I'm not rewatching the fucking episode... Even w/ Coronavirus, and even w/ this season being mostly fantastic, I got better things to do. So here's a very hasty, probably very inaccurate Edgic based on a single viewing I did half a week ago. I'm totally sober.
Sele
Michele- CPP3- Michele is getting a consistent and consistently positive edit. Easily the most "likeable" on the Sele tribe (by which I mean the editors routinely "take her side," allowing her to explain her feelings and her strategy), Michele also benefits from having a workable "redemption" storyline and a strong connection to this season's sub-theme of "past relationships matter." Her past with Wendell has been THE Sele Story since the tribe swap, and she seems built to get a lot further in the game that that, uh, cocky bastard
Nick - CP3- Nick's edit has been similar to Michele's as of late; they're the two "dynamic strategists" of the Sele tribe, and have given plenty of time in testimonials and in, uh, earned media coverage to tell the viewer where they're at, game-wise. What does bode well for Nick is how... not-positive his edit has been... By which I don't mean "negative." The fact is that Nick has yet to develop into the kind of character he was in "David versus Goliath." His most dwelt on trait this time is "gay for Parvati." I find this lack of personal content... Disturbing. Still, he is demonstrating good play and it seems like he's in this thing for the semi-long haul.
Yul- MOR1- Ack! Yul, what happened!? I'd say he crawled from under the UTR rock, mainly because his name was thrown out, and mainly because he was said to have a cunning, numbers-crunching mind (he proved this w/ this insane, awesome TC monologue about the Fire Token economy). But the majority of "Yul information" this episode didn't even come from Yul: it was all secondhand. The man was simply left out of the discussion, which is never a good look. Yul had enough emotional content early on to make him a possible contender for an EOE return. (Perhaps the soonness of that return is why his appearance seemed so... limited... this episode?) But I'm not so sure.
Wendell- MORN2 - Wendell found a way to piss off Nick and Yul, and it was the way similar to how he's pissed off Michele: his "hot shot" antics at the Immunity Challenge (saying "shut up Probst" or something) cost them seconds in the puzzle, seconds that ended up being totally crucial. His behavior seemed less OTT to me this episode, like he was coming down from last week's crazy, irritating-as-hell high. It's still telling when his attempt to reconcile with Michele ended with a mansplain. At Tribal, Wendell almost, almost seemed sorry. But he still strikes me as a weak player with a big target on his back who will find a way-- probably via arrogance-- to exit the game soon.
Dakal
Kim - MOR2 - Kim isn't getting a ton of time to shine, though that's not entirely her fault... She is still on a beach with Tony, and the conversation this week revolved almost entirely around Denise's TC triumph. Kim's sincere willingness to work with Denise is intriguing, and might point to the kind of power pair situation that Denise (feat. Malcolm) took to the bank in the Philippines. Still, seven episodes in, I'm thinking Kim is a marginal player this season-- a way for someone else to get forward, perhaps?
Denise- CPP1 - This was a pretty good way for Denise to follow up an epic move. The reaction to her success, previewed at TC itself, was one of respect and admiration. (There didn't seem to be deep love for Sandra on the tribe.) Like Michele, Denise seems to be working on a "underrated winner" arc, trying to "prove" the authenticity of her prior Survivor victory. Her bond with Jeremy still seems semi-solid, and her blossoming friendship with Kim seems like a good move, too. Aside from one fella we'll discuss in a second, I'd say she's gonna the strongest winner chances of anyone on Dakal.
Jeremy- UTR2 - Man I can't remember what happened with Jeremy this ep. (He hashed things out with Denise, right?) So either him or me is Under the Radar. You decide, this is Amateur Edgic.
Tony- CP1- We're back to Tony, the calm, rational contender... or are we? Good or bad, positive or negative, complex or over the top, Tony is definitely one of the main personalities this season. Even if he's not dominating the strategy, he is always a topic of conversation. He has created some of the principal terms through which we can understand this season... And the question is now, can his lion fend off the swarm of hyenas? He's maybe the last player standing unanimously understood to be a "big threat." His dynamic game, and his opportunities to explain its twist and turns, every episode, make me think he'll be threatening the others for a while yet.
Yara
Sarah- MOR2- Sarah and Sophie are aligned in so many ways now: they're on the same tribe, in the same alliance, idoling it up, playing similar strategies, and seeming like they're completely in control of the game. I think Sarah is going to outlast her, though, because she has more storylines to work with. She still has a "Cops R Us" thing going with Tony. And Adam thinks-- KNOWS!-- that she has an idol. She is deemed a strong player by her peers... Hopefully not too strong!
Sophie- MOR2- Same thing goes for Sophie. (Except that last part.) (Sorry, Sophie!)
Ben- MOR3- Ben has turned against Adam completely, and it's hilarious. He's trying to align himself with Sarah and Sophie, but I have a feeling he's gonna be the odd one out. He never seems totally in control of his fate, this Ben guy. But maybe that's part of his own "redemption" arc? (Redeeming himself from the cheapest win in Survivor history?)
Adam- CP2- Again, we see paranoid, calculating Adam, on the ropes, out of the loop, desperate to hang on. His desperation never strikes me as negative though. Even though he clearly miscalculated with his idol suspicions, he is right to be suspicious, and I think the editors want us to see a hard-working, hard-thinking player as much as they do a dumb one. I'd still put Adam in the better half of winner contenders, as he is getting interesting content every episode (even ones like these, without a TC). But he might make too many mistakes for his own good.
EOE
Natalie, Amber, Danni, Ethan, Tyson, Rob, Parvati, Sandra
Sandra left. Tyson found a fire token, Rob found three. My wife said, "I just don't want to see him [Rob] anymore." Good thing is, I don't think we will, hun! I think Tyson returns, then maybe Natalie, then maybe Yul.
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