Top 10 Things We Have Yet to See on Survivor (But May Someday)

 I do a lot of blog posts on one of my favorite TV shows ever, Survivor.  I enjoy how the game has evolved over the years, and new things are happening all the time with its evolution.  We had a fan-favorite player get eliminated by default with Cirie in Game Changers.  We had a tribal in Second Chance where idols negated every vote.  But some instances or occurrences have never happened in Survivor history.  With all the new advantages and the numerous idols put into play by the showrunners, not only are some of these things likely to happen, but I think they (Jeff included) want them to happen.

10. A "No Vote" Tribal Council
One thing I'm not a fan of in recent seasons is how easy it is to lose your vote.  In fact, in Season 44, just going to the summit meant you lost your vote, unless you got lucky and succeeded in that 1/3 shot of getting an advantage.  It's so dumb.  Anyway, with how easy it is to lose your vote, and with shots in the dark, and with how small tribes can get, I feel like a "no vote" tribal council may happen someday.  I'm sure they have a plan in place for this, but this "dramatic moment" would feel so contrived, as do a lot of them in recent seasons.  And by a "no vote" tribal council, I do not mean a tribal council where all votes are negated.  That's happened before.  I mean a tribal council where everyone present has lost their vote or chooses to lose their vote.  Very unlikely, but it's theoretically possible.

9. A plurality tie at Final Tribal Council
I have a feeling this could happen in 44 (Spoiler alert: It does not).  But given three finalists, a tie with a plurality vote is certainly possible.  With 8 jurors like 44 has, we could see a 3-3-2 final vote.  Or if they had 9 jurors, a 4-4-1, or do I even say a 3-3-3?  We've seen a tie before in Ghost Island, but in that case, Laurel did not receive a vote and ended up casting the tie-breaking vote.  So if there's a 3-3-2 tie, how is it broken?  Do the 2 people who voted for the 3rd place person and the 3rd place person themself break the tie?  We may get that answer someday.

8. "Everyone's Safe" Tribal Council
This is what I think Jeff and the producers want most.  A tribal council where everyone is safe via immunity, idol, advantage, or shot in the dark.  We were close to it with the Cirie elimination in Game Changers.  But what would happen here?  They just vote out two people next time?  Everyone's safety cancels out and gets removed?  Draw rocks?  They fight for it?

7. Someone puts themselves into final 4 fire making and loses
We've seen it only once before where the player who won final immunity put themselves into fire: Chris in Edge of Extinction.  He won his fire-making duel with Rick Devens and then won the game.  A few others have considered attempting it, some of them regretting not doing so.  I think we will see (and likely soon) someone put themselves into fire, but lose.  It's become a running trend that winning fire-making looks a lot better to the jury.  This would happen when someone needs a boost to their resumé and knows they have no shot at winning without it.

Update: Heidi in 44 put herself into fire making, but won the fire making over Carson.  However, she still did not win the game, the first to put themselves into fire making but lose the game.

6. Multiple fake idols played at one tribal council
Hard as it may seem, we've never seen multiple fake idols be attempted to be played at the same tribal council.  For the first time in 44, producers made and introduced fake idols into the game.  In the past, players always had to make them themselves.  I think we may soon see a tribal council where someone attempts to play an idol but it turns out to be fake, and someone else attempts the same, feeling like there is no way theirs could be fake as well.

5. A player gets all the way to the end without ever having been vulnerable at a tribal council
I'm sure there have been a few players who have been somewhat close.  But this may never happen.  However, it theoretically is possible that a player gets all the way to the end without having been eligible to be voted for.  Their starting tribe would have to win every immunity, and they'd have to win individual immunity or be separated into a group that doesn't go to tribal every vote until the Final 3.  This person would have to be godlike at challenges.  They'd have to be smart with puzzles and athletic for endurance challenges.  I wonder if this ever happened, would this make a jury want to vote for them or not?  

4. A rock draw on a plurality tie
We've seen some rock draws in Survivor history, from Marquesas to Blood vs. Water to Millennials vs. Gen X.  But we've never seen one when there's been a three-way tie (or more).  I believe Survivor has had a three-way tie before, but it's always been resolved on the revote.  You'd think perhaps there'd be a tribe of 6 people with three twosomes, the twosomes all targeting three different people.  But generally, two pairs of twosomes get together to target one of the two odd people out.  Or, if a tribe has three people, each one targeting someone else.  I thought we might've seen that on Tika in 44 when they had just Caroline, Joshua, and Yam-Yam.

3. Someone gives someone their immunity necklace who then in turn plays an idol for them
I just think this would be a cute moment if it ever happened.  Two players close in the game, both of whom would be vulnerable.  One has individual immunity, but they decide to see if they can throw off the opposition and they give their immunity to their ally.  Said ally then plays an idol they happen to have on the first player.  This has never happened before, since the second player could just play their idol, but I'd still love to see it for the drama and fireworks.  Plus, it's something players would have to come up with, not the producers.

2. A player votes out someone with their idol
Let me explain.  In 44, we saw the introduction of the "Control a Vote" where Heidi got to control Lauren's vote.  Also, players loan idols all the time, namely in recent years to avoid the Knowledge is Power advantage.  This could mean someone is forced to vote out someone who has their idol.  That would just be such a kick in the nuts.  

1. A rock draw for $1 million?!
Even with a final three, a deadlock tribal council is possible.  I believe, for this reason, the show tries to avoid a jury size that is a multiple of 3 (namely 9).  I don't believe they've had a jury where the final 3 could've each gotten the same number of votes.  But I could be wrong.  But surely they must have something in place for this in case it happens.  For example, in Winners at War, what if one more person had left the Edge (joining Sandra in doing so), and the 15 jurors split their votes 5-5-5 between Tony, Natalie, and Michele?  Surely they wouldn't do a rock draw for $1 million, right?  I guess they'd have the jury talk it over until they came to a consensus.  Or possibly re-vote until someone gets the majority.  

BONUS (Unlikely): A juror that never casts a vote
We saw in 44 how Matt got to the jury, despite the only time he ever cast a vote being the time he got voted out.  Well, with how much the producers love taking people's votes away in mind (and the Shot in the Dark), we could see a juror on Survivor who never casts a vote, not even for a winner.  This could only happen if they re-introduced the "Remove a Juror" advantage, as seen in Kaoh Rong.  That was only introduced because of the med-evacs and needing an extra challenge, but I feel like we potentially could see it again.  Imagine, you get on the jury, but you don't get to cast a vote all game.  We will probably see a juror at some point that the first time they put pen to paper is for the winner.

Survivor Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: How the Final 7 will go

Well, another good season of Survivor is winding down, and they are already down to the Final 7: Ashley, Ben, Chrissy, Devon, Lauren, Mike, and Ryan.  This is a really solid cast and I don't think I've ever said this about a final 7, but there's at least 6, if not all 7, that could win this game.  So it makes it pretty tough to predict who will win, but I'll give it my best.

7th: Mike
Just FYI, there was a string of women being voted out (Roark, Ali, Jessica, Desi all in a row) and this will continue the string of men (Cole, JP, Joe so far).  Mike is the lone healer left, and it would just make logical sense for him to win.  If he gets anywhere near the end he could win it.  The Hustlers and Heroes have to prevent that.

6th: Ben
I don't know exactly how this will happen, but it's likely one of 2 ways.  Either Ryan plays his idol to eliminate Ben, or some of Lauren, Ashley, and Devon turn on him.  Either way, he's already been outed as a huge threat to win the game, and while it would make for a great season, it's not going to happen.

5th: Chrissy
Chrissy will be a target because she's a smooth talker, likable, and if she sits in the final three could definitely earn some votes.  At this point it would probably be her and Ryan vs. Lauren, Ashley, and Devon.  Ryan's a strategic threat, but not much strategy left with only 5 remaining.

4th: Ryan
Ryan would be on the outs, and unless he wins immunity, he's probably gone.  He could try to break up the fearsome threesome but no one would take him over anyone remaining.

3rd: Ashley
This is the spot now known as the no or one vote spot.  Meaning, at the final tribal council, they get one or no votes.  I see that being Ashley, as I just don't see a Survivor winner quality in her.

2nd: Devon
Devon's played a great game and could very will win the final few immunity challenges, with all the other male threats out.  But I don't think it'll be enough to grant him the title of sole survivor.

1st: Lauren
I never would have predicted this at the start of the season, but I see it happening.  She's got Chrissy as more of a threat to win, and everyone else is more of a physical threat, really.  Lauren is going to say the right things and come away the winner of Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers.

Just for GP, here's how I see the final vote going:
Desi: Lauren
Cole: Devon
JP: Ashley
Joe: Devon
Mike: Lauren
Ben: Lauren
Chrissy: Lauren
Ryan: Lauren

So by a vote of 5-2-1, Lauren wins.  Hooray for her.

Survivor Cagayan Predictions at Final Seven

Results done in red, after show.

Survivor Cagayan, Survivor's 28th season, is entering its final two episodes (already!) and they are down to the final seven.  Here I will predict the boot order, and give my chances of winning to each contestant.  Basically, I'm predicting how the rest of the show goes.

7th: Tasha Fox (Chance of winning: 10%)
Tasha has won the last two immunities, and if she doesn't win a third in a row, I don't see her being able to get herself out of being voted out.  Tony and co. will see that she is actually a bigger challenge threat than Spencer, and Spencer will also save himself because he has a good rapport going with Tony.  If Tasha can somehow weasel her way to the finals (or go on an immunity streak), she has a very decent shot at winning.  The problem is getting there.

Actual Finish: 6th
Tasha almost finished in the spot I predicted for her.  I knew that she would go soon because not only was she a challenge threat, but she didn't have a core alliance.  Not a recipe for success on Survivor.  

6th: Spencer Bledsoe (Chance of winning: 15%)
Spencer will be giving it everything he's got at immunity, but I don't think it will be enough.  I think Spencer's one of the most likeable castaways in recent seasons, which is why the others won't take him to the finals, or even that close.  Spencer will undoubtedly win if he makes the finals.  But like with Tasha, he has to get there first.

Actual Finish: 4th
Spencer did better than I thought he did, but not as good as I was hoping he would do.  Again, he didn't have a core alliance and while he was able to win an immunity which furthered him, he wasn't able to win another.  

5th: Yung "Woo" Hwang (Chance of winning: 20%)
If they get rid of Spencer and Tasha in the next two votes, this tribal will determine everything.  I think it will either be Tony or Woo.  Tony has the "Super Idol" which I believe he can use in any vote up to the final five vote, meaning he is almost a lock for final four, at least.  I think that idol will come into play, and Tony will be gunning for Woo and hard.

Actual Finish: 2nd
Woo played so quiet of a game it was hard for him not to get to the end, because he not only wasn't a huge threat and didn't make moves, but he just followed in Tony's footsteps.  Even if he hadn't won the final immunity challenge he probably still would have made it to the end.

4th: Tony Vlachos (Chance of winning: 20%)
Tony has played some game, I tell ya.  The final four immunity challenge will be huge.  My prediction is that the girls (Kass, Trish, Jeffra) will be gunning for Tony to be voted out.  If Tony doesn't win, he's gone.  Tony has yet to prove himself in challenges, so if it's endurance or focus or stamina, I don't see him winning immunity.  We'll have an all female final three.

Actual Finish: 1st (Winner)
Now if this final four had happened, Tony would probably have been out of there.  However, he did trick everyone into thinking his idol was good for one more vote than it actually was, which I didn't see coming.  Tony's actually pretty lucky they didn't see through that, because if they did, he'd have been voted out.

3rd (fewest votes at final Tribal Council): Kass McQuillen (Chance of winning: less than 5%)
Kass is almost a lock for the final three, because she has no shot at winning.  Whoever is in control will take her to the end.  She won't get votes from any of the former Aparri tribe (Sarah, Morgan, Jeremiah).  I give her at least a small shot, because she is an attorney, and her job is trying to persuade a jury.  If she does a good enough job, you never know what could happen.

Actual Finish: 3rd
Yay!  Someone who I predicted in the right spot, but not for the right reason.  When I did these predictions, I was pretty sure there was going to be a final three vote.  But alas, there was two.  

2nd (2nd fewest votes at final Tribal Council): Jeffra Bland (Chance of winning: less than 5%)
Jeffra, like Kass, has viritually no shot at winning, but a very good shot at the finals.  But unlike Kass, it's her inability to make moves that will cost her.  Kass has just always voted with the majority, not making a single big move.  She had an opportunity to and save Jeremiah, but she didn't.  She's finals bait.

Actual Finish: 7th
In my defense, Jeffra could have made it this far if she played the game right.  She just had to flip-flop between Spencer/Tasha and Tony/Trish.  Flip-floppers tend to not do too well on Survivor.  

Winner: Trish Hegarty (Chance of winning: 25-30%)
Trish has been the dark horse the entire season.  No one has even THOUGHT of voting for her, and she has yet to receive a single vote.  Not only do I predict her to win, but she'll win in a landslide (8-0 or 7-1) with possibly Tony casting a vote towards Jeffra to spite Trish.  Hate to say it, but using Tony as a shield to take the heat for anything her alliance does, is not only incredibly smart, but makes her game look pretty much flawless. 

Actual Finish: 5th
Two things: 1) I didn't see Spencer winning Final 5 immunity, thus forcing the core alliance to turn on each other.  And 2) I was so sure no one would see Trish as a threat to win, as she really hadn't done too much.  However, I should have seen she hadn't made anyone mad or done anything stupid like Kass did.  But if Spencer hadn't won final five immunity, I'm pretty confident in saying Trish would either have gotten 1st or 2nd.  She was that close.  

Final Tribal Council Vote Predictions: Sarah, Morgan, LJ, Jeremiah, Tasha, Spencer, Woo: Trish
Tony: Jefra

There you have it.  So far, I am 2 for 2 when it comes to predicting the winner of Survivor around the final 7.  I correctly predicted Sophie and Fabio winning.  Also, if this final three happens, it would mean a member of each the beauty, brains, and brawn tribe made it to the end.  I'm rooting for Spencer, but pretty sure Trish is going to be crowned Sole Survivor. 

Results Summary:
Wow, usually I'm not too far off on my predictions but this time I was.  But hey, predicting the correct winner 2 out of 3 times isn't bad.  And having a final two instead of final three didn't help.  It's also very hard to predict who wins immunity, because that usually determines the vote, and you can't tell what kind of challenges are forthcoming.  I knew Tony had a decent shot of winning.  All he had to do was get to the finals, which he almost didn't.  If his idol bluff hadn't worked, or if Woo's desire for victory had been greater, he would not have won.  But it was a good game and I'm looking forward to Blood vs. Water... 2!