For all the talk about Survivor: Game Changers mixing the format up, some things, like the loved ones’ challenge, have been left alone.
Loved ones have been a part of Survivor since the very first season. Much as the current iteration, Game Changers, has tried some new things (Exile Island not being awful for once, and the Tribal Council that sent Malcolm home), it has apparently left this alone.
As per usual, we fully expect that the friends and family members the show flies out will have to participate somehow. Hopefully, they will not have to eat disgusting things. (The show as a whole, thankfully, has gotten away from trying to make people gag on camera. But you never know. We all thought Exile Island had died long ago.)
The official synopsis from CBS implies that the participation, at least, will happen:
"“‘It Is Not a High Without a Low’ — An emotional reward challenge brings loved ones together and one castaway receives invaluable advice from their special visitor, on SURVIVOR, Wednesday, May 10 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.”"
Of course, it makes no hints as to who wins the challenge. In fact, it doesn’t even imply that whoever wins will have to pick who else has time with their loved ones. That, though, seems almost certain. Not only is it another emotional moment, it’s also one that can have a lot of strategy behind it.
With Zeke now out of the game, Andrea or Cirie may want to solidify her relationships with Aubry, Sarah, and Michaela by choosing them to benefit. Out of those three, assuming Jeff Probst in his benevolence allows the winner to pick two people, Sarah seems like the wisest choice. Michaela might not be bad either, since it may mitigate her apparent upset at voting Zeke out.
But on the flip side, someone like Brad or Sierra, if they win, may want to pick someone from that alliance. The wording, particularly “special visitor,” hints heavily at one of those two winning or at least participating in reward. (Hint: it’s Brad. His wife played Survivor too, remember?) Anyway, since his side down in numbers even sans Zeke on the other side, his goal would be to woo someone else over — or back, in the case of Sarah.
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Who do you think has the best shot of winning this reward on Survivor: Game Changers?