Wow guys! We only have one more episode to go and I can feel it… It’s going to be an epic finale! This cast has really blown me away and I couldn’t be happier with what we’ve seen so far. 41 seasons in and the show is still going strong. Sure, the season was very ‘advantagegeddon’ at the start, but the players have really stepped up to the plate and given us the goods. The social dynamics have been compelling and real-world complications of strategic decisions evident with all the discussions we’ve been shown, from Danny, Deshawn and Liana. Even seeing Heather and Xander learn about their white privilege has been eye opening. I’m all for it! This week’s episode was another great watch with Ricard Foye-ling everyone’s plans by winning immunity again, Xander making F5 with his Idol, Erika taking control of her own game and Deshawn trying to blow up Erika’s game, but I’m certain it may backfire on him in the jury’s eyes! I was a little miffed that Danny and Deshawn didn’t try and work together to get someone else out. A bit sad they laid down their torches. Maybe Deshawn was happy to be voted out at that point. The only person I can’t see winning is Heather, but a no votes 3rd placer still is a massive achievement (and pay packet) 😉
At this point in time, I would absolutely LOVE to see Ricard win. He’s probably my top pick, but it’s going to be tough making F3. And of course I’d love to see a woman win, so Erika is also high on my list.
This week I have Australian Survivor legend, Hayley Leake on for a Q&A and it’s a must read! Check it out below:
Hayley Leake is the winner (and queen) of Australian Survivor Brain v Brawn, just incase you’ve been living under a rock 😉 Hayley not only knows how to manipulate pain, but also people and destroyed everyone in her path to victory last season. In all seriousness, she presented a real masterclass with her gameplay and managed to adapt and manoeuvre through the twists and turns, pulling off some big moves quite subtly until the Simon boot. From then on it was go big or go home, and that’s where Hayley met her match at Redemption Island. After beating Baden for a spot back in the game Hayley came back with a renewed outlook. Up to that RI boot, she had only received 1 vote (Day 1 from Phil) and the only other vote she received was from Flick at Final 4! In the end we were blessed with a George/Hayley F2 where Hayley took the crown in a 7-2 vote. We bow down to you, SurvivorAU queen!
Lyndz: Hi Hayley! Welcome to Reality Ramblings, I’m thrilled to have you on the blog 😁
Firstly, how has daily life been since winning SurvivorAU and has it drastically changed the way you watch the show? Or do you go back into total fan mode?
Hayley: Now that I have played the game, it does change how I watch the show. I feel a lot more empathy for the players; their hunger, their heartache, their frustrations. I found the deprivation from food hard – what they are having to go through must be really intense.
Lyndz: Now, you’re an honorary Adelaidean, living here for 10 plus years automatically means we can claim you as ours. Do you somewhat contribute your Survivor journey and win to those amazing times you lived in Adelaide? 👀😂
Hayley: Haha – Adelaide is an excellent city. I find it a very friendly place. I spent all my 20’s in Adelaide and met a variety of different kinds of people. I think that helps in a game like Survivor. I worked at a big hospital for a long time, and that teaches you how to talk to people, and respect them during stressful times. I’m sure those things helped.
Lyndz: To Survivor 41, it was the penultimate episode of the season and we’ve seen many twists and turns, and I oddly enough didn’t hate it. As for someone who survived 48 days with a plethora of twists, one that even saved you, do you think 41’s twists have excelled a 26-day game? It’s a gamble trusting the cast alone vs introducing twists to make great TV.
Hayley: In many ways I think twists are a necessary evolution of the game. After 40 seasons, players study the game, see what works, and try to emulate that. But if everyone had a similar strategy, it could be really boring to watch. Twists force people to abandon their original plan, and adapt on the fly. Watching that is interesting.
Lyndz: Now we’re nearing the end we’ve seen many different characters of this cast in which some viewers were saying preseason were “too woke” (which is BS), what are your thoughts on this season’s players and what they’ve brought to US Survivor?
Hayley: One of the things that inspired me to want to apply was the moment in S34 Game Changers with Zeke at tribal council. The response of the players was so human, and so moving; it spoke volumes about how far society had moved forward. This season, we have seen more important conversations, especially those raised by Deshawn on episode 11. Survivor is a microcosm of society, and reflects the thoughts and opinions of society at that time. We haven’t seen many of the conversations that are arising on Season 41 before, because we haven’t actually had a cast that reflected the diversity of American society – now we do, and I’m here for it. It’s a big part of why I love the show. If it was just about strategy, that would get boring fast. The evolution of societal impacts on the game are just as important as the evolution of strategy.
Lyndz: It was a very heavy Deshawn and Danny episode, with Danny ultimately going home. They blame everyone else for not voting out Ricard last tribal, but do you think their game fell apart when they chose to oust Shan? What stance would Queen Hayley take? Haha.
Hayley: Clearly their game took a dive after Shan went home. With hindsight, they should have stayed as a solid 4 until final 5, then maybe taken a swipe at Shan there (cos she would probably beat everyone). Bit late for that now. What would I have done in their shoes at final 6? They did have one more option. Danny had spooked them with fake idol talk enough to hope they would split the vote. Then they both vote Xander – 2:2:2 – and on the revote, see if everyone will go for Xander! At least that way they have a play – voting for each other they have nothing.
Lyndz: I’m still unsure how the jury perceive Deshawn and whether he could win. There’s a lot of salty looks from them all (although it could just be edited that way). In your opinion, when does Jury Management start in the game? First day, at merge, FTC? Haha.
Hayley: I agree – it’s really hard to know what the jury think of Deshawn. Jury management starts on Day 1. You are setting people’s expectations. If you surprise them, you better be able to explain it in a way that makes the jury feel good about themselves. I think that’s really important. People often talk about managing the jury by shaping the jury’s perception of you as a player. Sure, that matters. But, what we talk about less, is shaping the way the jury feels about themselves, in your context. It’s a small but important shift in perspective. When the jury walk up to write a name down to win, you want them to be feeling good about themselves, and their journey – not just you.
Lyndz: We’ve seen a little more of Heather the past two weeks… Does she, in Spencer’s words, have zero percent chance of winning this game?
Hayley: With my current read of the game – yes. I can’t see any potential outcome from here where Heather wins. I’d like to say there is always a chance, but …. yeah, it looks like a 0% chance.
Lyndz: Erika is probably the best chance for another female to win Survivor and she even mentioned it’s been a long time since the last (Sarah Lacina). Do you believe she has a better road to the end keeping Deshawn or Danny? And should she keep Heather in her F3 plans?
Hayley: It’s a really tough call, but yes I think Erika made the right move keeping Deshawn. She needs to get to the end to have a chance to pitch – and Deshawn seems to want to take her there. Plus that “truth bomb” at tribal really did make Deshawn look messy – which is good for Erika. But maybe the better move for Erika would have been to go for Xander and get Deshawn and Danny to vote that way too. You’d think that Xander wasn’t going to use that idol if he felt comfortable – he wants it at final 5. Worst case Xander plays that idol, and Danny goes home? Erika is still safe (unless they blow her game up), plus it’s a cool move. But instead, we have Erika in final 5 with Xander (with idol) and Ricard still in the game – tough spot.
But should Erica keep Heather in the game now? – absolutely! The only way I can see Erika winning now is if she sits next to Deshawn and Heather at Final 3. I think she could argue that her game is superior to Heather’s and some of the jury may be salty with Deshawn. I think that Ricard wins against anyone. And I think that Xander probably wins as long as he isn’t sitting next to Ricard.
So, with that read, the only way Erika can win is if Xander and Ricard are not in the final 3. But Xander is now guaranteed Final 4 with his idol, and is probably pretty good at fire. Plus with Ricard’s track record, he has a high probability of winning the next immunity, and I expect he’s practiced fire. So, I think it’s going to be an unlikely path for Erika to get to final 3 with the two people she needs. Keeping Danny in the game may have increased Erika’s odds of getting both Ricard and Xander out (Danny is better at immunities than Deshawn).
BUT, if Erika thought she couldn’t win against Danny at a final 3 – for example if Danny got votes from Shan, Liana and Deshawn locked in – then she still made the right choice, even if the margins are slim. Hard to really tell what is socially happening on the ground – who likes who.
Lyndz: Ricard has been quite a masterful player to date and keeps foiling their plans to vote him out. Is it too late in the game to decrease his threat levels or does he have to win every challenge to make F3?
Hayley: My first instinct here is – yes. Yes, it is too late for Ricard to appear less threatening. He is clearly a threat. His best bet (besides winning challenges and making fire) would be to make an argument that other people have more friends on the jury. I think that argument may only be a potential avenue for Xander and Deshawn. That can really scare people. But – even then it’s a long shot. Ricard is clearly a threat.
Lyndz: Xander has been one who’s surprised me the most. He gained his advantages very early on, went multiple tribals without a vote and has kept quite a low radar, but pounced when he’s had to (fooling Liana was gold). Do you think Xander has a good shot at beating his meatshield, Ricard at a FTC?
Hayley: I would love to see Ricard and Xander go head-to-head at FTC. Although unlikely, it is still a possible outcome. My gut instinct tells me that Ricard would win, but Xander would be up for a fighting chance. Xander certainly has some cool things on his resume. He has done more than anyone has had to, to get an idol, activate it, and then hold it (publicly!) over so many tribal councils, to get it all the way to final 5 – that is seriously impressive. He has 3 original tribe members on the jury, which can hold weight.
Lyndz: Immunity challenge question: Would Wai have smashed that vertical word puzzle out or what? 😝
Hayley: Is that even a question – of course! Puzzle queen Wai would have them eating her dust.
Lyndz: Initial reaction to the F5 starting afresh on a new island? 😂🏝️
Hayley: Why!? I don’t want to see them suffer more. The psychological stress/paranoia from the game itself, and this stage of the game, really is enough. I can’t see how starting again will add any value for me as a viewer. Also on the ground, I doubt they are going to sit around at camp making a shelter – they will be running around the island trying to have conversations!
Lyndz: Which cast members have you vibed with the most and could see yourself aligning with?
Hayley: From the start I really liked Evvie. At first it was because they were in a yellow tribe and doing a PhD, and I was like – that’s me! But Evvie’s attitude seems really positive and I think we would have bonded. Shan seems cool, but she’s playing so hard I think I would have tried to get her out pronto. I also think I would have really gotten along with Ricard. But if you gave me the chance to go have a drink with anyone right now – it’s gotta be Tiff!
Lyndz: Random, but how do you feel about (potentially) Queen Sandra playing Australian Survivor BvW?
Hayley: So this is all speculation at this stage (😉) but as a viewer – I’m down for it! I think Aussie’s will warm to her – at least a lot more than they did to Russell Hantz. Australian’s famously have tall poppy syndrome, so we tend not to like people who tell us they are awesome. But Sandra is sly, and she’ll say that to the camera, but not to your face. I’m into bridging the US/Australian Survivor gap. BUT – in saying all of that, I am super glad I’m not playing against her.
Lyndz: OK Hayley, who’s making Final 3 and winning SOLE SURVIVOR?
Hayley: I think we are seeing a Xander win. Xander is a lock for top 4, and can probably make a good fire, so there is a very real chance we see Xander in Final 3. I think Xander wins against anyone, except Ricard. But Ricard’s path to the final 3 is a lot more complex, and so if I had to bet, it would be on Xander for the win. Although I would be stoked for a Ricard win!
Top 3, let’s say: Xander, Erica, Deshawn – the chicken and veg alliance!
Lyndz: Any final words before finale?
Hayley: It’s going to be an awesome final episode. The jury is all so tuned into the game – we are going to see some piercing questions. I hope we get to see either Xander and Ricard at FTC, or they make fire against each other. I think either of those outcomes would be super fun to watch!
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Blog by Lynda Olson.
ALL IMAGES USED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE COPYRIGHT CBS. THIS IS A PERSONAL BLOG AND ALL GIFS AND VIEWS ARE MY OWN.
