After a couple of seasons of seeing NOBODY I could cheer for, I broke a years long viewing habit. I could still watch all of the seasons up and through Pearl Island, and the Alumni seasons from those shows, over and over, again. I'm not sure what got me to start watching, again (the two previous seasons) but it was nice to enjoy the show, again.

Unfortunately, I missed this season. I'm definitely going to remember to watch the next season.

We came in during the final four at Ghost Island, and pieced together that Dom had won final immunity and was allowed to choose one of the other three to join him in the final three. We missed the ouster of Sebastian and Donathan.

That said, the last several rounds were chalk. Once again, players talked about making a Big Move, and once again, nobody made one. Laurel was as tight with Wendell as Wendell was with Dom, and as long as those three stuck together, they were going to the final. As for the fourth of the final four, Angela just plain choked at the fire-building competition. She looked calm and confident right up until the moment she struck her flint, then it looked like she got brain lock while Wendell very deliberately went about the business of building his fire.

I thought Laurel proffered a good explanation for why she didn't take out Wendell when she had the chance (at the round of 8?) - that if she had followed through she would have been next to go. The jury didn't seem to get her point (and the opportunity to dry gulch Dom or Wendell didn't present itself again), but I thought from Sebastian's and Donathan's attitude and talk at the last Tribal Council that one of them might throw a vote Laurel's way.

When the deciding vote was given to Laurel, it was the most boring cliff-hanger ever. CBS seemed to realize this, and didn't drag out the big reveal, for which I was grateful. All in all, a decent season, and the Ghost Island twists were interesting (I note that Dom failed to reverse the curse on the Urn he chose, since it was by choosing Laurel to go to the final three, she cast the deciding vote against him.) I'd really like to see fewer hidden immunity idols in the future; they give an outsize reward to players who concentrate on finding idols (outwit) versus players who work to build their competitive (outplay) and social games (outlast).

Wendell deserved it, Dom had a villainous streak, Laurel rode the coattails.

Since both Wendell and Dom had saved Laurel to the Final Three, it really could have gone either way.

Next season "David v Goliath" looks pretty good, too!