The True Dork Times: Survivor stats, stuff

April, 2019

Jeff Pitman's Survivor: Edge of Extinction recaps

Episode 11: No more Wardog has the power

By Jeff Pitman | Published: April 29, 2019

As another big character joins the field of bodies burning, Jeff looks at the uneven characterization of the season as a whole. With four episodes left, all but two or three of the remaining contestants are relatively unknown. Does their newfound prominence presage imminent victory or doom?

Kaiser Island - Edge of Extinction

Episode 11: It gets harder as you get deeper

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: April 26, 2019

It's a somber time, as Ryan reflects on the errant swims, the missed rings, the mud baths, the rice wars, and cheeseries that led to the Wardog's slipping to Extinction. Although at least there was a lot of Reem and Kelley to soften the blow.

Jeff Pitman's Survivor: Edge of Extinction recaps

Episode 10: The dawn of Wardog's early-morning strike force

By Jeff Pitman | Published: April 23, 2019

While it wasn't great to lose both David and Kelley in a single episode, at least Survivor presented the twin evictions in an exciting new way, by using a critical flashback explaining how Wardog struck early to set up the episode-ending blindside. Jeff explores this and other (less great) storytelling choices the show has made in depth.

Kaiser Island - Edge of Extinction

Episode 10: Holy ____, Wardog

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: April 19, 2019

Ryan Kaiser has survived a mountain of pizza and dodged falling balls to bring you this grim report of two returnees felled in a single episode, all thanks to ... dammit, Wardog.

The Golden Ticket - Edge of Extinction

Episode 9: How online mafia explains Survivor

By Ben Martell | Published: April 15, 2019

Ben looks at the implicit majority-vs-minority dynamics and the behavior of 'caught' mafia players in online mafia games, and finds parallels to the implosion of the Kama majority in Episode 9's chaotic live Tribal Council.

Well, in theory... - Edge of Extinction

Episode 9: Julia now understands how swiftly it can change

By Pat Ferrucci | Published: April 14, 2019

Pat talks about how the collapse of Julia's game can be explained by the 'swift trust' organizational theory: as in, while trust is necessary in Survivor, rapidly-acquired bonds are more easily broken, as the younger Kamas did in the previous episode by blindsiding Eric.

Jeff Pitman's Survivor: Edge of Extinction recaps

Episode 9: Chaos is... a pilotable aeronautic vehicle?

By Jeff Pitman | Published: April 13, 2019

Jeff reflects on a fun date with a mostly silent Probst at Tribal, some fun date-related data in making this one day an episode, the eerie silence about the larger game at Edge of Extinction, and some fun facts on challenge performance rates.

Kaiser Island - Edge of Extinction

Episode 9: My spidey sense says it's me

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: April 12, 2019

Amidst the turbulent waters of Tribal Council, one calm, half-idol-wielding chap provides the landing lap for people jumping ship. No, it's not Wardog. Ryan navigates the all-Tribal episode, and recaps its high points and low blows, like hiding the person who has (allegedly) been running the show.

Jeff Pitman's Survivor: Edge of Extinction recaps

Episode 8: Hiding in plain sight: The stealth strategist

By Jeff Pitman | Published: April 9, 2019

Jeff takes an extended dive into trying to read the edit, wondering whether we're seeing a turning of the tide in the season-long editorial disdain for the Wardog, what we're supposed to make of big moves from invisible players, what's up with the extra vote expiration, and more.

The Golden Ticket - Edge of Extinction

Episode 8: Evaluating a big move

By Ben Martell | Published: April 8, 2019

Ben sifts through the episode's plethora of gameplay, finds which contestants played well or poorly, then tackles the larger question of when it's ideal for a member of a large group to make a move against their allies, with historical precedents.

Well, in theory... - Edge of Extinction

Episode 8: The cost of inflexibility: Did Devens just get sunk?

By Pat Ferrucci | Published: April 6, 2019

With the players realigning seemingly at random, Pat turns his attention to Rick Devens and his refusal to work with Wardog. Is Rick's refusal a Survivor example of the behavioral economics concept of the sunk cost fallacy?

Kaiser Island - Edge of Extinction

Episode 8: Civil war

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: April 5, 2019

Ryan takes stock (stake? steak?) of the state of the game after the Kama kollapse, and revels in the no-longer-purple reveals of Aurora and Julia as power players, and Wardog as a number-crunching, ____-logic-playing, actual puppetmaster.

Well, in theory... - Edge of Extinction

Episode 7: It's time for the semi-annual (post-) merge Power Rankings!

By Pat Ferrucci | Published: April 2, 2019

This one is all about power, as Pat takes a mid-season sabbatical to re-rank the remaining dozen (plus four) Edge of Extinction players and their likelihood of victory: Likely, Possible, and Unlikely (no win in impossible at this point).

The Golden Ticket - Edge of Extinction

Episodes 5-7: Why the Edge of Extinction is rigged against Joe

By Ben Martell | Published: April 2, 2019

Analyzing the happenings of Episodes 5-7, Ben Martell questions the continued use of the two-to-three tribes expansion swap, argues that Joe's early dismissal to the Edge will actually work against his chances of returning, and picks his potential winner for the season.

Jeff Pitman's Survivor: Edge of Extinction recaps

Episode 7: A chance to be daring, swiftly avoided

By Jeff Pitman | Published: April 1, 2019

It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times. Edge of Extinction's merge tried to do too much in one hour, and while the re-entry challenge worked well, the post-return portion was a confusing mess. Still, here's an attempt to discern Joe's intent, the edit's foreshadowing, and what's going on with the jury.

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