Survivor 41: The Pool Returns

Survivor has blissfully returned to our lives after a Covid-caused year in hiatus. Producers spent the year Zooming up tinkers and twists to a product that's proved potent for forty seasons. The new season feels simultaneously exciting, intriguing and disorienting. The longstanding 39-day grind has been reduced to 26 days, supply stashes have been cut, several new gimmicks have entered the fray and the cast has been loaded with strategic-minded players. The result is frenzy.

 

The Draft

 

 

The draft went down without many shocking picks. Drafters appeared to be on approximately the same page, with power players Evvie, Shan and Deshawn immediately, doubly snapped up. Naseer went next, back-to-back, followed by Danny and Ricard. Those who got fancy with other castaways (Eric - JD and Michal - Sydney) are already paying the price. The back half of the draft was filled with appealing but troubled players like Xander, Erika and Genie. Phil was the only drafter to double up on a player, tabbing crusty Tiffany twice.

Power Rankings

5. Michal – 13 points

2	Shan	2	13
9	Danny	7
13	Sydney	6
18	JD	-2
25	Erika	5
26	Brad	-5

Pickle is in a real pickle early on. Shan might be the favorite and there’s a lot to like about Danny, but Pickett’s other castaways already find themselves circling the drain. Sydney’s too haughty to win, Erika waited too long to start forming friendships and Brad and JD are already out. Some of these players may make deep runs, one may even win, but it’s hard to envision the group scoring enough points to dig Michal out of this early hole.

 

4. Eric – 24 points

3	Evvie	7	24
8	Naseer	6
12	JD	-2
19	Xander	7
23	Erika	5
28	Genie	1

 

It’s a new season with new players and new gimmicks, but Big Eric finds himself in a familiar position: behind the leaders with little hope of catching them. The common thread Eric’s players share is overzealousness. JD is gone because he played too hard. Xander and Naseer are catching heat from every direction because of it. Erika signed her own death warrant when she decided to start making moves. Eric’s only possible exceptions are Evvie – who might have enough grace and awareness to mask her fervor – and hopeless Genie.

3. Melissa & Tom – 23 points

1	Evvie	7	23
10	Ricard	2
14	Danny	7
17	Liana	7
24	Brad	-5
27	Heather	5

Brad’s quick hook put us behind the 8-ball. That -5 grenade is going to be hard to overcome, because nobody on this team beyond Danny figures to earn many challenge points. Evvie has all the trappings of a future champion, but the rest of our crew doesn’t inspire confidence. Ricard’s alliance with Shan puts him in danger, whether it’s from opposing forces seeking to tear them apart or Shan herself. Danny seems like a strong player, but folding his competitive morals to Deshawn revealed a disappointing subservient side. Liana hasn’t made much impression, which is still better than Heather’s only impression so far: a pitiful challenge fail.

 

2. Doug – 32 points

4	Deshawn	7	32
7	Naseer	6
15	Liana	7
16	Sydney	6
22	Genie	1
29	Heather	5

Doug is out of the blocks quickly, but has to be concerned his legs might fail him down the stretch. The bottom half of his team is lousy: Sydney, Genie and Heather. None of these players can win; the question is whether they hang around long enough to earn a few points. Deshawn and Naseer are both playing really hard – probably too hard, or at least too conspicuously. Any conspicuousness out of Liana would be appreciated; she’s been more of a rumor than a player so far.

 

1. Phil – 32 points

5	Shan	2	32
6	Deshawn	7
11	Ricard	2
20	Tiffany	7
21	Xander	7
30	Tiffany	7

This is the only team that takes effort to criticize. One of 41’s strongest features is the general aggression of its cast, and Phil has the most aggressive team. Phil’s fate rests on two pillars: the Shan/Ricard alliance and Tiffany. If those players persist, Phil will be hard to beat, as Deshawn and Xander could also garner lots of points. Having all these players grappling in the heart of the battle is going to give Phil a lot of week-to-week anxiety, but it could also be the route to his first victory.