Let The Games Begin: Day 1 Team Discussion/First Impressions

Greetings, readers. I’m Vorpal Katana, AKA Jack, and I’ll be writing some blogs here. This is my first, obviously. It’ll be covering two things; my team analysis, where I’ll read over my thoughts on each team, as well as of some interesting points on the start of the show and what’s been happening thus far.

First of all, the teams; one of the biggest plot twists the show’s had, not to mention among the most successful. I’m not going to be explaining the team concept since it should be fairly obvious, but I will be offering my opinion on each team’s chances. Now then, let’s get started.

Amber Eagles: Hoo, boy, can we say "trainwreck"? Let's see; useless mentor, volatile and crazy people, a mess of good and bad weapons, and lovers with a third wheel outside the team? This cannot possibly end well for anyone involved.

Bronze Bears: Well they got some good weapons, but they're all super-nice. They might work well together but I don't see the killer instinct in any of them. Their mentor might prove helpful, but I dunno, I don't have high hopes.

Cobalt Jellyfish: Well not only do they have awful weapons, but they’re almost as dysfunctional as the Eagles. And to top it off, they’ve got a useless mentor! The Jellyfish are looking about as formidable as their namesake, without the sting. If a team is an easy out, it’ll be this one.

Cyan Stingrays: This team is deceptive I feel. Seemingly harmless with the exception of a very aggressive member, but with possibly the best utility pull in the game (team bandanas!) and possibly the best mentor as well, they could easily have a shot. Not much in the way of proper weapons, and they may not be formidable themselves, but I expect them to surprise us.

Ebony Whales: This team is interesting. The people are broken in general, the mentor is quite likely useless, but they have a series of excellent weapon draws. I have no idea what’s going to happen with them, but it’ll certainly be interesting, and I bet at least one of ‘em will do well.

Golden Hyenas: All these people are so strange that I can’t see them working well together. They have Mason as a leader, at least. I bet he’ll do well for them if anyone can, based on his game. But once again, 3 guns is always a hugely useful draw. I think they’ll do just fine.

Honey Badgers: This team got gipped in weapon draws, with the best weapons being a knife and a trident. Their mentor might be beneficial (key work might), but they’ll need to be crafty, and I don’t see that trait in most of them.

Ivory Sharks: Everyone here has some kind of useful weapon, from a small knife to two swords and a gun. Heck, they got grenades! I have absolutely no idea how they’ll work with that mentor of theirs, but it’s entirely possible they could be contenders.

Jade Rhinos: This time our loner is actually a pair of loners. Neither of them got really good weapons, but their mentor might be extremely useful. Still, I don’t foresee them having a good shot given the inherently significant disadvantages of less teammates.

Rainbow Parrots: If of all the teams I had to pick the one that could go either way in terms of success above all others, it’d be this one. Some got really good weapons, and some got useless junk. That mentor could either be extremely helpful or completely useless. This one could do anything, either.

Rose Foxes: If I was to pick a winning team this could well be it. They have a lot going for them; potential for teamwork, a very good mix of weapons, and a mentor who’s been around since the beginning of SOTF. I’ll be very disappointed if this team doesn’t do well, since I can see them pulling something through.

Scarlet Panthers: But on the other hand, this team I can see as a Purple Team-esque group. They’ve all got good weapons and mostly physical prowess. Their mentor is probably not anything special, but I can see some good stuff coming from them if not necessarily winning.

Silver Scorpions: This team doesn’t really stand out to me that much honestly but I can see the mentor being helpful. I honestly don’t know, though; they might be good at working together but I see internal conflict being a potential issue they’ll face.

Tan Bats: I love their mentor’s show! But they all have melee weapons and I don’t know how well they’ll handle the situation, and they may not be a big threat later on. I can see them being solid early-game motivators that fall off, easily.

Violet Wolves: Yay, Jared! This team I have hopes for. They may not be impressive themselves, but honestly, who was excited for the purple team before Jared was there? I totally think they could pull something akin to last time I think.

Anyway, that’s all for the teams, but let’s talk for a bit about what the actual players have been doing so far.

One of the most interesting things I’ve seen so far that is fourth-wall-breaking introductions. Many kids seem to be opening themselves up by chatting with the camera. While obviously most other versions have camera rants, I’m surprised by how prevalent they became so quickly. Of all the people who’ve made camera speeches, I found Erik Lowell’s news reporting to be endearing, Lukas Graves’ bragging to be aggravating and Taylor DeVashor’s advertising to be obnoxious.

Another interesting occurrence that seems prevalent is reckless early offensives. Vahka Basayev and Isaiah Halls both made aggressive plays early on. Vahka stands out, beating the shit out of poor Marcus Redder and then robbing him. He’s certainly one to watch for now.

Other people to watch are, I’d say, Zoe Walker and Lukas Graves. Lukas is your classic hater and apparently trolls forums, but I think he and Zoe have some good chemistry and could be really interesting. I imagine they’ll go up in flames if Lukas gets careless but that could also be interesting.

Also potential stars; Sebastien, Anastasia Arcadia and Shawn Thornton could act as a fun comic relief group though I’m not fond of “AnArchy’s” shenanigans, so her boy toy’s straight-man attitudes could be refreshing. Austin White’s pulling some kind of gambit and it could be interesting to see where he goes.

Overall, I’d say Season 66 has been more intelligence-based than 65, where people tended to screw around and act out to get fame. Here I think, with some exceptions, people are playing to win, and that means a more cutthroat, ruthless game. I look forward to the rest of the season, and I hope you all do, too!

This is Vorpal Katana signing out.

SOTF-TV Season 66 Premiere

The newest season of Sotf-TV has premiered it's first episodes! Check it out: Here.

The season takes place in a fancier resort than last time, blending a light winter with an island feel at the Lānaʻi Resort and the surrounding tourist town. The setting might be one of the most epic of any season in the show's history thus far.

New announcer, D.J. Rhiannon "Ritzy Daggers" Durrett takes the reigns from former host Leonardo Dhanke, giving the show a new and refreshed feeling.

NEWS UPDATE: Audio Update Only

broke mhand rollrbla dei ng here iss thupdate.

will fine sumone else 2 type these.

linkdump:

Jared clayton twitteR: https://twitter.com/1JaredClayton
claudia ghoul or whatever: https://twitter.com/BornGhoul
emi soshimoto (her gamertag is Xylenz): https://twitter.com/TheRealXylenz

Q&A w/ Darren Banks, the "Guru of the SotF Odds-makers"

For years, Darren Banks has been making his way through fields of gore and debris, crunching numbers and assessing the lucky cast of the next season of Survival of the Fittest – TV. Now with the playing field of TV irrevocably changed with the addition of teams, he sits down with us to talk tactics, sure bets, and his own brief brush with SOTF-TV fame.

---

“I could have been a star, you know that?”

Darren Banks sits across from me, sprawled out in his seat. Outside it's a pleasant day in Palm Springs, although Darren assures me they don't get too many here. Sitting in at around two-hundred and eighty pounds, Darren Banks says that he doesn't have many pleasant days.

“I coulda' won,” he continues, fiddling with the tab on his half-empty can of soda. He looks wistfully out the window, watching tourists walk by. One wears a blue jersey, the last name Stadler plastered across the back. Darren Banks doesn't hide the sad smile that crosses his face. When he speaks again he's far away.

“I was in Grade Twelve, back when Season uh, Sixty- no, Fifty-Three, was being picked. I remember sitting on that fuckin' school bus, blood racing in my veins. No one wanted to think about it, right? That was the shit that made kids wake up in the middle of the night piss-scared. Well, some kids. Not me.”

Darren pauses, letting out a belch and running the rest of his soda down his throat. When he starts speaking again he has an excited glint to his speech.

“So, I went to Westmore Heights High, and up until early May of that year, we were gonna' be the class, we were going to be celebrities. But things changed- the highups, they didn't want another California school. That's as close as an answer as they'll ever give me... bullshit, I know. But for the first few months of my senior year, I was gonna be famous. Then the trip came and well, plans changed. My bus to fortune and fame never showed up. You know the only reason I went on that friggin' trip was the idea of it being a set-up for the show? I coulda' won. I swear, I coulda' won.”

With his double chin and his ballooning waistline, it's hard to take Darren Banks seriously. But when it comes to the topic of SOTF-TV, Darren has nothing to joke about. The self-proclaimed “Guru of SOTF-TV” is a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to America's darling, the blood sport Survival of the Fittest.

“I know everything,” Darren says adamantly. “Every stat, every name, every school and every damn kill. I watched the re-runs my dad had taped for me, I livestream every episode online. I've written articles, books. I'm a self-made man, and I've got to thank SOTF-TV for everything it's done for me.”

Darren rises from the table, throwing a twenty down casually on the table for a tip. With a smile to the waitress he makes his way to the parking lot where his brand new car sits waiting. He grins at me and thumbs his nose. Darren Banks isn't lying when he says that SOTF-TV has given him everything; five years ago, Darren put all his savings down in Vegas, betting on meek, black-horse Danielle Austen to win Season Sixty-One of Survival of the Fittest. Be it luck, or as Darren states, a combination of intuition and knowledge of the inner works of the game, Danielle surprised everyone and turned Darren's meagre bet into a fortune overnight. Now, a self-made millionaire, Darren spends his time refining his betting “technique” and engaging in the massively popular SOTF-TV subculture.

“I always knew I would be, in uh-, as in, I would be a SOTF-TV person,” Darren says as we drive back toward his home.

“That was just who I was, from the second I saw my first episode uh, Bones' death, Season One on my Dad's beat-up DVD player, I knew. Shit, this was me, this was my life! SOTF-TV supporter until the day I die, and I was SO close to getting on the island. You wouldn't believe the revenge fantasies I had boiling around in my skull. People think that just cus' I'm fat, I wouldn't stand a chance. That survival would depend on just raw luck, a weapon draw.”

Darren shakes his head, giggling to himself. “Oh, there's always a chance, if you know the secret. But I'm not tellin'- what's the fun in watching if I go blabbing the trade secrets?”

----

Despite Darren's insistence on keeping all the tricks of his trade a secret, he still has plenty to say. Recently Darren has united with Billy King, another prominent voice in the SOTF-TV world, and written a book in preparation for the upcoming season. Based on sixty-five seasons of knowledge, Banks and King attempt to explain the underlying tactics of the game, how to go about picking a winner, and for younger viewers, what to do in case you yourself are stuck in SOTF-TV. And while Darren is tight-lipped about the contents of the book he was more than happy to sit-in with us for a brief Q&A!

Q: Thanks for taking the time to stop in with us, Darren. Shall we begin?

DARREN: Go ahead man, shoot. Let's get this ball fuckin' rollin'.

Q: You are perhaps one of the most vocal members of the SOTF-TV community, certainly described as passionate by your friends. Can you ever foresee a day when SOTF-TV will shut its doors for good?

DARREN: Ah man, I'm nothin' but a filthy otaku, that's all. [LAUGHS] I've got to say, honestly? As long as America is here, land of the free and the brave, SOTF-TV isn't going anywhere. I'll be watching this show until the day I die, and the reason is that it's never the same, it can never be! It's constantly shifting, it can't be predicted.

Q: But you make a living doing just that, predicting the results of the game. Haven't you said yourself that there's a formula to figuring out who will win?

DARREN: Not in the way you're thinkin'. The producers, they know they've got something real and they don't want to mess with a good thing. Nothing is scripted on SOTF-TV, everything is live. But you're right, there IS a formula to figure out who'll win.

Q: Will you divulge even just a part of how you do it?

DARREN: You can read about it more in my new book coming out, but sure, I'll oblige ya'. Basically, the reason why so many people mess-up predicting who will win SOTF-TV is they're going about it all wrong. They look to take out variables- weapon draws, physical fitness, anything that will narrow it down to raw stats. This student is stronger, so on an equal playing field he'll kill the weaker dude, get it? But you can't remove that stuff. You can't think of the cast of SOTF-TV as raw data that will always obey 100% of the time.

Q: So it's luck?

DARREN: No, not luck either. I knew from the first time I read her profile that Danielle [Austen] would win her season. I suppose it does take some luck, sure. But at its core you also need that skill, to deny that part of your brain that is uh, trying to sort everything into a clear-cut solution. Your gut sometimes knows best, and your gut never wilfully lies. Take for example last season, Shawn and Mason. It ended in a coin-flip, of all fucking things! The stats guys, they were ragin', going nuts. All this effort trying to calculate their ability to kill, their physical fitness, cunning, all smashed to ribbons. Because they're only considered with the raw data, the straight and narrow line. But SOTF-TV odds are a rough and turbulent sea, and every cast member has their own little dinky fuckin' boat. Sure, some might be bigger than others at the start of the storm, but that isn't what matters. I'd take a sea-worthy paddleboat over a yacht filled with leaks anyday.

Q: So what you're saying is... you predict the unpredictable?

DARREN: Awh man, I'm shit at explanations. [LAUGHS] Basically, I don't remove variables. I add them, I run scenarios over and over in my mind, I study personality, I study the previous seasons. I collect, I collect, and I don't rule anything out. That's the basics of it. There's more, actual uh, scientific formulas I've worked out, but that'd just be spoiling my book, right?

Q: Let's talk about last season. Obviously there is a huge shift now, in terms of strategy.

DARREN: People are freakin' out about it, talking about how this changes everything. And you know what? They don't get it, they think they do, but they just don't GET it. This doesn't just change the game, this isn't a costume gimmick. This is completely revolutionary, a factor that will throw every betting strategy through a window!

Q: Except yours, of course.

DARREN: Of course, [LAUGHS]. Listen, SOTF-TV has never been more alive. There were always alliances, but now there are solid alliances, alliances that the game officially sanctions and supports. Before, even if alliances were strong, their failure was inevitable. Only one could survive. But now the rules have changed and there are thousands of new factors to consider- Student A's girlfriend is on another team, Student B is on a team with people who bullied him, Student C wants to play but his teammates don't want to back him, and Student D, E and G have an uzi, baseball bat and a stick of gum, and they're going headhunting. And that doubt is now eliminated in certain individuals, alliances CAN work, they're allowed to work... but not ALL can work. It isn't going to be some sort of hippy-love and bromance. Expect the blood to pour and the ratings to soar this next season.

Q: You sound excited.

DARREN: I'm shaking in my seat just thinking about it, hah! This isn't even considering the 10-kill buyout rule. I honestly can't believe they haven't done this sooner. It truly is a great time to be alive.

Q: So let's move on to Season Sixty-Six. What can we expect?

DARREN: Well let's look at what the kids know. First off, the ten-kill buyout? Works like a charm. The example Karen Ruiz has set will be the long shadow stalking every player. Expect more aggression, especially from students with solid weapon draws and individualists. Expect mistrust, even between team members during the early game. Karen's gambit of tying multiple bandannas around her arm threw off some people, and that will be fresh in every students mind. Team-wise, I expect to see a lot more cooperation. The producers never made a move to invalidate the team rule, and really, to do so would be counter-productive and idiotic to the extreme. The confusion of the teams has worn off, everyone knows about it, and everyone is going to try to get an edge on that front.

In short? This will be an aggressive game, with no shortage of memorable scenes. I've got a feeling the producers aren't just going to sit and stew either. I bet you big money they're thinking up another twist to really spin the team dynamic on its head.

Q: Can you elaborate?

DARREN: Man, just speculation. But I tell ya', the odd-makers aren't gonna be sleepin' for awhile. [LAUGHS]

TEASER: SOTF TV Official Site Releases Single Image

For those of you who are sleeping under a rock/don't have internet access/are too stupid to use a URL bar, a recent development has come across my desk via the official SotF site.

The website changed it's splash page to the following image between 8:54 and 9:13 pm EST today - reminiscent of the Season 60 hype-up campaign - displaying a very cryptic message.

A hint on the upcoming season, no doubt. Does it refer to a team (purple was Jared's colour, after all) a location (wolves are a mountainous species), or some sort of new gimmick (lone wolves? A departure from teams entirely?)?

Only time will tell.

--Ted

Leaked Interview: George King (Season 60)

We all know the story.

Season 60 of SotF: TV is by far the largest, most disastrous mistake in the entirety of SotF history. If you don't know the history or weren't an avid watcher during this time period, I suggest you hit up the archives and get yourself a refresher course.

The short version? 29 survivors in a game of SotF due to a collar malfunction, an increase in anti-SotF rallies, and a massive disappointed fanbase because the show only lasted six days before the executives threw up their hands. In the midst of all of this was George King, who was a fan favourite at the time.

George was a sympathetic villain, because he'd go through this odd... pattern. He'd shoot before even opening his mouth, and when he had a victim, he'd suddenly start crying, attacked by self guilt and hatred. It was like watching a slinky go from step to step, where every even step is a brutal, efficient killer, and the odd ones are an emotional roller coaster.

I digress.

A year after the conclusion of SotF: Season 60, George is in an insane asylum called Blackpool. Details on him were scarce for a time (and honestly, 60 was a time most of us SotF fans would have sooner forgotten) but recently, an interview from Blackpool's official files was leaked online by some dude with a soundcloud and too much time on his hands.

Now, the Audio's a bit choppy, and it sounds like King is speaking through a cardboard tube despite the uploader's attempts at smoothing out the bootleg, but it's interesting no less.

Link here. Listener discretion advised.

--Ted

The "Off Season" - SOTF-TV Pop Culture Phenomena (Post-Season 65) By: RNN

Hey there guys. Nery here:

It's getting closer. The masses are lining in wait on the horizon for Sotf-Tv Season 66. You can feel the excitement in the air and just in time for the Holiday season too.

But wait, let us give some attention to and not forget about the really cool season before that shall we?

That's right; I'm talking about the "Off-Season".

If you don't know what the "Off-Season" is, I'm talking about that down-time without SOTF-TV on our television sets. In this case, I'm talking about that period between the conclusion of Season 65 and the beginning of the new Season 66.

What makes this even worth mentioning you ask? Well, maybe it doesn't interest the majority of you, but I've always been more fascinated by how every successive season manages to influence our culture and society in different ways than the shows themselves sometimes. The culture shifts quickly compared to how it had been in the past, how instead of yearly fads and the like, we have these changes happening seasonal.

Don't believe me? Well you should. Just look at the survivors of each season themselves or, heck nearly anyone who becomes involved in this show. These people become the newest celebrities; you see their faces on the magazines, billboards, everywhere, even model look-alikes to popular contestants who weren't so lucky to make it out alive. It's in the sponsorship, the products we use, everything.

So let's take a look at what pop culture phenomena has occurred this latest off season:

- Starting with the obvious, the team colors and bandanna gimmick has caught fire all over the nation. Many Fans are using the bandannas as part of their fashion styles, or merely collecting them. Some are even dressing only in the colors of their favorite team or contestant on the show. The colors may have even influence some companies to help sponsor the show, including Skittles® due to the whole "Taste the Rainbow" thing, and there are talks that CrayolaLCC among others companies have shown interest on sponsoring the show as well.

- The Caribbean Island Resort used during season 66 has only just re-opened last weekend after some much needed clean-up, but already people have been flocking in to spend time at the resort they've seen on TV. It's the same thing every year with the location, and it's a marketing strategy that works. Already there has been news of other Resort Executives fighting for the chance to have their businesses used on the show too.

- Fashion has definitely affected the populace from styles of the season's most popular contestants. Trench-coat sales were on the rise due to 10 kill winner, Karen Ruiz use of one, as well as basketball jerseys and enrollment skyrocketing in the sport through high schools across the nation ever since winner Mason Ross' victory. The two survivors themselves have become celebrities, though they've seemed to be a bit reluctant than others in the past. Speaking of winners, a re-interest in former winner Jared Clayton has come about thanks to his mentoring on the show.

- Firearms used by both winners have also been on demand from gun collectors and those looking for protection, with the use of Karen Ruiz' Glock 17 and Mason Ross' Beretta Handgun. A special custom made gun, called the Mase-93R's have been talked about, though mostly in jest, but with a hint of seriousness.

- Perhaps, most intriguing of all when it comes to clothing is the adoption of a retro, flower-child like style mixing the 60's-70's, with that of the (rich kids) modern age, thanks to a certain runner-up by the name of Shawn Morrison. Looks like the whole world has been keeping the popular contestant alive with a collective ShawnMorgasm of the kid's quirky fashion choice, with bandannas, over-sized and colorful sunglasses, fancy blazers, tie-dye, strange symbols on their shirts, pink board shorts, zebra socks and the like or just to be 'ironic'. The businesses seem to have monetized this and have already invested in male-models with the same vibe to help bring the female-fan-favorite back in some form.  I wouldn't be surprised if new teens/kids have started with toking (smoking weed) now too. Tsk Tsk Hippie boy.

- The Fan-service outfits proved to be a popular thing, and industries that create the costumes have been in negotiations with SOTF-TV, so what may come from that could be interesting. Halloween is just around the corner, and popular costumes such as the Playboy bunny suit worn by Sidney Rice are already in demand.

- Ever since the finale, Boa Constrictor pets sales have gone up. SOTF themselves have even marketed plush snake dolls which have proved popular, as well as boa fashion in general (yes the feathered kind). Typically people have imitated the style of draping these things around their shoulders like Shawn did. (This seems like a risky idea in most cases if you ask me)

- Verizon sales have shot up over the last couple of months as well. However, it wasn't because of the "effective marketing campaign" the company had made from their sponsorship with Yellow Team Mentor Wilson Howards AKA "The Verizon Guy". The service's popularity grew from an online internet Meme that Howards became from his hilarious Verizon shilling on the show. Time will tell, whether Wilson will take this in stride and be the Meme/Spokesperson that many other memes have done in the past. Other memes that came from the show included the very popular: "I'm From Detroit I know how to use this!" and the internet backlash that Green Team Mentor, Susan Crawford has garnered from her recently high visibility thanks to the show.

So what other new additions to our culture have you all noticed during the "Off-Season"? Reply in the comments section and tell me if I've missed anything.

----

Next time, the R in RNN, Rebecca, will be Recapping Season 65 for the people who are either lazy or who've been living under a rock. Kidding.

That includes me when she's not forcing me to watch. Also, kidding.

The recap will be by listed starting from day one. Tell us about some of your most memorable scenes from Season 65 or anything else in the comments below while you're at it. Til next time - RNN.