Survivor, what are you doing, bro? Their should not be a “rice negotiation episode.” The few times throughout 1-39 where tribes would negotiate were fun and exciting because it was uncommon, the players were taking the game into their own hands. Now the show does it at the same time every season. It’s dumb. And sure, this time it succeeded, but once again, it was in spite of itself.
That being said, though, it was otherwise a strong episode. The rice negotiation was admittedly a very small part of the episode, but it still speaks to some of the larger production issues at hand. But once again the cast and their gameplay made this one a hit.
Beka
Teeny is devastated after seeing Sol sent to the jury. She and Genevieve had been so close, and to see Genevieve orchestrate this blindside hits extra hard. Teeny says she has never felt more left out or more in the dark than right now.
She and Genevieve speak, with Teeny explaining she’s hurt by the way Genevieve handled this. I don’t blame Genevieve one bit for keeping Teeny in the dark. If she believed even a…teeny amount (I’m sorry) that Teeny might push back and potentially blow up the plan, then she was right to leave her out of it.
Genevieve and Andy discuss their next move, thinking they need to now go after the remaining four Tuku. With Caroline, Kyle, and Gabe still alive, plus their alliance with Sue, that foursome is potentially growing even stronger as the numbers keep dwindling.
Andy’s game continues to evolve as his confidence grows. He now feels on an even pedestal with Sam, if not “above” him in the game power sense. He and Rachel once again revisit the possibility of aligning together, with Andy warning Rachel Genevieve had mentioned her as a threat to be wary of.
Reward Challenge
The final nine are divided into three teams of three. Each player has their arms and legs tied together. They slither through the sand, pushing a ball with their head. Once all players have gotten their ball to their mat, they each have to roll a ball onto a target.
They’re playing for a reward of…wait for it…a trip to the Survivor Sanctuary! Oh wait, that’s just what they do every time, isn’t it? Rachel, Kyle, and Sam dominate, truly earning that reward.
Beka/Reward
At the Sanctuary, Kyle tells Sam and Rachel that he’s willing to cut Gabe if necessary. Kyle knows he’s seen as a big challenge threat, and he’s focused on making a move against Gabe before Gabe makes a move on him. He thinks this might be the time to jump ship and start making some waves. It’s music to Sam’s ears, as he’s been wanting Gabe out for a long time. Rachel is playing coy, but she isn’t completely sold on Gabe.
When Rachel and Sam have a moment to themselves, Sam reinforces his desire to play with Rachel. But she’s still not convinced. Sam’s played for himself in ways that hurt her game several times over so far.
Andy continues maneuvering through his social game, now setting his sights on Sue. She’s as much a straight shooter as they come, so he’ll always know where she stands, without question. And she has a personal vendetta against Kyle, which works perfectly for Andy.
In talking to Teeny, Genevieve, and Caroline, Gabe has the flip side conversation about Kyle. He has the same thoughts that Kyle has about Gabe.
Sam pitches the Gabe idea to Teeny and Andy, an “Outcast Alliance,” as he puts it. Sam tells us in a confessional that they absolutely shouldn’t trust him, but he hopes they do, at least for one vote. Teeny is on board, but she’s becoming wary of being too trusting. She calls it her kryptonite. Better late than never to realize that, I suppose.
A huge part of Survivor is self-awareness and general awareness of the pulse of the game. If you don’t have that, you aren’t winning the game. Teeny hasn’t been great at that, but if she’s starting to get a feel for that part of the game, maybe she has a chance.
Immunity Challenge
They balance a ball on a wooden disc, intermittently adding more balls. They are also balancing on a small piece of wood.
But first, here comes the aforementioned rice negotiation. Probst asks for four people to sit out and give up a chance at immunity. They try to barter, and Kyle suggests everyone give up their Shot in the Dark as a counter offer. After some deliberating, they all agree, with Sam the most hesitant.
As much as I hate the fact that rice negotiation is standard issue now, this was a good moment. And maybe, just maybe, it will show Probst how bad the Shot in the Dark is. Or at least how little value some (many? most?) Survivor players place on it. I’m sure it won’t cause Probst and production to eliminate it, or even consider doing so, but I have to hope, right?
And stop me if you’ve heard this one before, Kyle wins.
Pre-Tribal
Teeny’s mind is set on revenge on Genevieve. But she plays it smart, recognizing the momentum is behind Gabe, and she knows it’s a time to go with the flow rather than push her agenda too hard.
However, Gabe is pushing strong to vote out Genevieve, and the other three Tukus are on board, plus Andy. But are they on board? Caroline sees Gabe as having played a better game than her so far. With how tight the Tukus are perceived to be, if she were to make it to the end with him, she’s worried her game wouldn’t stack up in the eyes of the jury.
She slowly starts making moves, talking to Andy. She’s not gunning for it straight up, or even suggesting they switch the vote. She’s just trying to gauge the vibe. Rachel is also hesitant to vote Gabe. If Genevieve goes out, the target remains on Gabe. If Gabe is out, there may not be a consensus “next biggest threat.”
Tribal Council
Oh dang! I missed this last week! The jury entrance is back! One of the simplest pleasures in Survivor that production ripped away from us. But it’s back, and hopefully to stay!
Gabe is voted out 7-2, with only Sue voting with him. That’s not surprising. Sue has been tight with Gabe from day one. Everyone was right to leave her in the dark. She hasn’t really made her mark yet in Survivor 47 (unless you count her outward pure hatred of Kyle), and time is running out for her to change that.
Things I Liked
- We got ball puns!
- The slither through sand challenge, always good for some laughs
- Even if it’s only a 1% chance (or less), maybe the rice negotiation will get Probst and production to wake up, and take the Shot in the Dark out of the game
- Just a solid episode, rice negotiation notwithstanding
If you want more Survivor coverage, we are back for another season of the Talking Llama podcast. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
You can catch new episodes of Survivor 47 every Wednesday at 8pm ET/7pm CT on CBS, and it is also available to stream on Paramount+.
