It’s only two episodes in, but Australia v The World is already making its case for an all-timer season of Survivor. After the World tribe kicked things off on Sunday with the blindside of Survivor: South Africa champ Rob Bentele, it was the Australia tribe’s time to head to tribal on Monday, and boy, did these seven returning Aussies give us a show.
Before we get there, though, we check in with the World tribe as they awake the next day for some fire-making and bath time. On the surface, the elimination of bulldozer Rob appears to have unified the tribe, with everyone feeling more relaxed now that they don’t have someone going around strong-arming them.
Yet, it’s not all one big happy family. While Tony and Tommi tend to the fire at camp, Cirie, Parvati, and Kass take a trip to the water for a spot of bathing. As the boys overhear the ladies laughing and bonding, they wonder if it’s something they should be worried about. Tony, especially, is concerned that with Rob gone, it opens the door for the women to take out the rest of the muscle should they see themselves at tribal again.
Tony is doing his best to emulate his winning Survivor 40 game, where he put himself on “house arrest” and calmed down his usual chaotic antics. Yet, his concerns about the women are not unwarranted. Cirie and Parvati are quick to remind viewers about their past accomplishments as part of the infamous Black Widow Brigade, and as they chat with Kass in the ocean, the idea of an all-women’s international alliance takes shape. Kass likes the sound of it, and they just need Lisa (who already confessed her fandom for Cirie last episode) to make it official.
For now, though, the World tribe puts on a united front, which sees them win a closely fought immunity challenge. Proving that they didn’t need Rob’s muscle, the World tribe batters through the first half of the challenge before Tony brings it home with some impressive beanbag throwing skills.
That means the Aussies are heading to tribal for their first vote-off, and it’s anything but simple. In fact, this pre-tribal (and at tribal, for that matter) scrambling is some of the most riveting Survivor television in years. There are plans, counterplans, and even counters to the counterplans, leaving viewers and players alike fuzzy-brained and confused. That is, everyone except Kirby.
Kirby might be the “princess” among Kings, Queens, and Gods, having played most recently and not having the same connections or history with the show as her tribemates. However, she is no rookie when it comes to playing the game. While so many of these Aussie legends lean into their self-given nicknames and caricature personalities, Kirby just remains calm and gets shit done. She is completely unfazed and unflappable.
The gameplay on the Aussie beach kicks off when David approaches Kirby to suss her out amid some strat-chat and dress-up. David wants her on his side, hoping to bring her into his alliance with Luke and Janine, plus his long-term real-life friend Sarah, leaving George and Shonee firmly on the outs and easy targets for the first tribal council. Kirby plays it cool, nods along, and agrees, because that’s the way Kirby operates.
But Kirby sees how powerful the Golden God is as a player. He’s a captivating presence, able to charm and schmooze with the best of them. And with him having multiple connections in the game, plus being a physical threat on top of that, Kirby doesn’t see him as a potential ally but rather a tasty target for a first boot. So she sets about floating the option, bringing David’s name up to Sarah, Shonee, and George, all of whom appear to be on board with the big move.
The problems start with George and then Sarah. Firstly, George is double-dipping, trying to keep alive his “Power Bottoms” alliance with David and Luke, which they loosely formed in the first episode. He gives David a heads up that his name is out there and warns him to play an idol, if he has one. As far as George is concerned, if David saves himself and Shonee ends up going home, then that’s great for him, as he squashes Shonee’s potential revenge plot before it even gets going.
Things only get messier from there when Sarah decides to do some double-dipping of her own. It’s been seven years since Sarah played Survivor, having been one of the bigger strategic forces in the 2017 season. Sarah gained a reputation back then for being a sneaky player, someone who went back and forth between alliances and ultimately paid the price when her game caught up to her.
Sarah is hoping to shed her past reputation and prove herself to be a more loyal player this time around. But if that’s the case, she failed miserably in her efforts in this episode. Perhaps it’s due to overcompensating, but Sarah’s desire to stay loyal only ends up putting her in a position where she has to betray multiple people.
After committing to Kirby as her “number one” early in the episode, Sarah decides to throw her lot in with the Kirby, Shonee, and George group, despite her real-world friendship with David and past game relationship with Luke, whom she played with in 2017. If Kirby wants the Golden God out first, then that is what Sarah is going to do, regardless of whether she and David have a connection out of the game.
But as the hours tick by and tribal draws nearer, Sarah decides she also wants to stay loyal to her real-life friendship. Pulling Janine aside, she asks her to pass a message to David that he’s going home unless he can find an idol. I’m not sure if this was just guilt leading Sarah’s decision-making, but it’s difficult to understand the benefit of this move for her.
Regardless, word gets back to David, and all hell breaks loose. He confronts George and Kirby, with George throwing Kirby under the bus right in front of her face. But again, Kirby no-sells it. She doesn’t panic or get into an argument. She just smiles, gives George a mild bollocking afterwards, and then regroups.
All David can really do is watch from the sidelines. He doesn’t have an idol (his ally Luke finds it earlier in the episode and isn’t telling a soul), and he doesn’t have the numbers. All he can do is hope people get so annoyed with George that the vote comes back around onto him. At one point, Sarah tells him she’ll pitch George to Kirby, who holds court in the water. Kirby does what she always does: she smiles, says she’s open to it, and then makes the decision later once the dust has settled.
The scrambling continues into tribal, with crosstalk and whispering, and people getting up to have side conversations. Even though Sarah bet their friendship on him not going home, her answers at tribal have David panicked that he is still the target. So, David pulls George aside and pitches voting out Shonee, with him, Luke, Janine, and George being the fourth and deciding vote. George seemingly agrees, while Kirby whispers to Shonee and Sarah to keep the votes on David.
It’s a plan that could have worked, but Kirby’s calm, cool, and collected poker face rattles David. He outright tells Janine and Luke that Kirby is giving him nothing, and he can’t decide whether she is with him or against him. Is she voting him out? Or is she targeting George? After more back and forth, he tells Janine and Luke to go back to the original plan, while Luke whispers to George to put his vote on Janine.
In the end, both sides stick to their original plans. David, Luke, and Janine put their votes on George, while Kirby, Shonee, and Sarah vote for David. That leaves George out on an island on his own as the sole vote for Janine, leading to a 3-3 split. And with how the numbers fall, it’s David who is sent home on the re-vote.
It’s a hell of an entertaining tribal council, but I can’t help wondering how much more fun it could have been if Luke hadn’t told George to switch from Shonee to Janine. If George had thrown a vote Shonee’s way, there is every chance David and co could have convinced Shonee to flip and vote out George on the re-vote. With revenge still in the back of her mind, it might have been an opportunity Shonee couldn’t pass up.
As it is, David was the one who ended up having his torch snuffed. But as the Australian Survivor social media accounts so graciously spoiled this morning, David’s time as a player might have ended, but he will be back next season as the host. I’m still not a fan of Channel 10 firing Jonathan LaPaglia as host, but if this is the last time we’ll see JLP on Survivor, it looks to be a legendary season to go out on.
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Not sure if Survivor is worth watching now David has gone so quickly, wish it had been George as he annoys the heck outa me! Not so fussed on Kirby now either.
Will be sorry to see Jonathan go, he’s been the perfect host.