Rewatching E5

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Superboats:
--Cealey and Dakota - still a better love story than Twilight. Or Aaron and Sabrina.
--Aric is shady with how he suggests some members of PROG should go up to Temple. I like that.
--Alex: "It's not classy if you don't [try hard]."
--Is the "Superboats twist because producers feared Cealey would throw it" idea the only conspiracy theory on endurance?
--Cameron: "I leave your fate in my hands."
--Kristine: "It's weird putting my fate in Purple's hands--I want to be able to decide my own fate."
--At one point, Connor and Taylor look like they're sinking, haha.
--In an interview, Aric mentioned they could've represented their superteam in the challenge, but they just surrendered to Blue early on. Do you think they could've won otherwise? Despite Blue keeping it somewhat close, Lilly would have stronger legs than Taylor, and that would've made the difference.
--Nice try, Max.
--Kelsey is quite blunt towards Yellow (and Blue, to some extent) for not making an alliance. I'm starting to see that, but I think we would be far more critical of Blue had they were eliminated in Yellow's spot, rather than in the final three. As if they had the power and just used it to appease the popular kids.
--J.D: "You're either really good, or very lucky." More good than lucky, but go on.
--Dakota: "My mama says I'm a good folder." So do I.
--Connor: "But it's lose-lose, because either I leave or the Yellow Team leaves. The Yellow Team is just so nice and they really deserve to be more than probably some of the people who are safe right now." What a burn.
--On Lilly's shirt, Taylor writes, "Thank you for having my back 110%" Interesting.
----It's also a nice gesture for everyone to sign Lilly's shirt--I wonder if she still has it.
--Wait...in the clip, Yellow chose water, but it's fire when it's shown. Was there a tie we didn't know about?
--J.D.: "And nobody could say you didn't play the most honest game out here."
--It's kind of sad we saw Yellow and Blue up at Temple so early--both would be the underdog team no matter whom comes back, but we wouldn't have the presence of the other. Lilly and Aric could've proven themselves more in challenges (Lilly would definitely rival Cealey in It's a Drag), but Connor and Taylor had a more interesting arc about them (no conspiracy theories here--be cool). Another unlucky Yellow Team.

My favorite teams through the end of this episode:
1. Blue: For all the drama and the missed moves they could've made, I still really like them as a team. They seem to function more as the anti-heroes to some extent (in contrast to the pure heroics of Monroe and Bryanah), but I'm glad Connor and Taylor work well together and hold on through it all. We'll see more of the persistent side of them in the second half of the season.
2. Yellow: Oh, what could've been for these two! Lilly is just so awesome and down-to-earth; I wonder how strong she would've been? And Aric definitely spits out truth with the whole popularity contest thing!
3. Gray: Torn between them and Purple, but they seem to win me over on this rewatch. Darci has grown on me a bit as an insightful contestant, and Ike would've made a good contestant had he not run his tongue early on in the game.
4. Purple: With this rewatch, I'm seeing how ruthless and pretty cliquey Purple were. Dakota was a strategist extraordinaire (probably rivaling Sabrina from e1), and Kelsey came off as a bit more entitled in some scenes. That said, this preppy team still holds themselves in challenges and knows how to play the game well.
5. Green: I think this is the point before Alex and Cealey start to be really carried. While Alex was just there to make some quips about the game, but I have a certain admiration to Cealey's determination in challenges. (Oh how this will age horribly within the next few episodes...)
6. Red: They seem like nice people, but are just there in the grand scheme of things. Aeriel does have a bit of a conscience, however. (And how would've they done had they received the Triangle of Immunity instead?)
7. Orange: Such a filler team. Plus, they threw a challenge in the hope of getting an advantage. For real...? (Also, Bryan mentioned how we hardly get to know them as well, whereas with the editing on endurance 1 they would've been fleshed out more.)

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It's a Drag:
--"But the next time you send a team to Temple, send them by how they perform in missions and how they treat others, not by how loud, cool, or funny they are." That tea is scalding!
--Connor: "I don't know how happy I am getting those pieces because we're the biggest target here." He didn't look quite happy when he found out he got Yellow's pieces. I'm also surprised none of the other teams kissed up to Blue right about now.
--Dakota: "We'll decide when we win." Telling.
--Interesting that Purple was considering sending Green at this point, as Orange put up the idea when they won that Superteam mission. Why the sudden change?
--This has to be the first proper "history lesson" on this show since endurance 1! (Also, wouldn't these settlers also have animals too?)
--Cealey's determination in this mission is everything.
--Did Connor swear at 5:52?
--"Come on, get angry!"
--Blue's using the wrong technique here--no wonder they're not going that far.
--Alex and Cealey did what Shep and Calley were supposed to do in Cherry Picker, haha.
--That said, I like this mission in particular!
--Alex: "This is the start of many more to come." We'll see, we'll see...
--That Rock-Paper-Scissors scene is just so funny. It always stands out to me!
--Did Taylor say something behind the scenes about wanting Green gone? Because it's a bit less apparent here than in the next episode.
--Dakota has no shame at this point.
--Max is a little rascal.
--Why does Kelsey remind me of Jon, in this case (in that she refuses to backstab somebody unless it's totally necessary)? In contrast with Dakota's Sabrina.
--Taylor: "Kelsey's a great friend, but it's a game, and I can't trust anybody except my partner."
--Dakota: "Connor, this is the second time I've had to say goodbye to you!"
----Connor: "There will probably be a third. And a fourth and a fifth." He knew...
--I didn't think about these good luck charms at all. I wonder if Taylor or Kelsey still have them.
--We need the BTS footage (including tied rounds) for this Temple, haha.
--"We are all tied up." *instant war flashbacks* (I'm honestly not looking forward to watching that episode.)
--Taylor's snark at Temple >>>>>
--Max: "It's a game--it's not like...a sin." Sure Jan...
--The sheer lack of enthusiasm is telling. Only Aeriel is quite happy.

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Create Your Own Game:
--Did J.D. run out of shirts during production? He wore the same one from the premiere.
--"Blue team--even though they take beating after beating, has the lead!" Good thing they didn't have a piece-stealing Samadhi at hand!
--Dakota: "Yes, I can see." It would be interesting for a blind person to compete in such a show.
--Max with the warning for Red!
--In what missions was that pole used? It looks like something that got recycled from Pipeline. Was there a mission which they wanted to use but didn't get a chance to?
--Connor: "No, you're too good at it--I don't want to do it." Haha
--How long did the contestants have to create this game? What was the filming schedule like?
--Dakota should've just stood up and told about the game he wanted.
--J.D: "Are you trying to steal my job here?" Haha.
--Can we all agree that Taylor hitting Green's ball was an accident? Thanks.
----Ironically, in terms of integrity, Connor had Taylor go back at one point because she stepped over the line.
--Run Kelsey run!!!
--carsonvega I don't see the problem with Taylor doing a victory dance. All the other teams were after them at this point, so why not let oneself go when things go your way?
--I appreciate Connor's honesty here.
----I wonder had Red won the next Temple Mission, would they try to give Blue a reprieve? But then there's the Triangle of Immunity involved, so...
--I've been accused of cheating once, during a Geography Bee in seventh grade. I was one of the final two students in my class and then a bunch of classmates start accusing me of cheating, and cheering for the other student. I shouted at them and ended up not finishing the quiz, because I was going to be late for algebra. This happened a few years afterward, but I could relate to how upset Taylor was.
----That said, couldn't they just talked it out afterward?
--Cealey: "Why are you talking to Taylor? That's the enemy you're talking to...You get close to her, she's not going to send you, she's going to send your best friend--your true best friend." That awkward moment when Taylor and Kelsey are still friends to this day...
----Also, this reminds me of a comment made on Angelcake's commentary for this episode: "I think this was the moment Kelsey realized what type of person Cealey was. They may have clicked and became fast friends in the beginning, but Kelsey was not a “mean girl” and she seemed more genuine with Taylor and disgusted by Cealey."
----The "You lost because you suck" comment killed me on his review.
--Taylor not responding to Connor asking if they have to win the next mission is telling. While I could understand Taylor and why she wants to hand it to someone else, Connor made the right call.
--I didn't know Cealey was that jealous of Kelsey's friendship.
--Kelsey: "Cause you've been hanging out with Dakota..."
--"So I'm going to hang out with Taylor because you're taken now." Haha.
--WTH, Cealey?!
--I just want to give Taylor a hug now.
--Honestly, I've never seen any estimation of any endurance contestant plummet further than with Cealey (though I know she's better than this in real life). Up to and including "It's a Drag", she seemed like a really cool and determined contestant, who basically carried Green through the mission and looked to be a badass like Erika or what could've been with Lilly. Here, she makes an accusation and doesn't bother to clear things up (though Taylor doesn't either--I don't know why), and then becomes totally obnoxious about the whole thing. Does this make her worse than Sabrina or Nicole? No, and I don't see why (other than the fact she was carried, whereas Sabrina and Nicole proved their mettle in missions), but her behavior here was just not right.
----However, a part of me thinks that Cealey is closer to Annie from endurance 2 in this case. Both are strong girls who work well with their partners, but are primarily known for their conflicts with more emotional girls (Cealey with Taylor, Annie with Calley). While Green would go further in High Sierras than Purple on endurance 2, it seems like Purple had a lot more to prove in their case. As in, Cealey was with the popular clique, whereas Annie was not. Something to think about, especially as I'm on Taylor's side here, whereas I lean towards both in Annie v. Calley.
--"...and they have six pieces." Was Kelsey already assuming Blue would get eliminated the following day?
----On the old forums, one commenter suggested that Kelsey faked her friendship with Taylor, to which Kelsey responded: "Im kinda lost. My friendship with Taylor was never fake. I got so close with her on the show. Yeah I was two-faced to Cealey when she was all over me about my friendship with Taylor, but I admitted that like a 20 times. I was stupid and I just wanted her to quit yelling at me."
--I wonder if there's an endurance Mission that never happened this season.
--"No team has ever become endurance champions without making at least one trip to the Temple of Fate before the finals." Aaron and Jonna: Are we a joke to you?
--Alex was so irrelevant this season.
--Cealey's doing her best to get out of an awkward situation.
--"I don't necessarily think she was cheating..." I'm calling foul on her interpretation of events.
--It's wild that Blue won all the Samadhis this season. That said, I can't help but think that Connor and Taylor would also give up all their pieces to avoid Temple for only one night.

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Other notes from CYOG:
--Apparently in the old forums, Taylor mentioned that the producers had come down and tell Cealey that the former didn't cheat, but Cealey wouldn't accept it. Was that true, and how did these chats work?
--Did the commercials set up the Blue Team for the fall? Because it really hyped about the stakes of winning the final four Temple Mission.
--I bet the High Sierras cast would've loved things to play out like Tehachapi, haha. And the Tehachapi cast would've wanted something like e5.

Fill'er Up:
--Again, we go straight to the challenge. I wonder why...
--Connor: "I kind of have a good feeling for today."
--Dakota: "We wanted it our way for the top three." Hint hint.
--Connor knows his endurance curses inside and out.
--Yeah--Purple's pipe looks like the same length as the rest. What if the Samadhi was their tube (to collect the water) was smaller than everyone elses'? But considering they're doing so well, it wouldn't matter.
--Cealey screaming "come on Purple" has Jackie throwing stuff at Blue energy, except with a bit more hope in her.
--What is Blue doing wrong in their technique?
--It's interesting to see the different dynamics with Purple/Green this season vs. that on Tehachapi--the girls are closer in terms of friendship, whereas it's the boys (Jonathan and Isaac) on Tehachapi--Jeszie looked to be closer to Erika than she was with Daniela. In addition, Purple on Tehachapi held their own within the alliance, and they managed to get along with the non-alliance members.
--Why does High Sierras seem to have more races than usual?
--It's kind of hard to see where the "kings of second and third place" hit for the Green Team--these two missions, they were third, but out of four. What's the sense in that?
--Franke's quote from Cubed ("So if you want to send us, fine...just remember me as I am now. Filled with anger and rage.") just rings in my head right now.
--Purple definitely seems spoiled, in that they didn't have to use the Triangle of Immunity at all. That said, they did a good job in forming a noose through their alliances, and ensured some bit of security that way. While I'm not averse to the Triangle as a concept, how do you guys think it could've improved (e.g. carsonvega's suggestion that it gets passed to another team up to the final four)?
----Cameron and Aeriel are what Demian and Nicole would've been had Gray won You're Fired.
--"It almost seems like I don't have to ask." How many times did J.D. say this kwdrewfan?
--"This is a very recurring theme." At this point, this isn't even funny anymore!
----What's funny about this is how the only other team to get sent to Temple three times (not because of losing the final three Temple Mission) is Lana and Trevor!
--I want Taylor's undefeated shirt (if she still has it)!
--Cameron: "If the Red Team survives tonight, everyone is going to go crazy back in the treehouses, and we're just going to have a big giant party tonight." I can't imagine what would that party have looked like.
--What was Taylor holding in her hand (along with her pieces)?
----Also, it looks like the editing team made a mistake and showed a clip of Taylor from It's a Drag (different shirt and hairstyle).
--For those who have better memories than I do, did you think this would happen going into this episode?
--"Did the Blue Team just play their final round on endurance..." Oh man, things have gotten serious with this line.
--"Bandidos" works really well with this scene.
--I always associate "Final Risk" with this final round.
--"Taylor cannot even bear to look!" If I could, I would've just ran out!
--"You guys did it and you did it with class..." How? In some ways, they seemed to be in the background versus Purple and Green. In fact, Cameron and Aeriel deserved more screentime than they ultimately got. (Or they could've maneuvered better within their alliance and spoke out when they could.)
--Connor: "They can't get rid of us!" 
--Iconic, just iconic. Connor and Taylor surviving three trips to Temple just shows their grit despite it all (or they should just compete in rock-paper-scissors tournaments next time), and it's just beautiful (but nerve-wracking) to see! I can't help but admire them (especially seeing Green and Purple feel deflated when they come back).
----Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to tell my kids that the season ended here and we lost all the footage from the last three episodes...

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All Tied Up:
--Cameron and Aeriel's comment to the Blue Team was so heartwarming.
--And then they throw serious shade on Cealey--bring it.
--"Basically, you're the reason we're gone."
--"Karma has a way of rearing its head at the oddest times."
--I would've wanted to help Taylor too.
--The sheer hatred of the Green Team kills me. Maybe not that, but the snubbing of them, as if they got enough help already.
--Interesting how Max voted for Connor, as Orange tried to knock Blue off (and shaded Taylor in their letter). A change of heart, perhaps?
--Ike and Darci gave their votes for the Yellow Team--not too surprising, but it's also why they weren't shown.
--Alex: "It taught me a lot--you have to stay competitive, but you also have to stay friendly."
--Dakota: "I didn't make any enemies besides the Gray Team." The lack of self-awareness here is glaring--even Sabrina openly admitted to being a liar.
--"We hate Cealey!" I don't, but I don't think she made the right calls throughout.
--Was Taylor reading a book? Or was that her endurance diary?
--When did Purple help anybody out on anything? They were just puppetmasters throughout.
--Connor and Taylor hugging before the challenge <3
--Kelsey crossed herself--funny considering she mentioned in her bio (on the old forums) she's not Jewish.
----Karma works hard, but God works harder.
--I actually like this challenge, though it's overwhelmed by what's to come.
--Had Green won the mission, that would be the sweetest character development throughout this season.
--This is especially hilarious considering J.D. incorrectly stated no team has won endurance without going to Temple before the finale. And this is the second time a team would go to the finale without going up to Temple.
--I don't think Blue used the right tactics to start with.
--It's interesting to see Taylor and Dakota being friends, seeing that Taylor got lied to multiple times.
--Alex: "I love you Connor--I love you!"
--"It's what we always do!" Did Cealey and Alex overhear it?
--Probably the cruelest elimination ever, in terms of how much the Blue Team struggled (though Red the following season got screwed with that twist). Admittedly, they could've maneuvered better when they had power, but the way they took on challenges and stuck together throughout. even during times when they didn't agree with each other (CYOG), they didn't lash out or try to get into a fight. Someone commented on how Connor managed to strategize and make his points without hurting Taylor's feelings or getting frustrated, and that's also admirable.
----It maybe because of the timing of when I watched, but Connor and Taylor were my Monroe and Bryanah. Sure, Connor didn't have the same iconicness which Monroe had (in terms of personality), and one could get more irritated with Taylor than with Bryanah (and the former wanted to get in with the group whereas the latter held her own and didn't really care). But they were those kids who held their own against the popular clique and thrived despite it all. Also kudos to Taylor--she was emotional, but had the teamwork to win two missions with two different partners and accomplished an endurance first. I have the biggest soft spot for her, and nothing but love for the both of them. <3 <3
----J.D: "An unbelievable journey for you guys. Legendary...throughout all the adversity, everything you overcame to get down to the final three seemed impossible. And yet, you did it." So did Monroe and Bryanah, haha. (Now, come to think of it, what if those two teams were to face off with each other?)
----They even made Alex and Cealey recognize their efforts! (In addition, Cealey mentioned in the reunion podcast they had an additional weekend before this mission, where they managed to get closer and has some fun. She also says that she wished people would know about this rather than the drama)
--Was there a reason for the different musical cue this time? Usually, they would have one song for eliminations, but they changed it up for this case. Shows how much Blue has held on and how sad their elimination was.
--And just like in Hawaii, the two friends from the beginning face off in the finale. (thanks @firetruck421 ) (We were also robbed of the final battle between Purple and Blue!)
--And this episode killed any rewatch value of e5 for me. </3

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Slingshot Alley:
--Why did they leave out the "I love you Taylor" from the final edit?
--I was very, very upset too. I didn't cry this time, but still so tragic. :,(
--Remember when Kelsey wanted to befriend Taylor so they could get Blue's pieces? LOL--they're all up for grabs!
----Seeing how shady all the notes were this season, what do you think Blue would've written for the final two teams?
--Not winterizing those treehouses has to be one of the biggest mistakes that production has made.
--Cealey: "I remember Taylor being a person just like me..." It seems like this rewatch, Taylor and Cealey are very take-charge people (the former with how to decide the girl who got the free pass and an attempt with the partner selection, the latter with the team switch), and tended to react in different ways when it didn't go their way. especially with Taylor, they retreated to the sidelines after the early episodes, which is quite interesting.
--Dakota: "We love Orange--we always loved Orange." Sure--then why were they just expendable throughout the season?
--"Yellow was so cool and we never really gave them a chance." Hmm...I wonder why...
--Alex: "I really never was the most artistic child."
--Alex: "I'm not going to say it was comfortable, but I've learned to appreciate mattresses." Haha.
--Cealey: "We want to prove to everybody that Purple didn't need to carry us the entire way--we earned our Right to Stay." Kind of mixed with this quote--I could see it with Cealey, less so with Alex (especially considering he got the free pass from Aric).
--Aric and Darci died so Alex and Kelsey could live!
--Alex: "Right now, it's the Red Sox, versus the Yankees." Not sure this is the apt metaphor here...that better explains Yellow vs. Blue from endurance 1.
--Dakota: "I don't think it's going to be hard, I think it's going to be fun." Famous last words.
--The way Kelsey is talking in that interview makes it sound like they'vehad to overcome stuff. Weird.
----On another note, it's still wild that only three other teams (including Red the following year) have overcome the Samadhi.
--J.D: "Never before have more pieces been up for grabs..." e2: Am I a joke to you?
----That said, more pieces, more fun! (Which is why Float Your Boat was so meh in practice, as Gray cruised to victory. Do you think it would've been the same had Yellow made it back?)
--I wish Cealey's competitiveness translated more to challenges.
--According to Kelsey's interview, her contact went missing and that impacted her game. Maybe that's why she's twisting the slingshot so much.
----I wonder how Blue would've done with this--they could get nothing and still have the lead!
--Alex: "Dive baby dive!"
--How many times have we heard Cealey scream throughout this season? This should be a drinking game.
--Alex: "I feel good; I can smell Hawaii!" Where was this Alex all season? He was so irrelevant, and now he's making these quotes?
--Dakota: "This is the first time in this game when I felt a team could actually beat us." That is telling about how much Purple wrapped on their finger.
--Gonna cry now? You should've thought about that before carrying Green all this way! You could've saved Red when you had the chance.
----The real karma was the friends we made along the way that Kelsey and Cealey haven't talked much after the show, if at all. (And as mentioned before, Kelsey and Taylor stayed good friends afterwards)
--It's so great that Purple recognized how great Blue was now. Took them a few episodes to realize this, but yay!
--Dakota: "I tried to make the best of it--I was branded as the leader, and so I went with it!" Were there any other candidates for this position all season?
--J.D. struck that iron hard.
----J.D: "Don't you find it interesting you've kind of masterminded this plan--Cameron follows through with it...and that team, that came out of that lie, the Blue Team, ends up being your biggest competitor here?" That's karma.
--Somehow the endings of the last three seasons got mixed up--Green and Purple making the final together in Tehachapi (though I do love Red!), Blue winning in High Sierras, and Red winning in Fiji. They just happened in the wrong seasons. Not a conspiracy, but it's just funny to think about.

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Finale:
--I can't not associate the first musical cue with Blue getting eliminated. Ugh...
--One team went to Hawaii here, eight teams went there two years earlier!
--Kelsey: "To make it far in this game, you have to be a strong person." Her interview here was really nice and thoughtful.
--"Battled through trolls and ogres" is a bit of an exaggeration there.
--Dakota: "Seeing Green take that away from me will not be fun." Telling. Once again it shows how pretty entitled the Purple Team was throughout this season.
--When it gets to Alex, I can't help but think of Drew (from Angelcake productions) fast forward off to the final mission because he couldn't stand the Green Team. I thought that was quite funny.
--I'm not buying that Green became mission beasts after It's a Drag (almost with All Tied Up and with Slingshot Alley)--they did poorly in the two missions following it.
----I forgot to add to this, but while I appreciate Green's redemption arc after they found out the Karma vote (the "I love you Taylor" was the cherry on top), it came too little, too late to act upon that.
--Lilac Crush throughout the recap >>>
--Cealey really loves giving out those kisses!
----Speaking of which, where does Cealey kissing Dakota fall in the iceberg?
--The way Alex says "Game, okay--done, let's leave" was quite funny the first time I watched it.
--Kelsey: "Luck is usually not in your favor if you're too full of yourself." Interesting analysis, considering who is saying it.
----It's honestly funny to see the downfall of the Purple Team unfold.
--J.D: "either way, you're actually going home--win or lose!"
--Kelsey's wearing glasses here, which justifies the lost contact theory.
--So much flip-flopping here.
--Dakota: "We still have courage..."
--Kelsey began the season crying and ended it crying.
--Alex: "It's okay guys."/Kelsey: "No it's not!"
--Alex: "It's just a game." Sure jan...
--Did Kelsey crying muffle the audio?
--J.D: "The biggest decision since you've guys been here."
--I love the irony of Perseverance being Purple's final piece--not only it's a virtue they haven't had to display much of (save for Fill'er up), it's also Blue's first piece, and they've shown the most of it. Unfortunately, they're not here!
--So much irony here.
--Fortunately, Alex and Cealey are better than Demian and Nicole, because this feels like the endurance Hawaii finale except if Orange won. The bad guys somehow win this season (though there was a bit more suspense to this than with the anticlimax of e3. That's a redeeming quality).
--While I could understand why people now think that Green deserved to win more than Purple, I still don't think so. Green did good with the social game, but their reliance with Purple and their manipulation really hampers their claim to be the endurance champions. Contrast that to Franke and Erika from the previous season--they managed to balance things with Purple-Green and themselves, and been through quite a bit more than Alex and Cealey (two Samadhis, including getting locked out of a challenge due to it getting finished before they could start, and going up to Temple more than once). So while they won less than Green and Purple that year, Red in Tehachapi was a bit more self-reliant than Green (of High Sierras) in controlling their fate, which made their win warranted.
----On an additional note, it seems like Alex and Cealey are a Walmart version of Franke and Erika on paper--in terms of personalities, not in terms of strategies.
----As for attitudes, I get that Alex and Cealey tried to make up for their past mistakes, and that's good! I hope they have good lives and are happy! And Kelsey and Dakota came off as smug and entitled throughout these last three episodes, which definitely showed their lack of self awareness in terms of how they played the game. But a good attitude alone does not a winner make. It's almost like saying Christian and Ashley deserved to make the finale over Jon and Sabrina on e1. The Red Team do come off as friendlier and more honest than Yellow (especially in comparison to Sabrina), but with their mission wins and strategy, they wouldn't make good winners (though any other team other than Aaron and Jonna winning would mean we wouldn't see the show bloom the way it did. Plus people would be mad.)
--Rewatching e5 was a thoughtful experience, as it went back to the drama levels of Hawaii after Tehachapi's palate cleanser. It's interesting to get a better feel of the power dynamics of PROG (especially how Orange and Red get shifted off to the side as time went on), as well as how Blue missed an opportunity to take control, but took in the punches anyway. The team switch definitely added to this season in terms of the stakes. At the same time, it does feel like a Hawaii redux in terms of the storylines--even the final three has their counterparts with each other! While the RTS showed promise in challenges, they seem to blur together at points; four stand outs are Unwind, Move it Along, It's a Drag, and All Tied Up (and the last one is a heartbreaker. ). Definitely an interesting season to watch (or rewatch), but one with an unsatisfying ending.
----Surprisingly, High Sierras didn't age as badly as I thought. There were definitely some good moments there, along with some dynamics which I didn't think about otherwise. Though the editing team needed to flesh out some of the contestants more (Orange and Red teams as a whole. And did I mention how Alex was irrelevant all season?), and there was a bit too much cliquishness to go around.
--This is another season where a reunion is truly missed. Though it seems like the contestants took care of that for themselves, haha.

[carsonvega]

Sept 9, 2022 16:29:53 GMT -5 amplify26 said:

Create Your Own Game:

--carsonvega I don't see the problem with Taylor doing a victory dance. All the other teams were after them at this point, so why not let oneself go when things go your way?

Doing a victory dance was definitely small potatoes compared to what Dakota, Cameron, Cealey, and the others did with the partner switch.  And it probably would not have made any difference if Taylor had not danced - the other teams still would have tried to take Blue out.  It would have been a slightly more mature response - perhaps better karma - to not dance, but it is of course unreasonable to expect 12-15 year-olds to respond maturely in every situation.  My main point in talking about it earlier was that it made me think of Taylor as slightly less unfairly targeted/picked on than I had thought before.

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Sept 14, 2022 12:35:13 GMT -5 carsonvega said:

Sept 9, 2022 16:29:53 GMT -5 amplify26 said:

Create Your Own Game:

--carsonvega I don't see the problem with Taylor doing a victory dance. All the other teams were after them at this point, so why not let oneself go when things go your way?

Doing a victory dance was definitely small potatoes compared to what Dakota, Cameron, Cealey, and the others did with the partner switch.  And it probably would not have made any difference if Taylor had not danced - the other teams still would have tried to take Blue out.  It would have been a slightly more mature response - perhaps better karma - to not dance, but it is of course unreasonable to expect 12-15 year-olds to respond maturely in every situation.  My main point in talking about it earlier was that it made me think of Taylor as slightly less unfairly targeted/picked on than I had thought before.

Oh, I get what you mean now--especially considering that Taylor has a more abrasive personality than Bryanah, for example. Maybe it aroused suspicion from Cealey and led to the "cheating" drama? (Not that it was justified, of course)
I was just curious because Taylor was someone I rooted for in particular (despite her personality flaws).

P.S. It's nice to see you again here!

[carsonvega]

Sept 14, 2022 23:13:39 GMT -5 amplify26 said:

Oh, I get what you mean now--especially considering that Taylor has a more abrasive personality than Bryanah, for example. Maybe it aroused suspicion from Cealey and led to the "cheating" drama? (Not that it was justified, of course)
I was just curious because Taylor was someone I rooted for in particular (despite her personality flaws).

P.S. It's nice to see you again here!

Thanks!  I had some personal stuff/life getting in the way over the last couple of weeks, so I wasn't able to check in on this forum as much as I would have liked.

I think it's possible that Taylor's dancing might have made Cealey more likely to start the "cheating" drama, but I'm not sure.  I would definitely agree that the whole "cheating" drama was completely unjustified regardless.

As regards Taylor versus Bryanah...I think if I had to pick between them as partners I would pick Taylor.  Bryanah was part of winning 4 missions (Bagging on You, Out on a Limb, Bamboo Jungle, and Try Tri Again), whereas Taylor was part of winning only 3 missions (Hot Potato, Move It Along, and E5 CYOG).  But Taylor played a large role in all 3 of her wins, while Bryanah didn't have to do much of anything for E3 Yellow to win Out on a Limb (all Monroe in that one), and Bryanah wasn't the leader and really only had to be better than Vanetta to win Bamboo Jungle - so I'd argue Taylor's combination of wins was more impressive, particularly because she did it with 2 different partners, as you pointed out.  From a strategic standpoint, I would also argue that Bryanah's fixation on Chris - which likely played a role in E3 Yellow not sending Gray and Orange to the temple after their win in Bagging on You - was a worse error than any decision Taylor made.  Taylor may have had a little more conflict overall, but the Purple-Green-Red-Orange alliance in E5 was much stronger than the Gray-Purple-Orange-Red alliance in E3, so I think that mitigates Taylor's responsibility at least somewhat.

[amplify26]

Random note, but I was x years old when I noticed this:
In most seasons of Endurance, there were at least two teams from the non-dominant alliance in the final five (E1: R/Y/B vs Orange and Green; E2: G/Y/B vs Purple and Orange; E3: P/O/G vs Yellow and Brown).

In High Sierras, Blue was the only team not in the dominant alliance at that point.

I'm not sure if it meant that their moves in Move it Along really backfired, or if it makes their underdog arc more compelling, but I find it quite interesting.
Also, PROG on e5 didn't have any true defectors (Red only acted when they were eliminated, and Orange was vetoed from saving Yellow), and one of the two outsider teams which I mentioned had some ties with the dominant alliance (e1: Green tried to work with Red and Yellow; e2: Purple/Green; e3, Vanetta and Nicole were friends)