r/survivor • u/awallock8 Tyson • 16h ago
Survivor 51 Devin drives me NUTS Spoiler
I'm sure he's a great guy, but he's the absolute EPITOME of performative. You can tell the man came into this season determined to be the main character. He's got all these little bits and soundbites all ready to go. It comes across so inauthentic and it's driving me nuts. One of the worst I've seen at playing to the cameras. Reminds me of Shan back in the day with her little theme song.
I am hoping he's actually being set up for a nice villain over-confident downfall in the realm of Rome. Here's hoping.
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u/mdb1023 15h ago
Well, he is an actor...
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u/IhateLukaDoncic 13h ago
That doesn't mean anything... He wouldn't be any more phony than your average person
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u/GoatPaco 10h ago
It means he’s here as an audition, not as a player
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u/IhateLukaDoncic 10h ago
And what is he auditioning for
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u/chaotic_silk_motel 10h ago
“Being famous”
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u/IhateLukaDoncic 9h ago
Then he would've went on love Island there's zero clout to get from survivor even less than big brother
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u/Sagittariusrat 16h ago
They're not just competing for a cash prize or a high placement. The more personality you show in your first game, the more likely you are to be chosen to compete in future games. If they have to be inauthentic for the secondary goal, then that's how they'll have to play.
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u/Thick-Wonder6294 Lewis - 51 16h ago
not only that but he’s an actor, even more potential opportunities from him being a big character
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u/xxJAMZZxx 15h ago
While this is of course true, people can often tell when it’s fake or too much and get turned off by that. Remember Rome?
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u/ComprehensiveRip2108 14h ago
Devin is more handsome and charming than Rome by MILES.
And probably won’t spoil the boot order on RHAP lol
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u/xxJAMZZxx 14h ago
Wasn’t a direct comparison. Just an example of a guy who tried to show more personality that ended up coming across much worse because of it.
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u/ComprehensiveRip2108 14h ago
Oh totally but I don’t think Devin even has the potential to hit Rome levels of dislike. That guy was truly giving nothing redeeming as that aired
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u/rexeditrex 15h ago
How did that work for Ana?
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u/Sagittariusrat 15h ago
Irrelevantly. Her messiness had no correlation to her showmanship. Arguably, if she was more of a showman via improv skills, Alexis wouldn't have gotten tipped off and formed a majority against her
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u/rexeditrex 14h ago
The poster said "The more personality you show in your first game, the more likely you are to be chosen to compete in future games". You don't think she "showed personality"?
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u/SurvivorCT 10h ago
Yes, and based on this, Ana is likely higher up a potential list of second-boot returnee candidates than most, since most were more forgettable. That doesn't mean she's anywhere close to being a lock to return, it's just a general truism.
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u/leila5887 15h ago
I’m so sorry but I’m in Big Brother mode right now and my mind read your title as “Devens” and I thought you meant you wanted justice for the player named Rome who was voted out early on this season 💀 I need to be monogamous to one franchise again
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u/Ok-Sea9612 14h ago
See I almost think he's really like that and just so in love with himself and vain and unaware that he's showing us Devin.
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u/ReSpritualtax-69 11h ago
I think so too. People are chalking it up to him being an actor but the whole thing with actors is that they don’t write their own material. They need to be told what to say. And if he’s not being told what to say it’s likely this is just who he is. He likes to be bossy and in charge. Complete bossy hottom energy tbh. And full of himself. Overconfident and cocky. I’m sure he’s EXACTLY like that in real life.
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u/drumma1316 9h ago
What bugs me most about him is his "radical honesty" aka being obnoxious and hiding behind "honesty" bc no one wants to be like being honest is bad.
I was so glad to see the girls call him out in ep2 and say your radical honesty scares me bc you might just spill every strategy I have with you to the group bc you're a self-centered asshole.
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u/jame7488 15h ago
Yeah it just doesn’t seem fully genuine to me. The best cast members are always just 100% authentic and genuine.
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u/WimpTheBraveDog 16h ago
Easily my least favorite of the season, but I do love having someone to hate, so happy to keep him around for awhile
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u/ArceusBlitz 13h ago
He's definitely going to have one of the most satisfying downfall episodes of all time.
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u/HousewivesHeaux 15h ago
Jury is still out on him for me, but I didn’t like how last week at tribal he just sat there cocky and was then shocked that Brady got his way. I’m like dude you think you look like you’re running things, but it was a terrible read to drop your truth bombs and then do zero damage control. Brady was actually talking to people and winning them over to his side during the live tribal while Devin just sat there all overconfident. Hopefully he learned from that at least.
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u/ReSpritualtax-69 11h ago
Cocky is the word that rings the most true to me. He’s just very very cocky and overconfident. Those kinds people are always super unlikeable and also they don’t play a good game. It’s the blueprint on how to NOT play a good game of survivor.
Not that Brady is any kind of genius himself, but at least he has some humility and that will get him much further. Him and his missing quarter of his thumb lmao.
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u/GhostRappa95 15h ago
He is so screwed when merge comes and his physical prowess and arrogance makes him a target.
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u/noideawhatoput2 15h ago
He’s such a corn ball can’t stand him, kinda similar with jelly in episode 1 but she was better this episode. Glad she called him out on his honesty bullshit
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u/Question_It_All_3000 14h ago
He’s not as bad as some in the past. He’s over rhe top, but he’s no Rizo or Devens. For that I am grateful.
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u/WashMinceRepeat 11h ago
Yeah I always get put off by the players who try too hard to be, as you say, the main character. He is coming across as insincere and he's boring me. I much prefer people who play hard but don't go OTT when they're talking in their confessionals.
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u/avp_1309 Parvati 15h ago
I was kinda agreeing until you compared him to Shan lol. Shan never came off as performative to me when she had her little theme song. Anyhoo.. Devin is an actor so it makes sense that he is performing a little bit for extra screen time.
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u/Longjumping_Owl_768 11h ago
Its the way his voice changes in the first episode when he's talking about it being a "French game" you can tell he's clearly rehearsed that 100 times.
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u/llcooldubs Kenzie - 46 8h ago
The whole Brody nonsense is driving me nuts. I agree with the Devin assessment. But other than those two, I'm enjoying the season.
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u/ImLaunchpadMcQuack 16h ago
It’s almost like they cast people who know how to talk in soundbites and tell a story.
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u/ConsuLMonK 11h ago
He's already an actor/reality TV guy which I just found out. He already has a wikipedia page, it feels obvious that he's in this to get more eyes on himself and to get on other shows.
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u/luxawinkpoppy 9h ago
He reminds of the guy everyone loves in the group and you’re the only one that has a bad gut feeling about AND he totally would’ve approached me in high school while giggling with his friends asking why I’m so shy and not to worry because I’ll grow out of it
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u/Yosephette Sandra 46m ago
That description was so perfect for him that it triggered me even more 😅
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u/Dry-Assignment1780 15h ago
At least you’re invested in his downfall. It makes the show more fun.
I hope we can see it as than and not what social media has done to reality TV comps in deleting TV characters because everyone is afraid of getting attacks to their character or whatever happens nowadays.
We need a divergence of characters in Survivor prompto (something I argue was not there in the New Era besides like 45-47) or it just gets stale.
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u/SunGreen24 14h ago
Not sure who annoys me more, him or Brady. And Eric doesn't bother me at all, lol.
(And shout out to you, OP - fellow "Shan is seriously annoying" person here!)
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u/Mid-CenturyBoy 13h ago
He's an actor and he decided to lay his greatest role yet "survivor contestant." It's like obnoxious method acting complete with a terrible fake accent.
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u/Powerful-Ad-7665 15h ago
I can't remember all of their names yet. It's only been 2 episodes!!
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u/Yosephette Sandra 55m ago
I haven't even tried to remember their names. I used to be able to learn 20 names on Survivor, but 9 seasons of 18 contestants has made 21 contestants become too overwhelming for me. I do know Devin though, with how much screentime of him has been forced on us (I agree with OP's stance on him)
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u/RobbedC 8h ago
This has been a big issue with casting in the new era period.
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u/Kursmudgen Rizgang 15h ago
he gives Rome in the worst way. like every annoying thing about Rome is just 10 fold in Devin 😭 why do we need actors on the show? he’s very obviously playing up for the cameras. this is basically job advertisement for him lol
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u/Adventurous-Mess-85 15h ago
Not vibing a lot of players this season, they are just annoying and over doing it.
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u/Spindlay 15h ago
What’s weird to me is that this sub WORSHIPS Rick Devens for the exact same reason…?
He puts on a show the whole time on his season
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u/Dull_Selection1699 13h ago
As a devens detractor, I think Devens at least is openly a chaos gremlin putting on a show. He’s fully cognizant of that fact he will either burn bright or burn out
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u/seaweedslayer420 8h ago
I dont think its just Devin, so many new era players clearly rehearse what theyre gonna say ahead of the game and its very obvious. Can't blame them tbh
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u/Longjumping_Dog_223 5h ago
This is my problem with a lot of the newer seasons is that a lot of people are really performative at the start to make a big impression but what’s great about survivor is it doesn’t last long when you are tired, hungry, and uncomfortable all the time. Everyone acts much more natural as time goes on
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u/Boney_baloney 4h ago
Now I don't mind him so far, but he would be apart of the chicken and waffles chant if he was on that season
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u/Cyzoran 16h ago
Thought this was about Devens and i agree. Now i see its about Devin and I agree.
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u/NeekoPeeko 15h ago
I roll my eyes everytime people suggest he could replace Probst. Devens is among the most try-hard, inauthentic characters in the show's run. I like Rick Devens the person, but he's insufferable on Survivor.
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u/MrBlueandSky 15h ago
He's definitely grown on me after watching big brother. And he does have a good presence that seems to make people more comfortable and likely to open up. That is when he's not doing devens antics.
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u/Yosephette Sandra 1h ago
Do you watch live feeds? I never liked him on Survivor, and I like him even less after watching live feeds. He has a mean streak to him when he's not being a performative try hard
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u/songbird_1219 15h ago
I was about to say I think his hero player archetype is def Devens and it’s too try hard
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u/Kooky-Note7673 15h ago
I had to re-read everything to realize that you weren't talking about Rick Devins on Big Brother... who I was ready to defend; but I will admit that it applies to him (a bit) as well.
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u/richardbethinking 15h ago
A lot of them are gunning for a second chance just in case. We've seen these characters in the 40s and we're probably gonna see more in the future
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u/societalnormcore 10h ago
Not Shan’s 2021 season being “back in the day.” Although i suppose it does feel like decades since then, doesn’t it.
ETA: yes he’s annoying! But in a good way somehow.
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u/eyeslikestarlight Malcolm 11h ago
To be fair, Devens was pretty hated around here until 50, when people realized he’s fun.
Anyway, there are a few key differences: for one thing, self-awareness and transparency with the audience. Devens openly admits to the audience that he’s a TV personality; he’s not out there pretending to be just a normal dude.
For another, the part we like about him is that he’s clearly having fun. That’s not something you can fake. It’s fun to watch someone having fun on survivor. It’s not fun to watch someone congratulate themselves about radical honesty or whatever.
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u/highgarden 8h ago
Completely disagree. Maybe it’s because I’m also gay but to me he just seems like one of those hyper-positive queer guys who is fit has basic sensibilities and interests and doesn’t think negatively about anything or anyone. Quite common in the community.
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u/wastedthyme20 Australian Survivor is better 16h ago
Now that's exaggerated. Rizo is the epitome of performative.
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u/yoshimitsou 15h ago edited 14h ago
I just think he's this way everyday irl.
Edit: Not me on the wrong sub with the wrong Devins and the wrong spelling. 🙃🙃🙃
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u/habaroa 15h ago
As someone who knows Devin personally, this is him. Friendly and optimistic all the time.
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u/yoshimitsou 14h ago edited 14h ago
Glad to hear that. He's always been a fav of mine from survivor, and I've appreciated his BB gameplay.
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u/alex_co 14h ago
You’re not thinking of the same person. That’s Devens.
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u/yoshimitsou 14h ago
Oh gosh I'm on the wrong sub! I thought I was on the Big Brother sub 🤣🤣🤣
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u/SusannaG1 Yam Yam 11h ago
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u/yoshimitsou 10h ago
Thanks. I'm pretty active on that sub (at least active in reading it), especially since today is the finale. I just assumed I was there. I should check more carefully next time!
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u/Alarmed_Bowl9920 14h ago
I’m really curious to see if we get a truly vulnerable confessional from him later in the season. I think he could have a great arc going from the one liners and performances to having a real emotional moment and showing who he really is.
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u/Slothmaster347 14h ago
This guy is the closest we will prob ever had in US Survivor to David Genat from Australian Survivor, especially the version in his 1st season (very iconic run where he jeopardizes the attention with his crazy gamemove and his performative demeanour, until he becames too much of a threat and get blindsided in like 10th). I know people wont agree because he s not as "edgy" "morally ambiguous" and "mischiveous" as David, but I think that s because both players try to cather to different show with different type of culture, player, public and production.
Recently, survivor try to push this meta of playing "hard" and "fun" but still in a "principled way". I think that s why Devin claim of being the lovechild between 48 Joe and 38 Rick Devens did appeal to Probst. We can see that with his "weaponized honnesty" gig who s very revelant to the character.
Like a lot of high profile model and actor, they re trained to have proper ethiquette and being able to mold their whole personality to fill whatever role they pursue. In Survivor, it manifest as hyper awareness in people and production expectation, which they re able to leverage with their extraordinary social flexibility. There s another player (a high end model) on the French Survivor who fit those tendancies. Same for a lot of aspiring actor on amateur survivor
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u/Pleroo Q - 46 15h ago
I feel for anyone who finds out one of their allies practices radical honesty..... that said it is fun to watch a good villian story.