By Survivor Guest Correspondent Cho
Did you think the premiere of Survivor was dramatic? Well since then, I’ve thought my foot was going to fall off and I had a complete nightmare trying to get the new iPhone Xs through Verizon. Spoiler alert: I got the phone after around 4-5 hours of driving through traffic and dealing with customer service. If you want to know the horrors of my first world problems, do let me know in the comment section or check out my rants on twitter. For now, let’s get into this episode, which I think will feature lots of friction on the Goliath tribe.
Too Long Didn’t Watch
Previously on Survivor: Jeff introduces us to the new season. On Goliath, Dan immediately fell in love with Kara and discovered the idol. On David, we’re led to believe Pat’s medical evacuation is what saved Nick from being voted out.
The rain is pounding the survivors. The Davids are miserable after Pat’s evacuation. He was the one boosting their morale and Jessica cries over him leaving. Moments like these remind me that I’m not cut out for Survivor. Goliath isn’t doing much better as they all shudder in the cold damp camp. Watching their teeth chatter uncontrollably reminds me that Survivor is REAL!
Christian admits that the plan was indeed to vote Nick out, but he’s happy to have some more ambiguity in terms of alliances. Nick realizes this, because no one was talking to him. He’s actually looking at Pat’s evacuation as a blessing. He compares his relationship with Christian to that of JT and Stephen. I don’t think he realizes how bad it is to compare yourself to JT. He is one of the most stupid players in Survivor history. Jeff sends both tribes a fire-making kit due to the season being unusually wet. Wait, it’s only been 4 days. Why is Jeff CODDLING them this early?! Let them suffer. Make someone quit!
On Goliath, Dan is living the dream life with his idol and Kara by his side, but Kara is paranoid about someone else finding his idol. She’s also paranoid about people looking at them as a power alliance, and she’s right, because Alec is already targeting her behind the scenes. Kara actually takes Natalia and Angelina aside to strategize about how they have the 3 boys wrapped around their fingers and can control the beginning portion of the game. Kara intends to distance herself from Dan’s self-destructive gameplay. Jeremy goes through Dan’s belongings just as Kara warned and finds the idol while Mike watches. Literally everyone looks at Dan as a stupid player in the game, including his own allies.
On David, Davie is leaning into his role as a provider and hero of the tribe as conflict brews about who to vote out first. He admits he’s been searching for food over everything else but needs to focus on his ninja eyes. He sees some weird string which leads to him finding the hidden immunity idol. He’s super handsome oh my goodness. Carl is worried about getting rid of the strongest guys so he targets Lyrsa. Unfortunately, Elizabeth disagrees with him behind the scenes and that happens to be her best friend in the game. She immediately takes Lyrsa aside to tell her that Carl is spearheading her vote. Lyrsa is pissed and reminds everyone that she won the first challenge. This is true! Lyrsa is ready to confront Carl, but she’s going to try to reel in her temper.
The Goliath tribe is all having fun except for Natalie. She says her strategy is to get along and lay low. What is she doing in reality? Not getting along with anyone and being high on everyone’s radar. The entire tribe is annoyed by her except for John. John sees this as an opportunity to take her aside and reel her in as an ally deep into the game. She’s pissed at the news that she’s the first to go. Natalie decides to confront people individually and yells that the Goliaths are playing like a bunch of Davids! She says that she’s going to be aggressive and doesn’t care. Jeremy tries to actually reason with her from a genuine place and as a fellow black person. I feel bad for him. He tried, but Natalie really shut him down in a harsh way. Jeremy says that because she’s been married for decades, someone really loves her as she is and she has no reason to change. Did you catch that shade?!
The Immunity Challenge
The Goliaths walk in with war paint, and learn that Pat was medically evacuated. This challenge involves gathering puzzle pieces and balancing a wobbly table while completing said puzzle. They’re playing for fishing gear and immunity. It’s Bi versus Alec as they have to leap frog up the ladder using only two rungs. Alec is a hottie! Bi is stuck on the ladder as Alec retrieves the key and moves onto the next phase of the challenge. Bi finally gets their keys as Goliath gets back with all of their puzzle pieces.This is a fucking mess: Davids are pulling away from Bi who has their bags of puzzle pieces on the podium!
The Goliaths have been working on the puzzle for a while now but only has two puzzle pieces out. They spent all this time strategizing, but Christian has already gotten one piece. There is a learning curve that the Davids are having a tough time with. Goliaths are communicating well. The heat is taking a toll as both tribes suffer. The Goliaths are very far while the Davids are nowhere near. They just need to get back to the mat without dropping everything! And they do it! Natalie is thanking all of the gods above. Christian tells us the Davids need to pick the scab off of the tribe. We get shots of both Lyrsa and Carl who is the cause of friction within camp.
Pre-Tribal Scrambling
People are upset that the Goliaths are so much stronger than them. Bi tells everyone to change their poor attitude, because in her sport, it’s all about technique not size. Jessica says she understands that mentality, but she wants to still vote Lyrsa out. Gabby is off put by Bi and Jessica not wanting to discuss other options other than Lyrsa. She cries about how uncomfortable she feels in the tribe now.
Lyrsa doesn’t think she’s the weakest link and is upset that Carl is throwing her name out; Elizabeth suggest voting Jessica out instead. Elizabeth goes to Gabby and pitches to voting Jessica out, because she is the glue to the Bi and Carl alliance. Christian lets us know how fast things change so quickly and feels confident that he can handle everything. Both Gabby and Christian are so neurotic. Christian and Nick seem to actually somehow be in the middle of this conundrum. It’s Elizabeth/Gabby/Lyrsa vs Carl/Bi/Jessica with the “Mason Dixon” Alliance controlling where the decision goes. I can’t help but think that Christian will value Gabby over Jessica. We get no mention of where Davie stands in all of this mess.
Tribal Council
This is actually our first time seeing the new Tribal Council set, and it looks really nice actually. They dramatic shots and editing is pretty cool! It reminds me of an authentic temple. Everyone looks scared and anxious. We get into a discussion about how they have become a family through the disastrous conditions they’ve been in. Jeff then talks about how it’s hard to be considered a family then have to vote someone out. Jessica gets really snappy and says that everyone needs to play the game when they hit the beach, not wait until getting to tribal council.
Everyone believes that the vote is organized, which means that a lot of people are going to be blindsided tonight. Christian likens the game to a rollercoaster where there is no exhilaration without risk. We finally get to the vote and Davie votes for Lyrsa. Christian’s vote is hidden, saying he really wanted to work with this person but he couldn’t make it work. Jeff reads them: Lyrsa, Jessica, Lyrsa, Jessica… Lyrsa, Lyrsa, Jessica…Jessica tied 4-4 with one vote left… Jessica. Half the tribe is blindsided. People are pissed. Looks like Christian convinced Nick to go with him.
Next Time On Survivor: Carl is upset after being tribal council. Jeremy admits to the tribe that Dan has the idol and calls his tribe idiotic after accusing Natalie of trying to target him.
Final Words: Jessica views her vote off as them thinking she was a threat. She admits to being the first hashtag blindside of the season.
Cho’s Top Takeaways
The Issue Of Self-Awareness
Ok, lean in to the screen. Let’s talk. Like, really. This is a problem that so many people have in life, and we’ve got to start having more conversations about it. Despite knowing this, I still always find it so hard to believe when people are SO stuck in their own world that they can’t imagine how someone else might see them differently. Exhibit A: Natalie. She has been walking around since day 1 judging everyone her tribe for various reasons. She has this full proof game plan that doesn’t take into account that someone might think differently of her than she thinks of herself. Do you know people like this in real life? Let’s talk in the comment section about how to approach a friend like this. Do you tell them they’re an asshole or do you just let them live their life being an asshole? Unfortunately for Natalie, this isn’t life. This is Survivor, and she will be voted off.
The Subtleties of Misogyny in Survivor?
Ok, so this may have been a minor moment in the episode, but something bothered me about the way Kara and Dan’s relationship was handled and speculated about on the Goliath Tribe. We see privately that Dan is over the moon obsessed over Kara. We also see that she is concerned about how this comes off to her tribemates and is actively doing damage control, because she doesn’t want her game over-ridden by something so silly. Despite the evidence, we see Alec target Kara and blame her for their showmance. What?! How?! This happens so many times especially in Survivor. Yes, we did see Angelina and Natalia gloat about their aspirations to control the guys, but Kara was isolated from those specific connotations. Why are we still unnecessarily ascribing the dangerous vixen trope onto women in Survivor? Why can’t we just call it what it is: a former fatty (self-described) is obsessed with pretty girls now that he considers himself attractive. Ok, I feel myself ranting so let’s stop. Let me know in the comments what you think.
Can The Davids Get It Together?
I’m worried. Despite the inherent conflict on the Goliath tribe, they do seem to be pretty stacked. And after having a 5-4 vote split, the Davids tribe is bound to be wrought with mistrust and division. Do you think they will be able to win an immunity challenge, or will they only be spared by a timely tribal switch? Let me know what you think! I’ll end it with that question there. Please let me know what other thoughts you have about the episode. Did I miss something important? Tell me everything and don’t forget to follow my on social media: Instagram, Twitter and Twitch!
Christian reminds me of John Cochran. Apparently, someone else thinks the same thing, because there is a picture, on John Cochran’s twitter, created by a fan, of John Cochran holding a Mini Me of Christian on his lap. It’s too funny!
Anyway, Natalie is making her own bed and sometimes that can work for or against her. Some tribe members may boot her early, or keep her thinking she’s the person no one would vote for and wise to take her to the end. I find it irritating when cast members carry that type of person along, give them loads of camera time, and we are left with the dismal observation of their perfunctory efforts. Blah!
I’m hoping to see Christian conjure up some fancy Swiss Family Robinson inventions to improve camp life. That would be sweet!
I am glad Jeff gave fire starter kits and tarps. It’s no fun to watch people suffering in those type of conditions. Especially trying to live within a Cyclone? It’s sadistic to think that viewers enjoy watching people shivering, crying, and mentally drained. Not fun to watch, so I’m glad to see provisions given to both tribes.
A recap last week said that Christian makes Cochran look like “The Fonz”. I thought that to be hilariously truthful!!! Lol
I also think it’s sweet that people are comparing him to Cochran. It makes perfect sense to me tbh and I think he is super adorable so far.
As long as Natalie’s tribe continues to win, she won’t be going anywhere. And I imagine in a switch situation, she would actually be in a great position. It’s looking like she could stick around for a while longer…
Cho- I am blown away how in tune I am with you on my take away from last nights episode. I thought of two things when I watched Natalie last night. The first was her misguided sense of self and the second was how much her perception of herself reminds me of Debbie from Survivor Kaoh Rong and Survivor Game Changers. She was a nut but in the most entertaining way. I think we have found this seasons Sebastian- drum roll please… Davie!!!! I love him. I want to see him in a tux. I can’t wait to get to know him. Thank you for the amazing recap.
Kerry thank you for the great comment as always. I’m glad I can find someone that is in tune with my opinions, because often times I find myself at odds with people online! Davie is a total sweet heart and I’m looking forward to seeing him get more screen time.
Exciting to hear everyone’s opinions on this episode.
I think we are really getting some well-rounded editing where everyone is getting some decent exposure!
OMFG that woman Natalie. And that awesome guy tried to tell her and was completely shut down!
I do get along with everyone…..Bwhahahaha
I loved that he said she is married for 24 years and has someone that loves her for her, so she probably won’t change! Yikes she is creepy.
Has she never seen Survivor? The older people are normally targets right away.
And it doesn’t matter if you are not a threat to win the game right now, you need to win the damn team
challenges!! Wow, she seemed really stupid.
Christian reminds me of actor Paul Sands…He was on the Mary Tyler Moore show.
I wasn’t so sure about him last week, but I liked him this week.
Natalie has no idea how to play this game nor has she ever seen an episode obviously. Touting her age does her no favors so early in the game. She just doesn’t get it. Jeremy was right on the mark with Natalie. He gave her an earnest try.
I’ve been anxiously awaiting your post, Cho! I was only halfway watching this episode because there was no time to sit down, relax, and focus. I had to catch some of the details here. First, I wish Lyrsa had gone home and the David tribe had remained somewhat unified. It’s too early for this kind of division, and it’s too early for me to care which of those girls went home. Second, I wouldn’t have a friend like Natalie for long. I’d cut ties immediately with someone like that. I can’t see her making it all the way to the end just because she’s too damn annoying to tolerate for that long, even for strategy’s sake. Third, don’t get me started on misogyny. I even found Jeremy’s shade toward Natalie mysogynistic. Natalie would have a reason to change if she didn’t have a man? Puh-leez. Ok, that’s it for now. Can’t wait to read the rest of the comments!
Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting Lyri. I’m so happy to have you here! Honestly, I am right on your side: it is too early for me to care about Jessica or Lrysa leaving. It simply wasn’t that deep of a vote in my opinion, but now the Davids are gonna be a hot mess.
I don’t know if Jeremy specifically mentioned her having a husband or boyfriend. I think he just said she had someone that loved her for so many years. If he did use the word man, specifically, that would be a bit weird. Still, he was trying to help her, and I felt bad about him being shut down so harshly.
Lyrsa reminds me of Droopy Dog.
I googled this and laughed out loud.
Just a few quick things because Banjo and I are dying.More on that in a second. Let me try to focus on Survivor.
I LOVED that Lyrsa refused to be voted off and made moves to save herself. That’s great game play. I absolute loved the hubris of Jessica at tribal council saying that people need to start playing the game before tribal council. Seeing that smug look wiped right off her face as she is the first member voted out was delightful.
I love Christian and Mike and hope they both make it to merger or get placed together soon on a tribe swap.
Dan might as well go next, he sucks at this game and his showmance right out of the gate was stupid. I think Kara will rat him out and vote him out.
Please excuse this personal off topic announcement.
I woke up at 8 am today. I rarely get up before noon but went to bed much earlier last night as i didn’t have any recaps. It ws 76 degrees and it is supposed to get into the mid nineties all week. So my plan was to get to the mountain really early and get a hike in.
I turned the channel to GMA. I do not watch GMA. I have no idea why I did that, but there was a woman on there talking about her 50 pound weight loss. HER NAME WAS Mellissa MOUNTAIN. At that point the universe told me there was no turning back.
Long story short, Banjo will not drink water on a walk I kept cupping water and he would shut his mouth tight.
The hike took us two hours an 45 minutes. It was around four and a half miles. Maybe a little under. with about 3/4 of a mile to go, Banjo could not continue. He just laid down. This was a new trail for us and we only saw three people on the trail the entire time. We saw way more deer than people. So there we are exhausted and alone. I wasn’t really even sure we were on the right path. I would have cried several times but I was dehydrated too. I honestly was concern Banjo was going to die. We stopped many times for him to lay down and I would sing to him, because it relaxes him. You could tell he was scared. Finally we got back to the picnic site and someone had dumped out ice from a cooler. I was exahausted and it was on a slope but I managed to grab a few handful and get them and the dog back to the car and his waterbowl
We got home a little bit over an hour agonandhe has finally stopped panting and is sleeping but I keep looking over to make sure he is still breathing. Clearly we did too much. It was 86 degrees when be got back to the car at 1 pm.
I need to take a nap now too. Seriously. I’m worn slap out.
Glad you’re both okay! My best friend used to have a dog named Banjo too.
That was a very long hike!
So impressed with your tenacity, TT. Way to keep on! Plus, you’re a great dog momma. Singing to Banjo gave me a tear in my eye. Now, I need to drag my ass off the sofa and go for a hike.
Agree with your points. Lyrsa pointing out that she is the only person who has won a challenge for him was genius. Based on facts.
You singing to Banjo makes me really emotional. I’m so sorry that you had to have such a scary time period. I couldn’t imagine the feelings you had thinking your partner may not survive. I would literally have a panic attack. That being said, you did everything you were supposed to under the circumstances, and it appears as though you are a fantastically loving parent.
I’m sure you got a good workout in too. lol If I were you, I’d be back on the bottle after that escapade!
I don’t think Jeff was coddling them. Providing firestarters and tarps was way cheaper than evacuating them during a typhoon, and they had already had to remove a player after he was put in a position, along with his tribe, of possibly sustaining a life threatening or changing injury.
He says he is ok now, but It wouldn’t surprise me if he has issues down the road.
The woman gets blamed for showmance.. Big Brother.. Caleb was obsessed with Brittany to a disturbing extent. She was not the least bit interested and it ruined her chances on BB. Meanwhile, Caleb gets two chances at Survivor.
And this recently finished BB featured a female (Sam) slut shaming other women and implying that they were ruining these innocent guys (did she want the women to be separate and wear burkas?)
And Angela ruined Tyler’s game, but not vice versa?
So here we go again on Survivor.. He is stupid about leaving his idol in a pocket and leaving the jacket draped on a chair (where did they get a chair this early in the season?) And not even in his bag. Not that a bag is safe. And they blame the girl??in
Natalie is clueless. And I hope is gone soon, rather than kept as a goat.
Tamara, in your great hiking quest.. He careful for both of you!
One doctor suggested that one should walk the dog, bring it home and then go on your serious walk.
There are lightweight collapsible water bowls for dogs. Maybe Banjo would get used to such a bowl at home and then use one mid hike?
Hey Lynn, thank you for your contributions to the post this week. I’m really enjoying the editing and feeling like everyone’s gotten a proper introduction.
I’m glad you’ve pointed out the obvious misogyny at play in both BB and Survivor. It’s ridiculous and I’m wondering when people are going to call it out more often. The edit shows Kara warning Dan about the hiding place being too obvious. He reassures her that she’s wrong. Next scene: someone finds the idol. lol It’s a mess.
I’ve seen those water bottles and they are really cute. I think it’s a great idea to let Banjo get used to it first at home before attempting it outside.
i totally know someone like Natalie.
She was my boss. complete bitch. she expected us all to fall at her feet. For her birthday the suckups actually literally rolled out a red carpet for her to walk into the building. UGH! Hated her. Got out of there as fast as I could.
In the first episode, Natalie said something like she knew several people that would take a bullet for her…. um, ok.
I hope that wasn’t foreshadowing for how her game goes, because that means we’ll be seeing her for quite some time. haha
I’m glad you were able to get out of there before it took over your life in a negative way. People like that are horribly insecure. Case in point: Natalie on Survivor.
That certainly was a long hike! But kudos to you both for doing it!!!
Trust me, I wish we hadn’t. Seeing your dog with heatstroke in the middle of the woods with no humans in sight was not fun at all. I’m still very concerned. We were out there a long time. He needs to drink way more water. I put some coconut water in his water to encourage him to drink. I’d be really happy if he would pee.
FYI, It’s highly unlikely I will be recapping anything tonight.
Coconut water is a great idea. Hope y’all are better. Rest well and restore.
Sending good vibes your way, TT ?
Hoping you and Banjo are ok. I know how much we love our fur babies. Please come on here periodically and let us know how Banjo is. Sending a big hug.
Loved Davie sniffing the immunity idol! Do it now, it’ll be the last time it smells that fresh! I feel bad Dan has lost the game already d/t Kara Kryptonite. I know it’s not her strategy. .that guy got it bad. I didn’t even notice how others ascribed bad motives to Kara, but you’re right. Then again..it is a story that’s been played many a times. Could just as easily be a guy stringing a girl along. So peeps shold be suspicious.
I think Davie is super adorable. We need him to stay in the game longer, and I feel bad that he was left on the outside. I think Bi and Carl would both be targeted before he was though since he is so valuable to the tribe.
Yeah, that’s why I said it was subtle. In terms of a narrative, it’s one that we see time and time again, but this time, I was like NOPE, THIS IS STUPID!
Idk if it’s editing, but didn’t see Nick do much work this episode either. Just watched Christian cut bamboo and talked. Speaking of no work- Natalie..oh Natalie. Yikes. Maybe successful in business as a boss, but here people skills,are required These are not your employees. Blindside successful, nail biter. I’d love David’s to win next challenge so we can see Goliaths vote. Also Davids need a boost. Caught up on show today after taped it. Thanks for the recap Cho.
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you’ve joined us this season with comments. We’re a friendly bunch here that are passionate about the show!
I think Natalie is just horribly unaware. It’s unfortunate. And I don’t think it’s editing. Nick’s fellow survivors all seem to agree that he was gonna be the first person to go home in part due to his lack of work ethic around camp.