'Survivor' 48, Episode 8 recap: Who's voted out after the return of an iconic challenge?
The castaways on Season 48 of "Survivor" are used to the fast-paced nature of the 26-day battle for $1 million, but an early start to this episode's challenge had players scrambling and thinking strategically.
Sitting on the beach, the 10 remaining players received word that they were to get in pairs ahead of the challenge without knowing what it would be. Instead of choosing randomly or letting fate decide, players picked their teammates, giving others a clue as to who they could potentially be allied with.
It was the strong players versus the weak on this season's eighth episode, titled "A Rift Between All of Us," where true feelings about how to play the game began to emerge and divisions became even more apparent.
Here's who was voted off the island this week.
Who went home on 'Survivor' Season 48, Episode 8?
During the challenge, the aforementioned five pairs worked as a team, moving through several stages of an obstacle course. Only three teams would make it to the second stage, and only two teams would make it to the third and final stage, where they would compete for individual immunity.
The first two teams eliminated didn't get the reward of tacos and had to take a "journey," where they stood to lose their vote in the night's immunity challenge.
Immunity came in a survivor classic challenge: "Get a Grip," where players must hold onto a narrow, tall pole for as long as possible.
Eva Erickson, Joe Hunter, Mary Zheng and David Kinne competed in the immunity challenge, with Eva taking home her first individual immunity of the season.
Going on the journey were Kamilla Karthigesu, Shauhin Davari, Star Toomey and Mitch Guerra. They had to compete in their own challenge that involved strategically picking up red and grey balls from a chute. The first player with three red balls lost their vote, and after a secret strategy between Mitch and Kamilla, Star was unable to cast a vote in the night's tribal council.
Luckily for Star, her name wasn't on the chopping block. Players quickly honed in on sending either Kamilla, Shauhin or Chrissy Sarnowsky home. Panicked at the thought of Kamilla, his closest (and secret) ally leaving the game, Kyle desperately tried to convince others to vote for Chrissy instead, raising David's eyebrows and planting suspicion of an undercover alliance.
But at tribal council, Chrissy expressed her frustration at the so-called strong player alliance between David, Eva, Joe and Shauhin, calling out Eva and Joe's close alliance and pleading for other players to recognize their gameplay.
Her outburst was enough for a near-unanimous vote against Chrissy, and the 55-year-old fire lieutenant from Chicago became the latest person voted out of Season 48 and the second member of the jury.
Who went home last week on 'Survivor' Season 48?
During the immunity challenge, host Jeff Probst revealed a twist. The last person standing from each team would win individual immunity, and the last person standing overall would win peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the tribe, and more importantly, the second slot at tribal council. That meant the player voted out would be the first to join the jury.
One by one, players dropped out of the challenge until only Joe Hunter and David Kinne remained in an epic showdown lasting nearly an hour, which broke the challenge's previous record held by Season 43 winner Mike Gabler. David outlasted Joe, winning the food reward and the coveted second tribal council.
Back at the beach, players in Joe's group were debating whether to send either Mitch Guerra or Sai Hughley home, seeing Mitch's inspiring story as a threat and Sai's strong personality as a hinderance. Knowing he was potentially on the chopping block, Mitch used his "block-a-vote" advantage, blocking Sai's vote and ensuring she would not write his name down.
His plan worked, and Sai, a 30-year-old marketing professional living in Simi Valley, California, became the first of two players voted out this episode.
Before the second tribal council, players in David's group debated between either voting out Cedrek McFadden or Shauhin Davari. In an attempt to break up a solid alliance, Kyle Fraser and Kamilla Karthigesu attempted to plant a story to David that Shauhin had found a hidden immunity idol, which he had not.
Though David began to distrust Shauhin, it was Cedrek who received the majority of votes at tribal council, and the 46-year-old surgeon living in Greenville, South Carolina, became the second person voted out this episode and the first member of the jury who will vote on the eventual winner.
How to watch 'Survivor' Season 48
Season 48 of "Survivor" airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET / PT on CBS and streams on Paramount+ for subscribers of the Paramount+ with Showtime plan.
Episodes can be streamed the next day for subscribers of any Paramount+ plan.
The previous 47 seasons of the show are all available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.
Watch every season of Survivor on Paramount+
Who is the host of 'Survivor'?
Jeff Probst has hosted all 48 seasons of the show, which has been on the air since 2000. He also serves as an executive producer.
Who won 'Survivor' Season 47?
Rachel Lamont won Season 47 of "Survivor," in a 7-1-0 vote against Sam Phalen, who got one vote, and Sue Smey.
Lamont, a 34-year-old graphic designer from Southfield, Michigan, was originally on the Gata tribe and became the fifth woman ever to win four individual Immunity Challenges in a season.
Where is 'Survivor' filmed?
While "Survivor" previously took contestants to remote locations around the world, from the Pearl Islands to the Philippines and Guatemala, the show has been filmed in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji for the past 15 seasons.
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