Episode 10: The many moving parts of a big move
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Brent Sullivan | Published: November 29, 2021
After a shocking blindside, Brent takes a look at the people involved in making it, their reasons in doing so, and how their decision to act positions them in the game, as numbers dwindle.
Episode 10: Let me count the ways
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Andy Baker | Published: November 28, 2021
Andy presents a 13-point enumeration — from casting to gameplay to editing and storytelling — of the reasons why this episode, "Baby with a Machine Gun," was an all-time great episode of Survivor.
Episode 10: Today is the day
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Ryan Kaiser | Published: November 28, 2021
Christmas came early for Ryan, in the form of a (pre-Thanksgiving) complex, emotional, deeply-felt episode leading to an epic blindside of a superstar player: the perfect balance of pathos, scheming, and player-driven drama. (Also, Heather survives another week.)
Episode 10: Survivor works best when the players make the moves
Survivor 41 Recap/analysis
By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 27, 2021
"They scheme without juicers! They scheme without blenders! They scheme without flunjers, capdabblers and smendlers!" This was a rare gem of an episode in modern Survivor, one in which the players did all the work. As they should.
Episode 9: Conflict, faces, and showing power
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Brent Sullivan | Published: November 22, 2021
Brent looks at the continuing conflicts within the main alliance in power, the shifting profiles of people within that core, and whether anyone outside that group can stay in the game.
Episode 9: Killer quotes
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Andy Baker | Published: November 21, 2021
Andy celebrates the episode's bevy of delectable verbiage, from a couple of potential winner's quotes to obvious cringe content, to others in between, and looks at how they tell us about what's actually going on in the game.
Episode 9: Twists vs. idols vs. advantages
Survivor 41 Recap/analysis
By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 20, 2021
Last season, we had winners at war. This season, most of the crossfire is between one production-imposed twist and others. Or just as often, twists and plans the contestants came up with. Feel a big power shift coming? Why risk that failing when we can guarantee it by throwing in a random rock draw instead?
Episode 9: I will literally kill you
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Ryan Kaiser | Published: November 19, 2021
Ryan tries to make sense of the twin Tribals — a TMI one with the threat of advantages flying everywhere, and another not-enough-advantages performance from Xander. But in the end (or at least the one before the end), Ricard saves.
Episode 8: Fractures, etiquette breaches, and other disasters
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Brent Sullivan | Published: November 15, 2021
It's only Day 16, but two of the three original tribes are in tatters, people are eating slivers of fruit without getting approval, and there's someone named Heather at Tribal Council! Brent looks at these and other shocking developments in Episode 8 of Survivor 41.
Episode 8: Dysfunction junction
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Andy Baker | Published: November 14, 2021
While Survivor 41's merge tribe finally has a name and buffs, they're far from unified. This week, Andy turns his attention to the group dynamics (testy) and relationships (crumbling), and where those factors suggest the game is heading.
Episode 8: Only YOU can prevent Live Tribals
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 14, 2021
Live Tribals (or allegedly live ones, at least) are Survivor's shiniest new toy, and like every other "feature" the show adds, they're confusing and borderline unwatchable. But they're not going away, not unless players wise up that they're more damaging than useful, at least in a normal season with actual alliances. Will we ever see one of those again?
Episode 8: Don't shut me down when I speak
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Ryan Kaiser | Published: November 12, 2021
This week's episode was all about being heard, and it featured a rare appearance by the elusive Heather – in camp, before challenges, nearly winning challenges, at Tribal, and in confessional (!) — and Ryan is here for hearing it.
Episode 7: Clarity
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Andy Baker | Published: November 9, 2021
Andy attempts to deconvolute the tapestry of whispers and provide a clear-eyed perspective on who's in trouble, who's in command, and the actual monster is after Episode 7's chaotic Tribal goings-on.
Episode 7: A big move, and a big tribe finally merges
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Brent Sullivan | Published: November 8, 2021
Brent looks at a bold move that shook up Tribal Council, a small tribe that now appears united, and a big bond that formed surprisingly quickly as Survivor 41 officially enters the post-merge phase.
Episode 7: The illusion of choice
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 7, 2021
Thanks to some highly creative gameplay, the second half of the merge episode delivered as the contestants thwarted an overpowered new advantage, in part through their own work, and in part through conditions the half-tribe immunity set in motion. A mixed bag, unnecessarily so, and one that reveals the season's true villains: the producers.
Episode 7: Putting on her big girl pants
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Ryan Kaiser | Published: November 5, 2021
With the merge finally completed, Ryan checks back in on the big surprises, the big non-surprises, and the big let-downs of the as yet unnamed red-buff tribe and their complicated first Tribal Council together.
Episode 6: Let me explain
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Andy Baker | Published: November 3, 2021
Andy Baker returns to take stock of a convoluted season and its 12 remaining players, and even comes up with a potential boot order (future twists notwithstanding).
Episode 6: Add the four and the one: Five topics at the merge
Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis
By Brent Sullivan | Published: November 1, 2021
While the merge is only halfway complete (maybe?), Brent looks at the traditional long-term meat of the merge episode: The feast talk, the new alliances, some old ones falling apart, and, of course, an exile.