Survivor's double eviction takes care of two long-overdue blindsides – reality blurred

by Andy Dehnart Apr. 17 2019 | 9:21 pm

Survivor: Edge of Extinction'S double eviction episode, quickly moved through two immunity challenges and two votes, and finally suspended both of the returnees to the jury and Extinction.

Yes, David Wright and Kelley Wentworth 's time on Survivor. They're still there, like everyone else, just waiting for another chance to re-enter the game.

Episode 10 started with some aftermath of last week's Tribal Council insane-no time for a recap or opening credits-and then we jumped to an immunity challenge.

So many of the individual immunity challenges of this season are in this awkwardly and uncomfortably balance and hold a thing. I'd rather get to just pure physical strength, but what happened to variety? The quizzes, or memory, or the run-around-and-gather-things challenges? Why drain the creative life out of the challenge portion of Survivor?

Aurora won the first immunity, balancing and holding her pole the longest. The challenge did have some nice design, with an urn falling onto hot coals.

It also had a "mountain of pizza," which I am seriously gagging just thinking about, and Victoria, Kelley, Ron, and Lauren opted to eat from instead of competing.

Also, this is a mountain of pizza:

#Survivor'S "mountain of pizza": pic.twitter.com/MgJ5p5doiY

– Andy Dehnart (@realityblurred) April 18, 2019

The second immunity challenge provided the first real variety, even though it was a repeat challenge.

It was set on a really spectacular platform built high above the ocean, and had the contestant balancing balls on paddles. Rick Devens started by announcing that he'd received an advantage.

On Island-in-the-face extinction, it's not enough to keep paying attention to everyone-David found an advantage that he had to send to someone in the game. (The cast is now operating with the assumption that they are no longer hidden at their camp, but on Extinction.)

The advantage is given by Devens Immunity: He only had to fight the ball in the first place.

The advantage also gives Jeff Probst the chance to say, "Devens, toss me one of your balls," which I can not believe he said without breaking into laughter.

Each of the two votes was preceded by conversations that set up two different options.

First, an alliance six-led by Wardog, Kelley, and Lauren, with Gavin and the addition of Ron and Julie, decided to target David, since they were unable to vote Aurora, who I thought was the second she started talking about being in foster care and not having any friends.

Instead, they decided to target David. David wanted to target the "power trio" of Lauren / Kelley / Wardog.

The swing votes, according to the edit, were Ron and Julie, who could have partnered with David, Devens, Aurora, and Victoria. But they did not do it.

Still, David 's argument to Julie was compelling: He framed their conversation as she was late.

I was not quite sure we needed David Wright back this season, but he's more than he has done, but he's a good returnee .

Both he and Devens excel at Tribal Council answers: David with his metaphors, Devens with his speeches. Though it's clear that it's not really that much of an impact, but that's not what it's all about, "my brand is loyalty."

Aurora losing the second immunity challenge, "This one looks like the easiest vote," Wardog said, in one of his barely coherent mumbled sentences.

But Wardog does not take the easy route, and that's why he's interesting to watch, even if listening to him often makes me want to stuff my ears full of a mountain of pizza.

He did make the book-and-go I very much appreciated, "" We're all super-fans, "he told Ron. "We can not let that happen." (Tangent: Ron's sociopath edit continues;

I'm having a great time to vote the final two returnees; I'm surprised Kelley Wentworth did not like it, that's how comfortable she was.

Now we're left with eight players, we've got a little bit of focus, we've got a little bit more focus on the island.

The kind of votes we saw did not feel like they were here Survivor: Edge of Extinction.