Survivor 47 | Ep. 11
BEKA - Night 18
We are back at BEKA camp after Gabe’s exit and we are reminded that Sue hates Kyle because he wrote her name down maybe 7 episodes ago? and that Kyle is a fish out of water who feels he is next out unless he wins every Immunity Challenge. Both of them are non-strategic threats and could even be a zero vote 3rd place type future ahead of them. Also, we are reminded that Sue has the red paint Immunity Idol from TUKU and Rachel has the tarp Immunity Idol.
Based on this, we are being led to believe that either Kyle will win immunity and stay in the game or be voted out as “too big a challenge threat” or it will be idol-palooza and someone unexpectedly will be going home. I’m leaning Kyle doesn’t win immunity, he gets voted out, and Sue gets her “revenge”.
BEKA - Day 19
Can Sue clean her face??? I’m sure there’s a reason for her having dirt on her face because everyone MUST have told her that her face was filthy. Either way, it looks ridiculous an d I know I would be chirping at Sue about it on the island.
Next, we are brought into Caroline’s world for the first time. She wanted to play since she was 5, she voted Gabe out in order to prove to herself and her younger self to play her own game and not be a pawn in someone else’s game, and she has ADHD. To me, I see her attention being focused on damage control with Sue, being the first in line to replace Gabe as Sue’s number one, and seize the day of having the most loyal player in the game on your side.
To me, Sue is who she is and that won’t change, and Caroline is smart enough to recognize it and have been on Sue’s tribe to start. Sue isn’t there for her 5 year old self like Caroline is. Sue isn’t there for the same reasons as a Caroline is and that’s what makes Sue such a desirable ally. Caroline is smart to recognize it, just as Gabe did, and to use it to advance her game.
Rachel, Andy, Teeny, Caroline, and Sue are the “underdogs” and Sam, Kyle, and Genevieve are the “favorites”. After this little meeting at the water well, it feels like the winner of the game is coming out of the underdogs.
Juxtaposed to the underdogs conversation is the favorites conversation led by Genevieve revealing her strategy of walling off connection to others.
“I’d rather be a villain that people didn’t connect with than the best friend who killed their dream.” - Genevieve
BOOM! A seismic quote from Genevieve. I even had to pause the episode to take that one in. It feels cold, yet authentic because she’s well aware of how that statement and strategy will land with the at home audience and her opponents in the game. Nobody else is taking this approach. Not even close. This is what makes Genevieve a compelling character this season.
Sam and Kyle also communicate how their games have evolved. Sam was stripped of his power after his #1 Sierra was voted out and Kyle had to put his strategic brain ahead of his emotional self to vote Gabe out and prove to himself he can be deceitful and cutthroat to better his game.
JOURNEY - Day 19
This journey could be the difference maker in the sprint to the final 3. Sam, Genevieve, Kyle, and Rachel drew rocks to go on the journey and Rachel was the lucky winner. I don’t think this puts a target on her back with the other 4 underdogs because she will spin it as she had to stop the 3 favorites from earning an advantage.
Well played Rachel. An Immunity Idol already in hand and now a journey opportunity.
Rachel pulls up to a barge in the middle of the ocean and it’s so fricking cool. The stakes are huge, the setting is perfect, and the weights pulling the rope timer is genius suspense building adrenaline.
The drama, the thrill, and the sweet taste of victory!!!
Rachel has earned a BLOCK A VOTE advantage and keeps her vote.
“Could this actually result in me winning this game, or could it be my demise?” - Rachel
The teetering moments are here and Rachel is front and center. I think above all other players, Rachel is at the fulcrum of the game. She has the most power in a Hidden Immunity Idol and now a BLOCK A VOTE. She isn’t seen as a physical threat in challenges. She’s had a rocky path to this point. I like her chances that the seesaw is teetering toward her winning the game.
When Rachel returns she tells everyone about the barge, the weight connected to the rope, the puzzle being pulled off the barge, and everything but the BLOCK A VOTE. She didn’t want Sam and Genevieve to know about it. Instead, Rachel told Sue and Caroline immediately about the BLOCK A VOTE and with it she wins over Sue.
All of a sudden Rachel’s threat level is rising and everyone wants to chat with her, including Genevieve. However, as a result of Genevieve engaging in conversation, she is elevating her threat level even higher than Rachel’s. That’s the thing about the underdogs and insecure people like Andy, they aren’t used to the confidence and sense of security in themselves and in this game. The very mention of Genevieve’s intentions throws them off the confidence train they are settling into and the fangs come out.
The vote may be steering toward Genevieve.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 20
Jeff is checking in with the final 8. Kyle is grateful for his family given the instability of his past. Sue is proud of herself. Andy has grown from his day 3 meltdown with resiliency to take home with him. An emotional and grounding moment before the chaos of a challenge.
Another classic Survivor Immunity Challenge balancing wood blocks to spell out I-M-M-U-N-I-T-Y and guarantee final 7. Lots of strategies going on with stacking the letters upside down on the barrel to start, moving faster or slower, one hand or two on the rope, and more.
7 letters stacked for Sam, Genevieve, and Rachel all fall down and Teeny’s tortoise like approach puts her in the lead.
Teeny drops. Sue is in the lead.
Sue drops. Andy now leads.
Andy drops.
The montage of drops cuts off and we come back with Rachel and Genevieve onto their 8th and final letter. Rachel is a few steps ahead and as she places her final letter, Genevieve drops, allowing Rachel to take a moment, breathe, and make her way back to the platform and win the challenge.
Rachel’s strategy is holding the rope taut in one hand and using the other hand to prep the next length of rope. She’s moving slowly but steadily as Kyle goes for broke to catch up to her being a full letter behind, but it’s too little, too late.
RACHEL WINS IMMUNITY!!!
With this win, say hello to all of Rachel’s little friends. Rachel has the Immunity Necklace around her neck and guaranteed final 7, a BLOCK A VOTE advantage good until final 6, and a Hidden Immunity Idol good until final 5. Rachel’s arsenal is making her look more and more like Scarface.
PRE-TRIBAL SCRAMBLE - Day 20
Rachel winning allows her confidence and power in the game to shine through. She, like the other underdogs, want to see Kyle, Genevieve, and Sam go home. Sue is out for blood with Kyle and it’s looking bleak for Kyle.
Next, Andy is trying to analyze the probability of Kyle winning another challenge and pitch to the other underdogs that he only has a 6.25% of winning the remaining challenges, so that’s why they should vote Genevieve. I want so badly for someone to “X-out” ChatANDY from A.I.ing the situation and the game. Enough already.
PREDICTION: Kyle gets voted out. He’s the easy vote to Teeny, the strategic vote to Caroline, the only vote to Sue, and the wrong vote to Andy’s calculation.
TRIBAL COUNCIL - Night 20
Kyle is making the case against himself because winning the challenges doesn’t win you Survivor. Andy’s perspective, though super logical and unemotional, is the right one.
Teeny is the campaign manager for eliminating Kyle and his challenge threat, but isn’t leaving Genevieve out of her target ads. Having said that, Teeny has no chance of winning the game despite being in the numbers right now.
I love that Sue extinguishes the possibility that a last second move can happen and fireworks can happen. Feels like Kyle is the vote and we are wasting our time.
“The great Survivor players can see through the noise to see the news” - Caroline
Caroline quotes Genevieve from a previous Tribal Council and we are once again reminded about Genevieve the player, who is a real player, and whose authenticity is making me root hard for her to stick around another day and find a way out from her position on the chopping block. Her struggle to separate Genevieve the player from Genevieve the person has been the most compelling story this episode and I would hate to see her leave the game.
VOTES
Kyle - 6
Genevieve - 1
Teeny - 1
“Line em up and knock em down…we give it a buck 20 for family…and I’m going to need a hug from you (Jeff)” is how Kyle, in the same tone of voice he’s spoken with for 20 days and 11 episodes, leaves the game.
The producers teed it up for us at the start of episode 11 that Kyle would be the next to be voted out. The 5 underdogs came together last episode to vote out Gabe and Kyle was next. His only threat in the game was winning Immunity Challenges, so when you combine that with Sue (the most loyal player) wanting him out, he was toast.
As we say good-bye to Kyle, I feel like we know he loves his family and that he was there for them, but I feel like we never got into the depth of his background. Feels like what he could’ve brought to the table was replaced instead by the Spark Notes summary version. I don’t think Kyle is by any means the most charismatic guy in any room, but it feels like there was more meat on his bone for us to learn about. Either that, or he just isn’t a very compelling character other than a couple catch phrases and Immunity Challenge wins.
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