Day 10: Most Disappointing Early Exit
Survivor 39-Day Challenge
If we’re just speaking of mere potential, there’s a lot to expect from Francesca Hogi. So to see her be voted out first not just once but twice, it’s quite disappointing.
I don’t think Francesca made major blunders both times she was out on the island. And to be fair, within the short time she’s on, she was on fire as a character. If she lasted long enough, she might have been a great ‘confessionalist’ because of her sense of humor. Her apparent high IQ emanated through her screentime as well. However, despite all these potential, disaster struck for this great lady. Something just didn’t quite click.
We first saw Francesca in Redemption Island (2011) where she was placed in the Ometepe tribe. No offense to the other castaways in that tribe but it seemed like she was the only one not starstruck by four-time player Boston Rob at the beginning of the game. As such, she was in Boston Rob’s radar right off the bat despite having Phillip, a full-time madness in a human form. Francesca was placed in a tribe where she was too good to be in, frankly speaking. Such difference made her an easy target. Her mistake, however, was aligning with Phillip in the beginning without quite getting the comprehensive read of the tribe dynamics. The moment she realized Phillip was a wildcard, she’s already in too deep and couldn’t just get out of the funk that was the former federal agent‘?’.
Francesca inevitably became the first person voted out of the season. The redemption island twist didn’t help her that much either and was eliminated first altogether.
In a surprising move by the Survivor casting department, Francesca was brought back in Caramoan (2013) as part of the Favorites tribe. It’s her time to redeem herself… except Phillip was also returning as a Favorite. Home girl could not catch a break.
No one in their right minds would think Francesca would be voted out first again this time around. However, that’s the thing. In the game of Survivor, castaways would think of any reason that could justify a vote, especially the first vote. And one would think Francesca had been the first one out, why not do it again. This is the most disappointing early exit because of the rumored justification by the cast about the vote: it would be historic and ‘funny’.
The brutality of the vote-out did not affect just Francesca emotionally and mentally, but also brought Brandon to a downward spiral, as evidenced by the next events that followed on the Favorites tribe. Survivor is already a harsh game, but voting out Francesca the second time around was just emotionally scarring, and I was not even there! Imagine the toll it took on the players, especially poor Franny.
I’d say give Francesca a chance to redeem herself, but unless her tribe wins the first immunity challenge on her third try, she’d just be an easy way out.
Runners-up: Jonathan Libby, 20th Placer, Survivor: Palau & Misty Holmes, 14th Placer, Survivor: Panama
