Published: July 3, 2017
In the brief break between the week 9 episodes and the final two airings, Ben re-examines Avi's Survivor integrity, Barb's continuing mystery, the twist at the end of Episode 18, and explores some final three jury jeopardy scenarios.
Eps. 13-16: The integrity edition
Published: June 30, 2017
With just one week of shows left, Ben explores the role 'Survivor integrity' plays in Survivor NZ contestants' games, whether its possible to win with such, and who that winner might be. Also loincloths.
Eps. 11-12: The hero's journey
Published: June 15, 2017
As Survivor NZ sees a massive power shift, Ben re-evaluates where that leaves the respective games of Barb, Shannon, Jak, and Avi, and the now less brightly lit path the season appears to be following.
Eps. 9-10: Relax, everything will be fine
Published: June 10, 2017
Ben ponders the suggestion that it's a New Zealand tendency to be relaxed and understated in the face of adversity (and success), weathers the surprising highs and too-obvious lows of the edit, and finds the best and worst players out there.
Published: May 30, 2017
Ben dives into the intrinsically New Zealand-isms of Survivor NZ, revokes his Hero Challenge endorsement when it applies to reward challenges, talks about the Redemption Island quasi-cliffhanger, and with the merge approaching, maps out how he sees the remainder of the game playing out.
Eps. 5-6: The good, the interesting, and the ugly
Published: May 24, 2017
Survivor NZ loses two players in week three, via Redemption (the good) and medevac (the ugly), but several contestants gain new life via the tribe swap, while one notably does not. Ben looks ahead at how this sets up the looming merge.
Published: May 16, 2017
Ben ponders the significance of Nate's emergence from an otherwise one-dimensional Hermosa, and Shay as a strategic player, then praises the hero immunity challenge concept and the surprizing vote outcome.
Published: May 8, 2017
Covering the first two episodes of SurvivorNZ: Nicaragua, Ben explains his connection to Avi, asks if Dee's exit was one of the cruelest in Survivor history, then explores the Mogotón, er, 'Megatron' tribe in-depth.
Pre-Ep.1: We are the wilderpeople
Published: May 3, 2017
By way of introduction, Ben lists some common themes and social differences that might be expected to arise in a season of Survivor played by New Zealanders. And roots for Avi, of course.
By day, Ben Martell is a public commercial lawyer from New Zealand.
By night, he moonlights as a self-described Survivor 'expert'.
By day or night, find him on twitter at: @golden8284
Other The Golden Ticket editions:
Survivor: Edge of Extinction | Survivor: David vs. Goliath | Survivor: Ghost Island | Survivor: Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers | Survivor NZ: Nicaragua | Survivor: Game Changers
See also: The full True Dork Times index of past seasons.
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