‘Survivor’: Jeff Probst Says Rachel’s ‘Brilliant’ Tribal Move Could Change Game Forever
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Survivor Season 47 Episode 8.]
Rachel from Survivor 47 just made the Shot in the Dark interesting again. This advantage is largely disliked by fans, as it rarely pays off in exciting ways. And when it does pay off, it’s because of luck and not necessarily skill. But Rachel deployed the advantage in a strategic move in the November 6 episode that Jeff Probst called “brilliant” in the On Fire podcast (listen to the full episode for free below). He also said it has the potential to change the game forever and is a perfect example of why the show’s creators create advantages and put few rules on how they can be played.
The Survivor auction returned in the episode. Rachel bought herself some french fries that unbeknownst to her came with a secret scroll. The scroll revealed that there was a hidden immunity idol sewn into the corner of the tarp at camp. Later on, she carved the advantage out of the tarp in broad daylight and in front of other players who somehow didn’t catch on. Rachel was saved by Sol in last week’s tribal council when secretly giving her an idol. He confessed it to her in this episode to make a new alliance (he wants to assemble a team of “Sol’s Secret Agents”). Rachel knew they were solid heading into tribal, but she didn’t trust everyone else.
When it came time to play advantages, Rachel kept her new idol concealed and revealed she used her Shot in the Dark, meaning she didn’t vote. The Shot in the Dark (which gives players a 1-in-6 chance at immunity) didn’t protect her, but that didn’t matter; it’s not why she was using it. Her lack of a vote, in addition to Sam’s, led to a tie and then a revote. The tie was between Sam and Sierra.
The only reason tied players don’t participate in a revote is because only their names can be written down, so they would only vote for each other therefore canceling each other’s votes out. But Sam didn’t have a vote in this tribal council and Sierra did, so Sierra would still vote. The only people who couldn’t vote were Sam and Rachel. They could only vote for Sierra or Sam. Sierra voted for Sam, and then everyone else voted for Sierra, making her the first member of the Survivor 47 jury.
Probst said in the On Fire podcast that Rachel’s new way of using Shot in the Dark has caused a shift in Survivor history.
“She could have played her idol after” the Shot in the Dark didn’t protect her, “and that was exactly her plan,” Probst said. “She used the Shot in the Dark in a really inventive way. She used it as a lure. She played it, and then she didn’t even care if she was safe or not. She was watching the other faces to see if they cared that she played it because that was her indicator. If they react in a big way, then I know I’m the vote and if I’m not safe with the scroll, I’ll be safe with my idol. Instead, she didn’t see any reactions. So very cleverly, much like when she got the idol out of the tarp, she just let her game play quiet and trusted. She wasn’t the vote.”
The host added that this is exactly why the show’s creators throw advantages into the game and don’t get involved after. “We talk about this a lot. We put advantages into the game with one idea, and then we wait for the players to teach us how they should be used. That was a brilliant use of the Shot in the Dark,” Probst raved.
Charlie Davis, who came in second place in Survivor 46 and was fans’ choice to cohost On Fire this season, also praised Rachel’s move, saying that it just made the game harder for her competitors.
“I mean, it was awesome. That was really, really cool. So creative by her. And the question now that’s bugging me as a player is, what’s the now counter move that the players are going to come up with now that Rachel has invented this new way to use the Shot in the Dark?” Davis said. “It’s always that never-ending cycle. But let’s not forget here, you said very good outcome, Jay. Rachel’s left out of this vote and lost an ally, so I’m looking to see what she’s going to do next.”
The Shot in the Dark advantage has never been more interesting. Rachel may be Season 47’s greatest strategist — and greatest threat.
Get more behind-the-scenes details about the episode in the full installment of On Fire, below. And let us know what you think about Rachel’s potential to win the game in the comments section.
Survivor, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS
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Comments are closed on this story.
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G
Brilliant game play! The shot in the dark move covered outwit. Like the way she uses observation instead of the classic brute force to maneuver past the unknown. Rachel could have a career in military recon. My fav this season
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O
I don't think she played it for that reason at all. I think she played it so the others wouldn't ever question her having an idol. For if she had an idol why would she have to play the shot in the dark?
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P
That was my first thought also.
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O
Since this season 47 has actually been over for weeks, if not months, and the reasoning was given by Jeff, don't you think he got this from Rachael herself???
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C
The way the edit was setup and her looking at the reactions of everyone after playing her shot in the dark covers that narrative. She was gauging everyone’s reaction but your analysis makes more sense. I was wondering why she didn’t play the idol but she knew she wasn’t the vote. Players may feel that she doesn’t have an idol because why waste the shot in the dark when the idol holds more weight and guaranteed protection.This was a great play to sus out the players who she may could work with while watching reactions. Rachel is definitely a threat and Caroline and Genevieve know it. I would love to see how Rachel explains her decision on playing the SITD but it doesn’t matter because one of her allies is gone.
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O
Exactly right.
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C
Rachel came to play!!!
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G
I agree it was a very unusual way to use the shot in the dark move but smart on her to watch the faces of the others and discern that she wasn't the vote. I'm rooting for Kyle, though. But I do know the minute he doesn't win that necklace, he's gone!
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C
It was brilliant for another reason above and beyond what was stated in the article. Now that its public knowledge that Rachel has played her shot in the dark it feasibly sets herself up for a future potential means to single handedly orchestrate and drop the blindside of all blindsides if she keeps her idol secret, plays it correctly and becaaue she has played her shot in the dark the tribe wrongly may perceive her as an easy vote and opt to unanimously vote for hwe feeling no risk or worry or need to spli she has no further advantages or idols and no more shot to play opt to vote her out unanimously seeing no reason or need to split the vote for fear of the shot in the dark being played. She could feasibly set up a huge blindside on which all votes are cast against herself, she correctly plays her idol and her sole vote will shock everyone alupon its revelation and coming to the light and the hidden truthoferstealth like strategic masterminding is agaib shown for playing the shot in the dark so strategically in its usage only to bow see it was merepy the set up for the fall out and likely fame winn9ng move that would be hard to argue against why she foesnt deserve the million and win for this season.
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Try editing again with correct grammar and spelling to make that easier to read. Use AI to help you.
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R
They never throw all votes on one player anymore, almost never
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G
What?
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B
Shot in the dark gives someone a 1-in-6 shot at immunity (akin to a dice roll and hoping for a specific number), NOT 50-50. If it was 50-50 people would be using it constantly.
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C
It also allows her to be seen in at least a neutral light, by the first jury member.
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C
In was applauding her out loud when I saw that move.. she is playing chess, that is for sure
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P
She is playing Survivor. She's isn't shown playing chess, that is for sure.
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O
only works if everyone is an open book and let their true reactions show. The counter is very easy, no reactions. I have always said in survivor and BB look at the way people celebrate and respond after a comp or immunity to see alliances and who felt they benefit from that particular outcome.
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O
SITD is a 1-in-6 chance, not 50-50
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B
I really hope Rachel wins. Her charm, charisma and BS detector far outweigh the other players.
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C
If she is successful with the shot in the dark she says her idol, correct?