An iconic auction, the birth of the champagne alliance, and one of the most beautifully orchestrated blindsides of all time! Tristan Kelly analyses a phenomenal 18th episode of Australian Survivor…

The people who are not watching this season of Australian Survivor are missing out. Taking into account 34 seasons of US Survivor and two of our own (or three if you count the 2002 version), I can confidently say that Episode 18 of Australian Survivor is one of the greatest single packages of Survivor content that I have ever seen in my life. This episode has it all: intricate gameplay, an iconic auction, humour, underdogs, torrential rain, high risk strategy, good sportsmanship, and finally, one of the most beautifully orchestrated blindsides of all time.

Throughout the entire episode I had a smile on my face; I was spilling wine in excitement and cheering for almost every player out there. The gameplay at tribal council rates up there with Parvati’s double idol move from Heroes vs Villains – it was that good! The fact that the common Aussie viewer would prefer to watch people hammer nails into a wall and go on awkward first dates is absolutely baffling. We have a world class product on our hands in this season of Australian Survivor, and it would be criminal for it not to be renewed due to average ratings. Spread the word people – these are the moments that matter!

Missed Monday night’s episode? Catch up on Australian Survivor 2017 Episode 17 Review: Flushing Trumps before reading any further…

Post Tribal Wash Up

In the aftermath of Ziggy’s super idol move, Tessa and Peter confront their former ally about the great betrayal, but are unsatisfied by her nonchalant explanation. Ziggy admits to the camera that her relationship with Tessa and Peter is ruined, but justifies the move by saying that it was vital for her game to jump from a dying alliance to a stronger one. That might be all fine and dandy, but by making the move in the way that she did on the background of the past 38 days, even if she manages to get to the end now, she has potentially already alienated four jury members. Unfortunately, I can no longer see Ziggy winning this game. Furthermore, if Henry sits beside her at Final Tribal he will be able to claim full credit for her biggest move of the game, and likewise if he happens to be sitting on the jury. Either way, her case will be completely discredited.

Now, just when Zen Hen was starting to firm as my new favourite for the win, he had to go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like:

“I am the King of Survivor, I am in control… Going forward, geez… Look out!” – Henry

When will these people learn!?

The next morning marks the momentous milestone of Day 39, but sadly for eight of these players it’s not US Survivor so they won’t live to see the final morning of the game, or the glorious mimosas that hopefully come with it… Henry is feeling confident in his current position – he still holds an idol, is aligned with Ziggy who holds the other one, is tight with Sarah and Jericho, and most importantly, he’s entered into a loving ‘bromance’ with Locky. The pair feel as though they’re on top of the world and are keen to target Tessa and Peter next as the easy votes. However, as we all know, Dr. Tessa plays her best when she’s scrambling from the bottom of a pack…

“Bad news for them, I’m not ready to go home… I’ve been on the bottom more than once and have managed to claw my way back up… I’m here to fight and I’m here to play, and if I’m going home, I’m going home knowing I’ve done everything I can.” – Dr. Tessa

She hasn’t quite redeemed herself yet from Sunday night, but I have a feeling that the Tessa train is gearing up for another powerful run.

The King’s Table

The punters go wild as Jono announces that it’s time for the iconic Survivor Auction! Peter’s clapping style is fantastic… Each player is given an envelope containing 500 crisp Australian Dollars, which is enough for “a lot of chicken parmies” and “a lot of burritos” according to Locky. Probably not with these inflated island prices old boy… Luke outbids Ziggy to buy the first covered item of the auction for $320 – and it proves to be a steal. Luke has bought himself a seat at a table for one where he will receive a matched course of every single item that the other players bid on. Luke winning this booty is a producer’s dream!

The next item on the menu is a plate of smashed avo which Ziggy buys for $500 – unfortunately forgoing her only chance to become a home owner in the process. Jono shows off his new hearty laugh for the second night in a row – it’s getting more ridiculous by the second. Henry bids 100 bucks for a full cheesecake, but ups it to 500 when he realises that it also comes with a mouthwatering glass of champagne – I’d do exactly the same thing… Sarah is stooged big time when she throws down 500 dollars for a covered item, which turns out to be nothing more than an ice cold coconut. Locky and Michelle are forced to draw rocks for a Mexican feast complete with a juicy Margarita – Locky wins but claims that he doesn’t even like Margaritas… What is wrong with you boy!? JLP then partially grants one of our 5 preseason wishes by hand delivering the degustation to Luke on a platter – beautiful work!

A nice touch of love is thrown into the mix when Tara buys herself and Luke a phone call home each, Jericho grabs himself a burger and fries, Peter takes an advantage into the next challenge, and then finally Tessa scores the jackpot… A night of relaxation away from camp, complete with a bed, pizza, champagne, and chocolate – yes please! Obviously Dr. Tessa will need to pick one person to accompany her on the reward (in addition to Luke), which is a crucial strategic decision for her game given that she is currently positioned on the bottom of the tribe. Road to redemption here we come! Tessa nails the move by selecting the strategic fringe dweller, Michelle. Petey seems to understand the reasons for why he would have been left behind, but Sarah is fuming… She argues that her lack of reward in the auction was more severe than Michelle’s because it didn’t involve gambling. Locky and Henry wholeheartedly agree but it all seems extremely petty. I’m concerned that Sarah is going to allow emotions to influence her up-until-this-point virtually flawless strategic game…

“Tessa taking Luke and Michelle – really good strategic move… But I’ve got Sarah, and oh my god, that stare… She’s hungry, angry – and that’s definitely something I can work with to help get Tessa out next…” – Henry

A quick nod to the editors before we move on for closing this segment on a poignant close up of Sarah’s abandoned coconut – sensational work.

#ChampagneAlliance

“Do you know how to open a glass of champagne?” What do you do when you’re at home Michelle!? This is a really fun scene between Tessa, Michelle, and Luke that also happens to introduce the key strategic narrative for the episode. Nights away from camp can be extremely dangerous in the game of Survivor but Dr. Tessa is playing this particular one to perfection.

“I knew that I needed to take somebody I hadn’t had a chance to discuss strategy with, and Michelle is a particularly emotional voter, so being given a big reward like this will have a really big pull on her…” – Tessa

Keep plying her with those bubbles! The aim of the night for Tessa is to convince her new friends that they should be voting out the big threats in Locky, Henry, Ziggy, and Tara (by association only). This is an extremely intelligent selection of names for Tessa to present because not only does it leave her counterpart Peter in the game, but it also protects Luke and Michelle’s closest allies in Jericho and Sarah. It’s basically the perfect deal; a top six that for the moment seems to slightly favour the payers that Tessa is trying to recruit. I’m happy to call it now that Tessa has redeemed herself from Sunday night and is back on my potential winners list!

Back at camp Sarah is still fuming about not being selected by Tessa, and is determined to have “the last laugh” by voting her out. You’ve been playing so well Sarah – don’t let a pointless feud ruin your game! Peter tries to defend Tessa by saying that she could only pick one person – which is a comment that Locky for some reason finds completely outrageous. Henry is loving the drama, and makes every effort to fuel the fire in order to manipulate Sarah into enacting his plans. Peter is confused by Sarah’s response but is clinging onto the hope that Tessa will be able to work her magic at the retreat and come back with a game changing plan.

At the retreat, the three new best friends are getting a bit tipsy and starting to talk strategy. Tessa manages to extract the information from Michelle that Henry has an idol, which is all the ammo she needs to propose a massive blindside. Michelle seems keen, but Luke is acting suspiciously quiet…

“I like big moves, I like big plays, but under my terms…” – Luke

Come on Luke, you need this move on your resume if you want to win! Whether or not a player actually instigates the idea of a move doesn’t really matter, they just have to find a way to claim credit for it at the final tribal. The timing with the numbers couldn’t be better for Luke – if he trusts that Sarah and Jericho will be keen to jump on board, he can pile six votes on to Henry… If Henry catches on and plays the idol then one of Tessa or Pete will go home anyway – then at the next tribal Luke will still be able to vote him out with a majority of five. In that scenario it’s a low risk-high reward move. However, if Sarah’s not keen to play ball the pitch could severely backfire on Luke’s face.

The perfect overnight trip for Tessa ends in a boozy breakfast with a glimmer of hope that her newly formed #ChampangeAlliance will be more than just a one night stand.

A Phenomenal Act

Locky hosts a meeting with his fellow powerhouses Henry and Ziggy, in order to express his concerns about the possibility of Tessa, Michelle, and Luke staging a coup against their alliance. Henry is quick to dismiss Locky’s claims as simple paranoia, and reiterates his confidence that Luke, Michelle and Sarah will remain loyal to their side. I’d be listening to Locky at this point – so often overnight rewards can change the dynamic of the game, and in Survivor, instincts such as Locky’s should never be ignored. After the meeting disbands, Locky receives reassurance from Sarah (who is still fuming about the reward) that Tessa is her only current target, but then thanks to a stunning confessional, the standard of the game steps up to an unprecedented level:

“I know I seem really upset that I wasn’t picked to go glamping with Tessa, but it was all an act – to really create some visible distance between Tessa and myself… Now I can make a move that gets a big threat sent home tonight…” – Sarah

Wow. I did not see that coming… This woman is amazing! Regardless of whether she planned this reaction from the get go, or was generally annoyed but then realised that she could turn her overly emotional response into an advantage, it is next level strategy. I don’t think that I’ve seen such an effective display of socially manipulative gameplay before in my time as a Survivor viewer. Absolutely flabbergasting! Drawing upon all of the information she has been gathering over the past 40 days, she approaches Jericho to sever his ties with Henry by letting him know that the whole idol clue saga was a farce. Jericho can’t believe it – how dare he be made to look like a fool… “Mother Trucker!” Dr. Tessa must be practising telepathy because her champagne scheme is simultaneously being put in to action at the base camp. We’re not even at immunity yet – this episode is out of control!

Balancing Balls

The #ChampagneAlliance rejoin the main crew at the challenge arena glowing in cleanliness, although Tara jokingly (I think) calls them “disgusting.” The challenge is a classic test of concentration, involving balancing a ball on a bow contraption whilst balancing yourself on an increasingly narrow ledge. The last person to drop their ball wins. The advantage that Peter and Luke won at the auction is to enter the challenge 30 seconds after everyone else at the commencement of one of the three stages. Luke wastes his advantage before the first stage, whilst Peter more strategically plays it before the third, but freaks out and falls off the ledge sooner than Jono can say “3-2-1 grab your balls…”

Throughout the challenge JLP pays a great deal of attention to his watch and Locky is extremely vocal about asking whether Henry and Ziggy are still in the challenge – a bit of subtlety wouldn’t go astray for the ‘big dog’. As the rain starts to pour it comes down to a tense battle between Henry, Tessa, and Locky. Go Dr. Tessa! She barely manages to hold the bow upright, but in an extraordinary feat of determination, Tessa finds a way to outlast Locky en route to a crucial immunity victory. The ultimate fighter is well and truly back in this game – and I’m back on the train!

Crisis Huddle

If the degree of difficulty to blindside Henry wasn’t already high enough, the champagne alliance and their base camp counterparts now have to somehow confirm the plan with each other whilst being trapped around the people they’re trying to betray in a rain induced huddle. The Survivor Gods truly are pulling out all of the stops for this episode. What plays out over the afternoon is an incredible union of six minds working together to achieve a common goal.

Exploiting her position on the ‘bottom’ of the tribe, Tessa whisks Peter away into the jungle to inform him of the plan – in doing so they create a new fitness class of ‘running on the spot survivor strategy’. Locky is shocked that they would dare leave the shelter and not just submit to defeat: “What gameplay is that?” Whilst Luke tells a few porky pies about what went down at the champagne retreat…

“My plan is just going to be a lot of acting… I fed them some lies because hashtag champagne alliance made last night over the old bit of bubbly… There’s a lot of paranoia – Locky’s just scared… It’s great because Henry’s going home tonight!” – Luke

Locky is struggling to handle the suspicion so grabs Henry’s hand and runs into the jungle to confront Tessa and Peter. The running on the spot strategy class has doubled its numbers! Locky tells Tessa that “the consensus is never the real fact” before forcing a fake admission from her that she is definitely gunning for his head. Cleverly Tessa then turns the whole conversation around by saying that she would still be open to working with the boys, before Peter throws in Sarah’s name as a decoy voting option. It’s a big risk but serves the purpose of further distracting Henry from the fact that his head is on the chopping block. The layers of deception are incredible.

Back in the huddle, Michelle pulls Sarah aside under the guise of wanting to ensure that there are no hard feelings between the pair following the auction reward… They’re basically allowed one sentence each to confirm the plan – a sensational effort to convey the necessary information without being caught. Luke and Jericho’s method is even more impressive – all it takes is for Luke to mouth Henry’s name to Jericho when no one else is looking. The link between the Sesame Street duo clearly runs deep. Heading into tribal Sarah is worried that the six of them haven’t had the chance to make a full depth plan, but Tessa remains optimistic…

“Right before tribal council Locky is very, very paranoid – he knows that I’m out to get him, which is exactly what I wanted… Hopefully that makes Henry feel safe enough not to play an idol…” – Tessa

Henry seems to be buying into the scheme so far – although he does admit that he’ll be prepared to play the idol should he pick up on any weird vibes at tribal. Strap yourself in for the ride because there’s still a lot of action left to go in this incredible episode!

Damn!

The title of this segment is in reference to Henry’s response when he sees a clean Anneliese walk over to the jury bench – could this be the beginning of a jury villa romance? Despite the complexities of the plan to blindside Henry, the equation for tonight’s tribal council is pretty simple: if the champagne crew can make Henry feel completely safe, he goes home… If there’s any slight deviation from that, then he plays the idol and Peter goes home. The stakes are extraordinarily high.

Stage 1 involves talking about the champagne retreat… Michelle and Luke play it cool by bragging about the food and booze components, Sarah acts annoyed, and Tessa enters defensive mode by volunteering that of course she attempted to strategise with Luke and Michelle – she’s on the bottom of the tribe! Even with immunity around her neck she looks to be in full fighting mode – which is exactly where she needs to be in order to fool Henry… Locky throws in that Tessa’s obviously gunning for his head, but Ziggy’s confident that her strategy would have fallen on deaf ears at the retreat. Henry and Sarah concur.

Stage 2 involves talking about the threat of ‘unbeatable’ players… Peter makes an argument for taking out the power trio of Locky, Ziggy, and Henry – which is exactly what he would do if he really was trying to scramble for survival. Locky talks about how his head is automatically on the chopping block whenever he loses a challenge, before JLP calls Tessa out for rolling her eyes in response. She makes another great point about the power trio’s dominance before Michelle intelligently argues that physical strength isn’t a pre-requisite of being a threat in this game…

Stage 3 then centres around jury talk, resume building, and the respect that comes from making big moves. Sarah plays her part perfectly here by acknowledging the importance of building a resume of well timed big moves, but then stressing that she’ll be taking the easy option tonight. The content and delivery of her speech is consistent with the way that she has played the entire game up until this point, so Henry has no reason to doubt her intentions. Ziggy and Locky smile, Tessa looks worried, Tara reiterates that the vote will be straight forward, and then Peter fights for his life.

In the final stage, Michelle throws out a comment that “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” which prompts Tessa to pull her hood on and exasperatedly plead for a change in group direction: “Maybe it’s time to listen to my harping on…” What’s great about her speech here is that it substantiates the claim that she was trying to scheme at the retreat, but that her work has indeed fallen on deaf ears. All six members of the champagne alliance have tonight demonstrated incredible self awareness to present performances at tribal council that are consistent with their past histories. Absolutely faultless. All that’s left to be determined is whether Henry is skilled enough to outplay the combined efforts of six players by working out that he needs to use the idol – it’s a tough call…

The votes are cast, Jono calls for an idol, Locky repeatedly utters “play it”, Henry’s thinking about it, is he going to do it? I would. Surely he’ll play it, but then again it seems like an easy vote so maybe he won’t… Will he? Won’t he? He will… He won’t. No. He doesn’t… Cue six heartbreaking votes for Henry and the faux yoga instructor is sent packing with an idol in his pocket to a round of applause (including an encore of Peter’s adorable clapping style). Phenomenal! The skill required to execute a move of this calibre against a clearly talented player is immense – hats off to each of the six champagne alliance members for producing what is perhaps the most beautifully orchestrated blindside of all time.

Ultimately, I think Henry’s downfall was becoming so focused on what was the best move for his own game that he forgot to consider what would be the best move for each of his opponents games. If he had placed himself in their shoes, he may have realised that it was the perfect opportunity for a massive blindside. However, if you have to go out it, it might as well be in a memorable way. Well done Zen Hen, I’m sure you’ll get another crack one day.

“Credit to them, game recognised game – that was pretty good…” – Henry

I will forever be blown away by the quality of this episode – do yourself a favour and rewatch it whenever you can… It is a perfect example of how this game should be played! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or chat with us on Facebook and Twitter… Next week the end game is almost upon us! Will the champagne alliance be able to stick together until the final 6 or will Ziggy break up the party by playing her hidden idol? We can’t wait to find out! Make sure you spread the word about the quality of this season to everyone you know – it deserves way more viewers than what it’s picking up in the ratings.

More Australian Survivor Coverage at TTHS:

Season 1 veteran Conner Bethune reclaims the lead over Tristan and Gorny in Round 7 of the Australian Survivor Power Rankings Championship…

Tristan Kelly analyses the cast and tries to tip a winner in his pre merge predictions for Australian Survivor 2017…

Jeremy Gorniak live tweets every episode @TTHSau.

Plus our regular in depth reviews of every episode!

Thanks so much for reading! Next week I’ll be writing to you from Vietnam whilst filling myself to the brim with cocktails. Enjoy the off-week and I’ll catch you back here in a couple of days for more Survivor analysis, power rankings, and general strategic banter!

Tristan Kelly is a 28 year old ex-doctor turned writer, based in Perth, Western Australia. During his final year of medical school he famously watched and analysed every available episode of Survivor (all 368 of them at the time), probably making him more qualified as a Survivor commentator than he ever was a doctor. In between writing and editing short films, he now spends most of his time organising various schemes, and fantasising about one day winning the game.

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