Each week, Christine Pallon and Gia Worthy will round up the previous week of Survivor 50 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.
Top 3 Moments
Rick Catches Some Heat
Gia: While I personally loved Rick’s idol shenanigans last episode, it appears that my sentiments are not shared with the actual cast. Rick’s dramatics, aided by the fact that he didn’t play the idol he “found,” did not sit well with his competition, including his allies. The move set him up to be the target this round, with the validity of this idol still up in the air since he refuses to show it to anyone. And while his idol may have protected him from being the primary target, it still caught him some votes. Sadly, his closest ally, Christian, was not as lucky, and he was the one whose torch was snuffed.
Jeff Competes
Gia: Have you ever wanted to see more of Jeff than we already do? Is 25 years of the same host just not enough for you? Do you ever wonder what it would be like to have Jeff be a contestant? Then this is the episode for you! In our latest celebrity intervention, Jimmy Fallon asked his audience if they would like to see Jeff compete in a challenge, and they overwhelmingly voted ‘Yes.’ This was the result. Instead of the expected rice negotiation, Jeff had a different proposition for the castaways. If he could outlast four castaways of their choice in the immunity challenge, the players would not get rice for the camp. If he didn’t outlast these players, then they would win their rice.
Jeff was unsuccessful in his endeavor, lasting a grand total of 7 and a half minutes (he did, however, outlast four other contestants). I have to admit it was a lot funnier of an experience than I was expecting, and the montage of Jeff’s worst insults over the years was an excellent touch. If only Jimmy Fallon’s shenanigans ended here.
The Jimmy Fallon twist
Christine: Following the challenge, Christian won the rock-paper-scissors battle to participate in the journey. The journey challenge was the same one Rachel completed on 47, but this time, the reward for winning (and punishment for losing) came directly from the mind of Jimmy Fallon. Had Christian won, he would’ve been able to put a vote in the urn right away before going back to camp. Unfortunately for Christian, he lost and was forced to read a parchment in front of everyone, revealing that he would be voting for himself.
This twist as a whole is fine—nothing amazing, nothing terrible. But the decision to force Christian to reveal what happened on the journey baffles me. One of the advantages of going on the journey is the uncertainty about what happened and whether or not you have an advantage. To force him to vote for himself AND force him to reveal that to everyone is a bizarre choice on production’s part (or Jimmy’s part, if we want to just blame him). Christian was in trouble regardless, but the mechanics of his disadvantage made it impossible for him to play around it in any creative way.
Advantage Watch
Idols
Christine: Rizo and Ozzy still have their idols, and flushing them doesn’t appear to be a top priority for anyone right now. Rick’s (fake) idol is a huge topic of conversation, though. With Christian gone, the spotlight may move away from Emily and Rick and onto one of the other actual idol holders, but so far, Rick’s fake idol seems to have been more trouble than it was worth.
Extra Vote
Christine: Cirie’s still holding onto her Extra Vote, and there’s been no real conversation around using it so far. Cirie’s likely trying to hang onto it for as long as possible, so it’s used at an optimal moment in the late game where someone is likely to try to take a shot at her.
Shot in the Dark
Gia: No Shots in the Dark were played this round, likely because the person who needed it the most couldn’t play it. With Christian being forced to vote for himself, he no longer had the option to play this last resort since he would have to forfeit his vote in return.
Steal-a-Vote
Gia: Another day, another episode where Stephenie’s Steal-a-Vote does not come into play. She was on the right side of the vote this time around, but let’s see if her good luck continues. As the numbers dwindle, she may find that she is not as safe as she assumes.
Top 3 Contestants
Cirie
Christine: Cirie, once again, took charge of the vote (and the rice) this week. Christian and Emily both tried to take shots at her ally Ozzy to her face, and she made sure they paid for it dearly. What more can be said about Cirie’s game this season that hasn’t already been said? Time and time again, she reminds us how effective she is as a player. It’s a joy watching her coach Ozzy and Jonathan on how to play Survivor and hide their obvious reactions, argue with Emily about the rice, and plot against her adversaries. No one has played this game like Cirie plays it, and regardless of how this season turns out, we’re insanely lucky to get to see yet another deep run for Cirie.
Aubry
Christine: It was great to finally get something substantial from Aubry this week after not getting much of a sense for her game beyond wanting Genevieve out and needing to flush her idol. Aubry, realizing Rick is a sinking ship, pivoted to find an unlikely ally in Jonathan, who is down a couple of allies himself after Chrissy and Coach left. Aubry is clearly trying to lay some groundwork for a viable path forward, but time will tell whether she’s able to fully recover from her less-than-optimal social start to the game.
Emily
Gia: Every episode we continue to have with Emily Flippen is a blessing to us all. She’s still spilling secrets and throwing her allies under the bus, but she also isn’t wrong for trying to protect her core alliance when the odds are stacked against them. She rightfully pointed out that the alliance of ‘middle’ players aren’t the ones actually in the middle, but fumbled again when she pitched Ozzy’s name to Cirie and Tiffany. This move almost cost her, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Christian having to vote for himself was too tempting an opportunity to pass up. I look forward to seeing what our resident Financial Analyst has in store for episode 10.
Fallen Comrades
Christian
Christine: Christian made his long-awaited Survivor return in a huge way, firmly establishing himself as a legendary character. He navigated attending so many early tribals very well, but with how smart and likable he is, he was always bound to become a big target in the mid-merge, just like he did in his original season. In the long run, keeping Stephenie over Angelina at the swap didn’t pay off for him, and his fake idol plan with Rick caused more trouble than it was worth. Losing the Jimmy Fallon journey didn’t help him and sealed his fate when he had to reveal his vote against himself. Still, he was already in big trouble going into that challenge, especially after targeting Ozzy in front of Cirie’s face. It’s unfortunate he went out being forced to vote for himself, and I’m sure we’ll see Christian invited back again for a future returnee season, given the size of his edit this season.
Gia: I will not be the first person nor the last to say that there will never be another Survivor player quite like Christian Hubicki. He’s entertaining, he’s resilient, and he’s willing to be a little silly along the way. He has attended every tribal council this season, outlasting so many while still maintaining a positive attitude. It is so disheartening to see his game end in such a devastating way, one that felt impossible for him to work around. Even though his time in 50 as a player is over, he still remains one of the most memorable castaways in the show’s history. I will miss him greatly, but I am confident we will see him on Reality TV again. As for Jimmy Fallon… Christian may have forgiven you, but I have not.
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