Each week, Christine Pallon and Gia Worthy will round up the previous week of Survivor 45 as they list their top moments in various important categories. This includes the most essential information, the stand-out castaways, and the key moments from the week.
Here, Christine and Gia break down all the action from the latest episode.
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Top 3 Moments
Julie vs. Drew
Christine: After her tribe unanimously tried to vote her out, Julie returned to camp with the satisfaction of knowing she (and Dee) thwarted the majority’s plans. Drew was more or less livid that Julie survived the hit he put out against her, and while Julie seemed willing to cautiously see if they could rebuild their relationship, Drew was having none of it.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Drew throughout the season, but I appreciated seeing the conflict and emotion he brought to this episode, especially in his confessionals complaining about Julie’s survival and his desire to never work for her again. Survivor 45 has brought back more of the negative emotions related to the game rather than the “aw, shucks” good sportsmanship that has become so common, and Drew has been a big part of that.
Jake Isn’t Babysitting
Christine: After winning the helicopter and cheese reward, Austin took Dee (of course) and Katurah, leaving Drew and Jake behind to babysit Julie at camp. Drew, in particular, did not take kindly to this, but Jake decided to make the most of being left behind and went to find himself an idol. After finding a clue and stripping down to his underwear, he located the idol in a hidden compartment in the tribe’s raft after a brief musical theater anecdote, guaranteeing that he’ll make it to the final four if he plays it for himself next round. Or maybe he’ll try to find a way to force a tie with five people somehow, who knows.
Dee’s Dilemma
Gia: Everyone knows that Austin and Dee have gotten incredibly close over the course of the season. Hell, Katurah was even their designated third wheel on this week’s reward. Their bond was put to the test this week as Dee had to choose whether or not she wanted to tell Austin about the plan to blindside Drew, knowing he could save him with his idol. Last week, Austin faced a similar dilemma, and he chose to tell Dee, but Dee is no Austin. She kept the plan to herself, Austin misplayed his idol, and Drew was sent home. It might just be the million-dollar decision between the two.
Top 3 Players
Dee
Gia: Is there anything stopping Dee from taking the million this season? Of course, anything can happen in the finale, but I have to admit that a lot will have to go wrong for Dee to not reach the FTC. She maintained a strong hold on all Reba members to the point that none of them questioned her loyalty to them, or even if she might have tipped off Julie about the final seven vote. She even won immunity this round just to have something else to brag about. I’m excited to see what the endgame holds for her.
Jake
Gia: Jake may be down, but he’s far from out. Perhaps the biggest mistake that the majority alliance could make this season is presuming that he will remain complacent in their schemes. He was able to use the rift within Reba to his advantage, spending his time alone to find an idol that he could use by the final five.
While he wasn’t aware that his competitors were already planning a Drew blindside, he remains proactive in trying to carve out the best path to the end for himself. Will Jake be able to do enough damage control? I’m unsure; these next two rounds are crucial for his game. Nonetheless, I know this performer will put on an excellent show along the way.
Austin
Christine: Austin has had a rough couple rounds after Dee double-crossed him twice. He didn’t realize it the first time when she told Julie about the vote against her, but he sure as hell realizes it the second time now that he misplayed the idol and lost his ally, Drew.
Austin has been in a good position all season, and he remains in an okay spot moving forward since he still has Dee on side going into the next round. But with these last two votes, she’s effectively tanked his winning odds. I still see a path to the end for him, but if he’s sitting next to Dee, she’ll really be able to undermine his game by bringing up these two crucial votes and her role in them.
Advantage Watch
Idols
Gia: We have two idol updates after this episode. Jake found an idol that will be good until the final five. He chose not to play it this round, so it’s safe to say he will likely be putting it to use the next round, either for himself or another player he wants to protect. Second, Austin played his advantage amulet idol for himself this round, confirming that Dee likely did not tell him about the plan to blindside Drew. The idol was misplayed, and Drew was voted out 4-2. I don’t think an idol will be replanted on the new beach, but I suppose anything is possible in the new era.
Fallen Comrades
Drew
Christine: It’s no secret that I am personally not a huge Drew fan, but boy, I am glad he was cast on the season! He was, at times, a good player, at times, a very messy player, and almost always a very cocky player, and the season was much better for it. This was the perfect time for him to go out: blindsided brutally after his plan to oust Julie came crumbling down so spectacularly last week. I appreciated how truly angry he seemed after his blindside, and I look forward to seeing what energy he brings to Final Tribal.
Gia: Drew was such an interesting character to follow this season. For the majority of the game, he was in one of the strongest positions, to the point where he wasn’t even a target in the times he should have been (such as the split tribal council). His best move by far was scooping up Emily as an alliance member during the swap, as her allegiance proved to be one of the best assets to his game. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his game fell apart after she was idoled out. That being said, Drew will be remembered as a witty player, sometimes antagonistic, sometimes the only sane person in the room, but always a joy to have in Survivor 45.
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