S48.E12: Icarus Time

[Rodney]

Castaways must decide between choosing heart over head as they enter the final six and last stage of the game.  Letters from home feed the soul and strengthen bonds during this week’s reward at the sanctuary.  Then, two castaways orchestrate a particularly convincing ruse, escalating the remaining tribe members' paranoia.

This is the episode's discussion thread for after the episode airs.

[Carey]

Not to be a jerk...but the season of questionable and awful playing was actually confirmed LIVE by Shausin.  What better way to do so than to weaponize the guy on a reward!

[Rodney]

Well done to Kyle and Kamilla for finally putting their money where their mouths were and making a move!  Shauhin deserved it for feeding Joe, whom everybody knew was a big immunity threat!

I know that some people think that it was stupid, but it made sense.  Shauhin kind of showed that he was Joe and Eva's (well, mainly Joe's) biggest ass-kisser and suck-up.  By getting rid of him, they took out a number for Joe and Eva.

That said, it gets dicey, because Eva still has her idol that can protect either herself or Joe, depending on how the F5 Immunity Challenge goes.

We'll see what happens here.

[mojoween]

I was hoping the title of the episode would be “Idol NO”.

Mitch.  The fuck are you going on about?  Was something preventing you from playing the game until Final Six?

[Carey]

Getting rid of Eva at this point is no longer a reasonable move if you're Mitch, Kamilla, or Kyle.  If I'm wrong about that, it's due to the fact that those 3 are perfectly fine for second place.

[LadyChatts]

Shauhin taking Joe on the reward likely had nothing to do with him winning immunity.  Nobody bothering to take a shot at him last week had everything to do with him winning immunity. 

I did enjoy Eva being bitter back at camp that she didn't get picked for a change.  

Right now, I don't see who can win this game besides Joe and maybe Kyle.  Kamilla's moves will get scrutinized as being Kyle's moves, and I think not taking a shot at Joe or Eva might come back to bite them (assuming they don't next vote, but Joe/Eva are in a pretty good spot to make the final 4 and possibly 3).  Mitch-he's in the land of delusions with Shauhin since he doesn't realize he isn't part of this alliance and has been getting dragged along.  And I still think Kyle is playing too much with his emotions to take a serious shot at Joe if he has the chance.  Shauhin himself tonight finally said that Eva won't win, and I also don't see how she will (same problem as Kamilla, in that she's tied too much to Joe).

And what was with everyone deciding final 6 was the perfect time to make a move?  

Edited Thursday at 01:37 AM by LadyChatts

[Carey]

LadyChatts: I think the issue with that is these people did not face the adversity of people before Season 40.  Couple that with all the twists, shot in the dark, infinite HII and what not, and they're not ever going to be on edge until it's too late.  Because they weren't going through adversity, they're not going to be moved to do anything sooner rather than later.  That's what I think

[KeithJ]

Kamilla and Kyle split their votes?  What did I miss?

Anyone else tired of the “where good things happen” tagline whenever Jeff brings up the sanctuary?

So if Joe or Eva don’t win the next immunity, Joe goes to the jury?

Edited Thursday at 01:48 AM by KeithJ

[Lamima]

5 minutes ago, Carey said:

LadyChatts: I think the issue with that is these people did not face the adversity of people before Season 40.  Couple that with all the twists, shot in the dark, infinite HII and what not, and they're not ever going to be on edge until it's too late.  Because they weren't going through adversity, they're not going to be moved to do anything sooner rather than later.  That's what I think

Plus all the food they got. Yeah, Jeffie,  you really lamed  up this show. Like total bore fest utopia. Not interested! 

[LadyChatts]

4 minutes ago, KeithJ said:

Kamilla and Kyle split their votes?  What did I miss?

Anyone else tired of the “where good things happen” tagline whenever Jeff brings up the sanctuary?

So if Joe or Eva don’t win the next immunity, Joe goes to the jury?

I think Jeff is trying to get that to catch on.  Maybe he thought it'd start a line of restaurants in the US where that would be its motto.  

I don't know if Kamilla voted for Mitch to cause paranoia, or in case Eva maybe would play her idol.  Not sure what she thought the vote would be if that was the case, so I'm going with paranoia.

[North of Eden]

I can't, I just can't with the abject stupidity of Kyle and Kamilla. I don't care if it worked...it was one of the most idiotic plans anyone has come up with....targeting someone who had very little chance to win and remember they were doing it BEFORE Joe had the necklace. Once he had it there was still Eva who NEEDED to go to split up a strong duo and flush the idol. Jeez-us what kind of game are they playing?

Then they had the nerve to bitch about Joe being fed bolstering his chance to win immunity. Hey, hello the rocks in your head allowed you to TURN YOUR BACK on Mary and her plan to oust the king when he was vulnerable but you were too chicken then and you are STILL to chicken tonight.

I'm not going to sugar coat this. Joe and his Joanna moment should have been done in private. I'm sorry but doing it for the camera cheapens it and worse they leave us wondering who the monster was and what happened. That never should have made the broadcast.

I'm so drained I don't even have the energy to do my annual complaint in any detail about the absurdity of getting all broke up over letters from home from people you saw...what maybe three weeks ago?

Edited to add: Mary rocked those black boots!

Edited Thursday at 12:07 PM by North of Eden

[dancingdreamer]

I liked Shauhin. I think he played a good game. I'd of gotten rid of Eva out of all them, then Mitch. But I've had my favorites and that hasn't changed. Kyle made his move, I know he was thinking about the jury votes. I felt for sure Joe knew Kyle and Kamilla we're lying, they've worked well together though.
Go Joe!! Or Kyle. Lol

[LadyChatts]

20 minutes ago, Carey said:

LadyChatts: I think the issue with that is these people did not face the adversity of people before Season 40.  Couple that with all the twists, shot in the dark, infinite HII and what not, and they're not ever going to be on edge until it's too late.  Because they weren't going through adversity, they're not going to be moved to do anything sooner rather than later.  That's what I think

No, I totally get this, but its like this season seems to be in rare form, even for a new era season.  No one bothered to make a move on the biggest threat in the game last week (and are blaming the guy who took him on a food/overnight reward, as if that made a difference for him winning immunity rather than their own blunder).  They didn't take out that person's #1 tonight, who has an idol and guarantees herself the final 4 now.  It just seems like Kyle didn't want Shauhin getting credit for a move and decided he needed to go, and I still think emotions are ruling this game for too many people.  I think I'd be applauding Kyle and Kamilla more if this were actually big.  I don't even know if it'll make a difference for them in the grand scheme of things.

It seems like they don't even care about editing this season to telegraph what is going to happen because it is so obvious.   

Edited Thursday at 02:01 AM by LadyChatts

[AntFTW]

I think the better plan for Kyle and Kamilla was voting out Eva.

[Rodney]

1 minute ago, AntFTW said:

I think the better plan for Kyle and Kamilla was voting out Eva.

I think that they were worried about her idol, which was a legitimate worry.  Yeah, Mitch goes if she plays it, but that's bad for their numbers.

[Carey]

North of Eden: Great points and good post.  As mentioned, the watered down version of the show may have affected their judgement.  With booting Mary, it fits a pattern of not targeting Eva to nuke her idol.  The thing is one of those two could've been the victim instead of Shauhin.

Still pathetic playing from these people.

While I agree that the Joe backstory was too much, that was addressed in the CHAT thread.  Albeit brief, and to be brief, the guy did serve time.  Not really direct (or complete), but in a way he answered for his actions.

Edited Thursday at 02:11 AM by Carey
The tags

[AntFTW]

6 minutes ago, Rodney said:

I think that they were worried about her idol, which was a legitimate worry.  Yeah, Mitch goes if she plays it, but that's bad for their numbers.

Understandable, but they know they're giving her a free pass to final four if they didn't take the shot... unless they really don't see her as a threat.

[Maya]

Kyle is a terrible liar. I can’t believe anyone believed him. I’m starting to think Joe may not be the sharpest tool in the box. 

[Lamima]

7 minutes ago, Maya said:

Kyle is a terrible liar. I can’t believe anyone believed him. I’m starting to think Joe may not be the sharpest tool in the box. 

Joe wasn't buying it but Eva totally was snookered and maybe pushed Joe into going her way. Neither are the sharpest tools. Which I will be so disappointed if they win.

[LadyChatts]

5 minutes ago, Lamima said:

Joe wasn't buying it but Eva totally was snookered and maybe pushed Joe into going her way. Neither are the sharpest tools. Which I will be so disappointed if they win.

It was slightly poetic that Eva sat there during TC and talked about trust and not being lied to, when her vote tonight was because she was lied to.  I think Joe was conflicted for sure but if he already had doubts about Shauhin maybe he figured it was as good a time as any to get him out.  He knows Eva will be safe at the next vote with her idol (and she already said if she wins immunity, she'll play it for him), but he likely has a solid shot at winning immunity too.  If he did have doubts about Kyle and Kamilla's story, he could bring Mitch in to target one of them.

 

20 minutes ago, Maya said:

Kyle is a terrible liar. I can’t believe anyone believed him. I’m starting to think Joe may not be the sharpest tool in the box. 

Based on interviews, Joe's been referred to as the Godfather who had people go to him with their thoughts and ideas about the vote.  It's like no one acted without his approval.  So I can see why he gets paranoid if he thinks people are crossing him or making plans without his knowledge or blessing.  Also might explain why he and Eva have just steamrolled to this point.  I'm curious what Shauhin will say in his exit interviews about him.

[TVFan1]

Voting for Eva was the better move for Kyle and Kamilla instead of Shauhin. As long as they played it cool and acted like Mitch was the boot, Eva doesn't get spooked about playing her idol, and she gets blindsided. 

Why do these players cry over these letters? You are seeing your family in about 3-4 days. Add in the fact that it is only 26 days, which isn't even a month away is ridiculous.

 

Edited Thursday at 03:57 AM by TVFan1

[Neveragain]

2 hours ago, North of Eden said:

I can't, I just can't with the abject stupidity of Kyle and Kamilla. I don't care if it worked...it was one of the most idiotic plans anyone has come up with....targeting someone who had very little chance to win and remember they were doing it BEFORE Joe had the necklace. Once he had it there was still Eva who NEEDED to go to split up a strong duo and flush the idol. Jeez-us what kind of game are they playing?

Then they had the nerve to bitch about Joe being fed bolstering his chance to win immunity. Hey, hello the rocks in your head allowed you to TURN YOUR BACK on Mary and her plan to oust the king when he was vulnerable but you were too chicken then and you are STILL to chicken tonight.

I'm not going to sugar coat this. Joe and his Joanna moment should have been done in private. I'm sorry but doing it for the camera cheapens it and worse they leave us wondering who the monster was and what happened. That never should have made the broadcast.

I'm so drained I don't even have the energy to do my annual complaint in any detail about the absurdity of getting all broke up over letters from home from people you saw...what maybe three weeks ago?

Are you me?  Did I fall asleep and write this without realizing it?  Because every single word you said is exactly how I feel.  I mean exactly.  Even the harrowing part about Joe’s sister felt like a very tragic and private moment that should not have been told to a camera person and a sound person and an audience of millions.  I understand it’s Joe’s choice to tell it but like you said, it cheapens it and if you want to apologize to your sister about something so deep and so huge, it feels wrong to do it this way and makes it seem phony although I’m sure for him it was very heartfelt  

I laughed out loud when these morons were saying now we’re at six, time to make a move on Joe. Oh, you didn’t think when you had seven, and four could outvote three, and he didn’t have immunity, that might have been the moment?  Now you’re worried he is eating and will win immunity?  Oh well look at that.  Serves you right

To my own surprise I may be starting to root for Joe.  I guess.  Why not? He is good at challenges and I appreciated  that he has a brain and instinct and at least momentarily contemplated the idea that Kamilia and Kyle might be lying.  I haven’t been a fan and I actually wanted Mary to win. But even though Kyle and Kamilia pulled it off tonight, I can’t forgive them for not getting Joe off last week or Eva off tonight  

I too am tired but will do your job for you @North of Eden and complain loudly, omg you saw them 22 days ago, you’ll see them next week, why are you so broken up and disintegrating into pieces to hear from your family.  I love my family too but I can handle not speaking to them for three weeks while playing a game for a million dollars.  And if it’s the deceptions and isolation and blah blah blah that makes you desperate to hear from home then you can’t at the same time say these players are like family to me we have grown closer than close I have shared my soul with them and therefore just can’t vote them out.  Pick a lane, people 

 

[Rodney]

20 minutes ago, Neveragain said:

I laughed out loud when these morons were saying now we’re at six, time to make a move on Joe. Oh, you didn’t think when you had seven, and four could outvote three, and he didn’t have immunity, that might have been the moment?

I give Kamilla the biggest pass for this.  She very clearly wanted to move against Joe sooner -- first at F8 and then at F7.  She can't really be at fault for being saddled with an untrusting chicken (Mitch) and an emotional waffler (Kyle) as allies.

[Lantern7]

*yawn* Is the season over yet? I have to spend the next few months not preparing to go without the show because of the constantly diminishing results. Aside from chatting on the live thread and seeing Erik's cartoons, I don't know why I watch the show.

Shauhin bringing Joe to the reward . . . is there a guarantee that someone getting well-fed winds up winning a subsequent challenge? It just seems like a lazy correlation to me.

Joe . . . wow. That was an uncomfortable few minutes. I can't hate him, I can't ridicule him . . . but I imagine everyone from the camera operator to those editing the scene was aroused. Watching a player mourn a slain sister is catnip for those people. If the format breaks to end on a coin flip between Joe and Eva (the player who came out as autistic after almost blowing a challenge), I would not be surprised.

I don't care who wins. Kamilla getting the prize would be funny. Everyone else was working the final part of the Immunity Challenge, and there she was under the net after spending too much time balance-walking on the barrel. Probst probably forgot she existed as he called the conclusion to the challenge.

[Chicago Redshirt]

3 hours ago, KeithJ said:

So if Joe or Eva don’t win the next immunity, Joe goes to the jury?

Knowing these idiots, they will probably vote Mitch off in that scenario.

More seriously, Eva basically has to play her idol next Tribal since that's the last Tribal it's good for. If Joe wins individual immunity, she plays it for herself. If Eva wins individual immunity, she presumably plays it for Joe. I'd guesstimate there is like a 50 percent chance of Joe winning, a 15 percent chance of Eva winning, a 20 percent chance of Kyle winning, a 10 percent chance of Kamila winning and a 5 percent of Mitch winning.

Assuming neither Joe nor Eva win immunity, there would be a bit of idol chicken.

It might be in the ballpark of interesting if Joe and Eva have to work out which of them to play Eva's idol on. Would Eva volunteer her idol if she thought Joe was in danger? Would Joe accept it if he thought that might get the two of them to the F4, but would lose guaranteed safety for Eva?

And who would Kyle/Kamila/Mitch target in that scenario? Would they get rid of the bigger threat in Joe? Or would they worry that Eva would shield him with her idol?

[Rodney]

3 hours ago, mojoween said:

Mitch.  The fuck are you going on about?  Was something preventing you from playing the game until Final Six?

Yes.  The chicken didn't trust Star or Mary enough to make any moves with them.  He's still being criticized for it -- and rightly so -- on Twitter/X over that.

[Rodney]

20 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Shauhin bringing Joe to the reward . . . is there a guarantee that someone getting well-fed winds up winning a subsequent challenge? It just seems like a lazy correlation to me.

It wasn't a guarantee, no, but it certainly didn't hurt.

[Nashville]

At this point, I’m beginning to wonder if the only reason nobody has gone after Eva yet is because Production is scaring the everlovin’ shit outta the other players about the SM optics of such a move against their Star Autistic Player…. 🙄

[Fake Jan Brady]

7 hours ago, KeithJ said:

Kamilla and Kyle split their votes?  What did I miss?

So they can deny they’re working together? 

[JudyObscure]

Well Shauhin and his awesomely powerful legs are gone, along with his ganglion cist. I'm glad he won that reward, though, and he went out well.

I think they always put way too much value on getting food before a challenge. Joe built those muscles over years, they wouldn't have atrophied if he hadn't had the reward meal. A big half-digested meal in your stomach shouldn't make you stronger or better able to endure pain.

I had to look away in embarrassment while Joe was talking to his sister for the cameras.  Joe is surely an admirable person, the world needs more like him, but watching him do that and watching him look at the ground while people are speaking to him all just makes me twitchy. He seems so very self-consciously grand. 

I'm beginning to get suspicious of the letters from home. Fathers are saying things they never ever said before and children are sounding like motivational speakers.  Do the producers send back the, "Good luck!  Do your best," letters and tell the families to try harder, along with some suggested comments?

 

[30 Helens]

7 hours ago, KeithJ said:

Anyone else tired of the “where good things happen” tagline whenever Jeff brings up the sanctuary?

God, no. Every time he says that, all the fixins want to spew forth from my belly.

Shauhin: “Everyone thinks Joe is the best player, but I am actually the one playing the best game.” And somehow this gave him confidence he would win? Does he not understand how voting works? 

Then: Shauhin lavishing praise on his reward guest— emphasizing what a great guy Joe is and how he’s playing for his kids and by the way deserves every good thing the universe can throw at him —was an interesting way to try and sway some of those Joe fans to his side.

Shauhin seems to be a very likeable guy, and I appreciated his reprise of the Survivor theme on his way out, but he was completely delusional about his chances.

As is everyone else not named Joe. Kyle and Kamilla seem to think they can make an argument for how they were the real puppeteers, pulling all the strings behind the scenes, and the jurors won’t look at them and say “huh? No you weren’t.” I think their stealth was a little too stealthy. Not to mention lamebrained and ineffective.

Mitch is impressing no one. Eva is still there, I think, because of optics more than respect. They appear to see her as Joe’s sidekick rather than a player in her own right.

Joe is running away with this thing. And at this point, I’m perfectly ok with that.

[Chicago Redshirt]

It would be interesting to see if there is a stronger correlation between winning the food reward/letters from home and then winning the subsequent immunity challenge. I get that it should not be such a powerful motivator to read platitudes from someone you love that you saw a month ago, but every contestant ever who has gotten these letters has acted like it's a life-changing moment to learn that mom/spouse/child actually loves them and wants them to do their best. It's not like, "Well, I was going to just mess about but now that I have documentary proof that my loved one wants me to win a million dollars, I guess I'll give a f---."

The other players have now finally woken up to Joe being a threat, but don't seem at all worried about Eva. No talk about blindsiding her and sending her home with a pocket idol, or trying to get her idol reseeded by flushing it. No concern from them that TPTB would love an autistic winner. No thought that if they do succeed in getting Joe out, that the pro-Joe votes might all go to Eva.

How many Survivors are still in line for a "perfect game"? (i.e. never having their names written down in a vote except for the Sole Survivor vote?) All of them except for Mitch?

Also, I need to have people spam the Survivor 50 vote to have no idols.

[cowgirlwen]

9 hours ago, North of Eden said:

I'm not going to sugar coat this. Joe and his Joanna moment should have been done in private. I'm sorry but doing it for the camera cheapens it and worse they leave us wondering who the monster was and what happened. That never should have made the broadcast.

That was totally AWK-WARD!!!  I couldn't help but think about how many production crew members were around him for his impromptu "private" moment.  The whole scene seemed staged.  

So, does production tell the contestants how many idols/advantages are at play at any given moment?  It seems as though nobody is even trying to look for one at this point.  In one scene last night, Joe said something to Shauhin along the lines of "Do you think there are any more idols out there?", and Shauhin simply said "No".  I'm curious how he is so sure of that?  

 

[violet and green]

This week on Survivor 48: Lobotomy Island, the bottom member of the remaining six decides - after rejecting multiple suggestions in the episodes prior - that now is the time to make a move. Gets cranky. Then has a nap.

The woman who took Eva on a reward last time, making her stronger, blows off about how dumb Shauhin is for taking Joe on a reward this time, make him stronger.

Having been presented with a plan and the ideal time to blindside Eva, weakening Joe, Kyle gets all pissy at someone else having an idea - and showing actual willingness to put it into action, for a change - so he and Kamilla come up with the lamest series of lies ever which of course Joe buys even as he doesn't buy it, because no-one is allowed to even think of targeting him or him-adjacent Eva. 

Those two numbskulls could have gotten out Eva tonight instead of Shauhin. Coulda got out Joe last time. I am so sick of them all.

That private moment was ...not a private moment.

Give it to Joe, and let a giant American flag unfurl over the beach as he strides in manly fashion towards the final tribal council, and they play the triumphant American hero movie music again so loud we can't miss it, just make it be over.

 

[Haleth]

Good idea but K&K took out the wrong person. Why did Kamilla vote for Mitch?  They should have gone for Eva or at least gotten her to spend her idol. I don’t think their sneaky plan to oust Shauhin is going to impress the jury.

Has Eva’s advantage expired?  I haven’t seen anyone mention that.

The sound editing at TC to illustrate Joe’s dilemma was cheesy. Between that and the story about his sister he is really being set up to be an iconic winner. 

Edited Thursday at 11:56 AM by Haleth

[violet and green]

5 minutes ago, Haleth said:

Has Eva’s advantage expired?  I haven’t seen anyone mention that.

Yeah, she said it had in a confessional at the start, just before she reiterated she still had her idol and all they had to do was pick the others off.

[GenerationX]

The winner should be Kamilla.

At one point, Joe said Shauhin, Kyle, or Kamilla was lying.  The beauty of the stealth alliance is that it didn't occur to Joe that Kyle and Kamilla's lies were coordinated.  Their jury argument against Joe would be that they were the ones pulling the strings behind-the-scenes.  And if they both make the final three, Kamilla can argue that she ultimately pulled Kyle's strings to protect her from being targeted by the strong person alliance.

[Skooma]

46 minutes ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

Also, I need to have people spam the Survivor 50 vote to have no idols.

Absolutely totally.  I hate idols.  When they were introduced it opened the flood gates to all the other junk.  It took away the players playing the game and made it all about production doing the playing.

[seacliffsal]

I am now watching this season out of habit rather than being excited to see what will happen because, really, this is the season of 'nothingness.'  Some of the participants are acting like toddlers as they reject an actual game plan as in voting out Eva and instead institute a plan of targeting someone who wouldn't win no matter who he was against in the finale.  All because it wasn't their idea and they didn't want someone else to have an idea.  

Although I really liked Kyle in the earlier episodes, I now want him to lose.  Mitch, who I had previously defended, is just taking up space.  And, Kamilla is not the mastermind she sees herself as being.  Eva feels entitled and had a little self-pity party that she actually did not go on a reward.  

If Jeff thinks this is a good season, it's because he got several talk show moments such as Eva's earlier meld down and now Joe's talk to his sister.  

All the show consists of anymore are the challenges as the participants don't do anything to 'survive' and focus instead on the 'game.'

[violet and green]

2 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

All the show consists of anymore are the challenges as the participants don't do anything to 'survive' and focus instead on the 'game.'

Yeah, and that "new" barrel walking part of the challenge Jeff mentioned, they stole from Australian Survivor.

[Skooma]

9 minutes ago, violet and green said:

Yeah, and that "new" barrel walking part of the challenge Jeff mentioned, they stole from Australian Survivor.

And ironically there was wine barrel rolling on The Amazing Race tonight too.  🤣

But theirs was actually hard.  Kamilla would have ended up flattened like a pancake doing that one when she let go of the barrel the first time, lol.

And they rolled barrels (Old School detour choice) in TAR's Season 3 through the streets of Porto itself.

[KeithJ]

1 hour ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

Also, I need to have people spam the Survivor 50 vote to have no idols.

If this does get voted in, at TC Jeff better still say "if anyone has a hidden immunity idol, now would be the time to play it".

[bunnyface]

25 minutes ago, KeithJ said:

If this does get voted in, at TC Jeff better still say "if anyone has a hidden immunity idol, now would be the time to play it".

Yeah, I've said that before too.  Have no idols, but don't tell them there are no idols.  Let them drive themselves crazy looking for them and keep saying "if anyone..." so they keep looking.  Keeps them busy.  

[tinkerbell]

5 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I'm beginning to get suspicious of the letters from home. Fathers are saying things they never ever said before and children are sounding like motivational speakers.  Do the producers send back the, "Good luck!  Do your best," letters and tell the families to try harder, along with some suggested comments?

Thank you. One of the "letters from dad" said something like - I can't promise to love you for the rest of your life, but I promise to love you for the rest of mine -  a sentiment you can find on Pinterest or on a Hallmark card. Or is it a country song?

I'm waiting for a letter from home that says, "when you get home be sure to congratulate your sister who once again got straight A's"

OR

"You missed mother's day. We all chipped in for a gift. Your share is $88. Please Venmo me."

Edited Thursday at 02:48 PM by tinkerbell

[ljenkins782]

2 hours ago, Haleth said:

Good idea but K&K took out the wrong person. Why did Kamilla vote for Mitch?  They should have gone for Eva or at least gotten her to spend her idol. I don’t think their sneaky plan to oust Shauhin is going to impress the jury.

The sound editing at TC to illustrate Joe’s dilemma was cheesy. Between that and the story about his sister he is really being set up to be an iconic winner. 

The only reason that ousting Shauhin could be good for Kyle is if Shauhin credits him with the move and spends his Ponderosa time stumping for a Kyle win. It’s like when I play tournaments, if I lose, I always want the person who beat me to win the whole thing so I can say I lost to the best. Shauhin’s parting words to Kyle, while perhaps delusional, suggest that he might be the type to root for the one who betrayed him. 
 

Other than that, Shauhin was far from the biggest threat to win, but I guess he was most likely to want to make a move, so maybe on the island, this move made more sense than it looks like watching it with the benefit of editing. 
 

I was impressed by Shauhin’s grace toward the others, it looked like everyone was holding their breath, there was a mass exhale when he broke the ice to get hugs. Less impressed with his choice to take Joe on reward. Taking Kyle was fine because you can always fall back on “well, he almost won” and act like you’re rewarding effort in the challenge. It looked to me like Joe dropped out as soon as Eva fell, all those challenges where he outlasted David and Kyle, I would have thought that with family letters on the line, he’d have hung in all day. 
 

as for family visits/letters, I can understand getting emotional about SEEING someone, but letters just wouldn’t do it for me, I don’t think. 
 

The immunity challenge had potential to be suspenseful with that ending bit, who knew Joe would be that good at that part? That shot of Kamilla smushed under the net when Joe won made me LOL. To be honest, I was surprised she even got that far, I thought she’d still be trying to hook her barrel as the sun set, girl can’t throw worth a damn!

[LadyChatts]

18 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

The only reason that ousting Shauhin could be good for Kyle is if Shauhin credits him with the move and spends his Ponderosa time stumping for a Kyle win. It’s like when I play tournaments, if I lose, I always want the person who beat me to win the whole thing so I can say I lost to the best. Shauhin’s parting words to Kyle, while perhaps delusional, suggest that he might be the type to root for the one who betrayed him. 
 

Shauhin brought up how he was concerned about Eva being on the jury because she was a Joe-stan, and Kyle was giving him a look when he said that.  So it’s possible he has this in mind when it came to Shauhin-except would Shauhin know this was Kyle’s move and how it was orchestrated?  If anything he thought Joe was acting weird towards him so maybe he thought Joe did it, or that Kyle simply took it back to Joe he threw Eva’s name out.  I’m not really sure why Kyle and Kamilla had to over complicate things by saying Shauhin had an idol when they could have just left it at he had flipped.  I also feel like Kamilla’s game is going to get sacrificed for Kyle’s, which is kind of annoying.

[iMonrey]

13 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

It just seems like Kyle didn't want Shauhin getting credit for a move and decided he needed to go, and I still think emotions are ruling this game for too many people.

Bingo. Blindsiding Eva would have been the smart move, if only to flush the idol. But since Shauhin thought of it first they didn't want to do that. So their big idea is to frame Shauhin and that weakens Joe and Eva . . . how, exactly? Oh, but if they make the final three they can brag about tricking Joe into voting out his biggest ally. Except . . . the jury can't vote for both of you, Kyle and Kamilla. Are you already conceding there's no way both of you will be in the final three? Ugh, this was dumb. 

5 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I had to look away in embarrassment while Joe was talking to his sister for the cameras.  Joe is surely an admirable person, the world needs more like him, but watching him do that and watching him look at the ground while people are speaking to him all just makes me twitchy. He seems so very self-consciously grand. 

That's a nice way of putting it. His lone beach soliloquy would have been a nice moment in a scripted drama, or maybe even a hidden camera show. But this? Seemed performative. Perhaps even prompted by production, when you think about how there was a cameraman standing right there. He wasn't out there alone talking to his sister. This didn't happen organically.

13 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

I don't know if Kamilla voted for Mitch to cause paranoia, or in case Eva maybe would play her idol. 

Kamilla voted for Mitch because she and Kyle didn't want anyone to know they are working together. They're still playing like this big super secret alliance they've got going is what's going to win over the jury. 

[PaperTree]

Slouching toward the finish line.  Ugh.

I think Joe beats Eva, and she beats the rest if he's gone.

Sad reality about Joe's sister, but that just seemed really Over The Top.

[Nashville]

What’s really a shame is that this was K&K’s last best chance to go after Eva, and they just… let it slide on by…?

• Everybody already knows all the details associated with the idol Star gave Eva - including the fact the F5 TC is the last opportunity to play it.
• Since everyone - including Eva, apparently - expects Eva to play the idol at the F5 TC, wouldn’t the F6 TC be the best (and last) chance to blindside her?

[fishcakes]

These guys are worse than the idiots from 46 who all went home with idols in their pockets, but I have to admit they're pretty entertaining. Shauhin and his delusions of being the GOAT with the great legs, Joe and his investigative skills which seem to mainly consist of him saying, "I know I didn't do anything," Eva being pissy about not being taken on the burger reward while she's still burping chicken teriyaki from the previous reward. This is all good stuff.

I also love the editors for turning TC into Apocalypse Now and documenting Joe going into a fugue state while listening to Kyle and Shauhin crush his soul with their filthy lies. I am only sorry it didn't end with him pulling out the machete and decapitating everyone.

Kyle and Shauhin went from "it's too early to make a move on Eva and Joe," to "we can't have either Eva and Joe on the jury because they will stan for the other." And that's true, but so what? Joe maybe has the influence, but I doubt Eva does. So even IF there were a chance to get one of them out next week, Kyle won't go with Kamilla and Mitch to do it. Mitch is going to go home unless he wins individual immunity, and depending on what the challenge is, I think that's a (slim) possibility. If it's a strength- or speed-based challenge, then he'll lose to Joe, but if it's that thing with the balls rolling down the track, which they've used at least a couple times as a final immunity challenge, he'd have a decent chance. Mitch is small, but he's athletic and coordinated, and he did well in the physical challenges back in the tribal phase of the game. Of course if Mitch wins immunity, then Kamilla will go, so nothing is really going to change Eva and Joe's march to the end.

I'm going to end all my Survivor posts for the rest of this season with this: