ext_35784 ([identity profile] clauderainsrm.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] therealljidol2015-01-27 10:21 am

Green Room - Week 35 - Day 1

One of the challenges of putting together a mini-season is doing whatever you can to make sure that it doesn't just become the playground for a group of friends.

Not that groups of people who like each other is a bad thing. Far from it. But the danger is there of one group just running the tables on everyone else.

Heck, it's a danger in a full season as well. But there tends to be hiccups along the way that dislodge that sort of thing before you get to the very end.

It keeps things interesting and people involved.

Which is good, because Idol is greater than any one group of people. Folks who have been around for any length of time have seen "The In-Crowd" shift in change. People who were on the outside become "the cool kids" and they end up falling out of favor as the "new group" moves up. It's "the way of the world" and it's no different here.

The danger, in a mini-season, is that one group will grab hold early on and not let go... or just squeeze other people out of having a chance to enjoy their time in the game, so in planning the next one, I have to figure out how to mess with these hypothetical people. I have some ideas. :)

***

I was thinking about that earlier today, reflecting on Survivor: San Juan Del Sur with something that happened, and something that *almost* happened. When the numbers were down to the core alliance, with a couple folks they just hadn't gotten rid of yet - there was a reward challenge. Once the "other people" were out of the game - the remaining players were stopping and conferring on who would go next. Which of course pissed off the host (and executive producer) Jeff Probst. Eventually, he told them to just go ahead and tell him who was going to win. They picked Missy to go on the reward.

That's what happened. What *almost* happened is that there were two pairs left in the game: Jon and Jaclyn with Missy and Baylor. The four of them were aligned with Natalie. The plan was that when they reached Final 5, Jacyln and Baylor would allow themselves to be eliminated. Just say "OK. It's alright if I don't win."

What ended up happening though is that Natalie and Baylor decided that the deal wasn't in their best interest - and blindsided Jon.

I find that heartening - that even when you *think* you know everything that is going to happen, you can always count on someone to look out for their own self-interest and change things up!

It makes planning seasons, or mini-seasons, a little easier, knowing that the threat of a group running things to the end isn't as much of a possibility as it may seem at times. (Granted, those were still the people who got to the end in Survivor... so it can still work out of them....but not always as planned)

It's also one thing that I really do like about Idol - is that things tend to be completely up in the air at times!

Like the results from last week: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/829327.html
Setting us up for some epic battles in the Quick Fire http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/829885.html and the new Topic: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/829608.html

(There is a Work Room for those needing a little extra help: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/830124.html )

Some folks left are closer to each other than others. Some spend more time in the Green Room. All of them are really talented writers - and all of them are "a danger to go on a run" to the top! :)

Which is exciting. (at least as exciting as someone making it 100 Weeks! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/828979.html)

I can't wait to see how this plays out. (as I plan for next time!)

[identity profile] xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com 2015-01-27 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
I started to watch the last season of Survivor and I ended up bailing because Real Life decided to intrude on my Wednesdays. I also bailed on Top Chef :/

But yeah, when one alliance pulls through all the way people may applaud the tactics used to maintain said alliance but it leaves everyone else, whether player or viewer, in the lurch. I don't remember her name (Gary, you'd know this), but the girl who swept Survivor a few seasons ago with an all-female alliance who picked off every male? Wonderful tactical game on her end but nothing else. No surprises because none of the other girls wanted to ally against her. No tension, no drama, nothing. People hold her as one of the best Survivor winners of all time. That's true, but...well, you know?

I think this blizzard is getting to me. We're snowed in except for the front door. Our street still hasn't been plowed since last night. The housemate who was called into work ended up not having to work. It was an adventure driving home!

[identity profile] xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com 2015-01-27 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Machine, that's it. I remember her plowing right through everybody and making everyone think she was their best friend :nodding:

But you have to admit that watching a machine week after week isn't too terribly exciting after awhile. She reminded me of myself at work but I'm paid to be a machine cranking out all sorts of goodies. I'm sure someone watching me week after week wouldn't be terribly exciting.

[identity profile] pixiebelle.livejournal.com 2015-01-28 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
I loved Kim. As viewers, we knew she was a strategic genius, but those playing with her thought they were in control. If I ever played in Survivor, she'd be one to emulate, but man, that's a tough line to walk.

She did it well though, and totally deserved that win.

[identity profile] xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com 2015-01-27 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I dropped PR a couple of seasons ago. I don't think it was so much their being moved to Lifetime than it was I was weary of the same old same old. Didn't matter what kind of twists they threw in there. There was nobody particularly compelling competing. Ditto for Top Chef :shrug:

I've been feeling the same away about TAR too. I hate the fact that it moved to Fridays because that's probably the worse night for me (says she who usually has the buttcrack-of-dawn shift on Saturdays).
Edited 2015-01-27 16:47 (UTC)

[identity profile] xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com 2015-01-27 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
LOLOL, good thing you told me or else I'd miss the upcoming season! I can deal with Wednesdays better since I've been having Thursdays off (watch this, they'll probably move it just to spite me...)

Yeah, I've heard/read it's going to be a twist season. IIRC excluding Jonathan Knight and other-semifamous-person all the teams are strangers to one another. It's good that the TAR producers are paying attention to people who've wanted to audition but couldn't because they didn't already have a partner. OTOH it'll be interesting to discover who are truly team players, who gets along, etc.

[identity profile] beeker121.livejournal.com 2015-01-27 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I keep up with PR barely, but only because of a liberal use of the FF button on my DVR. There are times that all I watch is the runway, or if I'm feeling generous I watch them get the challenge, sketch, and the mid-process mentor visit. But I'm really not invested in them as people anymore.

Also hello!
ext_12410: (let it snow (by saunteringdown))

[identity profile] tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com 2015-01-27 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
holy crap, where do you live?? i hope the plows showed up eventually! (my street is pretty clear but i live on a major-ish road. people even snowblowed - snowblew? - at least part of the sidewalk. i haven't been outside to see how much snow is on my car, tho....)

[identity profile] xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com 2015-01-27 11:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Not in your immediate area but close enough ;) I'm on a side road with very reluctant? Conservative? Lazy? public works personnel. Seriously, they've only gone by once since this morning and my street is still barely navigable. The main roads aren't much better. I'm guessing they're going to wait until later tonight before plowing in earnest.