Stranded in Portugal

I am going to be here quite a bit for the first two weeks, and after that my activity will plummet. But make hay while the sun shines with some blogs! Cast assessments incoming which will be a little different this Season. Mostly because this is really my absolute first time looking at anyone new to me. Reading their apps literally as I type this post. There area lot of familiar faces here of course, even among the "noobs", but we'll get to them when we get to them. alol I just noticed there's three tribes I Have a lot to get my head around.

Aaaaaaaand now I see the third tribe only spices it up at F18, nvm :P

Lets do em in their BvW pairs I suppose.

Limici Tribe / Bracari Tribe


PushingJate & Krypton
(Becky & Ciera / Peter & Laura)

Alphabetically this is a good place to start, and also the duo I know the most about.

Laura being Krypton is lol I love Krypton from non-Stranded things, and this time last year I woulda told you he was gonna be the next big thing. Buuuuut since then he's been kind of.. erratic? More than half the time, he seems to play completely for funsies and just not targeting the win. Which is okay to do and understandable, but obviously makes predicting how well he'll do a bit tricky. He is coming in here straight off his first win, and could potentially be underrated due to rep. I just hope he doesn't take the rep and try to play into some kind of useless woe-is-me Laura schtick :/ A big part of the BvW twist is that you aren't just playing for yourself - Lauras not going to want to let Becky down and hopefully that keeps him from going kamikazee. I will say merge and 7thish place.

It's pretty hard to look past Becky as anything but an end-gamer. And if she has one big flaw it's just that - anyone who knows who it is behind the rep knows they should be scared of her. Glimpsing through the cast list she is probably the best in most challenges here. Maybe not Erinn level but still pretty damn hot. Vytas might give her a run in some but I don't see anyone else coming close to that pair in speed-based things. It's not just challenges either, Becky is a definitely a formidable social goddessa too.
Let's say fifth place goddess, taken out for being a threat as soon as some non-speed thing pops up and they actually can do something about it.

As for their partners, Peter & Laura are gonna be super fun to watch interact so long as he lasts a while. He ought to bring out her nutty side some. I am only reading Ciera's app right this moment, but I'd guess Becky will bring out the best in her.

***


TheOneSurvivor & shadow0knight
(Caryn & Vytas / Ralph & Shawn)

alol. These two are pals? Really? Good god. I know Shawn from a few games and he is the opposite of Caryn lol. He is just kinda, very competent all-round. Socially he knows what needs to be done and does it without being a big mover or shaker. Challenge wise he's solid but not astounding. He is a solid mid-pack player and I expect we'll see more of that. Although, every so often he will go off on one. Either something where he wants to get a super negative edgic or just do something crazy to spice up the game, and that happens more often with the right people pushing him. Peer pressure much? :P I will say solid mid finish here. 8th or 9th or so. And I'll also predict a big part of that is because Caryn leaves early His chances will actually decrease the longer she sticks around

As for Caryn herself. I just can't see her going far at all. She will be eager of course, and she will be probably a drama queen for the few rounds she lasts, but most people will just get sick of her quick unless she changes her tack drastically from her usual LL showings. maybe she links up early with say, Peter, Ralph, Semhar & Ryan and that kind of thing? But I doubt it. More than likely Becky is HBIC by the time they are booting someone, and having shared LLs before, Caryn will be first on the block. Prediction, first vet boot.

Caryn & Vytas Oh this is delicious. She will drive him nuts. Shawn and Ralph could make for compelling viewing later too.

***


sc15fan & trojansoldier
(Coby & Hayden / Cochran & Katie)

This is my first time getting to see Katie in the flesh. But from what I know of her from the Ausboard she is fun and competent, and on the downside, a little bit doofy and stubborn sometimes. So Katie is a good fit. Is she the only Aussie in the cast? That could hurt her a little. But I do know she'll spend long hours online and be dedicated. Just that they might not always be the right hours to be here. The timezone curse, I know it too well :/ Gamewise, I really have no clue. That she is pally with Coby of all people is kinda outta leftfield to me. He is waaay old-school and she is brand new. She is social, she is smart, she has a few games under her belt - she should do well just on that. Paired with Cochran who is Vytas' bloodtie, and she and Vytas have compatible personalities so I can see those two getting close. The more I write the more I feel like she'll go deep here, right to the end even. Let's say finalist but not the winner.

Coby. Wooow. Old-school like Ryan & Becky era? Pre-my time anyway I think I played with him once where he was kinda inactive. But I do know that he holds Stranded dear to him so there ought be no fear of that happening here. I wonder if he's so old-school he might get left behind if some kind of recent Season clique comes to power in the vets? I don't know here at all. Roll a die and let's say pre-merge boot but not too early either.

Katie & Cochran I can see going far, maybe even last pair standing with the goldilocks balance of not too strong and not too weak. Coby & Hayden I have no clue. omg no wait, reading Hayden's app here These two could either clash hard or become a right pair of snipey bitches together.

***


KenHoang & StrandedPete
(Cochran & Katie / Caryn & Vytas)

Vytas is pitch-perfect casting. That ought to allow him to be as evil mastermind as he likes to be, and hide it under a friendly exterior as he also likes to do :P He's done Euro-Stranded & Aussie-Stranded before, so welcome to the original biatch. It is hard to think this is only his third game. He won the Aussie one with what, all the votes? Although he will be humble and say it should have been less. I think every host here knows him in one fashion or another and if a winner comes from the noob side, it's hard to look past him. Him to be the male noob Becky and HBIC that tribe by this time tomorrow would be no surprise. I will say Jury for sure, and potential winner if they don't wise-up and take him out before 5. I kind of think they will though. He'll have some task to keep his threat level under wraps and I could see him being a merge target, or even a shuffle target if the numbers go wrong for him. Definitely one to watch, with the focus being on how he can handle the expectations and target. I kind of think Cochran leaving early before the immunity things come to factor in boots could be a really good thing for him, and even better for him than Cochran sticking around. idk idk. We'll see.

Cochran I'm not too excited to see back if I'm blunt. I wasn't overly invested in him last time but he seems to have done alright after I vanished. Still though, half a season watching him and I've literally no opinion on him can't be good for his entertainment chances here. I expect he'll do okay gamewise. iirc, last time his game was all about keeping his head down and just being social while others took the heat. Was there bad blood between he and Semhar by the end? That could be pure conjecture but hawt stuff if there was. I'll just predict on of the earlier vets to leave. Not as early as say Caryn or Peter, which would see him make the shuffle. Then maybe Vytas keeps him safe? idk, let's say 12th.

Caryn & Vytas lol. Cachran & Katie could be interesting (she is trojan yes?). I kind of think she will work that harder than he will, but it could be a long lasting middle-pack pair and maybe even one of the last standing as neither is too weak or too threatening. Potential immunity bracelets winners? Cochran would need to go further than my prediction if so :P



***


JayJayBlue & BowserBoy129
(Ibrehem & Marissa / Kim P & Rachel)

I think Rachel is a good match here for Bowser <3 Best things about Bowser is that he's very easy to get on with, and I think he could be twice as good a gamer as he is if he just focused on that and let the rest of his game fall into place based on that. Nevermind repping your character, nevermind even worrying about challenges or strategy. Just focus on making sure everyone on the tribe sees you as one of their top three friends/allies and you'll go far. Stop worrying about how you are playing and just play lol But that's not what typically happens him from what I see. He has a tendency to get very focused on little things and completely miss the much bigger more obvious picture staring him in the face. So if he can chill here and just go with the flow he can go deep, at least to merge. But I kind of expect he won't make it quite that far. Let's say merge boot.

I should know Ibe very well having followed his Season particularly closely. But if any one players game should have changed between then and now, it's Ibe's. After Stranded (which afaik was his first ORG) he went and began his own series, hosted that x3 and played at least a half dozen other games. But somehow, he and my paths have never crossed since, so I just have no idea how he's grown or developed. He's a wildcard to me, but with that much experienced he should be a very competent wildcard and he was a pretty decent player in the first place. Maybe a bit too loyal and single-minded, but that might be completely different by now. Let's say Final Six, with the potential to be a surprise middle of the pack late-sprint winner.

Kim P & Rachel I don't expect will bring too much impact to the game, but Ibe & Marissa just might. Ibe is a very good communicator for one, and if you feel close to him, you feel very close to him. This could be a key cross-tribe pair come the shuffles so long as she sticks around that long. Marissa is a newish player, but not a total noob, so she should be able to keep that hope alive. Ibe & Jolanda 2.0 anyone? (wow I'm racist)


***


PLA & PsychoARB
(Kim P & Rachel / Becky & Ciera)

Ciera is the app of the new-to-me people I think I like the most? Fun and easy going on the surface, but clever bubbling away underneath. Hopefully this translates to a good game played and I think in an all-new cast she'd be a favourite to win. Here though, while I do think she'll do well, I fear she'll get outshone by someone with a more experienced head on their shoulders along the way somewhere. I will say merge though, maybe as deep as finalist if things work out for her with swaps and partners. Becky as her partner is a good thing. Or at least, it's a good thing at first. She'll learn a lot, but might get burned later for it :P Also Ciera is super hot. I forgot how much till now.

Kim is maybe the vet I'm least excited to see come back. I just don't see her even in with a shot of winning here :/ Ew that sounds harsh. It's not to say she is a bad player per se, she is probably a better gamer than all of Peter, Caryn, Ralph, Cochran(?) - but each of those brings some other kind of excitement to the table. *If* she comes in with a big point to prove, and tackles the game way differently than last time maybe I'll get excited, but if she just does the same thing again she'll just be a number in some alliance and not a mover or shaker at all. iirc, she did have some rounds where she got a bit emotional and erratic (or was that just Sarah rubbing off on her? :P ) but more of that and I'd be a happier viewer. I have the same kind of fears for her partnership with Rachel. Kinda non-consequential in the bigger picture is my fear.

***


Chan The Man & TheBammBoozlerr
(Peter & Laura / Semhar & Brad)

I am writing these way out of order, and I think reading the apps, Brad ought to have been Hayden and vice-versa. I'm not sure what to make of Brad. I do think his app is not how we'll see him actually play. So I guess let's just wait and see what he does? He seems sure of himself at least. I'm not so sure that's warranted but ready to be surprised. My advice, coming into the game with any plan is usually a bad plan :P

I am glad to see PPPeter get another run out. I fear he might not make too much of it though :| His best connection here is Caryn who isn't exactly a stellar "in". But that said, for all his novelty value he wasn't super-terrible at the game first time out. He did make some good connections after showing up late, once he got the hang of things. He could have very easily cruised to a spot in the majority alliance only that Patty & Gina made a different majority happen. So like a few others here, all he really needs to do is survive till the shuffle and then it'll be a whole new ball game.

Him & Laura oughta be lols. Brad and Sem, idk at all.

***


MaxEurchuck & Isaiah
(Ralph & Shawn / Skinny Ryan & John)

John has noob written all over his app <3 Noobier even than the other noobs somehow Still, any pal of Ralph's is a pal of mine so I am rooting for him by default. He is a bit erm, personality-less in his app I mean, I can see he's eager and interested but there's no real bite there or indication how that might translate into the game. He will be someone I think fun to watch as he gets to grips to things that most of the cast take for granted as stuff you should know. I also think he'll probably be an early enough boot unless he gets in with a group early. And being that he's so green, I don't know if he'll have the sense to get in somewhere asap. It might all have happened by the time he starts thinking about what he needs to do. :/ So he'll need to make the *right* connection early - a Vytas or a Laura who will ensure he is included long enough for him to make the first shuffle and find his feet. 50/50 on his chances of doing that and making mid-game early Jury, or being one of the first out.

Ralph <3 One of my biggest disappointments of missing out on the latter half of that Season was not seeing how Ralph's story concluded properly. I just hope he can achieve similar heights here. For all his blustering and fumbling that time, let's not forget that Ralph was *the most* popular on his tribe statistically. He is very easy to get both along with and underrate as any kind of threat. Which is a killer combo. He is always thinking too. maybe those plans aren't always good, but he's coming up with them all the same For some reason I can see Ralph's return seeing him turn to villainy here Final five.

John with Ryan the Rat - I fear this partnership could be one of or even the first broken. Ralph with Shawn should be a good pairing. Shawn has a tendency to be somewhat vanilla on his own, but with the right other people can get a little cray, and Ralph is the right person for that.

***


madhackrviper & dancecab
(Skinny Ryan & John / Ibrehem & Marissa)

Marissa is one of the newer players at ORGY (2 recent games, 2 old-school games), and while I'm usually on top of that she is one that slipped by me. So going by her app alone she sounds.. just nice? I fear maybe a little naive and someone who might get strung along a bit. I'm finding it really hard to get a read on her here. I hope she's not too vanilla I am already thinking her confessional needs special attention to ratchet up the paranoia a little emotional trauma might bring out the best in her. I fear Marissa is a pre-merge boot depending on tribe wins early.

Skinny Ryan the Rat is a joy to host. He is maybe/probably the most experienced player in the game but don't take that for a second that he is anywhere near the best player (lol sorry madhack). He has a lot of flaws and while he is aware of them and tries to correct them each game, he can very easily fall into the trap of overcompensating and going too far the other way. Example; I hosted him last month and he confessed about how much this was going to be a patient game for him. But then came a moment where patience was the worst thing you could do. Two rounds later he was out on his ear. :| Big flaw #2 that I always notice is that he is a sucker for an underdog. He just can't sit comfortable inside a power alliance. Or he just finds it easier to connect with the outliers on a tribe than the power players. And more often than not that'll bite him in the ass.

All that said he can win here. He has a ton of experience and he should be the most connected of the vets even if he doesn't see it. A lot of people, (myself included, comic nerds <3 ), have a soft spot for him. He just needs to take advantage of that. Be ruthless and own it. But I don't know if he can actually play like that. That could be a bridge too far for him. I will say early Jury.

As for their pairs, I can see Marissa/Ibe being important later so long as she can stick around. I have less hope for Ryan/John, and I think one or the other will be an early boot here.

***


Kwe$i & USuck
(Semhar & Brad / Coby & Hayden)

What are these two looking at?

Semhar's return <3 I hope she goes full villain now that she has a rep for it. Hayden's app would indicate he could be a real villain here too. I hope he can deliver on what he's promising. Most excited for him over any new-to-me player. plsdeliverplsdeliverpsldeliver I do think you should have made him Brad Culpepper, but too late now. Potentially early boot if he overplays - and his app reads like an overplayer - but fingers crossed he rides that out. Imma say 5th or 6th boot or so.

I'm as excited about Semhar as I was last time out. And now we know she has the social thing down pat. I think it being her second game might hurt her. Cochran/Ralph etc will have read her old confessionals by now (or should have) and will find it very hard to trust her. So I think she'll have an uphill battle here and no mutiny option or anything to help her out. Still, she only needs to survive two rounds before she can blend into her natural friendly outside villainess inside persona where the noobs won't know better. I hope she goes deep. Her missing out on the cut and thrust of endgame (or even merge?) last time was cruel and took away from the game. Late Jury.

Coby and Hayden - this could produce fireworks for better or worse. Sem & Brad? idk. I can see her wearing the pants but that's about all.