalie Cole. Like I think that dynamic could have been very fun. You could have been like Jason and Danielle from Big Brother 3.

I don't think so. What was your guys' experience watching this episode? Because I know I was watching it live. I remember I was in college at the time when this episode aired, watching with my roommates and just so excited that like we finally got a good season. And it was like the one I was showing them. And I remember at the time, like the tribe swap had just happened. We were like, all right, it's a promising start to the season.

But I was like, the tribe swap. happened, the Goliaths, I feel like it's going to be like a little bit of a snoozy, like just Goliath's picking off David. And then it was absolutely the opposite of that. Yeah, I had so much fun with this episode. I was also in college. I think this was at like the peak of my survivor evangelist era where I was really like, you guys, this is the greatest show ever. So I was inviting people over to my apartment. I was like explaining to them the fundamental like rules of this show that they had never experienced before. And this episode, this season in general, was like the perfect introduction for so many

people. Just so funny. And also, obviously, a great encore episode to highlight leading up to 50 because I think it really, really shows the best and some of the worst of the three characters that we have coming back for that season. Yeah, all three really are the stars of this episode. And even though the majority of the good stuff was coming from the Purple Tribe, Jebeney, it also

like we didn't need some stuff from the others and Christian really brought that but I think I remember at the time being a little bit bummed we were losing Natalie so early but at the same time I think maybe we just got just enough of her you know I think maybe it had it sounded too long it wouldn't have been as worth it

she gets voted out in the supposed majority and goes out in a very ironic fashion where she is trying to steal the jacket and now they want her jacket and at the time I remember thinking vividly that, you know, is Angelina really in on this? Like, because this seems so transparent that she's just trying to get the jacket.

And that was revealed the next episode, built upon that and made it amazing. I think David versus Goliath top five season for me. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I think so. So good from start to finish. And the storytelling is amazing.

And I think the theme honestly has a lot to do with that. And hint, hint, like, let's try it again, you know, not that specifically. I actually thought our season was David versus Goliath. And I was shocked when it was real not to be because when I saw Jonathan with the orange buff, I was like, all right, yes, this makes complete sense.

Like, let's go. And you're on the David tribe and you're blue, but it wasn't meant to be. So you thought that you were on the Goliath? No, I thought it was that until I saw him in the orange buff. And I was like, okay, okay, okay. No, I remember, I remember too. I think that for us, when we back,

Because when we were playing, I mean, we still thought themes were in play. And David versus Goliath was like the most commonly predicted theme. It was that in like a World's Collide thing that people were saying it was going to be, which I think was supposed to be like East Coast versus West Coast, whatever. But yeah, this was heavily rumored that they would do with David versus Glyth too, because it made sense. When Brain versus Braun was a huge success, they did Brains Brons too. When fans favorites and Blood versus Water, like back when they would do themes,

this would be one that we would have seen instantly again. Yeah, and the meta John was like, oh, Survivor's just coming back for 41. They don't need a theme for that. So we had to be a theme because it was going to be the same thing. And no, they didn't need that, you know. I was trying to think of why this episode specifically, other than just how funny it is. But what is it that makes it like stay on the test of time so much? And like what is so special about this episode?

I think when you place it into what was going on with Survivor at the time, because like we cycle through so many complaints about like what do we hate about Survivor these days. And what we hated about Survivor back then in the late 30s was that it was the big moves era. And every single thing was like, oh, it's about the big moves and we don't get the camp life. We don't get that stuff anymore. It's just two folks on that and like game body. And the advantage era. That was like obviously the other huge complaint. This was coming off the heels of heroes, healers, hustlers, ghost island. It was about to be edge of extinction and island of the titles. So like this season is like right there in the middle of this advantages and moves.

And for this to be like to me the defining episode of the 30s, it is the one episode that is truly 100% focused on camp life disputes. Natalie has not voted out because of her strategy. She is voted out because she is impossible to deal with at camp. And we get to see that in like several different like vignettes of the episode of just like examples of her being impossible. to work with. Well, Zach, you did a deep dive, right, into the Reddit threads of the time. Is that what people were saying in the moment? People love this episode because it was a return to camp life.

Or people, you know. This was this episode, if you look back on the threads, on the, the reddits, the tweets of the episode, people were calling it iconic from the get-go. And people were instantly clocking Angelina as an iconic character, Natalie, too. I mean, if you look back on the common threads, you will just see literally comments after comments of people going, Natalie, is there any way I could get your jacket? The next comment will be, Natalie,

and that's something like all lowercase, small text. Natalie? The only episode I've seen genuinely since this that has had this level of like instant, iconic level, is the Appleby's belt now. Yes. That's so true. Similarly iconic.

But also it's like this was survival in, I think sometimes when people are complaining about wanting survival back in the show, they don't actually want it back in the show because when it is shown, it's like pretty boring. But this was in a way that was so entertaining and also very much infused in strategy. You know, I think people don't underestimate how uncomfortable it is to live there because they don't have to live there. So the fact that it was centered all around jackets and getting that. comfort being worth blindsiding somebody and embarrassing somebody is it's classic and also it really

was like up until this point in the season i will say 10 toes down if i was a season 50 casting producer angelina would be the number one person on that cast by far this is the most iconic unintentionally and mom can you please leave uh this was not You need to get this. Anyways, she just is doing whatever she wants. She's going to ask for your jacket. I know. You can't have the jacket.

But she, I don't know, she was just so incredibly hilarious from the jump. And she also, don't turn the light off. Really? Oh, my God. But the problem is that she, this is the first, we got Angelina as the strategist. until this. Yeah.

You know, people really thought she was just another big player that was a good contender. And this was the first moment of the real Angelina that we got to be. Yeah. A flash of delusional queen. Yeah.

Beautiful. Yeah. I feel like there are a lot of Angelina haters out there and a lot of people who are actively upset about her being on 50. Sounds like you don't agree with that, Omar. I'm also a big Angelina fan. I think she's going to be so, so fabulous on 50.

I don't think she could ever be. She's hilarious. No, she's never going to, I mean, come on. But respectfully, respectfully. But she's so fun. Angelina is one of the people that I'm most curious about on 50. I agree that she is just a such a slam dunk of casting because it's like, again, this is like one of the most memorable moments in Survivor history. It has like three more that are coming up in this season.

Like she is. Yeah. And also, yeah. She is just somebody that, you know how somebody could come back and they could come back and they could do their greatest hits and it would be kind of cringe and not as good as the first time. That's a bit like Rupert was a little bit like that. I think we could see that. But the thing about Angelina's character is that that's so expected and so funny that it actually

will hit in an ironic sense that she probably doesn't even intend for, but it's going to be even better. Well, that's what I was going to say, though, is that she, for me, the iconic part of Angelina was this like lack. It's like this type A personality, like perfection. wanting to always, you know, succeed, combined with the lack of self-awareness that she has on how she's coming off. And it's been, what is it, seven years, six or seven years now. It's been so long, but she's now seen this. And I do wonder now going into it, knowing that, like, the perception

of her was a lack of self-awareness. How much is she going to be coming in with a renewed sense of self-awareness of how she is, like, you know, uh, seeing my people. That's my fear. That's my biggest fear for Angelina on 50 is that she has become self-aware. I really don't want that. We don't want it. We don't want it. The worst thing that can possibly happen for her.

I think like a toned down Angelina that is actually just executing on strategy is boring. Though, I will say if that has been her arc in life outside of the show that she has become self-aware, she should hopefully be self-aware enough to understand that that's why she's being brought back because she was delusional because she had all these huge moments. So, you know, maybe even if she has had some like personal growth in that department, she can tap into that part of herself that is still latent and bring out some of that crazy because that's what we all want to see. The best case scenario for her is if she leans into that

knowing that she's still like she's playing into the jackets thing out loud. She's playing into I'm a delusional queen thing out loud, but really is really thinking. But I think the best and most organic part of Angelina is that she kind of like gets the joke, but she doesn't really like fully get the joke. Yeah. And she really thinks she gets the joke. She's like, I get it. You're like, but you're so close.

But that's what's going to make it so funny. And I'm most excited to see her, I feel like. Yeah, I think she's an easy casting choice. I will say watching the season, someone I didn't expect to see come back, especially at this point in the season, was my. Mike White. This was a very different Mike White back in the day. I mean, as we know from Rob Sesternerino, he was not someone that was being highlighted strategically or even highlighted all that much on the show until like the very end game. But now watching like Mike White, especially like after White Lotus and like knowing how he was already big, but he's about to become like massive. It really, it does blow me away that he wants to do this. There's like the energy's involved in it, you know? he's been through everything.

Yes, he's felt a lot of emojis. Yeah, a lot of emojis. Yeah, I fear that it only goes downhill for Mike White. I mean, he's so huge. I think that his like persona from the show has just grown and grown and grown in the time since this season because the narrative has built and built that he should have won, that he played better than Nick. And I think it's hard to come off of that.

Like if that's the perception going in that you should have won your season, you were way more of a social and strategic threat than people thought. I think that is a hard perception to have going into 50. But I don't think the people look at Mike, yes, there's plenty of people who are like, you know, Mike was robbed, blah, blah, blah.

I don't think that they look at him uniquely as that in Survivor 50. I think people look at Charlie as that a lot more and Camilla is that a lot more. And I mean, Surrey, we got Surrey sitting right there. I even think there's a higher threat level on Christian than there is of mine. Mike's issue is not his people perceiving him as the strategy.

I think his issue is that he's one of the weaker men and there's the level of he doesn't need this. Why is he here? I agree with, I agree with that. Because the thing is I think he is going to be riding on the, and yes, there's people like Genevieve that are pointing out, oh, everybody wants to be on the White Lotus. So we have to be careful about that. But there's still going to be a lot of people that want to be on the White Lotus. I want to be on the Lotus.

Is he really amongst this cast, the person that you're going to look at and be like, I need to get him out of the way right now. When many of these people have like feuds or other people that are worried about, the old school people. And I still think that out of this whole cast, it's the people in the 30s that are positioned the best because they, if the new era sticks together, they're going to want to use the people that are kind of closest to them.

And then there's this old school mentality and they need them for numbers. So they are really in my opinion in the best spot. That's an interesting idea. I think they're also maybe pretty hungry, like coming back as players because they, you know, know that they were big players and big names for a long time, but they've really had to wait to come back. So they're not, you know, quite as stale as some of the real oldies, but also not as fresh off the game as some of the newer players.

No offense to the, you know, the later days folks coming back. But yeah, okay, Zach, I see your point about Mike being like a weaker man, but also, aren't they all old now? Like, isn't it really that? weak in comparison to I got no offense. Yeah, looking at his tribe, right? You've got Charlie the puzzle guy.

You've got Jonathan on his tribe. So if there's anyone who's going to be. And then you got coach who is one of the, I mean, obviously coach is older, but he is in shape and he is someone who has in the past valued the, you know, the strong sticking together. Now he is also someone who values

someone who can advance his career. exactly right i think he's in a fine position on his tribe he also has a really like d's on that tribe right yes yeah d or somebody that is you know going to be desperate for an alliance and d's probably going to work with someone better like mike than somebody like benjamin or whatever so i think he's actually in a really good tribe to insulate him um when it and camille's on that group right So they put a really strong puzzle person and then the strongest physical presence. I don't know if his quote unquote weakness, although he seems kind of strong. Like he looks like he's been working out.

So maybe he'll be fine. Yeah, I was going to say it's a strong tribe. Overall, like I'm looking at the breakdown now. I mean, like you said, Charlie, Chrissy's there, coach D. Jonathan, Camilla, Mike, and then Tiffany as well. Strong presence for the women. I mean, they're the most likely tribe in my opinion to just not go to a tribal council. But hey, Jonathan failed you guys before, so whatever I am. They're not going to put them on the puzzle this time.

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Homer, as the person who's played with someone on the season with Jonathan so closely, how do you think Jonathan is going to get along with the David versus Goliath 3? I think he'll get along with Christian really well, actually. I think that that was great. Yes, they're going to, like, they'll totally get along if they're on the same, like if they come together. I think that with Angelina, I see that being the most adversarial.

And I think Mike White is kind of like neutral to positive. So I would say like I think that Christian and him would get along the best and work together the best. What makes you say that? What about that? Just because well like Jonathan actually does work well with nerds, you know? Like he he respected. Like he is actually very self-aware of his like strengths in the game and then his weaknesses.

You know, he was like coming into a merge or whatever. she's like, I know I'm going to be a big target. So like you can do that part of the game for me. And I can do this part of the game. And he understood strength and weaknesses. And Christian has strengths that Jonathan doesn't have. And Jonathan has strikes that Christian doesn't have. And they like Christian is a very, it's like anybody can get along with it, you know.

Christian, as we saw in this episode, is bro chacho. So yeah. Yeah. That's the very point. We could see that exact dynamic again on 50 if the two of the two. Yes. But I think even better because Christian didn't really work with John. John Hennigan or Dan very much, but I actually think that Jonathan and Christian would have a very

mutually beneficial alliance. I don't see Angelina and him mixing very well, to be honest. No. That's a tough pair. That's a very tough pair. But luckily, you won't have to deal with her right away. Yeah, it's true. Except for tribes.

Here's a question that I'm curious about. So if, say, all three of these folks make it to the merge, to what degree are they locking in immediately together versus are they adversarial with some of the things that happened on their season? She's already planning to get Christian out in seventh or eighth or six. Oh, she did you say that in her interview? We'll take them as far as we can, but I'm thinking like we can slide him into six or seven. And that is so Angelina. It's so funny.

Yeah. Yeah. I think that they are, I mean, I think that sounds about right. I think that had they started on the same tribe with each other, they would have been like easy connection. I think that they are all, well, I think that they're all people who did not work together super well in the game.

Well, that's actually not true. I think that Mike White and Angelina can lock in really well. I think that is a relationship that has maintained. I think Christian has stronger connections with people outside of that trio in a way that Angelina and Mike White might not. I think that Christian is much more likely

to go with, say, an Emily, or maybe even like a Rick Devin, you know, people from like real life versus Mike White and Angelina just because they were on the same tribe. Like I can't think of a time where I've seen a picture of Christian and Angelina in the past three or four years, you know?

Yeah, but Christian did vote for Mike White to win and really respected Mike White's game. And Mike White really loved everybody that voted for him, even took them all to Fiji. So I think that in terms of this grouping, the way I see the dynamics playing out is that both of them are going to be like, Christian and Angelina are going to be loyal to Mike

and they're going to kind of like look to him as like a solid person and he's going to try to be stopping a cold war between the two of them. But I don't think he can stop it forever. So that's my take just from watching like the season play out because Angelina and Christian were never on the same page

and it's not that they didn't like each other but it's just there was no trust between them. There was no reason to work together and they didn't have natural chemistry together whereas Mike didn't work with Christian but there was something there where they connected, you know? Well, I was listening to one of his interviews and Christian said that his biggest regret in all of David versus Goliath

was the final 12 vote and knocking out John there instead of Mike White because he said that, he said John was his guy, Mike White was Nick's guy and because Nick came up with the plan, they were able to make the target John. And then meanwhile, Mike White was the person who was beating the drum the whole game of Christian is the,

he's the front runner, he's the person with best story, and he's going to win it off. And also, funnily enough, Angelina then thinks that might. Yeah, Angelina's like, I didn't get credit for that, even though it was my idea. Throw her in there, too. I heard Angelina say it first on the show. So she did say it first on the show.

I mean, that's in there. That's canon. Yeah. Yeah. What do you think? How do you think this trio will play out? Yeah, I honestly don't see Christian wanting to work with Mike. I think that's a, yeah, I mean, I think that that's an astute observation, Zach, about, you know, Christian saying his biggest regret was not voting out Mike.

I think that the fact that Christian voted for Mike to win actually points to the deep recognition of Mike's game and how strong it is. and I think that Christian will not want to go up against that because he has been lulled into false complacency by that gameplay before. I think that he won't want to do that again. I also think that there is something to like, I wouldn't know, haven't been a returning player, but I can imagine that you wouldn't want to like relive

some of the same narratives from your last game. And I could see Christian coming up against Mike White and saying to himself, I do not want to try to work with this guy again and then be betrayed again. That would just be such a frustrating way to go. So I agree, Zach, that Christian has made a lot of connections just in the community in the past couple of years.

And I think that he's going to align with folks that he has good rapport with, whether it's through Clock Tower, whether it's through like meeting people at events. And there's a lot of people like that on this season. Yeah. I was going to say, I do also think that there's a world where, let's say Christian and Mike both make it to the merch

because they're not on the same start. tribes, right? I definitely don't think that they're going to be gunning for each other right away. And I could almost see like a Spencer and Tasha style relationship between them where they don't have this immediate, you don't think of like, you think of their season, but you don't think of like, oh yeah, Christian and Mike, like those are two people who are really working together. And if they could like keep that facade and just like keep the targets away from one another and you could throw Angelina into this too. Like she could pull this off with them just as much. I just I have a harder time seeing it personally.

Angelina and I love it have such a public profile. Yes, they're posting with their, like, her babies and stuff and with part of it'd be harder to let off. But do you think I also think that it's, oh, go ahead, go ahead. Or in such a large cast of 24, you know, this is a cast size that we've never seen on this version of Survivor and we know the other one still counts. in terms of like if you're coming into this with I guess there's three of them so 19 other people you have no rapport with you don't know how they think on this level isn't that sense of familiarity whether it's all positive or all negative if it's like neutral to leaning positive

wouldn't that be a comfort as opposed to like a I'm too afraid to gut God but there's so many people here right now I see that but also I think that having a group of of three will inherently be seen as a threat. If those three are ever in the same group, folks will assume that they may work together. And for me, that would be a deterrent. I specifically want to work against those folks because I don't want to be seen as a block with them. So keep that in mind, season 44.

Is that your Tika3 trauma? That is Tika3 trauma right there. It's coming up. PTSD Tika 3 is what I call it. Yeah. But at the same time, like if you're, going to, if you're going to be like, I don't like that three people from the same season they're playing together again, you're kind of, you got to choose one of the trios, right? Because

then you've got to deal with the 48 people who worked immensely close together. You got to deal with the 46 people who are all like a total mess. So the 37 people could actually be like this nice middle ground where they're like kind of strategic, kind of messy, but don't have like that, that connection that we've seen with them. And then they've got like four people from heroes villains playing together, like three people can game changers, you know, like, there's so much that I really do think that like this trio will slide under the radar and not be seen as like a trio threaten that same way. That's true. I do also think like these three people are so different. And I think like talking to them, meeting them, they will feel different though.

I think they could really play off that they're not aligned even if they want to. Did you just admit to be on the White Lotus season four? Because you just said you met all of them. I met all of that. Yeah. Yeah, I actually made a big white lotus cameo. Just wait and see. I'm waiting for mine. I think I could play, like, the, uh, the sun in the white lotus so well. Well, not that you're really, wait, the incestuous one. Not the incestuous one. Unlike, I mean, uh, Mike, you know what? Mike call me. That's the only role we've got, uh, all of us. Send me the script. You'll make it work.

There were some other things in this episode that I wanted to highlight if we're okay with moving away from the three. So I wanted to talk about the eggs. I feel like we got into the jackets quite a bit and how iconic that moment is. The eggs part, rewatching this, it was so crazy to me because I felt like, I was like, oh, my God, there's the easiest solution to this right now and they're just not doing it. Is it what they want for their own things? Yeah, there were 12 eggs. Oh, yes. There were five people on the tribe.

Why couldn't it just be like, all right, each of us gets two eggs, and then these final two, like we'll eat his group right now. Right now we'll split these two and then everywhere else, if you want to cook yours now, if you want to keep yours, why was that not a discussion? Why was that not just what they did? You have Nick Wilson and Learza and Natalie Cole. Are they all really going to get on the same page and care, you know?

I think it's a function. Angelina? Angelina, come on. Yeah. I think the problem is everyone on that tribe thinks they know that. And none of them wants people, like they don't want people to govern their own eggs. They want to tell people what to do. They all think that they have the specialized knowledge or the authority.

So that option is just never going to happen from my perspective. But here, who do you think was right in the egg debacle? Oh, we're so. Obviously. Yeah. I mean, she, we're not qualified. She went to culinary school. Yeah.

We are not qualified to know. She knew. Yes. I would have drawn a smiley face on my egg personally, but. Oh, that'd be cute. Yeah. Why would you have done that? Just for fun.

What would you have used to draw? Yeah, with what implement? Maybe poison because they're porous. And then I would have given it to one of my competitors like that lady on the Belgian Survivor. Oh, yeah. Oh, right, yeah. Yeah, so you had access to a lot of poison.

I will, yeah, I will also say that because I played Survivor so briefly, there's, like, not that much that I can usually watch and be like, oh, that reminds me. me of my experience there. But watching that, watching Natalie, yeah, watching Natalie on this show really does remind me

if Roxroy in a lot of ways. Just in the way that something, they just are so similar. What is it? Anyways, that ass bitch. Having someone come in

with such a clear idea of all right, I'm the leader and I'm going to kind of direct how things go, right? Like that was my experience with Rock's boy. And I can totally see how like in the moment I was like, oh my God, if we could just get rid of this guy, I just didn't see that option because he was the strongest guy in our crime. Maybe if I had pushed it, we actually could have gotten that done because looking back on Romeo and Tori and Swathy and Rea, I actually do think there could have been momentum there. But yeah, Natalie was in such an amazing position, like in terms of how they split.

And it was just a pure personality. Like, we don't want to play. I really found interesting how Mike was like, I can't have my survivor experience be Natalie anymore, you know? Yeah, that's real. That's real. You get so frustrated with people. And then thinking that they were on the extended, you know, 39 day timeline compared

to ours can only imagine how frustrating that would have been. I'm wondering if rewatching this episode, hindsight is 2020, did you all think they made the right decision in voting out Natalie here? versus there's a yes definitely yeah I mean they say it was like Mike had Nick

like Mike had Nick so you know you could argue if it's going to go to a two two next time is that the right move but clearly if somebody's so unworkable and Mike is she so unworkable I mean she clearly took to Angelina she executed on Angelina's

manipulation attempt to get the jacket I mean Natalie Natalie was doing that with no mention that it was Angelina's idea until the very, very end, which to me, if I'm Angelina, that would signal to me that this is actually, even though she's annoying, a good ally who's going to execute on the things that I want to have happened. Yeah. I just, I think there's some, I don't know, I feel like there is a subtlety issue.

And I think that sometimes, even if somebody is loyal to you, if you have to constantly be managing their social interactions or worried they're going to say the wrong thing to the wrong person, and you're trying, especially if you're losing and you have a small group, sometimes having someone that's reliable that can just get the plan done is worth more than the person that is, you may be loyal, but takes a lot of management time, you know? Yeah, I mean, this is also our final three, right? So it is hard to really nitpick this one when it's the three people who end up in the final

three and Learza who would have been the other vote. So, you know, obviously the right move for her. Yeah, I really think that for Mike, who was at the bottom of the Goliaths at this point and wasn't in the majority alliances, there was no reason for him to stay Goliath strong. And because Natalie had rubbed so many people the wrong way, this didn't like, especially in the next episode, it doesn't turn as many heads as the Natalia vote does. Like, people got it. They were like, all right, yeah. We'll let that one go. We didn't mean Goliath strong in that way.

So that's fun. Speaking of a trivia fact that I'm curious if you guys know, do you know there, I think one, two, three, four, five, six. So now there are with David versus Glythe, there are now six seasons where the entire final three has returned. Oh, fascinating. So we're not looking at final two. Six newbies, six newbie seasons, just to be clear. Like, not since David versus. What you mean like in?

No, no, total. just total. David versus Lyme is a final list. Final threes are not including final twos. So final three specifically. Including final twos. So like Amanda. Oh, and so then the third. Oh, yeah, Micronesia.

Amanda and Parvety, Richard. So not include, just to be clear, there are more if we include, because you can include Micronesia All-Stars and Heroes Villains. Oh, Newbie cast, sorry, sorry, sorry. Yeah. China. Oh, no, not China. China's one.

Yeah, China's one. Wait, Todd didn't. Oh, wait, no, wait. China's not one. Okay, so it's five. Oh. It's a great trip. China's out.

China's out. China's out. China's out. China is out. Colby and Tina. No. I'm saying if it's a final two, then the final three is included. So yes, Kaga Yon is a final two, but all three of them return. So Kaga-Oms one. David Ryscliffe is another. Oh.

We're joking. No, no, no. No, we got them. We got this. We got this. It's not Amazon. It's not Pearl Island. Oh, oh.

Oh, oh. Co-Rong. Co-Rong. Co-Rong. Yeah. Korongs also. Yeah. And then it's first few seasons.

First few seasons. Okay, so it's not, you know, Borneo. Yeah, Borneo's one. Oh, yeah. Okay. I know that's that's, that's weird. And there's one more that's kind of a sneaky one. At the beginning, early season?

It's middle seasons. So 10, well, 10 through 20. Oh, Panama. Panama, yeah. Panama's the last one. Oh, that is a sneaky one. I think Panama is one of only two newbie seasons where the entire final four have returned.

Right. Which is interesting. Oh, no, three. It's Kagayan, Panama, and Borneo. Yeah. And I might be missing. If I'm missing some apologies. They didn't need to bring Kelly Wigglesworth back.

They did not. What about the storm? What did you guys think of that? Oh, that was thrilling. That was very interesting to rewatch having played Survivor because, you know, I feel like I didn't really reckon with any, extreme weather on 44, but the thought of being fully evacuated from your camp is fascinating.

I found myself really thinking through the logistics of that. Where did they sleep? You know, how long were they gone? Was there any conversation had or glances made that could have impacted the game that we just didn't see? I'm sure the answer. They were gone over a day. They left on day 12, came back day 14, I believe.

They didn't play 39-day Survivor either. Yeah, true. Did they get, they didn't get food? They, do we know that they had? I see, like, a very basic rations. Like, yeah, if I remember correctly, and this was from when it aired and, like, reading interviews at the time,

I think they were, like, just put in kind of, like, a blank room during the storm and maybe given, like, like a blanket or something. Yeah. Do, right? Yes. That was in the first three days. This one was twice, right?

In episode one and episode this one? They did not get evacuated in episode one. It was just really bad. Bad. Yeah. Yes. Are we sure? And the waves were so choppy that that's basically why Pat was evacuated.

Why Pat was murdered, yeah. Yeah. I would have loved to have had it. The thing is, we had one storm, and it was really bad for 48 hours, but it wasn't bad enough to be evacuated, you know? It was just bad. Was anything blown down? Like, was your flag blown down? It was just wet and raining and windy, but not windy enough to knock anything over.

Okay, really bad. That was really bad. I had not to leave, unfortunately. Yeah, that was right after Jenny got voted out. I remember. God was angry that day. It was not after Jenny left. When was it?

It was the night Rocks where I left, actually. Oh, yeah? God was angry. I remember the rain being really bad after Jenny left. Although, when we were in quarantine before Ponderos, or before while 41 was going on, I remember there was one day where it was like the most torrential downpour I'd ever seen. and I just couldn't stop thinking, like, there are people literally playing in this right now.

Oh, did you triangulate what day that was on? I think, though, the weather was weird because it didn't affect all the islands equally. So I remember waiting to watch that on the show and it never happened. And I wondered if it was just because they didn't get the same type of weather that we did. Because it's kind of far. Yeah, I think it was pretty far. Yeah, maybe it was 41 and they were like, we got too many slow-mo shots of Heather we got fit in. We don't have time.

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Take control of your well-being and book an assessment today. Med-can. Live well for life. Visit medcan.com slash moments to get started. But yeah, the other thing that I thought was really fun in this episode about the storm, first of all, the confessionals are just so fun. Natalie's confessional where she just says, I think we need to go, is so good. I also love a standing confessional, like a hasty, you know, chat with the camera situation.

But similar to our conversation earlier about this like return to camp life and just the reality of like living with people on an island. I think that the storm and the aftermath of the storm really highlighted the severity of living in Fiji in this situation. Like seeing their camps totally flooded, completely decimated. I think it like really helped to remind viewers of how unforgiving the elements can be at a time when, as we discussed earlier, it was becoming very gamey, very advantage laden. We weren't going to new locations.

that was a benefit of the storm as well, I think, for the viewers. Agreed. Yeah. Yeah. The one other thing that I really want to just circle back to was the tribal council itself, which I think even if we hadn't had the iconic, Natalie, is there any way I can get your jacket, Natalie, Natalie, Natalie, Natalie. Which would be a great tattoo, by the way.

Yeah. Surely somebody has that. The tribal, yeah, the tribe, actually, I know Learza does have a jacket tattooed on her somewhere. So, but that tribal council, even without it, is still so good. And it has nothing to do with strategy or gameplay because it is just Natalie, it is Natalie being basically attacked for her threats against Nick and Lirsa and them calling her out. And it is Natalie proceeding to throw Angelina under the bus for it and being like, I love that

moment where she's like, you know, are you going to contribute here at all? do you have anything to say about this? Yeah. And then Angelina saying that was really, that was, that came from such a bright place. That was out of love for me. That took me out. Those are the Angelina moments that are so huge when she just like is in a corner

and explains her way out of whatever situation she's in in the worst way possible. Yeah. Yeah. Horrible. Oh, so good. And then Natalie's complete lack of awareness of how she comes off to others, the shock when, you know, she kind of learns that Mike thinks she's bossy.

Angelina has maybe had differences with her. Yeah. And then she goes, Natalie goes, we haven't had differences. She's calling out Jeff. Jeff is interrupting her and he has to apologize to her. Yeah. And she's like, he's like, I think you always need to have the last word, Natalie. And she's like, no.

That's so funny. You know, we were robbed of her return, honestly. we were yeah you know it just hit me the energy that angelinea gives off throughout this whole season and this episode specifically she gives up such HR rep yes yes like every like even when she's explaining to Natalie like uh what had happened or whatever yeah you're right the way she says that came from a bright place and like i think that that's what people are are sensing from her when they yes she's couching couching reframing exactly She really thinks she's being so subtle. Yeah.

Nobody can see it. And that is just, I can't get over what casting gold she is. Mike is an amazing casting choice and Christian. And the thing is, this cast is so top heavy. You look at people that were left off, like Gabby and Davy and they seem like very obvious all-stars.

And then you see who they picked. And it's like, like this is a very stag cast. Yeah, it is. People from this one alone. Potent casting. I was really struck by that.

Like really everyone was sure. shining in this episode, made it so fun to watch. And Christian especially, I honestly, like, now that I know Christian and, you know, interact with him fairly regularly, I have, like, lost some of the, you know, fascination with him and the way that he communicates. I was, like, laughing out loud watching this episode. He is, like, the narrator. He is so incredible with the way that he describes things, his, like, subtle humor. It's incredible. And, that alone got me so hyped for 50. Like, I just want him to explain things to me for an entire season.

And Angelina are like the chalk one and two picks from each side, I feel like, like, they're so good. And he's, I feel like he's in the best position possible because, you know, he stands out so much just for who he is that they wanted to vote him out because he was so likable on this season. And he's like, bullet after bullet after bullet after bullet. But if you look at, if you're watching these seasons back in preparation for going out there and they, I mean, they all seem to have a relative idea of who.

going to be there. Christian was not somebody that you would look at his game and be like, I can't put any trust in him. He's very actually quite loyal and very straightforward. And it's just nobody wanted to work with him. And that puts him, but he, as we have seen in his clock tower persona, he is capable of a little stabby,

stabby here or there. So I think that that is going to put him in a very good position. And that's why he was my winner pick. Yeah. I think Christian, I think Christian's biggest issue is going to be how many people on this cast did Andrew Savage levels research going into this game.

Because I think that if there are people who are just looking at him and reading the Survivor Wiki, that is a very threatening player that you might want to target immediately. You think so? Kind of like fishback. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. You look at him and you're like, this is a strategist. This is a smart guy.

This is a puzzle master. And that is a very easy perception to have. When you look at the game itself, you're right. He is not someone who is a huge backstabber or blindsided, he is fairly straight up. And his big issue was he's too likable. He's a social player.

That was his massive strength. I mean, you see Gabby crying about it this episode. She's upset about how effortlessly funny he is. Yeah. And easy to get along with for the rocacho's. Yeah, but I think he's going to be able to overcome that. I think the people on his tribe have been keeping up. And especially you look at like all these years, all these people, people have said,

oh, they're a lock, they're a lock, they're a lock. But Christian actually stood the test of time and actually got back on there. Well, that makes me nervous for him as well because I think, like you're saying, Zach, if somebody's doing a superficial pass, they may remember him for, you know, his perseverance and challenges, like the one against Alec.

They may remember him for being a strategist, mostly just because he is really smart and speaks really well. And they'll see that he has been on everyone's returning player list since he played. And I think that that has like inflated his game a little bit in a way that could be dangerous. But I also think that the reality is when you meet Christian and speak with him, he is so approachable. He's so kind that I do think he will be able to downgrade his threat level when he actually gets in there with people.

Agreed. I mean, his tribe, like I think he can work anybody over here. But his tribe, I will say, is like not necessarily the best draw for him. if you look at Surrey and Ozzy there together. Surrey could very easily be threatened by a player like Christian. And then Joe kind of fits in their mold, I would say more. But then he also has people like Emily and Rick that he could. So it's really going to come down to Savannah and Jenna Lewis.

Yeah. Well, I see. See, I kind of look at that tribe and I'm like, okay, there's a good three that I see of Surrey, Ozzie, and Joe. And then there's a three of Rick, Emily. and Christian, and I don't see those two going to war fighting for Genevieve, or not Genevieve, sorry, Jenna Lewis and Savannah. I see those six very smart players being like, this will be an easy two right here, right?

Yeah, absolutely. And then thinking to themselves, hopefully we don't go to tribal too many more times. Let's just deal with these two now and then let the chips fall where they may later. I can very much see that. I see power couple with Jenna Lewis and Christian personally. really there is like you you should have won all stars or you would have won all stars and she's

and then she's all his you know one line she's locked in we haven't we haven't looked at all at Angelina's tribe I'm wondering let's see she has her opposition Colby on it where Colby's telling her everyone that she's chaotic and then Angelina won't be able to help herself

and stop that so immediately And Kobe's going to be with Stephanie. So that's automatically two. That's against her. It's just what will everybody else do? Was Q Pro or anti-Angelina? It doesn't even matter. Who even cares?

I mean, like, Q is. Yeah, Q could, but what Q thinks? He's like, he'll change his mind. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, a lot of ops on this tribe. We have Aubrey Q as well. Based on who Q got along with on his season, I do not think him and Angelina are going to be a natural fit.

I think that her tribe looked to me like the disaster tribe. Which honestly. Kyle and Q, well, Q wasn't not good at challenges. Kyle wasn't good at challenges. Q was really bad at challenges. Oh, no, no, sorry. Q I meant.

Q was not going to challenge. Yeah, yeah. Q was humorously bad at challenges. Kyle was good. We got old man Kobe, Colby, and then we got Riz amaciated. Riz God. Wow, we got some real take.

and RizGyb connected. But I hope I'm wrong. You don't? I can do. I hope they do because that will be really good. And then there's a lot of, there's a lot of like campy people on this tribe. Yeah, absolutely.

It'll be like the campy folks versus the grounded folks. And then it's what? It's Genevieve, it's Genevieve, Aubrey. And then who's the final one? Oh, Stephanie. Oh, Stephanie. All right. You have Colby and Stephanie.

They're going to be too. Yeah. And then you have like the normies, like Kyle and Genevieve. And Aubrey, Aubrey's a Normie. I mean, Risgod's honestly a Normie too. Risgod's a normie. And then so I think it's really going to come down to like Angelina and Colby are just going to go at each other.

And that's what everybody else is going to do. I think that there, I think, I've thought from the start that like Genevieve's threat level is so high. So I think that she might be someone they look at. Rizgod seems like he's not in a great spot because people are just so afraid of the unknown. although he has the benefit of looking like a character much more than he actually was.

Like people think he's like a crazy R-I-Z-G-O-D, you know. Yeah, and he looks like a child. I feel like he comes across a little non-threatening as soon as he opens his mouth. Who's Angelina's best ally on this tribe? Can we think of anyone? I think Aubrey. Yeah, that's a good one.

Yeah, I could see that. I could also see Genevieve, like, making a decision to align with Angelina and kind of like pushing through. the delusion that Angelina brings with her. What's due, sorry? Genevieve, Genevieve and Angelina. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I can see Genevieve thinking, like, I can use Angelina to my advantage and have her be a delusional queen. I see Q and Angelina actually, like, she's going to, like, force her way into his heart, and then they're going to be like, you have your cancel Christmas, I have your jacket. So let's pause some of the news, like,

I think I could see it. Is the Q skirt a jacket? That's the real question. Oh, can I have your Q skirt? Can I have your Q skirt? Yeah, there's synergy there. There's something there. Can I have your Q skirt?

I'm also going to throw in real quick, my prediction, that I think Q is the most likely to go full Rupert this season and just become a catchphrase machine and not even be there. Like, just be such a caricature of himself, because he already was. He's doing it already. I mean, in all of the clips we've seen. So was Angelina. But Angelina is in a hilarious, like it's hilarious that she's doing it, you know?

I think it's hilarious from Q does it too. It is as well. I'm fine for him to be a quote machine. Yeah, Angelina is her own planet, I feel like. Maybe we won't get self-aware Angelina on. We don't want her. We don't need her. We want our delusional.

Yeah. So, okay. Yeah, I'm just wondering, like, who do we think is going to do the best of these three on 50. Take your claim who's making it the furthest. Christian, you, Becky. Christian. Yeah, I agree with that as well.

Yeah, I think he's the one who is obsessed with who? If they're obsessed with Mike, white lovice, I can see that too, but oh, Christian. But what were you saying? Why do you think Christian? I think that Christian has the right combination of friends on the season,

the right reputation going in. He is playing at the right time where if had he played on 40, I think he would have been going in as one of the biggest targets. But this is, they've now seen Kyle, Camilla, Joe, Genevieve, D. I mean, like, there are just so many threats ahead of him that I don't think he's going to get sniped for being too good of a player. Mike White, I think, has issues of not being particularly well connected and not needing the money and being the oldest man there. And Angelina, I think, is on the disaster tribe and is not particularly set up well.

So I do think it's Christian with a bullet. Okay, but are the three trios, 46, 48, 37, who, which group does the best as a whole? I liked, I liked the idea of this group doing the best because 48 is the kind of disaster group. Same. And they're just going to splinter. 46. Or yeah, 46.

And then 48 works too closely. Yeah, I think that 48 is going to be the. group that does the best because yes, they're the biggest targets going in as like a grouping. But when you look at the configurations, I don't see any world where Joe is an early boot on his tribe. Kyle is far away the strongest guy on his tribe. And it's just such a likable guy in such a chaotic group that I don't think the target will ever like center on him early. And then I think Camilla is actually in a pretty good spot on her tribe with D right there if they're going to go for a new era person. And I do think of-

Yeah, yeah, Charlie as well. And I do think that of any of the new era groupings that they have put together, that tribe's new era of D, Charlie, Tiffany, and Camilla, all were very smart, very, like, savvy players. I could see being the one that groups together versus the, you know, it's funny, Jonathan's on that tribe too, but I don't even count him as like, oh, yeah, but he's his own. He will jump in there if that's where the number.

are, you know? But then I just think that I agree with that on paper, but then there's just we have to remember like now it's been months. We've seen all of 49. But at the time, that was like six days after the finale ended where they were all made it to the finale and we're working in very lockstep. And that was like a huge part of all the interviews that came out before. So I have my money on these GVGs. Okay. I'm right there with you. I think that X factor of having just watched 48 is a big obstacle to overcome for them, unfortunately. Yeah, so. We all agree that 46 is no shot.

Yeah. That we can agree on easily. Okay, anything else we want to talk about from this episode, jackets and eggs? I'll give a shout out to, if anyone wants a trip down memory lane of another recap of this episode. they did the, I think it was the Reno, No-It-alls. So there was a live know-it-alls for this episode with like a, I can't remember exactly who it was, but I think it was like Rob, Tyson, Adam, like it was such a great, fishback was back, it was there, I think.

So like, such a great lineup for such an iconic episode. And of course, there was the iconic appearance of Angelina's cousin, who was in the crowd shouting out answers to, really? And they kept saying, because one of the things was like, do we think that Angelina knew that Natalie was going home? And then Angelina was just standing up in the crowd being like, yes. And they were like, all right, Angelina's cousin is here. With the inside scoop.

Oh my God, that's incredible. I didn't know that. Wow, what a stars aligning. That is a great episode for a live No-It-alls. Yeah. Yeah. I love this. I iconic episode.

And actually, this is a season I feel particularly. particularly connected to because on the premiere date of Survivor David versus Goliath, it was announced that Canadians could apply to the show. So it is really the first season that I watched in a very different mindset from all the ones before. Well, I'll say similarly, this around this season was when I've sent in my first video. So it was, you know, hot time for all of us. Very excited. I turned, yeah, I turned 18 as well.

Yeah. Right before Go Silence. That was my first one really, like, thinking I could get on. 37, 38 was the first time I went through casting. So, yeah. I think we all kind of, this was almost our baptism. Jumping off. Yeah.

It's actually being survivor players. So it's been so fun recapping it with you guys. Yes. So glad that you're both here. David Bath, bitch and white guys. Roberta Cisternina. Roberta Cesternino. Well, if there's anyone that could be a Marianne replacement for Annie for our group.

Yes, I feel like I could just slot right in. If you're going to take that spot, we're going to need your jacket. Oh, no. Oh, no, you're going to take that jacket off. You know, that's our. And are you willing to go and get Mary Ann's jacket for us? Oh, I don't know. Is that jacket worth a million dollars?

You're bullying. Probably, yeah. I think her jacket might be worth a million dollars. Yeah, no, actually. If anyone's worth a million dollars, it'd be hers. Awesome. Well, fabulous having you both here. Great to talk about this episode. That's all we, oh, no, the last thing. There's three of us and there's three of them. Who is who? Oh, who is who in the group? You are Angelina. You are Angelina. And there is no doubt about that. Well, as, look, as a regular old white guy, I don't mind, I don't mind taking on Nick Wilson, okay? Yeah. Oh, like, Christian's one of the options.

No, no, yeah, yeah. We know not Nick Wilson. Nick Wilson is not up for grabs. Is that? My cousin, hey. Hey, you're talking about my husband. Talk about his husband like that. Yeah.

Yeah, we moved on for cousins a long time ago. You're Mike White, and then that leaves you as Christian Hupicki. I love that. Sounds good. All right, done. You on 15. All right. Hi.

Yeah, thank you for hosting. Oh, of course. And do we have to plug anything? We got to, what are you plugging? Um, there's probably a couple more episodes like this, recaps of iconic, uh, encore episodes being aired by CBS. So stay tuned for more of those. And all of the great season 50 coverage coming out of R.JP.

Yeah. Fabulous. Plug your own stuff. What do you don't have anything that you got anything to put a word. We play. We play clock tower. Come watch us. Oh, you can also donate to the charity, even though the auction's over.

Yes, you can still donate. Yes, absolutely. We'll get working on something to plug. We'll create something. And thank you. Thank you, Manza's Sleep. All right. Wait, I want one of those.

It's really actually right in the company. Yeah, we can reach us again. Can we get one for doing this one? Yeah, I think we should actually. Thank you. All right. Well, yeah, thank you guys. At a great time.

Yeah. Great time. Peace. All right. Peace out. I'm always looking for those tips and tricks to help optimize my life. Ways to save money, travel better, and make life a little easier. That's why I love all the hacks.

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