Spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of Survivor.
There are long-running TV shows, and then there's Survivor. The reality competition series is in the midst of Season 45, which can be seen on CBS and streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. The season has been a wild one, with fans treated to 90-minute episodes of Survivor. Host and showrunner Jeff Probst says this week's episode featured his "favorite moment of the season." But while it was a fun Tribal Council, I actually hated the way things ultimtely went down on the island. Let's break it all down.
Season 45 has included plenty of memorable moments, including Survivor's Top Gun montage and the return of the iconic auction challenge. The most recent episode saw Julie use a Hidden Immunity Idol to save herself, and single-handedly eliminating Emily with her one vote. It was an epic moment, albeit one that I'm bummed about given how Emily's storyline has played out throughout the season. During the podcast On Fire, Jeff Probst explained why he loved this surprise elimination, saying:
Remember, I don't see these scenes playing out on the beach. I'm not watching a monitor of everything that's happening. And even if I get a basic download from the producers, it's truly basic…. So when I saw this scene actually play out, I was mesmerized. It's my favorite moment of the season so far. Dee is a killer!
There you have it. Despite being the showrunner and host of Survivor, even Probst is surprised by what goes down in Fiji. And he was definitely taken back by the way Dee quickly instructed Julie about how to act, and how to play her Idol to keep their alliance together. Although given all the drama, I have to assume the Reba 4 won't stay together in the next episode.
While the new episode of Survivor was definitely thrilling, the outcome was something I took umbrage with. Specifically that Emily was voted out by Julie, rather than any of the other castaways. Couldn't she have targeted someone else like Austin or Drew?
Emily started her game off in a big way on Day 1, where she called out Bruce for having an advantage and clashed with members of her doomed Lulu tribe. Before the game Emily called out recent winner Gabler, revealing she joined the game because she didn't like his victory a few seasons back. But during her time in the game she grew into an excellent social player, and was able to learn from her mistakes and adjust mid-game. It's for this reason that I was so bummed she was Julie's target after using her Immunity Idol.
Later during the same episode of the podcast, Probst further explained why he found last night's episode such a winner. And it was related to the determination and alliance of Dee and Julie. As he put it,
Just to continue why this is my favorite scene of the season, it's not just Dee who's a killer. Julie is a killer. ‘Man up and face me when there's three left!’ Both of these women are saying, ‘Bring it! We're not moving. We're standing right here and we're ready for the fight.’
Fight they did, but at the expense of my favorite character from Survivor 45. Seeing Emily go from underdog to winner would have been an epic conclusion, but unfortunately she was voted off 12th and became the 5th member of the Jury. Smart money says she's going to be excellent at Final Tribal.
There is a silver lining to Emily's elimination: she has a chance to hopefully return for another season of Survivor. I assume I'm not the only fan who thought her time was cut too short, and who would like to see her return for another go. Fingers crossed this happens sooner rather than later.
Survivor airs new episodes Wednesdays on CBS. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
