Spoilers ahead for Season 45, Episode 9 of Survivor, “Sword of Damocles.”
The latest episode of Survivor was a wild one, as three castaways lost their votes at Tribal and weren’t able to throw in their two cents when it came down to who was going home. Ultimately, it was bartender Kendra McQuarrie who ended up being the one to pack her bags. While she's now a bit removed from a her stint on the show, she still has keen thoughts regarding her regrets from her time on the island. And much of them revolve around the challenges and what she did wrong.
Kendra McQuarrie spoke to TVLine following her exit and discussed all things Survivor (as well as a potential future as a Drew Barrymore impersonator). Being on the reality competition show can be incredibly taxing, especially with the format having changed due to the 90-minute episodes. It's honestly hard to predict what might go down. Castaways are sometimes forced to think on their feet and do what they think is right for them at the time and, on some occasions, they don't choose the best course of action. McQuarrie opened up about one regret she has from her time on the island, and it has to do with the Tribal Council:
I really just wish I played my Shot in the Dark at that Tribal Council. Even if it didn’t hit, it was my gut feeling, and knowing that I didn’t listen to my gut really just eats me up every single day. And even if it doesn’t hit, just being able to look at them and say I knew what was going on is important to me. I feel such regret about that, and I’ve never felt regret before in my life. This is a new feeling for me, and it sucks.
Listening to your gut can be tricky, but it sounds like the contestant is feeling guilty about not listening to it. While nothing can be done about her decision now, it’s possible than alternate decision on her part could've changed things for her at the time. Shot in the Dark was introduced during Survivor 41, and it gives castaways a one in six chance to be safe in exchange for their Tribal Council vote. Even if it might not have done much, it could've still proven to be somewhat invaluable for the former competitor. Of course, there’s no way of knowing whether a different choice would've truly made an impact.
Thankfully, for us, there's still a lot of Survivor to look forward to on the 2023 TV schedule, and that'll likely include more castaways making major decisions that lead to mixed results. It just comes with the territory. Earlier in the season, Brandon Donlon was voted out and opened up about what it was like to know it didn’t go well. He had a rough going but took it all in stride and said that it felt like a weight was being lifted off his shoulders. Although the same can’t be said for Kendra McQuarrie at the moment, her perspective could change in time. (And at least she’s able to freely brush her teeth now.)
Now that she's officially out, I'm curious to see what will happen with the remaining castaways. There's a lot on the line to be the lone survivor, and the competition is only going to get more intense as tribes are at each other’s throats. At this rate, anyone could come out on top -- and anyone could be eliminated.
Hopefully, Kendra McQuarrie won’t always feel that guilt, and maybe she’ll even be able to return for another season and redeem herself. At the very least, Survivor is returning for Season 46 and keeping the 90-minute episode change. So there will still be a lot to look forward to on the 2024 TV schedule, but not before this latest iteration of the game crowns its winner. New episodes air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, and know that Survivor 45 is streaming on Paramount+ as well.
