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Survivor Fiji: Snakes are Misunderstood
(S14E01) A friend and I had a debate last week on whether or not the posh pad would be a liability for the Moto tribe and for Survivor as a game. First of all, the experience shifts for the viewer, it is impossible, for me at least, to be happy for a tribe that has everything without really working for it. Often inequality happens organically over the course of a season. It often seems that the one tribe has string of wins for reasons of teamwork or brute strength. But when one team is purposely handicapped the game is a bit different and it highlights the fact that these are people being tortured for our entertainment.With just one challenge per episode we get to see a whole lot of tribal suffering on the part of the fireless Ravu tribe. For the most part they wander around in a waterless stupor until Yau-Man has the idea to chop coconuts to get water. It's a grueling process, as Rocky put it "it's chop five coconuts and take a nap for an hour." Dehydration isn't something we ever worry about so it is startling to see the tribe so devastated. Luckily Erica discovers some pineapples which helps. Earl tells the camera he will marry her because "that's a good woman." A few days without water, I'd want to marry Erica too. Even if the pineapples look a bit green.
This episode also reunites Sylvia with her new tribe. Yau-Man immediately assesses whether she has the idol by giving her a hug and taking a peek into her bag. This man needs his own reality show where he solves crimes or something like that after this season ends. Sylvia is socially awkward in that way that smart people often are. She wants to be helpful, she believes she knows best but she's also a big Miss Bossypants and that's not usually a good thing to be in this game.
Given how much Moto has had and how worn out Ravu is, the immunity challenge is surprisingly even for a time. Ravu even has the lead but once again self-destructs during the part of the challenge that involves more strategy than strength. Erica starts shouting and insisting she is right. I love the look Erica gives Sylvia when she tells everyone to calm down. Pure death glare. They lose and Earl gets sent to Exile Island and learns that the immunity idol is at camp. He also becomes a remorseful snake killer. I love Earl.
I'm not sure if Ravu is addled by dehydration or just challenged in general because every time they are faced with a decision they splinter off into a bunch of different groups, twist one way and then suddenly twist in the other direction. Rocky and Anthony decide that Erica should go because she yelled and panicked.
Heading into tribal it looks like one of the bossy women either Erica or Sylvia will go. Sylvia nearly talks herself out of the game at tribal by saying she feels like being an outsider and that the tribe should assign a leader. This is not one of those tribes that can handle a leader at all. Erica goes home which seems like a mistake since she was strong physically, too bad Earl wasn't around to save his pineapple bride. I'll be curious to see what happens when there is an immunity idol in play because this season Jeff asks for the idol before votes are read.
Next week's clips indicate that Ravu finally gets fire. Maybe this will bring an end to the suffering. I shouldn't have to cheer for Ravu just because they have nothing.
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