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Survivor has to do a better job at hiding Hidden Immunity Idols

By Daniel George

"My Kisses Are Very Private" - Cole Medders and Jessica Johnston on the third episode of SURVIVOR 35, themed Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, airing Wednesday, October 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Screen Grab/CBS ©2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved
"My Kisses Are Very Private" - Cole Medders and Jessica Johnston on the third episode of SURVIVOR 35, themed Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, airing Wednesday, October 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Screen Grab/CBS ©2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved /
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The ease of which idols can be found by players swapping to different tribes’ camps is a definite gameplay balance problem for Survivor players.

As I was watching back the latest episode of Survivor season 35, Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, for the edgic chart, it became quite glaring how little effort it took for Dr. Mike Zahalsky to find the Yawa beach Hidden Immunity Idol. He remarks that Cole and Joe found the idol near the well at Soko beach, so he just spends some time collecting water with Jessica as a cover to search for the idol. He finds it in a non-suspicious amount of time, thus securing a spot further in the game and finding renewed confidence in his abilities.

While it may serve as a great piece of triumphant storytelling that will pay off later (especially as he says to never underestimate Dr. Mike), the fact is that he didn’t need to find a clue himself in order to find the idol, nor was it hidden in a particularly difficult spot to find. All he needed was the knowledge of where the previous HII was hidden, and he had all he needed.

This has been a problem off and on in recent Survivor seasons, which makes it a frustratingly inconsistent one. Famously, Tai Trang found three idols during his time playing Game Changers, with two of those idols coming from splashing water on the side of a well back at camp to indicate where to dig. Even in a season where two were found in a series of difficult-to-find clues and digging points, and one was grabbed live during a challenge, Tai’s knowledge of one idol’s location led him to earn three after a tribe swap, not two.

More from Heroes Vs Healers Vs Hustlers

More importantly, the Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers players saw footage up to Sandra’s boot before their game began, meaning it became the clearest gameplay strategy for idol hunts in their mind. As such, Cole and Joe had a clear leg up on everyone in the game the minute they found a Hidden Immunity Idol together with Cole since making it clear on social media he told Mike and Jessica where to dig in order to extend an olive branch.

With one-round secret advantages popping up throughout the season, the producers know they need to keep extra powers varied so to avoid Advantagedon that unfairly ruined Cirie Fields’ chances of winning Game Changers. Even so, why make it possible that a select few can have an inherent knowledge of a game-altering power? Why not hide them in different places around the islands, while keeping the same style of tree-based clue system?

Next: Survivor: Ranking The Best Seasons

As Russell Hantz has taught all players of Survivor since Samoa, Hidden Immunity Idols don’t require clues to be found. However, it should take more than a logical hunch and some time to find them.

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