"Survivor 46" Episode 8 Recap - Venus Envy
Tevin, Venus, and Liz butt heads over who sent Soda home...
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Last Week: The tribes split and so too did Soda and Tim.
39 26 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” blog…
Alright, let’s check out where the tribe currently stands…
The NuiNui Tribe (wearing red)
Ben, 36 - Musician
Charlie, 26 - Law Student
Hunter, 28 - Science Teacher
Kenzie, 29 - Salon Owner
Liz, 35 - Marketing Strategist
Maria, 48 - Parent Coach
Q, 29 - Real Estate Agent
Tevin, 24 - Actor
Tiffany, 33 - Artist
Venus, 24 - Data Analyst
Post-Tribal Shenanigans
Before we get to this week’s episode, we learn that Tevin’s vote for Venus was a “just in case vote” and that he knew Soda was going home.
The first tribe has a chance to chat before the second tribe arrives at the beach. Ben isn’t happy to lose his buddy Tim, but he’s putting on a brave face and is playing nice with the other players.
This frustrates Q, because he sees this as a chance to talk strategy with Ben and bring him on board.
Quick Aside: Q’s social game isn’t anything to write home about, but he is thinking of all the angles.
The second tribe returns, and everyone is surprised that Venus is still in the game. As Venus breaks down what happened, she accurately surmises that she got votes from Soda and from Tevin. She then proceeds to CALL TEVIN OUT, saying that he claims to be playing an honest game, but that isn’t the case.
And if we need more proof that Venus might not be great at this; she tells everyone how Soda gave her credit for the move and that they’re now besties.
Telling everyone else that you made a big move and you’re close with the leader of the jury? Not smart.
Later on, Liz is furious that Tevin and Venus are both taking credit for the Soda vote. Well, the editors haven’t been giving her much credit for anything thus far, so…
Tevin and Venus eventually touch base, with Venus explaining to Tevin how she pulled off what she calls the first blindside of the season.
Ahem…JEM HAD AN IDOL!
Poor Tevin must be ready to burst as he listens to her continue to think she pulled all of the strings. And all of this leads Liz to target Tevin, because she knows he’s the mastermind behind the vote.
Q’s Big Plans
The next morning, Q introduces us to his newest invention; the Q Skirt. It’s basically a hoodie tied around your waist, but it has so many uses.
Tevin and Hunter find his pitch hilarious, but I was taken by his response when he was asked how much it cost. He didn’t respond with a number, he said it was less than what you’d pay for all of the items it would replace; a purse, a fanny pack, etc.
That’s actually a next-level marketing technique. I’m impressed.
He’s even got a catchphrase! “You’ve got some loose swag, but you don’t want to carry a bag? Get a Q Skirt.”
Dude is gonna clean up on “Shark Tank.”
All of this, plus the strategic chops help Charlie realize that Q is a friggin’ force of nature. The pair eventually has a conversation and Q invites Charlie to take Tim’s place in the Plus One Alliance.
Note: They keep calling this alliance “The Six,” but that makes me think of “The Boys.” Don’t get me wrong, “The Boys” is an awesome show, the name just doesn’t work for both.
Charlie is excited to be invited up to the major leagues, but he tells Maria that he’s very nervous because it feels like a trio of pairs instead of an actual alliance. And if it’s so strong, why was Tim voted out?
Later on, Q organizes a game of hide and go seek. His goal is to figure out who can hide in plain sight the best.
Is it possible to hide with a camera person and boom mic holder facing the hiding places?
Hunter, of course, goes above and beyond and creates himself a spy shack in a tree.
When they’re looking for Maria, Tevin keeps repeating her name. He’s a theater kid, so I know it was killing him not to bust into a “West Side Story” song.
As the time runs out, they aren’t able to locate Ben or Hunter. Which leads Q to target both of them because they’re so competitive and willing to take risks.
Quick Aside: I don’t know if Q can win this. He’s too big of a threat. But he’s the guy. Quickly moving to the top of my list of most entertaining new-era players. Someone get me a Q Skirt.
Plus One, Minus One?
Later on, Tiffany and Tevin discuss next steps. Tevin wants to target Venus, but Tiffany thinks it’s time to target threats instead of nuisances. And since nobody actually listens to Venus, she isn’t hurting their game.
Tiffany wants to wait till after the challenge to discuss who to target.
Tevin does not like this, and goes to Q and tells him that Tiffany should be targeting non Plus One members, and her vague answer rubbed him the wrong way. Q admits that he’s open to targeting Tiff if she isn’t aligned with Plus One.
Q asks Tiffany who they should target next and she mentions Maria and Ben. Uh-oh…
This is all Q needs to start moving against Tiffany. He tells Maria about the conversation and even goes so far as to tell Maria about Tiffany’s idol.
Immunity Challenge Time: It’s the Parvati special! Players will climb a pole and hang onto it. The last person on the pole wins immunity.
Twist: Jeff gives them a chance to earn rice if four players agree to sit out of the challenge. He then amends it to say, four people can sit out or two people can give up their votes. But, the people who give up their votes can still compete in the challenge.
Probst turning into Monty Hall over here.
Q and Liz offer to step out, but the tribe can’t come to a consensus so everyone is playing. That’s the first time that’s happened in the new era.
Result: Oddly enough, Q and Liz are out first. It comes down to Hunter vs. Charlie with Charlie humorously trying to negotiate for the rice as he’s clearly on his way out. Hunter wins immunity.
OH! And on the way down, Hunter grips the pole with his legs and flips over backwards! It was something like you’d see in the Jennifer Lopez epic “Hustlers.”
Pre-Tribal Politicking
The early conversation centers on the Plus One alliance turning their back on Tiffany for targeting Maria. The hope is that Liz will be the vote that puts them over the edge.
Buuut…Liz tells Ben, Maria, and Charlie that she wants Tevin to go home. Venus and Kenzie also seem very into this idea.
Tiffany is brought into the circle on this plan and she does a smart thing and a not-so-smart thing. She reminds everyone that Tevin has an extra vote and she tells Q what’s going on.
Q is worried that everyone has flipped. He approaches Hunter with this concern, but doesn’t want to alert Tevin because he doesn’t think they can save him.
Hunter immediately jumps into action, which is not what Q wanted. Hunter approaches Maria and Charlie to try to get them back on board with their Tiffany plan. Venus is very annoyed that they won’t let her in on the conversation, so she asks them to wrap it up. To which Hunter wonders if they can’t just vote for her.
Good question, Hunter.
Everyone is confused, but it seems to be coming down to Tevin vs. Tiffany, with Charlie and Maria being in the middle.
Tribal Time
Umm…it starts off with a conversation about the rice, then Q interrupts and proceeds to say that he doesn’t think anyone is voting for him that night. But, he now wants everyone to send him home.
Wait, what?
Everyone is shocked. I am also shocked.
His reasoning doesn’t make a ton of sense. It seems like he messed up and confused a lot of players and now he wants them to have a fresh start.
A lot of whispering is going on as people try to get to the bottom of what to do.
A live Tribal breaks out, and I’m wondering if this was a ploy to draw all of the votes and Q will play Hunter’s idol.
During the whispering, Q tells Tiffany that he’s doing it because she would go home because they don’t have the votes to get out Tevin.
Tevin is pushing really hard to send Q home, so I wonder if either my guess is correct or Tevin was the original target tonight.
Tiffany wonders if she should play her idol, but Charlie tells her that she doesn’t have to and that Q told him about her idol.
So…is Q a genius or a quitter?
Voting Time: Tiffany votes for Tevin, Tevin votes for Venus and claims that he has no idea what Q was thinking, and the rest of the votes are lost to the magic of editing.
JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol or an advantage and…nobody does.
We’ve got one vote for Venus, one vote for Tevin, one vote for Venus, four votes for Tevin, and the ninth person eliminated from “Survivor 46” is…Tevin.
Verdict: Sooo…was that a ploy to keep Tevin from playing Hunter’s idol or Shot in the Dark? If so…wow, was that needlessly elaborate.
But, so many people were shocked in the voting booth.
I have no idea what to make of that mess. They’d better not just drop it next week.
Power Rankings Results: Austin Li Coon and Jake O’Kane both called it and had Tevin in spot ten. So, the current score is Reba 4 (-Dee, +Kellie) 100, Gordon’s All Stars 91.
I have no idea how to grade any of this. Who knew what? What was the plan? I could make a case for giving Q an A or an F. And, Tiff could get an A or an F based on what she knew.
Welp, that’s it! Check out my exit interview with Moriah on YouTube tomorrow. And, don’t miss the “Survivor” Power Rankings this Monday.
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