Power Couple SA Recap: Don’t You Dare Play The Game!
There’s not much to say about last night’s episode of Power Couple SA. It might have been the weakest episode of the season thus far, largely because the producers fumbled through it, stifling the first real game play and strategy of the season.
Okay, Couples Challenge: each couple was assigned a giant empty cocktail glass on one end of the room. On the opposite end were cups and containers filled with coloured liquid – one for each couple. The challenge was to fill each other’s glasses up as quickly as possible. The couple whose glass was filled first, would lose the challenge and will be up for elimination. The catch? The partners would be harnessed together, meaning that they would have to do everything together, and think thinkly.
So from the get go, this challenge was designed for the couples to specifically target other couples.
There was no way that none of the couples would have come out of that challenge unscathed. Shit would have come out regardless.
Ivan and Roshila knew that, and considering they were already sitting at 0 in their electronic wallet, they said fuck it, and decided the fill up their own glass as quickly as possible. This would ensure that they’re in the bottom two, probably up against Mo and Phindi. In Big Brother terms, they basically were willing to put themselves up as pawns. They felt safe enough in their friendships that they were willing to do that. Dyllan and PJ caught wind of their strategy very quickly, and decided to help them – they also filled up Ivan and Roshila’s glass, and Vix and Marzanne had to tag along.
It caught me by surprise, but once I figured it out I wanted to get up and applaud them. A brilliant game move. Finally, some real strategy! Some excitement! This is how you play a reality competition show! With a strategy and smart moves.
Ivan and Roshila’s glass was filled up first, and they lost the challenge. Mo and Phindi had liquid in their glass, so they didn’t win the challenge, meaning they would be up for elimination too.
But.
There was no elimination in this cycle.
Just like that, some good strategy and game moves were stifled by producers who wanted a boring episode. And no doubt about it, the rest of the episode was quite boring.
Ivan and Roshila lost the challenge for no reason, and after basically saving everyone else from turning on each other, they were left with egg on their faces.
There had to be a winner for the challenge too. Three couples had no liquid in their glasses: PJ and Marzanne, Dyllan and Vix, and Emile and Razia. The remaining couples had to pour one glass of liquid each into one of the empty glasses, and ultimately, Dyllan and Vix won the Couples Challenge after their glass was not targeted once. They added an extra 25k to their electronic wallet and also won a great night out at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay. They also got to choose another couple to enjoy the night with them, and surprise-surprise, they chose PJ and Marzanne.
The other couples are now catching on to the friendship between PJ and Marzanne and Dyllan and Vix, and it’ll be very easy to eliminate one of them if they end up for elimination. They won’t be able to save one another when the rest of the couples vote against you. Another thing, surely PJ and Marzanne know they won’t be able to win a vote against Dyllan Vix? The house loves them. If Emile and Razia end up in the top 3 with those 2 couples, they would have to make sure that they win the challenges. They cannot let others decided their fate, because they’ll be voted out and Dyllan and Vix and PJ and Marzanne will end up as the final 2 couples. So, if that’s the final 3 scenario, the challenges will be key.
Back at the house, Ivan and Roshila, or mostly Ivan, was getting all the heat. Naturally, Mo and Phindi feel like the whole house was actively targeting them, that there was one big conspiracy to get them out of the house. Mo mentioned that Ivan and Roshila were the “sacrificial lamb” and that once the couples have voted them out, the real competition will start, that this was just a “curtain raiser”.
He is kinda right.
Ivan and Roshila were offering themselves up because they thought they stood a good chance of staying in the competition, and once Mo and Phindi were sent home, the real tricky part of the competition would have started: once all the ‘friends’ are left, something will have to give. Tricky, alright.
Ivan did confess that yes, it was their strategy to lose the challenge and get Mo and Phindi out, but he maintained that the house was never colluding against them; there was never a plot to get them out of the house.
Mo, of course, didn’t buy it.
It was a brilliant strategic move, and it would have worked had there been an elimination. Mo and Phindi would very likely have been eliminated. I don’t see why they have to be apologetic about their game play. Stand by it, it was smart.
Being called a “snake”, “deceiving” (or decieving as someone spelled it), “disgusting”, a “doos”, a “racist” (yes, that’s clearly why the only interracial couple in the house is doing it), “snotty”, and more on Facebook, I can probably see why anyone would rather not play the game anymore.
Other than that, the episode was quite boring, with PJ and Marzanne off with Dyllan and Vix for much of the second half of the episode. One thing: I really hope the guys stick to their strategies, because if it was up to the girls, this show would be boring.
I guess that’s why girls hardly win shows like Big Brother or Survivor. They can’t think strategy. Girls, your partners are trying to win you some money. Work with them.
Sjoe, I guess I did have a lot to say about last night’s episode. What happens next? Fuck knows.
