u/Sketchy_Turtle

One thing I really like about Bowie in the reboot is how he comes across MK’s phone in the final 6 challenge (some pretty nice continuity honestly), and then found information about Millie and Priya’s friendship. However, instead of revealing it immediately, he held onto it for the perfect time. For example, in the final 4, he chose not to reveal this information because he needed Millie and Priya focused on working together WITH him to take out Julia 3-1 and not targeting each other instead. It was only after Julia was voted off that he decided to reveal this information, which emerges as a conflict for the finale without feeling super forced. While I’m not the biggest fan of Millie and Priya, Bowie’s role in the plot felt pretty cohesive

A lot of people complain that Evie “wasted her time in the show” and was useless for the nine episodes she was in, but I think the appeal of her character is kind of lost on people. Evie, to me, is purely a comic relief character. While comedy is subjective, she is genuinely very funny imo. Her personality is also really cute, because she is clueless but can also be very sweet to the other players, like buddying up with Aiden and calling Ara beautiful. (Yes I’m aware she later voted Aiden but shh)

Disventure Camp could benefit from comic relief, imo. The show shouldn’t take itself too seriously and allowing characters like Evie to just take a bit and embrace it is a good idea if the humor is actually funny. I actually think she was pretty robbed and she should’ve lasted longer, but it also makes sense why she would leave so idk. I think the Aiden thing was pretty hilarious, being manipulated by Ara and Nura to turn on him because she believed this rumor that he was going to abandon her. And then she convinces herself it’s a big strategic move and aura farms about it, as well as wanting to “talk strategy” the next episode by just listening to Sam and Ara 💀 Not to mention the entire advantage thing, I thought they were building up an unintentional comedic villain arc for her. Kinda like Max from TDPI? (Best comparison I can think of) The fact that the other players were kinda intimidated by this flop because of an “advantage” she didn’t even have is just very funny.

So to anyone who hates Evie for being “useless”, imo I don’t think she’s useless at all. Not every character needs some kind of overarching plotline or story, especially when they last nine episodes. She is funny and that is a good role to have.

I know most people within the TD community agree that RR is one of the best seasons, but I still feel like it’s understated how good this season is. I think it’s the best TD season ever imo, but it doesn’t get much appreciation from the more casual audience because it’s a spin off and Chris isn’t attached to it. (I think Don is a super underrated host though, he has snarky dry humor that’s very funny to me) There are also not that many characters in RR that people care/talk about.

The cast is genuinely peak, I know some people hold the opinion that the early boot teams are forgettable/fodder, but I disagree. I love that every team that left after the Geniuses have their own little mini arc/full arc that gets concluded before they leave. Even teams like the Vegans, which no one really cares about, I think are pretty neat for the short time they stay. Their morals being compromised and the subversion of them surviving a non-elim just to leave the next round is cool. The Rockers are nice underdogs, the Bloggers are cute, and I even find the Tennis Rivals VERY charming and funny for some reason. The Goths make for excellent comic relief and are some of the funniest TD characters ever, especially with how long they stay. And the Father and Son arc is simple yet so sweet and both characters are super likable. The Sisters were awesome too and should’ve made finals. The Cadets, while not my favorites, are still great. Neither of them are characters that I LOVE individually but their dynamic together pushes them forward. And I’d also like to add that I actually enjoy the Dater Haters a lot and I don’t think their plot was dragged, it was hilarious.

The real flaws of this cast imo are that the Best Friends arc is insufferable and drags way too long, I also don’t really like how they handle Nemma, the Stepbrothers probs could’ve been booted sooner (nitpick though, they’re alright), and the Surfers are fun but them returning and winning sucked. I’m not opposed to a rejoiner winning but the pacing in which it happened as well as them having no real story just really took the wind out of an otherwise awesome finale.

And I’ve failed to mention the true peak of this cast which are the ICE DANCERS. They work perfectly for this format as maniacal Team Rocket-esque villains and they’re both super entertaining S tier characters.

The final few episodes of RR where all the arcs culminate at once and the action/stakes get higher and higher are genuinely some of the best TD episodes ever. Josee being stuck underwater but MacArthur going back to save her in spite of their rivalry is a great moment for the season. There’s The Daters finally working as a cohesive team near the end. That entire sequence in the Darjeeling episode where the teams are going through the train karts, and Emma slaps Devin as the train horn blares because he’s yet to convince to Carrie. The Ice Dancers get more and more unhinged as the season goes on and it really culminates in the last couple of episodes.

Overall I really enjoy RR. I hate that one of the alternate winners just kinda sucks because it really stops it from being a “basically perfect” season, but it’s still great in spite of that.

I know people think it would be cool for DC to experiment with the idea of a FULL team swap the way Survivor does it, and while I wouldn’t be opposed, I don’t think it’s that necessary tbh. Technically this season would be the best to do it in because there’s 24 characters so there’s lots of room for both team phases, but…

Imo Survivor has to do it because it’s an actual show with IRL people where plot armor isn’t at play, so it switches up the dynamic and stirs the pot. But Disventure Camp is a scripted cartoon, so you can set up the teams from the beginning and really let the dynamics simmer from the start to the end of the team phase. Like one thing I really like about DC4 is that the pre-merge team dynamics were very fun and Red + Blue both had their own unique identities. Imagine if at final 14 they swapped the tribes? Could’ve been interesting, but ultimately it would’ve made the season worse imo. Disventure Camp + TD’s benefit of being a scripted cartoon is that they can do whatever they want with the characters and team dynamics without having to fully swap the teams.

Plus saying as many new interactions as possible for the merge will help for the pacing of the season, doing a full swap will probs set up a season where players enter merge and have only *not* interacted with like 3/4 other players.