S47 Episode 11: I Don't Want That Power

 

The mighty Kyle has fallen! The challenge was a nail-biter, and it was inevitable that they would seize this opportunity to vote out the competition beast. As Teeney said, "It would be a little dumb to do anything else."  I'm a huge Kyle fan, as I think the world needs more people like him. He has a great story; his exit demonstrated class and great character. He came across as an authentic human being who appreciates his life and is still striving to be better. I wish I could be that good!  Let's make sure we all give 120 percent to our families. (Full disclosure, I picked him to win in my fantasy pool, but that hasn't affected my opinion.)

Takeaways

• The rain arrived!  I think the constant rain would be the biggest challenge for a contestant, and it definitely impacted the morale of this group. Rain is supposed to accompany a hot drink while watching Survivor on your sofa.  
• Ugh! I can't believe I'm saying this, but Andy (Not Austin) has actually put together back-to-back episodes with a decent showing. He is making strong arguments and isn't blowing up his game. I appreciated his reflections on his own growth in the game, which I didn't think he could do.  That being said, why does he sound like a robot?
• Once again, Genevieve does a great job of capturing the essence of the game: emotions vs. strategy. "I would rather be a villain that people didn't connect with than the best friend who killed their dream." 
• Rachel's floating challenge with the timed anchors was an amazing twist that made the puzzle much more fun. Kudos to the creativity of the production team.
• Rachel has an immunity idol and a vote-blocking advantage. She is in a great position to finish strong and has an impressive resume as an outsider who found a way to survive.
• Why didn't Kyle and Genevieve look for an idol?  Were they assuming that they were already in someone's possession?
• I kept thinking that Kyle would play his Shot in the Dark because I forgot they traded them for rice. I hope that the rice was worth it. 
• Once again, Sol lights up the jury, this time with yellow pants and a return of the vest. He's got great style!
• I have been trying to avoid being overly mean toward Sue because we are members of the same age group, but her negative feelings toward Kyle are incredibly frustrating. He wrote your name down once; get over it. Instead, she is rolling her eyes at one of the most genuine people to play the game. I can't hold back anymore.  Can anyone please tell me why her face is always covered in dirt? Is she burrowing throughout the jungle all day?  Does excessive Botox attract dirt? 
• I had the opportunity to play the challenge at one of the live finale events, and it was tough. But I don't mind bragging... I kind of rocked it.

Steve has Spoken....

Quote of the Episode

•  Kyle: "You need to be able to adapt and be somebody that you need to be out here if you want to go the distance."

Questions

• Can Sam and Genevieve convince two people that they are at the bottom of the newly formed alliance of five and get them to jump ship?
• Will an idol or advantage get played before they expire?
• Do we have letters from home coming up?

Last Week's Survey

Would you have sacrificed your Shot in the Dark for rice?

This Week's Survey