FIXING THE SURVIVING BARSTOOL IDOL PROBLEM

*WARNING: SEASON 5 SURVIVING BARSTOOL SPOILERS AHEAD*

After Tommy Smokes ' elimination on Sunday's episode, the final 5 of "Surviving Barstool: Season 5" are set. But here's the thing: 3 people are essentially guaranteed to make it to the next round. Rone, Dana Beers, and Marty Mush all have hidden immunity idols. I know it's fucking crazy. 60% of the remaining contestants could literally not only lose but not even compete in the individual immunity challenge in tonight's episode and still live to see another day. Now, on one hand, you can commend the 3 of them for playing such good games that they haven't even had to play their idols at all. Especially Rone, who has seemed like he was one foot in the grave MULTIPLE times.

But on the other hand, I also feel like it's totally fair to complain that this season had too many fucking idols. I mean, god damn, have there been a ton. Let's count:

• Rone has 1

• Marty has 1

• Dana has 1

• Tate and Feits had 1/2 of one

• Hannah could have had 1

Even El Pres and Jeff D. Lowe have complained/made comments about idols:

But wait, that's only 5 idols. Yeah, here's the thing: the number of idols isn't the problem. It's how they're being used. No one is doing jack shit with them. Not a single one has been played. There have been basically zero attempts at flushing one out. Tate was really the only one going for making plays with them. Tried to get Dana to use his idol on Tate. Would've made a move with an idol (and with Feits) if Feits didn't just completely throw away the 1/2 of an idol he got. So as a viewer, with two episodes left before the live finale, it stings a little. It stings to know that if one of Brandon Walker or Glenny Balls wins the challenge, the final 4 is quite literally set in stone. Enter my idea for next season's change:

It's simple. 1 idol per number of tribes. Expiration dates on them. Can be turned in privately for advantages. If not played before expiration, a disadvantage.

I think that is relatively simple. So take this season, for example. At the start, when there were 3 tribes, 3 idols would be out in the wild. Can even still do the missions, but add one extra footnote: "MUST BE PLAYED BEFORE THE MERGE. CAN BE EXCHANGED FOR __"

3 tribes? 3 different advantages in exchange for the idols: Double vote (their vote counts for two), steal a vote (can make anyone of their choosing's vote obsolete), and leg up (they know what the next challenge is so they can strategize and maybe even tell some of their tribemates if they want). If they exchange their idol, no one but production knows. With that, we could see them maneuvering around and making moves to keep themselves alive now that they are vulnerable. If people knew they had an idol, they could still pretend they have one. But here's the catch. They have to play the idol before the tribe merge. It makes whoever finds the idol more frantic now. Do they wait til the last second? Do they just take the advantage to snipe someone out of the game? It adds a whole new anxiety to whoever owns the idol now. So when there are 2 tribes, only 2 idols. Same concept. Just double-vote and steal a vote. When it goes to individual members have just ONE singular idol that is just an average idol that can keep them alive. I think adding this concept could make for more backstabs, some strains on alliances, and just make it more fun and entertaining as well. That way, we don't have people just keeping it till the final 5 and making it a little less fun for the fans by knowing 60% of the contestants alive are moving on. Still a fun season so far, by the way!