Gruesome injuries and medical evacuations are part of the game, unfortunately. In the first 48 seasons, fans have seen some really scary moments featuring Survivor players, and it looks like we're about to see another one in Survivor 49 episode 3, "Lovable Losers," which airs on Wednesday, Oct. 8 on CBS and Paramount+.
CBS just released the synopsis of the upcoming episode. The teaser mentions an "unprecedented medical emergency." That's obviously very ominous.
Here's the full synopsis for the episode:
"An unprecedented medical emergency leaves the castaways shaken. A second beware advantage is found in the game, and its finder must earn their vote back before it’s too late, on SURVIVOR, Wednesday, Oct. 8 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT)..."
My first thought was that someone is going to get injured in a way that we hadn't seen before, but then I remembered the teaser trailer for third episode, which aired at the very end of Survivor 49 episode 2, "Cinema," on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
It sure looks like Jake gets bit by a snake in the next episode of Survivor
Look, I'm no Sherlock Holmes, obviously, but I can see what's happening here. The teaser trailer begins with dark, ominous tones that would make Peter Bretter proud, and it features a snake slithering through the beach waters.
Then, we see Jake looking concerned at the beach. Later, he tells the tribe, "Hey, a big snake just latched on me."
Then, they cut to Alex Moore in an interview.
"This is a highly venomous snake," Alex says. "I'm worried about his life at this point."
When I saw that teaser, I thought Jake was obviously kidding to prank his tribe. He is the Shoe Bandit. He's been hiding their shoes all over of the beach. It makes sense that Jake, who seems like a big kid out there, basically, would lie about getting bit by a snake. Maybe, he is, and that's why it's an "unprecedented medical emergency" because production is obviously very concerned that Jake said he got bit by a snake.
But, maybe it's also real, and he does get bit by a venomous snake and pulled from the show! That's a real possibility, especially since the show leads with that in the synopsis. We've seen players pulled from the game before and not see if mentioned in the synopsis for an episode, so there's definitely something up.
Jake would be the first medical evacuation since Survivor 46
Randen Montalvo was the last player to be pulled from Survivor for medical reasons in Survivor 46. Randen was having numbness in his arm, and he was pulled from the game in case he needed emergency surgery.
Kevin Leung dislocated his shoulder in the first challenge of Survivor 48, but he was not pulled from the game at that time. He suffered for a few days before getting voted out.
So, Jake would be the first medical evacuation in a few seasons if it actually happens. Personally, I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think Survivor would tease a player's exit by snake bit like this, but hey, I've been wrong before. That would be such a tough way for Jake, who is playing Survivor for some very special reasons, to leave the game.
We'll find out what happens in Survivor 49 episode 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 8!