Someone’s Gata Go: Survivor 47 Episode 8 Recap and Power Rankings
The Survivor Auction was back and we got a predictable but interesting vote at the end of the night. The post-merge is trending in a good direction, but with some of the same New Era issues that have plagued the show since the pandemic. Keeping up with the trend of recent recaps, this cast is carrying the content of the show more than production is designing an interesting game.
A good Sol-ution
After tribal council, Rachel is back at camp alone because she used safety without power (why does she have to go back to camp instead of watching from the jury side of things? No idea). When the rest return, Gabe fist bumps her, congratulating her on the move and saving face.
We got some insight into Sol’s game, who told Rachel he gave her the advantage and asserted they made a connection. He mentioned he was playing the “goofy” act, but was hiding his strategic player. He also mentioned his intentions to form “Sol’s secret agents.” These are his secret alliances people aren’t aware of that he is forming.
Sam chats with Rachel, noting that sometimes he “forgets” about Andy. Foreshadowing, of course.
Andy’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
At the announcement of the return of the Survivor auction, they do a search for money in bamboo tubes. Somehow, Andy finds nothing. Am I surprised? No. Disappointed? Maybe a little. Do I think this somehow plays even more into Andy’s chances to mess around and stumble into winning this game? Yes. The lovable idiot that isn’t a threat to anyone but is making blindside after blindside, constantly on the right side and in on the vote, is a secret danger.
In the other parts of this scramble, Sierra showed her prowess in finding hidden items — and as Q would say, BIG MISTAKE. I don’t think this actually raised her threat level, but it was very funny to watch her tout her Easter-egg-hunting prowess while Andy ran right by obvious cash.
Going once, going twice, going three times, going four times… going twelve times…
The auction is back! It was fun, but wow did it certainly take a long time. It was a large part of the episode, taking up probably half of the runtime. There were a few takeaways from this.
Let’s start with the positives: grubs. Grubs are so back. To win a chance to spend $200 on a massive breakfast, players volunteered for a competition to get down two live grubs — a Survivor classic. Sam won this right, downing the grubs before Sue and Caroline could manage. There was a clue to a hidden immunity idol hidden in Caroline’s fries, which was nice to see. Jeff also transported back to the middle ages while presenting an item at the auction. Jarring to say the least.
Now for the pessimistic view. The whole “most money left loses their vote” thing worked in the past to force people to spend, but it just becomes the “whoever has the most money left after the five guaranteed rounds bets it all no matter what and it’s completely luck who has some last on the randomized final item because Jeff pulled a rock out of a bag” thing. The rock this time happened to dictate 12 whole items. It’s not fun, and it takes away player choice.
Speaking of player choice, not allowing Sam’s offer to buy the covered item from Kyle if it was meat — because Kyle is a vegetarian — should absolutely be allowed. No sharing, no trading, no buying from other players is just unnecessarily removing autonomy. Let the players make their own decisions! Don’t put guardrails on everything. Also this forced a very hungry Kyle to eat meat, which is against his diet and moral beliefs, which sucked to watch knowing there was a very easy solution that was offered by the players themselves.
This is your captain speaking
At the immunity challenge, the castaways had buckets filled with 25% of their body weight from the beginning of the game. They had to hold it up with winches and a rope. The last man and last woman to be holding their bucket would win individual immunity and don the coveted spooky immunity necklace.
For the men, Kyle won once again, cementing his threat as a challenge beast. This is probably bad for his game in the long run, and I worry what happens to him the moment a puzzle enters the fray, but for now it’s fun to watch.
Sue, our favorite pilot and flight instructor, crushed the challenge. She hardly broke a sweat by the time the other women dropped out. Honestly, she looked like she could’ve outlasted all the guys, too. This makes sense due to her forearm and grip strength built up from being a pilot. Nevertheless, she was incredibly impressive in the challenge.
She’s all that
It became clear quickly someone from Gata was going home, and it wasn’t Andy. Everyone already wanted to either take out Rachel (Genevieve and Caroline) or break up the Sierra and Sam duo (Sol, Gabe, Teeny).
Meanwhile an overconfident Sierra remarked that “Andy’s just someone we’re keeping around. He’s still in Sam and I’s pocket… We’ll still drag him along.” She may wish she had that one back.
Meanwhile, Andy was having his Laney Boggs moment. This was his makeover, his break from Gata, and his emergence as a strategic force no longer tied to Sam and Sierra. Someone he felt betrayed by would be going home.
Shots fired
Tribal council, though not entirely a surprise vote, was still a great one for analysis and intrigue. Sam had lost his vote from the auction. Rachel had an immunity idol only the audience knew about. We didn’t know who the votes would land on — just that it would be a non-Andy Gata.
The first move I want to break down: the shot in the dark. Rachel played her shot in the dark in maybe the most genius way I’ve ever seen it played. It accomplished three-and-a-half things all at once. One, it allowed her to gauge the reaction of the group, no matter how the shot in the dark landed. Based on these reactions she could have decided whether she wanted to play her hidden immunity idol or not. Two, she didn’t place a vote. This gives her flexibility to link back up with whichever Gata member doesn’t go home and possibly preserve a jury vote by the end of the game. Three, no one will ever suspect her of having a hidden immunity idol after playing her shot in the dark. The half is just the chance at hitting on immunity on the shot. I’m also left wondering if Sol tipped her off on the vote before tribal but it just wasn’t shown, allowing her to execute this strategy.
The next move, the strategic split vote. The 4-4 vote between Sam and Sierra protected the voting bloc against any type of immunity idol — easy to say, but not always executed. Then, they took out their target in the runoff, Sierra.
I’m noticing
Here’s some random things I noticed, either for fun or things that may be foreshadowing what’s to come.
Genevieve wanted “Poutine” while motivating herself to find money for the auction, a true Canadian
Caroline supports everyone with so much enthusiasm
Andy lasted a while in the bucket challenge, I have a random hunch he rock climbs in his free time. Don’t ask why
People aiming for “sneaky” threats may protect the Kyles, Sams, and Gabes of the world
Power Rankings
GENEVIEVE
Caroline
Sue (+1)
Andy (+2)
Sol (+2)
Rachel (+2)
Sam (-2)
Teeny (+2)
Kyle
Gabe (+1)
X - Sierra (No. 3 last week)
Biggest Winners
Really, the game is marginal at this point, but I would say there are three real winners here. Starting with Andy, he got one of the people on the hit list. Taking out Sierra was a power play that he can claim he was an owner of later in the game. I also think his lack of perception as a threat bodes well for a deep run. Sol is my second choice. He seems to be putting together some relationships that may just sneak him to the end. Rachel, similarly, seems to be making bonds. She’s seen as a threat by my top two players, but with a hidden immunity idol, her social game, and possible secret alliance of information with Sol, she may be able to flip the game on it’s head.
Biggest Losers
Sam lost his number one and any control of the game he had. He’s strong, smart, and mostly charming, so I think he can recover, but it’s an uphill battle. I’m not sure who he will try to ally with. Honestly, Kyle is my other loser. Winning another immunity challenge is an obvious double-edged sword. He knows this puts a target on his back. He has to hope his general likability and the social threat level of others keeps people off his back.