While the previous episode promised us a double elimination, we didn’t get to see who the second person to go home at Temple would be until Deal or No Deal Island season 2, episode 11. That person turned out to be Survivor Legend, Parvati Shallow.
It was a big moment for Parvati. She took on The Banker, and unfortunately ended up making a bad deal, but she wasn’t done on the show right away. The final challenge saw some of the former contestants come back to help or hinder the Final Three, and Parv was one of them.
We got a chance to chat with Parvati about her gameplay and getting to come back in this exclusive interview.
Parvati Shallow talks alliances, elimination, and more in Deal or No Deal Island
Hidden Remote: Let’s talk the Family Alliance. I realized I would have gone about it similar to you. Can you share why you went for it?
Parvati Shallow: It was so organic. It just happened. We were on the swing and Dickson’s telling us about his family and how sad it was, and David was like “well, you got a new mom and dad.” I decided to run with it, and it was my alliance for the rest of the game.
HR: What was your strategy going into the game, since everyone would know you were a Survivor Legend?
PS: I knew I would have a target, just like I watched happen to Rob in Deal or No Deal Island season 1. Rob and I are the most well-known Survivor plays in the history of Survivor, so I knew people would be gunning for me. So, I just sat back and waited to see how I could work with it. Would they be friendly or not?
I was very surprised nobody outed me publicly. People wanted to come talk to me in private, which was great. I was prepared to do battle, but I could make these exclusive one-on-one relationships.
I knew it would come out sooner or later, and it did with Dr. Will. When he came into the game, I was just in this mode of full acceptance. With Deal or No Deal Island, it’s not really about control, and it’s not about making linear moves and controlling people and making things happen the way you want it to happen. It’s just sit back, observe, and allow everyone to play their own game and then see what works for me. I’m not walking throught he jungle on high alert looking for threats, because I’m a tiger. I’m at the top of the food chain, so I’m gonna walk through the jungle relaxed, and when I see a deer I want to eat, I’m gonna jump on it.
HR: A bit like when CK had her meltdown. You sat back and then allowed her to keep going. What was that like for you in that moment?
PS: Great! I was like “keep going.” I knew if she blew everything up, she wouldn’t have many places to turn, so I would be there with open arms to play the game with her. CK and I were pretty close before that meltdown occurred, but she was playing all sides with everyone. She couldn’t turn her brain off, and it’s fun to work with people who have a strategic mind that runs really fast, because mine does the same thing.
I’m a little more emotionally even-keel, so I can use my emotions to influence people. I can show I’m mad, or I can control and hide it. CK is a hot head. I would have kept her in my alliance forever, though.
HR: Dr. Will came in and blew everything up for you and many others. What was that like for you to have that chaos around you?
PS: He was a force of chaos, and he loved that. That’s the sort of persona he wears when he plays these games, and he was coming in fully method acting, embodying this character that he wanted to be, the villain who created chaos everywhere.
For me, it was like “you’re driving me nuts.” I just let him have it because I also don’t like when people are disrespecting other people or bullying people, especially if I find them to be little sweet kids who can’t fight back. There was a moment where I thought we could work together, but I was so repulsed by the character he was putting on, and I can’t support that behavior.
HR: So, playing The Banker. Is that the way you’d prefer to be eliminated, or would you rather have someone else knock you out?
PS: What would you prefer?
HR: I’d prefer to go out because of The Banker. I’ve chosen that.
PS: Exactly! I wouldn’t want to trust someone and then they betray me. That would hurt worse than going up and losing to The Banker, when it’s essentially a coin toss. For me, I wanted the experience of playing Deal or No Deal. I didn’t want to go out without the opportunity to play The Banker.
HR: CK made it clear that she might go against the deal to take out Lete. Did that also influence you to play The Banker?
PS: It did, but she’s already played twice. I hadn’t played once. She won twice, and I thought I could win. I was so annoyed for her saying that maybe she’d take me out. I love her and she was so funny, but I didn’t like the threat and blackmail. I protected her a lot in the game, so I was pretty annoyed that she was trying to pull that at the last moment. I knew that was her gameplay. If she said she was going to take me out, then I would most likely play, and she knew that.
HR: Who would you have eliminated had you won, though? Would you have stuck with Lete?
PS: I would have taken out Lete. Lete and I had nothing going on in the whole game. I was annoyed with CK, but I loved her, and we were playing so close together for most of the game. We had a relationship. In every relationship, you’re going to have moments of conflict. That doesn’t mean you throw the whole relationship away. With Lete, we didn’t have the rapport.
HR: I think she was also the bigger threat.
PS: I guess, maybe. For me, I don’t really think in terms of threats. I think more in terms of rapport and relationship and loyalty. I’m more of a loyalty player. If I have a relationship with you and we’ve gone through some stuff together, I’ll probably keep you even if you are a big threat in the game.
HR: What was it like coming back and having the chance to help or hinder the Final 3?
PS: That was cool, because it felt like some justice for the eliminated players. It was like Final Tribal Council style where there’s a jury and we could actually influence who wins this game or not. I felt like we got a bit of our power back and have a voice in the game. It was a cool twist.
Deal or No Deal Island continues on Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.
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