It's perpetually en vogue to claim the latest Survivor move is a reflection of the game's evolution, but after two power players were cut in the first couple votes of Island of the Idols, it's worth discussing if this is an anomaly or a trend. Typically in Survivor, the early boots are taken out for being useless in challenges or for displaying an inability to fit in with the tribe. Seemingly, Ronnie Bardah and Molly Byman were adept enough at both to stay in the game longer than they did. As Survivor continues to evolve, however, more and more early moves are made with an eye on the endgame.

Through two episodes, this season has already bucked some of the patterns that have persisted through the first 38 seasons. The oldest contestants - Tom Laidlaw on Lairo and Janet Carbin on Vokai - weren't even on the radar during their first tribal council. (Granted, at 60 and 59 years old, respectively, the former NHL player and lifeguard are fitter than the average old person). Challenge performance, generally the easiest reason to target someone, has hardly played a role in the vote-outs as well. Aside from Vince Moua receiving a couple votes in the first episode, the bulls-eye that used to exist for a lack of athleticism and puzzle ability has been replaced by the threat of over-strategizing. This is where Ronnie and Molly got in trouble.

Related: Why Survivor's Rob & Sandra Island of the Idols Twist Made the Premiere Worse

What made each of their blindsides evolutionary was that their mistakes were harder to notice than the typical first and second boot. Ronnie became the focus of the vote because of the scheme-y vibe he gave off, and the tribe flipped on Molly because she had an intimidating three-person alliance. The subtleties in their game flaws are harder to show on TV than, say, someone running around the camp looking for an immunity idol on day one. Survivor is a social game and even Molly admitted she may have gotten too complacent in building bonds with the others.

Survivor Ronnie Bardah

But the tribes' decisions to vote out each of these characters, both popular winner picks (R.I.P. Molly), can't be viewed in a vacuum. As Survivor casts more fans and superfans of the show, the players become less willing to settle for the easy vote. Jamal Shipman said at the most recent tribal that he wanted to sit in first gear, but his tribemates were already speeding past him in fourth gear, and he paid dearly by losing his closest ally. If Jamal had been on an "old school" season, that speech at tribal would have been a rallying cry for a cast with a day-by-day approach. But these Survivors are keenly aware that every move they make will be viewed not only through the lens of a future jury, but also by an audience increasingly hungry for votes that cause a spectacle.

The word "evolution" has been tossed around in relation to this show for a while now. Two guys recorded an audiobook dedicated to it. Contestants like Stephen Fishbach and Hannah Shapiro have used it to justify their new spin on the term alliance ("voting bloc"and "trust cluster" have slowly faded from the Survivor lexicon). Players use it to warrant their bold moves and fans use it to explain why they love the show. In the case of Ronnie and Molly, the evolution is evident. Anyone, truly, can be the first person voted out of their tribe. Ronnie referred to this phenomenon as Russian Roulette. It may be unnerving to future contestants. For the audience, the increasing randomness of early boots makes it that much more exciting to watch.

Next: Survivor: 10 Castaways We'd Want As Coaches More Than Boston Rob And Sandra

Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.

Source: Rob Has a Podcast