Few players in this game have been as polarizing as Janelle Pierzina. After two seasons, viewers had come to either love or hate her- rarely were people inbetween. What was never in doubt before this summer was that she was one of the hardest players in the game. Janelle combined this with a game play that had strong social overtones thanks to friendships with Howie and Kaysar, and the result was a player who has been widely regarded as one of the best never to win the game.
When viewers watched Janelle this season on the feeds, it was clear something was different. Perhaps too much time had passed since her last season. Perhaps her changed perspective on life (following marriage and motherhood) had turned this once-monster player into less of a force to be reckoned with. Janelle’s investment in this season seemed weaker than in past seasons, and her game play was off all season.