After an injury-filled premiere episode, it was lastly again to enterprise this week on Survivor.
We’ve all heard the outline of our conscience as having “an angel and a devil on both shoulders.” Each whispering into your head as to what motion you need to take, from their distinctive and biased views. On Survivor, the satan often wins this argument, and it undoubtedly appeared to tonight for Carson, who finally sealed the destiny of his Day One ally, Helen when he determined to vote her off as a substitute of the “easy” vote, Carolyn.
But the modifying was a bit murky, to say the least. Viewers had been made to consider that Helen, Carson, and Sarah have been a powerful, dominant Day One alliance. Sure, we by no means fairly know the place gamers stand till they vote at Tribal Council, however clearly what we have been proven via the primary two episodes doesn’t appear to inform the complete story. Helen was not solely voted out and blindsided, nevertheless it wasn’t simply Carson who did the deed. It was a unanimous vote (Sarah didn’t have a vote, however didn’t appear alarmed by the vote’s consequence). And not solely did Helen depart the sport (a lot, a lot too early for my liking!), however Carolyn‘s hidden Idol wasn’t even flushed.
What the heck was actually occurring with the Purple Tribe tonight?
Before the episode ended with that head-scratching Tribal Council, a lot of it handled these mysterious, intriguing birdcages discovered shut to every camp. We know that final week, Brandon publicly retrieved the Idol on the Orange camp’s birdcage, and efficiently performed it to save lots of himself at Tribal and ship Maddy out of the sport. Kane was overlooked of that vote, and we noticed him unsuccessfully scrambling across the jungle, trying to see if the performed Idol had been put again in play, as is customary after an Idol is used (Kane got here up empty so far).
This week, we noticed how the birdcage performed out on the different two tribes. At the Green Tribe, Danny confirmed us the way it must be accomplished: With stealth, warning, and a spotlight. He positioned the hidden key within the jungle, after which managed to unlock the cage and retrieve his Idol with out anybody suspecting something. Best of all, he was capable of change the bag within the birdcage precisely because it regarded earlier than, so nobody would discover that the Idol was the truth is not in there.
To distinction what Danny did, we had Carolyn over on the Purple Tribe. Oh, Carolyn. From actually the primary seconds of this season, the present established Carolyn’s goofiness and her eccentric, unpredictable conduct. Is she destined to be a kind of “fun and entertaining” pre-merge characters that brighten up the sport in its early phases? Or is she a participant that may in some way handle to go the lengthy haul? I can let you know this: She’s the kind of participant who if she does make the merge, may very well be very harmful. Only as a result of nobody will consider she will be able to win the sport (approach too early to inform this after all, however her aloofness would possibly make her a chief candidate to take to the top).
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Carolyn retrieved the Idol, solely to utterly overlook to “reset” the scene of the crime. In a tense and humorous second in the course of the episode, she raced again to attempt to restage the birdcage earlier than her tribe returned to camp. She did, however did such a nasty job putting the bag again within the cage, that it was instantly apparent to everybody else that it had been tampered with. And that somebody had retrieved the Idol. Miraculously, nobody suspected that Carolyn was the perpetrator! This, even though she was the one one faraway from the remainder of the tribe.
This clearly doesn’t converse to any “genius” on the a part of Carolyn‘s gameplay, nevertheless it would possibly converse to the poor gameplay and observational abilities of the remainder of her tribe. They every had their theories as to who they thought might need taken the Idol, and whom they thought was appearing shady, however none of them guessed proper. None of them guessed Carolyn.
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Is that what led to Helen’s demise? Did the others actually assume that she had the Idol? Were they trying not solely to blindside a really robust social and strategic participant but in addition to maybe flush out an Idol as properly? The modifying wasn’t clear as to what the motivations have been in voting out Helen, so we’re simply going to have to attend till subsequent week to search out out for certain.
Episode Take-Away: It was good to dive into the strategic a part of the sport, after going via the hazard zone that was the primary episode. All three camp Idols have now been discovered – one has been used – and the sport formally feels on.
I’m curious as to what is going to occur with Kane over on the Orange Tribe…on the outs after the Maddy vote, and caught by Matthew clearly searching for an Idol. Kane will both be rapidly out of the sport the subsequent time they lose a problem, or he might find yourself being a lone wolf ought to he survive till the merge. An intriguing storyline to regulate.
Equally intriguing is the “dork-mance” romantic relationship that’s budding between Matt and Frannie. It’s arduous to not root for them at this level, however when real love calls, it’s virtually unimaginable to cover it away. This is VERY EARLY within the recreation to be focused as an influence duo, however we all know that love endures all issues. Could it endure one other 21 days of Survivor?
Last and definitely not least, there needs to be some storyline significance to the odd determination to have Claire sit out back-to-back challenges to start the sport. Now to be truthful, her tribe has not needed to go to Tribal Council, nevertheless it does appear unusual. Even extra related is that the present is together with this within the episode, which implies that it’ll turn into related to the sport sooner or later.
As you might remember, there’s a new, official Survivor Podcast! On Fire with Jeff Probst is a must-listen-to companion piece that drops on the finish of every (East Coast) airing of Survivor. I extremely advocate it. I additionally take heed to it and will provide you with just a few of the highlights every week in case you don’t have time to catch the brand new podcast episodes.
This week’s version of On Fire was all about Idols and Advantages, from the attitude of manufacturing. Key takeaways have been:
- Advantages and Idols are right here to remain. Sorry haters or Survivor “purists,” however in response to Jeff Probst, the sport turns into boring if there isn’t some ingredient that permits gamers to “flip” the sport. Watching majority alliances decide off minority alliances is simply not riveting tv. They see Idols/Advantages as crucial to permit for the sport to be flipped on its head.
- There have been Advantages launched into the sport that have been by no means discovered by the gamers, and thus by no means seen on TV! Jeff Probst describes a time in a current season when a bonus was truly positioned inside a uncooked fish that was given as a reward, however the gamers by no means noticed it. And on Millennials vs. Gen-X, a riddle given on the merge feast was by no means carefully checked out, leaving a hidden benefit to simply keep hidden for the rest of the sport.
Erik Reichenbach DabuDoodles Art. We’re honored right here to be related to Survivor legend Erik Reichenbach, who simply so occurs to be an incredible artist. As all the time, we’re thrilled and honored that he shares his abilities each week in my column and with my viewers. His newest piece is beneath!
Art by Erik Reichenbach – DabuDoodles.com
All of Erik’s work will be discovered and bought on his web site, DabuDoodles.com, and I urge you to assist this fantastically expert former Survivor participant!
Out this week: Helen
Won Immunity: Orange Tribe and Green Tribe
Vote Result: Sarah misplaced her vote and was unable to vote. No Idols or benefits have been performed.
3 – Helen (Yam Yam, Carson, Carolyn), 1 – Carolyn (Helen).
Current Advantage/Disadvantage List:
- Sarah – Inheritance Advantage
- Lauren – Extra Vote
- Matt – Cannot vote for the subsequent two Tribals
- Danny – Immunity Idol
- Carolyn – Immunity Idol
Next Week’s Episode: Kane tells us he needs to be a hero. We see the showmance turning into a serious legal responsibility. Does Danny eat parchment? OK!
Quick Note! I respect that you’re studying this recap! Those which have adopted me additionally know that I’m additionally a TV character and Film Critic within the Detroit space, in addition to a RottenTomatoes-approved movie critic. I encourage you to take a look at my previous film critiques and my film present (episodes are additionally accessible on-line on the web site, www.MovieShowPlus.com.) As all the time, the best approach to get all of my Survivor protection and film critiques is to observe me on Twitter – @tomsantilli – or on Facebook.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS EPISODE? DID CARSON MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE IN VOTING OUT HELEN? AND WHO DO YOU PREDICT WILL WIN SOLE SURVIVOR?
[Photo Credit: CBS/Monty Brinton/Robert Voets/Timothy Kuratek/Jeffrey Neira/Michele Crowe/David M. Russell]