Brewing War on Survivor Ups the Ante in Season 44's Episode 8
Some reality shows offer even more intrigue than Game of Thrones.
The forty-fourth season of Survivor continues to chronicle the triumphs and failures of the castaways in their quest for the Sole Survivor status and ultimate victory. In last week's episode, the contestants were divided into two teams, taking on the roles of Ratu, Soka, and Tika, and the stakes had never been higher.
The eighth episode featured the rest of the Top 10. Although it also included an abundance of immunity challenges, there were no sudden twists like in the previous episode. This allowed the castaways to strategise within their tribes to eliminate one another. So, who fell victim to the latest intrigue?
The conflict between Ratu and Soka, simmering in the previous episode, erupted in this instalment. Brandon and Kane were smug enough to think they could vote against Soka member Frannie by involving Tika members in the plot. However, it was the Tika members who held the most comfortable position, as they could control the balance of power in the game.
The main oversight was Brandon's trust in his Soka buddy, Danny. The conspirators also wanted to include him and Heidi in the vote against Franny, but the Soka members chose to secure a position for their tribe instead. In a surprise move, they allied with Tika to frame Brandon and protect Franny using Danny's idol.
Despite the intrigue, Tika members Carolyn, Yam Yam, and Carson had the final say. It was up to them to decide whether Soka or Ratu would win this time.
To the audience's surprise, there was no additional twist: everything went exactly as Soka had planned. Although most votes during the trial were cast against Franny, she was saved by Danny's idol. As a result, with Tika's assistance, Brandon became the second jury member after Matt when the other castaways voted for him.
This is how one loses confidence in their strategic abilities and fellow players. Of course, that's the beauty of Survivor: today's ally could be tomorrow's enemy. With only nine castaways remaining—three for each tribe—the intrigue only intensifies.
The next episode airs on CBS on 26 April.