Edit Bay this season is going to be a much shorter analysis due to spoilers. However, I will still assign ratings to each player, so readers can track the chart throughout the season. And I will highlight a few potential story arcs and important alliances. But there will be no discussion of potential winner edits.
OVERVIEW
We’ve come to know what to expect from these mergatory episodes by now, and Survivor 44 followed the same formula as previous seasons. Between the challenge, the merge feast, and only half the tribe available to receive votes, it deprives us of a better insight into the game’s dynamics.
It’s also become apparent that this season is centered around three players, specifically Carolyn, Carson, and Yam Yam. If you look at the Edgic chart below, their visibility compared to everyone else makes it abundantly clear. These three are leading the narrative, each with their own stories while also being connected to each other.
The none Carolyn/Carson/Yam content is mainly dedicated to the Frannie & Matt showmance and Jaime’s bubbly personality. Everyone else barely gets a look in.
This “merge” episode was another example of such storytelling. Carson took on the primary narrator role, describing the merge, outlining what advantages were in play, and how he intended to approach things going forward. Yam Yam provided the tension of the episode with his ongoing feud with Josh. And Carolyn continued her “odd one out” theme with a personal scene at camp and having a “proved right” moment.
We heard bits and pieces from others, and there was some complexity there, particularly with Kane and Matt, but there always seemed secondary to the three mentioned above. We have a better understanding of the former Tika 3, where they stand, their personalities, and their allies (or lack thereof). The other characters are nowhere near as fleshed out.
Perhaps that will change now the merge is officially underway, but six episodes in, there still feels to be a real lack of insight into the wider dynamics of the tribe and its players.
ALLIANCES & CONNECTIONS
Frannie & Matt (Pair) — Still going strong, and Matt referred to Frannie as his “number one.” Again, they both recognize they need to distance themselves from one another but seem to have a tough time doing so. It feels like the attention of this duo will come to a head soon.
Carolyn, Carson, & Yam Yam (Alliance) — The Three Stooges reunited this episode and recommitted to their alliance, even if there is lingering distrust between Carolyn and Yam Yam. But, as said above, this trio has received the more care and attention in the edit, so I expect them to remain important moving forward.
Carson & Kane (Pair?) — After the nerd bonding in Episode 5, last week we saw Carson give Kane a heads up about his name being thrown out. This threw things into chaos and almost ended up with Carson’s other ally Yam Yam getting the chop. It’ll be interesting to see how this pairing develops over the coming episodes.
Danny & Brandon (Pair) — These two bonded at the journey in Episode 5, but there was no real follow-up this week. That could simply have been due to time constraints. Given the focus the scene received earlier in the season, I feel like we will see these two reconnect soon.
EDGIC CHART
Definitions: https://insidesurvivor.com/survivor-edgic-an-introduction-3094
| Name | EP 1 | EP 2 | EP 3 | EP 4 | EP 5 | EP 6 | EP 7 | EP 8 | EP 9 | EP 10 | EP 11 | EP 12 | EP 13 | EP 14 |
 Brandon |
CPM5 | MOR2 | OTTP2 | UTR2 | OTTN2 | MOR3 | ||||||||
 Carolyn |
OTT3 | OTT5 | UTR2 | CP5 | CPM5 | CP4 | ||||||||
 Carson |
MORP3 | CP5 | MOR2 | CP3 | CPP2 | CP4 | ||||||||
 Danny |
UTR1 | MOR3 | CP5 | MOR2 | OTTM3 | UTR1 | ||||||||
 Frannie |
MOR3 | MORM3 | CP3 | MOR2 | MOR2 | UTR2 | ||||||||
 Heidi |
MORP2 | UTR1 | CP4 | UTR2 | INV | UTR2 | ||||||||
 Jaime |
OTT3 | UTR1 | OTT3 | OTT4 | MOR2 | MOR3 | ||||||||
 Kane |
MOR3 | MOR3 | OTT2 | INV | MOR2 | CP3 | ||||||||
 Lauren |
CPN4 | UTR2 | UTR2 | UTR1 | INV | UTR1 | ||||||||
 Matt |
CP4 | MORM3 | MORN4 | UTR1 | OTT2 | CP4 | ||||||||
 Yam Yam |
MORP4 | CP4 | OTT2 | OTTM5 | CPM5 | CP5 | ||||||||
 Josh |
UTR1 | INV | MOR2 | CPN5 | CP5 | CPN4 | ||||||||
 Matthew |
CPP5 | CPP2 | CP3 | CP2 | OTTP3 | |||||||||
 Sarah |
MOR3 | MOR2 | MOR3 | MOR4 | ||||||||||
 Claire |
UTR2 | UTRN3 | MORN5 | |||||||||||
 Helen |
MOR3 | MOR4 | ||||||||||||
 Maddy |
MORN3 | |||||||||||||
 Bruce |
UTRP2 |
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