SURVIVOR 41 (Episode 11)

Another massive twist tied to an advantage/disadvantage and Jeff Probst saying a contestant is going to DIE?! Finally!! Is it the Monster!?!? IT'S COMING?!?! .....LOL JK it's just production at it again! Let's dive in:

• The episode kicks off with Ricard feeling like he's going to need to do some damage control post-Shan vote out, but it's Danny and DeShawn who completely self-implode and end up taking in all the heat with Shan's little "DeShawn is a snake" kiss-off. Ricard seriously did the impossible by fully breaking up the majority "all black" alliance, having them turn on one another while also pushing them to the bottom. It was world-class Survivor gameplay.

• While all of this attention is on DeShawn/Ricard, one of the biggest challenge threats/advantage threats (homeboy still has an idol AND an extra vote!!!!), Xander, is skating by and back in the driver's seat, helping to make the moves!

• Not happy that Xander was "part of the plan":

• At the immunity challenge, Jeff introduced a new twist. The remaining castaways were given the chance to play for immunity or not. If they sit out, they have no chance at winning immunity, but will have more or less a straightforward tribal council where they'll be vulnerable but their safety in the game isn't relying on a game of chance. If they choose to participate in the immunity challenge, the first castaway who drops their ball must participate in a DO OR DIE (no one actually died) challenge. If they win the Do or Die challenge at tribal, that player wins a "immunity" and cannot be voted out that night, but if they lose the Do or Die, they will be sent home automatically and no votes will be cast.

• The challenge? Balancing a small ball on a growing cylinder - it's the classic Survivor challenge that Amanda Kimmel famously out-strategized the game in SZN 16 (Micronesia) by adjusting her grip after each round to give her wrists a break. It's a reeeeeaaallll tough challenge IMO, and while I'm the type of fan who always wants them TO PLAY (sry peanut butter + oreos), I think this would be the one time I'd sit out of the challenge. It feels way too risky to play!

• Overall, I don't know how I feel about this twist. It's definitely one of the better "new" ones we've seen this season (byeee Hermione Granger time turner, byyyyeeeeee ask a question to steal anyone's advantage). But it still feels a little heavy-handed and is once again, preventing these players from just playing the game. Especially since this is the type of challenge that really anyone can win and by having people sit out it eliminates the possibility of an unlikely immunity winner.

• Surprisingly, only Liana and Heather choose to sit out of the challenge, leaving Danny, DeShawn, Erika, Ricard and Xander up for immunity/potential DEATH!!!

• The challenge begins and within seconds, DeShawn drops the ball making him our DO OR DIE player at tribal:

• **6 minutes into the final round** Danny DIGS DEEP and pulls out an incredible immunity win on the 25th anniversary of his father's passing, as Xander and Ricard drop at nearly the same exact time.

• The dark horse in this race is emerging!! The wolf in sheep's clothing or whatever insufferable analogy she was rocking earlier this season is finally coming to fruition. Erika has positioned herself as the swing vote and it looks like she might be getting "the edit!" As long as she's able to maneuver these next couple of votes (maybe bringing her old LUVU members together to knock out her only real competitors at this point, Xander and Ricard??) she has real potential to win this game!

• The swing vote you ask? With DeShawn either default MURDERED or immune, the tribe needs to come up with a backup plan. The two names being tossed around are Liana and Ricard. Xander recognizes that Ricard and Erika are his only real competition at this point and wants to keep Ricard around a little longer as his "meat shield." Erika is on the fence as she sees that there are pros/cons to keeping Liana/Ricard.

• The DO OR DIE? Turns out it was not a 50/50 chance, but rather a 33% chance of staying in the game for DeShawn. It's a game of chance that can be seen in the Monty Hall problem, which if I'm being totally honest, I don't fully understand. (I just know after the one box is removed and you're able to switch, you have a higher probability of winning by switching the boxes). DeShawn picks the left box. Jeff reveals the right box is DEATH and gives DeShawn the option of switching his original pick. DeShawn defies the probability of the game and ends up keeping his original box and winning immunity at the vote!

• Everyone was shooketh:

• Not knowing exactly who Erika would be voting for, Xander plays his extra vote on Liana ensuring that in a worst-case scenario, it would be a 4-4 tie. Erika ends up keeping Ricard the "meat shield" and helps to send Liana home 5-3.

• Besides the strategic, personal and emotional (the summit!!) relationship Liana formed with Shan(her one real move), she was definitely more of a follower than a leader. I kept sitting, waiting, wishing for her big move and it never happened. She was so blinded by her jealousy of Xander that it prevented her from being a real player this season. I will say, however, that her most impactful moment was in this tribal where she got very vulnerable about being a black woman in America. It was real, it was raw and it was so articulately said. Moments like this are always some of my favorite moments on the show because it's when the game's microcosm mimics the outside world. If you are interested, Liana posted some final thoughts on her experience on this blog. Worth a read!

BONUS CONTENT:

SECRET SCENE

LIANA PONDEROSA

THE LEAGUE:

A big (and emotional) individual immunity win for Danny translated to a MAJOR 31 points, making him this week's top scoring contestant. Liana was the bottom-scoring contestant with 5 points for "risking her safety" by sitting out of the immunity challenge.

Brendan extends his massive lead to 574 points as the only tribe member in our league with 4 players on his tribe! Amanda makes a triumphant return to the top 3 (530 points) and Hanna enters the top 10 for the first time all season (466 points)! While Liana was no one's sole survivor, 11 of us did take a big hit: Amy, Angela, Christie, Gracie, Joyce, Kath, Liv, Maggie L, Matt R, Mel, and Robbie.

With Liana’s vote out, we lose another two Vukkelulu tribe members, Mama Joyce and Robbie. So with that, THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN.

As we're getting down to the end, who’s torch will be snuffed next?

1st	BRENDAN (574 points)	Danny, DeShawn, Erika, Xander
2nd	CHRISTIE (533 points)	Heather, Liana(x), Xander
3rd	AMANDA (530 points)	DeShawn, Ricard, Xander
4th	MAGGIE S. (528 points)	Danny, Erika, Ricard
5th	MATT R. (522 points)	Heather, Liana(x), Xander
6th	PAUL (495 points)	Erika, Ricard, Xander
7th	BRIAN (491 points)	Erika, Heather, Ricard
8th	ANDREW (477 points)	DeShawn, Ricard
9th	AMY (471 points)	DeShawn, Liana(x)
10th	HANNA (466 points)	Danny, Erika, Xander

11. RACHAEL (460 points)

12. BRI (450 points)

13T. MEL (446 points)

13T. VICKY (446 points)

15. ANGELA (444 points)

16. PETER L. (438 points)

17. KATH (422 points)

18. GRACIE (422 points)

19. PETER B. (420 points)

20. MAGGIE L. (414 points)

21. LIV (399 points)

22. ROBERT (386 points)

23T. ADAM (372 points)

23T. DAWN (372 points)

25. CHRISTINA (356 points)

26. JOYCE (352 points)

27. MATT S. (349 points)

28. JIM (344 points)

29. LORI (317 points)

30. ALLIE (314 points)

31. ROBBIE (291 points)

32. TORI (281 points)

33. PETRA (272 points)

34. JILL (248 points)

35. CASEY (230 points)

Full points sheet:

Season 41 Weekly Standings - Ep #11.pdf

Download PDF • 36KB

'TIL NEXT WEEK!!!

Tribe masters Liv + Brian