Joe
Every week I emerge as a greater Joe defender, not because I think he’s at all good at the game but because he is genuinely providing so much humor and conflict by being Joe in a season of great Survivor players.
He’s been a part of so many entertaining moments this season (being rocked in a hammock by Christian, writing “Coah” in tiny letters because he said he wouldn’t write Coach’s name down, sitting down scowling when Rick hits heads on the Mr Beast coin) and to me, he just keeps delivering!
His revelation that he viewed Rick’s legendary moment as “poor taste” and immoral? Hilarious! The cut to his shocked and horrified face when Jeff said the immunity challenge (his thing) would relate to the strategic twist (not his thing)? I loved his Mitch moment when he said today wasn’t the time to make a big move as well.
What makes all of this work so well for me is that unlike in 48, nobody is really buying it, so everyone has to work around him. Rizo is probably one of the most successful at that so far (clueing him in on the Coach vote) and Rick Devens the least (everything he’s done).
At the end of the day, what I love about Survivor is seeing people with completely different personalities and worldviews work together and clash against each other, and Joe is such a major part of that for me on 50. Rooting for him to make it to the end (and inevitably continue his streak of goat-hood)!