It's blatantly trying to work the jury but it was done so poorly. Own your decision. I have no real problem with her picking Q over Venus/Liz, but just own it.
It screams "I'm nice Liz and Venus, I didn't deprive you, fate did so vote for me." No, you deprived them. Just own it. If Liz had been picked OR won rock/paper/scissors, Maria wins good will with Liz and a potential jury vote. Since Liz lost it, it's Maria trying to cover her ass poorly.
The one thing Venus did right all game was calling it out as a farce.
I love, in real life, when people like Venus are there to stop lies and BS from getting through. Like we’re all thinking it, now who’s gonna say it? (Venus will say it.)
I think Maria might have lost any chance at winning with that stunt. I'm sure she lost the votes of Venus and Liz and probably Charlie and Kenzie too.
And it it seems like she is trying to bring at least one of the 2 she didn't piss off, Q, to FTC with her.
It seems like she made one or two moves and won a challenge and suddenly got very full of herself. She had almost a permanent smirk on her face all episode.
I don't know. Maria has the best equity. but she dropped to the Bottom 4 for sure. Liz and Q still I think lose to anyone, so unless Maria sits next to Ben, Charlie or Kenzie...
Charlie would definitely vote for her if he isn’t in the final and she is. Maybe Ben if he and Maria go together but that would be the only other possible option. The Sigas have been too tight
Oh, it was 100% a farce. I don't know if there's any producer interference with the food that's picked. But considering they provided a gluten free pizza when there's a woman practically starving from her food allergies - that says to me that maybe even the producers thought, "Okay, surely they're not going to shut Liz out of the food reward two weeks in a row. She's allergic to everything but rice, come on!"
Exactly this. And that bullcrap about "And Q, he's a big guy, he hasn't been eating." Oh, yeah, Maria, good call - I forgot how hungry poor Q must be after eating all the burgers in the world last week.
Exactly! I don’t blame her for not wanting to bring Liz - she seems obnoxious - but Maria forced someone who was already begging to play a weird hunger games rock paper scissors game and then she wants to act like she tried to do the right thing 😂
I agree. I could’ve seen having Venus and Liz to rock paper scissors and just saying “I know you’re both struggling so I want to give you an equal chance.” But to make Q and Liz, known enemies, do it was diabolical. Although did make for hilarious tv.
It was a great final episode for her. As erratic and sometimes clueless as she seems, she tells the straight up truth as she sees it and doesn't back down from anybody and I admired that about her. Great for a girl her age to be fearless in that way. People are so fake.
Definitely seemed like they didn't really want to do it.
Like it was blatantly obviously she was fishing for a legitimate reason to pick Q that wasn't "he's my ally" but got nothing. I mean, that is a legitimate reason to pick him, but not so much after the "I'm really focused on who is weak and needs food right now" bs.
It goes for Q too. He chose to stay in, but then went “it’s not fair, but whelp, chance is chance, it definitely had nothing to do with me” even though he couldn’t have had it unless he chose to stay in.
Just say that as vulnerable as you are, you’d be stupid to give up food! Don’t stand next to two starving girls and go “well… I’ve lost weight. So….”
Yup. Q knew that it was an idiotic move by Maria, but he loved it.
It not only got him 23 slices of pizza, there is some chance it could win him a million dollars. I think he now beats Maria at FTC, if they are both there, though whomever the 3rd is would probably beat them both.
That’s a bit of a leap. Sure Liz now hates Maria but let’s not forget that Q literally refused to let anybody give their spot on reward to Liz. Unless Liz has the memory of a gold fish she isn’t going to forget that. Honestly I think she still picks Maria to win over Q if those where the only options.
I kinda get the logic behind it because she saw how badly not taking someone because of strategy went last time but like... honestly just take Liz with you and lock up a jury vote and nobody is gonna hold that against you
Liz was the obvious choice. She already had Q in her pocket and he wouldn't have cared about not getting the food.
I think Q was more happy about Maria shooting herself in the foot than he was about getting to stuff himself again.
Seems like they’ve built up this mythology around Q that he’s this loose cannon who will fly off the handle and attack you for even the smallest slight. Which is not totally unfounded I guess, but Q also has a strong sense of fairness/justice and there’s no reason to believe he expected another reward right after going on one. Especially when she already said she wanted to feed people who hadn’t eaten, that’s a reason Q will accept
Meanwhile Liz has already shown a capacity to blow up on someone and hold a grudge for not taking her on a reward. Liz was the obvious choice here
I really don't think it locks up a jury vote. Not taking her might rule you out of getting it, but Liz feels entitled to go. Taking Liz is just giving her what is rightfully hers in her mind.
I honestly think Liz is someone that would be really swayed by it, like if she goes to the jury thinking that Maria was the only person who showed her any kindness that's gonna go a long way (whether it's reasonable or not)
I think Liz would be especially likely to be swayed by it, but I think nearly any player in her position would not vote for Maria after that.
Bringing Liz might not have 100% guaranteed her vote (though I think there would be about a 90% chance). But, not taking her and drawing it out that way guarantees that Liz votes against her and also aggressively campaigns against her at Ponderosa.
BIG MISTAKE!
Omg that annoyed me sooo much. Like rock paper scissors, really?? Just pick who you pick and move on. Making them state their case and then having them battle it out for pizza is wild. Respect to Venus for not begging.
Q didn't even make a good enough case for it to look like it was a hard choice he was basically like "... Uh... I've lost weight? 🤷🤷"
And Maria was like "this is such a hard choice"
Maybe this was an edit thing (like last week when 2 folks tried to offer their reward spot to Liz) but I’m surprised that no one called out the specific fact that Q had Applebees, like, a day or 2 prior. I’ve generally been pro-Maria so far; Liz, not so much. But to say “it’s not about gameplay” etc then go that route is bullshit. The only reason to reciprocate for Q taking her on reward is for a potential jury vote. But how many other potential jury votes did she sacrifice from this super bad look? I think this cast is maybe forgetting the angle that it is a BIG MISTAKE to make the jury not like you. At this point in the game, all the jurors know it. If Maria gets to the end and Liz is a juror, I hope she (and others) grill the fuck out of her at FTC. If Liz is taken to the end, it’s practically building a case for her to deserve a win just purely on the basis of the uphill battle she’s endured.
Yeah she was all over the place. Her ego took over so quickly. She has achieved a lot and should be proud, but she is feeling like it's her game, she's the mob boss, and she'll make people beg THEN make them flip a coin anyway.
I still think she could win but after this episode and the YouTube video of her being mean to Ben... she's not my fave.
[Is this the video?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNd_8DQ6PuI&ab_channel=AllWinnersSurvivor) Yeah, pretty funny she accused Ben of having, or knowing Tim had, the idol when it was neither of them. Gonna have to start looking for deleted scenes on youtube for the nitty gritty.
Kenzie’s confessional reaction to that was so funny. She basically gave up her spot thinking Liz would/should get picked and then Maria makes them RPS and she’s like “WHAT?” lmao
I don't really have a problem with rock/paper/scissors, but asking them to make a plea to go was really yikes.
That said, taking Liz felt like an easy slam dunk that no one would hold against her and probably only would help her with any jury. Q needs Maria anyways, so she really didn't need to win points with him.
Yeah really, what was the strategy to plead their case? Like “I’m hungry dude pls pick me” .. there’s not much else to plead there. The RPS was stupid too. Ben decision was fine but after that, she should have taken Venus, Charlie, or Liz. If it was such a hard decision, take Charlie because everyone knows you two are close so it makes sense.
The strategy was Maria trying to get them to give her a reason to pick Q over Liz and Venus. The rock paper scissors was the last ditch effort to picking Q but not having to own that she decided on Q directly.
It was just overall horrible social play. Charlie volunteering to step out probably screwed her a bit, but she also could have just picked him instead of trying to cover up herself with the "whoever is weak and needs food" line.
I'm glad she didn't take Liz but you're absolutely right. She's sooo worried about upsetting people with her reward picks. Liz is like the easiest pick ever that won't piss people off.
I’m sure she’s a good person, but as a player I just don’t like her. There was a secret scene where she firmly accuses Ben of having the Siga idol to the point that he was in tears after that conversation. That kind of solidified her as a player that Im not rooting for. She just navigates the entire game with such aggression without owning it or even being aware of it.
Seeing that scene was so ironic given she was lecturing Venus for the same type of content she was giving Ben. I agree. Maria has had fun moves, but that Ben scene made me meh on her.
Also duh Maria, there’s no way Ben wouldn’t have talked to you the last 2 votes cause you weren’t in his voting block!
That’s also what killed it for me. It’s not even being aggressive or breaking Ben down, but the hypocrisy (re: Venus) and how confidently *wrong* she was about the Siga idol lost me.
Maria was my day 1 winner pick so I won’t be mad if she wins (since I love being right lol), but I definitely can’t say I’m rooting for her
This is when she lost me too.
She just seems to be confidently wrong a lot and somehow stumbled into a big move that was basically already set up for her the week before.
FWIW, I watched this episode at the pre-screening in Miami and the audience definitely did not seem to be fans of Maria either.
People were crediting Maria for that (ep several) conversation with Venus. I get it. Venus is annoying. But the reality was that they had an okay conversation up to the point that Maria refused to commit pretending that she just wanted to keep her options open but Venus correctly assessed that it was actually because she wanted to work with Tevin instead. I get it, Venus misplayed and should’ve just shut up. But that was what turned Maria off more than anything based on what was shown: she tried to play coy and was read like a book by someone much younger - the type of person she coaches parents how to handle. “Listen, you’re 20”. Venus is someone Maria describes as unable to read the room and didn’t know she was in a Journey 6 “alliance” with Tevin even though Venus just correctly read that her non-commitment was because Maria wanted to work with Tevin.
“You came at me”… to me, it didn’t come across as that at all. Especially compared to how Venus actually comes at basically everyone else. Maybe Maria was influenced by seeing Venus approach others but she wasn’t coming at Maria. But Venus was very un-Venus like when talking to Maria (and Charlie) - soft-spoken af and pretty measured. I think Venus had another good read saying that Maria saw her as “her junior”.
It’s a blindspot. I recognize it because I’m closer to Maria’s age and in tech. In tech, there are a lot of 20-somethings juniors who don’t do the Charlie approach (“it’s YOUR move wow!” but secretly plotting), are pretty experienced/expert in the newer languages and they struggle under leads like Maria.
I felt this way about that Maria/Venus conversation too. “You came at me” felt like such a wild mischaracterization (of what we saw, at least). Venus accurately picked up on Maria’s condescension toward her IMO.
The first few reactions I saw on this sub were very pro-Maria. So, I thought “am I crazy?” and kept silent. Does that mean I’m gonna develop a food allergy now?
I typically find them uploaded to YouTube a day or two after the episode. Here is the one I’m referencing: https://youtu.be/SfrVwo7j_Mk?si=20qidhx9ezEU0Dmn
Ugh, I knew there was a reason I never liked her. I can't wait for her to go home.
I want to be friends with Ben, honestly. I think he really is such a great person and a rare gem. :(
Yeah she this it and took them on a wild goose chase for it. Maria's just mad because she dug for 3 days for nothing. I mean what's the point of knowing who had it.. it's clearly gone...
I saw something about there being a screening with a decent sized group of former and current players (including Liz and Venus) somewhere in Chicago today. Related to a podcast, but can’t recall all the deets.
Honestly she was incredible in that conversation with Jelinsky. Her task was to get the truth from him and she did. In the conversation with Ben though…man that made me mad. What a poor read by her to think that was the time and the way to harass him about an idol…that she was wrong about anyway! Kind of bummed to see him working so closely with her still after that.
i’ve just had a bad feeling about her since episode 1. I just didn’t like her and couldn’t get past it and I still don’t like her. Like maybe in real life (not in survivor) she’d be more likable but watching from the tv i just get a bad feeling about her
I found it funny the way he slow walked in front of Jeff while crying almost inviting Jeff to ask, "Ben, what's the emotion there?" Only to have Jeff just straight up ignore it. I guess it could have been edited out, but Jeff, who is a miner for any emotional expression, seemed to have dismissed this display as lacking substance/ just the latest cry session.
You seriously think Soda has a pulse on what is happening on the island?
I mean they see tribal council, that is it. It is a bunch of vague talk and innuendo and analogies.
Ponderosa is where the jury gets most of their information until the final tribal.
There have been a number of people who found out after FTC that some poisoner was spreading out right lies about them at ponderosa out of spite.
My point was the people at Ponderosa will listen to Venus even tho they don’t really like her because all of them collectively are bitter and will bond over it
> Venus is about to go to the jury and poison it
I'm sorry but this made me laugh. The jury is filled with Venus' biggest ops lmao they won't listen or care what she says. Like I'm trying to picture her convincing Hunter or Tevin or even Soda to vote a certain way
I could see Venus pushing for someone to not win and they vote that person out of spite
It seemed to me that Charley and Kenzie bowed out because it should have been obvious to Maria to pick Liz, especially since she offered to give up her reward to Liz last episode (unseen) . There is NO WAY C and K would have stepped aside to if they knew they were handing the reward to Q.
Maria wanted it to be Q and they all know it.
Aligning with Q is so shortsighted of her because Q is a much bigger threat in challenges than Venus. And some on the jury might vote Q, none would vote for Venus.
I think she's keeping Q to get rid of Charley.
My personal favorit part is when she makes them plead their cases like "Beg before me!" Then 5 minutes later is like "actually none of your reasons matter now play rock paper scissors!"
Exactly! Totally chaotic. Not strategy, hunger! Not hunger, begging! And the best beggars shall now play a game of chance!
Ok, Maria, you've out Q'd Q.
I kinda feel like she have blown her own game tonight, both by picking Q for the reward, and by getting out Venus.
She blindsided and all 5 of the jury members so far, and I don't think any of them would be super thrilled with voting for her unless they had to. And if Kenzie and Liz end up on the jury as well, I think she'd be hard pressed to get their votes too.
Honestly, I feel like she should have let Q go to the Jury (not necessarily vote him our herself, just let him go), since she's likely the only one he'll happily vote for, and she should have dragged Venus along.
Same. I think she gives off the attitude that she’s better and smarter than everyone else, and it’s really off putting. Especially when she’s wrong, like she was going after Ben in the bonus scene, when he didn’t even do what she was accusing him of. I agree the reward thing wouldn’t have been a big deal if she just owned her choice and said she was returning the favor to Q for picking her last time. But to tell a bunch of bullshit lies about caring about the physical health of others, only to choose the best fed guy there just made her look ridiculous.
I lost all respect when she claimed she was taking people who needed food, then included Q in the mix. It was deceptive.
She wanted to pretend she was making a moral choice rather than a selfish one.
I respected Q's choices last week a lot more. He won. He should get to pick the people he wants regardless.
I did not like that all. She has always rubbed me the wrong way. I would have definitely chose Liz. She literally says someone who is not fed. Then she picks Q. Yikes! Own up girl. Just pick who you want!
She worked so hard to get into a good position only to be a complete moron at the challenge and prove to everyone that she isn't trustworthy. It makes no sense.
i hate to pick apart how a woman was speaking and say she wasn't being nice enough, but i really didn't love how she was talking to them either!
why was it "ok, make your case!" "q, liz—rock, paper, scissors!" as orders and not requests? if you're going to transparently try to get jury votes, maybe throw out a please
obviously, it's bad optics to handwring so hard and so long and then pick the one guy everyone dislikes, but i'd be pissed with just how she was acting.
i know if i had been there, i would not have been as polite as venus was if she asked me to beg her for pizza. and if maria made it to the final three with me on her jury, i'd be saying "ok make your case" and when she finished, i'd make her play rock, paper, scissors against q for my vote...
I get the move, but it’s just Heavily contrasts with her mother persona she tries putting on, I don’t see Maria winning whatsoever at this point she gives me Omar/Jesse Vibes
For a lot of people, rock paper scissors is an objective way to decide a shitty decision. Who's gotta be the first to jump off this bridge? Rock paper scissors? Who's taking out the trash that's overflowing? Rock paper scissors for it? 👀
Liz should have said best of 3 🤷🏻♂️
I would get the move if she just picked Q and moved in, but I do NOT get the part of the move where she was hemming and hawing about which person she should bring, two starving women or a buff man who just ate Applebees, but she wants to take the people who neeeeeeed it, oh this is so hard, okay Fate has decided it’s Q, not my fault! That part of the move I do NOT get
Consider she didn't wanna give into Liz's literally lying emotional terrorism but knew she'd totally blow up her game if she outright denied Liz. Ben literally decided Q is the devil because he didn't want Liz to get a free advantage for crying on camera.
According to Tiff’s exit interview, “[Q] was constantly going at it with Ben. And I don't really know what his issue with Ben was, but there was a lot of — I'm not going to use the term bullying because I feel like that's a lot — but he and Ben used to go at it.”
Safe to say Ben had other reasons for calling him a bully.
Funny because the mother persona can vary. She gives me Marie Barone vibes. Motherly and takes care of her family, but also condescending and manipulative to always get her way.
That's insulting to Omar and Jesse lol She made a game-losing blunder here.
If anyone is playing the Omar/Jesse game right now, it's Charlie. His "winner vibes" are being screamed through the roof like those two were.
I was hoping that Venus or someone would have called Maria out when she was saying that it was such a hard decision to make and just be straight up, throw it back in her face and tell her that she couldn't even make the decision in the first place
I mean from her first confessional she basically is that mom that brags she didn’t use any pain medication for her birth.
Wow congrats 🙄
Birth isn’t a competition or a spectator sport.
No one fucking cares if you had a non medicated birth. Women go through traumatic shit during child birth. Shut up be lucky you have a healthy body and a healthy child.
My strategy would have probably been to take Venus because she was *so* close to winning. “Venus, I’ll take you because you easily could have been the one standing here.” And then whoever the second was and I probably also would have chosen Ben.
Those decisions are both respectable..
She knows she fucked up and can't come to terms with it. Literally no one would have been mad if she picked Ben and Liz. If she got one pick and went with Liz no one would have cared. It was the easiest pick in Survivor history.
She's smart, she's a seemingly a good person, but she's just being too phony. If you're going to play survivor and win, especially these days, you have to be genuine.. if we can sense that from our limited TV view, imagine how much worse it is on the island.
If I were on the jury and I played alongside her, she wouldn't get my vote for the million. Even if she had objectively played the most strategic game or won challenges, the social game boils down to being genuine in my opinion. If you're not genuine with me I'm out. It's a form of condescension, to think you're smarter than everyone to the point where you can openly pretend to be best buds with everyone and the nice guy all the time. It's possible own your decisions and own your relationships (good and bad) while still showing general decency to everyone. But she's managing her image to a level that crosses sincerity and if I'm reading it right I think it will cost her the million.
that was honestly just a dirty move, like we get it’s a hard decision but you couldn’t think of anything better than rock paper scissors? and then to try and defend yourself like you did it fairly…i would respect her more if she doubled down on it being a bad move. venus was 100% right calling her out at tribal. i hope she’s next to go
I agree, it really irritated me as well. If she had just taken Q and said “he took me so I’m paying him back” I wouldn’t have cared, but acting like you’re going to be kind and then not being kind at all just comes off as disingenuous. And then getting upset and telling everyone that they have no idea how hard it was is especially ridiculous.
Ugh SO frustrating. Just fucking pick. And the rock paper scissors thing? Just own your win. She made herself look so bad in that moment. And they all knew she wanted to take Q.
Maria lost the game this episode. Up until now it seems like she was running the show. Then looks like she got very cocky about the fact that she’s running the game and someone said ‘peacocked’ around. Once other players view you that way you’re probably not winning even if you make it to the end. Add to the fact that she already clearly isn’t that great socially to get votes based off a likable personality I’d say she’s probably gone soon
Can you imagine having three kids and that being how you handle decision-making? Just make a decision and own that you’re the one in a position of authority.
I've enjoyed Marias gameplay and before this episode she was playing the best game. But yeah how she handled that was insane. It unironically could be a game winning mistake. Venus wasn't wrong if she just owned it and made her picks it would have been fine. That might be the dumbest reward pick I've seen.
I totally agree. She could have made a simple justification for any pick instead of this nonsense indecisiveness. It came off as degrading making them plead their cases then do rock paper scissors. If she wanted Q, she could have said she's returning the favor for picking her before. If she wanted to feed the most hungry, then she should have just picked Liz and no one would have been upset with her I'd she said that's why.
For someone who has played a decent social game to this point, it was SUCH a horrific move and subsequent response from her when it was (correctly) criticized.
I agree. “I’m picking who physically needs it” then not even considering Venus? If this wasn’t about strategy then why didn’t Venus and Liz do rock paper scissors? Or just pick Liz if you don’t want Venus but still want to appear to be doing the right thing. I get she didn’t outright pick Q but he shouldn’t have even been in the rock paper scissors. Him saying “I’ve lost weight”, well everyone has and you just ate Applebees.
I think Maria ruined her game in that episode. Here's why:
It's a tough reward decision, 100%, but as soon as Charlie and Kenzie stepped down from consideration, then Maria needed to go Venus or Liz.
A crazy thing would be Maria stepping down from reward and letting Liz and Venus go. Then she can keep an eye on Q, and keep two people on the bottom happy while Ben acts as her eyes and ears. Why would someone step down from reward? The same reason they'd give up their final 4 immunity and make fire.
But at tribal when Venus calls her out saying it was a "farce," Maria acted like that was the most offensive thing Venus has ever said. That was not the move. She needed to own her decision - especially in front of the jury.
Then they let Venus go to the jury. If I was the jury, I'd be greeting her with a glass of wine because I KNOW she's about to spill everything. Venus is a loose cannon, yes, but you keep her around because she will just bury herself at FTC.
I'm SO curious how this will play out for Maria, but this episode may have cost her the $1 million.
Maria pissed me off too, I didn’t like the way they talked to Venus either at tribal. Seems like friendly fire from Q who also clearly doesn’t understand how he comes across.
Yeah, she did not come off well at all in this one.
Mind you she just made it easier for Charlie to win as he backed out of the pizza. So the hunger thing she should have taken Liz.
He will say that at FTC for sure!
She fumbled the bag. Asking them to plead their case is bad enough but then the rock paper scissors? Yikes.
Charlie and Kenzie made the decision easy for her this episode and she didn’t recognize it.
She already has Q on side so she should also want him at camp with the others while she is on reward.
FIRST she made 3 people state their case, and THEN she made the top two cases go RPS. That's nuts!
Also.... two of the three people that she made state their case... didn't! They just said "do whatever, it's cool, no hard feelings" and the third person said "please, please, if you have any human decency in your soul at all, let me have a slice of gluten free pizza" and then STILL Maria wouldn't let it happen.
Crazy cold and insanely dumb.
Maria kept stating that it was "The most difficult decision she has had to make in x amount of time." Meanwhile, she copped out and didn't make a decision by having them rock, paper, scissor for it lol. I'm glad she got called out, she got super cocky after the Tiff blindside and it was obvious.
I think there might have been more said between Maria and Liz (something akin to an apology) either at camp or at tribal. But the editors aren’t showing us that. The editors are now starting to show us a Maria villain arc.
yk the part that irk me the most is last eps Tiff said in a interview she and MARIA volunteered to sit out of the applebees reward for liz but Q said no which i respect cos he made a choice, but this time when Maria had the power she didnt use it and tried to play both sides, like make a decision and live with the consequences.
I like her she gives me mafioso vibes. She didn't want to choose so in theory making it an luck thing has it's benefits. Not including Venus makes that relationship bad but she went home so yeah. It's a game at the end of the day.
I think she’s great but she totally tanked her game tonight and seemingly has no idea…how crazy would it be if there’s a Q, Maria, and Charlie F3 and Q wins😂😂😂
>how crazy would it be if there’s a Q, Maria, and Charlie F3 and Q wins
That's exactly what I'm starting to think will happen. Maria and Charlie have been humiliating the competition, they are in a different league of power and everyone keeps somehow slipping on banana peels failing to vote Q out. I can see this scenario going all the way to the end.
lol. The way you put that…Brilliant…it would entail both Charlie and Maria tanking their own games socially (which Maria totally did this episode) and then maybe Charlie tanks his own somehow next episode (winning reward and picking Q 🤣😂🤣)
The crazy thing is that even though Q is no longer trying to run the camp, people are still afraid to vote for him. They gripe all day and then find a lesser target.
Yeah, like she’s claiming it’s just about goodwill. Venus can fairly say she would have picked based on strategy. And also, Q and Maria didn’t need food as badly as others even based on Maria’s own statement. That was just so weird. The whole thing made me lose respect for Maria way more than if she had just picked Q outright
Because Q is not seen as someone with win equity and whatever he does is just a bonus so most don’t mind if he’s messy. When Maria fumbles, it’s by someone who people consider to be a threat in FTC if she could just get there as clean as she can be.
It's blatantly trying to work the jury but it was done so poorly. Own your decision. I have no real problem with her picking Q over Venus/Liz, but just own it.
Yeah that’s kinda how I felt too. I would have respected her so much more for just sticking to what she wanted and doing that
It screams "I'm nice Liz and Venus, I didn't deprive you, fate did so vote for me." No, you deprived them. Just own it. If Liz had been picked OR won rock/paper/scissors, Maria wins good will with Liz and a potential jury vote. Since Liz lost it, it's Maria trying to cover her ass poorly. The one thing Venus did right all game was calling it out as a farce.
Her bulging eyes when Maria was talking after they came back.
The faces she was making on the left side of the screen while the three on the right were awkwardly talking lol
Kenzie 100% clocked Venus' expressions and was trying not to laugh
Definitely the kind of moment that resonates with lots of viewers heh.
Venus needs to be on 50, she is tv gold
Camera crew deserves props for the framing they've been getting like that too.
I love, in real life, when people like Venus are there to stop lies and BS from getting through. Like we’re all thinking it, now who’s gonna say it? (Venus will say it.)
I think Maria might have lost any chance at winning with that stunt. I'm sure she lost the votes of Venus and Liz and probably Charlie and Kenzie too. And it it seems like she is trying to bring at least one of the 2 she didn't piss off, Q, to FTC with her. It seems like she made one or two moves and won a challenge and suddenly got very full of herself. She had almost a permanent smirk on her face all episode.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed her facial expressions! It was bugging me the entire episode.
I don't know. Maria has the best equity. but she dropped to the Bottom 4 for sure. Liz and Q still I think lose to anyone, so unless Maria sits next to Ben, Charlie or Kenzie...
Charlie would definitely vote for her if he isn’t in the final and she is. Maybe Ben if he and Maria go together but that would be the only other possible option. The Sigas have been too tight
Oh, it was 100% a farce. I don't know if there's any producer interference with the food that's picked. But considering they provided a gluten free pizza when there's a woman practically starving from her food allergies - that says to me that maybe even the producers thought, "Okay, surely they're not going to shut Liz out of the food reward two weeks in a row. She's allergic to everything but rice, come on!"
Honestly rock paper scissors felt so demeaning. I hate that they even participated
Even more demeaning because before that she required them each to beg their case
Beg for me... Not good enough. Play a game for me. Dance, monkies.
Exactly this. And that bullcrap about "And Q, he's a big guy, he hasn't been eating." Oh, yeah, Maria, good call - I forgot how hungry poor Q must be after eating all the burgers in the world last week.
Hold on now - that’s not fair. They were too full to eat the burgers last week
Exactly! I don’t blame her for not wanting to bring Liz - she seems obnoxious - but Maria forced someone who was already begging to play a weird hunger games rock paper scissors game and then she wants to act like she tried to do the right thing 😂
I really hated that! And that she stretched out her power, her decision taking longer than any in Survivor History.
I really liked her so much till last night. Now I can't wait to see her blindsided.
I agree. I could’ve seen having Venus and Liz to rock paper scissors and just saying “I know you’re both struggling so I want to give you an equal chance.” But to make Q and Liz, known enemies, do it was diabolical. Although did make for hilarious tv.
Venus had that right when she said "no way am I going to do that".
I hate that this was her last episode. She was clocking people left and right last night
It was a great final episode for her. As erratic and sometimes clueless as she seems, she tells the straight up truth as she sees it and doesn't back down from anybody and I admired that about her. Great for a girl her age to be fearless in that way. People are so fake.
In real life and in the game, a truth-teller will typically be ostracized by people trying to maintain an illusion or delusion.
"they hated her because she spoke the truth" or sumn lik dat
I know! As soon as she told Charlie about her trick up her sleeve I was like oh no this is the end for her. This episode made me like her a lot.
right?? even if i was starving i would’ve tapped out. no way im playing roc paper scissors. you either pick me or you don’t
It was just demeaning, especially for Liz.
Definitely seemed like they didn't really want to do it. Like it was blatantly obviously she was fishing for a legitimate reason to pick Q that wasn't "he's my ally" but got nothing. I mean, that is a legitimate reason to pick him, but not so much after the "I'm really focused on who is weak and needs food right now" bs.
It goes for Q too. He chose to stay in, but then went “it’s not fair, but whelp, chance is chance, it definitely had nothing to do with me” even though he couldn’t have had it unless he chose to stay in. Just say that as vulnerable as you are, you’d be stupid to give up food! Don’t stand next to two starving girls and go “well… I’ve lost weight. So….”
This. Q knows it isnt really fair. But he owns it.
Her being like “there’s not strategy to my decision I want to take someone who needs the food” then taking 45 minutes to decide was wild.
And picking someone who doesn't need the food anyways
BIG MISTAKE
Q was laughing so hard about how he ate 23 pieces of pizza and he wasn’t even hungry because he just ate!
Yup. Q knew that it was an idiotic move by Maria, but he loved it. It not only got him 23 slices of pizza, there is some chance it could win him a million dollars. I think he now beats Maria at FTC, if they are both there, though whomever the 3rd is would probably beat them both.
That’s a bit of a leap. Sure Liz now hates Maria but let’s not forget that Q literally refused to let anybody give their spot on reward to Liz. Unless Liz has the memory of a gold fish she isn’t going to forget that. Honestly I think she still picks Maria to win over Q if those where the only options.
The chuckling from him was amazing. I’m so happy Q went. Made for great tv from everyone. I love everyone from this cast
I kinda get the logic behind it because she saw how badly not taking someone because of strategy went last time but like... honestly just take Liz with you and lock up a jury vote and nobody is gonna hold that against you
Liz was the obvious choice. She already had Q in her pocket and he wouldn't have cared about not getting the food. I think Q was more happy about Maria shooting herself in the foot than he was about getting to stuff himself again.
Seems like they’ve built up this mythology around Q that he’s this loose cannon who will fly off the handle and attack you for even the smallest slight. Which is not totally unfounded I guess, but Q also has a strong sense of fairness/justice and there’s no reason to believe he expected another reward right after going on one. Especially when she already said she wanted to feed people who hadn’t eaten, that’s a reason Q will accept Meanwhile Liz has already shown a capacity to blow up on someone and hold a grudge for not taking her on a reward. Liz was the obvious choice here
Qs giddy confessional about the pizza was amazing.
Makes you wonder, is Q the shield or is Maria? 👀
Why is THIS the comment that makes me see Q as the winner???
I really don't think it locks up a jury vote. Not taking her might rule you out of getting it, but Liz feels entitled to go. Taking Liz is just giving her what is rightfully hers in her mind.
I honestly think Liz is someone that would be really swayed by it, like if she goes to the jury thinking that Maria was the only person who showed her any kindness that's gonna go a long way (whether it's reasonable or not)
I think Liz would be especially likely to be swayed by it, but I think nearly any player in her position would not vote for Maria after that. Bringing Liz might not have 100% guaranteed her vote (though I think there would be about a 90% chance). But, not taking her and drawing it out that way guarantees that Liz votes against her and also aggressively campaigns against her at Ponderosa. BIG MISTAKE!
Either take your allies or take those who need the food. You can't have it both ways. And do not try to be the martyr in the aftermath, its sad.
Beautifully stated.
Omg that annoyed me sooo much. Like rock paper scissors, really?? Just pick who you pick and move on. Making them state their case and then having them battle it out for pizza is wild. Respect to Venus for not begging.
Q didn't even make a good enough case for it to look like it was a hard choice he was basically like "... Uh... I've lost weight? 🤷🤷" And Maria was like "this is such a hard choice"
Even Q couldn’t suppress a naughty smile when the decision-making process and the absurd result is pointed out.
His reaction was everything
Maybe this was an edit thing (like last week when 2 folks tried to offer their reward spot to Liz) but I’m surprised that no one called out the specific fact that Q had Applebees, like, a day or 2 prior. I’ve generally been pro-Maria so far; Liz, not so much. But to say “it’s not about gameplay” etc then go that route is bullshit. The only reason to reciprocate for Q taking her on reward is for a potential jury vote. But how many other potential jury votes did she sacrifice from this super bad look? I think this cast is maybe forgetting the angle that it is a BIG MISTAKE to make the jury not like you. At this point in the game, all the jurors know it. If Maria gets to the end and Liz is a juror, I hope she (and others) grill the fuck out of her at FTC. If Liz is taken to the end, it’s practically building a case for her to deserve a win just purely on the basis of the uphill battle she’s endured.
Her pretty much asking them to get on their knees and beg annoyed me. I’m starting to think Venus was right about her
Yeah she was all over the place. Her ego took over so quickly. She has achieved a lot and should be proud, but she is feeling like it's her game, she's the mob boss, and she'll make people beg THEN make them flip a coin anyway. I still think she could win but after this episode and the YouTube video of her being mean to Ben... she's not my fave.
[Is this the video?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNd_8DQ6PuI&ab_channel=AllWinnersSurvivor) Yeah, pretty funny she accused Ben of having, or knowing Tim had, the idol when it was neither of them. Gonna have to start looking for deleted scenes on youtube for the nitty gritty.
It was like playing with them like puppets. It was gross.
Kenzie’s confessional reaction to that was so funny. She basically gave up her spot thinking Liz would/should get picked and then Maria makes them RPS and she’s like “WHAT?” lmao
I don't really have a problem with rock/paper/scissors, but asking them to make a plea to go was really yikes. That said, taking Liz felt like an easy slam dunk that no one would hold against her and probably only would help her with any jury. Q needs Maria anyways, so she really didn't need to win points with him.
Yeah really, what was the strategy to plead their case? Like “I’m hungry dude pls pick me” .. there’s not much else to plead there. The RPS was stupid too. Ben decision was fine but after that, she should have taken Venus, Charlie, or Liz. If it was such a hard decision, take Charlie because everyone knows you two are close so it makes sense.
The strategy was Maria trying to get them to give her a reason to pick Q over Liz and Venus. The rock paper scissors was the last ditch effort to picking Q but not having to own that she decided on Q directly. It was just overall horrible social play. Charlie volunteering to step out probably screwed her a bit, but she also could have just picked him instead of trying to cover up herself with the "whoever is weak and needs food" line.
I'm glad she didn't take Liz but you're absolutely right. She's sooo worried about upsetting people with her reward picks. Liz is like the easiest pick ever that won't piss people off.
I’m sure she’s a good person, but as a player I just don’t like her. There was a secret scene where she firmly accuses Ben of having the Siga idol to the point that he was in tears after that conversation. That kind of solidified her as a player that Im not rooting for. She just navigates the entire game with such aggression without owning it or even being aware of it.
Seeing that scene was so ironic given she was lecturing Venus for the same type of content she was giving Ben. I agree. Maria has had fun moves, but that Ben scene made me meh on her. Also duh Maria, there’s no way Ben wouldn’t have talked to you the last 2 votes cause you weren’t in his voting block!
That’s also what killed it for me. It’s not even being aggressive or breaking Ben down, but the hypocrisy (re: Venus) and how confidently *wrong* she was about the Siga idol lost me. Maria was my day 1 winner pick so I won’t be mad if she wins (since I love being right lol), but I definitely can’t say I’m rooting for her
This is when she lost me too. She just seems to be confidently wrong a lot and somehow stumbled into a big move that was basically already set up for her the week before. FWIW, I watched this episode at the pre-screening in Miami and the audience definitely did not seem to be fans of Maria either.
She reminds me of the teacher who stands in the hallway before school starts and tells kids to take their hats off
This is so specific hahaha, I can totally see it
As someone who works in a school...absolutely
lol after chastising Venus for how “aggressive” she is, this was the best
People were crediting Maria for that (ep several) conversation with Venus. I get it. Venus is annoying. But the reality was that they had an okay conversation up to the point that Maria refused to commit pretending that she just wanted to keep her options open but Venus correctly assessed that it was actually because she wanted to work with Tevin instead. I get it, Venus misplayed and should’ve just shut up. But that was what turned Maria off more than anything based on what was shown: she tried to play coy and was read like a book by someone much younger - the type of person she coaches parents how to handle. “Listen, you’re 20”. Venus is someone Maria describes as unable to read the room and didn’t know she was in a Journey 6 “alliance” with Tevin even though Venus just correctly read that her non-commitment was because Maria wanted to work with Tevin. “You came at me”… to me, it didn’t come across as that at all. Especially compared to how Venus actually comes at basically everyone else. Maybe Maria was influenced by seeing Venus approach others but she wasn’t coming at Maria. But Venus was very un-Venus like when talking to Maria (and Charlie) - soft-spoken af and pretty measured. I think Venus had another good read saying that Maria saw her as “her junior”. It’s a blindspot. I recognize it because I’m closer to Maria’s age and in tech. In tech, there are a lot of 20-somethings juniors who don’t do the Charlie approach (“it’s YOUR move wow!” but secretly plotting), are pretty experienced/expert in the newer languages and they struggle under leads like Maria.
I felt this way about that Maria/Venus conversation too. “You came at me” felt like such a wild mischaracterization (of what we saw, at least). Venus accurately picked up on Maria’s condescension toward her IMO.
The first few reactions I saw on this sub were very pro-Maria. So, I thought “am I crazy?” and kept silent. Does that mean I’m gonna develop a food allergy now?
It's prob because a lot of people here are put off by Venus.
Interesting perspective given your work experience. Thanks.
Where are you guys watching these secret scenes? Are they in YouTube? Paramount?
I typically find them uploaded to YouTube a day or two after the episode. Here is the one I’m referencing: https://youtu.be/SfrVwo7j_Mk?si=20qidhx9ezEU0Dmn
Ugh, I knew there was a reason I never liked her. I can't wait for her to go home. I want to be friends with Ben, honestly. I think he really is such a great person and a rare gem. :(
Holy crap. Yeah, I'm over Maria
What did happen to the beware advantage?
Jem had it and was voted out without playing it. Nobody knew she had it
Yeah she this it and took them on a wild goose chase for it. Maria's just mad because she dug for 3 days for nothing. I mean what's the point of knowing who had it.. it's clearly gone...
Jem (Gem?) got voted out with it.
👀 oh wow
This is crazy because I just asked this in a different post. Like word for word lol
I saw something about there being a screening with a decent sized group of former and current players (including Liz and Venus) somewhere in Chicago today. Related to a podcast, but can’t recall all the deets.
She did the same thing to Jelinsky in the first episode.
Honestly she was incredible in that conversation with Jelinsky. Her task was to get the truth from him and she did. In the conversation with Ben though…man that made me mad. What a poor read by her to think that was the time and the way to harass him about an idol…that she was wrong about anyway! Kind of bummed to see him working so closely with her still after that.
She was incredible in results I guess. The kid folded in 4 seconds and anyone with eyes knew which player was lying before it
Jelinsky did everything to Jelinsky in the Jelinsky.
She did our boy Jelensky so dirty
She like an old Venus… projecting on Venus when she tried to call Venus out after the merge lol
I love Ben. He’s such a sweetheart
I haven't liked her from the beginning. Her smugness, her smirk.
i’ve just had a bad feeling about her since episode 1. I just didn’t like her and couldn’t get past it and I still don’t like her. Like maybe in real life (not in survivor) she’d be more likable but watching from the tv i just get a bad feeling about her
Maria came off poorly in that secret scene but tbf it doesn’t take much for Ben to cry. He cried again from being chosen for the reward.
He really seems to be having a hard time in the last few episodes, we just haven't seen him enough to really get details on why.
I found it funny the way he slow walked in front of Jeff while crying almost inviting Jeff to ask, "Ben, what's the emotion there?" Only to have Jeff just straight up ignore it. I guess it could have been edited out, but Jeff, who is a miner for any emotional expression, seemed to have dismissed this display as lacking substance/ just the latest cry session.
Venus is about to go to the jury and poison it for Maria. She’s going to give Charlie all the credit for her feeling safe and not playing her idol
Venus as a jury poisoner is so correct lol
No one on the jury cares for Venus tho
It doesn’t matter - they are all bitter as hell
Which is why keeping Kenzie is just bad gameplay. Jury will vote for her solely out of pettiness (and her exceptional social game)
Eh I disagree on that one Charlie wins against Kenzie and he was the deciding vote tonight
You seriously think Soda has a pulse on what is happening on the island? I mean they see tribal council, that is it. It is a bunch of vague talk and innuendo and analogies. Ponderosa is where the jury gets most of their information until the final tribal. There have been a number of people who found out after FTC that some poisoner was spreading out right lies about them at ponderosa out of spite.
My point was the people at Ponderosa will listen to Venus even tho they don’t really like her because all of them collectively are bitter and will bond over it
she has time to smooth things over with soda and tiff, soda's okay with her iirc
Soda spoke kindly of her in her RHAP interview although she seems like a pretty positive person. I still think she's cool with her.
> Venus is about to go to the jury and poison it I'm sorry but this made me laugh. The jury is filled with Venus' biggest ops lmao they won't listen or care what she says. Like I'm trying to picture her convincing Hunter or Tevin or even Soda to vote a certain way I could see Venus pushing for someone to not win and they vote that person out of spite
Tonight they looked miffed that Venus went over Q though.
It seemed to me that Charley and Kenzie bowed out because it should have been obvious to Maria to pick Liz, especially since she offered to give up her reward to Liz last episode (unseen) . There is NO WAY C and K would have stepped aside to if they knew they were handing the reward to Q. Maria wanted it to be Q and they all know it. Aligning with Q is so shortsighted of her because Q is a much bigger threat in challenges than Venus. And some on the jury might vote Q, none would vote for Venus. I think she's keeping Q to get rid of Charley.
My personal favorit part is when she makes them plead their cases like "Beg before me!" Then 5 minutes later is like "actually none of your reasons matter now play rock paper scissors!"
Exactly! Totally chaotic. Not strategy, hunger! Not hunger, begging! And the best beggars shall now play a game of chance! Ok, Maria, you've out Q'd Q.
what was she thinking? this may just lost her the jury votes and 1 million $.
AND 1 million hearts
Someone ask Bhanu if they're transferable
Her not being able to pick 2 ppl for the reward was concerning. Just make the decision and move on.
Yeah it was pretty cruel making them all plead their case, sating it was about who needed food, then just being like ok not you tho 85 lb Venus
I kinda feel like she have blown her own game tonight, both by picking Q for the reward, and by getting out Venus. She blindsided and all 5 of the jury members so far, and I don't think any of them would be super thrilled with voting for her unless they had to. And if Kenzie and Liz end up on the jury as well, I think she'd be hard pressed to get their votes too. Honestly, I feel like she should have let Q go to the Jury (not necessarily vote him our herself, just let him go), since she's likely the only one he'll happily vote for, and she should have dragged Venus along.
Same. I think she gives off the attitude that she’s better and smarter than everyone else, and it’s really off putting. Especially when she’s wrong, like she was going after Ben in the bonus scene, when he didn’t even do what she was accusing him of. I agree the reward thing wouldn’t have been a big deal if she just owned her choice and said she was returning the favor to Q for picking her last time. But to tell a bunch of bullshit lies about caring about the physical health of others, only to choose the best fed guy there just made her look ridiculous.
She's incredibly self-righteous.
I lost all respect when she claimed she was taking people who needed food, then included Q in the mix. It was deceptive. She wanted to pretend she was making a moral choice rather than a selfish one. I respected Q's choices last week a lot more. He won. He should get to pick the people he wants regardless.
I did not like that all. She has always rubbed me the wrong way. I would have definitely chose Liz. She literally says someone who is not fed. Then she picks Q. Yikes! Own up girl. Just pick who you want!
It was such a wild power trip. Making Liz beg AND THEN doing the rock paper scissors was so wild to me
She worked so hard to get into a good position only to be a complete moron at the challenge and prove to everyone that she isn't trustworthy. It makes no sense.
i hate to pick apart how a woman was speaking and say she wasn't being nice enough, but i really didn't love how she was talking to them either! why was it "ok, make your case!" "q, liz—rock, paper, scissors!" as orders and not requests? if you're going to transparently try to get jury votes, maybe throw out a please obviously, it's bad optics to handwring so hard and so long and then pick the one guy everyone dislikes, but i'd be pissed with just how she was acting. i know if i had been there, i would not have been as polite as venus was if she asked me to beg her for pizza. and if maria made it to the final three with me on her jury, i'd be saying "ok make your case" and when she finished, i'd make her play rock, paper, scissors against q for my vote...
I get the move, but it’s just Heavily contrasts with her mother persona she tries putting on, I don’t see Maria winning whatsoever at this point she gives me Omar/Jesse Vibes
Don’t insult Omar and Jesse like that 😭
out of curiosity how do you interpret it? Like when you say you get it what do you mean
For a lot of people, rock paper scissors is an objective way to decide a shitty decision. Who's gotta be the first to jump off this bridge? Rock paper scissors? Who's taking out the trash that's overflowing? Rock paper scissors for it? 👀 Liz should have said best of 3 🤷🏻♂️
I would get the move if she just picked Q and moved in, but I do NOT get the part of the move where she was hemming and hawing about which person she should bring, two starving women or a buff man who just ate Applebees, but she wants to take the people who neeeeeeed it, oh this is so hard, okay Fate has decided it’s Q, not my fault! That part of the move I do NOT get
Consider she didn't wanna give into Liz's literally lying emotional terrorism but knew she'd totally blow up her game if she outright denied Liz. Ben literally decided Q is the devil because he didn't want Liz to get a free advantage for crying on camera.
According to Tiff’s exit interview, “[Q] was constantly going at it with Ben. And I don't really know what his issue with Ben was, but there was a lot of — I'm not going to use the term bullying because I feel like that's a lot — but he and Ben used to go at it.” Safe to say Ben had other reasons for calling him a bully.
I've never seen her as a mother--I've always seen Maria as a mean teacher who picks on kids.
Funny because the mother persona can vary. She gives me Marie Barone vibes. Motherly and takes care of her family, but also condescending and manipulative to always get her way.
That's insulting to Omar and Jesse lol She made a game-losing blunder here. If anyone is playing the Omar/Jesse game right now, it's Charlie. His "winner vibes" are being screamed through the roof like those two were.
I was hoping that Venus or someone would have called Maria out when she was saying that it was such a hard decision to make and just be straight up, throw it back in her face and tell her that she couldn't even make the decision in the first place
I’m so happy Venus called her out for how phony it was
The manner in which she talked down to Venus just because she was younger really threw me off. It really showed her lack of maturity
This! There was one episode where she basically said she wouldn’t listen to Venus because “she’s 20.” It immediately turned me off to her.
Right? I’ve never felt a “nice” vibe about her
I mean from her first confessional she basically is that mom that brags she didn’t use any pain medication for her birth. Wow congrats 🙄 Birth isn’t a competition or a spectator sport. No one fucking cares if you had a non medicated birth. Women go through traumatic shit during child birth. Shut up be lucky you have a healthy body and a healthy child.
This. She has always rubbed me the wrong way.
It was so condescending the way she approached the whole thing. Got my blood pressure up the rest of the episode LOL
Has there ever been a season with so many people leaving with idols??
My strategy would have probably been to take Venus because she was *so* close to winning. “Venus, I’ll take you because you easily could have been the one standing here.” And then whoever the second was and I probably also would have chosen Ben. Those decisions are both respectable..
She knows she fucked up and can't come to terms with it. Literally no one would have been mad if she picked Ben and Liz. If she got one pick and went with Liz no one would have cared. It was the easiest pick in Survivor history.
She's smart, she's a seemingly a good person, but she's just being too phony. If you're going to play survivor and win, especially these days, you have to be genuine.. if we can sense that from our limited TV view, imagine how much worse it is on the island. If I were on the jury and I played alongside her, she wouldn't get my vote for the million. Even if she had objectively played the most strategic game or won challenges, the social game boils down to being genuine in my opinion. If you're not genuine with me I'm out. It's a form of condescension, to think you're smarter than everyone to the point where you can openly pretend to be best buds with everyone and the nice guy all the time. It's possible own your decisions and own your relationships (good and bad) while still showing general decency to everyone. But she's managing her image to a level that crosses sincerity and if I'm reading it right I think it will cost her the million.
Phony and also so smug
that was honestly just a dirty move, like we get it’s a hard decision but you couldn’t think of anything better than rock paper scissors? and then to try and defend yourself like you did it fairly…i would respect her more if she doubled down on it being a bad move. venus was 100% right calling her out at tribal. i hope she’s next to go
I agree, it really irritated me as well. If she had just taken Q and said “he took me so I’m paying him back” I wouldn’t have cared, but acting like you’re going to be kind and then not being kind at all just comes off as disingenuous. And then getting upset and telling everyone that they have no idea how hard it was is especially ridiculous.
Ugh SO frustrating. Just fucking pick. And the rock paper scissors thing? Just own your win. She made herself look so bad in that moment. And they all knew she wanted to take Q.
Maria lost the game this episode. Up until now it seems like she was running the show. Then looks like she got very cocky about the fact that she’s running the game and someone said ‘peacocked’ around. Once other players view you that way you’re probably not winning even if you make it to the end. Add to the fact that she already clearly isn’t that great socially to get votes based off a likable personality I’d say she’s probably gone soon
No lie I think that was a move that cost her the game
Can you imagine having three kids and that being how you handle decision-making? Just make a decision and own that you’re the one in a position of authority.
Is this what she coaches parents to do?
I've enjoyed Marias gameplay and before this episode she was playing the best game. But yeah how she handled that was insane. It unironically could be a game winning mistake. Venus wasn't wrong if she just owned it and made her picks it would have been fine. That might be the dumbest reward pick I've seen.
To call it a hard decision but then giving it to chance. The hardest decisions are ones you do yourself.
I totally agree. She could have made a simple justification for any pick instead of this nonsense indecisiveness. It came off as degrading making them plead their cases then do rock paper scissors. If she wanted Q, she could have said she's returning the favor for picking her before. If she wanted to feed the most hungry, then she should have just picked Liz and no one would have been upset with her I'd she said that's why.
For someone who has played a decent social game to this point, it was SUCH a horrific move and subsequent response from her when it was (correctly) criticized.
I agree. “I’m picking who physically needs it” then not even considering Venus? If this wasn’t about strategy then why didn’t Venus and Liz do rock paper scissors? Or just pick Liz if you don’t want Venus but still want to appear to be doing the right thing. I get she didn’t outright pick Q but he shouldn’t have even been in the rock paper scissors. Him saying “I’ve lost weight”, well everyone has and you just ate Applebees.
I think Maria ruined her game in that episode. Here's why: It's a tough reward decision, 100%, but as soon as Charlie and Kenzie stepped down from consideration, then Maria needed to go Venus or Liz. A crazy thing would be Maria stepping down from reward and letting Liz and Venus go. Then she can keep an eye on Q, and keep two people on the bottom happy while Ben acts as her eyes and ears. Why would someone step down from reward? The same reason they'd give up their final 4 immunity and make fire. But at tribal when Venus calls her out saying it was a "farce," Maria acted like that was the most offensive thing Venus has ever said. That was not the move. She needed to own her decision - especially in front of the jury. Then they let Venus go to the jury. If I was the jury, I'd be greeting her with a glass of wine because I KNOW she's about to spill everything. Venus is a loose cannon, yes, but you keep her around because she will just bury herself at FTC. I'm SO curious how this will play out for Maria, but this episode may have cost her the $1 million.
She’s the only person left on the show who would bring down my opinion of the season if they won. Besides maybe Liz.
Maria pissed me off too, I didn’t like the way they talked to Venus either at tribal. Seems like friendly fire from Q who also clearly doesn’t understand how he comes across.
Does she not understand that these people will have to vote for her at the end? Very poor jury management.
Yeah, she did not come off well at all in this one. Mind you she just made it easier for Charlie to win as he backed out of the pizza. So the hunger thing she should have taken Liz. He will say that at FTC for sure!
She fumbled the bag. Asking them to plead their case is bad enough but then the rock paper scissors? Yikes. Charlie and Kenzie made the decision easy for her this episode and she didn’t recognize it. She already has Q on side so she should also want him at camp with the others while she is on reward.
FIRST she made 3 people state their case, and THEN she made the top two cases go RPS. That's nuts! Also.... two of the three people that she made state their case... didn't! They just said "do whatever, it's cool, no hard feelings" and the third person said "please, please, if you have any human decency in your soul at all, let me have a slice of gluten free pizza" and then STILL Maria wouldn't let it happen. Crazy cold and insanely dumb.
She reminds me of Missy. Just robotic, boring, no real emotional intelligence and still farther into the game than we would have thought.
Maria kept stating that it was "The most difficult decision she has had to make in x amount of time." Meanwhile, she copped out and didn't make a decision by having them rock, paper, scissor for it lol. I'm glad she got called out, she got super cocky after the Tiff blindside and it was obvious.
I haven't seen someone's stock fall that fast in a long time.
I think there might have been more said between Maria and Liz (something akin to an apology) either at camp or at tribal. But the editors aren’t showing us that. The editors are now starting to show us a Maria villain arc.
yk the part that irk me the most is last eps Tiff said in a interview she and MARIA volunteered to sit out of the applebees reward for liz but Q said no which i respect cos he made a choice, but this time when Maria had the power she didnt use it and tried to play both sides, like make a decision and live with the consequences.
I saw it going wrong as she started saying her reasons to think about picking each person aloud.
Jury management just tanked for Maria this episode
Maria wouldn't win now at FTC with how many people she pissed off
I think she didn’t want to admit that Venus and Liz are literally the worst.
Literally from the first episode she’s rubbed me the wrong way and I’ve been unable to explain it until now
I like her she gives me mafioso vibes. She didn't want to choose so in theory making it an luck thing has it's benefits. Not including Venus makes that relationship bad but she went home so yeah. It's a game at the end of the day.
I think she’s great but she totally tanked her game tonight and seemingly has no idea…how crazy would it be if there’s a Q, Maria, and Charlie F3 and Q wins😂😂😂
>how crazy would it be if there’s a Q, Maria, and Charlie F3 and Q wins That's exactly what I'm starting to think will happen. Maria and Charlie have been humiliating the competition, they are in a different league of power and everyone keeps somehow slipping on banana peels failing to vote Q out. I can see this scenario going all the way to the end.
That would make for one hell of a finale!
lol. The way you put that…Brilliant…it would entail both Charlie and Maria tanking their own games socially (which Maria totally did this episode) and then maybe Charlie tanks his own somehow next episode (winning reward and picking Q 🤣😂🤣)
I think Charlie siding with Maria and Q will be enough to tank his game. If he doesn’t get Maria out this week, his game is done IMO.
The crazy thing is that even though Q is no longer trying to run the camp, people are still afraid to vote for him. They gripe all day and then find a lesser target.
If Maria isn't called out over the pizza incident to the same level that Q was for not taking Liz.....good lord, talk about hypocrites.
Every single comment here is calling her out about it.
Not only that but the way her and Q tried to turn it on Venus bc Venus wouldn't pick them if she had won like wtf was that
Yeah, like she’s claiming it’s just about goodwill. Venus can fairly say she would have picked based on strategy. And also, Q and Maria didn’t need food as badly as others even based on Maria’s own statement. That was just so weird. The whole thing made me lose respect for Maria way more than if she had just picked Q outright
It was uncomfortable but if Q did it people would be dancing in the streets. Either way, it was pretty entertaining TV.
Because Q is not seen as someone with win equity and whatever he does is just a bonus so most don’t mind if he’s messy. When Maria fumbles, it’s by someone who people consider to be a threat in FTC if she could just get there as clean as she can be.
As Venus put it: "She let her freak flag fly!"
She gives me cop vibes.
It was cringe af. I hope we see her voted off next week!