Survivor 48 | Ep. 8
NIU NAI - Night 14
The post double Tribal vibes are a heightened sense of “who can I trust?” and the first glimpses toward the finish line. At this point in the game, everyone is taking inventory of where they stand, who they align with, who they don’t align with, and the feeling that they need to take action.
Mitch is a lone wolf who is ready to make a big move. Chrissy’s “trash talk” has me thinking she’s in no man’s land because we haven’t seen anything from her (and probably because she isn’t that interesting). Kyle and Kamilla are solid. Mary has a new lease on her life in the game, AGAIN, being the final original VULA. Finally, Shauhin tells us his body feels a bit “puckered” after seeing his name written down and I think he’s right to feel that. Anytime you see your name written down, it must feel like it could easily happen again, so he is immediately trying to sure up his alliances and press forward.
To close the book on Night 14, I asked myself, “who am I rooting for to win?” and there was only one name, Joe. Chrissy may not be interesting but she did strike the right chord at Tribal when she said that guys like Joe have a good story and can win. She’s right. Joe is an amazing guy and won me and the rest of America over with his act of humanity toward Eva, so he’s easy to root for. Having said that, that’s not how you win Survivor. Being the person people liked the most doesn’t get you a majority of jury votes and the million bucks. If he’s going to win, like anybody else, then he needs to start playing the “best game” too.
NIU NAI - Day 15
Shout out Tree Mail! Making it’s triumphant return to the edit and coming in HOT! We learn that the next challenge will be in partnerships and the group must decide how they are going to decide pairs. What becomes clear is that the “strong people alliance” act like physically strong people typically would, they speak up and they make their voices/preferences heard immediately. That’s what those people do.
Shauhin strikes first choosing Kamilla. David strikes next, choosing Mary. Next up, Kyle selects Chrissy (keeping the alliance with Kamilla underground again and proving the true strength of their bond). Finally, Joe and Eva link up to nobody’s surprise. which leaves Mitch (non-Alpha male) with Star.
The alphas choose their person because that’s what alphas do. They aren’t creative. They can’t hold back. They must assert themselves. That’s why the Kyle and Kamilla connection feels so much stronger in this game. My spidey sense tells me that one of them has the greatest odds in Vegas right now, to be the winner. Leaning Kyle because the alphas will vote for another alpha, especially if he can outwit them to the jury.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 15
STAGE 1
Dig through sand tunnel, untie puzzle piece
Dig up puzzle piece and plant your flag.
Top 3 advance
This stage was a blitzkrieg! The sand tunnel had me feeling claustrophobic thinking about being in the confined space and uncomfortable thinking about the sand being all over people’s faces, most notably Kyle and Mary.
TOP 3 ADVANCE - Joe/Eva, David/Mary, and Kyle/Chrissy
ELIMINATED - Mitch/Star & Shauhin/Kamilla - NO TACOS
On top of being eliminated, Mitch/Star and Shauhin/Kamilla get no taco reward and will go on a journey where they could lose their vote. Aka that totally sucks for them. Shauhin seemed to get caught in the sand tunnel too long and Mitch/Star just couldn’t get their second puzzle piece out of the hole they dug. Now, they find themselves in a new hole they dug.
STAGE 2
Solve the stairs puzzle
Use planks to cross rope bridge
I love the stairs puzzle. It’s one of the most creative and practical puzzles the challenge department could have ever created. It’s difficult because it’s two sided and every piece looks the same but easy because they have either small, medium, or large pegs that you have to match up. Plus, it’s brilliant that the puzzle brings them up a staircase to the next phase of the challenge.
The rope bridge crossing seemed much more challenging. The planks are tiny. Your knees are definitely taking a beating. There’s no quick way to complete it. Just ask Chrissy and Kyle who had to hurry and only found themselves falling into the netting and out of the challenge.
TOP 2 ADVANCE - David/Mary, Joe/Eva
ELIMINATED - Kyle/Chrissy - NO TACOS
STAGE 3
Individual Immunity up for grabs
Last one remaining on the pole wins
This challenge is BRUTAL!!! This challenge doesn’t benefit the Davids and Joes. They are too heavy and too muscular. They are not designed to win this challenge. It’s sooooo awkward.
Joe and David quickly drop but will eat tacos.
Mary vs. Eva for immunity. No surprise that they are the final two in this challenge. The challenge is built for people built like them. They are slender, toned, and don’t weigh a lot.
In the end, Mary didn’t stand a chance against the captain of the Fiji Hockey Club.
Eva wins immunity!
NIU NAI - Day 14
Kyle and Chrissy find themselves in between winning the reward and going on the journey. The takeaway from this interaction is first, Chrissy wants to take down Joe, aka one of the honest guys who she can’t wait to deceive. On the other side of this duo is Kyle. My read is that he CLEARLY doesn’t care what Chrissy has to say, he isn’t listening to her suggestions, and the only thing of any substance that he offers Chrissy is Shauhin’s name. Chrissy has no idea that Kyle is giving her nothing because she is only thinking about her goal of voting out Joe.
Basically they are two ships passing in the night.
JOURNEY - Mitch, Kamilla, Shauhin, & Star
Mitch strikes first by leaving a gray ball for Kamilla and screwing over Star giving her the first red ball. It becomes clear that Mitch and Kamilla are working together and they force Star to grab a second red ball, but quickly after, each player has at least one red ball.
The awkward moment happens when Mitch and Kamilla put the final red ball nail in Star’s coffin. Star loses her vote and Kamilla, Mitch, and Shuahin are all good.
TACO REWARD - Day 14
I know that I’m not starving nor am I playing Survivor but is it me or do the tacss look so damn good??? Now, we quickly learn of the true reward at this feist, when Eva looks down in her chips and sees a little scroll. However, Conspiracy TCB here now, to ask an important question about where the scroll was hidden. Take a look at the picture below and notice the seating chart aka where the names are.
Now, each of the four have a chip bowl, but only one had a scroll in their chip bowl and it just happened to be the chip bowl in front of Eva. Coincidence? Conspiracy? I feel compelled to email the “On Fire” podcast about this one.
As shocking as it was to see the placement of the scroll, David and Mary’s strategic move to inquire about Shuhin to Joe/Eva but turn it to blindsiding Kamilla has me really impressed. We the viewers know the threat that Kamilla presents but it’s awesome to hear other players see it too. The combo of David and Mary seems to have come out of nowhere but immediately are ready to become the new power couple in the game, and I’m here for it.
The best part about this advantage is that Eva found it because the question is “can Eva accomplish this, on her own?”. Or will she employ Joe’s services to help her? Eva already has a Hidden Immunity Idol that Star gave to her and now she could be sneaking away to earn a second. This could be big time for Eva’s game because “secrets are rare in this game” but will she keep this a secret? My guess, is no.
Eva tells us that she has been playing a very public game but will keep this advantage a secret. If she does, it will be a huge move in the game.
NIU NAI - Day 15
Speaking of secrets, after everyone is back at camp, Joe and Kyle reconnect to share the secrets they’ve found out. Kyle tells Joe that Chrissy was floating his name out there and Joe tells Kyle that David/Mary were floating Kamilla’s name out there.
At this point, Chrissy is the “easy” vote, Joe doesn’t understand the Kamilla blindside, Kyle doesn’t like threat against his underground ally, and everyone seems to tell Joe everything, which is why Chrissy’s read on Joe’s position in this game is dead on, but unfortunately, nobody will ever listen to her.
NIU NAI PRE-TRIBAL SCRAMBLE - Day 15
Remember the whole alpha males do what alpha males do thing from earlier in the episode? Well, now the alpha males - David and Kyle - are clashing. David is so hell bent on the strong players winning and the vote going toward Kamilla. David wants the straight forward path to the final five. Kyle is doing a hell of a job keeping his cool and presenting his case for Chrissy despite feeling his hands are tied.
During the meeting between Eva, Joe, David, Mary, and Kyle we learn a few things. One, Joe is the filter or the moderator of the group. Information comes from everyone and goes through Joe. Two, I was surprised to see Joe be swayed off the Chrissy vote and onto the Kamilla vote especially because Chrissy floated his name out there. Third, I thought Joe would stand up to David and Mary, but I think once Eva said she was going Kamilla, that swayed him. Eva will always hold the key to Joe in this game. Four, where does Mitch land in all of this? He’s not part of this group and we heard nothing from him during the entire scramble. Finally, getcha popcorn ready, feels like a heavyweight clash is going down at Tribal.
TRIBAL COUNCIL - Night 15
I’m with Kyle. It has been a long day. The game is moving at 1000mph and the players are all feeling it. There were several twists throughout the day.
Star seems to be handling her no vote at Tribal situation pretty well. Gets a pretty big laugh and it feels like everyone needed that. Maybe people need to talk to Star a little more.
Chrissy is so exposed but she isn’t wrong in what she’s saying. Her problem is her delivery and at this point, she’s on the wrong season. She keeps trumpeting to not let the strong challenge beasts take over the game and typically she’s right.
Then, David chimes in calling her out and exposing his game that everyone knows he’s playing. David wants the guy like him to win. He wants the challenge beast to win. The Brad Culpepper if you will. He is tired of seeing people like him used as shields, not win, and he calls bulls@#t on Chrissy’s threat.
This causes the mood at Tribal to ratchet up a couple hundred notches. First off, he used a curse word which I can’t believe more people don’t. Second, people are uncomfortable by his alpha male, strong guy, strong language threat. Hence, Kamilla commenting the poor job of jury management. Third, David is right, people can make an alliance for any reason. His comments about the strong people bonding together should be no different than bonds based on gender, being strategists, and being social players. However, Chrissy and Kamilla’s comments seem to cast the strong people getting together in the game as a taboo of Survivor and that it “isn’t what happens on Survivor”. They are making it seem like it isn’t fair, but it is.
Kamilla and Chrissy are aware that the strong guys are the shields and don’t win Survivor and when the strong guys get together and challenge that stereotype, they don’t like it. Rightfully so, it’s to their benefit that Survivor typically sways away from the strong people and toward the “weak”, “picked last”, and “under estimated”.
Perhaps, not this season…
VOTES
Chrissy - 9
Shauhin - 1
An unsurprising result, but a confusing result. Chrissy was a lone wolf and throwing Joe’s name out there probably sealed her fate in this vote. What makes this vote confusing is that the Kamilla vote was completely abandoned. Like, where did it go, and what turned the votes completely toward Chrissy. I get that Chrissy was the easy vote but there was absolutely nothing in the edit that led me to believe this would be the result and Kamilla would walk away scott free.
I think judgement day is fast approaching. The alpha male strong alliance will be tested. Lines will be drawn in the sand. More curse words will likely fly.
I can’t wait.
SURVIVOR 50 VOTING - PART 3
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