Every human is flawed, but when it comes to using Survivor edgic in season 35, Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, having the fewest flaws will help you win.
With 10 players still left in the game after Survivor season 35 episode 8, our Survivor edgic has been decidedly muddled. Plenty of characters have been overexposed, some have been sabotaging their own game and others have been overconfident. However, the merge has pushed one player to the top, and showing more personal content is the final key left to unlock their winner edit.
What makes this season’s post-merge edit so weird is that the “safe” vote has been taken not once, but twice. Here is where you would see a strong player in the minority alliance voted out, or a huge threat to win get kneecapped. Instead, Jessica was voted out to prevent a Joe Mena Idol, and Desi was voted out because … reasons. She’s a challenge threat? There are only theories right now.
With that in mind, our Survivor season 35 episode 8 edgic takes negatives into account more than positives, as we’re starting to see the sparkle of greater players start to get duller by the second. Here is our up-to-date chart!
Complex Personalities
Ben Driebergen (CPM5): While we ultimately got to see Ben get his way in taking out the challenge threat in Desi, considering his positive content surrounding the merge, this was an awful episode for Ben. Not only did he fall for Joe’s frustration tactics with the Marines, but he was also shown referring to his experience as a means of authority. What once was used to humanize Ben, it is now used as a weakness through his editing. That does not bode well going forward.
Chrissy Hofbeck (CP3): This is the second time that Chrissy showed a definite lack of social gameplay, whispering overtly and calling Cole too stupid to know what was going on. Furthermore, while Chrissy was instrumental in the early stages of the vote, she was not as interweaved into the split strategy, and she made a harsh comment to Joe about nobody wanting to hear him.
The more Chrissy involves herself in team gameplay, she kills her individual gameplay. She’s well positioned now, however, and she’s still hidden behind Ben at this point from a voting perspective.
Lauren Rimmer (CPP3): Lauren has finally been given an opportunity to make an impactful game move opportunity with her Secret Advantage, one that gives her something to build a resume around for Final Tribal Council. She talked about how she’s playing for her daughter and how this Secret Advantage could get her into the Final 3. I wouldn’t be surprised, with her solid social gameplay and tight alliance partnerships, if she could win it all as bigger players fall ahead of her.
Ryan Ulrich (CP4): The more I see Ryan Ulrich and his 33 (!) confessionals this season, the more I’m convinced he’s going to be a finale night boot. Tons of narration content, self-destructive tone (calling himself “weasel,” others putting him down, etc.) and repeated mentions of his frailty hint at his body giving out right near the end. He’s too exposed in the edit for my liking.
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Cole Medders (CPM4): He may still be a hungry, hungry hippo, but he’s still got a lot of hunger when it comes to the game of Survivor, too. Shown as downtrodden, aggressive, bashful and foolish earlier in the episode, his Immunity win helped bump up his self-esteem, with the editing suggesting a mixed tone for this episode.
Joe Mena (CPN4): Frantically trying to form some sort of exit strategy, Joe uses his social (dis)graces to allude that Ben swore on the Marines and broke a social code. While it’s a taboo subject to broach, Joe pulls it off well, and even avoids the axe coming down on his head for it. He’s a game fan, doing all he can to stay in the game.
Middle of the Road
Devon Pinto (MORP3): For what it’s worth, Devon has been shown whipping the vote at the merge and is one of two players to receive a positive tone in their post-merge content. He’s been given confessionals and Tribal Council speeches that show off his positive energy and spirit that he shares with his castaways, and people from Alan, Ashley, Joe and Mike continue to show interest in wanting to work with Devon.
If he gets more personal content in the next episode and doesn’t manage to blow up his own game, I might even lock in Devon as my Survivor season 35 edgic pick. From a pure editing perspective, he’s got the best all-around prospects right now.
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Mike Zahalsky (MOR2): We’ve been waiting to see Mike’s welcoming party for some time in Survivor season 35, and this episode could see his game’s turnaround. Voting against his alliance, Mike is now in with Ben and possibly set himself up to be a swing vote as the majority eats itself. Mike’s got a great underdog story to him, and although he’s a longshot to win from an edgic perspective, he could have a strong personal journey edit left in him.
Desi Williams (MOR2): Another disappointing edit for this season. Serving as Joe Mena surrogate, Desi was targetted by Ben as a challenge threat and Joe’s continued self-sabotage meant that Desi was the smarter choice to vote out. Why go after someone everyone hates if you can sit next to them at the Final Tribal Council? Desi’s entire edit was about how Joe was saving/ruining her game, and we saw it in her rather subdued boot episode.
Under the Radar
Ashley Nolan (UTR1): Despite taking up a lot of time at the Reward Challenge trying to knock out a target, as well as mentioning four players digging up an Idol, Ashley had very little to say this episode. All her editing focused on the actions of others or failing her team. Throw it in her growing pile of filler content.
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JP Hilsabeck (UTR1): JP had some spaghetti (and things like that). He was boring. He used many words to say so little. Again.