Here from Entertainment Weekly:
EW: Traditionally, the final 5 is the last time one can use a hidden immunity idol, although you made no such announcement to that effect. Does that mean Tony is indeed bluffing by making people think he can use his special idol at the final 4?
PROBST: Hmm, did I miss it? I thought Tony was really clear in saying that it’s only good until final 5 and that he’s bluffing them telling them it’s good until a final 4. [ED NOTE: He did, but Jeff never confirmed at Tribal Council.] Either way, yes, the idol is only good until the final 5 and after that it has no value. So Tony is indeed bluffing. It’s a brilliant move that none of us anticipated. He realized that because it was “new” and had “different powers” that he could create any story he wanted. This is why we continue to experiment with different ideas. You put in something new and you see what it births. While the power of this special idol was not new, we did think the placement of it as a “one-off” at the merge might yield some interesting results. There isn’t a science to Survivor, we just do our best to think through ideas and the ones that feel solid we give them a shot.
[POSTERS NOTE: So there you have it — In lieu of the rules of Survivor coming from the mouth of Probst and the producers, Survivor has deferred to informing players and viewers by way of a two-faced backstabbing corkscrewing double-dealing prefabricating contestant — and Probst applauds this. Tony speaks for Probst and Survivor — and we’re supposed to believe him. Furthermore in order for him to be attempting this bluff, he had to have cleared it first with Probst and the producers to make sure that Probst did not make any announcement re the super idol expiring at the Tribal Council. This smacks of collusion and makes one wonder just how much of Tony’s game came with the help of Probst and the producers]
BTW I listened to Trish’s interviews yesterday and she is still picking ticks off of Tony’s backside — cleaning up and covering up for him. She not only excuses him for voting her out but then turns around and compliments and applauds him for doing it. Her excuse is so convoluted and contrived and painful on the ears that it sounds like it came from Tony himself.
Dalton Ross ranks the 28 Survivor seasons from best to worst. Agree? Disagree?
New preview clip: Survivor - Season 28 Finale