Survivor Season 34 Game Changers Cast Assessment: Michaela
On Survivor: Game Changers, Michaela will have the opportunity to play back-to-back. Will that help or hinder her on her second try for the million?
Although CBS has not released the entire cast for Survivor‘s upcoming season, with the subtitle of Game Changers, it has confirmed that Michaela Bradshaw of Millennials vs. Gen. X will return. It’s more than possible to play back-to-back — Rupert Boneham proved it way back in Pearl Islands and All-Stars, then Russell Hantz reached the Final Tribal Council in Samoa and Heroes vs. Villains. However, it doesn’t necessarily make things easier. So, based on what we know about Michaela’s castmates on this season as well as her game in Millennials, let’s take a look at what she might be able to pull off.
Here’s Jay talking about why he needed to vote her out last season, and it’s actually a pretty fair assessment.
The video comes via Idol Thoughts on YouTube:
Obviously, Michaela’s strengths lay in her straightforwardness as well as her physical abilities. During her time on Millennials, she didn’t hesitate to call people out or respond quite curtly to others’ remarks. Additionally, if she got involved in a challenge, she usually helped her tribes squeak out a win or at least a second-place finish. Furthermore, she also has some strategic prowess, or, to use Jay’s words, she’s a “smart chick”. In fact, that strategic sense earned her a nice blindside, since she played too aggressively too soon for the likes of her alliance-mates.
Her straightforwardness also doesn’t serve her well sometimes. As Jay himself points out, she can’t always hide if she doesn’t like you. However, someone else confirmed for this season has basically the same issue: Sandra Diaz-Twine, otherwise known as the only Survivor player to win twice. Sandra did not like Jonny Fairplay on Pearl Islands, and she didn’t like Russell on Heroes vs. Villains, either. She still took home two million-dollar prizes.
Additionally, Sandra’s shown a willingness to make friends with people like her, especially her friendship with Courtney on Heroes vs. Villains. Someone like Sandra could help curb Michaela’s outspokenness or help teach Michaela to channel it to where it’s more useful.
It’s also totally possible that Sandra and Michaela will hate each other. For similar reasons, Ciera could be hit-or-miss, since Ciera likes to make big moves but doesn’t always pull them off well.
Michaela could also do well with someone like Cirie based on Cirie’s social game, but would need to be wary of Cirie’s tendency to plant ideas in others’ heads. (Erik giving up Individual Immunity on Fans vs. Favorites, anyone?)
Michaela’s worst pairing might be with Tony, though. She doesn’t have the social graces to smooth him out, at least not based on his game in Cagayan, where he had Trish helping him out considerably. They’d likely clash and could end up squaring off against each other.
However, Michaela could also make an easy and early target, because she’s a relative unknown. Survivor has told returnees about back-to-back players before, though, including on Heroes vs. Villains as revealed by Jeff Probst himself. Furthermore, she establishes herself and her personality quickly.
It’s certainly possible that she can go far, but she has some issues she’ll need to overcome if she wants to survive (pun intended) the pre-merge this time around.
Next: What's CBS Confirmed About Season 34?
Survivor: Game Changers premieres on Mar. 8 on CBS.