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With loved ones visits being a thing of the past, how else can Survivor get its castaways crying? Why, letters from home, of course!
But before the tears are shed, Ben has something to clear up: He was the one who wrote Kenzie’s name down. And she’s absolutely bewildered! It really doesn’t make any sense at all. He says he drew a blank at the podium and forgot who to vote for. He just made a mistake! (Uhh, oops?) It’s almost funny to watch him try and explain it to his island sister, but when we eventually learn that his night terrors are back, we know just how hard a time the guy is having out there. But still, as Kellie Nalbandian would say: “What the hell, guys?”
Maria’s also having a hard time because she feels Venus dragged her name through the mud. But she’s had two wins, masterminded a blindside and has been on the right side of every vote. As she tell us in the episode: “If they’re not trying to get me out, then that’s their mistake.” The line for the Maria Fan Club starts right behind me, folks! (Now to just think of a cool name…)
Someone who might be leaving his post in the club? Charlie. He knows he can side with Liz, Kenzie and Ben to cut Maria and Q, but he has to make a decision. Should he stick with his island bestie (aka, his “Denise”) or try to take out arguably the game’s biggest target?
REWARD | After a high-stepping obstacle and freeing a bag from a rope bridge, the players compete in a table top maze. It’s yet another competitive challenge, but Charlie wins himself a Chinese takeout lunch and the aforementioned letter from home. His first pick to join him is Liz. And before he even makes his second choice, Maria is staring at the ground. She even turns away from the camera. She knows he’s not picking her (thanks to a past agreement they made), yet it’s still a brutal, brutal loss for her. He chooses Kenzie, but I could barely focus on that because Maria was so sad. That was some really real reality TV there, my friends. But as Maria sits on the beach, her tears morph into a stoic resolve. “Mama Bear” is recharging and readying for battle.
Kenzie, Liz and Charlie talk about needing Maria gone, and Charlie hopes to cement the blindside right then and there. But the way this episode has been unraveling, I’m praying for a Maria immunity win. (I’m manifesting it. Doing a rain dance, except for a Maria win. A Maria dance? OK, this got weird.) And while Maria readies for battle, Q finds an idol and tells her about it. Then, both surprisingly and unsurprisingly, Maria brings up Charlie’s name! She thinks he wins hands down if he makes one of those final three seats. When Charlie comes back from his reward, the two have a heartfelt chat about remaining close after the show wraps. But Charlie knows “Malcolm and Denise” can’t go to the end together. Malcolm needs to win this time, he says. And Maria says Charlie is standing in her way of victory.
IMMUNITY IS BACK UP FOR GRABS | After a high jump off of a tower and a cargo net run, the players make their way to a balance beam and lastly, a dolphin puzzle. Maria destroys the beam while everyone else continues to plunge into the water. Ben takes an early lead on the puzzle, but Maria kicks it into high gear and everything clicks. Then: MARIA. WINS. IMMUNITY. (And yes, it was all because of my special dance. See? It works.)
STRATEGY | With the game’s No. 1 target safe, Kenzie’s eyes are back on Q. Ben thinks this vote is going to be the biggest blindside of the season, and considering that Q wants to axe Charlie, Ben might just be right. Kenzie is happy that Q feels comfortable, not knowing that he has an idol in his pocket. But the real question: Will he be smart enough to play it?
THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN | Apropos of nothing, while trying to explain the importance of the letters from home, Kenzie calls Charlie the family dog and Liz the wacky grandma who’s kinda losing it. I just needed that on record.
Anyway, Liz says she thinks the game has more power couples than alliances. Which is exactly what someone who’s not in any meaningful alliances would say. They talk about the pros and cons of blindsiding someone with more or less people in the game, but soon enough, it’s time to vote.
In a rare editing move, we’re shown all of the votes! Kenzie, Liz, Ben and Charlie all write down variations of Q(-Skirt), while Maria and Q make their move against Charlie. And then: FACEPALM. Q does not play his idol, joining Hunter, Tevin, Tiffany and Venus in a truly elite group of people who so, so wrongly assumed they were safe. (Read our exit interview with Q here.)
Is Maria’s game in jeopardy now that she took a shot at Charlie and missed? Which player do you think will win the game? Go full tilt boogie in the comments with all of your predictions!
I love Maria.
I love Charlie.
I love that they each need to take out their bestie to win.
I love that Q is gone – FINALLY!
I love that idols are essentially meaningless this season.
I love not knowing which way this goes next.
I’m actually good with any of them winning except for Liz 😂😂 But one thing I’m definitely noticing is nobody is even talking about Ben.
Is this a record yet for number of people eliminated with idols in their pocket? I really think this is the least game-intelligent group they’ve ever had. 5?!?!?! Insanity.
Actually, isn’t it 6? Gem also had an idol when she was voted out. Truly a season for the ages.
Five, so far: Jem, Hunter, Tiffany, Venus, Q
I cannot think of another season where ALL of the idols went home in pockets. I suppose they may hide one more idol…
I was worried when Charlie told Maria they were voting for Q but it all worked out! I’d like to see either Charlie or Kenzie win.
Really hope Maria wins it all. My choices after that would be Charlie, Ben (who’s accomplished NOTHING), Kenzie then Liz
The look on Maria’s face at the end was classic. Her plan to oust Charlie didn’t work and her #2 Q is gone. And she was the only one who knew Q had an idol. I still think she is the favorite to win, but Charlie may be favored by the jury.
How is it that someone not #2-ing in 22 days not a medical issue? Or a medical concern?
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The immunity idol is cursed I tell ya … cursed!
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Only way for Maria to get to final 3 is by winning the final 2 immunity challenges. Or win next challenge and a pro fire starter. She is public enemy number 1 at this point and she probably realised that after tribal council.
Well a medical issue only refers to a condition that can worsen before her tim÷ on the island is up. And tissue damage or anything like that takes 81 days. Or need medicine to heal while her will be fix naturally with food she can eat. So since it only 26 days vs 39 days. Technically they can keep her. On the island. And even recast her on back to back seasons. Now if it was 39 days and she could be there for up to 78 days. They probably still could as she would be 3 days shy from trouble. But probably would not. Since it to close a call.
One of the dumbest moves by everyone but Q and Maria. No one on the jury would have given Q the money – he burned his bridge several episodes ago.l and was not a threat. They had a chance to take out Charlie and did not. Either Maria or Charlie will win – no one else really comes close!
I am glad Q is gone. Maria and him got a little too cocky. I think Maria will be gone next. If Charlie doesn’t win immunity after that I see Kenzie Liz and Ben in the finals. If that is the case it has to be Kenzie for the win.
He might have been able to beat Ben and Liz if the jury feels they did nothing significant and coasted to the final vote. Look back at some of the final threes who got no votes, even from their allies in the juries, because they didn’t have much on their resumes.
If Charlie had won the challenge, Maria I bet would be gone. Q wouldnt get the votes at the final tribal…. Glad Liz ate.. Now she needs to poop. And another Idol gone in the wind. Sad Jeff didnt bring snacks this time I was looking forward to maybe seeing M & M’s.
I guess you missed it but she did poop, even before the Chinese food. That rice seemed to have helped.
I always miss a good popp show…. thanks for the headsup !!
I had mixed feelings about this episode. I am rooting for Charlie and Maria because, frankly, I feel like they are the only two still actively playing the game. While the cast this season has been slightly more easy for me to remember, with more defining personality traits compared to other seasons, overall they’ve been really poor gamers. I don’t think 46 is going to rank up there as one of the better seasons.
That being said, I was a little disappointed in Maria’s reaction at the reward. To be honest, I felt much the same as I did when Liz responded to not winning; the sense of entitlement. While Maria’s was far more muted than Liz’s, her comments seem to indicate that, as a mother, she was somehow more entitled to getting those letters from home than the other players. Everyone is just as deserving to hear from their loved ones, even if they didn’t give birth to them. I don’t know, it just rubbed me the wrong way.
Although I’m not sorry to see Q go (especially since he was starting to show signs of the obnoxious control freak martyr he was before “Quitgate” happened) I was glad to see Maria’s attempt to stab Charlie in the back revealed. That’s gonna sting but be oh so fun to watch.
I still think Maria will win if she makes it to the final three (and deservedly so, she’s been a warrior this season) but I’d personally like to see Charlie win because I think he played a stronger social game.
I think Maria *could* win if both she and Charlie go to the final 3, but I’m not sure it will happen (I’m not sure they’ll both get there). Even if it did, there’s some bad blood there over the Applebee’s reward which could influence people.
How do you think Maira beat Charlie. She hated and Charlie like by everyone.
Thankfully Q is gone. He was not entertaining anymore. I’d like Maria to be blindsided by Charlie OR the two of them and Kenzie in the final 3.
Q will go down in the annuls of Survivor history as one of the most annoying and arrogant players. Yes, it would’ve been smart to take him to the final (’cause no one would vote for him!) but he had to go. Should’ve been gone weeks ago.
And Liz pooped!
Q must be happy with how he went out. 1. He wanted to find the idol. He did. 2. He wanted Maira to vote out Charlie to be her new number 1. He did that. He wanted to be voted out in episode 6. now he did that. He play better then anyone.