Season 51, Episode 2: Popcorn Gate and Other Insanities

This episode had everything! It had thumb chopping, supernatural abilities to catch lying that aren't actually supernatural abilities, ankle injuries, medicinal leaves, idol finds, popcorn lies, Devin's "weaponized honesty," terrible island improv, apparent mental breakdowns, and an actual attempt at a self vote. This episode was crazy. Bonkers. Nutso. And boy was it a good time.

Man, I thought I came up with Popcorn Gate (I started this recap right after the episode aired and immediately titled it), but I now see that Dalton Ross has beaten me to the punch. Goes to show that none of our thinking is ever really unique. It's why me and 60 percent of white middle aged women have orange suitcases.

Anyway, Ana's lie was really bad. Bless her heart. And no shade, Ana, because who knows what any of us would do when trying to cover up some potentially stumbled upon bad mouthing (thanks, Carter), but it was hard to watch. When she said they were talking about popcorn to an approaching Alexis, my immediate thought was there's no way Alexis would buy that. It was too fast, too loud, and popcorn? I mean, obviously, you never hurriedly announce what you are talking about to someone who approaches. It signals to them that you don't want to look suspicious. Which means you were talking about them or at least something you don't want them to know about. And then to say you were talking about something so ridiculous (like how you miss popcorn), it's even more obvious that you are trying to telegraph a cover up. People talk about goofy and mundane stuff, sure. But if your lie is mundane then all it says it that you think someone might buy it. "Oh, we were just arguing about if it's cool to wear Crocs." "Hello. What's your opinion on Twizzlers vs Red Vines? That's what we were just gabbing about." "Hey there, I was just telling Carter here about my fear of carnival rides." Too obvious.

Alexis thought she had an ally. "Persian sisters." Ana just loudly telegraphed that she did not. Alexis couldn't know or didn't know that Ana and Carter were aligned. There's no reason why Ana shouldn't have told him (and Christian?) about the conversation. It's just that what Alexis would assume is that she's being betrayed. Or at least didn't have what she thought she had. She would assume she's in danger.

And so what did Alexis do? She used what she had. Alexis and Ana were talking game, safety, and names. "Are you hearing any other names other than Eric?" Alexis asked Ana.

"No," said Ana. "But, Linnea, she is strategic."

"She is strategic, I think," responded Alexis. "But, can we talk about Sharonda? I do see that she's a threat."

While we don't see the words being spoken, I'm 90 percent sure it's Alexis that brings up Sharonda. And when she does, Ana agrees. Sharonda is a doctor. Sharonda is smart. Ana and Alexis share a look and a nod. It feels like it means, yep, we clock these two and we are going to keep them as options. It's not a plan and it's not Ana "gunning" for either of them. But Linnea and Sharonda don't have to know that.

Alexis. One to be watched. If she and Jenna can join forces at the merge, I nominate their alliance name to be Hustlers. Because they sure do hustle. And they do it well. Alexis is a killer. But Ana did dig her own grave.

And then there's the thumb chopping incident. The Great Thumb Chop Off of 2026 as experienced by Brady. Is it Brady or Brody? And maybe sometimes Bodhi! He legit looks like a cartoon character. And, he kind of acts like a cartoon character. I know he's a professional wrestler, but I can't imagine playing a character or having an alter ego that's more wild and nutty and larger than life than he already is. When the guy cut off the tip of his thumb he had a near Shakespearian reaction to the possibility of having to go home. I'm probably not enough of a Shakespeare scholar/aficionado to really make that comparison, but it was top tier tragic exposition. Hark! I shall not go so soon! I am bereft! Fellow castaways, I die. I am dead. Treachery!

Ignore me.

Anyway, Brady. Brody? Is Brody his alter ego? The Brody? Help me. I have a love/hate relationship with the guy. He's entertaining as hell, but he's also kind of aggressive. Hot headed, at least. Like, he's not without his lovable goofball qualities, but I wouldn't put it past him to have some scary road rage. Did we not all see him randomly screaming during the ball rolling part of the immunity challenge? Dude was feeling some major feels. It was a little scary. And yet-and yet!--sign me up for the Brady show. He calls his tribe mates Brodys. ("Oh my god, you're alive, Brody!" he says to a road weary Lewis, arriving from Exile Island.) What is that? Why is it so good? Okay, you know what? Forget it. I love him. I love the guy. I'm team Brady and his band of Brodys (the plural of Brody is Brodys, right? Not Brodies? I'm honestly not sure and don't have it in me to figure it out). He's a giant lovable doofus and I want him on my television!

My favorite thing about the whole losing part of his thumb situation (if there has to be a favorite thing given the gore of it all) is the conversation with Jeff he imagines having upon showing him his thumb chunk.

"He's an idiot, but he's a go-getter," he imagines Jeff saying. Awesome.

So Brady stays in the game and kicks ass in the reward challenge, which involves one person leading another blinded person through a few obstacles and then hooking three little bags via a tall pole. Wanna know what you're playing for? Comfort.

Both tribes arrive pretty equally at the last part of this obstacle course. The best moments are Jeff yelling out, "You want that comfort! You want to go back to camp with those pillows! And that hammock!" And, of course, Kilby grasping onto Brady's back like a baby possum. It was also wonderful to see Jelly win it for her tribe after it looked like Savu was going to take it.

Coming back to camp, we learn that poor Kristin hurt her foot during the rope part. Or course, she's not allowed to go home. And so when she was telling her tribe about her injury, I was so worried for her. Everyone knows an injured player is an easy vote off. What's amazing is that it was never discussed as a real possibility!

Linnea: Did you hear a crack or anything?

Kristin: I heard all the things.

We have to be impressed that she found plants/herbs on the beach to help her. Also, she's been applying for Survivor for 26 years?! That's longer than it's been on! She says she will not be leaving. She's here to play. We concur. You can't leave, Kristin.

Immunity challenge time and we learn the whale has a name. Posey! (Posie?) Short for Poseidon. I love it. We also get to meet a massive stuffed Survivor whale--joining the family of heavy stuffed animals that includes a snake and lizard. 500 pounds of Survivor whale. In the heavy rain. I'm exhausted just watching.

Toka gets a huge lead and arrives on the beach long before Savu does. When Devin goes to do the ball rolling part, Brady yells out to him, "C'mon big Brody! God, your hair looks great!" And then Devin lands it! Overall, it's an exciting challenge to watch. Toka working so well together and poor Savu struggling so hard with exhaustion, trying to pull their whale over the rolling-thing-that-must-have-a-name-but-I can't-figure-out-what-it-would-be (thanks brain fog). It's hard not to feel their defeat when they are standing out in the water, desperate to get their whale over the hump, but getting nowhere. When Maggie lands the final ball, we get a beautiful slow motion shot of her team lifting her up in victory. All the Brodys!

Like last week on Savu, Eric was the name on everyone's lips, but they didn't go to tribal council. This time, again, Eric is who they first talk about. Eric is an interesting guy. It's clear that he's lacking some self-awareness about his antics (perhaps he's just trying too hard?), but it's gotta feel awful to be watching at home and hear everyone call you annoying. A thing I know for sure: he's not dangerous. His name was out there because he was getting on people's nerves, but there's no way anyone (I'm looking at you, Ori) should find him threatening. Eric is a mental health counselor, like me. And I had high hopes for his game and seeing how he would use our very particular set of skills to move farther (I know he's not the first therapist to play, of course). But Eric does not seem to be using any skills at all, therapy related or otherwise. Eric, I'm sure you are a lovely person. If you are kind, that's all I really care about. But stop with the improv! That said, I do love me a striped shirt!

Hilariously, Carter wonders aloud how Eric spells his name. There's a lot I know that start with an A, he says. Really? I don't know any Erics that start with an A. I'm sure they exist, but Carter knows a lot? I mean, when in doubt, default to the common spelling, no? Or, go look at your camp sign? Anyway, it feels like everyone is on board with Eric, but they need to tell Eric another name. Ana suggests telling him Kristin "because of her leg." Getting no traction and to "gain trust" she then throws out her own name. "Use me," she says and gets no pushback, which seems to concern her. "Just don't blindside me," she warns. <grimace face emoji>

Ana is entertaining in confessionals. We will miss her!

While Carter and Ori are talking about trying to catch more crabs, Carter says, "I think they're onto us." He means the crabs. They are hiding now, those crabs. Probably not wanting to be caught and tortured by being boiled alive. I get it, crabs. But Linnea hears this and thinks they are talking about players and she's worried they mean her and Sharonda. Paranoia builds and Alexis does what she can to make it worse. Soon, Sharonda, Linnea, Eric, and Alexis all have a plan to put Ana's name on the parchment. Even though every one else is still planning on Eric and do not appear to be considering any other names, much less Sharonda or Linnea.

So then we get to the Rob of it all. Yes, let's talk about Rob. He of the Rhode Island Robs. A man who obsesses over knowing his tribemate's weight. He was not able to move on from their reward challenge loss and seems to have fixated on Linnea's "choice" to pull along the blindfolded Eric. He's frustrated because he thinks the heavier person should be the one leading, I guess? But it's not like Linnea had to carry Eric. She just had to lead him. Only Brady can actually carry a person. (Or Jonathan, if we think back to Season 50 and Kamila riding him like a dolphin.)

It's weird behavior and we just saw some of it. What didn't we see?

"Rob is going crazy out here," Alexis tells us in a confessional. He's in a "mental spiral." Hopefully he didn't give up smoking right before he went out to play.

"I'm angry," he says in response to someone to checking in. He doesn't like to lose, it's clear. He's extremely troubled by the missed opportunity to secure pillows. He hounds Eric again about his weight. It's bizarre.

Later, after the immunity challenge, he admits to struggling. He doesn't like to lose, for one. "Losing's not in my vocabulary. I hate to lose. I hate to lose!"

At first--after returning to camp--he tells us his plan is to get rid of Eric. He is glad he has the idol (does he feel like he's on the chopping block at this point?). But then something shifts. When we visit him again, he appears to be unraveling. It's day 5 and the game is already taking such a heavy toll on the man. He's clearly having a difficult time with being away from his family. Plus the losing. He's struggling with what Eric's weight actually is vs. what he thinks it is. He's probably struggling with paranoia. We know they all do. And of course the lack of sleep and food can't be helping. So Rob talks about "sacrificing himself." And then we see him talk to Eric with a plan that one can't make any sense of.

Rob: I'll make a deal with you. That you give me your shot in the dark.

Eric: Ok

Rob: At tribal council I'll give it back to you. But you gotta do whatever I tell you to do at tribal council.

Eric: Ok. So what is your plan?

Rob: You just gotta trust me brother.

Eric: So you're not going to tell me the plan?

Eric to us: Okay, I'm just going to take a blind walk off a short pier? No, dude.

Rob, Rob, Rob. What are you doing? Why do you need his shot in the dark? Why do you need him to just trust you, no questions asked? If you want to quit, quit. If you want to save Eric, save Eric. Give him your idol. Why does there need to be a big "game changing" plan? What is happening? What year is this?

Of course Eric isn't just going to agree to a plan that he isn't given the info on. Who would? Rob's behavior and demands are so confusing.

And his big plan? His big move? It was to vote for himself and give his idol to Eric so that Eric would be saved and he would go (with his one vote on himself). But for some reason he doesn't seem to know that he CAN'T VOTE FOR HIMSELF. He thinks he's coming up with some big, new exciting thing. Well, Rob, it's never happened before because it's not a thing that's possible with the exception of season 50 when Christian HAD TO vote for himself (Thanks, Fallon, you fuck).

I blame Trump.

Eric does not play his shot in the dark even though Rob had pulled him aside right before the vote and urged him to. Rob goes to vote and learns his big plan is not possible so he votes for Eric. But Ana is voted off because the numbers on her are larger. She, Carter, and Rob are all blindsided. We still have Eric. We still have Rob. Everyone is going to be so confused. Next week should be fun, too. And here's hoping Probst called in the Survivor psychologist to do a wellness check on Rob. Or Rob has a breakthrough and realizes he wants to stay and can actually do this. Otherwise, we might see some Shane type behavior. Which, well, that could be fun, too. Be safe, Rob. Be safe. Brady, stay away from the machete. And salt water. Kristin, get those leaves to do their healing. Ana, I hope you are having fun at the movies with your big tub of popcorn and please know that we did really enjoy your time on Fiji!