Survivor 41, Ep. 9: Who's Who in the Zoo
Previously on Survivor…
After outwitting at the previous Tribal Council, the former Yase tribe now finds themselves scrambling to save their individual games. At the Reward Challenge, Xander made another move to forego his chance at winning reward in exchange for Erika who drew the dreaded gray rock once again. Little did Xander know, Jeff had hidden an advantage at the sit out bench where he was sitting. Xander missed the opportunity to add a 3rd advantage to his collection. During the Immunity Challenge competitors were on their toes vying for the 2nd individual immunity. After only 4 minutes, Evvie disrupted Shan’s hopes and won immunity. At Tribal Council, the Yase 3 was no more and Tiffany’s torch was snuffed out. Who will be voted out this week?
VIAKANA NIGHT 16
DESHAWN vs. SHAN
In the wake of Tribal Council we find Deshawn feeling disrespected again by Shan. When Heather decided to start the whispering, yes you read that correctly, Heather was the culprit, Shan was ready to flip the vote off of Tiffany and change it to Heather. That 180 was not vibing with Deshawn because once again his voice was deemed silenced by Shan’s “my way is best” approach to the decision making.
Does he feel like he needs to be in the position he feels Shan is in? Does he feel the million dollars slipping from his hands everytime Shan calls the shots and skips over him like a piece on a board game? However, maybe the biggest question is “What is Deshawn willing to do about it?” Is Shan’s behavior enough for him to rock the boat and flip on his alliance with Danny and Liana and venture over to the Erika, Heather, Evvie, and Xander side of the game? If not, he may find himself regretting not following his gut when Shan beats him at final Tribal and is holding that check.
I think Deshawn has an opportunity here. The opportunity is to take out Shan using his non-alliance people like Heather, Erika, Evvie, and Xander. Once the head is cut off his alliance and the game (Shan) there is room for a new head to grow. If he did that there is risk of course, but players like Danny and Liana would be looking for a new leader and could find it in Deshawn. He even vented to Danny about nobody else speaking up against Shan. To me, it shows that Deshawn, despite his personable outer layer, has some alpha/power hunger inside him that may be ready to make the leap into taking control of the game and ousting Shan aka the biggest threat and front runner in the game onto the jury.
On Shan’s side of the coin she doesn’t understand how Deshawn got what he wanted and still pouts about it. Did Shan throw out the idea of switching the vote to Heather?, yes, but did it happen?, no. In the end, Deshawn got what he wanted and the plan was executed as originally constructed. Shan takes her frustration to the complaint department of Ricard, Liana, Danny, and Naseer, but the damage has been done. This is not the first time that Shan is dealing with the fallout of Deshawn’s feelings not being considered. Can there be a 3rd, 4th time? Not a chance.
“Chaos doesn’t help the people in power, it helps the people on the bottom” - Evvie
Evvie can smell that the collision of Shan and Deshawn is a crack for her to exploit. Evvie, Xander, Heather, and Erika need to become insulation spray foam and spray themselves into the crack, expand, and break off piece(s) from the controlling alliance to flip the game around in their favor. There is blood in the water and unless it’s taken advantage of soon, it will dissipate and be no more.
VIAKANA DAY 17
CBS
We transition into Day 17 with a reminder from Erika to appreciate the beauty around them despite the intensity of the game. As a viewer and superfan I don’t say it enough but the show is absolutely beautiful to look at. The photography and video captured of the beach, the ocean, under water, sunrise, sunset and everything Fiji appears to be is breathtaking. Thank you Erika.
Then, Deshawn apologizes to Shan. He wants to smooth things over with Don Corleone Shan so they can continue to work together, but once again she hears him but isn’t listening. Deshawn realizes that his alliance of Shan, Ricard, Liana, and Danny is something that could be the Tagi like direction that he sees his game go, but that he isn’t necessarily sold on it for his game.
Deshawn sees a bigger game and deserves credit. His decision to play the middle and turn to Evvie to vent is smart. Deshawn is frustrated with his relationship with Shan. He feels silenced and like he doesn’t have a voice with her. With Evvie, he feels he can express himself and his opinion. He likes that. However, Evvie is on the bottom and Shan is on the top of this game, so Deshawn can exchange trivial “I won’t write your name downs” with Evvie, but the real question is whether Deshawn is willing to write Shan’s name down and convey that to Evvie or take the easier road and eliminate Evvie.
NASEER CALLS OUT HEATHER
Naseer calls out Heather for writing his name down. Heather didn’t write Naseer’s name down. Naseer calls out Heather for throwing his name under the bus. Heather reiterates that throwing a name out there and writing a name down are two very different things. The conflict between Naseer and Heather feels pleasantly new. The reality is both of them have been all but invisible for 8 episodes. Naseer had his astroturf goat moment (big time) but Heather has literally been Survivor’s form of the popular “Where’s Waldo?” books because she has been a complete non factor this season until the previous Tribal whispering fiasco. Even when it was happening Shan’s expression of “What is she doing?” matched the viewer’s perception.
Back to Naseer and Heather’s convo. The reality is Naseer is half right and half wrong because Xander wrote Naseer’s name, not Heather. When Heather gets held accountable by Naseer, Xander grins from ear to ear knowing that this conflict is good for him.
CBS
While Naseer gets a reason to mistrust and want to vote out Heather he doesn’t think to vote out Xander. When Heather wants to call out Naseer at the previous Tribal and gets caught in her scramble, she isn’t pushing to have Xander voted out. Xander is a threat in the game and anytime someone is looking to vote anyone else out or throw someone else’s name under the bus and drama ensues, it’s a win for the X man.
Ricard’s Hard of Hearing
Deaf in right ear since childhood
Reads lips
Blurred noise takes us into Ricard’s world. Reads lips and body language over voices.
Wants to be the first hard of hearing winner
I loved this piece of the episode. Being educated about Ricard’s hard of hearing and catching a glimpse into how he sees or in this case hears the world was fascinating. The camera angles zooming in on other players’ mouths and the blurred background noise combined with cuts back to Ricard’s eyes to bring to life how he compensates and overcomes being deaf in his right ear was awesome. As a special education teacher I am constantly thinking about my students’ needs and trying to construct their world so that I can best help them, so this piece of the episode connected with me on another level. I’m sure Ricard is an inspiration to many viewers out there who suffer from a hearing impairment.
ERIKA and XANDER vs. RICARD, SHAN, LIANA, DANNY, and DESHAWN
Shan wants Erika out
Liana wants Xander out
Xander tells Erika he’s tired of the people in power, ready to target Shan or Ricard.
That means Xander, Erika, Naseer, Evvie, and Heather need to join together against Ricard, Shan, Liana, Danny, and Deshawn.
CBS
Xander sees it. Erika sees it. The writing is on the wall. The 5some of Ricard, Danny, Deshawn, Liana, and Shan are not hiding the fact that they are working together despite the spats between Shan and Deshawn. They don’t even hide it anymore. But now is the time for the rest of them to strike. An alliance needs to form to take on the other alliance or else they will surely be Pagonged and see their chances to upend the people in the power seat plummet to a crashing seat on the jury stuck voting for one of them to win while wondering what if…what if.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
balance on narrow perch
hands on handles behind their head.
Tribes split into two groups. Two people win immunity. Two Tribal Councils. Two people voted out. Winner wins chicken and beef for their team.
Yellow - Erika, Shan, Ricard, Naseer, Heather
Blue - Deshawn, Evvie, Xander, Liana, Danny
Evvie first out. Heather drops. Shan out quickly after. Danny falls out. Another challenge not built for him to be successful. Ricard out.
Yellow - Erika vs. Naseer
Erika wins immunity when Naseer can’t feel his hand
Blue - Deshawn vs. Xander
Win chicken and beef stew when Erika drops out.
Liana is rooting against Xander hard, but he rages on. After 30 minutes Deshawn is twitching with beads of sweat dripping down. Xander squirms right along side Deshawn. Sweat trickles from his nose.
Deshawn drops. Xander WINS IMMUNITY and food for the team.
Liana 😢
YELLOW TEAM
Yellow will go to the old Ua camp and then to Tribal Council to vote someone out. Erika has immunity, so one of either Ricard, Shan, Naseer, or Heather will be voted out. Based on Erika’s conversation with Xander earlier, the goal for her is to use her position of power to get Naseer and Heather to vote with her and target Ricard or Shan. Now is the time when half their alliance is not part of this Tribal Council. Also, worth noting that Shan loses out on another food reward. Look out for vulnerable Shan.
BLUE TEAM
Blue will be at the Viakana camp to enjoy their reward meal before heading to Tribal Council.
XANDER SMELLS BLOOD
Xander knows the opportunity is here to make a move and get rid of one of the power people. Him and Evvie immediately link up and pose going after Liana.
“She’s a minion to Shan and has no trust in me. Liana would be fantastic for me to get rid of.” - Xander
The plan relies on Deshawn. He has had his problems with Shan and the power that be, so he needs Deshawn in this vote. Liana even has the gaul to flex power to Xander and ask for him to give her his idol in order for her to trust him. (hold on while America laughs out loud)
ERIKA TRIES TO SWAY NASEER
Naseer is in the pocket of Shan and Ricard. Erika at least recognizes the opportunity to take out Shan and proposes to Naseer playing his idol for Heather and then they could get Shan out.
XANDER MAKES HIS PITCH TO DESHAWN AND DANNY
Xander and Evvie apporach Deshawn about voting Liana. They seem in. But Danny has other thoughts about Evvie being dangerous. Danny makes Xander think about playing his idol for Evvie for his long term game.
Here’s how I see the Blue vote
The Easy Vote - Evvie
The Better Vote - Liana
The Game Changer Vote - Deshawn votes out Liana
RICARD MAKES A MOVE
Ricard is a player. He wants to plan a big move and execute one. That means Naseer is his target and he needs Heather and Erika to go along with it. Ricard tells Shan and then their alliance is tested again. Ricard knows Shan is his partner but also knows that Shan needs to have it her way. Ricard wants Shan’s extra vote but that was the wrong approach with her because it turns into Shan’s fangs coming out. She gave up that extra vote once and could never let it go and isn’t about to use it to help Ricard execute his plan that she doesn’t want to execute.
Shan wants Heather out. Ricard wants Naseer out. Shan wants the easy vote of Heather because of the ruckus she caused at the previous Tribal. Ricard wants Naseer out because he is a threat, has an idol, and in the bigger picture Ricard needs a plan that he concocted to be executed. Shan’s ego wants all moves to be hers. Ricard knows his number one is a control freak.
Here’s how I see the Yellow vote
The Easy Vote - Heather
The Better Vote - Naseer
The Game Changer Vote - Shan
TRIBAL COUNCIL - YELLOW TEAM
Heather knows she is the easy vote tonight. Ricard and Shan have been together for the longest time. Naseer has been loyal to them and has an Immunity Idol. Erika has individual immunity. The advantages are not with Heather and Erika.
Naseer comments about how much he adores Heather and that she is a great teacher. He extends her hand to her as does Erika. The writing is on the wall for Heather.
“I’m here because I wanted to do this for 20 years…I’ve learned something about myself and I made it this far…I can’t wait for my kids to see this… I really am proud of myself.” - Heather
I think we should have our second Shot in the Dark played. This situation screams for it for Heather. She doesn’t play it.
Wait a minute…
VOTES
Heather 3
Naseer 3
Shan played her extra vote
You got to love it folks. The votes to be read organizer put it Heather, Naseer, Heather, Heather, Naseer, Naseer. Bam! Drama, anxiety, and fireworks.
VOTES
Naseer 3
Heather 0
TRIBAL COUNCIL - BLUE TEAM
Naseer is the 2nd member of the jury. Nobody feels safe and nobody really says anything from Jeff’s questions. Everyone is playing poker. Everyone’s “pretty comfortable” but it’s all bullshit.
“If all of us here are saying that we’re pretty comfortable somebody lied to somebody so I think we’re going to find out who’s who in the zoo.” - Deshawn
WHO’S WHO IN THE ZOO
Evvie 4
Liana 2
Xander could have played his idol on Evvie and saved her or used his extra vote to force a tie vote, but Deshawn was the one they needed to turn and they failed. Xander kept his idol, extra vote, and a chance to keep going in the game.
The bigger story coming out of the 2nd Tribal of the episode is Deshawn needs to check his underpants. His fear of going against the power got the best of him. He lives in fear of the repercussions with Shan and votes Evvie out. I understand it’s the easy move, but does this help his long term game? his chance at winning the game? or building a winner’s resume?, i don’t think so. It feels like he balked on this one. It feels like his window of opportunity is closing. It feels like his choice strengthens the game of others that he feared would lash out against him if he went against “the family”. Deshawn officially had his Fredo moment.
via CBS and The Godfather II
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