Top 5 moments of ‘Survivor 45’ episode 12: A romantic reward, adventures in babysitting and another blindside

Vincent Mandile
·6 min read
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The 12th episode of “Survivor 45” aired on Wednesday night, concluding with host Jeff Probst snuffing out the torch of Drew Basile. The 23-year old from Pennsylvania became the sixth member of the jury. But did the tribe make the right decision? And what were the dumbest, most shocking and most exciting moments of this episode with the final just around the corner? Also worth noting, the finale is supersized with a reunion after show next week so get your snacks ready. 

Below, read our “Survivor 45” Episode 12 Top 5 moments. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite castaways on CBS’s reality TV show, who bothers you the most and who you think will ultimately join the “Survivor” winners list and take home the $1 million grand prize.

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SEE Drew Basile (‘Survivor 45’ exit interview): ‘It’s a deeply ambiguous experience that breaks you down’

Top 5 Moments of Episode 12:

1. Camp Life: After the blindside of Emily Flippen last week, the mood at camp was somber.  Julie Alley knew that she had a target on her back and now lacked an Immunity Idol. She pretended not to blame anyone as they were playing a game, which was a nice way to hide her anger. Dee Valladares was less subtle though as she looked miserable and tried to lie about not informing Julie about their plan last week. Austin Li Coon seemingly bought what Dee was selling, but Drew Basile could read right through her lie. This trio called themselves the final three before Julie rushed in for a group hug waxing nostalgic about the Reba 4 alliance, which she also noted that she might not be able to trust anymore. Keeping one’s enemies closer, though, was the only way that she could really keep an eye on them from here on out. Katurah Topps was on the hunt for another Immunity Idol and the tribe noticed her absence from the bed right away. Kudos for noticing the gap in her “Survivor” resume, but this was far from subtle as was Austin’s discovery of her trying to find it. Needless to say, everyone was on the same page that Julie could not get her hands on another idol and she should be voted out next. Austin was especially passionate in that regard, which was smart, but Drew took another approach of lying right back to her with the worst poker face of the season so far, his Achilles heel as I have pointed out throughout the season. Luckily, Dee was more than willing to play with Julie and can tell a lie to the majority of the remaining players without being caught, which gives her an edge with the group.

2. A Reward Worth Winning: This particular challenge had a picnic waiting for the winner and to be honest, the cheese alone made my Italian-American heart grow three sizes as they chose the best types. Naturally, such a wonderful reward required a tough challenge that looked like torture as the Survivor gods do not give without making one work for it. Austin was especially skilled at the physical aspect of this but the slide puzzle proved to be the great equalizer as nobody seemed gifted at completing it. In the end, Austin emerged victorious and opted to take Dee and Katurah with him. Drew looked dejected by this but Jake O’Kane seemed unbothered. The babysitting duty for Drew, as Julie so eloquently put it, seemed like an interesting choice but Austin was confident.

SEE Jeff Probst celebrates ‘Survivor’ returning to Emmy lineup after 17 long years: ‘I honestly thought it was over’

3. Adventures in Babysitting: Drew resented being the babysitter and did a really horrible job at doing so. Jake and Julie were looking for the idol pretty quickly but passed it off as looking for peppers. To rub salt in the wound, the helicopter flew past them as the trio stood miserably on the beach.. Jake found the clue to the hidden idol but needed to be sneaky in order to get it, with an emphasis upon searching in his underwear. That oddness aside, Jake now had some serious power and wanted to make this one earn him some votes at the final Tribal Council. Meanwhile, Katurah was a third wheel on a date for Austin and Dee but sustenance is always welcome so it was worth the awkwardness.

4. Immunity Up For Grabs: Jake had an extra pep in his step before the challenge noting that the contestants were cannibalizing themselves and having a fun time doing it, which is an interesting comparison that made sense. This balancing challenge seemed fun if one is able to stand like a flamingo for long periods of time or is really good at recreating that scene from “The Karate Kid.”  Mr. Miyagi would approve. Julie was the first to drop and was followed quickly by Jake and Katurah, leaving the Reba 3 standing. After an intense competition between Dee and Austin, the former was victorious, winning her second immunity necklace. But with Jake and Austin holding their own idols and Drew’s insistence that Julie needed to go, this was going to be a very interesting Tribal Council.

5. Juror #5 Takes a Seat: When the group returned from the Immunity Challenge, they wasted little time to strategize. Jake noted that eliminating Julie would not help his resume and opted to work with her and Katurah, with the idea of blindsiding Drew, who he deemed as a major threat. On the other side of the equation, Drew was absolutely sure that Julie was toast at Tribal Council and was super complacent. The jury members seemed happy to see Dee with immunity, which makes me wonder if we are on to something in the prediction center as she has the best odds to win this season. Drew provided some solid commentary at this Tribal Council and Dee noted that seemingly solid final three alliances were prone to change at this point in the game. Austin opted to play his amulet/idol for himself, noting he did not need souvenirs. Drew was shocked and angry to see his name and saw that his time was up before Jeff confirmed it. Austin was equally shocked but the jury was thrilled to see Drew’s torch get snuffed. Needless to say, he is the one person whose vote is truly up in the air, but nobody likes a sore loser.

SEE exclusive predictions: Who will win ‘Survivor’?

Be sure to make your predictions to influence our reality TV racetrack odds. You can keep changing your predictions until just before the next episode airs on CBS. You’ll compete to win eternal bragging rights and a spot on our “Survivor” leaderboard. See our contest rules and sound off with other fans in our reality TV forum. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.

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