Brad shares nearly an hour of Ponderosa content from the finale of Survivor: Winners At War.

So there are literally hours of bonus content this week. So much that it seems a gargantuan task to try to write it all up. So we’re breaking it into chunks spread out over a few days. In addition, I’m going to hold back on doing full break downs for every clip, going into it with book club vibes instead. I’ll have some quick thoughts, but I’ll mostly pose questions that y’all can dissect in the comments.

This Week At Ponderosa

The Way Home

– I think the biggest thing indicating the cruelty of the Edge is that Production didn’t even wait to bring them back to Ponderosa before feeding them. They just walked off the court and immediately started inhaling Doritos.
– What did you think of Tyson’s snacking techniques?
– What did you think of Parvati’s mom vibes?
– You’ve just spent a month on the Edge. What’s your junk food/soda order immediately after being eliminated?

The Arrival

– How queasy did Ethan’s rib cage make you?
– Tyson: where did you get a load of (banana) bread?
– Oh by the way, I have a killer banana bread recipe. But apparently some people don’t like banana bread? Sound off on whether you like banana bread or whether you’re wrong.
– Seeing Nick here was like seeing Joey Gugliemelli on Drag Race. Like, AH! What the fuck are you doing here? You scared the shit outta me.
– WENDELL WITH THE CHRIS NOBLE RAP! Discuss.
– Ethan: “How come nobody told me? I have no ass.”
– Evaluate the claim that Dr. Marty looks like Dr. Joe But Stung By Bees.

The Feast

— Seeing a buffet line spiked my COVID anxiety. Anyone else?
– And a bottle of Purell on the counter? The hits keep coming.
– I don’t want to give Adam credit for this, but I think that few players take an appropriate amount of food for a shrunken stomach.
– Parvati sniffing Ethan when they are both married; simply scandalous.
– What do you think of Jeremy, Wendell, and Tyson as roommates?
– It wouldn’t be Season 40 without Nick creeping on another conversation.
– Parvati references multiple players retiring from the game. Who do you think would still return from this cast? Which player overall do you think is the biggest name who would still return?

The Day After

– Seriously, what do you think of Jeremy, Wendell, and Tyson as roommates?
– Gah! Another buffet. And now people are hugging? *frantically reaches for hand sanitizer*
– Saving Wendell’s comforter from the Edge is pretty cool. I wonder if they also saved other artifacts from camp, like the bench.
– Either Kim is a Deadhead, or it’s just a shirt she owns. Which do you think is more likely?
– Rob will get a couples massage with Tyson but refuses to get a pedicure. Fellas, is it gay to have your feet rubbed by someone other than your daughters?
– Parvati and Danni do physical impressions of Tyson, and I believe both of them.

Whole Lotta Love

I don’t want to discount the significance of the Loved Ones Visit, but I also do not know what I would say here that was not already said a few weeks ago. So discuss below! (or don’t)

Rob & Amber: A Survivor Love Story

– I can already hear people rolling their eyes and muttering “Romber? Again?” But frankly, there are few people whos lives are more intertwined with the show. You have them both here; it makes sense to get a rare sit-down interview with both of them together.
– I know that All-Stars is not a highly rated season. I wonder if it plays differently on a rewatch with the knowledge of the fifteen years that come after it–except for Hatch’s assault on Sue; that will remain horrific.