The latest episode offers concrete proof that there is actually a person named Heather playing the game.
Well, I guess we all know who Heather is now.
There are a few people I feel really terrible for each and everySurvivorseason.
The cast of ‘Survivor 41’.Robert Voets/CBS
There’s the first person voted out.
That has to suck.
I’m talking your Purple Kellys, your Julia Landauers, your Rick Nelsons, and your Carter Williamses.
The cast of ‘Survivor 41’.Robert Voets/CBS
Heather has basically not been seen or heard all season, save one scene.
And that scene was her bumbling and stumbling in a challenge.
Her only other starring role has been courtesy of aSydney Segal exit interview.
Naseer Muttalif and Shantel Smith on ‘Survivor 41’.Robert Voets/CBS
Other than that, invisible.
or hang upside down on a tree.
But this week was Heather’s big coming out party.
Tiffany Seely on ‘Survivor 41’.Robert Voets/CBS
Not did she shock of all shockers!
She took the entire thing over.
She moved votes from left to right.
She got warring alliances to declare a truce and align for a common cause and a common target.
I meeeeeeeeean……… it would have been nice if it had played out that way.
I so wanted that for Heather.
But it didn’t work out like that.
Instead, Heather went “live Tribal” style and attempted to sell the others on voting out Naseer.
It was so bad that even the person Heather was trying to save, Tiffany, voted against her.
All of which leads me to ask: WHY CAN’T HEATHER HAVE NICE THINGS?!?
Seriously, throw the lady a bone!
At least they actually aired it, I guess.
They told me to drop the 4!)
(Not that far, it turns out.)
Props to the editors on that one.
It was especially odd Xander did not locate it because it was not very well hidden.
And obviously I love the idea of putting yourself in a position to gain an advantage.
Go back and watch it.
It was just so obvious!
After last week, everyone knows what a gamer Xander is.
Would anyone actually buy the fact that Xander was simply doing that out of the kindness of his heart?
It was completely transparent.
Now, there is a point where that doesn’t matter.
But Xander didn’t appear to believe he was at that point.
And if he thought nobody caught on to what he was up to, he was sorely mistaken.
Maybe it would have been worth it had Xander found the advantage.
And who knows how powerful that advantage may have been.
That’s super cool.
A fun example of breaking withSurvivornorms that has totally worked, IMHO.
Oh, and huge props to Evvie for slaughtering that pyramid puzzle.
First Chappies onSurvivor: South Africa, and now this.
2021 has been the year of reward feast winners coming back to camp only to then eat evenmorefood.
Okay, that’s an unfair comparison.
Chappies (one of the most entertainingSurvivorcontestants from any country ever) was the franchise’s preeminent food hoarder.
Ricard just wanted to try a little papaya.
The problem was it came after he had enjoyed a grilled cheese sandwich from his reward.
Shan is starving, and someone who just splurged is now helping themselves to her meager sustenance.
And Ricard just wanted to try a little bite of what was cooking.
We are approaching sitcom level gold with those two.
More, c’mon.
No big deal as I strut my 1980s new wave electronica bona fides.
I’m told it’s already over.
It lasted 4 minutes.
DROP THE 4 AND KEEP THE 1, Y’ALL!!!
Before the challenge began, Probst morphed into Monty Hall and was ready to make a deal.
After finally settling on 5 people for the rice, Shan and Naseer stepped forward.
This renegotiating was smart because here’s the thing: Probst wants people to sit out the challenge.
That’s my fourth wall breaking message to futureSurvivorplayers.
Actually, I havetwomessages.
But the more pertinent message here is message No.
They also know you need the food to, you know, live.
Dying on their watch would not be a good look.
But Xander’s move was also dumb.
Less than Shantastic
You all know I am very high on this cast.
I think they’re dynamic.
I think they’re smart.
I think they’re fun.
But even in a splendid cast, Shan has been a standout.
She’s played an impressively ruthless game in an endearing and entertaining fashion complete with her own theme song.
Perhaps, but such is my love for The District.
Whether she actually did or did not absorb his opinion is irrelevant.
“How pissed off?”
And then came Tribal Council.
“Don’t shut me down when I speak.”
Shan’s frustrated response: “All right, I can’t.
I’m not gonna baby you.”
I’m not gonna sit here and say Shan should be a team player, because guess what?
THERE ARE NO TEAMS!
Only one person wins the game and the million-dollar check.
But what’s important is giving theillusionyou are working with a team.
That means ceding decision making power from time to time.
And yes, it means babying people if people need to be babied.
Shan came on very strong this episode.
Some of that may have been the edit.
That preview also shows what is acting like a continuing rift between Shan and Deshawn.
All that said, I would not count Shan out by any means.
Disagreements can be smoothed over.
But Shan’s place in that alliance is certainly looking more tenuous that it was before the episode began.
I miss those days.
This Week’s Victim
Tiffany was a gift.
In fact, for us viewers, this is probably the best place to watch Tiffany.
I, for one, can’t wait for the impending hilarity.
It’s waiting for you at the top of the recap.
Who came up with the name?
Watch and find out!
Plus, I spoke with Tiffany on Thursday morning, sand it isa must read exit interview.
Until then, drop the 4, y’all!
