HOLLYWOOD—I really wanted to get into the latest season of “Survivor,” I’ve watched each week, but this has been a terrible season for me. Why? Well, this twist, the ‘Edge of Extinction’ really didn’t deliver. I mean we had four returning players; two of them were voted out with idols in their pocket, and another utilized his idol at a Tribal Council sooner than he should have and a load of the characters are just not that interesting.

Look, we were spoiled with ‘David v. Goliath.’ That was not a great season it was a fantastic one and perhaps one of the best in years. I mean you had people you liked, you hated, you were rooting for and it delivered one of the best blindsides ever that NOT even I saw coming with John being voted out when two idols were played and the underdogs decided to split the votes. This season has been meh at best. This has to be the largest jury I’ve ever seen, the ‘Edge of Extinction’ twist really hasn’t played out the way I think it should have, and I mean we’re at the final 5 and you’re about to have a competition to allow 11 people voted out the game the opportunity to get back into the game, really? Even if they did, at this point there is no way I could vote for one of them to win the game. Perhaps if they held this competition at like the final 8 or 9, but we’re too close to the end game to allow someone to enter and perhaps crown them the winner and they’ve only competed in like 2-3 challenges before making it to the end.

This was an epic battle, with 11 people fighting to get back into the game; with perhaps one of the most complex challenged we’ve seen to date people. Looking like a battle between Eric, Joe, Chris and Aurora getting back into the game. However, in the end it was Chris who got a second chance in the game. It was nice to see everyone share their tales about being on Extinction, but at the same time, it is not moving me to the point that I’m glued to the TV screen. I want to see gameplay people.

So we have three members from the original Manu tribe (Chris, Lauren and Devens) and three members from the Kama tribe (Gavin, Victoria and Julie). This should be interesting if the remaining players play the game to win. Chris was making strong inroads, bonding with Devens who is concerned rather he is going to a target. Lauren was NOT happy to hear that Chris knows about her idol. It’s dangerous and that information is like a double-edged sword for Lauren because leverage she once had, she no longer has. Victoria saw that and she was quite scared of Chris’ return to the game.

What the hell was Chris doing by helping Julie to solve that puzzle? That left me flabbergasted to say the least, but I assume he did that as a way to get in with Julie. Yeah, this game has just opened up in a major way that I didn’t expect. I don’t know if Lauren realizes this, but she doesn’t have many allies on ‘Edge’ beyond Kelly. How the hell could Julie and Lauren think that idol Rick has is fake? Chris is playing well, and to realize for once that Victoria is a major threat to the end game and she pleaded her case to Gavin and Rick.

Victoria is indeed one of the best players remaining in the game if you ask me, however, giving Chris an immunity idol, similar to what Devens got when he came back into the game. Really “Survivor” producers, this is so predictable and stifling gameplay. Damn, stop with the use of idols, it’s way too many. This was an intriguing Tribal Council, where Devens really put on the waterworks and DAMN that was impressive as hell.

Rick played his idol, which prompted Lauren to play her idol for Chris, who took Victoria and Gavin and Julie by major surprise and the jury enjoyed every second of it. Well, the woman who blindsided so many others got blindsided, and Lauren realized she didn’t need to play her idol, yeah, bad move. Rick went searching for another idol, and created a few ‘fake’ idols to throw off the others. This guy is a beast when it comes to finding idols. Like he has played 3 to 4 idols, is the game being rigged for him?

Julie found a fake idol and Lauren also found a fake idol thinking it’s real, but Chris and Rick were laughing to the high heavens with the truth. Devens won ANOTHER immunity and with an idol in his back pocket can this guy be stopped? I mean this is the last time to play it so it’s now or never. Devens wants Gavin to take him to the final three, but Gavin knows he can’t beat Devens, but in this game you have to lie to move forward. It was a Tribal Council of idols with four being played, but only two of them actually being real. I hate this overplay of idols, it doesn’t make the game fun if you ask me, and to see Lauren voted out was not fun one single bit. I think idols should be cut off when you reach the final 6.

The final immunity challenge was a game of balance, where Chris was in the lead and it did not seem like anyone could come close to him and Chris won. Wow, this is such a crazy game, that someone voted out and who returned to the game has made it to the Final 3. Yeah, I really don’t know how viewers are going to respond to this season in the long run. As expected, Chris betrayed Rick and planned to force him to make fire. At this point Devens has played the best game, and he DESERVES to win, and this twist has deprived him of the win he so valiantly fought to win. It sucks and I hate it.

Chris did perhaps the dumbest move in “Survivor” history next to Erik giving Natalie his immunity necklace. You have a cakewalk to the million dollars and you give immunity to Julie, what the hell are you thinking. I swear it looks like Chris might win this game and I will be baffled if he does. He won the fire making challenge, which proves ONCE AGAIN, why this twist needs to be eliminated and the focus should return to social game.

Chris, Gavin and Julie, this might be one of the worst final three that I have seen in “Survivor” history. I honestly do not believe any of the three are deserving of the win. This Final Tribal Council is horrid; the jury literally has no clue who to vote for and none of the finalists delivered compelling arguments. Gavin gave the best argument. He played the game for 39 days and did NOT have his name written down ONCE. That is beyond impressive and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in “Survivor” history.

After nearly 2 hours and 30 minutes the votes are read and it seems to be a battle between Gavin and Chris, nothing for Julie people. Wow, I am utterly stunned that Chris, a guy who only spent like 11 days in the game won a million dollars over two other people, who NEVER got voted out and one person who never had his name voted one time in the entire game. Yeah, I can see this turning into one of the worst seasons of “Survivor” that I have ever seen and will have people talking for years and I mean years to come. Thank God, this season is over, I am so waiting for the 40th season of “Survivor” where rumor has it some of the best to play the game (winners) will fight to be crowned for the second time or perhaps third time in the history of the game. Come on Winter/Spring 2020.