‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 11: Crime Pays or Cirie-Demption? Edition

May 23, 2017 by

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

The Rules: The rules for the finale episode are a little bit different. The rankers have listed the last six players in the order in which they think they will finish.  The first person who is voted out will be in sixth place and the winner will be in first. Each correct placement is worth two points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Game Changers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Adam Klein had Andrea in spot seven and Michaela in spot two, while Gordon Holmes had Andrea in spot eight and Michaela in spot three. The current score is Team Adam 113, Team Gordon 112.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research

Adam’s Score = 113

Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein

Gordon’s Score = 112

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Sarah: For my final power ranking for Sarah, I want to harken back to what I said about her at the merge:

“I’m so confused by Sarah’s edit! I thought Sarah was supposed to be the villain of the season? But she’s the hero!! The way she stood by Zeke and called out her own ‘metamorphoses’ was moving and inspirational. She’s been shown talking like someone who would shake up the game with quotes like “silent assassin,” “playing this game like a criminal,” “I know how to lie to these people,” and now “I’m ready to prove why I’m a game changer.”
Well, the mystery has been solved. Somehow, Sarah is both the villain and the hero, and the last few episodes have finally proven the quotes that felt empty early on in the season. Everything she said was true, she just slyly waited for the right time to show it. Sarah has played an incredible game, both strategic and socially. Her strategic sense allowed her to carry out some massive blindsides, and her social prowess allowed her to maintain favor and trust even after numerous betrayals, a la Tony Vlachos in Cagayan. The only question that remains for Sarah is if she gets to the end, does her in-game social mastery hold up once the people she betrayed reach the jury? Some jury members, like Andrea and Sierra, feel a bit icky about the way she has lied, but almost all of them (except Debbie, notably) recognize the control she has had over the game. I predict Sarah to win in something like a 7-3-0 or 8-2-0 vote.
 1. Cirie: Oh…am I going to get heat for this one. Is it possible I’m ranking with my heart instead of my head? Absolutely. But, my love for Cirie is non-transferable!

Here’s what I’m thinking; Sarah has to be the most dangerous player left in the game. I’m not even sure Cirie could beat her in front of a jury. And after last week’s vote-steal fiasco, Sarah is looking a lot better than Cirie. You know Sarah is going to announce the legacy advantage at final six. Even if she doesn’t use it, she’ll want people to know she had it to pad her resume. But, her resume is already impressive. It’ll just put heat on her. This is where Cirie can go to work. And after final six, Sarah has no protection. She’ll have to win immunities. (Which, she could totally do.)

And, if Cirie gets to the final three without Sarah, she’ll win it easily.
2. Brad: Brad has played a very respectable game all around. He was solidly shielded by people that wanted to work with him all game long. Before the season started, even, he was my winner pick because countless players talked about wanting to go to the end with him, while underestimating him as a player because of how he was inaccurately villainized in Blood vs. Water. It seems people still want to go to the end with him, as he has been protected despite being in the minority since Debbie went home. He is well liked by the jury and has many people rooting for him to succeed, including Debbie, Sierra, and Zeke. Brad’s problem at the end is that he hasn’t controlled the game since Sarah flipped on Debbie, and has recently been at the mercy of others. Even Zeke has emphatically stated that he would vote for Sarah over anyone, including Brad. If he reaches the end, though, he has at least one guaranteed vote in Debbie, who is pulling for him all the way.

Ultimately, this season for Brad has been about understanding what his wife went through on Survivor, and answering the question: What would Monica do? The answer is now in front of us: come in a respectable 2nd place.
 2. Brad: Before the season started, Brad was everyone’s dream final-three partner. Even if you love the guy, it’s hard to look past the fact that he’s already loaded. I think the best he can hope for is one more final Tribal vote than Monica.
3. Troyzan: Based on editing alone, Sarah and Brad seem like obvious choices for the final 3. The less obvious pick is 3rd place. In order to pick this placement, I have to consider who might lose to both Sarah and Brad based on the juries comments in their bonus scenes. Cirie and Aubry have both been lauded by the jury, would likely do very well at final tribal, and have huge targets on them. So between Troyzan and Tai, I think Troyzan is more likely make it to the end. Tai, especially if he uses his idols correctly, will have a real resume that could be threatening, and Troyzan has a better relationship with Brad and Sarah than I believe Tai does.

Troyzan has been playing smart and intentionally to get to the end by not causing waves and underplaying his abilities, but final tribal council is where those strengths of laying low become a liability, especially in a season filled with ‘Big Moves’ and entitled ‘Game Changers.’ Unfortunately, I don’t think that Troyzan has done enough to show the jury how his strategy has paid dividends.
 3. Troyzan: What’s Troyzan’s resume at this point? Sure, he survived being the odd man out on Tavua, but they never even went to Tribal Council. He has one immunity win, one immunity idol, and no interesting moments. The irony in all of this is he has played the exact opposite game he played in “One World.” At least that loud “One World” game led to a return invitation.
4. Tai: Theoretically, Tai is guaranteed final 4 if he plays his idols for himself in successive tribal councils. Based on the preview, though, it looks like one of his idols might go to Brad, leaving him vulnerable for at least two votes in the finale barring immunity wins. I have maintained all season long that Tai is playing a very strong game, and has voted someone out in 8 out of 10 votes he cast this season, a better record than everyone except Sarah. He has also won immunity, and after playing three idols, will be seen as a threat at the final 4.

However, even if Tai does get to the final 3, the jury does not seem to recognize this game at all, and it seems have written him off as a possible winner. One of the major pieces of Tai’s game that the jury is missing is that he not only has two idols, but he has had balls of steel in consistently, and correctly, holding on to them despite being under routine fire. In the last vote, he literally had his vote stolen from him and STILL didn’t play an idol! And yet, the jury can’t marvel at this like we can as viewers, until it’s too late to change the perception of Tai as someone playing from the sidelines, not the front line.
 4. Sarah: Fun Fact: Gordon Holmes has never picked the winner of a “Survivor” season during his pre-season rankings.

Buuuuut… I did have Sarah Lacina in second place. And the only reason she wasn’t first is because Malcolm Freberg made me pick him. So, if Sarah wins, which she very well could, I will never forgive Malcolm.

Alright, with that out of the way; everyone has to appreciate that Sarah is just too good to take to the end. The blindsides, the advantages, the clever vote-theft stratagem. She’s just gotta go. Cause if she steps in front of the jury, this cop is going home with a million bucks.
5. Cirie: Cirie has proven beyond a doubt that she is one of the best Survivor players of all time, and has solidified her title as the ‘Best to Never Win.’ Of course, she still has a chance to change that, but her road to the final 3 and a win still seems impossibly challenging. Sarah, Brad, and Troyzan voted together on the last vote, may all be immune at the next, and are loosely tied to Tai, who was just betrayed by Cirie. And to top it off, Cirie voted for Aubry at the last vote, potentially alienating her last ally. If Cirie were a strong challenge competitor, she would have a real shot, but the odds of her winning out are very unlikely.

The good news for Cirie, though, is that because she is unlikely to win immunity, she will likely be spared at least one round, unless Aubry is also immune. Letting her get to 4, though, will likely feel too close for comfort, so I think the others will cut Cirie at 5, devastating hordes of fans who have been waiting for a Cirie win for over 10 years. The other good news? I would not be surprised at all to see Cirie become the first player to play Survivor 5 times – if she’s up for it.
 5. Tai: Boy, those idol shenanigans from the finale preview have me really worried about Tai. I’m thinking Brad and Troyzan know they aren’t as likable as Tai and his ability to find 40 idols this season would look too good in front of the jury.
6. Aubry: I’m honestly blown away that Aubry is still in the game on finale night. She has never been able to really find her footing this season, and has been blindsided at 5 out of 11 tribal council she’s attended. Her edit has also been confounding. She is arguably the most popular player from last year, has been a plucky underdog all season long, is one of the show’s best narrators, and yet we have barely heard anything from her (or Troyzan) all season long. I just cannot imagine that Aubry comes in anything better than 5th and gets an edit like she has received.

At the next vote, I think it will likely be between Cirie and Aubry, and it’s possible that all of the others will be immune. Aubry’s best hope is to win immunity, which would amazingly send Cirie home automatically if all idols are played. If she does not, I think she will be seen as the bigger immediate threat, as they will assume that they can still get Cirie out at 5. Aubry has weaved, bobbed, and ducked since day 1 and should be proud to have scraped her way to the end, but I think this is where the rubber finally meets the road.
 6. Aubry: I love me some Aubry, but this is just not her season. She’s been blindsided left and right…and then left again. And even when it seemed like she was in charge of the game, she was doing it as someone else’s right hand. She’ll go home early this episode, but here’s hoping she gets an invite for “Survivor: The Third Time Is Lucky.”


Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 10: Double Tribal Trouble Edition

May 16, 2017 by

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Andrea is voted out this episode, Adam will receive seven points and Gordon will receive eight points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Game Changers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Adam Klein had Sierra in spot eight, while Gordon Holmes had her in spot nine. The current score is Team Adam 104, Team Gordon 101.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research

Adam’s Score = 104

Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein

Gordon’s Score = 101

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Sarah: For the first time in many weeks, Troyzan drops off the top spot, for one reason, and one reason alone: visibility. Two people will go home in one hour this week, and this is the same penultimate episode that sent home Will and Sunday last season, the two people with the least screen time of the final 8. So I am looking towards those who have had season-long narratives to be safe this week.

Sarah has had the most visibility of anyone left in the game and I cannot possibly imagine anyone else playing her new Legacy Advantage, not to mention we still haven’t seen her ‘backup’ (the vote steal) come into play. But beyond that, she is somehow in a great position in the game, with a lot of friends and allies, despite having at some point blindsided every single person on the merge tribe. Sarah continued to display her dominant social game when, despite voting out her friend and ally Sierra, Sierra STILL trusted her enough to give her the Legacy Advantage. WOW.
 1. Troyzan: I can’t think of a single reason to get rid of Troyzan. He doesn’t bother anyone. He isn’t winning immunities. A jury isn’t going to give him the win. Add an idol to that and it might as well be his island…cause he isn’t going anywhere.

Quick Aside: Why aren’t more people talking about how Troyzan could have totally blown up the game last week with his idol?! Dooooo something!
2. Michaela: Michaela has had pretty solid visibility all season, and is in a good spot in the game. She continues to be in a power position with room to move, and is somehow still under the radar as a physical threat. She is in a strong position to run the numbers, and the challenges, into the endgame. 2. Tai: He’s packing two idols and he’s quickly running out of time to play them. If he feels any heat, he’s going take that quick walk up to Jeff’s podium. And if there’s a way to play them so he can get to the end with Troyzan and Brad, all the better.
3. Brad: Brad’s positioning in the game does not look great, but his edit tells a different story. To me, only Sarah, Brad, and Cirie have potential winning season-long storylines, and I just cannot imagine that the editors would want to leave only two in the game before the finale. Brad got what he needed from the family visit, and that should be the extra juice he needs to make it a couple more days to reach the finale. His scene with Michaela about being ‘blackmailed’ doesn’t look great, but you don’t blackmail the person you are sending to jury. 3. Michaela: Have we seen anything to make us think that Michaela isn’t just one of Cirie’s votes? She buddied up with Tai last week, but the end result was her voting with Cirie yet again. Right now she feels like a finalist who isn’t going to get any votes.
4. Cirie:  I am pretty sure this is the highest I’ve ranked Cirie all season, and with just one episode before the finale it’s a pretty spectacular placement for someone who came into the game as one of the biggest legends of Survivor, ever. If Cirie goes in 8th or 7th, she will already have far surpassed what many (myself included) expected. She has one of the few ‘winnable’ edits, but she still has to survive 5 more votes, all of them without immunity most likely. My best guess is that the others think that she will be easy pickings at final 6 or final 5 because she is a well-known super-threat that is unlikely to win immunity. 4. Aubry: Oh hey, Aubry. I wonder if you’re one of the best players ever to get an invisible edit. We’re just not seeing enough of you to make me think you’re going to make a huge impression on this game.
5. Troyzan: Troyzan takes a big dip this week because of visibility, but we also haven’t been given any reasons why he would be targeted. As a member of the shrinking minority, he may be tempted to finally play his idol, but I have a hard time imagining a scenario in which Troyzan gets targeted and blindsided with the idol in his pocket. In a secret scene this week, Troyzan defends his relatively quiet strategic game by saying that his social game could win over a jury, and it almost sounds as if he’s being asked by the producer, “why aren’t you making a move?” Troyzan is playing a deliberate game, but it’s not the kind of game producers love, and they could be punishing him for it with an invisible edit. 5. Cirie: I know it’s unprofessional to have a rooting interest, but I want Cirie to win. But, it’s tricky when you have no challenge skills and everyone else has some kind of weird advantage. I’m really worried that Andrea’s going to win immunity and we’re going to have one of those split-up-the-power-couple votes.
6. Tai: Credit to Evan, my brother, for coming up with this possibility: could Tai tell Cirie about his idol(s) in the next episode, ask her to do something she doesn’t feel comfortable doing, and then she uses that info against him to blindside him? It certainly would be a devious move that would have her wondering “could I pull that off?” The reason I think this kind of thing is possible is that Tai isn’t getting the edit of a winner contender, and yet, if he is able to successfully play two more idols, you’d have to put him up there as a frontrunner. So what that tells me is that, somehow, the idol plays don’t go well for Tai. If Tai survives this episode with both idols, he has a guaranteed place in the final 4… but I just don’t see that happening. 6. Brad: I’m so torn about Brad right now. He’s a likable, challenge immunity threat who probably can’t win at the end. But, he did just got some sound advice from one of the best players to ever strap on a buff.
7. Andrea: For once, I am not putting Andrea on the bottom! And yet, two people are going home this episode, so I might as well be putting her in last. I feel like a broken record when it comes to Andrea at this point, so I’ll be brief: Physical. Social. Strategic. All around threat. Arrows flying everywhere. One bound to hit eventually. 7. Sarah: “Oh my God, you guys…why did Sierra get voted out? I’m so surprised.” Those facial expressions may have earned Sarah the legacy advantage, but I’m sure her alliance wasn’t crazy about them.
8. Aubry: I honestly have no idea how this happens, but somehow, Aubry is going home this week. She is one of the best narrators Survivor has, and yet they have relegated Aubry to reward reaction gifs all season long. If she makes the finale, we should all write and complain about how robbed we were of glorious Aubry snark for 14 episodes. The only explanation I can come up with for this edit is that she goes home unceremoniously in the double boot hour. The Sunday and Will airtime curse strikes again! 8. Andrea: I gambled by keeping you out of the bottom spot last week and it paid off. But, two cycles of voting is just too risky. There are way better people to take to the end and you’re always going to be a challenge threat.


Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Sierra: ‘I Feel Like I Was Cheated on by a Long-Term Boyfriend’

May 11, 2017 by

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: Oh, Sierra…
Sierra Dawn Thomas: (Laughs) I’m so mad at myself, trust me. It still eats me alive. I let myself down. And watching it again was just salt on an open wound. Literally, watching it, I feel like I was cheated on by a long-term boyfriend. It’s a weird feeling. I was trying so hard this season and for a moment I slipped up.
Holmes: You didn’t mean to tell Sarah about the legacy advantage?
Thomas: I didn’t mean to tell anyone. Her and I were having this conversation and she was crying to me about home. It was weird. And all this word vomit came out. And you see me regretting it as I’m saying it. I see the true fear in my eyes that I shouldn’t be saying it.
Holmes: “Survivor” is a game. You had an advantage, she tricked you, now she has an advantage. So, do you sit there and think, “Good move”? Or, did she go too personal with the “love” talk?
Thomas: I hate to say it, but it got a little too personal. Seeing my dad brought out all those emotions and I lost where I was in the game. I let my emotions get the best of me.

Holmes: Speaking of, your dad is adorable.
Thomas: Isn’t he the sweetest thing ever? I do not deserve that man. He is so kind and loving.
Holmes: He said he was so proud of you because you were facing such strong competition. Was that a shot at Dan Foley?
Thomas: (Laughs) I don’t think so! (Laughs) That’s funny. I think he was just saying that all of these people who’ve played three or four times and here’s his little girl playing with them. He was just super proud of me.
Holmes: How tall is he?
Thomas: I think he’s like 6’3, 6’4.
Holmes: They grow those Thomases big.
Thomas: My uncle is seven feet. We’re a tall bunch over here.

Holmes: How confident were you that last night’s vote was going to go your way and Andrea was going home?
Thomas: Probably 50/50…maybe even a little more confident. What was scary is when I said the people who talked to me today, that’s who I’m voting with. Cirie didn’t say one word to me, Andrea didn’t. I knew they were going to be writing my name down. But, I thought I had the other half of them.
Holmes: When did you learn that Sarah had voted for you?
Thomas: At Ponderosa.

Holmes: Earlier you had said you that wanted your final three to be Debbie and Sarah. Where does Brad fit into that?
Thomas: Ooo…it was either Sarah or Brad. But I always wanted to go to the end with Miss Debbie.

Holmes: You voted for Tai last week, and he saved you during the Malcolm vote…which I’m still mad about.
Thomas: (Laughs) I’m sorry.
Holmes: Too late for that, Thomas.
Thomas: (Laughs) That’s funny.
Holmes: Was last week’s vote a pure, as-long-as-it’s-not-me situation or were you not that close with Tai?
Thomas: It was survival mode. You want me to prove I’ll do whatever you say? I’ll vote for Tai and put a little heart above my I so you know it’s me. I was trying to make it another day.

Holmes: Is it frustrating to know that Troyzan had an idol and could have bailed you guys out and taken the numbers back?
Thomas: 100%! I feel like the best idol plays are when you play them for someone else. It gives you a better case in the end. I gave this to this person. And he could have easily changed the numbers. Knowing that he has that makes me sick because I was close with him. We could’ve taken over the game.

Holmes: It had to feel good to be the last Sierra/Ciera standing.
Thomas: That was on my mind. Just making it as far as I did, I got to see my dad. There were a million things I was grateful for. But, that’s one I pat myself on the back for.

Holmes: Zeke thought nobody wanted to take him to the end after the Varner incident because he’d have a story to tell the jury. Was it that, were people afraid of his game play? He certainly wasn’t afraid to make moves.
Thomas: Zeke is an amazing “Survivor” player as far as being knowledgeable and strategic. He’s very personable. So, I think taking Zeke to the end, there are a million reasons why he could have won. He’s great at challenges. He’s great at puzzles. He’s great with people.

Holmes: Last night you alluded that Michaela was prone to losing her cool. We saw a little of that after she lost the reward challenge, but we haven’t seen much of it. What was she doing that we didn’t see that gave people that impression of her?
Thomas: She’s a funny girl. When she’s in a good mood, you want to be around her. But, when she gets frustrated, she really struggles…especially on “Survivor,” you can’t fly off the handle. Everybody is watching all the time. And it was a daily thing where there was a moment where if things didn’t go her way or she was hungry, or tired, or irritable, she couldn’t control her emotions and would act out.

Holmes: We’re going to try something new here. I’ll give you the name of someone on your tribe and you give me a couple of words about them.
Thomas: (Laughs)
Holmes: It’s brand new. Let’s start with Aubry.
Thomas: Nerdy, but I love her.
Holmes: Zeke?
Thomas: Strong.
Holmes: Brad?
Thomas: My BFF.
Holmes: Cirie?
Thomas: Sneaky.
Holmes: Ozzy?
Thomas: Provider.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Thomas: (Laughs) Green monster.
Holmes: Debbie?
Thomas: My girl.
Holmes: Andrea?
Thomas: Gorgeous.
Holmes: Sarah?
Thomas: Scary.
Holmes: Caleb?
Thomas: (Laughs) I might regret this, but wannabe Beast Mode Cowboy.
Holmes: JT?
Thomas: My man! I love JT.
Holmes: Hali?
Thomas: Could never get on the same page.
Holmes: Michaela?
Thomas: Funny. She’s witty and funny.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Tai.
Thomas: Very loving.

Holmes: You are the fourth person to bring up Troyzan’s…gifts.
Thomas: (Laughs)
Holmes: I have a theory that you and your Game Changing buddies are punking me and trying to get me to ask him about it during his exit interview.
Thomas: (Laughs)
Holmes: I have news for you; unless he trips on it during an immunity challenge, it’s not going to happen.
Thomas: (Laughs) That’s amazing. It is what it is. When you think of Troyzan’s…it’s just the green monster. I feel like it’s in my face right now…just the greenness.
Holmes: This is a family site, Sierra.
Thomas: I’m sorry!

Holmes: Now, I love me some Sierra Dawn Thomas, but I did not think you were a Game Changer when I first saw the cast list. Having said that, I’m ready to give you the Kelley Wentworth – Didn’t Do Much Her First Season and Came Back and Kicked Butt Her Second Time Award.
Thomas: Thank you! I have a very big smile on my face. That means a lot. I wasn’t super proud of my first season. And when I got the call to go back, I was where you were. I thought, “I don’t deserve to go back there.” But if you give me this opportunity, I’m going to give it everything I have. I’m going to do things that make me uncomfortable. I kept reminding myself, “You’re out here and you’re going to have to do big things so you can have a case at the end of the game.” I was taking chances. I’m proud of myself. I’m a little upset about what happened with Sarah, but I am proud of myself.
Holmes: Before the game I asked if your Worlds Apart buddies had given you any advice. In the future, you should be the one giving advice.
Thomas: (Laughs) I love that! I’m going to hang that over their heads forever.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 10 Recap: Tai-m for a Change?

May 10, 2017 by

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Eleven letters took several hours, Sarah revealed her vote-theft powers, and the eliminated player wore lots of flowers.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Maku Maku Tribe (wearing yellow)

Andrea, 27
Aubry, 30
Brad, 47
Cirie, 45
Michaela, 25
Sarah, 32
Sierra, 29
Tai, 52
Troyzan, 54

Tai is looking for answers after his name popped up on a few votes, but Andrea and the rest aren’t providing any answers. Brad and Sierra, however, fess up to the betrayal. That can’t be awesome to think you’re about be Clemented and go home with two idols in your pocket.

Cirie sees this as an opportunity to bring Tai on board and break up the Sierra/Brad couple.

Sierra refers to Sarah as her closest friend in the game and even though she worked against her in the last vote, she hopes to get her back on her side. She tells Sarah about her legacy advantage and promises to will it to her if she is voted out.

“Hey…person who I’m not really voting with…if I get voted out of the game, you’ll be safe at the final six Tribal Council.”

What could possibly go wrong?

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be divided into three teams of three. They’ll be tethered together and race through an obstacle course. They’ll release a key from a table maze, then use that key to retrieve sandbags. The first team to use the sand bags to knock blocks off of a table will win a barbecue with their loves ones.

Oh boy…here we go. It’s loved ones time. Immediately Sarah breaks down…as in…curled up in the fetal position and bawling.

(Not gonna cry, not gonna cry, not gonna cry…)

Sarah’s partner Wyatt is the first one out. He tells her that their son is doing well.

Andrea’s mother is out next. As they’re talking, she mentions that Andrea lost her sister when she was growing up. I did not know that. And, there go my tears. Two people in and I’m already reaching for the tissues.

Aubry’s sister joins us. Then we get to meet Sierra’s father who is taller than she is. He is so proud that she’s competing against a high level of competition. Wait, is that a shot at Dan Foley?

Michaela’s mom hits the beach and she’s shocked to see her daughter cry. Ha! We all are.

From there we meet Troyzan’s brother and Tai’s partner Mark. Unfortunately, it’s Mark the real guy, not Mark the chicken from Kaoh Rong. That aside, those two are so friggin’ cute.

Culpepper’s wife Monica is brought out next. She looks familiar.

And finally, Cirie’s son Jared comes out. I’m not going to lie, I was hoping for H.B.

The teams are Brad, Aubry, and Andrea vs. Cirie, Troyzan, and Sierra vs. Tai, Sarah, and Michaela.

The Survivors are ready…and they go.

Brad, Andrea, and Aubry are the first through the course and the puzzle. The other teams are waaaay behind. Culpepper destroys the sandbag portion to take the win easily.

Oooo…and Michaela freaks out a little bit. But it’s nothing too major. I’d give it a 3 on the 10-point Ozzy scale.

The winners are allowed to invite two people to join them. Everyone begs for it to be them. This is tough to watch.

They ultimately decide on Cirie and Sarah. Michaela is not pleased, but Andrea is sure she’ll get over it.

Famous last words?

Monica and Brad talk strategy at the barbecue. She smartly points out that Michaela’s reaction to the challenge snub might mean that she’s ready to flip. She also tells him to not trust Colton.

Back at camp, Tai and Michaela bond over what happened at the challenge. They agree to work together.

Meanwhile, Troyzan and Sierra plot to get Tai back into their good graces and Michaela on their side.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a perch while using two handles to hold a ball up in the air. The last person standing will win immunity.

Aubry is the first one out, she’s followed by Sierra, Andrea, and Sarah.

Cirie is the next to go, then Troyzan.

We’re down to Michaela, Brad, and Tai. They battle it out with Brad eventually claiming the win. What a neat guy!

Back at camp, Andrea is frustrated that Brad won immunity because he was the most likely target. But, Sierra is a nice back up.

Meanwhile, Troyzan, Sierra, and Brad want to target Andrea.

It looks like Michaela and Tai are the swing votes.

Or…maybe they aren’t, because they immediately tell Sierra that her name is on the chopping block. This worries Sierra because Andrea is the biggest threat. Yeah, but you’re the tallest threat.

Sierra scrambles, and Sarah assures her that they’re partners. Buuuuut…she does want Sierra to go home so she can get the legacy advantage. So, Sarah shares that info with Michaela.

That night at Tribal, Sierra points out that the people who didn’t get to spend time with their loves ones are the same people who didn’t go on the last reward.

Culpepper considers his immunity win to be his first big win on the show, but it doesn’t protect all of his people.

Sierra didn’t care who won if it wasn’t her. She also thinks there are bigger threats than her…you know…like Andrea.

Andrea gets it, but she makes an excellent point that if any of the underdogs makes a comeback, they’ll look really good in front of the jury.

Sarah thinks they have a solid group and she hopes they all stick together.

Michaela says that the people who claim to have a solid group are the people who feel like they’re on the top of that group.

Sierra is sticking to the people who talked to her that day. Andrea thinks the same people talked to her.

Voting Time: Andrea votes for Sierra, Sierra votes for Andrea, and the rest of the votes are secret.

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol…and nobody does.

We’ve got one vote for Sierra, one vote for Andrea, one vote for Sierra, two votes for Andrea, two votes for Sierra, and the twelfth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” and the fifth member of the jury is…Sierra.

During her exit interview, Sierra wills her advantage to Sarah. Doh…

Verdict: Very interesting that Tai voted out someone that he saved earlier in the season.

That aside, I’m getting kind of bored. I don’t know what it is, but the second half of this season hasn’t been clicking for me. It’s like all the air was sucked out during the Varner/Zeke Tribal.

Hopefully it’ll pick up when folks are betrayed and idols be played.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Sierra in spot eight, while I had her in spot nine. The current score is Team Adam 104, Team Gordon 101.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 9: Boehl-of-the-Ball Edition

May 9, 2017 by

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Sierra is voted out this episode, Adam will receive eight points and Gordon will receive nine points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Game Changers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Adam Klein had Zeke in spot nine, while Gordon Holmes had him in spot eight. The current score is Team Adam 96, Team Gordon 92.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research

Adam’s Score = 96

Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein

Gordon’s Score = 92

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Troyzan: It should not surprise anyone that Troyzan is, once again, at the top of my power rankings. His idol has not come up at all pretty much since he found it. Does that mean it won’t matter? It sure seems like absolutely no one is coming after Troy, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he went all the way to final 5 without needing to play it. In secret scenes, Sierra talked about how the next person to go would be one of herself, Brad, or Tai, leaving out Troyzan. In Tai’s secret scene, he said the same and went further to say that it looked to him like Troyzan was with the majority. And in Troyzan’s secret scene, he talked once again about intentionally playing under the radar. The one thing that is confusing me is that I’ve been saying that Troyzan is likely to idol out Andrea, but if he never gets targeted and plays the idol, how does that happen? 1. Troyzan: I don’t remember the last person who has lived at the top of my rankings for soooooo loooooong. I guess that’s what happens when you’re packing…an idol. And when nobody is afraid to take you to the end.
2. Aubry: I think I’ve figured out what’s going to happen to Aubry. We have been seeing so little of her, but we know she gives great confessionals. So what gives? Last season, the penultimate episode got rid of both Will and Sunday in a one-hour episode, and both of them got little focus/content throughout the season. Based on the number of people left and episodes left, the same thing will happen in the same episode, and it would not surprise me at all to see Aubry go then. For now, she is well protected by Andrea and Cirie as bigger targets on one side, and Sierra and Brad on the other. 2. Michaela: Michaela isn’t making any moves, Michaela isn’t winning any challenges, and Michaela seems to be rubbing jurors the wrong way. There’s no reason to get rid of her.
3. Michaela: This week looks good for Michaela. Like Aubry, she is shielded by other bigger targets. But on top of that, she is shown in the preview making an alliance with Sierra, Tai, and Troyzan. She is still under the radar physically with great potential to win immunities down the line, so with options on both sides, Michaela could go far. 3. Aubry: Hey Aubry, you have the numbers, but your numbers are jam-packed with people who will probably beat you at a final Tribal Council. This odd-numbered vote might be your time to make a move.
4. Tai: With two idols and with Michaela potentially flipping to his side, Tai theoretically looks poised to take control of this game. And yet, his underwhelming edit makes me think that Tai will never really fulfill that potential. My only worry for Tai in the immediate future is that Michaela makes him think that she is flipping, but then sticks with the numbers and he goes home with the idols in his pocket. 4. Tai: It blew my mind that Tai didn’t play one of his forty idols last week. He must feel very safe. But, why? Is he secretly working with CirAndrea? And what does he do now that his alliance voted for him last week? I’m betting one of those idols makes its way into Jeff Probst’s hands this week.
5. Sarah: Sarah flipped on her alliance once to vote out Ozzy, then she flipped again to take out Debbie, then she voted out her closest friend and ally in the game. And yet, somehow, people still want to work with her! Sierra is even going to tell her about the legacy advantage!!! What that tells me is Sarah has to be playing one of the best social games in Survivor history. There is no sign whatsoever of any of the other players recognizing Sarah for the threat that she is, or even being angry for flipping. Sarah has blindsided every single person left in the game, so if they wake up to her maneuvering and control over the game, she’ll be seen as a threat and taken out. But I just don’t see that happening. 5. Cirie: Notice the way they made sure to show us that Cirie was the person who best knew how to pitch ideas to Sarah? Cirie is next-level good and everyone should be scared to death to go to the end with her. If the tide turns and Andrea wins immunity, Cirie could be a big target.
6. Cirie: Cirie is playing an incredible game. She entered Game Changers as one of the most threatening social and strategic players in Survivor history, and yet, she has still not been even considered as a target. She now finds herself in a relatively strong 5-person alliance with the potential to make it to the end game. If Cirie makes it to the end, she wins. But can she get there? In a season where just about all of the other pre-game threats were taken out early, it would be a miraculous achievement and amazing television. 6. Brad: Oh man, we’ve got the loved ones visit this week, don’t we? If Monica advises Brad to be a “neat lady” I will die laughing. Anywho, people want to play with Brad. People want to take Brad to the end. But, I’m not sure there’s anyone Brad can beat at this point.
7. Brad: Brad was looking so good before the merge, but he really seems to be in a pickle now. He is down in the numbers, the only one of his minority to not be shown in the preview strategizing with Michaela, and if he goes home in the episode where he finally gets to ask Monica, in person, what she would do, it would seem a fitting end for a man that has been all about family all season long. 7. Sarah: I really didn’t think Sarah was going to turn on Zeke last week. I wonder if she’s going to start to get a reputation of being too much of a flip-flopper.
8. Sierra: Now that the Zeke/Andrea rift has been decisively settled, the majority’s sights will be set right back onto the minority, and the ‘sheriff’ of that minority is likely to be the first to be targeted. There are some signs of hope, however. In Andrea’s secret scene, she talked about potentially letting Sierra in on the last vote, which suggests some degree of trust. Also, in Sierra’s secret scene, she says she is close with Cirie, Aubry, Sarah, and Andrea. Basically, everyone in the minority except for Michaela. So why, then, is she making a deal with Michaela in the next episode? If Michaela and Sierra truly don’t get along as we have been led to believe, I could see a scenario in which Michaela lulls Sierra into a false sense of security.

Finally, and importantly, is the revelation that Sierra will reveal the legacy advantage to Sarah. This could go one of two ways: it could solidify trust with Sarah, or it could make Sarah want to target Sierra to get the power out of her hands. The former seems more likely to me, which is why, one again…
 8. Andrea: Alright, Boehlke. I’ve had you in the bottom for a while and you keep managing to stick around. All of your pre-season talk about not being a challenge threat was a joke. I still think you’re a goner if you lose immunity. But, nobody else seems to be stepping up.
9. Andrea: For the 4th (and probably not final) time, Andrea rounds out my power rankings. She is doing everything right. She is winning immunities, getting out her rivals, and building a strong resume to win this game. And as a result, she is continuing to elevate her threat level in the game. Sooner or later, someone is going to take a shot. If it happens now, it opens the game back up for Brad, Sierra, Tai, and Troyzan, and if it happens in a few votes, Sarah or Cirie could cruise to a win. The timing of this move will be paramount for the others, but I am still confident that at some point, the move will happen. If I am wrong again and again and Andrea ends up winning I am going to look like such a fool… But it would be amazing!  9. Sierra: Of all of the members of the minority alliance, you’re the last one I’d want to take to the end. You’re likable, you’ve played a much stronger game this time around, and you can probably dunk over me.. Aaaaand, you told Sarah that no matter what, you’ll get immunity at final six. I don’t think you’re going to make it that far.


Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Zeke: ‘The Day After the Varner Incident There Was a Seismic Shift in How I Was Viewed in the Game’

May 4, 2017 by

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: My mom is upset.
Zeke Smith: Oh no, moms love me.
Holmes: I get a post “Survivor” email, and she doesn’t like most people, so she tends to be excited to see them go. But with you, the header was “Darn!” That’s pretty harsh language coming for her.
Smith: Let her know I’m doing OK. It was time for me to go.

Holmes: It seems like there were some parallels between your move against Andrea and your move against David in “Millennials vs. Gen-X.” Is there a desire to make big moves or you just want to get them before they got you?
Smith: I think we have to back-up a little bit and acknowledge the elephant in the room. I walked into the merge with no shot to win. The day after the Varner incident there was a seismic shift in how I was viewed in the game. People I had relationships with like Andrea and Cirie, it was so different.
Holmes: To clarify, they were concerned about going to the end with you because you had a compelling story to tell in front of a jury?
Smith: Yes. I don’t think anyone had a problem with me being trans. Not in the least. This terrible thing had happened to me and the next day nobody made any beans about me being the decoy vote against Michaela or Hali, and the reason why is because nobody wanted to sit next to me at the end. People stopped coming to me to have strategic conversations. If I wanted to get any information, I had to really hustle people to get them to talk to me. The exception was Sarah. She was always my closest ally. And the thing with the move against Andrea was it didn’t happen in a vacuum. Sarah was my closest ally and we both felt uneasy with Cirie and Andrea. They would go off and talk and then sort of deliver orders back to us. And we also had good relationships with Debbie and Tai and Sierra. I think Sarah had better relationships than I did.
Holmes: So, there was no future in an alliance with Andrea.
Smith: I felt very queasy about my position with Andrea and Cirie. I went to Sarah and Debbie and said, “Let’s make a move against one of them.” We agreed together on Andrea. I was told that the foundation had been laid for me to have a conversation with Sierra, that Debbie and Sarah had both primed her and I was just following up. That was not the case. It did not go well. But, I wasn’t the only person that turned on Andrea. Andrea, Sarah, and I had been playing together the entire game. And Sarah also turned on Andrea. I was not a part of that Ozzy vote. I was left out of that, but Sarah was not.

Holmes: Does anyone realize how close Cirie and Michaela are?
Smith: I did not. I didn’t know how close they were. I knew they were tight, but I also felt close with Michaela. We’d both been away from home for a very long time and both of us didn’t know what our lives looked like. There’s a general nastiness across the board on season 34. In 33, whether or not you were voting with someone, we were friendly and fun. Thirty four is a lot more divided. Michaela got the brunt end of that a little bit. She wasn’t tight in any social circle. But, we hung out and were friends. Michaela voted for me three of the four Tribal Councils we were together, so it’s not like we were on the same page. But, we were friendly.
Holmes: “Millennials vs. Gen-X” had such a different tone. Everyone seemed to get along, even if you voted against them. You come into this season and Andrea hopes to see you never. Was the different mood palpable?
Smith: Oh, 100%. Thirty three you had a lot of people who were big “Survivor” fans. Smart, good-hearted people. I think they loved playing “Survivor,” embraced the hardship, and knew that it’s not personal. And in 34, I think everyone’s relationship was different. I don’t think there was this love of “Survivor.” It was personal in a way that I didn’t quite understand. After the Varner incident, I didn’t like “Survivor.” It’s not that I didn’t like “Survivor,” but my experience was a little tainted. But every day of my 62 days, I loved being out there. And the people out there in 34 didn’t love it like I did. That bummed me out. It’s the greatest thing you’re ever going to do! Get excited about it.
Holmes: How do you feel about the game now?
Smith: My love for “Survivor” runs really deep. One of the things I was impressed by was how amazing the people who make “Survivor” are. From the cameramen who run backwards in the sun carrying 50 pounds of gear. To John Kirhoffer, the guy who designs all the challenges. The producers…”Survivor” is an incredible thing and I have the utmost respect for the people who make it.

Holmes: Last night you and Sarah were discussing a five-person alliance with Michaela, Brad, and Troyzan. Was that the real plan? And if so, where does it go from there?
Smith: I think I saw that Sarah was the one who was driving the action in the game. I think Andrea’s eyes were so colored with rage that she couldn’t see that I wasn’t doing anything. I’m sort of running around like an idiot trying to play, but I didn’t have any power. Sarah was making the decisions. And so, I don’t know if I would’ve taken Sarah to five. I’d have gotten rid of her at six or seven. My final three was Brad and Michaela. My biggest problem was that everyone thought the jury wouldn’t deny me because I had a compelling story. So, the best I could do was try to squander that good will. I just needed to piss everyone off so people would think I couldn’t win. And the only people I could beat would be Brad and Michaela. Even though Brad might have a better social game than me, the way he talks about his money and his status, I think it made people less willing to give him the money.

Holmes: Word association time. Let’s start with Hali.
Smith: Beautiful soul.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Smith: Green monster shlong.
Holmes: You’re the third person to bring that up. Ozzy?
Smith: Lives up to the hype.
Holmes: Sierra?
Smith: Cowgirl.
Holmes: Cirie?
Smith: Legend.
Holmes: Debbie?
Smith: Joy.
Holmes: Tai?
Smith: Inspiring.
Holmes: Brad?
Smith: Will leave Monica and elope with James Corden.
Holmes: Sarah?
Smith: My friend.
Holmes: Andrea?
Smith: The complete package.
Holmes: Hannah?
Smith: My fiancé!
Holmes: She’s on this season, right?
Smith: Exactly.
Holmes: JT?
Smith: Good man.
Holmes: Michaela?
Smith: Fiercely independent.
Holmes: Sandra?
Smith: Queen.
Holmes: Aubry?
Smith: Goddess.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Varner.
Smith: Growing.

Holmes: How old were you during “Survivor: The Australian Outback”?
Smith: I’d just turned 13 the day it premiered.
Holmes: Were you watching back then?
Smith: I watched the premiere after the Super Bowl. I remember watching it with my dad.
Holmes: We’re a part of this weird “Survivor” family. You watch it on TV and then years later I’m hanging out with Penner on a beach in the Philippines. It’s very surreal. I imagine you felt the same thing being out there with Ozzy and Cirie. And here’s this guy that you watched on TV as a teenager who is a part of your story now. Where are you two now? Have you forgiven him?
Smith: Let’s address the forgiveness first. I’m not saying that there haven’t been days where it’s been challenging over the past nine months. But, I’ve always thought to forgive him. And I think we should embrace people who show sincere regret like he has. That’s how we encourage people to change and turn adversaries into allies. And as far as us as people, it’s a work in progress. And I think it’s probably best to not play it out in the press.
Holmes: That episode was very difficult to watch, but you handled it like a champ, I think Varner showed genuine regret, and your tribemates’ reactions were inspiring. If you had to put a percentage to the public’s reaction, positive and negative, what would it be?
Smith: I’d say 98% positive. And that 2% is from the world at large, not the “Survivor” community.

Holmes: In “Survivor: Nicaragua,” people immediately targeted Kelly Bruno because they didn’t want to go to the end with an amputee. But as a juror, I feel like I’d vote for someone based on how they played the game not their outside-of-the-game story.
Smith: I think if I sat on my butt and didn’t do anything and did what people told me to, I could’ve gone further. I don’t think my story would have been enough for me to win. But nobody thought I was just going to sit on my butt. My buff said “Game Changer,” not “Butt Sitter.” I think I owed it to the people who gave me that buff to try to change the game.
Holmes: Somewhere Jeff Probst is stroking his chin and thinking, “Hmmm…’Survivor: Butt Sitters.’”
Smith: (Laughs) It’ll be “Survivor 72.”

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 9 Recap: Sarah-digm Shift?

May 3, 2017 by

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Smith had to decide who he was with and Wanner was a goner because Lacina got a little mean-a.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Maku Maku Tribe (wearing yellow)

Andrea, 27
Aubry, 30
Brad, 47
Cirie, 45
Michaela, 25
Sarah, 32
Sierra, 29
Tai, 52
Troyzan, 54
Zeke, 28

The fun kicks off back at Maku Maku beach where Brad is trying to figure out exactly what happened at Tribal. Sarah quickly ends that confusion by admitting that she was the one that flipped. That’s gutsy, but if Sarah is going to win this, she’s got to own her moves.

When asked why Debbie was targeted, Zeke responds that it seemed like she was the one in charge. Really…?

Wait…really?

When things settle down, Andrea, Zeke, Michaela, and Cirie agree that the six is going to stick together for a while. Well, if “Survivor” history has taught us anything, it’s how rock solid a six-person alliance is.

Ahem.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into two teams. One person from each team will race through an obstacle course. When they’re through, other team members will raise them in a chair to retrieve tiles. Then another member of the team will go through the course. Once all of the tiles are recovered, they’ll have to solve a word puzzle. The first team to figure out the answer (“Reinventing How This Game Is Played”) will get an overnight stay at a resort.

Our teams are Andrea, Sarah, Aubry, Zeke, and Brad against Sierra, Troyzan, Cirie, Tai, and Michaela.

And hey, guess what? It doesn’t matter how long the first part of the challenge took because the puzzle took FIFTY MINUTES. The key part is everyone trying to figure out what the eleven-letter word is.

Unfortunately, “Irrelevant” only has ten letters, because it could have been “The First Part of the Challenge Is Irrelevant.”

Zeke and Andrea eventually figure it out for their team.

At the reward, Zeke uses the same football powers he used to bond with Chris Hammons to bond with Brad Culpepper. This makes Andrea uneasy, as if she needed another reason to target Zeke. She thinks it’s “super lame,” which is quite a high degree of lameness.

Back at camp, Sierra is down in the dumps. Hey, at least if your number is up you’ll probably be known as Sierra from “Game Changers” instead of Sierra from “Worlds Apart.”

Later, Andrea pitches the idea of getting rid of Zeke to Cirie. It seems like she’s on board, but she smartly points out that it’ll have to be handled delicately to get Sarah to play along.

Sure enough, Sarah doesn’t love this plan. And, she tells Cirie that she’s not worried about Zeke because she has the ability to steal a vote. There must be some trust there for her to reveal that.

Or…maybe not. Sarah tells us that she’ll happily flip back if she wants to. Then why tell Cirie about your advantage?

Theeeeeen…she tells Zeke that she wants Sierra, Andrea, and Tai to be the boot order. They eventually decide that Zeke should try to bring Brad and Troyzan onto their side.

Of course Brad and Troyzan jump at this chance, even though Brad doesn’t like the idea of voting for Sierra or Tai.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will have to stack blocks domino-style on a rickety platform. The first person to get all of their blocks to fall down across the beam will win immunity.

There’s not much to describe except for high-steppin’ and block placin’. It comes down to Andrea, Sarah, and Michaela with Andrea picking up the win.

Politicking back at camp starts off with Andrea not wanting to wait to pull the trigger on Zeke. Oh man, if she makes this happen, this’ll be the second time his, “target my buddy early” strategy has backfired.

Cirie likes this idea and is sure that Sierra would vote with them if they needed her. Sure enough, Sierra vows to throw anyone under the bus.

Sarah, on the other hand, isn’t digging this line of thinking. Michaela doesn’t like the idea of letting the bottom four stick around either.

That night at Tribal, Sarah again owns up to being the one who flipped. Smart to do that in front of the jury.

Tai feels like he’s on the bottom because nobody is talking to him.

Zeke thinks it’s last week’s six against the other four.

Andrea is used to a majority alliance working together, but now it feels like it’s switching up every week.

Michaela sees the six working together as long as they have the numbers and they should make the simple vote.

Zeke doesn’t think the time is right to make a big move.

Cirie is always running the numbers and trying to figure out when she should do what.

Sierra says she’ll vote anyway the others want her to.

Voting Time: Sierra votes for Tai, Zeke votes for Sierra, and the rest of the votes are lost to the magic of editing.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks is anyone wants to play an idol and…nobody does.

Alright, we’ve got one vote for Tai, one vote for Sierra, one vote for Tai, one vote for Sierra, one vote for Tai, four votes for Zeke, and the eleventh person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” and the fourth member of the jury is…Zeke.

Verdict: Huh…I wonder why Tai felt safe enough to not play an idol?

Anywho, it feels like the happy-go-lucky “Millennials vs. Gen-X” style did not mesh with the hold-a-grudge style of every other season.

That being said, we’re down to final nine and there are a lot of good potential winners left.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Zeke in spot nine, while I had him in spot eight. The current score is Team Adam 96, Team Gordon 92.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 8: Balance Beaming Edition

May 2, 2017 by

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Sierra is voted out this episode, Adam will receive eight points and Gordon will receive nine points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Game Changers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Adam Klein had Debbie in spot three, Gordon Holmes had her in spot four. The current score is Team Adam 87, Team Gordon 84.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research

Adam’s Score = 87

Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein

Gordon’s Score = 84

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Troyzan: Didn’t get a chance to watch secret scenes this week so let’s just say that I am giving away my edge on purpose to give Gordon a chance to make up that 3-point deficit! Strangely, even though last week’s vote was a huge blow to my power rankings and a huge shake up in the game, my overall rankings haven’t changed all that much. I should be worried for Troyzan’s side, but it seems like that side has most of the narrative focus for this season, minus Cirie. I can compare it to my season, when even though my side was in the minority after the rock draw, most viewers could tell that somehow we would get back in power, since our edits were way more fleshed out than Sunday’s, Will’s, and Bret’s on the other side, and it wouldn’t have made sense to the story if they became the final four.

Troyzan keeps the top spot once again. He is laying low, has solid relationships, and isn’t anyone’s biggest threat. It also helps that Troyzan and his crew have all of the idols in the game, and so even if the numbers don’t switch up this week, they would likely put one of those idols to good use.
 1. Troyzan: Man, Troyzan has lived at the top of these rankings ever since he found that immunity idol. The question now is; how can he win? Who should he be trying to get to sit with him at the end? Resume-wise, he can’t hold a candle to most of the remaining players. Everyone seems to like him, but nobody else is super hated. He’s going to need to up his profile soon if he’s going to take this thing.
2. Tai: Tai did well to lay relatively low in the last episode and I now think he goes from being the most likely of the (former) six to be targeted to now relatively safe. Sierra seems to be the biggest threat in the eyes of the other side, and then if Sierra wins immunity they would probably try to take out her right hand, which the edit is saying is Brad. Ironically, I actually think being on the bottom is a safer place for Tai in terms of not being blindsided with idols in his pocket. Now that he is in the minority, he should rightly be concerned about being voted out, and will be far more likely to plan an idol to keep himself safe. 2. Tai: After last week’s shake-up, everyone who was in trouble last week is still in trouble. (I’m looking at you Andrea, Zeke, and Cirie.) And, some people who felt safe last week are now in trouble. (Yup, that’s you Brad, Sierra, and Sarah.) Oddly enough, that leaves the guys who are packing idols on the outside. There’s no reason to target them at all.
3. Sarah: Sarah, despite flipping away from the six, has seemingly escaped the narrative that normally goes along with a ‘flipper’ such as Kass in Cagayan or Cochran in South Pacific. In those cases, the people that were flipped on were PISSED, and never willing to work with the ‘flipper’ again. And yet, somehow, through a superb social game, Sarah has both sides still wanting to work with her, as least according to what we’ve seen so far. She is keeping herself in a crucial ‘swing vote’ position, almost playing the game Will Wahl intended to play with his ‘pendulum strategy’ last season.

The main reason, though, why I still have Sarah so high is that after finding the vote steal advantage, she emphatically claimed that she would play it correctly. Whether or not it will be true, I have to imagine she will at least play it. So until she does, she most likely will be safe. Then again, Debbie was my number three last week, so what do I know!
 3. Aubry: Finally, a little bit of luck for Aubry. Two factions are going to be jockeying for position and you’re not an obvious target for either one. Buuuut…you’re in that Troyzan boat where you don’t have any significant moments on your resume. You’ve gotta be looking for a chance to make yourself heard.
4. Aubry: This shakeup was huge for Aubry. It might just be the opening she needs to get back into the game, and it’s easily the highest I have ever ranked her this season. Maybe, just maybe, people will finally be willing to hitch their wagon to Aubry. What she needs to do is focus all her efforts on keeping the peace between Andrea and Zeke, because if they go at each other again before they take out someone else from the other side, all hell could break lose, as it did when Dave and Zeke went at it at the final 10 last season. With shields in Cirie as the biggest strategic threat and Andrea as the biggest physical threat, even if her side gets hit this week, Aubry should be safe. 4. Michaela: The people who don’t like Michaela think of her as more of a nuisance than a threat. After last week’s blow-up, threats will be the most popular thing on the menu.
5. Brad: Since the merge, Brad’s edit has shifted, from being the man in charge to being Sierra’s second-in-command. As long as Sierra is in the game, she will likely be targeted first over Brad, unless of course she wins immunity. Brad still seems to have a lot of connections in the game and it will be interesting to see if he can pull anyone over to his side, as I don’t see him or anyone on his side turning on each other just yet. 5. Cirie: That was awesome when Jeff Probst was so supportive of Cirie during last week’s reward challenge. When I struggle in a challenge, all Probst says to me is, “I can’t believe your wife dedicated the rest of her life to a loser like you.” Anywho…I’d really like to see Cirie win this whole thing. I’m just not sure how it’ll happen. People have to know she’s risky to take to the end and it’s doubtful she could go on any kind of challenge run.
6. Michaela: Like Aubry, this shake up is huge for Michaela’s game. It gives her room to move and a chance to play from the top, where she will feel more comfortable both strategically and socially. And still, Michaela is doing a great job of hiding how physically capable she really is. I just hope she lasts long enough to see her go all out and beast some of these individual immunities. 6. Sarah: Welcome to the game, Sarah. You waited for your shot and you took it. I’m still not exactly sure why you targeted Debbie, she seems like one of the people you could have definitely beaten in the end. Now, how do you get to the end with people you can win against? And avoid the target that you’ve just placed on your back? I think you’ll have some room to maneuver these next few votes. You should take this time to start working toward your endgame.
7. Cirie: Cirie is back on top and, somehow, both from an in-game perspective and an edit perspective, actually has a shot to win this game. And yet, the chances that even her own group will allow Cirie to get to the very end of this game are so unfortunately low. She is a massive threat, playing a superb game, with an incredible story, who has now had an inspirational moment to boot. The only thing keeping her from being target number 1 is that others have other issues to see to first, whether it’s going after someone who is coming after you (Zeke/Andrea), someone who is likely to win individual immunities (Andrea), or needing to take out the leader of the other side (Sierra). 7. Brad: Brad is going to reach into the “What Would Monica Do?” gamebook and come out empty handed when he tries to find the “The Dominant Alliance I Was in Charge of Is Now on the Bottom” page. Monica never had to deal with that. Fortunately for Brad, he was kind co-in-charge with Sierra. Maybe it’s time to nudge her under the bus.
8. Sierra: If someone from the current minority is going to go home, it’s almost certain to be Sierra unless she wins immunity. Andrea/Cirie’s side see her as the biggest threat in that group, and even the edit has shown her to be the ‘sheriff’ calling the shots. If nothing changes and the most recent majority stays together, why wouldn’t they target the ringleader? The good news for Sierra is that it’s unclear whether Andrea and Zeke can continue to play nice, and she is tightly aligned with two people that have idols that could use it on her to even out the numbers. 8. Zeke: If I’m part of this season and I know that Zeke and Andrea have been tight since day one, and he turns on her without a really good reason, why would I want to work with him? It feels like this move would have been appreciated in the very strategy-centric “Millennials vs. Gen-X” season, but not in a returnee outing. And for that reason, as long as Andrea is around, Zeke will never be safe.
9. Zeke: Zeke and Andrea need to make up, and quick. At this same point last season, Zeke decided that he could no longer trust his ally Dave anymore, and they immediately went to war, resulting in a rock draw and a massive target on Zeke’s (and Dave’s) backs. Zeke needs to learn from that and be able to smooth things over with members of his (former) alliance. It is too soon to try to turn on your own, and if Zeke goes after Andrea again, he will start a civil war that may just be the end of his side’s chances. Unfortunately for Zeke, almost no one is really watching his back at this point with the exception of Sarah, so he could be a target for either side.  9. Sierra: When you said, “Sierra Dawn Thomas” before this season, the popular response was, “How is she a Game Changer?” Or simply, “Who?” Well, kudos to her for coming out swinging in her second go-around. Now that she’s on the bottom, she’s got to work that Zeke/Andrea rift like it’s her job. She’s got to wrestle it to the ground and tie it up with a rope and then stand with one foot on it. (That’s what rodeo people do, right?)
10. Andrea: Andrea is perennially near the bottom of my power rankings (and in the last spot for the 3rd time), and impressively has managed to survive time and time again. With Zeke and Sarah potentially in the driver’s seat, however, and with the other side interested in knocking out their biggest immunity threat, Andrea is still in hot water. She also has the bottom spot because I still have that scene in the back of my mind where Troyzan talked about not trusting Andrea when they were on Tavua. I feel like that has to matter at some point, unless it’s just like the summit from my season where something happens but there’s no real point. So even if the new majority stays strong, Andrea could still be idoled out. 10. Andrea: Andrea doesn’t have that end-game presence that a lot of “Survivor” legends have, but it’s time for her to start entering that conversation. She has challenge prowess, strategic chops, and a strong social game. The only reason she’s on the bottom of the list is because everyone is scared to death of her.


Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Debbie: “I Said to Brad, ‘When Somebody Flips, It’s Going to Be Sarah’”

April 27, 2017 by

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: So, last night as you were carrying your torch over to Probst, who did you think had flipped from your six-person alliance?
Debbie Wanner: I had a strong suspicion, but I wasn’t 100% sure. The first time you see your name come up, as soon as I saw Debbie I knew it, I was 80% sure I knew who it was.
Holmes: What about Sarah made you think she was the most likely to flip?
Wanner: So, I have a great relationship with Gordon and we have a conversation and I know that I’ve been a little untruthful with Gordon and I have to wonder how much he’s lied to me. Now Gordon goes and talks to Sarah and I’m watching. So now I have to wonder how much truth is going on there. Gordon talks to Nemo and somebody talks to somebody, you have all of these conversations. There’s something about looking somebody in the eye and I know Sarah is a cop and she’s used to be duplicitous. But, she was off talking to too many people, too much of the time and I got a bad vibe. And you have to trust your gut. I said to Brad, “When somebody flips, it’s going to be Sarah.” It just turns out we didn’t move fast enough…at least I didn’t move fast enough.

Holmes: The perception seems to be that Brad and Sierra are running the show. So, why do you think you were the first target?
Wanner: That’s a good question. The reason it was me was probably in case Brad or Sierra had an idol. Remember earlier in the season Tai had popped up with an idol and had come to Brad and Sierra’s defense. Quite frankly, I don’t know. I certainly wasn’t a challenge beast. Perhaps Sarah thought Sierra and I were too close and it was easier to take me out. I’m only speculating.

Holmes: The balance beam challenge…why do you think you reacted so strongly afterwards?
Wanner: I was always in an alliance with Brad and I never wanted anyone to know that we were so close. The reason Ozzy was voted out was because Ozzy was targeting Brad. Ozzy and I went for a walk and he said, “I want out Brad and then I want out Sierra.” So, of course I went back and told Brad. It was a mutual decision. So, I never wanted anyone to know that we were as close as we were. I adore his wife. I have the utmost respect for her gameplay. And I thought he got a bad rap when he played. I didn’t know him outside of the game. I thought he was a cool guy. Hali came across to me as somewhat of a prima donna. I should have let things go and let her have her way. She’s a great girl, I adore her. Beautiful young lady. But “Survivor” is a game where you’re poked and prodded. I just over did it. And a lot of it was acting. I didn’t want people to know that we were that close so they’d let me know if they were targeting him. However, I know that the edit was taken out of a chronological sequence. There was a lot of acting and unfortunately someone should have just given me a Snickers bar at that point.

Holmes: What was your plan for the rest of the game if Andrea had gone home last night?
Wanner: Brad, Sierra Dawn, and myself.
Holmes: How would you have bested them in front of a jury?
Wanner: As cool as Brad is, and as much as I admire him, a lot of people were uneasy around him and found him to be cocky. He’s a very successful person. An NFL player, a successful attorney. Some people, instead of admiring that, actually resent it. He’s probably already a millionaire and some people are jealous of it. That would have been an easy card to play. Sierra Dawn…she may have beat me. And if she did, maybe I would have been OK with it because she’s a great human being, all the way around. But, I would’ve tried to say something like…”We made joint decisions, let the chips fall where they may.”

Holmes: Word association time. Let’s start with Ozzy.
Wanner: Jungle man.
Holmes: Andrea?
Wanner: Beautiful.
Holmes: Cirie?
Wanner: An amazing human being.
Holmes: Sierra Dawn?
Wanner: Cowgirl
Holmes: Brad?
Wanner: A man’s man.
Holmes: JT?
Wanner: The life of the party.
Holmes: Caleb?
Wanner: Barely knew him.
Holmes: Sandra?
Wanner: (Laughs) Goat eater.
Holmes: (Laughs) Varner?
Wanner: Give him some peace.
Holmes: Agreed. Troyzan?
Wanner: Very cool…turtle man.
Holmes: Hali?
Wanner: Southern belle.
Holmes: Aubry?
Wanner: (Laughs) My quirky little nemesis. She’s awesome.
Holmes: Zeke?
Wanner: Colorful character.
Holmes: Tai?
Wanner: My turtle blood brother.
Holmes: Sarah?
Wanner: Disingenuous.
Holmes: Michaela?
Wanner: Great athlete, comic relief.

Holmes: Michaela’s name is on the chopping block all the time. Since the early episodes. It seems like she wasn’t very popular out there, but we haven’t seen exactly why people have been targeting her. What’s going on there?
Wanner: I found Michaela to be a bright, friendly person. She was quite lovable. A lot of it is in the eye of the beholder. To other people she could have been standoffish. She certainly isn’t the most weepy person. Perhaps people perceive her to be a tough young lady and sometimes strong women turn people off. If a man acts one way, he’s awesome, he’s a man’s man. And if a woman acts that way she’s a cold-blooded bitch. Perhaps Michaela was treated differently because she’s a woman. Was she supposed to act more dainty? More empathetic? More sympathetic? I just thought she was being a strong, tough lady.

Holmes: So far you’ve been the only visitor to the S.S. Exile.
Wanner: (Laughs) Lucky me!
Holmes: Did anyone ever find out the truth about that? And if not, what was the reaction when it aired?
Wanner: Gordon, on that my lips were sealed. I told no one. It was so beautiful, people kept asking, “Did you have flint? Did you have rice?” And actually, I didn’t. There was no duplicitousness. And no one has given me a hard time. They loved it. There was one moment where I climbed to the top of the boat like in “Titanic.” I said, “I’m king of the world!” and jumped off!

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 8 Recap: Rogue Cop?

April 26, 2017 by

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Tai’s victory brought him elation, Zeke and Andrea ended their relation, and “Ozzy Slayer” became Debbie’s latest occupation.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Maku Maku Tribe (wearing yellow)

Andrea, 27
Aubry, 30
Brad, 47
Cirie, 45
Debbie, 51
Michaela, 25
Sarah, 32
Sierra, 29
Tai, 52
Troyzan, 54
Zeke, 28

Things kick off after last week’s  Tribal where Debbie is claiming that her six-person alliance is a “line drawn in concrete.” Yeah, but you’ve got an odd-numbered Tribal coming up. Someone’s got to be on the bottom of that six.

If you’re not careful it’s going to be a line drawn in soup.

Quick Aside: Not only do they have the numbers, but they have THREE idols! They don’t all know that, but it’s true.

Later on, Andrea calls out Zeke for turning on her. He claims that Andrea and Cirie had no intention to take him deep into the game. Based on…? Zeke turned on them because he wasn’t driving the ship…the second-place ship at that point.

Sarah tells Zeke to relax because he’s on the outskirts of Sheriff Sierra’s Six. (I’m not in love with that name, but I do like alliteration.)

Sarah then lets us know that lines drawn in the sand disappear after the tide.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into two teams of five by a schoolyard pick. One-by-one each team will have a player swim through an obstacle course. Once they’ve reached the end, they’ll dive down to retrieve a grappling hook. The first tribe to use the hook to claim five rings will win a trip to a picnic.

Note: The person who isn’t picked won’t get to go on the reward. Booooo! Let them bet on the winner, Jeff!

Alright, we’ve got Culpepper, Debbie, Andrea, Aubry, and Sierra on one side and Cirie, Sarah, Zeke, Troyzan, and Tai on the other.

Before we start off, Michaela calls everyone “some bitches.” Can’t disagree there. If you want to win a challenge, Michaela can go.

As Probst is asking if the Survivors are ready, the camera pans down to show some kind of “Secret Advantage” at Michaela’s feet.

We start off and there isn’t much to describe except for swimmin’ and obstaclin’. At one point, Troyzan loses his shorts. Fortunately, the censors block the exact thing Hali and Malcolm described in their exit interviews.

Andrea manages to get a small measure of revenge on Zeke by passing him as he’s having serious problems on a balance beam.

Eventually, all of Team Culpepper makes it to the end. Meanwhile, Cirie is having difficulties getting up onto a platform.

As Brad’s team retrieves their rings, Sarah actually heads back to help Cirie even though that means Sarah will have to complete the course twice. Cirie tries to make it through the balance beam portion, but keeps falling into the water.

As this is going on, Brad’s team wins reward. But, the celebration is short-lived as everyone turns around to cheer Cirie on as she is determined to make it across the balance beam.

Both teams swim out to lend their support. Troyzan even gives her a heartwarming pep talk. And…she…does it!

Also, it’s dusty in a living room in eastern Pennsylvania.

As the players head out, Sarah notices the advantage that Michaela didn’t discover. Sarah swims over and manages to snag it without anyone noticing.

When we get back to camp, we learn that Sarah’s advantage is to steal a vote. That always works out well.

On the flight to the reward, Debbie brags because she’s in airplanes more frequently than the rest of the cast. She knows how they got to Fiji, right?

Later, Brad tells us that he intentionally left members of his alliance off of his challenge team. That’s smart. We see people make that mistake all the time.

Meanwhile, Sierra is psyched because it’s obvious that the people on the outside of her alliance are at each other’s throats. She tells us that she’s in the driver’s seat.

CUT TO: Cirie convincing Sarah that she’s on the bottom of her alliance.

Cirie also tells Sarah that Sierra will beat her at final three because people will think Sierra carried her.

They crunch the numbers and come up with an alliance that features Sarah, Cirie, Zeke, Michaela, Aubry, and possibly Andrea.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will use blocks to spell the word “Immunity” on a board that they are holding steady with a rope. Only one block can be carried to the board at a time. The first person to complete the word will win immunity.

They should have to build the word “Metamorphosis.”

Anywho, not much to describe here except for slow walkin’ and block stackin’. It comes down to Troyzan and Andrea with Andrea being unable to keep her stack standin’. Troyzan wins immunity. And he kept his shorts on. Double win!

Politicking back at camp starts with Sheriff Sierra’s Six debating between Michaela and Andrea. After a discussion, it’s decided that Andrea’s better at challenges and should go home first.

However, this decision was pretty much made before anyone consulted Sarah.

Sarah takes this the way you’d imagine and approaches Zeke with the idea of turning on the six. He’s all for it, but he’s worried about working with Andrea. Sarah and Andrea have a discussion and it seems like everything is somewhat smoothed over.

Later on, Sierra tells Sarah that she’s hoping to go to the final three with her and Debbie. This makes Sarah reconsider her place in Sierra’s plan. She’s not on the bottom.

Buuuut…that means that Sierra thinks she can beat you, Sarah.

In other news, Debbie tells Aubry that Sarah doesn’t trust her and that she’s hoping they can work together.

CUT TO: Aubry telling Sarah what Debbie said.

That night at Tribal, Andrea admits that she’s on the bottom and she desperately needed to win immunity.

Zeke then calls out the six-person alliance by name.

Debbie is happy to be in the six and says that they have respect for each other and everyone gets a voice.

Andrea says that the word on the street (beach?) is that Michaela’s number is up. But, it’d make sense for them to leak false information. Also, she heard people cheer when her blocks fell at the immunity challenge.

Debbie thinks everyone in the alliance has an accurate view of their place in the alliance and that’s how it works. Probst points out that it’s impossible for everyone to be on top.

Zeke is hoping the deck will reshuffle after every Tribal and he’ll get another shot.

Sarah calls it “wishful thinking” that the deck is going to reshuffle.

Michaela didn’t get any marching orders, so she’s going to march out swinging.

Voting Time: Debbie votes for Andrea while saying that nobody in the alliance gives order or takes orders. Andrea votes for Debbie and blows her a kiss. And, the rest of the votes are lost to the magic of editing.

Probst tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Andrea, one vote for Debbie, one vote for Andrea, one vote for Debbie, one vote for Andrea, one vote for Debbie, one vote for Andrea, one vote for Debbie, one vote for Andrea, one vote for Debbie, and the tenth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” and the third member of the jury is…Debbie.

Verdict: Always nice to see a dominant alliance get cut off before they can bore us with a complete Pagonging.

And, I think this was a good move for Sarah. I don’t know which combo of the six she could’ve beaten without a stronger resume.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Debbie in spot three, I had her in spot four. The current score is Team Adam 87, Team Gordon 84.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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