While I wasn’t a fan of the Barren versus Bounty twist that ended the last episode with another non-elimination, I’ll be damned if this wasn’t one of the most entertaining episodes of the season. Australian Survivor often leaves much to be desired with its editing, especially with its frankenbite confessionals and lopsided screen time. However, the editing across this episode was fantastic, playing heavily into the humour of the situation.
Unfortunately for poor Paulie, he’s the butt of the joke in this episode. He’s not had the greatest experience out on the islands of Samoa, especially since losing his closest ally, Noonan, back in the pre-merge. While he received a saving grace from Myles’ idol play a few episodes ago, Paulie is still lacking in allies and trust and continues to cop votes left and right.
After getting himself into a literal pickle at the Auction the day before, Paulie’s day goes from bad to worse when he’s voted onto the Barren beach alongside Logan. He’s joined there by the losers of the rock draw, Myles, Kaelen, and Kristin. Nobody is particularly enthused about starting from scratch in the middle of the night, especially when it starts raining, but Paulie is taking it the worst out of everyone. He mopes around camp, his head lowered like Charlie Brown, feeling sorry for himself. The edit even gives him his own sad music, reminiscent of Arrested Development.
Meanwhile, the Bounty tribe is living it up with a breakfast of eggs and veggies and an afternoon sunbathing. The edit flips back and forth, showing the contrasting camps. But one thing both beaches are on the same page about is the next vote-out. Even though Paulie believes he’s a dead man walking, everyone else seems sick and tired of Myles, the Jungle Rat turned Rat King.
Overconfidence has infected many players countless times this season, and Myles is the latest castaway to let his ego run out of control. Following his idol play for Paulie, Myles has found himself in a power position, and he isn’t afraid to make bold moves and even bolder statements. Yet, this is rubbing his tribemates the wrong way, and players at both camps discuss the possibility of exterminating the rat.
In another masterstroke of editing, the duos of Karin & Zara and Kate & Morgan have two separate conversations, with both pairs thinking the other doesn’t want to work with them. However, when Kate broaches the OG Brains girls with the Myles plan, it’s music to their ears, as Karin and Zara were just discussing that same move earlier.
The sticking point is AJ, someone Myles has been working with since early in the game. Kate knows it’s a risk telling AJ the plan, but she also doesn’t want to burn a potential bridge. AJ, though, is a player who considers all options, and he tells Kate he’d be willing to cut Myles, especially as it’s getting to the point of “death by association.”
All of this strategising can’t be put into full effect until after the immunity challenge, though. With the tribe split in half, only the team that loses the challenge will be available to vote for. It’s the classic Get A Grip, with each player performing individually but having the weight of their whole tribe on their shoulders. It comes down to an intense battle between Paulie and Kate & Zara, with Paulie ultimately slipping, giving the victory to the Bounty team.
The scrambling goes into overdrive with the Barren and Bounty teams reunited on the same beach. Myles is still the primary target, with the majority intending to split the vote on Paulie, just in case Myles whips another trick out of his bag. AJ, though, fills Myles in on the plan and lets him know to play his idol. AJ still intends to vote for Myles to make it appear to the rest of the tribe that they’re at odds.
But Myles isn’t just satisfied with saving himself. He wants to use his idol to get out who he wants. His plan is to strong-arm Paulie and Logan, telling them he’s playing an idol and the only way to save themselves would be to vote with him against Kristin. He also hopes AJ will jump aboard the vote, and they can send out the woman who is seemingly allied with everyone except Myles.
It’s a nifty little plan that might have worked had Myles developed a better relationship with Logan. As it is, though, Logan has no trust in Myles and spills his plan to Kristin, who then goes to Paulie to see if he’ll tell her the truth. Paulie plays dumb, refusing to tell Kristin about Myles’ plan and instead begging for votes not to be put on him.
This conversation essentially seals Paulie’s fate. Myles does correctly play the idol (his third correct idol play of the season) and saves himself, but his plan to blindside Kristin backfires. AJ sticks with the majority, and Logan and Paulie vote for each other, realising it’s their only real option of saving themselves. In the end, with three votes, Paulie finally sees his torch snuffed after a series of close calls.
Paulie was a great character, someone who provided some of the season’s funniest moments. He never gave up, even under the worst circumstances, even if he did complain a lot. Ultimately, he just couldn’t regain his footing after the Noonan vote-off. But I’m sure he’ll make for an excellent juror.
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