Ep.14: Breaking Brad

Published: May 30, 2017

In his final look back at the season, Jeff questions the uneven narrative, praises Sarah's win, laments Cirie's ridiculous expulsion, evaluates the new jury format, and offers suggestions for future improvement.

Pre-Ep.14: Jury jeopardy S34

Published: May 23, 2017

The True Dork Times writers (Ben, Dan, Pat, Jeff) combine their prognosticatory powers to predict the outcome of the Game Changers jury vote. And beat RHAP, Inside Survivor, and Reality Blurred, of course.

Ep.13: Compressed days, compressed plays

Published: May 22, 2017

As the Survivor: Game Changers finale approaches, a look back at the pre-finale episode's tumultous advantage play and misplay, and how backloading most of the season's action into the final seven days limits strategic gameplay.

Ep.12: Back from the brink, maybe?

Published: May 15, 2017

With the finale two episodes away, Jeff questions the emerging Hero vs. Criminal narrative, whether the Legacy Advantage actually hurt Sierra, the Michaela/Tai new power couple, and the worst-case scenario for Game Changers.

Ep.11: Why is this season so depressing?

Published: May 9, 2017

Jeff explores mutually assured strategist destruction, the numbers, and Sarah's army vs. Brad's army. If that's not depressing enough, there's also a vidcap gallery.

Ep.10: Playing like a Tony

Published: May 1, 2017

Jeff takes a deeper look at Sarah's game-changing decision, Debbie's exit, and Cirie's rewarding (sort of) moment in Episode 10, " A Line Drawn in Concrete," of Game Changers.

Eps.8-9: So who's in charge in here?

Published: April 24, 2017

Jeff looks at the panoply of emergent chiefs in the new Maku Maku tribe, that great Cirie-Michaela moment, Ozzy's record-setting exit, other sundry game changing, and more.

Ep.7: Losses and gains

Published: April 15, 2017

Jeff Pitman looks at the damage done in the awful Tribal Council from Episode 7 of Game Changers, but also at the potential good that did and can come from it. Plus a look ahead at the merge.

Ep.6: Viva la reina

Published: April 10, 2017

Jeff Pitman examines the career of Queen Sandra, the new Exile Yacht, Cochran, Debbie, Tai, and the rapidly metastasizing idols/advantages in Episode 6, "Vote Early, Vote Often," of Game Changers. Plus a vidcap gallery.

Ep.5: Is she acting?

Published: April 3, 2017

As Survivor the game has changed, so has Survivor the TV show. Except in this episode, which seems to have borrowed some of the worst (read: thespian) impulses of the All-Stars season.

Ep.4: Beaten by a bunch of rules

Published: March 26, 2017

It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times. But it didn't need to be. Jeff Pitman's lengthy dissection of all that's wrong with the two tribes, one vote twist.

Ep.3: New respect for old goats

Published: March 19, 2017

Jeff takes a look at the Goat Rehabilitation Program evident in Episode 3 of Game Changers, including actual goats, and also some older male returning Survivor players.

Eps.1-2: Marketing vs. gameplay

Published: March 14, 2017

Jeff looks at the two booted players from the premiere double episode of Survivor: Game Changers, and asks to what extent returning players can counteract their made-for-TV reputations.

Cast: Game Changers cast projections

Published: February 18, 2017

Jeff examines the 20 Game Changers players' chances of success, sorting them into four tiers of decreasing probability: Likely, Possible, Unlikely, and Impossible.

Pre-S34: Could this Game be one for the record books?

Published: February 13, 2017

Jeff gives you a head start to contemplating the many Survivor records that could fall during this all-returnee Game Changers season. From longevity to voting to idols to challenges to stuff you care even less about, probably.

Pre-season: We have to go back! But should we?

Published: January 8, 2017

Jeff Pitman runs the numbers to examine how returning Survivor contestants have performed in their second (or later) appearances, to answer whether it really is worth playing for (again). A cautionary tale in a mere six graphs. And one table.