Hey, it’s Cho and I’m back with another Survivor 40 Recap! I’m sorry this recap is late, but I’ve been so busy making videos like this and being OBSESSED with this new water bottle that was gifted to me. Anyway, I’ve finally got some time to watch the latest episode, and I’m still reeling from one of my all-time favorite winners imploding the way she did last episode. If you missed that, definitely go read about that sad situation.
Adam Is Ready To End Parvati
We get back from Sele, and Adam feels like the old-schoolers have been running the show. Adam is ready to draw the line in the sand and target a big dog, so he schemes with Denise on how to get rid of Parvati. Denise is feeling particularly good about her game as she has a token from Danni who was voted out unanimously last night and also has half of an idol that she can use.
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Adam approaches Ethan and hints to him that Parvati will be a target. Adam knows this is a dangerous thing to be talking to him considering Parvati is Ethan’s closest ally. His rationale is that if Parv leaves the game, Ethan needs to be okay with him moving forward. Obviously, this doesn’t work, because Ethan says in a confessional that Parvati’s allegiance is more important than Adam. Adam is employing some risky strategy. He should just blindside Parvati now and ask forgiveness from Ethan later.
Sandra’s New Strategy
Tyson has his eyes on taking Sandra out of the game already because she’s a 2-time winner and is known to be a master trouble maker. He works his magic on Yul who sees the rationale in taking out a dangerous wildcard like Sandra first. Sandra has vowed that she’s retiring from Survivor after this season, so she’s trying to prove that she can provide for her tribe. She literally catches a shark. She says no one is on her level yet in the game! The shark is still alive and resident drama queen Tony screams that the shark almost bit his arm off.
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After eating shark that was caught by Sandra, Yul is ALREADY having second thoughts about getting rid of her, because he likes being fed and provided for. Sandra has definitely switched her game up, and it’s already proving successful, because Yul basically rats Tyson out, which pissed Sandra the fuck off. She says if you’re gonna come after her, she better not find out. Tyson was already in trouble before, but now he’s in deep shit.
Cops R Us Stealth Mission
On the Edge of Extinction, we see the inclusion of Danni joining the other women. She’s really proud about catching a fish for the group. The women receive the next clue. I feel like Natalie is the most competent so she’ll get yet another opportunity to trade. She’s getting back into the game. Split seconds later, Amber has run off to search for the clue herself, because she thinks she has an edge. Pun intended. Natalie then figures out the clue and sabotages the other ladies before finding the “steal a vote” advantage! I laugh at Natalie saying she’s a complete billionaire, because she has 3 tokens!
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We see that Natalie has attempted to sell her advantage to Sarah. The twist with this advantage is that Sarah still has to work to receive it by searching in the enemy tribe overnight. It’s crazy risky, because she has to sneak out of her own camp THEN sneak into the enemy camp. And even then, she may not be able to find the advantage. I’m nervous for her. She ends up telling Tony about her advantage stipulations, and Tony helps camouflage her by putting dirt all over her face. Tony is so fucking ridiculous! HAHA
Watching Sarah enter onto the enemy tribe’s beach is nerve-wrecking. I definitely wouldn’t be able to do a mission like this. It’s CRAZY seeing her sneaking around while everyone is literally in frame and asleep. Could you imagine if someone actually woke up?! Eventually, Sarah finds the advantage and runs away!
A Close Immunity Challenge!
I zoned out during the introduction of the immunity challenge, but it looks like an elaborate obstacle course. Tony climbing up the ladder is funny, because last episode he almost fell off the one he built. Dakal, the red tribe, is leading the challenge. It seems like Sele is the loser tribe. Sarah and Sophie work on the puzzles while Sele is still trying to get to the puzzle. Rob and Michele finally get to work on the puzzle for Sele and quickly catch up. This is much better than when Rob fucked up the challenge last week! He really had a rough episode. Both tribes take turns surpassing each other in puzzle pieces, and we’ve got a race! These tree puzzles are beautiful! DAKAL wins by literally a few seconds winning their 3rd out of 4 challenges!
Adam Gets Greedy
Things are super tense on Sele, because everyone is sitting around staring at each other waiting to see who makes a move to start the conversations… Nobody wants to be the first one to walk off and start strategizing. Jeremy decides to walk off, and Ben immediately follows him to start scheming. Jeremy, Ben and Adam are hardcore against Parvati, because she’s such a social threat.
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Adam has the big talk with Rob that Parvati is the one going home tonight. Adam is trying to smooth things over, but Rob is super worried about his long term safety. Adam’s attempting to strategically tell people the truth at the right time. I think he’s making a mistake. Rob goes immediately to Jeremy and Michele to throw Adam completely under the fucking bus. Now, it’s an open war, because Parvati is coming for Adam’s neck.
Michele Shows Her Strategic Strength
Michele is PISSED, because by Adam telling Rob about their alliance of 5 blindsiding Parvati, it’s essentially throwing her and Jeremy under the bus. She doesn’t like that Adam is playing both sides and keeping everyone against each other so she literally blows his entire fucking game apart but ratting him out to Ben and Denise. She lets us know that she and Jeremy are the ones making the decision tonight to either take out one of the old schoolers or to take out the double dealer. Michele admits that she has a lot of pressure to do well this season since people didn’t think she deserved her win. If I’m Michele, I take out Ethan in order to keep Rob/Parvati firmly against Adam in the next round.
Tribal Council
We get to the tribal council, and I’m nervous for Parvarti. I want her to stick around. We discuss how losing so much leads to dissension and a lack of loyalty. Ethan throws out that people are working with certain others and being really selfish. Michele says it’s like dating: the people who make you feel giddy are the ones she’s gonna roll with. It’s a game where you HAVE to trust someone but at the same time, the game makes you NEVER want to trust anyone. Parvati says she has a billboard target on her head and doesn’t have as many options for allies. Adam reminds everyone multiple times that Rob has a statue built in his likeness. Jeff reads the votes: Parvati, Adam, Adam, Adam, Ethan, Ethan, Ethan and Ethan is voted out, leaving Rob, Parvati and Adam completely blindsided!!
This is not what I wanted, but I’m ok with the drama heading into the next episode. I can’t believe Denise didn’t tell Adam about the vote. She’s making some perplexing plays this season. And Natalie is really impressing me despite being voted off first. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section! If you like what I do here on the site, be sure to support me in my other ventures elsewhere on the internet!
Natalie is really killing it on EOE. She is piling up those coins. I can’t wait to see how those play into the long game!
I know the goal was to break up Rob, Ethan and Parv, but wish it would have been one of the other two. Now they have the view that they are targeted and have the position to plan. Wish they would have taken a bigger shot. But good luck to Ethan on EOE!
I didn’t want Ethan to go either and I fully expect a merge to save Rob and Parv or some sort of shenanigans
THIS WEEK I HAVE A CONSPIRACY THEORY OF MY OWN.
Dear Stupids From Stupidville,
When I watch Survivor, I just watch like a normal person. Sometimes I am working while watching. I am not watching like I used to watch many moons ago when I was a spoiler. Back then I dissected every little thing. I would notice things like we never get much from Yul or Wendell for example.
However, I have been pulling supplemental photos from the actual episode off the CBS site to add to the ones Cho sends me. These photos are just a couple of things specific to the episode. Usually just a challenge photo, and a tribal council photo.
So let’s go back to last week. Rob, who runs the whole tribe, decides he should be on the puzzle. When he gets to the puzzle, he does nothing. He starts “sorting pieces” and stacking them where he says they go. Whoever is working with him just stood there listening to him. Then they had a very late start. Rob did pretty much nothing. He would occasionally put in a piece.
This week, it was the same thing. Rob mostly stayed over at the pieces pretending to look for something. 90% of the pieces were put on by the other player. And Rob would try a few places before placing the few he did place into the puzzle.
Again, normally I would not pay much attention to the challenges. I don’t think Cho does either. Because, there is a challenge, let’s see who wins and get on with the plotting, right? But Rob either sucks at puzzles, or is pretending to suck at puzzles. One time is not suspect, but choosing to put himself on puzzles two challenges in a row after it was totally his fault they lost the challenge is odd to me.
To me, this means Rob wants to go to tribal council while he can still decide who is going home. Or so that some of the old players would be gotten out by the new ones. What perplexes me if this is the theory is why he didn’t just let the group vote out Parvati? Also, why did the newbies vote out Ethan instead of Pavarti as initially planned? They had the votes to vote out any of the three? Just because it was Adam’s plan and they were mad that he was playing both sides? Maybe. But I think Rob would rather get rid of Ethan and Pavarti over the newbies. I don’t think he care which one it was. And all of them voting for Adam didn’t matter one whit unless some of the newbies joined them.
Then, over on Sandra’s team (let’s call it what it is because I don’t remember the names of the tribes and Cho never reminds me. 🙂 ) She sits out every challenge. She is the best player on the team! She sits out and saves her energy and gets to reap all the rewards. This keeps the target off of her back while the rest fight amongst themselves if they were to go to tribal.
Can anyone explain to me how it fits in with the Stupid Theory in Stupidville? Because I still think Rob and Sandra are pissed at each other. But I need to know why Rob is throwing challenges. And Sandra isn’t even playing in them at all.
Next week I need everyone to not refresh their drinks during the challenge and pay attention to Rob and Sandra. I also don’t believe Sandra’s half hearted cheerleading fake concern that they might lose the challenge. I don’t think she wants to win the challenges either.
Sincerely,
Dumbass From Dumbassville drifting alone on an island of one.
PS Natalie is killing it this season. I like her without the twin thing.
I remember back in the old days when the same person couldn’t sit out back to back challenges, so the Sandra thing kept raising my suspicions as well. I also don’t like how they don’t show the votes at end of episode. I think all these conspiracies are getting to me, and I am struggling to blindly trust Survivor production anymore. Which makes me sad. I hoped for a last bastion of reality show purity.
I usually do other things during Survivor (and a lot of other shows), but yesterday I felt I missed something. I didn’t see where Ethan vote came from. I got nothing more, really, from 2nd watching. I would vote out Rob or Parvati at this point in the game. Ethan becomes a bigger threat as you get closer to the final, imo. Rob seemed more into puzzle this week than last week, and I found his “aw shucks” stuff at beginning of episode to be insincere.
Eric is rushing me off to brunch, but when I get back, I have A LOT to say to this conspiracy!!
#RichPeopleProblems Please eat the bread and get plenty of calories. Auntie TT worries about you.
I had the Arancini, Breakfast BLT minus the B and 2 Mimosas. Should have been 3 but I had errands to quickly run afterwards, and I’m just now getting back. Sunday funday always seems busy!
There is no such thing as a BLT without the T. That’s just a piece of lettuce and a sliced tomato smashed between some bread!!!! Am I going to have to come up there and feed you???
OK so I’ve been thinking about this too. Rob is literally losing so much which is so uncharacteristic of him. If I were on his team, I wouldn’t let him compete in the next puzzle challenge. I’m sure he will get saved by a twist soon.
Is Rob throwing the challenges? If so, why would he do that? To get rid of Parvati and Ethan? He could have simply joined in with the rest of them to send them packing. Is he protecting someone on the other side?? IS IT SANDRA HIS SECRET ALLY?! /Mayor of Stupidsville
In terms of Sandra, how she’s able to sit out every challenge baffles. I know there’s specific rules against sitting out the same person back to back but I swear she has sat them all out. Maybe there was a reward challenge that we weren’t shown somehow?
When there are two challenges, reward & immunity, no one can sit both challenges out.
I am LOVING Natalie on EOE. She’s been really impressing me every episode now.
A bigger shot would have been good for only Adam, because the others didn’t have the working relationships with the rest of the old school players. Now, Michele/Jeremy can really play the middle and have more control over their fate on this tribe. Ironic considering they both were on the outside of the very first vote.
Last week, my spidey sense was wondering why no one took a shot at Rob in tribal. This week—same thing. No one’s written his name down. He’d be number one on my list to send packing. But I have a feeling production knows that Rob and Sandra are the ratings drivers. Without their devious schemes, people may not tune in. Yes, it’s a season of winners but I couldn’t name most of them.
I agree! But I think we would still watch. Even though I’ve watched every season, I don’t remember a lot of their names, or their seasons. That’s what we have Cho for. He’s young and his brain still functions. 🙂
Oh I know EVERYONE, but I’m a super freaky fan that memorizes the most useless information.
There’s some funny business going on, but I’m still enjoying every minute of it!
I think everyone is very intimidated by Rob. They all want him gone, but only if they are certain of the vote. No one wants to take a swing at him and miss.
I too, wish they would show who voted for who at the end. I even rewound thinking I missed it. Since I was totally fooled and surprised that Ethan went and not Adam, I was quite confused by the strategies that happened with the vote and was really jonesing to find out who voted who out. I was especially curious about Rob’s vote for the very reasons that Tamara mentioned above.
Michele/Jeremy were upset that Adam was playing both sides. Parvati was going to leave, and Adam would still be in the good graces of Rob/Ethan while those two would be trying to target one of Jeremy/Michele.
Instead of letting Adam keep his cake and eat it too, they decided to blindside him while still weakening Rob/Parvati by taking away a loyal ally.
I literally predicted what SHOULD happen based on strategy but I was still surprised. I guess I just didn’t think Michele was that smart to pull off such a move.
This is how voting at last tribal went for those still wondering.
Ethan- Ben,Denise,Jeremy,Michele
Adam- Ethan,Rob,Parv
Parv- Adam
Tamara, I am also wondering why Queen Sandra is able to sit out of these challenges?
Mary Ellen, are you assuming voting went that way? Or is there someplace you were able to verify? If so, did they also list voting for previous episodes? I agree that is most likely how vote went, but I always liked seeing the placards. I just find it suspicious that we aren’t seeing the voting when we have for any other seasons I remember watching.
Thanks how it went down.
The vote is not rocket science! The four other new schools got pissed at Adam for ratting out their vote for Pavarti, so they blindsided everyone with the Ethan vote. Adam who thinks he is playing both sides was not informed of either vote he though he was voting with new school so he voted for Pavarti. The other three voted for Adam, the double agent.
Cho- great recap. I also wondered why Sandra has sat out for two challenges. I’ve seen Rob blow through puzzles with ease so seeing him lose two in a row is odd. I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
Rob sucking at challenges this season is so weird. Maybe he’s just gotten old? lol And Sandra has sat out EVERY challenge. It’s so strange, because before, they would have reward challenges and just not air them. Then, it made sense for Sandra to be able to play in the rewards but sit out all the immunities.
But now that the challenges are combined, it doesn’t make sense.
Great Recap! I said to hub’s I am not convinced Sandra is pissed at Rob for not telling her he was playing another season. Wouldn’t they both have to be told at the same time? I agree Rob is acting very off the last two puzzle challenges. Sandra sitting out back to back challenges, fishy & usually not allowed. Tribal council has been pretty tame, never saw the Ethan vote coming. I hated EOE, with the changes, I like it. Natalie smashing up the other’s clue was impressive. I’m all in for the season.
Thanks for your comment, Lisa. I am also liking EOE a bit better this season. However, I still think they should have a DEDICATED 15 minute episode on their youtube page showcasing life on EOE. That would be a show in and of itself worth watching, no?!
Ooooomg ETHAN GOT VOTED OFF???? Wow. I didn’t see that coming. Now I haven’t watched (really watched) Survivor in years. Like Rob and Ambah heyday years. But even I commented that Rob seemingly sucks now. He’s been quite a few since his original season, no? I know they have 4 kids and my God I can attest to the exhaustion BUT. Survivor is easier. He and Ambah are pretty much on a cutthroat vacation ffs. I can’t say exactly what is amiss but there is something. Imagine the resources you will have as Secretary of State to get to the bottom of things like this???? Perfect use of taxpayer money!! #tattles/pck 2024