Does Mark the Chicken make it through the episode? That’s all I want to know.
Recap’s done but pix to follow tomorrow. Chat away.
Mark the Chicken is chilling in the hammock as everyone treks back from the Julie vote out.
In confessional, Jason knows he’s going to have to use his bounty hunter gift of the gab skills to make it through another tribal: “I make mothers rat their sons out.” He pitches to Cydney and Michelle that Tai is a big threat.
On the other side of camp, Tai is off with Joe and Aubry and he tells them he has the power of an extra vote. He probably thinks he’s solidifying his alliance but Aubry is probably already thinking of blindsiding him because of the news, which on top of the last idol gives Tai a lot of power now they’re down to final six.
Mark the Chicken update #2: He ate a grub. This chicken is getting more airtime than Joe.
Chilling in the shelter, Jason is frustrated no one will strategise with him. Joe hears him out and then gets a confessional! Hells bells – does this mean Joe is going home tonight?
It’s reward challenge time (Jeff’s in his orange cap) and it’s a water obstacle course challenge with a ball maze at the end. Survivor loves their ball mazes but this one involves three people working together while balancing on a maze raft in the ocean. Reward is something, something – the contestants just want to hear what food is on offer.
Jason should smash the initial obstacle course, but given he’s up against Joe he looks even faster than usual.Jason directs his team of Tai and Michelle and elicits a “Nice leadership by Jason” from Jeff. And then “Jason very confident – fully in control”. Stop flirting, Jeff. Unsurprisingly, Jason’s team wins.
At least Tai’s “alliance” will be able to talk about him while he’s gone.
Joe tells confessional: “I performed like a six-month-old, so I’m embarrassed by it.” Well, you are 110 years old, Joe. Unfortunately his failure makes him old man cranky and Cydney does not appreciate being bossed around, and Aubry, who is more likely to keep a lid on her temper, worries about what seems to be a looming explosion.
On the reward challenge the winners get to cosy up with an elephant, instructed by a guy with an accent like comedian Bob Franklin. Jason is mauled by a monkey but, sadly, survives. Tai’s attitude to Jason softens when he sees the tattooed bounty hunter interacting with the animals but MIchelle reckons he’s bunging it on to seem softer. She hasn’t forgotten his sooky la la hiding the machete – and nor should you, Michelle. Bet you didn’t realise Tai tipped water on the fire, though! And now it’s immunity challenge time. Already? Does this mean there’s another medical evacuation coming up because we’re only halfway through the episode? Green-capped Jeff explains it’s a block-stacking, rope balancing challenge. Jeff praises Joe. Yep, I think Joe’s going to be medevaced! Something’s going on.
Joe is leading the challenge but halfway through his blocks drop, and then they all start dropping. Poor Joe restarts but puts the wrong letter down. Now, steely-eyed Cydney, who Jeff was poking fun at earlier, is in the lead. Joe puts another wrong letter down. Oh, Joe! And then he does it again! Jason and Cydney are neck and neck but he loses his balance a metre from safety. Cydney wins! I think this is her first immunity win.
Back at camp Tai tells Joe and Cyd he wants Michelle gone. Joe isn’t keen but says he’ll go with the flow. Tai is willing to use his extra vote on her. Aubry nods in agreement.
Joe gets even more air time when Cydney agrees with him that Jason should go because they both thinks he’s a tool. Cyd gives Mich the heads up that Tai’s gunning for her. Poor Aubry knows she now has to manage Cyd’s ire at being “dictated to”, balanced against the fact easygoing Michelle has not irritated. At tribal, Michelle starts throwing a few bombs and Tai pretty much insults her to her face: “There’s a big group. There’s a smaller group within the big group.”
Michelle: “What Tai’s trying to say is there’s a pecking order and I’m on the bottom … Tai has turned on every alliance that he has had.” Good to see Michelle has a bit of fire in her. Perhaps she should have lit that spark a few episodes ago.
The jury is loving this and Jason is, for once, keeping his mouth shut.
Aubry, choosing her words carefully, tries to distance herself from Tai’s statements and looks like she needs a packet of Panadol.
Jeff heads off to tally the votes but Tai stops him: “Wait, Jeff – I’m going to use my advantage.” And, of course, he votes for Michelle. Again.
It’s Jason, Michelle, Michelle, Jason, Joe, Jason, Jason. So, Sooky La La No. 2 and his tartan boxers are gone. Yay! He can go douche around Ponderosa with Scot. Hopefully it will be at least a few years before they bring him back for a Heroes V Villains or Second Chances.
Tai does not look happy.
So, I was wrong about the Joe medevac and all in all it was a pretty uneventful episode.
Next time: Michelle is understandably not happy with Tai, but then it seems they team up for an unlikely alliance because he feels betrayed by Aubry.
I’m looking forward to seeing Jason’s reaction to the Scot blindside and Tai’s perceived betrayal. Will he keep his mouth shut and just moan to Julia or does Mark the Chicken need to fear for his life?
Over to guest recapper Rosie (thank you muchly):
And as usual we start after last week’s TC. Tai is happy that he has taken control of his game, after the tatty boys were talking over him. Yep, he sure showed them! Oh, that was such fun just to see the looks on their faces last week! He reminds them that it’s a game.
TBB (TattyBountyBoy) says they’ll never get rid of Tai now, and he hates it. Well, you should have played a better game, moron. He is upset that he lost both his partner and his idol. Oh boo hoo, poor wee petal.
Julia is also upset, but Tai reminds her that she wrote his name down. Heh. She is upset that Tai, Cydney, Aubry and Joe formed a secret alliance. Tai offers to explain why he voted for Scot, but she doesn’t want to hear it. I laugh. I laugh a lot while watching this show.
The next morning Tai speaks to TBB about the ousting of Scot. Gutsy feller! TBB says he understands why he did it, but tells us he can’t let Tai and the others see how angry he is and he wants revenge. Tai is worried that TBB will wring Mark’s neck. Um, I really wouldn’t see a problem with that, what with Mark being a CHOOK, who was given to the Beauty tribe for food in the first place.
REWARD CHALLENGE
In which they must race through obstacles, collect rings which they will then throw onto a hook. Which will be swinging, thus making it more difficult. The reward (Rosie’s eyes roll as usual when she hears: “Want to know what you’re playing for?” – I always want someone to say, “Nah, we assume it’ll be something good, Jeff, so let’s just get on with it.” :D) The reward will be a helicopter ride around the island, followed by a fried chicken picnic. They show the obligatory excitement.
But I forgot to mention the most important bit, and that is Jeffy’s hat. It’s the orange one – aka the favourite of our Juzzy girl!
They are playing in pairs, and seeing we are down to 7 players this week, one person doesn’t get to play, and therefore won’t get a chance at the reward. It’s TBB. Ha ha. But wait, I’m wrong. Michele and Cydney win, and they are allowed to take one other person – even TBB! But no, they bring Aubry! Ha ha ha ha ha! I laugh a lot. I should also say that for all my giggles I nearly forgot to add that Joe – yes Joe! – and Tai came very close to winning. Wouldn’t have ever believed Joe could ever come close to winning an actual challenge now, would you? Well he did. Come close that is. Didn’t actually win, of course. Let’s not get silly here.
Off to Reward where they enjoy their food, along with some wine followed by a rest in hammocks. How very pleasant. And naturally they discuss the game. Cydney and Aubry whisper together that Michele might be a better bet to take to Final 3 than Tai or Joe. But tonight they need to target TBB or Julia. I’m yelling TBB! Make it TBB! at my TV. Sadly they don’t seem to hear. *pouty face* At least they realise it will be too dangerous to take Tai as part of any Final 3.
Back at camp TBB and Julia realise that they need immunity. TBB thinks voting for Tai will work if they can talk the others into blindsiding him. They chat to Cydney about voting out Tai. She sees that as a win win for her.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
This one is a water challenge, where they have to swim to a raft over an obstacle, memorize a bunch of symbols and numbers and get a combination that then gets them a word puzzle. This looks hard! Joe opts out, but I can hardly blame him. Eventually, Michele wins. Congratulations – that did not look easy!
SCRAMBLE TIME
TBB is upset that he wasn’t even close and can only hope that the others will vote for Tai alonga him.
Aubry and Cydney discuss whether to tip out TBB or Julia, and decide on Julia. Aubry says TBB will be polarizing for the jury, whereas Julia has no blood on her hands. Michele thinks this sucks. But she doesn’t say anything. There’s also talk about Tai, saying he can win this. Well, duh, he got out a huge threat last week, of course he can win this! At this rate, anyway. He is all worried, and decides to bring his idol to TC.
Michele tells Julia they are voting for Tai, and is hoping it will be true. Cydney may or may not be voting Tai.
TRIBAL COUNCIL
Julia tells Jeff that Michele is the only person who can feel 100% safe tonight. Tai says he has his idol and his secret advantage. He wants to remind his alliance that there’s no need to shake the boat. TBB says he trusted his alliance and now Scot is out. (heh heh) He says Tai flipped like a flapjack twice on his alliance and it will happen a third time. Tai retorts that TBB and Scot were tight and in control. TBB says Aubry and Joe are even closer. They are? Joe? Really?
They vote. We see TBB vote for Tai, and Aubry vote for Julia. Well big deal, editors, those were votes we could have known were coming, so thanks for nothing. Tai is clearly worried, and whispers to Aubry should he play his idol this time. She thinks he’ll be safe but says it’s up to him. Jeff counts the votes and calls for any idols. Tai leaves his in his pocket, but looks worried.
And here are the votes: Tai, Julia, Tai, Julia, Julia, Julia. Everybody wave bye bye to Julia! Michele gives her a hug before her torch is snuffed and she (Michele) has a bit of a cry. I must say TBB and Scot both look a bit cross. I do think TBB is pretty jolly lucky it wasn’t him. In fact, since he didn’t win immunity, and doesn’t have an idol, I don’t for the life of me understand why not. I know Aubry felt earlier that TBB couldn’t win, but he can also go on an immunity run. Me, I’d have voted him out soonest. Maybe next week?
Happy Sookies after Tribal. Debbie of the many occupations has just been blindsided by her alliance, and while Scot is a tad disappointed Cydney did not go home, he is thrilled “they ate one of their own”. Tai hands the idol back to Jason – darn it. How fun would it have been if he’d hidden it somewhere instead.
The next day Jason is thrilled their sooky lah lah tactics of hiding the machete and dousing the fire worked to crack the majority alliance. But Tai thinks it’s time to stop the shenanigans – perhaps he’s thinking of jury votes, which neither Scot nor Jason has mentioned.
Scot says he wants to mend fences but he needs “assurances from Aubry”. So she’s obviously the acknowledged leader of the tribe. An then he says he never wanted to be the “Russell Hantz” of the tribe. Too late, Scot – you must be the tallest Hantz ever, though.
He graciously offers to return to “providing” for the tribe in return for traitor Cydney’s head. And I want pizzas for everyone, a gym bag full of unmarked dollar bills and a plane to fly me to Mexico. Oh and a new tattoo that say “Jason forever” He tells confessional the other tribe does not realise Cydney is “brooding,petty, small”. Hello – pot, kettle! How is Aubry going to handle this blackmail?
“There is not a shot in hell I am going to work with them,” she tells confessional. Hells yeah, Aubry! “But I’m willing to let them think I’ll play along with it.”
Reward challenge time
Orange cap Jeff explains it’s a terracotta pot balancing change. The prize is a burger meal or letters from home. Or, Jeff casually reveals, an advantage. But the further twist is they will only be competing against people who choose the same prize. In the past having the advantage has not worked out well (it made Fishy and Dan the unbearable postman targets).
Going for advantage are Tai, Cyd and Aubry.
Food is Scot, Jason and Michelle.
Letters is Julia and Joe.
If they do this again they should keep what everyone picked a secret, so a player could be potentially balancing for hours against an imaginary opponent. Of course Joe picked “love”. Joe looks shaky and he is first to fall, so Julia gets her letter. Michelle beats Jason and Scot to take the burger meal – good one, Mich.
Tai is a picture of stillness as he and Aubry are the final two, battling for the advantage. Hope Aubry’s infected leg wasn’t giving her grief in this challenge. At just over the 10-minute mark, while Michelle is still chowing down on her burger, Aubry’s pots fall and Tai gets the secret scroll. Well, that was quick.
Tai reads what the advantage is and it’s … oh …an extra vote. Same as the last two times. Anyone else disappointed? (Some history on extra votes here Extra Vote) Julia was smart choosing the letters prize, knowing not many others would. Julia, Mich and Aubry take a walk and the former Beauties are keen to flush out an idol by voting for Tai, knowing they’ll be safe as the Sookies will vote for Cydney. Will Aubry come up with a plan to save her new BFF? Michelle is getting a tonne of beach confessionals lately. Winner/narrator edit? Aubry secretly thinks Julia is a sneaky sneak – too “super shady” to be sitting next to at the end of the game – and that Michelle has no idea that Julia is just waiting to turn on the girls. Aubry gives good confessional. It’s Day 27 and Aubry approaches Tai on a level she knows will appeal to him, talking about the struggle between the barin and the heart. And he’s listening.
He tells confessional: “My heart say: I like that girl Aubry a lot. She has the certain energy I really like.”
Aubry tells him he is being targeted and that she’s willing to feed him info to show her loyalty to him. Tai thinks the Sookies will be delighted to have Aubry on board. Poor, tree-loving Tai. It’s a Sookies spa date. Of course Scot immediately wants to target Aubry and Tai is not happy he has no say in this alliance – not that he tells the Sookies.
It’s immunity challenge time and blue cap Jeff talks them through an arm-stretching challenge that involves yet more pots. Does Probst have shares in a pot company? Joe is first out again. He could make final three, as no-one sees him as a threat. Tai is looking almost as skinny as Debbie. After 45 minutes we’re down to Aubry, Cyd and Jason. Love the different poses. Cydney goes and then Jason does a Keith Nale-style spit, which Aubry mimics. Love it. After 1 hour and 15 minutes they are both still hanging on for dear life. Aubry, if you don’t win you are a dead cert for the next Second Chance. Sadly social media expert Aubry is just outlasted by former soldier Jason after a valiant effort. So Jason has the immunity necklace plus his idol and Tai has an idol, so they can target Aubry safe in the knowledge they can use a super idol after the votes are read if Scot or Tai is targeted. Well, that’s the plan. I really hope everyone actually votes for Scot and Tai refuses to activate the super idol to save him.
Julia tells the boys the plan is to pile votes on Tai to flush his idol, and they respond with promises of cutting Tai’s throat in the future so she can be an honorary Sooky in the final three.
Aubry checks in with new BFF from last week, Cydney, who wants to target Scot. Why couldn’t we see hilarious Cyd at the start of this season? Aubry vows to try and sway Tai: “Tai’s natural state isn’t with Jason and Scot.”
The next scene is of her crouching in the long grass, talking to Tai while he pretends to look for coconuts. Where’s a Tony spy shack when you need one? Tai doesn’t want to be a life member of the Tattooed Brethren. Tai gives a lot of thought to Aubry’s pitch about making a big move, but has to weigh it up with knowing he would kick Jason and Scot’s asses if they were final three together.
So at this stage it looks like Jason and Scot will vote Aubry; Julia and Michelle for Tai; Cyd, Aubry and Joe for Scot and Tai for, hmm, maybe some random vote.
Before tribal, Jason hands his hidden immunity idol to Scot. We get lits of shots of Tai looking pensive, and then he says: “I’m not here to make good friend; I’m here to win that million dollar.” Well, you did make one good friend, Tai.
It’s tribal council time. Will we get more Chinese whispers tonight? The trash talking from Jason and Scot continues and Jeff of course spots that Tai looks awkward about it. Tai says it’s not how he conducts himself in his personal life, but this is “war”. Jason is confident of Tai’s support: “He has stepped up for our alliance time and time again.” Jeff gives Aubry props for her effort today in the challenge and she says she was spitting “like a deranged llama” (perhaps we can ask Chaos Kass the llama farmer what that would be like). Jason praises her, too, and makes it clear everyone should be voting Aubry because she’s a threat. “Please, please, please.”
Time to read the votes … But first, does anyone want to play a hidden immunity idol? And here come the whispers, all aimed at Tai. From Julia. From Scot, after the tiniest of “no” head shakes from Jason to Tai. Julia’s not giving up. Tai does not play it. The votes are read: Tai, Aubry, Scot, Tai, Aubry, Scot, Scot, Scot. Scot is voted out but he’s not fussed and doesn’t budge, because his buddy Tai will let him form a super idol, right? Right? These raised eyebrows mean you should give me your idol, Tai. Over on the jury, Neal and Nick know what’s going on, and are enthralled. Oh no he didn’t!
Tai shakes his head: “Sorry.” Yay, Tai! Look at Julia’s face! and is Aubry praying? #wow indeed, Survivor. Best snuffing out of the season. Kudos to Aubry for working out how to speak to Tai on his level, and for sending Scot home with Jason’s idol in his pocket.
Preview for next week: Tai is happy; Jason wants revenge (just hide the machete again Jason – that worked so well for you last time). And this: Survivor, you can’t kill off one of your most popular characters. #SaveMarkTheChicken
Here we go – will Jason and Scot go ballistic after tribal? Naw, Scot’s looking glum in the night vision as he and Tai talk about the girls now having an alliance. Tai is regretting his tribal council revelation about the super idol and panics when Jason quizzes him about the vote. It was you Jason the Bounty Hunter, but he’s not telling you that.
Tai panics and blurts out “Debbie” and cut to confessional where he says he’s a terrible liar. Will Jason’s Bounty Hunter super senses start tingling at this lie? It seems not. They hatch a plan to use join their idols for a super idol at the next tribal. Surely the problem with this plan is that the “enemy” will split the vote and the super idol can only save one of them?
And Scot has another vote: “What do you guys this about taking away their food?” Yeah, Scot, you just lost any respect from the viewers you’d clawed back when you were separated from Jason and buddied up with Tai instead. Douche move. Not cool, Scot. Jason wants to “weaken their soul” – a tactic from his military days he uses in his bounty hunting: “I love psychological warfare.” Urgh. At least when J’Tia threw the rice in the fire on Cagayan she was off her nut with anger – it wasn’t a calmly planned thing to drag down morale. And now she’s forever known as the chick that threw rice in the fire rather than a brilliant nuclear engineer. And these guys will be the sooky lah lah Russell Hantzes who wouldn’t let the other kids play with their toys.
Tai is wisely keeping his mouth shut (he needs to forge a new alliance – stat!) but the vengeful talk is freaking the Buddhist out morally.
The next morning Scot and Jason are up early to carry out their plan. Nice hashtag, Survivor editors. The hide the machete and the axe in the jungle and gloat about how miserable everyone will be. Where’s the machete, asks Debbie (looking so scrawny even in layers of clothes) It’s obvious to everyone who the saboteurs are. Michelle is pissed but determined to show the Sooky Lah Lahs they don’t even need those tools (that’s the actual tools, not the walking giant babies). They roast coconuts in the fire and Cydney cracks one open with a saw. Scot does not look happy the girls worked out how to open a coconut. And then Scot does something super douchey. “Why don’t we just end the speculation?” he says. And he puts out the fire with their precious drinking water. What the hell, Scot.
Oh my god!! He’s on the verge of going Brandon Hantz. I’d be a bit worried about my safety if I was one of the girls. The girls are dumbfounded and Joe calls him on it, but Scot doesn’t give a rats. Michelle must feel like she’s dealing with one of her drunk customers at the bar, but there’s nowhere to run on the island. She gets the fire going again – good on you, Michelle.
Watching from the shelter Scot vows to put it out again (I half expect him to reach into his baggy shorts and piss all over the flames) and Tai is getting rather uncomfortable. Maybe Debbie’s blunt approach about an alliance isn’t looking so weird now, Tai.
Come on in, guys. It’s time for a reward challenge, so will the Sookies man up and be team players? Blue cap Jeff probes them about the sabotage and the Giant Walking Wgo proclaims the tribe only has water and mangoes because of him. Cydney shoots back: “I can climb a damn tree!” Go girl! We found the missing tool: it’s Scot! Seriously, is he playing a villain role because he wants to get invited back for another season, or is he actually this childish?
Reward is Chinese takeaway and Joe offers to sit out. Usually the non-player would forfeit the reward, but Jeff says Joe can bet on a horse and if his horse wins, he gets Chinese, too. However, it means once of the girls is going to have to saddle up with the Sookies and Julia puts her hand up, much to Cydney’s disgust. Julia wants to make a big move (the quickest way to get in Jeff’s good books) but this could all go horribly wrong for her. Joe punts on the girls and they should be quicker at untangling the ropes around their feet as they don’t wear size 20 shoes. Twisted. Dammit – the Sookies plus Julia get through the ropes quickly and move on to throwing sandbags to knock down stacked logs. Check out her muscle! Debbie’s imagining she’s pegging the sandbag at Scot’s head. Debbie’s doing really well, catching up fast, and earns Jeff’s respect: “Debbie’s got an arm on her!” But the Sookies have too big a lead and more brute strength and win. Grrr.
Back at camp the Sookies (and the chicken, who we learn is named Mark – and Google says, yes, Tai’s partner is named Mark) tuck into their Chinese while Julia explains she is at the bottom of her existing alliance. Did the poor camera man have to climb a ladder to get this shot?And she tells confessional she’s keen to keep the Sookies around because she knows the jury won’t vote for them to win the mill.
At this point Julia has burned her existing alliance and doesn’t even know it. Joe sums it up. But Debbie (who I just want to see put on an IV drip to rehydrate her) sticks up for Julia and says she’s just playing them. We’ll see. Did you know Gollum was playing in this season? Julia tells the girls she was just playing along with the Sookies, but Cydney knows better because her “BS radar” is goigg off.: Remember the first half of the season, where Cydney hardly got airtime? Me neither. Cyd grabs Aubry for a beach pow-wow and straight away this is my new favourite Survivor pairing. See, Neal, I didn’t need you anyway now I have new BFF Cyd.
They agree Jules has to go next. Tai and his BFF, Mark the chicken. Tai is having trouble sleeping and is uneasy about the sabotage, but tells himself it must be done. And then HE puts out the fire. Sweet little Tai! Noooo! What would Mark the chicken think? “The evil side of me rarely comes out, but it does,” he says to the camera the next day with a grin.
The fire dousing pisses everyone off but Aubry (who thinks Scot and Jason did it) reckons it was a deliberate act to attract votes which they could then negate with an idol. She wants to vote for Jules to flush the idols out, but Debbie is super cranky at Scot and wants the guys gone. Up until now Debbie has been a very strategic player, so the deprivation must be getting to her.
Immunity challenge time … Green cap Jeff explains the domino challenge and this seems made for a smaller, nimble contestant to win. And indeed Michelle, Julia and Debbie do very well, with Michelle in the lead until her domino topple fails at the last second. A lot of people look like contenders but don’t get their spacing right and Julia wins immunity. Uh oh. Well, at least Aubry and Debbie now don’t have to fight.
Back at camp Debbie gets her girl posse and wants to split the vote between Tai and Scot as she thinks Jason will play an idol. To Aubry’s horror, Deb lays it all out in front of Jules. She wants Brains to vote Scot, the others Tai. Julia trots off to the Sookies to tell them the plan. Geez, I really hope she’s a double agent but I don’t think so. Sookies want to vote Cydney.
Cyd and BFF Aubry discuss the option of cutting Debbie loose and think they will have the support of Joe and Michelle. But Joe is adamant he won’t vote Debbie. So now the BFFs have to tell Suss Julia their plan and see if she will go with them. Uh oh – I’m worried Cyd is going home as she’s got so much air time this ep.
At tribal council Jeff gets the lowdown on the missing tools (as if he didn’t already know) and learns Debbie still trusts Jules. Talk turns to idol play and Jason and Scot are busting a gut to make some idol threats. Are Julia and Aubry whispering to each other here while Scot is talking? Scot says: “Tai’s got an idol. Tai’s not going anywhere tonight.” Boo yah. And Jason continues: “Wait a minute – the idol’s got a brother.” Jason’s making his devilish speech from the fiery pit of hell.
Over on the jury bench Neal and Nick are whispering that the Sookies should combine them for the super idol. But then Jason says Tai will keep his idol and he and Scot will be rocking off for the idol honour and then play it before the votes are read, which I think is false – he’d do super idol for sure. But the other players, of course, have only heard whispers of the super idol, so there’s much whispering of “original plan”.
Jules is stoked she has the immunity necklace and Jeff is stoked this will make great TV. Who’d have thought whispering could be so compelling?
Jason and Scot go through their Rock, Paper, Scissor charade (Scot’s paper covers Jason’s rock) and then they hand the idol to Tai, who doesn’t budge.
No one – other than the jury members – knows what’s going on and Aubry looks like she’s going to be sick.
The votes are read and Cydney calls out whoever spelt her name incorrectly – she is awesome. It’s Cydney and Scot votes and then the Debbie votes come out and she is shocked.
And it’s … Debbie. So Julia didn’t vote with the Sookies, who are stoked that they are safe and they didn’t even have to super idol it up.
Next week: We see the Sookies basking in their super idolness but Aubry tries to lure Tai back to the Rebel Alliance.
It’s episode 6 already – boy, that went quickly. Back at camp after the ousting of Anna (the poker player with built-in flotation devices that would have made diving challenges tricky), Tai thanks his tribemates for keeping him and is relieved he didn’t show his idol.
He jokes that he should at least outlast the chicken. (Hmm, who do we think would be on chook-killing duty in this tribe? Joe?)
Dr Evil decides now is the time to change his status as bottom-rung Brain and chats to Tai about alliance. That’s Tai, who we know from last episode can’t stand Dr Evil – and Tai loves all living creatures.
Everyone wants a piece of Tai.
Doc tells Tai he wants Joe gone, which is odd because Aubry is far more strategic and has a strong bond with Neal on the other team.
Over at blue team beach, we finally start to get some confessionals from Nick (always a dangerous sign). He is focused on getting in tight with his new tribe and reckons he has Debbie sussed out: she wants someone to listen to her and work hard. “Whatever person Debbie admires – which is herself – just be her,” he tells the confessional. (Please tell me Debbie isn’t falling for this and is playing him just as hard.) Debbie thinks Nick looks like a Greek god and has great features for modelling, and she should know – she’s been a model for years. Here the editors cackle with glee and up flashes another of the ever-changing Debbie occupation chyrons.
Lately she’s been a chemist, waitress, civil air patrol capt and electronic expert – the editors are loving this.
She hopes he gets a modelling contract out of the show “but it’s going to have no effect on my strategy”. Phew.
Nick entertains the idea that she’s just stroking his ego but then, because he has a Dr Evil-sized ego, dismisses the notion.
They learn the reward challenge involves throwing balls through hoops, which Yellow team’s Scot, ex-professional basketballer, should smash. But Nick shot some hoops in school and is tall, so he’s the one who gets to practise back at camp with coconuts and what appear to be juggling beanbags. I’m surprised Debbie did not add basketballer to her list of careers.
So, come on in, guys, says Jeff, as always. I’m going to have to rewatch Borneo and see if he used that phrase 31 seasons ago. The challenge has a loooong course.
Exile over, Julia appears, and black-and-green-capped Jeff ushers her to the yellow team. Everyone’s hungry and wants to win this:
Wonder if there’s an idol clue baked into the bread?
Aubry – who looks like a total nerd – is a challenge beast for the yellows and gives them a good lead, releasing the buoys way before Michelle – who looks like a pilates instructor or something. I know nothing about Beauty Michelle because we’ve barely seen her.
It get to the basketball stage and Scot takes a while to get the hang of out, allowing Nick to catch up and at one point to overtake him. Scot is worried.
Oh no – this is going to be like the time Wiglesworth the whitewater raft guide lost the rowing challenge to Gervais.
But he gets it together and wins. Over at blue, Michelle knows she’s in trouble for not releasing the buoys sooner, but she really wasn’t that bad.
(That’s Michelle talking while Neal and Jason have Who Has the Palest, Most Cochran-like Skin? contest)
Julia is stoked to be out of exile and on a team which has food, but not so stoked to see her alliance member Anna was voted off. Dr Evil is thrilled, though, to have someone young and seemingly naive to work with. He takes her for a dip and bitch session for more “I hate Joe” talk.
I just hope Dr Evil’s not aqua dumping right now.
And then he reveals he actually has some smarts: “Aubry is more important to get out because she’s the bigger player.” Julia plays the Sandra Diaz-Twine strategy of “as long as it’s not me”, which is really her only option at this point.
Watching from the sidelines, Joe and Aubry (who is wearing Joe’s jumper – nice one, Joe) can’t believe how obvious Dr Evil is being. Aubry in confessional: “Peter’s a little rogue and desperate right now. Which makes me feel like I need to seriously consider whether now is the time for Peter to go.”
Over at blue, Michelle is bummed they lost the challenge, knowing she will be held accountable. But she gets to work trying to build new alliances and goes to see the Oracle.
Teach me what to do, O Wise One.
Debbie says it’s ok; she wants Jason gone because he does *&@! all around camp, and she wants a woman to win. Good one, Debbie. Michelle recounts the convo to Nick, who tells her bluntly Debbie is lying because she just wants her to be calm. “You are definitely the target,” he says.
(That’s Nick talking about not voting for Jason. And you know it’s true because we’ve seen very little of him this ep and lots of Nick and Michelle)
All of which is true but the way he says it is all wrong, and gets her hackles up. But she’s smart enough to let it slide. We get a lot more of Nick saying how much better at this game he is than Michelle – total shades of Dr Evil and Liz’s boasting just before the Liz blindside.
Speaking of His Evilness, he’s over at the other beach telling Scot he wants Aubry gone, then Joe. And Joe is not happy to see yet another tete-a-tete with a non-Brain.
Joe seethes while Aubry talks about Dr Evil.
Joe decides he’s going to confront Dr Evil, using his lie detecting FBI skills.
Who – me?
And Pete, looking guilty as hell, fails to shoot back with: “It’s a game, I’m making sure the other three don’t team up against us by pretending to want an alliance. Brains forever!”
It’s immunity challenge time and Jeff is in his orange cap. It’s one of the more straightforward land-based challenges, but I’m still hanging out for the merge and some endurance-based or balance challenges. And the merge can’t be far away, as we’re down to 12 players and they usually do it at around 11, and we’ve already lost Caleb. The challenge starts and Giant Scot helps Tiny Tai and his teammates over the rolling barrel.
The next part is even more challenging, with the most athletic guys having to leap for a handhold on this structure and pull themselves up, while their teammates give each other boosts so they can be hauled up. Luckily Debbie only ways about 45kg by now as she’s just skin, bones and hair.
Of course, Scot is the booster for his team and Jeff delights in yelling: “This is like a dad with his kids.” The blues are leading and it’s interesting to see the next bit has Nick and the strong but short Jason poking blocks with poles – a task surely more suited to taller members of the team.
Jason does his block.
Now, Neal is taller than Jason and yet he’s not on block duty. Is this a case of Jason’s ego winning out, or Neal being smart and “non-threatening”. For yellow, Peter is proving an asset – he knows he’d be in danger at tribal if they lose.
At the block-stacking station, the lead goes back and forth and it’s proving a tricky challenge.
Timberrrrrrrrrrr!
Poor Joe cops a couple of wooden blocks on the noggin’ but seems ok. He can always consult the tribe’s resident ER doctor. Oh, that’s right, he pissed him off earlier so that could be a no go.
Tis but a scratch, Jeff – a mere flesh wound.
Yellow tries a new approach.
But Debbie goes one better …
Debbie #block stacker
… and blue wins by a hair.
Back at yellow camp Aubry tells Joe they still need Peter on side, so they still have a numbers advantage. Joe concedes she makes sense “even though he’s a big pain in the butt”. Aubry says Joe needs to talk to Peter about their earlier spat and “work it out as guys”. (Have I mentioned how much I like Aubry?) Joe swallows his pride.
Said while trying not to grit his teeth.
Peter agrees with their plan to take out Julia and then tells Scot he’s shelved his mutiny and is voting Julia. Why would you tell Scot that? Just nod and say yes to whatever Scot tells you.
So Scot, Tai and Julia discuss who they want gone.
The tribe discusses how much they love Peter.
“We need to talk to Aubry,” says Julia, knowing she’s the Brain of the Brains. They lay out Dr Evil’s deception for her and she plays it cool.
Aubry’s wishing she could use the machete on Peter right now.
I’m not sure why Aubry has not approached Scot about joining up with her and Joe – although maybe she has and we’ve just not see it. Tai is worried by her lack of reaction, which leads to this adorable scene:
Joe is not impressed that Aubry is thinking of switching her vote to Peter, after she just made him eat humble pie when he wanted to do the same. He’s sticking with the Julia vote, which means if Aubry flips she’ll lose Joe as a future ally. “I feel that no matter what I do, it’s going to blow back and bite me in the ass,” Aubry says. Since we’ve seen no other footage of Aubry talking with Brawn and Beauty, I reckon she’ll vote for Julia. Unless Peter says something really douchey at tribe, and that’s not likely, is it?
Who brought the marshmallows?
It’s tribal council time and Jeff leads the chat in the direction of making it obvious either Julia or Peter is going home. And while he’s talking to Aubry, this happens:
I love it when they whisper stuff at tribal.
And then, while Jeff is talking to Joe, Aubry whispers:
And Scot replies “Peter”. Well, this is fun. Poor Aubry looks so stressed and we see her pause immediately before and after finally writing Julia’s name. Darn it.
And then Jeff reads the votes and it looks like it will be a tie until this awesome thing happens:
And Dr Evil gets his comeuppance. Well, that made for great TV.
The preview for next week’s Survivor: Kaoh Rong shows what looks to be the merge. So, left in the game are Beauties Nick, Julia, Michelle and Tai; Brawn Scot, Jason and Cydney; and Brains Aubry, Joe, Debbie and Neal. And we get footage of Jason boasting about “shoving geeks in lockers”. Urgh.
Let’s see who gets a raw deal after tonight’s tribe swap. Beauty are in a strong position numbers wise and seem unlikely to self-destruct as quickly as the Cagayan Beauties did (remember Morgan, Jeremiah, LJ, Jefra and co?).
Please can we have an episode where we don’t have to watch people suffering in the heat. Perhaps Jeff could send them all on a spa reward and bring them fruity cocktails to sip.
It’s Day 12 and we’re at the Brain tribe. Everyone looks knackered. Joe, the retired FBI agent, looks to have an infected finger and doctor Peter sees it as an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the tribe.
It’s no ear worm, but it looks painful.
He’s on the outs after his god complex got a full airing at the tribal council where his only ally, Liz, was voted out. Let’s hope that in real life he’s not as much of a a dick to the nurses and his patients as he is on Survivor.
Luckily, Neal the ice-cream entrepreneur sees right through him.
That’s Neal in the shelter keeping an eye on shady Peter as he treats Joe.
“We have four people that are aligned and we have one cancer named Peter,” Neal says, adding it’s now vital he finds the idol to keep it out of Dr Evil’s hands. And he does just that, finding the clue and the the map with the annoying information that it’s hidden at the top of the tree. Please, Survivor, enough of these treasure hunt-type idols. Just hide them like normal or do sneaky ones in public areas, as per the All Stars season – they were fabulous.
Neal does the stick-poking trick and gets the idol.
So that’s Neal, Tai and Jason with idols.
And now I’m worried that we’re seeing so much of Neal, when he’s usually a bit player in the edit. Is he on the chopping block in what we know will be a tribe shuffle? I was wondering what an ice cream entrepreneur was, so I googled Neal, and apparently he started his own business making organic ice cream and selling it at markets. The business grew and now he supplies restaurants and supermarkets in 50 states. Check out http://threetwinsicecream.com/ he has a coffee and dark chocolate one that looks delicious. According to insidesurvivor.com: “He is a keen adventurer that [sic] has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and driven an ice cream truck solo across the United States in 93 hours. He also lives on a 27′ sail-boat called The Incorrigible.”
Neal sounds like the perfect Survivor contestant, and not only because he has crazy hair and wears pants with an ice-cream pattern.
Come on in, guys! Jeff is wearing his green cap. Darn it – I thought he’d have the orange one on to cheer us up a bit after the trauma of last week. He does the “drop your buffs” and Cydney leaps for joy at the thought of getting away from the trainwreck that is the Brawn tribe. Everyone else looks gutted.
Jeff explains Caleb’s chopper flight to hospital but them in a tricky spot, as there is an uneven number of contestants in the game. So, there are six yellow buffs, six blue buffs and one red buff. OMG does red buff get to choose their tribe? Err, no. They have to go to Brawn beach by themselves!!
Nameless Beauties react to the red buff news.
It’s like Exile Island (which always sucked as a concept), but with a shelter already built and, hopefully, fire-making tools. The benefit is they skip the next immunity challenge so are safe, but people who get exiled are out of the alliance loop, so it’s a disadvantage coinciding with a tribe swap. After the next tribal council the red buff exile gets to join the tribe who lost a member. They pick buffs and they’re showing a lot of a worried Aubry, but it’s a misdirect. It’s …
Nameless no more, I christen thee Julia. Could be worse, Jules – you could be on Brawn with Jason and Scot and be called Blondie 2.
We haven’t seen much of Julia as Beauty never lost a challenge, so the narrative there was on Caleb and Tai.
Here’s the new blue tribe and it’s a fair split, with two of each BBB tribe.
But it’s a different story on yellow, where Scot is the only Brawn.
Beauty has two and there are three Brains, but Peter could well defect and turn on Aubry and Joe. Let’s hope Aubry gets to Tai and his fellow Beauty first.
The tribe swap has shaken some people up, not the least Beauty Michelle, who in what I’m sure is her first confessional notes her alliance of three is now on separate tribes.
She speaks!
You’re in danger, Michelle, because a) you’re a girl who will be seen as “weak” at challenges and b) you are on a team with fellow Beauty Nick who does not seem the loyal type and, c) you’re getting airtime when previously the edit ignored you.
The yellow tribe ends up on the Beauty beach, where there seems to be lots of fruit and one chicken left. Dr Evil is so relived to be in a new tribe, where the Brains have the numbers. Since they know Beauty Julia will join whichever tribe loses immunity, he correctly tells Aubry:
That would put Tai and, ummm, Anna ? in danger. But Aubry actually IS a Brain and knows he’s shady. Scot is hoping the Brains will do the logical thing and vote out a Beauty.
Still in blue and over at the old Brain beach Debbie grabs her new blue tribemate Cydney and shows her their tree branch “pull-up” bar.
The casting director must be stoked they went with Debbie.
I’m worried that if she goes deep into the game Debbie is going to end up a walking skeleton like Trish of Cagayan.
It hurts to look at you, Trish!Snacks and strategy.
Debbie is quick to decide she wants to align with Brawn, and goes on a coconut-gathering walk with Cydney. Cydney reciprocates. “I’ve been playing the dumb jock role,” she says in confessional. She hasn’t told anyone she went to an Ivy League school. Smart move, Cydney, because Jason and Scot might have targeted you. Then Debbie talks to Jason, who also doesn’t want another Beauty joining the tribe. Yep, Debbie’s in the swing of Survivor.
In her element.
No matter how she fares this season, she’ll be a returning player, for sure.
Over on the yellow beach Scot is suddenly much more likeable because he’s enjoying being around jovial and capable Tai. “I’ve got a man crush right now on Tai,” he jokes. Join the queue behind Caleb, Scot. “In my opinion he’s the number one most valuable member of the tribe right now,” he says, referring to Tai’s food-gathering, survival and social skills.
Anna, who was kind of the girls’ leader at Beauty, knows she’s in trouble as she is outnumbered and not seen as an asset.
Not those assets.
She puts her professional poker player skills to use by telling everyone about Tai’s idol hunting. Surely everyone’s been out hunting idols, though – that’s what you do in Survivor.
At blue beach, finally we get to hear from Beauty Nick. He know he and Michelle need allies, so fetches water with Jason. He tells the confessional: “When it comes to being manipulative, I think I’m the most intelligent person out here.” Whoa – touch of the Dr Evil there, Nick, but at least you didn’t announce it at tribal.
Jason is happy everyone is approaching Brawns wanting to team up and pretends to consider both options. But he has to be thinking about Julia over at red buff exile. Speaking of Julia, she wakes up lonely and feeling crook as from dehydration.
WILSON!!!!!!!!!
“People don’t know that I’m actually 18,” she says. Is she the youngest-ever Survivor contestant?
It’s immunity challenge time and Jeff has his cheery orange cap on. They start with a swim, diving to untie knots underwater and Scot proves he’s a physical powerhouse. Partner Aubry gets to hear the condemning Jeff commentary: “(Scot) Basically doing this first stage all by himself.” Come on, Jeff – the dude is a giant. He was only waist deep in water that Aubry couldn’t touch the bottom in. Please can we have a less-elaborate balance-type challenge soon where a girl has a chance at shining.
Still, once it gets to the puzzle stage they are pretty much even, with Debbie and Neal on puzzle duty for blue and poker player Anna and Dr Evil (who nailed the last puzzle) for yellow.
The win goes to blue, which means my fears about Neal’s sudden increase in airtime earlier were unfounded.
Happy blues.
Over at yellow, Anna knows she has to scramble, while Tai says he doesn’t want to join to list of players who’ve been voted out with an idol in their pocket. If he does play an idol and the others haven’t split the vote at all, one of the Brains will be in danger. Joe and Aubry want Tai gone, Pete wants it be Anna because she’s more divisive. They shoot him down but once he’s gone privately decide it may be better to keep the main provider around.
Later at camp Anna asks Peter what’s going on and, in front of Tai, he says it’s one of them. I like Tai even more when he tells confessional he can’t stand Peter’s arrogance. He tells the camera: “We can take Peter out. I can do it because I have the idol.”
And then he tells Anna and Scot his plan, and shows them the idol. Ballsy move, Tai – Probst is going to love this!
Let’s play “what’s hidden in my boot?”.
But will he actually do it or is he expecting Scot to tell Aubry so she will vote for Anna. I don’t know! How exciting.
Tai came ready to play. Can you imagine if he and Debbie end of on the same team and join up?
Aubry then tells Scot they are voting for Anna. He’s relieved because – and I hadn’t thought of this – he has allies in Tai and Jason who both have idols. If they join up they can make a super idol. Wouldn’t that be cool? He tells Tai none of this but advises him to hang on the idol. But there are eight minutes to go, so it can’t be that straight forward.
It’s tribal council time and Anna shows that, while she can rhyme, she doesn’t know it’s incorrect to say “Tai or I”. Vote her out immediately! Tai sells his work ethic and food-gathering skills. Joe tells Jeff he thinks the season’s twist is there are no idols. Really, Joe, the hostage negotiator? Tai grabs a hold of this coat tail and agrees. Aubry proves adept at answering Jeff’s questions without giving anything away yet making it clear to her tribemates they should not make a stupid move.
Time to read the votes and … Tai does not move!! Anna looks concerned. One vote Peter, rest for Anna!
See ya, Anna.
Everyone – except Anna – is happy with the outcome. So next week Julia will take her place and be on the bottom.
Great episode and no footage of people on the verge of death – hooray!
Next week on Survivor: We see Debbie flirting with Nick and suss Joe accusing Dr Evil of being a turncoat.
