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Week 2 of Survivor has passed and once again there’s no real point in Power Rankings because everyone is being split into three tribes in tonight's episode. So prepare for more general impressions of castaways in loose power ranking order.

Last week, we saw Shirin get voted out, despite her pleading for a “once in a lifetime” third chance. Of course, second chance to go on Survivor is also a once in a lifetime opportunity, and so is “going on Survivor in the first place.” How many “once in a lifetime” Survivor opportunities does Shirin need? More than Tyson Apostol. Anyway, Shirin acknowledges her weakness as a player and admits that it was her own gameplay that “blew up her game.” So that’s nice.

Ta Keo

Two challenge losses in two episodes would normally make Ta Keo the designated “loser tribe” that can’t do anything right, but the last challenge was pretty tight. We’ll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

Varner

Varner is still wearing his necktie in confessionals! While wearing his dress shirt with the torn off sleeves! He looks like he raided Fred Flintstone's wardrobe.

Varner successfully explained his first episode vote to Dietz as “trying to light a fire under old school’s ass” and has put together a new alliance. Playing both sides in the first two episodes – the other tribe members have to be thinking that Varner is shady by now. But he’s the one leading the way, and why not let him do so?

Dietz

Whatever I’ve said about Dietz in the past, at least he has consciously learned from his last Survivor experience and put the basics of his social game in order. Even more surprising - that he genuinely seems to feel that he has made a connection. With Abi Maria!

Abi Maria

Spencer refers to Abi Maria as a “permanent liability” that always has to be lugged around. While that’s true, it also shows that Spencer is not a good fit to win the game. I’m sure Rob Mariano saw Phillip Shepherd as a “permanent liability,” but he always kept at the front of his mind that Phillip was what he needed to win the game and didn’t let it wear him down. Same with Natalie and Missy and Baylor, Tyson and Monica Culpepper and Parvati and ELR (though it ultimately cost her). You have to put in the work, Spencer – you can’t complain about your “permanent liability” with 33 days to go.

But we are supposed to be talking about Abi, who is clueless enough to believe that people actually find her a “joy” when they tell her so, and commits the ultimate Survivor sin of telling Shirin that she has a new alliance with Terry, that everyone has turned on Shirin and Spencer and that one of them will be going next. There’s something to be said for the honesty in stabbing someone from the front, but at the same time, this is Survivor. Spilling the beans to the person who is leaving undermines your own allies. If she can’t act like a rational Survivor player, she is not going to last.

Kelley

Kelley has an idol, but she had no say in the flip from voting for the “old school” to “voting for Spencer and Shirin. Right now, Kelley is getting strung along by Varner’s game.

Woo

Woo apparently showed a stronger spine than the last time he played – turning down the overture from Spencer and Shirin by pointing out this was their first conversation. Consensus opinion: “Good for Woo.”

Peih-Gee

Peih-Gee will be more thrilled than anyone about the tribe switch and the opportunity to be on a different tribe to Abi. But just in case, she should start preparing her arguments about how she would be better to keep around than Abi.

Wiglesworth

When Varner asked her who she would prefer to vote out, Wiglesworth replied that she was “just going to go where the numbers are.” But Varner just told her – the numbers are for Shirin and Spencer. This is her cue to talk with her (admittedly, new-found) ally about the pros and cons of voting either one off. I hesitate to say that anyone really “rides coat-tails” on Survivor, but I think Wiglesworth is riding coat-tails. This is a no-risk situation because saying bad stuff about Spencer or Shirin is not going to blow back on you. The only wrong answer you can give is no answer – because if you don’t have an answer to that question, how are you talking strategy with anyone? How do you expect the other players, whose votes you want at the end of the game, to respect your gameplay? Wiglesworth is easily the most boring person on her tribe.

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