New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Knowing that one of these people will be a champion of Survivor while Boston Rob never has been makes us sick to our stomachs.

Our final power rankings going into the final episode are bloody. There are a significant number of moving parts here that create havoc in ranking the various players. The only clear-cut aspect is that this is Holly’s game to lose. In spite of some mystifying behavior early this season, she has recovered to the point that she has the respect of her peers and, presumably, the allies needed to win her the game. We say “presumably” because there are some disturbing rumors about under-the-table deals this season that have us perplexed. With a 3-2 majority, Holly should make it to the final vote, and if she makes it to the final vote, barring something unforeseen, she’ll win. The fly in the ointment is Sash, whose loyalty is about as reliable as a coin flip. Should he look at Fabio and Dan and decide that he has a better chance beating them, he should flip, and that final vote would be a choice between dumb, slow and mean (Kim still loves you, Fabio, and we both think dumb would win). Since Sash is still a power broker, we would place him second in the power rankings.

The debate between Chase and Fabio for third is an interesting one. Since we’re basing these power rankings on who can win versus who can go to the final, we’re going with Fabio here. Fabio has offended no one. He’s been sweet, funny and just a generally positive presence in a season with some serious climate condition issues – and some seriously nasty contestants. Meanwhile, Chase has failed to take people on challenges as promised, he’s been perceived as a backstabber by many (Brenda, Marty, Dan, Jane, maybe others we’re not thinking about) and he has let others guide the course of the game rather than taking control himself. He’s lost a lot of allies with his various slipups in the past couple of episodes.

As for Dan, well, Dan hasn’t done anything. He hasn’t made any moves, he hasn’t won any challenges, and he’s barely done any work around camp. He’s also rich already. Having said that he’s nice and funny, and had to have some skill to manage whatever career success he’s managed. While we think it’s unlikely that he wins, we’ve seen stranger things this season.

After all, it’s important to remember that most members of this jury will vote according to emotion and whim. There is no logic or though that goes into what they’re doing…we miss Jimmy Johnson.

We skip bases at the start of the show and go to the “who are you aligned with” portion. Fabio and Dan state the obvious: Holly needs to go if anyone else is to have a shot. Amusingly, their next conversation is with Holly, whom they press to guarantee that she will take them to the final. Holly’s dead silence would be a painful reminder to audiences about what happened to Wendy in the first episode…if any of us remembered a Wendy. Let’s be honest about the fact that Holly will win this game and be painted as having played ethically. We ain’t buying it. She formed an alliance after five minutes and then turned around on it at the first vote, went crazy on Dan a couple of days later, and then tried to quit soon after that. Hers has been the Survivor path not often traveled. Her body language telegraphs to Dan, a rather perceptive man, that they should turn to Sash instead.

Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6