Extracted Episode 8 Recap: Mystery Box

The tensions continue to rise in Fox’s ‘Extracted’ episode 8, titled ‘Mystery Box,’ as the game gets personal. With Jakoben Thomas’ emotional elimination still fresh in everyone’s minds, the number of survivalists is down to only 5. While Jake Denison, Woody Kaminer, and Meagan Delatte Murphy are thriving in the wilderness owing to their available resources, Haley Lindell and Ryan Heavner are desperate to ward off the cold. The mystery of the floating crate also deepens as it remains in the middle of the lake without any announcements, leaving even the teams at Headquarters (HQ) with no clue as to what is going on. The pressure mounts, and rifts become evident as the teams form alliances to protect their survivalists.

With the Big Mystery Box Reveal, Teams Strategize Their Next Move

The episode starts with a heartfelt moment as Ryan reflects on how much his mom and dad mean to him. He even expresses how winning the grand prize would enable him to better support his parents, and Candace is touched by his way of thinking. Meanwhile, Jake, Meagan, and Haley head for the lake because they, along with their teams at HQ, are all curious to know what the crate contains. While Ryan, who is already there, states he does not want to get into the water after his previous experience and the cold, Jake decides to take matters into his own hand. Watching him slip into the water, Haley also gets ready to jump into action. She tries her best to catch up while the teams at HQ also discuss what the box may contain, but Jake reaches the location first. As he brings it to shore, Haley and Meagan arrive by his side, asking if they can see what’s in it too.

Meagan even asks if she can help Jake open the box, which he gladly accepts. The suspense is finally over as he takes out a note and reads that he has won an advantage. He can now use the flare present inside to request an immediate supply drop. He can choose any one item present on the list, which contains new boots, a sleeping cot, salmon, and many more. Back at HQ, Natalie is disheartened because she saw how close her friend Haley was, and now it feels like she burned a lot of calories for no reason. All throughout this, Woody is sleeping at his camp. Haley then also notes that Jake is in a great position and might just be the one to beat. In a confessional, she and her cousins discuss how all three of them have a similar mindset and are connected deeply, which definitely helps their game. As Meagan successfully catches a fish, Abby expresses how proud she is of her best friend. Meanwhile, Woody struggles to spot even a single fish and refers to the lake as “fishless.”

After returning to the camp, Jake excitedly says that he is 100% confident they will win because he doesn’t see him having any weak points at this point. As the stakes rise, Woody’s son Blake speaks with Ryan’s dad Roger about still sticking together to face Jake. At the same time, Natalie discusses with teammate Karly if they should side with Jake since he is a strong competitor or try to take him down. Simultaneously, Jake’s brother Justin lets Meagan’s dad Gerrad know that if he ever needs help, he and Austin will stand by Meagan. He reveals in the confessional that they must play strategically since they are close to the finishing line, and Austin notes that this alliance will ultimately help them. It is Gerrard who then puts forth the possibility of maybe one day needing majority votes, so they decide to bring Haley’s family on board. As the night falls, Austin talks with them, expressing his goal to get Jake, Meagan, and Haley into the finals, resulting in a 3-way alliance.

A Twist in the Supply Room Forces Teams to Make Hard Decisions

Austin presents the subtle fact that they would want someone who is actually putting in effort rather than Woody, who is just doing enough to get by. Natalie is pleasantly shocked that they are presented with this alliance, and Karly feels this is a good decision too. As a new day dawns, a supply drop announcement lets everyone at HQ know that each team will now enter the supply room one by one. There, they are asked to make a critical decision in secret that will greatly impact the survivalists. Woody’s family enters first, only to discover that they have to choose a contestant to forfeit two critical supplies from them, which are listed below their names. On selecting one, another pair of resources will take its place for the next family to possibly take it away. Collin states that it is an easy decision, and Blake notes that Jake has been very vocal about being in a good place too.

Hence, Woody’s family selects Jake to forfeit two of his supplies. These decisions are secret until the teams watch their survivalists open the crate in the wilderness. When Candace learns about this, she expresses that she can never feel good about taking something away from somebody, even if it might benefit her team in the long run. Nevertheless, Ryan’s family chooses Jake since he has double the number of one of the listed resources. She hopes no one will take away her son’s sleeping bag because it the one item she knows he needs to get by. However, Haley and Meagan’s families make the tough decision to choose his supplies. Then, Collin states that he is confident Jake’s family will take away Woody’s supplies, and Blake agrees, worried because if his wife is taken away, he won’t even be able to have safe drinking water. Austin notes that Woody has been sitting by the fire for a while and doing nothing else, so he decides to go for him.

Since Woody, Jake, and Ryan’s supplies have been taken away, they are asked to report to the lake for their crates. To Ryan’s dismay, he realizes that he has to forfeit four items, which leaves Karly shocked because she never expected another team to choose him too. Roger notes that everybody has now targets him to such an extent that he is now left with next to nothing. Meanwhile, Woody discovers that he has to send away his sleeping bag alongside his flint and steel. Blake instantly knows this is because of Jake’s family, and Collin is disappointed that they chose Woody despite having many options. As Jake declares the items he has to give away, Austin confidently states that Ryan and Woody’s family are the ones to choose his brother. Ryan is crushed to lose his sleeping bag because he had slept one night without it, which was horrible. He accepts defeat as he states that he cannot continue without it and asks to be extracted.

An Emotional Extraction Has the Teams Reflecting on Their Morals

As Candace and Roger approach the extraction button, she notes that the other families targeted him when he was at his lowest. Ryan is finally extracted, and Candace says that it is true people will do anything for money. However, she is not willing to stoop that low. As the family reunites in an emotional setting, she jokes that she may be a good track mom, but she is not a good survivor mom. Ryan is emotional and reveals that although he is sad, his parents have taught him that he will not always win, and that’s okay too. So, he accepts what transpired and decides to move on to the next adventure in his life. The next morning, when Blake steps outside, he sees Abby, Natalie, Justin, and Austin standing together. When Abby asks him to express his gratitude for something because that’s what they are doing, he says he is thankful for good friends with good morals, subtly taunting Jake’s family. Collin and Blake are angry that they have constantly been targeting Woody, despite the fact they have been doing the same thing to him owing to how strong he is.

On the other hand, Austin reveals he had noted early on that Blake spirals into a rage instead of processing things, so he plans on exploiting this weakness. Back in the wilderness, Jake decides to cash in on his reward from the mystery box and requests salmon. His family is elated to see that instead of just a filet, he is getting an entire, giant fish. Yet, as Jake enjoys eating a good meal, doubt creeps into Natalie’s mind. According to her, Jake is the strongest competitor despite losing some of his supplies, so she now wants him to be gone first. Karly agrees that it is now time for them to solely prioritize Haley. As for Woody, he is relying on the previous night’s warm coals to light a fire, which is a hard task in and of itself. This does not seem to affect Jake’s family since they did expect him to struggle, all the while hoping he would ask to be extracted. However, Woody successfully manages to have fire and then announces that he is ready for any challenge the game has to offer.

Alliances Are Tested As a High-Stake Survival Trial Commences

Blake and Collin decide to step out for a bit, and Karly joins them soon. She says Justin and Austin want Jake to compete against Haley and Meagan. Blake remarks that Karly realizes what game they are trying to play. The next announcement for a survival trial has arrived, informing them that 2 supply crates will be dropped at two locations in the wild. It is up to the families to decide which location their survivalist will go to. While the green area on the map is closest to the lake with food and water inside, the red location is farther. Besides food and water, it also has a satellite phone that will help them to have a 2-minute call. The families get 20 minutes to give instructions to their loved ones, and they will navigate the terrain with a compass. While Haley, Meagan, and Woody’s family choose the easy location, Jake’s brothers choose otherwise.

The twist arrives when it is announced that each family will vote for a contestant. The individual with two or more votes will receive an empty crate. Austin observes that receiving an empty crate may push some survivalists to the point of extraction. As expected, Jake’s family votes for Woody, and they discuss that if their alliance with Meagan and Haley’s family is still intact, they will be okay. Meanwhile, Karly expresses that it is not time for them to make a different decision, and they vote for Jake. Predictably, Woody’s family votes for Jake, ensuring he receives an empty crate. However, Abby breaks down under the pressure when it’s their turn, but Gerrad eventually decides to vote for Woody, keeping the alliance with Jake’s family in mind. The survival trial finally begins as the contestant set out for the search of their crates with the map and compass they are provided.

Setbacks and Empty Crates Stir Up Frustration Everywhere

Although Jake and Woody are excited to reach the crate, they are unaware that they have received an empty one. Despite being sent to the easy location, Woody and Haley have begun to lose their direction, owing to their lack of experience with a compass. On the other hand, Meagan has completely lost her way in the underbrush. However, Jake moves at a fast pace towards the direction of his crate and finally reaches his location. As he is about to open the box, Austin says that their alliance will be broken if it turns out to be empty. They sadly discover that it indeed contains nothing and states that they will just have to smile and move on. Collin says that he and Blake finally know that Haley’s cousins have their back. Meanwhile, Natalie refuses to get involved in the drama because she is here for Haley.

However, Austin points out that Haley’s family voted for Jake since they cannot even make eye contact. He decides to move forward with this information in mind. After one hour of searching, Haley finally reaches the location and is overjoyed to see the food. As the sun starts setting down, Meagan breaks down, asking her family to get her out, and apologizes for disappointing them. While she decides to get back to her shelter, Woody has found the box. When Blake sees his empty crate, he becomes upset and thanks Abby with an undertone of sarcasm on his way out. She follows behind him and tries to explain, while he points out that they have never voted against Meagan despite having chances. He refuses to listen to anything from her, and Abby starts crying, feeling terrible. As the competition grows intense and alliances start to break, the teams have no no choice but to be ruthless.