Author: Parvati Shallow

December 09, 2015 6:00pm PT by Parvati Shallow

 Courtesy of CBS

Parvati Shallow is a Survivor champ and three-time competitor on the show. Find her on Twitter @parvatishallow.

“We could totally win challenges now.” Is Spencer’s statement foreshadowing his imminent immunity win?

It’s safe to say everyone is a bit relieved that challenge-dominating Joe is out of the game, and now the playing field is more even. While I know many fans, myself included, are missing Joe’s fabulous, flowing mane, we have to admit it will be more fun watching challenges that anyone can win. 

So, let’s get to it. 

The reward challenge is a repeat of one that Keith won in his previous season, and watching him fly through the ropes course, gathering just enough rope to give him space to complete the bag toss, we see just how unfair this is. Not to minimize Keith’s ferocity in challenges, but it appears that the rope gathering is the trick to win this, and having competed and won this challenge before gives Keith the ultimate advantage. 

After destroying everyone in the challenge, Keith chooses Kelley to join him on the most incredible reward of all time, a trip to Siem Reap to be blessed by monks and to sleep in the ancient temples. Now this is a reward worth fighting for, and when Keith gets to choose another player to join him, I’m surprised that no one begs for it. Keith stares at the ground and picks Spencer. 

Jeff, with the utmost curiosity, must know what just went down in Keith’s mush-ball brain. In his attempt to placate Jeff, Keith points to Jeremy and garbles about seeing Val and then looks at Tasha and completely blanks on her name, mumbling something about her cousin and how hard that was. 

Say what??

This season of Survivor is one of the best I’ve ever seen in regards to just how much these people are going through. I think the fast-paced nature of this game, plus being beaten down by the elements and not eating enough, is really taking its toll. 

What happened to all those giant clams that you were collecting in the beginning, Kimmi? Was Monica right in wanting to ration the ocean’s bounty for the end game? We haven’t seen them eating anything but rice for the past two episodes, so I think Kimmi may be regretting her choice to eat all the food up front. We’ll never know what’s going on in Kimmi’s head, however, because she simply does not speak. Her big talk last week about pulling together an all-girls alliance has fizzled and is not even on the radar anymore. Sometimes I forget Kimmi’s even here — until we have a scare like Tasha’s near-death experience at the immunity challenge. 

The immunity challenge is rough for everyone. Spencer, after his feast and a good night’s sleep at the Angkor temples, is racing out front — until he face-plants into the side of a boat and has to return to the start. I’m wincing each time we see Spencer take another digger in his desperate attempt to win. It all pays off in the end when Spencer takes 15 seconds to crush this insanely difficult puzzle and win immunity. Seriously, I realize that I am no puzzle master, but I tried that puzzle in San Juan Del Sur when I went down with press, and after 10 minutes, I still didn’t even come close to getting it. This is a huge victory for Spencer. He’s just proven himself a force to be reckoned with at challenges, and he’s earned the title of Puzzle King of Cambodia. No one will beat Spencer at a puzzle from here on out. You mark my words. 

While Spencer is making quick work of the puzzle, Tasha is still in the water — looking in need of serious assistance. The underwater safety team rushes to her aid and drags her onto the platform to asses her need for medical care. She’s visibly shaken and coughing up a lot of water. This is scary. 

It’s the second time we’re seeing strong contestants’ bodies give out at a challenge. Joe’s body crumbled in last week’s immunity challenge, and now Tasha’s body is failing from exhaustion. These people are giving everything they have to this game. And, each one of them will give everything to get to the end. 

While they’re all playing their hardest, not everyone has an equal shot at winning. Abi believes she’s really beefing up her Survivor résumé, and despite knowing that people want to take her to the end because they think they can beat her, she thinks she’s got what it takes to win. This is crazy talk. I like Abi, but she has no shot at winning this game. She’s played erratically and made people uncomfortable. She did have some power in the beginning of the game, but we haven’t seen her making any strategic moves since then. All of the strategizing credit must go to Kelley Wentworth for getting out Joe last week and saving Abi. 

So, for this tribal council, will people be targeting Keith because he’s a challenge threat, Abi because she’s a threat to go to the end or Tasha because she’s so close to Jeremy and Kimmi?

I have to give credit to these contestants. Just when I think I know who’s tight with whom and which way the vote’s going to go, I’m surprised. Spencer and Jeremy start each morning off with a coffee walk and strategy talk. They look super close, but Spencer has turned on Jeremy and Jeremy has betrayed Spencer’s trust. How can anyone know who’s truly trustworthy when they all seem so close? 

Which “we” will it be??

Trust is so nuanced in this game. Kelley and Keith trust Spencer because they just made a deal with him on the reward to vote out Tasha. But, when Tasha approaches Spencer with a plea to give the fans the best show, Spencer is sold. At this point, it’s less about trust and more about the bigger picture. What will the fans want? A boring, predictable final three? Or will Spencer give the people that voted him back in the game what they want — an exciting final show?

With this argument, Tasha wins Spencer’s vote for this tribal council, sending Abi packing. 

Who knows what will happen next week as we sail into the final episodes of this magnificent season? One thing is certain, Kelley Wentworth will most certainly have to play her idol, and we can expect some more fireworks at tribal council. 

Giddy up, Survivor!

Survivor

Parvati Shallow

THRnews@thr.com

November 12, 2015 12:39pm PT by Parvati Shallow

The cast of ‘Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance’  AP Images

Season 31 of the CBS reality show features returning castmembers who were chosen by viewers.

Parvati Shallow is a ‘Survivor’ champ and three-time competitor on the show. Find her on Twitter @parvatishallow.

“I’m hoping for a miracle at tribal council.” — Ciera Easton

Ciera, Abi and Kelley Wentworth have to find a way to pull magic rabbits out of their coconuts after losing their mama bear, Kass, in last week’s episode of Survivor: Second Chance. The ladies are now working from a severe numbers deficit, but they are not willing to go down without a fight. I admire their tenacity, and I believe their willingness to fight for each other will pay off. Cut to Ciera and Stephen walking along the beach discussing a new target — Stephen’s enemy number one: Joe. 

No matter how juicy Joe is to watch, Stephen is right. Joe is a huge threat to continue to win challenges, and if he makes it to final tribal, he could easily charm the jury to give him the win. I hate to admit it, but if anyone else stands a chance to win, they must vote out Joe. 

So far, Stephen’s nerdy, non-threatening persona has allowed him to play second fiddle to Jeremy’s leadership. Now, however, it appears Stephen is ready to make his move, and he wants to get the ladies on the bottom to help him out. Losing the reward challenge breaks his sweet little poet heart, and he feels like he’s missed a huge opportunity to bond. Stephen knows a lot about the game. He made it all the way to the end in Tocantins, and since then, he’s made a career out of talking strategy. He understands that winning this game comes down to how well a player can develop relationships. Rewards offer fresh locations that allow people to open up to different types of conversations and ways of thinking. Ciera is whip-smart and gets this fundamental truth; she seizes the moment to talk a little strategy. She’s planting seeds that may bear fruit by the next tribal council. 

Side note, how cute is Keith tuk-tukking around the beach? You just have to love this guy. 

Back at camp, Stephen is also hustling to get people to agree to the Joe blindside. Unfortunately, Savage overhears Stephen’s pitch to Tasha and vows to crush the Fish. Savage loves Joe like his firstborn son, and he will do whatever it takes to protect him, including blindsiding Stephen. This is all playing out like a Shakespearean drama, and I am into it. 

The only thing that matters for Ciera and Stephen’s plan to work is this: Joe cannot win immunity. But we know he will, and of course, he does. So now the game is back on. Savage and Joe are now working together to get rid of Stephen. When Stephen’s number one ally, Jeremy, walks up and sees Savage swinging in the hammock like a Machiavellian prince directing his army, Jeremy pops a squat right by Savage’s ear. He tells Savage no. It won’t be Fishbach tonight. And just like that, we see who’s really wearing the crown. 

Tasha quickly runs to Joe to let him know the plan to vote Fishy is off. It’s fascinating to me to watch the interpersonal dynamics. Why are some people connecting so deeply? We’re not seeing how the bonds have been developing, and that makes it more difficult to understand why people are so fiercely loyal to certain people. I’m sure some pre-game alliances must be coming into play at this point. No matter, I love that Jeremy put the smack-down on Savage, but now I’m worried about the fate of our three fair maidens: Abi, Ciera and Kelley Wentworth. It’s now a question of which lady the majority alliance feels is the biggest threat. 

They choose Kelley Wentworth, and rightfully so. This girl has been my pick to win the game since day one. She’s super smart, physically strong and despite having an idol burning a hole in her pocket, she’s playing a very subtle, adaptive game. At tribal council, the girls know it’s one of them. Kelley’s got her idol. Will she play it? What if the majority splits the votes like they did last week? They have the numbers and could easily go 5 for Kelly and 4 for Ciera just in case one of them has an idol. 

“You know what, Jeff.” I’m dying! Kelley plays her idol in epic fashion. 

I’m shocked that they don’t split the votes, and when Kelley plays her idol, they’re all shocked, too. 

It’s a beautiful move and brings Kelley to the forefront of gameplay for this season. She’s wearing the crown tonight, and I hope she can maintain the power she’s gained and swing some of the others toward her side. I’m concerned that she has now showed her cards, and people will start to realize how much more dangerous Kelley is than they ever imagined. 

Until next week, I’m so proud of Kelley. 

For a more in-depth strategy analysis and my thoughts on what’s to come, click here.

Survivor

Parvati Shallow

THRnews@thr.com

November 05, 2015 5:13pm PT by Parvati Shallow

The cast of ‘Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance’  AP Images

Season 31 of the CBS reality show features returning castmembers who were chosen by viewers.

Parvati Shallow is a ‘Survivor’ champ and three-time competitor on the show. Find her on Twitter @parvatishallow.

A merge with 13 people makes for an exciting strategic episode of Survivor: Second Chance! We’ve never seen a merge with numbers this high in the history of the game. Our contestants now have to switch up their strategy and work with a new group of players yet again. This is Survivor on steroids, and these second-chancers are all having to beef up their gameplay to keep up. 

With the merge comes individual immunity challenges — my favorite! Many of the players left in the game are either massive physical threats or brainiacs, so these individual challenges are going to be fun to watch. Of course, no one stands a chance with beautiful Joe still in the ranks. I’m not sure why more people haven’t been targeting Joe. He’s the only person in the game that could dominate every single challenge from this day forward. I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe just takes the immunity necklace all the way to the final tribal council and wins the game on sheer physical prowess alone. Seriously, though, could he be more perfect? 

Ok, enough gushing about Joe and his perfection, let’s get to strategizing! After Joe scoops up immunity, Kass fires out of the gates, making bold declarations of deceit. Until now, she was laying low, playing nice and making friendship bracelets. Now that we’ve merged, Kass is running her old “Chaos Kass” program. She tries making nice with Tasha and reads right through Tasha’s lies. Seeing that Tasha is not interested in working with her, Kass realizes that she must do something to create a crack in the old Bayon alliance. So, in front of the whole tribe, Kass takes the opportunity to expose Tasha as a “liar.” Kass tells everyone that Tasha sold out Bayon and said that Bayon is over. Tasha gets defensive and claims she never said that. Then, Ciera seizes the moment and adds a sprinkle of even more insanity to the mix. Ciera outs Savage for wanting to turn on Jeremy. Savage gets pissed. And it’s all downhill for Ciera and Kass from here. 

As a viewer, it appears to me that Kass’ outburst causes her to paint a target on her own back that may have been avoided if she could have kept her mouth shut. I question her motives with the move. Did she not realize that the majority of these people want to play a slower, more old-school game? It looks like these people want to keep the peace, and Kass showing her deceptive side makes her look dangerous. She’s a strategic threat, and she’s a strong leader, and Jeremy and Savage can’t have her causing trouble in their perfect setup. 

So, Kass is target number one. Of course Savage feels hurt by Ciera and wants her out, but he’s overruled and must go with the majority. Spencer and Joe are in the swing spots and now become serious power players. It makes sense for Joe to go with the alphas — Jeremy and Savage, but Spencer may be better off with Kass. After all, Savage did just try to blindside Spencer in the last episode. 

Where’s Wigglesworth? I think I saw her in this episode, but…yeah, she’s still not talking. 

Now all the lines in the sand are scribbled up, and even Spencer’s sand diagram doesn’t help me understand who stands with whom. Maybe tribal council will give us more clarity. 

Thirteen people sit down on their individual stumps, making this the largest tribal council ever. And Jeff Probst handles it all seamlessly. The women who are being targeted for this vote are sitting front and center — Ciera, Kass and Tasha. Kass tries to stir up some chaos, again aiming at Tasha. Tasha throws it right back, refusing to take any of it. And then Ciera gets into the game, telling people to “just play!” It’s pretty wild to watch. As I’m taking it all in, I’m thinking Ciera is encouraging people to vote her out. It looks like her campaign may sway Savage to write her name down, and if this happens, then Ciera will have effectively voted herself out of the game. You have to know when to speak up and when to back off, and it looks to me like Ciera desperation to play with more intensity may backfire on her. 

But, I’m wrong. Savage votes for Kass, and Chaos Kass’ second chance comes to an end. She sounds sad as she says goodbye, and I am surprised that I feel a little sad to be losing her. She was really fun to watch this time, and the game will feel her loss. 

Until next week, my friends! If you still haven’t gotten your Survivor fix, check out my video recaps here. 

Survivor

Parvati Shallow

THRnews@thr.com