Game rule change on Survive in Istanbul ousts strong player

On the reality show Survive in Istanbul (16+), tensions ran high by the fourth episode. While some contestants tried to mathematically calculate all their moves in advance to snatch victory, others played their own game. But no matter what plans the teams made, the show«s organizers followed their »Tarantino-esque« script and abruptly changed the voting conditions. The players were in a stupor. And unexpectedly, the strongest contestant left the show.

The new episode began with Mia Boyko«s return to her team. The singer had spent several days on a personal challenge, trying to survive in Istanbul without money or knowledge of the language. Not all of her teammates were happy about the reunion, and tension literally hung in the air. Mia herself added fuel to the fire. She made no secret of the fact that she understood perfectly well: she was next in line to face an elimination challenge from the star team. Her only salvation was immunity, which the singer had fought for by remaining in the foreign city. But she did not win that prize.

Boyko returned to her camp at the villa much later than her rival, Alena Blin. The journalist, who ended up on the «people»s team,« was just as much of an odd one out; the players didn»t accept her and constantly nominated her for votes.

Mia had no choice but to change her strategy. The girl bet on honesty and admitted to the team that after the departure of Ekaterina Gordon and Irina Shibetskaya from the project, her only option was to try to fit into the group.

Things were not calm in the people«s team either. Alena Blin, furious that her team had lost the luxurious villa, issued an ultimatum.

— If you burn my immunity during the vote and vote against Sergey (the journalist«s friend. — Ed.), then I will sabotage all the major challenges. You won»t see any more villas, — the star threatened the «people»s team« members.

Her teammates didn«t seem to expect this turn of events. They realized that Alena Zhigalova (Alena Blin»s real name) was trying to stay on the project this way. But what to do about it — the question remained open.

In the new episode, the residents of the «Istanbul forest» (the losing team) went to their assignment at the villa. Previously, they had simply cleaned up there while the stars were away, but this time they had to entertain the winners.

Each of the «people»s team« members came up with an activity — from making cocktails to relay races in the pool. Only Alena Blin and Sergey Stepantsov stayed on the sidelines. They tried to establish communication with the stars, because a merger of the teams was coming in the future, and new allies would never hurt.

A mutual attraction began between Magomed Murtazaliev and Mia Boyko. The stars started supporting each other. This was visible during the playful contests organized by the «people»s team« animators.

During the major team challenges, a fierce battle awaited. They had to knock over barrels of sand with 2-kilogram (4.4-pound) balls. Only a few people from each team could participate. From the people«s team, Igor Prokhorov, a volleyball coach from Tyumen, fitness trainer Leonid Vakhitov, blogger Alena Grom, and Russian powerlifting master of sport Vlada Zolotova volunteered.

From the stars, rapper Serega, actor Kuzma Saprykin, actress Maria Gorban, and singer Mia Boyko stepped up.

— I«m on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I want to take on this fight, — commented Igor Prokhorov, anticipating the start of the challenge. — This is my challenge. I play volleyball professionally. I»ve been with balls my whole life.

While the men could handle this game, for the women it was a real blow. The female participants were literally falling off their feet. And Maria Gorban, overwhelmed by emotion and fatigue, even asked to go home.

The people«s team won this challenge. The volleyball player knocked over the last, heaviest barrel. It wasn»t easy.

— Serega was standing opposite me. He«s just a beast. His swing is incredibly powerful, — Prokhorov commented on the course of the game.

And since the victory went to the ordinary people, their team went to relax at the villa. The stars packed their bags and mentally prepared to sleep in the forest and switch to an endless rice diet.

In the finale, the teams went to vote. It seemed there would be no surprises: everyone knew who they wanted to vote against. But then came the first unexpected decision from the project organizers — only one team was present at the ceremony. The «people»s team« and the stars were separated, meaning they wouldn»t know each other«s intentions. But that wasn»t all.

Under the new rules, the teams would nominate not their own players, but participants from the opposing team. This meant the outcome could be anything, but the strongest were now in the crosshairs. At this moment, Alena Blin couldn«t contain her emotions: the journalist was overjoyed because she knew she definitely wouldn»t be chosen.

Thus, rapper Serega and Leonid Vakhitov went to the elimination challenge. They had to play two games: the first tested memory, and the second tested endurance. In both cases, the fitness trainer from the people«s team won. The rapper went home, saying:

— I came to hunt, to knock him out. But luck was on his side, — the star commented on his loss.