Bachelorette finale chat

Who do you think Georgia Love will choose?
At least regardless of who she selects there won’t be the uproar that resulted from Richie picking Alex because the edit seems equally weighted between Lee and Matty.

Here we are in Singapore, so don’t expect any walks along the beach or passionate kisses atop cliffs. They obviously couldn’t get Singapore Airlines on board
It’s pretty sad watching Georgia talk about her mum being unable to make the trip to Singapore with the rest of the Love family, knowing that in “real life” mum was admitted to palliative care this week.


Matty is up first to face Dr Love and Sis Katie and surely their first question has to be: “When are you going to drop the “y” from your name?”. He looks super tall when he’s not next to 15 other dudes in tuxes.
Poor Matt is wearing jeans and a long-sleeved shirt – perfect for the humidity of Singapore. Sis peppers him with questions and – phew – he’s not allergic to cats.
This whole Syd V Melbourne thing is such a beat up. It’s 90 minutes on a plane. They can deal with it for a year. Neither Lee nor Matty is a Dad so there is no son in the picture to create faux drama, as the producers did with Alex and Richie. Matt says he decided to leave London to return to Sydney earlier than expected because his sister was pregnant, which just speaks to him being even more of a good bloke than we already think.
He tells Dad he could move to Melbourne in the future but it’s all a bit awkward. Dad isn’t sure whether he’s legit. We don’t get to hear what her sis thought.
Lee has also been condemned to wear pants and long sleeves and is unfortunately wearing his contacts.
Sis looks a bit googly eyed when she looks into Lee’s baby blues. Lee is holding Georgia’s hand but she’s not leaning into him. Sis thinks he’s a smooth talker – just as well she never met Jake! He should have worn his glasses and a chunky cardy.
Sis gets the alone time with Lee and fires away: “What are your feelings for Georgia, and have you told her?” Lee says he’s falling “head over heels” in love but hasn’t told Georgia yet. Lee has spoken more in the last five minutes than he has the whole series – and he’s been hitting the teeth whitener.
Sis and Dad both don’t want to commit to telling Georgia what they think about both the guys.
Georgia really has to push Sis for an answer and you can tell she wants to grab her arm and give her the worst Chinese burn to force it out of her.
Eventually Sis says Lee is too smooth but Dad is worried Matt won’t leave Sydney. The drama!

The dates
Later, Georgia goes on a date with Matty. “Just being around him just fills me with joy,” she tells the camera. How could she turn him down after saying something like that? Or is that more of a “let’s be mates” comment. Matty loves her heaps and is up thrillseeking activities. Uh oh – is he getting the Nikki edit?


Lee gets to go on a more romantic date, involving fireworks and an amazing infinity pool that’s 57 floors up. And he finally tells her he loves her and gets a big pash in return.
I was all about Lee and his dad jokes to start with but now I’m on the Matty train. If he goes, Matty for Bachie next year!

Decision day
It’s the final day so Georgia takes a stroll in her gym gear, lugging a yoga mat around in the Singapore heat. As Lee contemplates his love for Georgia, it’s like watching a cologne commercial as we get a closeup of the product, then a spray over Lee’s ripped frame and a close up of his handsome face.
Here comes Georgia in a pale blue sparkly dress with a very high front split and very heavy mascara. “How are you, darl?” asks Osher. She says there’s one guy she loves just being around but he’s not the one (yep, so Matty is gone).
“I’ve fallen madly in love with someone else,” she says. Doorman Osher ushers Georgia into the waiting car. What, is he not coming to the site of the big reveal? it’s in the rooftop garden of a swanky hotel and it’s a night-time affair. Ooh -that’s different.


Matty is the first one out of the car and she reminisces about their “slow burn” relationship and how she adores him. And here comes the “but” because she’s tearing up…
“I came here to fall in love and I have, but it’s with someone ese.”
He drops her hands, bends over slightly, and lets out a muffled “urgh” at this kick to the guts.


“I guess I’m absolutely devastated,” he says but keeps it together enough to tell her she’s unforgettable. “It sucks you don’t feel the same way. I’m so happy you found what you’re looking for and I’m sure you are going to make Lee the happiest man in the world,” he says graciously.
Georgia is going to need her makeup redone. Aww, poor Matty J. Go home and cuddle your nephew heaps.

Here comes Lee, who seems a good bloke and it would definitely be handy to have a mechanical plumber in the family. And hopefully he’s being a huge support to Georgia right now. “Not many guys bring a donkey when they first meet a girl,” she says, adding there was a spark from the start. “You make me excited for the future … I’ve fallen so madly in love with you.” He grins the biggest grin. “I love you so much.”


Kiss, kiss, kiss. Loud music. Happy people. (Producers on the sidelines are yelling “keep kissing!”).

So, that’s it. No Survivor Australia and no Bachelorette.



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Australian Survivor finale

Here we are – finally! It’s the last day of Australian Survivor.
Who do you think will win? And who do you want to win?

Tonight I’m recapping as the program goes along (SA time).
Here we are and – oh my goodness – they are doing the walk of the fallen comrades! Original Survivor hasn’t done this for yonks, because so often the final three is reminiscing about people they never met. And that’s evident tonight, with a lot of “nice girl” and “what a character”. “Ah, Sammy boy,” is all Sam gets (from Lee), who follows it up with “Ah, Matt”. Yep – that was a worthwhile few minutes, although it’s nice to hear the former contestants voices again – and be reminded who some of them were.
Leel and Kristie arrive at the final immnuity challenge and, for drama, JLap meets them atop a cliff that looks like it’s made from volcanic rock, with the odd wave pounding against it to spray them.
He also reveals their loved ones are here, and this move is actually pretty annoying, because in “real” Survivor, loved ones visits are usually held around final six to eight (although not every season). I always shed a tear when the castaways realise their loved one is here and look forward to some noses getting out of joint as, inevitably, only some people get to spend time with their loved one. Usually the challenge winner gets to pick two or three other people and their love ones to accompany them on a reward, or to spend the night back at camp, and this can expose some alliances. Or it can lead to sneaky gameplay, a la Jonny Fairplay and the Dead Grandma Incident (and if you are new to Survivor, you have to YouTube that episode of Survivor: Panama).
But this is Australian Survivor so the loved ones are being brought out at a time when it really makes no difference to the game, other than to dehydrate contestants from crying so much.
Kristie’s dad is here and we know she’s watched Survivor with him since she was a kid, and he says some lovely things and we’re reminded that Kristie won only one reward the whole season, and gave up her letter from home. Lee and El get their sisters (and you have to wonder if anyone whispered “that’s my new squeeze”). We learn Lee once had major back surgery and thought he wouldn’t run or play cricket again, but went on to play professionally. (Sorry – I missed the bit about El because my 4yo woke up briefly).
JLap lays down the immunity challenge rules, which we already know from Survivor Borneo, the season that started it all. Back then, Rudy, Richard Hatch and Wiggles stood with both feet on a stump and leant in to a central pole relatively comfortably (see a pic here), but here the Aussies have to really lean in to it and have each foot on a pole at different height (as in Survivor: Africa). First person to lift their hand from the idol pole is out. In Borneo, Rich deliberately stepped down, knowing he couldn’t outlast the others and trusting that both would pick him as their final two opponent. Wiggles won when Rudy had a brain fade and lifted his hand.
Here the waves are an additional challenge, soaking them regularly. El at least manages to change position by squatting but Lee tells JLap his knees are buggered from sport so he has to stay standing. After 90 minutes in JLap starts with the questions about the pain and Lee’s feet are starting to look a bit purple. Eventually JLap gets sick of getting soaked and goes to sit with the loved ones for a chat.
Kristie’s Dad tells JLap Survivor started at the time of his divorce, so Survivor became an example of triumph through adversity and calling on inner strength for him and his kids. The waves are getting massive as the tide comes in so the trio are drenched, freezing and accidentally swallowing gobfuls of salt water.

Six hours later …
Six hours later they are still going.
“My wrist – I can’t move my wrist. I’m going to have to step down,” says El, screaming as the waves hit again. Finally she does hop down and Doctor JLap comes over to help her to her feet and almost carries her over to hug her sister.
No matter what happens now kudos to Kristie to outlasting an army major in and endurance challenge.
“Lee, you’ve got to let me have this one,” Kristie tells Lee.
“I don’t want to go home,” he replies.
“I will take you … I promise. You ave me an opportunity in this game that I could never have gotten without you. I swear to you, I promise, I will take you. And you know what you will probably beat me … I won’t have the votes,” she cries.
His response: “Keep fighting.”
“You remind me so much of my Dad,” she tells him, thanking him for his support throughout the game, throughout the “crazy”. Now, this is likely true but it is also very good strategy on Kristie’s part, because she knows how much being a role model for his kids is. “I swear on my Dad,” she continues.
“I’m so proud of you,” he tells her. And then he falls hard off the poles.


Kristie wins immunity! Five seconds later she follows, tumbling to the jagged rocks below. “Kristie, are you ok?” JLap asks as they both lie helpless on the rocks.
“Can you get me up, please, because it’s hurting,” she sobs. Her dad picks her up and carries her off. She is both crying and laughing as she shakes on the ground with fatigue and what looks like hypothermia. Don’t they have blankets for them? And water? We do get to see El put an arm around Lee as he apologises for not lasting.
Will Kristie take Lee? I reckon she will. JLap gets dad to come over and put the immunity necklace on his now-crippled daughter, which is a cool moment for the both of them.

Tribal council
I want to see their faces when they see Kristie has the necklace. There are gasps from Matt, Nick is open mouthed and and there’s a whispered “I can’t believe she won” from Flick. Tonight, Kristie is the only one casting a vote but Leel get to put forward lacklustre pitches.
“What you see is what you get with me. I think I’m less likely to get votes off the jury,” El laughs.
Lee says: “We all three of us have been together since day one. It’s up to her – it’s her choice. It’s the first time she can have a decision by herself without any pressure.” God, Lee, you still sound patronising.
And the 22nd person voted out is El. Yep. No surprise there.


Lee and Kristie head back to the beach for one final night and to hone their jury speeches. Kristie should kick Lee’s arse when it comes to conveying emotion and passion for the game – it will come down to whether the jury thinks she fluked it – and whether they are annoyed at Lee for distancing himself from the game for so long.

Day 55
Kristie is delirious with happiness whereas Lee is rather subdued, but he perks up with the final day breakfast arrives and they can eat bacon.
“I’m very happy with how I played the game; good people can win,” Lee tells the camera. Urgh – does this mean Kristie is not a good person by your standards, Lee? This is the girl who gave up her letter from home to someone else. Although, to be fair, I can’t see either of them doing much opponent bashing at final tribal.


Final tribal
“Looks pretty, doesn’t she?” murmurs Lee as a showered El arrives at the jury bench. JLap announces they will do opening statements (which US Survivor ditched a while back, or at the very least started cutting them from the edit).
Lee’s jury pitch is, as expected, about playing a clean and honest game. And unless there was a lot that was cut out, that’s about it from Lee.
Kristie has obviously thought long and hard about her jury speech. “All of you, you thought I was absolutely crazy,” she tells them. Her “move” was successfully gunning for Phoebe, who had flipped on her, and how, despite her name always being mentioned, she outlasted everyone.
“I have had to fight my way through 20 tribal councils. In the end, I was able to get through two whole tribes. Who in Survivor can say that? I can,” she says with conviction.
Well said, Kristie!
Time for jury questions .. El’s is a Dorothy Dixer about what his first “selfless acts” will be. Apparently, looking after his folks, his boys and some unnamed philanthropic works. El’s question is just a criticism of Kristie’s perceived lack of strategy but Kristie responds with some good examples and how her strategy of stepping back and watching them eat each other paid off.
Flick tells Kristie everyone is pissed at her for “not playing the game” and making big moves (because that worked so well for you, Flick). Kristie schools her in the difference between subtle moves and big moves. “You look at the jury and the people who made big moves were voted out straight away afterwards,” Kristie responds and she’s getting the swelling music and nods from the jury.
Brooke asks Lee an awkward question about whether he and El had a secret romance. “There is no romance going on,” he replies, stating they will be good friends. Brooke tells Kristie it seems she let Daddy Lee control her, but Kristie replies it was all part of her masterplan to make others think she could be controlled.
JL goes in hard, telling Lee he is ignorant and arrogant for thinking people who wanted to win were greedy pigs – and reminds him she is an aid worker. Go, JL! Lee does not compute. Lee apologises to her and says he made the comment at tribal councils, which were “not his forte”. (He was worked in the media, previously, though, so he should be more eloquent.)
Kylie basically just gives them a pep talk
Sam accuses Lee of taking advantage of Kristie. Lee mentions Kristie had a rough time in the early days and he supported who through that. “I didn’t force her to do anything; she probably played me as much as I played her.”
And now to Nick, and he gives Kristie a big compliment: “Tonight you have come out balls to the wall and you are literally a different person.”
Nick tells Lee he is hypocrite for playing the “morality” card, and mentions they initially got on, doing “manly things” together.
“And that is not as weird and as Brokeback Mountain as it seems,” Nick jokes. (I love that JLap starts cracking up at this.) Lee says he didn’t realise, coming into the game how impossible it would be to stick to that moral code.
“Kristie, you did my head in. You did a lot of flip flopping … and I think you now that,” Sue says. “Of course,” replies Kristie, saying she was sorry but she had to deflect heat off herself. “Well, you outsmarted me – well done,” concedes Sue.
Matt, a fellow huge Survivor fan, tells Kristie she often appeared panicked and yet at other times was friendly and supportive (is that a reference to her giving him the loved ones letter?), and wonders who is the real Kristie. She admits she had two panic attacks early in the game and didn’t realise until she arrived in Samoa she suffered from anxiety.
That’s it. Kristie has soooo got this. Sure, El will vote Lee but will anyone else? Maybe Flick?

Time to vote
Here comes the crazy loud music. Nick is first and, for dramatic effect, draws a downward stroke that could be the start of an L or a K. Matt does the same – love it. Bet they talked about it beforehand.


We see El votes for Lee – der – and Kylie for Kristie.
At this point the US show would normally cut to a studio several months later, for the big reveal in front of an audience.
JLap is set to read the votes but first announces that their families are here, and it’s lovely seeing Lee sob as he quietly hugs his boys. Asked by JLap what they think about Dad’s beard, the elder replies: “He looks like Obi Wan Kenobi.” Kristie is so happy to introduce her family to JLap.
So here come the votes.
Kristie, Lee (and we know that’s El’s vote because of the smiley face), Kristie, Kristie, Kristie and the winner is Kristie! She collapses screaming and is picked up be her family.


(I can’t be sure but I think they did and MKR and recorded two endings, which is such a shame.)
Well done, Kristie. You absolutely nailed that final tribal.
We get to see how everyone voted.
“I don’t know how you’ve done this, but it’s inspiring, it’s incredible,” says Matt.
“Good on you, but you are still a naughty little girl,” says Sue. The others congratulate her and a smiling Brooke says Kristie’s words changed her vote.

That’s all folks. Well, that was actually a pretty fun end to what at times has been a lacklustre season due to the lack of tribe shakeups.
A reminder the Survivor Family Feud is on Ten, Sunday at 7.30pm (and how strange is it to see Phoebe all dolled up in the promo. A lot of people online wondered why Craig wasn’t selected to take part as he seems such a natural fit for game shows, but on Facebook he messaged fans he’s travelling overseas.
Oh, here’s a fun tweet from JLap:



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Australian Survivor – Mon, Oct 24 – Does she get the Flick?

It’s final four time! We’re down to Flick, that “poor girl” Kristie and power couple-but-it-doesn’t-mean-we’re-in-an-alliance “Leel”.
Before we go any further, can I just boast about this:
jlaptweet

Back at camp, after Flick failed to vote off El, we hardly get any of the fallout chat, which is really annoying as it makes it hard to judge where people really stand. Flick, understandably, feels she’s next.
The next day there’s a bit of awkward chat about what what they are proud about and everyone says stuff like “building a shelter”, “doing well at a challenge”, except El, who digs the knife in a bit about sticking to an alliance (oops – except that one with Magic Matt that was just friends who voted the same).
Everyone’s spirits are lifted by cooking a Samoan lovo but there’s not that much food. Perhaps they didn’t want everyone to get the runs before a challenge.
Lee is more excited about being given tinder for the lovo fire and Flip not at all subtlety asks Lee to teach her how to make the fire. Because Lee is not a Survivor fan he doesn’t twig that Flip’s sudden interest in fire is obviously because she wants to be prepared for a tiebreaker fire challenge and not because she wants to prostrate herself at the feet of the fire guru (which no doubt he is, because he is Lee the almighty).
Kristie, however, has been watching Survivor since she was a kid and knows exactly what Flickety is up to, so she starts paying attention to the fire lesson also. (Side note: Did you know Flick’s partner has a brother who was a Survivor contestant in 2010 this dude )
Flick hopes “Leel” will forgive her planned betrayal and keep her around over Kristie. El tells the camera she did regard Flick as a little sister and in not so many words says she doesn’t really like Kristie: “I think she’s a really nice girl; a strange one, but a lovely girl.” We keep hearing about how Kristie is weird but the camera hasn’t shown it at all, apart from what looked to be an anxiety attack in the game’s early days over what she thought was her missing bag. She’s certainly not weird by US Survivor standards – they’ve had some people on who obviously cheated on the psych exam.
Later, Leel discuss how Flick is weak at challenges and would pick El for final two and they would pick each other, so it would be smart to go with her.
And then we get a cool scene of Kristie, scurrying off in the dark with flint and a coconut husk, trying to make fire while the others sleep. Go Kristie – but, really, what kind of fan goes on Survivor and doesn’t insist on making it at camp once in 51 days. I’m sure all the guys were doing the manly thing and being the fire lords, but who was making the fire when she was on the loser tribe with Sue, Conner and Kate? Kate, I’m guessing (sorry, Conner).

Immunity challenge time
It’s a convoluted one involving bits of previous challenges, including the one where they have to create a long stick to hook a key, walking while rolling on a barrel, and ending on a puzzle. This has Lee written all over it, unless the puzzle is really hard. Flick is off to a poor start and if this was the US show Probst would be yelling: “Flick, falling waaay behind.”
She actually catches up well until it’s the bit where they have to throw something the size of a cricket ball at a specific spot – geez, who’d have thunk a professional cricketer would be good at that?
Lee is first to the final element, the puzzle. Will this be immunity No. 4 for him? El is next, then Flick. JLap isn’t bothering to say what Kristie is up to.
Flick knocks a puzzle piece off the table and by the way the camera keeps lingering on it she hasn’t realised. Is JLap’s next bit of commentary a clue? “She needs to find the pieces; she needs to pick it up.”
El wins, which makes things soooo boring.

Later, Flick tells Kristie she heard Leel whispering about taking each other to final two, which is no surprise. But will Kristie do anything with this info? Flick is scrambling to save herself, reminding El she saved her bacon previously. She asks El to split the vote so she can do a fire challenge with Kristie. But Lee isn’t keen and here we get proof Lee is actually thinking more about strategy than previously shown. “I understand the theory behind it, but that exposes me,” he says, and he’s right. If Flick teams up with Kristie, Lee could well be going home. Flick pinky swears with a cherry on top she won’t even talk to Kristie but Lee’s brow is furrowed. Daddy is not happy with her desperate moves.
“It’s a bit Nick-ish, this,” Lee tells Flick after she makes her pitch. Ah, when will they drop this whole Nick is a snake bizzo. Over it. Flick even pulls out the “I love you”, which could well be true but she forgets her fellow castaways are not following the US Survivor rule book.


Tribal council
Here comes the jury and how skinny does Matt look with the beard shaved! After some chat about alliances, fighting to stay and trust. JLap suggests it’s a good idea to vote off an ally so you can get their jury vote. “I want to win it next to someone I’ve been through the whole time, and someone I can trust,” El says. “So, Lee,” Flip interjects. And El takes the bait: “Okay, Lee. There you go: I’ll be taking Lee to the final,” she says frustratedly. Gotcha! On the jury bench, Nick’s “what the?” hand gestures are a thing of beauty.
Lee tries to distance himself from the declaration but when asked point blank if he promised El a final two spot he can only shrug. You can see the jurors willing Kristie to make a move but all she says is she has to win immunity (despite never having won a challenge before). Nick practically slumps to the ground in frustration and Kylie and JL cover their eyes in horror.


Now, is this all talk or is this how Kristie really thinks? “I can see the jury absolutely cringeing over there, but I’m still in it. I’m going to fight for it.”
Flick responds Kristie has “dug a hole” but still a chance to win the game by ensuring there’s a 2-2 vote between Flick and Lee to ensure a fire challenge. True – or perhaps this is a plan to get Kristie herself out. I can’t see Lee turning on Kristie, though. Hurry up and vote!
The vote: We see Flick vote for “Leeroid”. And it’s Flick going home. It’s hugs all round, apart from a joking “you’re an idiot” to Kristie.

Tomorrow
The finale screens from 7.30pm-9.15pm on Ten. Sadly, Ten is not doing a reunion show straight after, which is modus operandi for the original and is always great fun as there’s none of this “let’s record two endings and make people pretend they’ve won”. Plus, I’d love to see JLap rock up to the Opera House on a jet ski, clutching the urn full of votes. We get a glimpse of the final immunity challenge and it’s fun to see they’ve gone way back to Borneo, the first season of Survivor, for the “standing on a log and touching a pole” challenge. These can go on for hours. (History here)

SO …
I really want to see Kristie take this thing out but her moves have baffled me. If she does freakishly win the final immunity, I’m guessing she will take Lee and that would be her ticket to winning, because she can boast: “I beat this dude – little ole me”.
And for all those Flick’s, Matt’s and Sam’s banging on about how people should have moved against Leel earlier: Where were you guys this whole game? Why didn’t you do something when you had a chance? This is what happens when Survivor goes for 55 days and they don’t mix up the tribes enough – everyone gets too entrenched in their perceived alliances.



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Australian Survivor – Mon, Oct 17

Monday night Australian Survivor chat.

If you haven’t heard already, the Survivor finale screens Tuesday, October 25 (yes – it’s back to a Tuesday timeslot). Channel 10 doesn’t seem to be doing a reunion show (despite a campaign by fans on Twitter), which is a real shame. No doubt there will be the odd contestant pop up on The Project or Have You Been Paying Attention, but it’s not the same as getting to see what everyone looks like in the real world compared to their island style.


The episode starts with the morning after the spa night – we don’t even get to see Flick, Kristie and Matt discussing forming an alliance to vote out Lee and El. What the hell happened – did Channel 10 lose the footage? Does this mean we also won’t see Exile Beach footage?
After a decent night’s sleep at the spa reward and wearing almost-matching black satin nighties, Kristie and Flick pledge their loyalty to each other. Neither one really trusts the other, though.
It’s also morning on Exile Beach and everyone is shitty because they can’t get the fire to light and they are hungry. There’s no talk of idols. Disappointing!

It’s challenge time already!
Lee skips the greeting and opens with: “Not happy with you, Jonathon.” JLap rubs it in my getting the reward winners to extol the virtues of real beds, before revealing the other three went to Exile and got neither food nor sleep. So now everyone feels bad.
It’s another reward challenge and they are competing in teams of three. It’s a twist on a Survivor classic of carrying water over an obstacle course but instead of the usual buckets they are tipping water from a cracked coconut into someone’s mouth. That someone then has to sprint across a balance beam, mouth full of coconut water, and spit it into a tube. It’s Team Spa versus Team Exile Beach. Winner gets an advantage in the immunity challenge. “I will put it in my mouth – I’ve got a big mouth,” Kristie volunteers. Lee and Flick are selected as the spitters proves but Kristie – with her shorter reach and having trouble with the wind – has trouble directing the flow into Flick’s mouth (yes, I really just typed that). Unsurprisingly, despite Sam being on the outs, Exile Beach team wins. Team Spa had better hope the immunity challenge tomorrow involves a puzzle or they’re stuffed.

Back at camp, after 27 hours without food, Team Exile Beach can’t wait to dig in to their black and white glop. But then, for the first time, we get footage of what we’ve known for a while back in the real world: Lee and El are a thing.
“Lee and I have spooned since day one,” says El, saying it was because they were cold to start with and then became something more. Unlike the current season of US Survivor, however, there is no pashing or even hand holding. It’s just sitting on a beach, gazing at the waves and chatting – not even touching. That’s Survivor romance, Aussie style.


Meanwhile, Magic Matt and Sam cement their alliance and are hopeful Kristie and Flick are on board. But then Matt tells the camera something that’s the kiss of death on Survivor: “I have a chance at winning this game, and I’m coming for it.” Noooooo!

It’s Day 49 – that’s 10 days longer than a normal Survivor. Kristie is tossing up between siding with Flick, a known backstabber, and Lee, who she believes has been loyal to her. She has a mini meltdown – which we haven’t seen back since the show started and she thought someone had moved her bag (and it was El who calmed her down then). “You are doing so well – I’ve said that from day dot,” says Daddy Lee.
Flick is a bot worried this sign of emotion means Kristie is going to crack and spill the beans to Mum and Dad.

Immunity challenge
JLap reminds us that Sam has yet to win individual immunity. That’s because he’s no good at puzzles of hanging off/on to stuff. The challenge is a Survior classic: balancing on a triangular pontoon, with no hands allowed. It usually favours girls with smaller feet and good balance, although the last person to win it was Joey Amazing in Second Chances. Here’s a history of who’s won it. This could be El’s challenge if there’s not a guest of wind.
And the advantage is: The Exile Beach three get to start the challenge 10 minutes after everyone else. That is a huge advantage. Someone could fall before the three even start.
And, yes, Flick falls just before the 10-minute ark.
After 90 minutes it’s just Lee, El and Sam and they have to transition to the top for a surfer-style pose. In the past contestants have stood here for quite a while but the Samoan sea is choppy today and Lee hangs on just a few seconds longer than El and Sam to win.

Back at camp the alleged alliance of Lee, El, Kristie and Flick aims to split the vote between Matt and Sam. But, later, Flick tells Kristie that El is the target of the other alliance. Kristie is conflicted and goes for a stroll with Lee, where she confesses all. Daddy Lee looks down at Kristie with his sad, frownie face as she pours her heart out. And then tells her not to worry about the fact he and El are close. Yes, do worry about that fact, Kristie! And it just gets more shambolic from here, with Lee telling El, who tells Flick, who pretends it’s all cool but is inwardly freaking out. Interestingly Lee and El dismiss the notion that Flick has turned against them, when just days ago she flipped on her BFF to join them.

Tribal Council
Matt talks about making moves. Lee talks about how people should not make moves. Sam decides it’s time to throw a few tribal truth bombs a la JL – how his tune has changed. Talk turns to how El and Lee are running the show and over on the jury Nick is loving this.


It’s time to vote but first Lee announces he’d like to use his advantage. Hooray – some actual gameplay. He gets to cancel someone’s vote and, logically he should pick Matt or Sam as they’re definite votes for El.
And he picks Sam.
I’d be tempted to vote El out on the basis of her wearing short pink overalls.
The votes are: Sam, Matt, Matt, El and Sam. Time for the revote (and Matt and Sam can’t vote). Matt looks sick.
Sam’s gone. At least he can reunite with Brooke back at Ponderosa. “All the best, eh,” he tells his fellow tribemates, making the “rock on” sign with his hand.



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Australian Survivor – Sun, Oct 16 – more twisty twists

Well, this one’s pretty easy.

Sunday night Survivor recap
It seems like ages ago hat Brooke was voted off – that’s what happens when Channel Ten reduces our Survivor fix from three nights a week to two. Back at camp after the vote Sam knows he and Magic Matt are in trouble, as they weren’t in on the Brooke vote out. Can Sam mend his fractured relationship with previous BFF Lee? Perhaps once they are back at Ponderosa (aka the dreadfully named Jury Villa for our series) they can lift weights together and make each other protein shakes.


The next morning Flick does some sucking up to Matt to try and smooth things over in case she needs his vote and her version of sucking up involves telling him that she didn’t trust him. It doesn’t go down well. “It’s not just a game he tells her.”
Lee, Flick and El make a final three pledge and decide they will ditch Kristie when needed. It’s totes awks when Kristie then wanders up and they obviously change the conversation. Kristie knows they could be plotting against her. Please, Kristie – find an idol or sort something with Matt because I want you to win this thing.
“I’m just going to run to the dunny,” she tells the girls (yet another saying you won’t hear on US Survivor).
Kristie DOES start plotting with Matt – yay – but how are they going to make it work numbers wise? There is much sketching in the sand with a stick going on. But Flick and El have noticed she’s gone and go hunting. Matt and Kristie hurriedly scrub out their markings in the sand and it seems they have fooled El for now.


Lee, who has an obvious soft spot for Kristie (but not soft enough to shield enough from El and Flick) has a quiet chat to check she’s still on board but it’s hard to know how he feels.
She tells the camera: “I’ve been waiting my whole life pretty much to play and win this game.”
But Matt is right when he tells the camera that Lee and El are the Mum and Dad and Kristie and Flick are the daughters. Geez, Sam has changed his tune from the days of telling everyone they were snakes for talking strategy and targeting each other. He tells Flick – rightly – that if she makes final three with Lee and El they will pick each other, not her. Flick says she hasn’t thought about it but she must have – what else is there to do most of the time on the beach? Finally, we get to see Matt talking strategy and using his powers of persuasian on Flick.

Reward challenge time
Winner gets a spa stay and, hopefully, will get to choose someone to go with them so everyone else will be jealous and start plotting against them. The challenge is a mixture of of a memory game, digging for treasure and, of course, a puzzle. Lee is first one to the puzzle and Matt quickly catches up. It looks like the piles of sand on the table are making the pieces not quite fit but, after blowing the sand away, Matt wins. Who will go with him?
JLap says: “But you won’t find out who that is until tonight, at tribal council?”
In the words of the contestants: “Whaaaaat?”
Oh dear – another one of those twisty twists. Hope it’s more interesting than Exile Beach. And if Matt gets voted out and THEN gets his reward, that will suck.
The majority alliance decides to split the vote between Matt and Sam, in case there’s an idol. Since they are voting 2-2 this is a chance for either Kristie or Flick to flip because everyone knows Lee and El are strong contenders to win and they are a tight couple who would look beautiful doing ads for compression athletic wear together.

Tribal council
They arrive at tribal but it’s not really tribal – it’s the Survivor classic of “how well do you know your tribemates”. Correct answer means you get to smash boxes with an opponent’s name, potentially knocking them out of the challenge. So, we know already Kristie is going to win, right, because we heard Lee say earlier that she had never been on a single reward. Early in the days of Survivor this game tended to make it clear who was on the bottom of alliances and resulted in a lot of hurt feelings, but last time a version of it was played on “real” Survivor Jeff got so cranky with the contestants for not being cutthroat enough (Survivor San Juan Del Sur, where the majority alliance conspired to let Missy win, making for a boring challenge indeed. There’s a whole Reddit thread discussing whether this challenge is too “broken” to be used again here.).
The answers are based on surveys the contestants previously answered (and you have to pick what the group will say) and the answer to “Who most deserves to win Survivor?” was Sam. I guess it’s because he runs a charity. But no-one actually gets it right.
“Who least deserves to win?” The answer is Sam and only Lee gets it right. He smashes a Sam square.


“Who is playing the game more than anyone?” Flick. Four of them get it right.
“Who is flying under the radar?” El (agreed).
“Who is least likely to win the game?’ Sam. There are more questions but we don’t hear them all.
“Who is the most popular player?” Lee (no surprise).
“Who is the least popular player?” Kristie (ouch – poor Kristie – they regard her as an easy target).
“Who do you most want sitting next to you in the final two?” El.
“Who do you least want sitting next to you in the final two?” Sam.
“Who is most likely to blindside you?” Sam.
Oh no – Kristie’s squares are all chopped – guess she’s not going to the luxury spa with Matt.
“Who is the worst listener?” Sam. Flick is right so she gets to go on the spa date with Matt.


Poor Matt – he doesn’t even get to pick who goes on a spa date with him and he won the reward challenge. Luckily, there is a third spot and Flick picks Kristie. This should be interesting.
And then JLap tells Lee, Sam and El they are heading straight to Exile Beach, armed only with a flint. Does this mean we’ll get idol hunting this time? Depends how long they are there for in daylight I guess.


Next time: We see the spa reward winners living it up as they plot against the power couple. and Lee talking about his closest ally: “I have feelings for El inside this game.” Oooh! Will they be Australia’s answer to Rob and Amber (who now have four girls after romance bloomed on Survivor All-Stars).

Soooo, that was yet another episode where no-one went home … Come on, Channel 10. It’s Survivor – someone has to go.
Do we think Flick will really turn against Lee and El? Kristie is looking good to make it to the end and she’ll have a good pitch about being the underdog who made it through without a solid alliance.

Here are my answers to the questions – what would you put?
1 “Who most deserves to win Survivor?” Kristie
2 “Who least deserves to win?” Sam
3 “Who is playing the game more than anyone?” Flick.
4 “Who is flying under the radar?” El
5 “Who is least likely to win the game?” Flick
6 “Who is the most popular player?” Lee
7 “Who is the least popular player?” Sam
8 “Who do you most want sitting next to you in the final two?” Sam (for a goat)
9 “Who do you least want sitting next to you in the final two?” Lee (because he might win on sheer charisma).
10 “Who is most likely to blindside you?” Flick
11 “Who is the worst listener?” Matt (because he was clueless to the Brooke blindside).



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Australian Survivor – Mon, Oct 10 – Hurry up and make a move

Please, for the love of the Survivor Gods, can someone make a move tonight! The promos say the alliance will be shattered but how many times have we heard about a big shakeup and then … crickets ….


My guess would be Brooke finally gets her posse to turn on Lee, before he can use his advantage. If it’s business as usual and Kristie is voted out instead it’s going to be sooo boring.
If you haven’t already, check out the Ponderosa (aka Jury Villa) clips for Nick, Kylie, Sue and JL at TenPlay

It’s night 43 and JL has just been voted out. Flick is getting a bit of camera time about wanting to make a big move so let’s hope it’s not just hype.
The next day she’s talking about how she thinks Brooke is a bit fake sometimes. Wow – 44 days in and we are just finding out they are not BFFs.
Brooke apparently still plans to get rid of threats Lee and El: “I would be stupid to let two months of friendship ruin my life.”

Challenge time
It’s another Survivor endurance classic – one that Cochran won in his second outing but only after he was given an advantage. They have to lean backwards over the water holding a rope, with the angle increasing over time.
There’s a lot of chatter among the castaways and a boys versus girls rivalry. “Awkies, this one,” says Lee. After 20 minutes everyone is still in but the next knot hold should knock a few people off. Magic Matt is first out. Then, surprisingly, Brooke. The final three turns out to be Flick (who did well given she’s not as wiry as the other girls), Lee and Sam. Sam wins and choose Lee to go on the reward, which is a night sleeping in a proper bed.


Back at camp the four poster canopy bed is waiting for Sam and Lee but even more exciting is a pile of Tim Tams. Sam kindly breathes on the girls so they can smell the chocolate. I don’t know how they refrained from killing him.
As the boys loll on the bed, Brooke whispers “bastards” and Flick replies “assholes”. More stuff you wouldn’t hear on US Survivor. They hatch a plan to vote Lee or likeable El because they reckon Kristie won’t win a challenge.
“I absolutely love these two people as human beings but I want $500,000,” Brooke tells the camera.
Now Brooke just has to convince Sam to vote for his bestie Lee but he’s a bit reluctant to do his mate before El.
But Flick is keen to make a big move and secretly tells El that Brooke and Sam are not on board the El train. El is stunned but soon the talk turns to them trying to blindside Brooke.
Hooray – people finally playing the game! If Flick buddies up with El to get Brooke out now, she must be hoping for a final three with Kristie and Matt.


But first, we get some lightheartedness from Lee doing his best Zoolander in the trunks he won on the reward challenge. But then Sam puts a downer on everything by telling the camera how hard it is to lie to Lee – and we get sad piano music to emphasise the point. And Lee makes it even harder by giving him the last Tim Tam.
But the next day El breaks the news to Lee that BFF Sam wants him gone and you can tell he’s hurt. Finally, someone talks to Kristie about using her as a number. Lee recruits her and, despite misgivings about Flick’s trustworthiness, Kristie couldn’t be happier.

Immunity challenge
They have to build a house of wooden cards while holding on the platform steady with a cord. As you’d expect, Lee is rather good at a challenge that requires such good hand-eye co-ordination. “F— off, wind,” he mutters. His structure has a definite wiggle in it; Kristie’s looks straighter. But Lee wins his first individual immunity – and I think is the first guy to win.

Back at camp Flick sees herself as in a strong place, as she has two alliances from which to choose. Both alliances are a bit worried she will turn on them.


Tribal council
Oh god – we are getting more of that booming music they play in movies when a mad monk is chasing someone through a castle waving a carving knife. There’s another 10 minutes of airtime so that means we will have to suffer through endless JLap questions about trust.
Actually, it’s not too bad. I just want to cut to the vote so I can see the jury’s reaction.
The vote: (Will Lee use his advantage?) Matt votes El “It’s time for a move; welcome to World War III”); Kristie votes Brooke: “It’s time for the Ice Queen to step off your self-proclaimed throne”.
JLap reads the votes: Brooke, El, Brooke (“Oh you bastard” she mutters at Lee with a smile, while Magic Matt looks confused and Nick sits mouth agape on the jury bench), El, Brooke, El and … it’s Brookey (which must be Flick’s vote).


“Well, that was a surprise,” says Brooke, but she leaves with a smile and a wave.

Afterwards: Brooke says she’ll forgive Flick but it will take a little time. Like, the time it takes between that moment and the final tribal vote, Brooke?

Well, finally we had an episode when something happened. Hallelujah. Flick has copped her share of criticism but she was smart enough to know she couldn’t win against Brooke. If she makes it to the end she could get Nick and JL’s votes purely because of this move. This all bodes well for Kristie as she’ll be able to play under the radar now while the bigger egos do battle.



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Australian Survivor – Sun, Sept 25

Finally – a real merge – not just a shuffle. The fallout from this is going to be fun.

It’s Day 32 already – the days just fly by when Survivor is on three nights a week.
At yellow, Conner, Kristie and Kate are wasting away. They are going to go nuts and get so sick when they finally get that merge feast.
Everyone heads in to what they think is a challenge and the fans quickly realise the seating indicates it’s the Survivor auction – yay!
There are gasps as blue realise that Phoebe is gone.
The editors play sad music as Kate speaks about how many players their tribe lost and the camera cuts to Conner and Kristie.
JLap starts talking about how hard it’s been, laying down the adjectives and the contestants get restless as some of them twig he’s about to announce the merge. Except Spidey Sam, who says: “What’s going on here?”
Meanwhile, Nick is happily chanting: “Say it! Say it!”
Yes, it’s the merge (the real one) and they are now all competing as individuals, with new black buffs.


They get $500 to spend and can bid in $20 increments. There’s no sharing of money or food, which I know is standard in US Survivor these days but it would have been kind of interesting to let the Aussies do it to see where the alliances lie. Usually with the auction, the people who are playing hard will save all their pennies as the final item is usually an advantage or clue to an idol – or occasionally letters from loved ones. This makes me think Nick and Magic Matt won’t be buying any food and we’ll see who else is in it to win it. Plus with a merge they usually get a feast, so hanging out a few more hours won’t hurt the former blues, who have enjoyed many helpings of Hungry Jack’s and a Samoan feast.

The auction begins
First up is salt and vinegar chips and a cola. El makes first bid but Conner is the only other bidder – poor kid – he must be starving. JLap reveals Conner gets and extra three softies, which go to Kristie and Kate and his old tribemate Sue. Aww, he’s a good kid.
Next is chocolate cake and choc milk. El bids $60 but is immediately outbid by Conner with $440!! That’s his whole stash gone. Fair enough, kid – he knew he didn’t have enough money for a clue so made sure he got some food. That cake is going to make him so crook.
Next it’s the old secret item trick. It’s going to be a bowl of rice. Sam bids $240 (after Nick drives up the price in what looks like a deliberate move). JLap does the old “but do you want it or this other covered item?”. He sticks with the original and it’s nachos and a margherita. But we don’t even see what was under the other hessian cloche.
The following item is also covered and the keen players sense it’s something special. Nick, Brooke, Lee and Sue all place bids. Sue for $220 gets steak and chips.
Up next is a hot bath with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Brooke gets it for $20 and has to hop in in front of everyone.
Next is what they’ve been waiting for: an advantage. El and Lee bid for it. Magic Matt stays quiet, knowing these advantages can come back to bite you.
Kate for $500 buys spag bol and a red wine, so expect to see her topple of the bench.
The final item is covered and Nick outbids Lee for $440. He has won an advantage and he doesn’t look too happy. “I didn’t want this … I didn’t want a big, fat target on my back – that’s what that is.”


Too right, Nick. The advantage holders will open their scrolls back at camp. If I was Nick I’d do it in front of everyone and read it aloud. Lee may get away with doing it secretly as everyone trusts him.

They all return to their new home beach and everyone’s sad to learn they are at the crappy yellow camp, with the comforts of blue camp left behind. Chester the chook has at least made it over. It seems there’s no merge feast so I feel sorry for poor Kristie, who didn’t get anything at the auction.
Everyone gets to work expanding the shelter but really they are dying to cement alliances.
Conner is worried he’ll be targeted and rightly so – Flick wants him gone after his perceived earlier betrayal (because she’s the only one allowed to play the game) and Brooke and El are on board.
Sue lays it out to the camera: “They’re all ra ra ra over there like a university sorority house. Full of their own arrogance.”
Sue warns Kristie and Kate that Conner is in trouble. Conner takes Kylie off for a super casual walk to show her the well and she seems to be on board. I hope she is, as she has’t shown herself to be good at strategy or the social game. Conner is keen to turn Sam back to his alliance, but I don’t know that Sam would break up with his new BFF Lee. Interestingly they aren’t talking about approaching Jenna Louise, a former yellow. Is that because she’s in the pretty girl alliance and we don’t know it?
Really, the old blues should target the unsuspecting Kylie and get that idol out of the game.

Lee reads his advantage in secret – he gets to stop someone from voting at a future tribal council, up until final five – and says he’ll tell his alliance.
Nick, meanwhile, talks about burning his but he just can’t help himself – he unwraps it. It’s an immunity idol clue and it sounds like it’s up a tree. He monkeys all over the place and is immediately spotted by Lee. At least when he knows he’s busted he shows Lee the clue and ropes him in to the search. Lee is suss but plays along. Nick finds it and tells Lee he will also only tell his alliance of six.
Sam finds some pink fabric washed up on the shore and the pretty girl alliance rip it up for friendship bracelets. The core alliance all get one – and Kristie. Way to stir the pot.


I wish we’d seen whose idea that was. Brooke’s?
And, still, no-one seems to be talking to JL. What does this mean?

Immunity challenge time
We don’t even get a welcome from JLap. Sam tells JLap the new tribe name is Fiafia, which is “happy” in Samoan.
The challenge is a Survivor classic: hanging upside down with your arms and legs wrapped around a poll. Girls often do well at this – and those who meditate – I’m guessing El and Kylie. If Kristie had had any food I’d guess her. In Survivor: Panama in 2006, it was won by Terry Deitz at around the 45-minute mark. In 2011, Andrea won the challenge on Redemption Island. The US usually holds this challenge above water for more drama, but this time we just have it above the sand – a cheaper option, no doubt.
Magic Matt is first out, then Sam. They know they’re not in danger. Conner, who knows how much he needs it, goes next. Next are Sue and FLick. Kate and Kristie are doing some awesome full body dangles. El and JL do a deal to drop out together and Lee is next, leaving Nick the last bloke. Kylie is encouraging Nick to hang on to the 60-minute mark and he just makes it.
Kate looks amazingly relaxed and in control and at 75 minutes JLap tells them they can only use one hand.
Poor Kristie is stunned: “I thought you were going to give me food.” (True – this often happens). Poor Kristie is destined to go hungry. She is the next one out – a great effort with no sustenance. Then Kate, who has been so strong, drops. It’s Kylie V upside down Brooke and Kylie makes the mistake of swapping arms, which is not allowed. Brooke wins the necklace.

Back at camp Nick wants Conner out, too, but he wants a vote split in case Conner has an island. He wants five for Conner, four Kate and they know Kylie may flip.
Matt, Sam and Lee go for a wander and Lee is wearing sneakers – so he must have had a second pair that survived the fire – and they chat about Nick’s general untrustworthiness, although, secretly, Matt doesn’t mind him. Lee asks Matt to explain why they need to do a split. Aaargh – come on, Lee! Get with the program. Sam and Lee aren’t happy that this seems to be all Nick’s plan.
Sam is not happy that his old tribemate, Conner, is the target, nor that Kate is the second option. He tells the camera: “He’s a good kid – baby bruvva.”
Sue sends Kate to talk to Kristie while Conner will work on Sam but the old blues have taken a leaf out of the Boston Rob playbook and don’t want to leave Sam alone. Brooke follows them as they try to chat. Kristie is also torn between proving loyalty to former and more recent tribemates because she could be the next target.
They head off to tribal and it seems either Conner or Kate will go home.


Tribal council
JLap chats to the final 13 and no-one says anything much, other than Lee echoing back to JLap that he’s playing based on mateship. Flick pretends she doesn’t know who’s in charge but then JLap brings up the pink wristbands. “Is that the alliance,” asks JLap. Brooke replies: “Definitely not.” JLap notes they must be friendship bands: “Friendship, in Survivor, means alliance.”
JLap tries to get Kate to plead for her life. “I’m not going to get down on my knees and beg,” says Kate. “I’m just going to be my own self.” (Soooo, Kate’s going home, then.)

Time to vote
We see Sue vote for Matt and Flick for Conner. “I’ll count the votes,” says JLap (I read an interview with him today in which he said some fans are upset he does not say “I’ll tally the votes”, Probst style.)
It’s Matt, Nick, Conner, Kylie, Kate, Conner, Kate, Conner, Kate, Conner, Kate, Conner and … it’s Conner.
He gives a gracious speech about everyone being great competitors while inside his heart is breaking. Ah, Conner – you were a likeable lad who made some mistakes along the way that came back to bite you but I wanted you to make it a little further.

Next time: Pretty girl alliance is talking about how awesome they are. Please, please let them come a cropper.
Who voted for whom: JL, Magic Matt, Kylie, Brooke – voted for Kate; Sam (how could you!), Kristie, Flick, Nick, El and Lee voted for Conner; Conner vote for Nick; Kate for Kylie and Sue for Matt. So the underdog alliance couldn’t even agree to vote for the same person!



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Australian Survivor – Sun, Sept 11

The ads are talking up tonight’s ep as the “biggest blunder ever”, so let’s hope it’s not all hype. Does Phoebe set a honey trap for Rohan and convince him to hand over his idol (shades of Erik the ice cream scooper), then vote him out?

Here we go
Finally, yellow team’s Craig gets a chance to read the piece of paper he found in his napkin at the tribe shuffle feast. Plus he’s sporting a spiffy new tank top – guess since it goes for 55 days the contestants were allowed to pack more than one top this time. It gives him clues about the idol being hidden in a spot that gets covered at high tide.
Over at blue Jennah Louise is the odd person out, with no connections to her tribemates (well, other than Nick, but she’s his arch nemesis).
At yellow, Pigtails Kristie is using the tried and tested method of doing yoga on the beach in a bid to get Kate to like her. Kat is sucking up to yellow by giving Craig a massage (ick), saying he feels tight. “It’s probably because we sleep on logs,” he replies. I like Craig.
Former blues Model Rohan and Lawyer Phoebe know they have to come up with a plan or they’re toast – but Rohan has an idol.
Yellow is keen to win the challenge, given it is composed of people Nick basically rejected in the schoolyard pick for the tribe swap – or people who though they had voted him out on that twisty nighty where tribal was a fakeout.

Come on in, guys
It’s challenge time and for once it’s not in the ocean. JLap tries to elicit some fighting words from a few players before revealing that the mud pit in front of them is a take on the old Survivor challenge where they use their bodies to scoop up as much mud as possible. Usually this involves sets of scales or a bucket but today they have to fill up a wooden box.
The winners get to go somewhere where there is a shower, toothbrushes and razors. Flick is most excited about the razor, planning to cut a few throats with it later on.
The challenge begins and Conner uses his shirt to scoop up a bunch of mud and Lee carries a big blob on his head (a method Woo of the floppy hair employed effectively in one of his seasons). At first a couple of the girls don’t even get their faces or hair muddy – what the! There are quite a few “oh – sorry” moments as tribemates grab the muddy ones on their bits in a bid to scrape off the mud.
Blue team wins convincingly. At the very least Nick would be familiar with the challenge from past seasons, so perhaps they discussed a winning strategy.
“Do you want a hug?” a barely recognisable mud-coated Nick asks JLap. If only he’d said yes – that would truly set him apart from Jeff, and it’s not like he even wears the same shirt every day.
Pigtails Kristie tells the camera it’s ok to lose reward as long as you win immunity. Hmm, Kristie is getting a lot of air time. What does this mean?

At reward
The girls wash each other and shave their legs – why would you bother? The boys wash each other and Lee even cleans Jennah Louise’s ears with a cotton bud. JL is wondering how she can sneak her way in when Kylie starts telling her to not give in. JL is hopeful she can join up with El, Lee and Sam also, but we’ve yet to see evidence of this.

More Kristie confessionals as her losing yellow tribe heads to the ocean to rinse off.
Rohan uses the cleaning time to schmooze up to Conner and Andrew but Andrew is straight on to him. Rohan spills his guts to them about everything that happened at his old team’s past tribals (including that they tried to vote out Kat) and he tells them that he got the idol clue. Silly Rohan – Phoebe is going to kill you. Andrew straight away tells Kat what was said and she is quick to (wisely) throw Rohan under the bus, saying he has the idol. And even if he didn’t, I’d still be saying that he did.
Craig is finding it hard to get away from camp to look for the idol, given, as he says, the tides come in and out every six hours. He needs to tell someone so they can help him look.
Instead, he gets the whole tribe to go for a walk in the guise of “exploring”, which apparently they’ve never before done. This is hard to believe, so perhaps production told them they weren’t allowed to.

Blue team arrives back from the reward to find their whole camp is drenched, the fire is out and life sucks again. Over at yellow they are also freezing and sleepless but businessman Andrew seems to be tolerating it well, although he has more body fat than the girls. Nanna Sue is over being wet and not having had a decent sleep since the game began but, again, seems rather stoic about it.

Immunity challenge time
Brooke tells JLap the spa challenge revealed a few people were lightweights at drinking champers but, sadly, we didn’t see any of that. I love it on US Survivor when people who are starving get drunk and say things they shouldn’t.
The challenge is basically a game of super rough basketball played in waist-deep water. Coma Kate proves a physical force for yellow and Lee and Rohan have a good ole wrestle now they are rivals – no doubt photos of this muscle-bound match-up will be popping up over the net by now. Nick sinks one for blue. Kylie takes numerous shots for blue (she’s probably the shortest girl out there) and finally sinks one.
I love watching Kat have a death grip around the waist of teeny Brooke, and again Kate sinks the ball. The last round is the all-boys challenge again. There’s a lot of giving each other boardshort wedgies. Eventually they are all so knackered no-one has the heart to chase down Magic Matt when he gets free with the ball, and he wins it for blue. There is much hugging, even between opponents – something you don’t see on US Survivor. I’m guessing the challenge took a long time to film and they were all just glad it was finally over.
So, Nick is safe for another night at least and Rohan must be panicking.

Back at yellow – after a little joking about how much Craig enjoyed holding some of those blue boys tightly – Phoebe is dispirited and we get a glimpse of the bandage under Kate’s arm but no boil update – dammit. She tries to get in with Kate but Kate’s non-committal (and, also, Kate isn’t exactly at the top of her alliance so she probably doesn’t know what’s happening). Rohan blurts out to Sue that the idol was found (then immediately regrets it) and, then, while Kat is within earshot, tells Sue and Conner how dangerous and evil Kat is and that he wants to target her.
“I’ll write down Rohan and it will be the greatest day of my life,” Kat tells Craig and Sue afterwards. Kat and Craig would be a great team going forward, if they can trust each other. Interestingly yellow seems to have totally embraced Conner as one of them, but they are dubious about Kat. “She’s a flipper,” says Craig as, in the jungle, Kat tries to convince Kristie to vote for Rohan.

Phoebe tells Rohan she will be the target and that she needs his idol, but doesn’t think he will hand it over. Well, people have fallen for the honey trap (such as Erik the ice-cream scooper) before, so you never know.
Phoebe tries to convince Kat and Kristie to vote for Sue, so that if Rohan plays the idol one of the yellow core will go home. Which shows a marked lack of strategy – why not go for a stronger player, like Craig? Sure, Sue has social game but Craig is an obvious triple threat and would look good as a “scalp” when it comes to showing you can make the big moves.

Tribal council
JLap starts with a chat about how they all felt about the tribe shakeup (it’s not a merge, JLap!). Andrew says how great it was to keep his original tribe together – how soon Jennah Louise has been forgotten. Andrew tells the former reds that if any of them are worried about their futures they need to join the yellow vote. Phoebe realises – and only just now, it seems – that she’s out of the loop. There’s a bit of whispering between Rohan and Phoebe and Phoebe and Kat. God I hope Kat goes with yellow, just so I can see Phoebe and Rohan’s faces.
Interestingly, a sick-looking Phoebe votes for Sue while Rohan votes for Kat (who’s wearing her striped palazzo pants). Andrew votes for Phoebe.

The votes are about to be read and Phoebe plays the idol – so Rohan DID give it to her. I feel a bit gipped we didn’t get a dramatic handing over at tribal. Let’s hope yellow split the vote.
JLap reads the votes: Rohan, Kat, Sue, Pheobe (sic), Pheobe, Phoebe, Pheb’s (sic), Pheobe (sic) and Rohan. Rohan is gone. Phoebe looks dreadful.
Phoebe turns to Kat: “We could have had four-four.”. Kat: “Now we’re all on the bottom.”

Next time: All we see is Kat talking about getting revenge on Rohan and annoying Phoebe. That’s it. No challenge preview, no strategising.
Vote reveal: Boy, yellow were lucky the old reds were so disorganised, as they left themselves wide open by all voting for Phoebe. We see Kat and Kristie cast the two Rohan votes.

So, Kat, Kristie and Phoebe will be in trouble next time round but their votes for Rohan may give them an in with some of the core yellows. Perhaps Andrew will use them to move against Craig – a desire he mentioned some episodes ago, once, and about which we’ve not heard since. And if the core yellow does decide to stick together there will be seem easy vote offs that will last them to the real merge.



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Australian Survivor – Mon, Aug 29 – It’s all about chests

How long will it be before a tribe shake-up? Hard to know with such a huge cast. Chat here for Australian Survivor.

I just added some thoughts about last night’s (Sunday’s) episode to the previous Survivor post http://talkingtv.net/2016/08/australian-survivor-episode-3/

Monday Survivor

1. Doesn’t Phoebe know people who talk about how well they are positioned in the game always get their comeuppance?
2. When the yellow team credits rolled there was a blonde woman with a double barelled name who I swear must have just been helicoptered in to Samoa.
3. Nick is in trouble unless there is a tribe shakeup soon.
4. How frustrating was it when Kylie and Pete were wandering past the mud wall that so obviously is where the idol is hidden. What are they expecting: a brick wall? At least Pete has the excuse he’s unwell.
4a. Will Kate’s decision to be so frank with her tribe about her dreadful accident bite her down the track? She could be seen as a big threat to win due to her overcoming such adversity.
5. OMG – JLap is wearing a cap at the challenge, but it’s not a Probst-style two toner.
6. It’s another similar challenge of running, climbing, hauling and puzzling. I look forward to them whittling down the numbers so we can get to the more interesting balance and endurance challenges.
7. Even JLap calls Pete “Fiegsy”. Awesome.
8. JLap notes yellow are “half swimming, half running – like dolphins.” Hmm, running dolphins, JLap?
9. Lee was showing some Andrew Savage-like qualities with his super strength in the challenge.
10. It was a challenge of chests, both made of wood and muscle.
11. As long as every challenge ends in a puzzle, blue needs to keep magician Matt and yellow Nick.
12. Glad they changed the rules so the puzzlers can tap out. But it still doesn’t help red. Kate must be relieved they can’t point the finger at her
13. I like yellow asking JLap to make a deal so they can get flint, and thus fire (their flint broke). He must have been clued up before as, unlike Probst, he doesn’t get narky about it, but just says it’s a deal if they return all their comfort items and fishing gear. I wish he’d thrown in “and you’ll also be going to tribal council”, just to mix things up.
14. We haven’t seen much of formerly crazy Pigtails Kristy.
15. Lee comes across as not a big fan of the show. He’s not into strategy at all.
16. The girls need to blindside Rohan now while he would be reluctant to play the idol so early. Losing a physical player isn’t such a consideration with a tribe shakeup no doubt just around the corner; the loyalty of an alliance is more important. Being the underdog tribe going into a merge is actually an advantage, as you can become the swing vote for the stronger tribes.
17. But before we get to tribal, it’s over to blue beach, presumably for Pete to request a medevac. And here comes JLap on a speedboat. Please, please put your doctorin’ past to good use, JLap. Fiegsy says he’s barely eaten for 12 days, after picking up a bug before filming began. He’s quitting – and no physical from JLap.
18. “He’s a ripper bloke,” says Magician Matt – words you’d never here in US Survivor. So Pete is gone and we still don’t know why he was rocking a red suit.
19. The Aussies need to learn to be more circumspect at tribal. They should have studied Boston Rob tribal footage.
20. So no-one’s going home tonight from red because of Fiegsy quitting. I can’t recall US Survivor every waiting til another team got to the ready to vote stage before telling them they had a reprieve.
21. Looks like things are pretty awkward at red next week with Kat justifiably angry she was on the chopping block. They’d better hope they don’t merge before they can lose again and ditch her, or she’ll be throwing bombs at them.



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