Survivor: Philippines Power Rankings
Episode 10
By Ben Willoughby
November 20, 2012
BoxOfficeProphets.com

We love you, Denise. Don't ever change.

Welcome to another week of Survivor power rankings.

First of all, let me big up Jim, who filled in while I was away and showed everyone how it’s supposed to be done. Who says that returnees are a bad thing and should be scribbled out of Survivor? I, on the other hand, will be phoning it in, as I am hepped up on cold medication and paid only scant attention when catching up on last week’s episode.

Here are this week’s power rankings:

1. Denise

After contributing last week’s plan to vote for Artis, it looks like Denise is quietly taking a leadership role within her alliance. Obviously it was a good idea and everyone would have gotten on board eventually, but everyone was on board *immediately* because Denise said it. Even if she doesn’t have an idol or a pushy personality, she’s in control of where her alliance is heading.

2. Malcolm

Probst may call it the Kalabaw alliance, but the two core members of the alliance are both from Matsing. Carter and Jonathan are both riding along because they have no better option. Also, it wasn’t discussed at all last week except in the previouslies, but Malcolm still has that immunity idol. We’ll see if any blind-side rumblings happen next week, but I doubt it.

3. Jonathan

Jonathan isn’t looking too bad right now. Despite his paranoia about getting voted out last week, his name never came up. His next task is to keep the focus away from him by keeping everyone’s sights on Pete and Abi and then put himself in a swing vote position when Kalabaw has to eat itself. No one really trusts him and he’s not one of the decision-makers on Kalabaw, but he knows which buttons to press – the latest example his talk with Lisa. Although that one didn’t stick. Nobody’s perfect.

4. Carter

Carter is still not showing much of any game. He seems to be a little more clued in than before, and he seems to be well in with Denise and Malcolm. But is he involved in decision-making, or just a useful extra vote to have around? I think the latter.

5. Michael

Last week, Michael decided to flip to the Kalabaw alliance and start getting rid of the people everyone wants to be rid of. But he’s all alone over there, so his first priority has to be to bring Lisa across to his side. Being the last to join the alliance, he is also the most expendable, but he can stick with the group for now and them get them to target Jonathan when the time is right.

6. Lisa

Michael’s flip had the unfortunate side-effect of making Lisa less relevant in the game. Her big advantage is that she is seen as a nice person and not a power-player, so the majority are probably going to want to be rid of Pete or Abi first. But of course, because she’s such a nice person, no one wants to be sitting next to her at the final Tribal Council. We will see if Michael brings her in or leaves her out in the cold.

7. Abi

It wasn’t that long ago that I felt forced to concede that Abi might actually be playing a smart game. Obviously I conceded this too soon. She has so little self-awareness that even Pete and Artis mock her about this. Pete and Artis! The next logical step is Carter saying “Yeah, Abi’s kindah dumb.”

Abi isn’t in too bad a position to make it to the end of the game. She has an immunity idol and she’s unlikeable, which are both good arguments to keep her in the game. Of course, Kalabaw has the power and smarts to flush Abi’s idol if they want to – but do they really want to?

8. Pete

After last week’s evaporation of Tandang’s power, Pete’s options are not looking good. He’s likely next on the block. But with the Tandang alliance is down to a core two plus the person they have picked on, would Abi really give Pete her idol? Possibly. But it’s not Pete’s idol.

Looks like it will be another good episode tonight, so check back later for the recap.