Two weeks ago, Survivor 50 introduced the overblown “blood moon” twist, the show’s first-ever triple elimination. While having three vote-outs was new, the format was very familiar. But this week’s episode actually delivered a genuinely new way to handle multiple eliminations. The execution wasn’t perfect, but it did lead to a strong episode…although the credit really goes to Benjamin “Coach” Wade.
If push comes to shove, Wade may be the single most entertaining player in all 50 seasons of Survivor. Known for his delusional sense of honor and misinterpretation of ancient warrior codes, Wade is always thrilling to watch, whether you’re a fan or love to hate him. I’m squarely in the former camp, and although his first stint in 2009’s Tocantins remains untouchable, this older but not wiser version of Coach in Survivor 50 was a delight every single week.
Pick Your Pair
Echoing recent seasons, the contestants were instructed to divide into six pairs—with one person left over—to compete in an immunity challenge. In the past, the pairs played one section of the challenge together before competing as individuals, but this time, they would run the course together the entire time. In fact, their fate relied on their partner for the whole round, as one pair would win immunity and both members of another pair would be voted out—though every player would still vote individually. (The twist is unprecedented on American Survivor, but has been featured in international seasons.) In a very tight finish, Tiffany Ervin and Joe Hunter won immunity.
Here are Your Orders
With 13 players left, one person was left out of the pairs twist. Cirie Fields, one of the game’s most intelligent and charming players ever, has never been known for her challenge prowess, so nobody objected when she volunteered to sit out. As expected, she received automatic immunity for the round and was sent to Exile Island. But when she arrived, she learned that she had lost her opportunity to vote. She was able to earn it back, however, by finding a specific coconut in a field of 2,000.
It’s a good thing for her alliance that she did, because Ozzy Lusth was ready to boot Aubry Bracco and Rick Devens, a pair with minimal impact on the game currently. Fields was baffled at his decision and quickly set him straight: it was time to eliminate some power players in Wade and Chrissy Hofbeck (who assigned Wade to stay on the hammock and not run his mouth). Lusth admitted that he needs to rely on Fields when it comes to strategy, and after five seasons, it’s clear that Fields is beyond remarkable with her power of persuasion.
A Bold Bluff
Early in the season, Devens came up with a plan to secretly hide a fake immunity idol at Tribal Council, to perhaps use if an opportunity presented itself. The precarious nature of this double elimination called for action, and Devens grabbed the “idol” in front of everyone. Enough players were spooked by the bluff, leading to chaos. When Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick asked to see the idol, Devens wisely declined, explaining that “knowledge is power.” When he ultimately declined to play it—after all, it’s a fake—he cleverly said that it was not valid at the first Tribal Council in which he found it. It remains to be seen whether the “idol” will continue to impact gameplay.
Following Fields’s astute gameplay, Hofbeck and Wade were eliminated in a 10-1-1 vote, with Wade giving up his vote with an unsuccessful Shot in the Dark play. Excuse me while I take a moment to wipe my tears from watching Coach get voted out.
Survivor 50 Snubs
I’ll conclude each week’s column by spotlighting one man and one woman who were left off Survivor 50 but would have made for excellent inclusions.
While 2002’s Survivor: Thailand remains one of the series’s least popular installments, it’s really not that bad—worst seasons have aired since. Only one contestant ever played a second time: Shii Ann Huang, who returned in the original All-Stars in 2004. An abrasive eternal underdog, Huang is perhaps best remembered for a well-timed immunity win, thwarting the plans of a dominant alliance, albeit temporarily.
On the flip side, 2018’s David vs. Goliath is one of the most well-received installments of the show, and Davie Rickenbacker was one of its most beloved players. A self-proclaimed “blerd” (black nerd), Rickenbacker was genuinely funny and savvy, the brains behind an immunity idol play that saved fan favorite and Survivor 50 player Christian Hubicki.
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