Survivor Fiji - Episode summaries.

[BCandScott]

Survivor:Fiji

The Cast

Alex - 28 - Los Angeles, CA - Attorney - Birthday April 20

Alex Angarita was born in Columbia, practices law free lance in Los Angeles, and has a great smile. He likes boxing, running, basketball, lifting weights, painting and yoga and recently climbed Mt. Whitney. He thinks he is assertive, witty and personable. He's pretty cute.

Anthony - 32 - Compton, CA - Expert Witness Locator - Birthday June 25

Anthony Robinson has a BA in American Studies from Yale. He performed in college plays and did sketch comedy at Yale. He likes gaming (live action dress up stuff), video games and poker. He also likes to dance, juggle, watch & make movies, and plays roller hockey. He thinks he is friendly, dorky and intelligent. He's single. Favorite colors are purple and black, which everyone knows are the disturbed child colors. Hahaha.

Boo - 34 - Lafayette, LA - Construction Worker - Birthday June 21

Kenward Bernis aka Boo works construction by day and owns his own bar that he manages at night. He has worked as a craw fish farmer. He's BIG. I mean, he looks really really strong. He went to Univ. of LA at Lafayette and has a BA in general studies. He likes martial arts and weight lifting. He admits he is strong physically and is a great problem solver, a "cerebral athlete.

Cassandra - 42 - Los Angeles, CA - Civil Engineer Manager - Birthday April 19

Cassandra Franklin works for the University of California and is also very involved in various charities involving Minority Women, AIDS, and Breast Cancer Research. She likes to ski, shop, and travel. Her husband is a Baptist minister. They have been married for 2 years.

Dre - 25 - Wilmington, NC - Cheer-leading Coach - Birthday December 15

Adria Herd aka Dre survived on the streets by eating at soup kitchens and being a street performer with his brothers. In high school he became an athletic superstar, excelling in cheerleading. He teaches cheerleading and is training to be a boxer. He likes basketball, tumbling, stunting and is proud to have obtained an Associates Degree from Cape Fear Community College. He has a 2 year old son and a 1 month old son, Giovanni and Luca, respectively. He thinks he is humorous, energetic and intelligent.

Earl - 35 - Santa Monica, CA - Advertising Executive - Birthday April 9

Earl Cole is not only a Senior Advertising Executive, he is composer and an accomplished musician. He plays piano, sax, guitar and violin...and a little bit of drums. He likes to play chess, hike, watch movies, shoot pool, and play basketball. He believes he is creative, intelligent, athletic and confident, with a good sense of humor.

Edgardo - 28 - Miami Beach, FL - Advertising Executive - Birthday October 5

Edgardo Rivery was born in Puerto Rico and lived there through high school. He attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and has a Bachelor's in Advertising. He was part of the Davis Cup National Tennis Team for his native Puerto Rico. He has worked in advertising both in PR and the US. He likes beach volleyball, tennis, basketball, traveling ,visiting family in PR and hitting the hot spots in South Beach, Miami. He believes he is spontaneous, ambitious and adventurous.

Erica - 27 - Lake Charles, LA - Non-Profit Fundraiser - Birthday December 11

Erica Durousseau attended Grambling College, LA on a track scholarship where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications. She was living in New Orleans during Katrina and was forced to move to Lake Charles and then Baton Rouge. She considers herself to be subtle, confrontational and outgoing. I'm not sure how those three mix exactly, but that is what she thinks. She likes to spend time with her family. She likes soccer and jogging , the color yellow, Snickers bars and Fruit Loops.

Gary - 55 - Ramsey, MN - School Bus Driver - Birthday September 16

Gary Stritesky was, back in his high school days, a football, basketball, and baseball player, and he ran track. After some time as a barber and later a real estate agent, he became a school bus driver and carpenter. A Vietnam Vet, Gary is married to a teacher with whom he lived in Australia for a couple of years as part of a teacher exchange program. He has completed inline skating marathons, enjoys biking, canoing and coaching. He has four kids, with Diane, his wife of 34 years.

James - 28 - Los Angeles, CA - Bartender - Birthday September 11

James Reid is a bartender who once served in the US Navy. He likes working out in the gym, most sports, and "hanging out". He feels he is tough (but basically a "good kid") and outgoing, both a people person and a "man's man." He is sometimes called by the nickname Boston for his original home town, and sometimes Rocky, because he has droopy eyes and black hair.

Jessica - 27 - Los Angeles, CA - Fashion Stylist - Birthday April 25

Jessica deBen is originally from New Orleans and she attended both NO University and Tulane. She does fashion styling and make-up, worked as a body painter for the "Lion King" show at Disney Orlando and an attendant for the Volunteers of America Personal Care. She believes herself to be ambitious warm and unbreakable. She likes to kayak, bike, hike, job, paint portraits, and eating pancakes.

Liliana - 25 - Oxnard, CA - Loan Officer - Birthday April 5

Liliana Gomez is of Mexican descent and spent some time living in Guadalahara, where she developed a strong passion for music and singing. She served in the Marine Corps for 8 years, training in Parris Island, GA, and participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. She would like to pursue a career in entertaining. She enjoys anything athletic. She feels she is strong, stubborn, confident, but goofy and witty as well.

Lisi - 36 - Los Angeles, CA - Customer Service - Birthday June 9

Lisette Linares aka Lisi works as a customer service representative for a psychic service company. I wonder if she already knows who will win? She describes herself as an "Underground Electropunk Noise Artist" and she actually had a hit in 2004 in France. She likes to hike and play tennis. She believes she is creative, intelligent, smart, observant and fun.

Michelle - 23 - Cincinnati, OH - Student - Birthday December 2

Michelle Yi is studying fashion design at the University of Cincinnati. She enjoys fashion photography, traveling and competitive rock climbing. Michelle practices yoga, lifts weights and trains for climbing and to compensate for her love of food. She believes she is very independent and believes in following her passions and in staying inspired. Yi's hero is her mother who lives in Taipei, Taiwan. She hopes one day to go to New Zealand to go "bouldering".

Mookie - 25 - Chicago, IL - Program Manager - Birthday November 10

Mookie Lee (not to be confused with Spike Lee) was born in Seoul Korea but was raised in Illinois. He has a degree in Actuarial Science and Finance (omg, that has to be worse than accounting, it bores me typing it). He is a program manager at an internet loan company. (This guy is killing me.) He enjoys traveling (anywhere to get away from his job, I would think), playing competitive sports like basketball and volleyball and spending time with friends and family. He is a Chicago Bears fan with season tickets. He believes himself to be outgoing, humorous, strong-minded, competitive and athletic.

Rita - 38 - San Antonio, TX - Single Mom - Birthday July 19

Rita Verreos attended Berkley before transferring to UCLA where she graduated with a Bachelor's in Italian and French Literature, degrees that thoroughly prepared her for her Occupation as Single Mom. She lived in Mexico City for 11 years with her then husband and 2 children, was a contestant in the Miss Venezuela pageant and appeared in the film "Marked for Death" in 1990. She now works part time as an image consultant who coaches girls for the Miss Texas, Miss California, and Miss USA pageants (oh UGH) and as a television spokeswoman for a supermarket chain. She thinks she is persistent, tough on the outside, tender on the inside (I've had steaks like this), considerate and respectful.

Stacy - 27 - Boulder, CO - Interactive Internet Producer - Birthday October 1

Stacy Kimball was adopted at 6 month old and brought from South Korea to Montpelier, Vermont. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. She currently works producing innovative web content for national clients. She likes knitting, making jewelry and cooking. She considers herself to be resourceful, optimistic, good-humored and blessed with an ability to adapt to her surroundings.

Silvia - 52 - Ross, CA - Architect - Birthday August 18

Sylvia Kwan was born in Hong Kong and moved to LA at the age of 8. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Architecture degree from Berkeley. She is the chairman of a well known firm in San Francisco. She decribes herself as creative, energetic and determined. She plays tennis, skis, hikes and plays golf. She had to learn to swim in order to be a Survivor contestant. Married for 26 years to Denis Henmi, she is in the process of building their dream house for her family including two sons, 18 and 15.

Yau-Man - 54 - Martinez, CA - Computer Engineer - Birthday August 26

Yau-Man Chan is originally from Malaysian Borneo. He has a BS degree from MIT and has a MS from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He now works at Berkeley as Director of Information Systems for the College of Chemistry. He sets up networks, designs electronic circuits for scientific instruments and manages business database systems. He likes to play table tennis, bicycle, woodworking and reading. He thinks of himself as contemplative and intellectual, a good organizer, and natural leader. He is skilled with his hands and resourceful. He has been married to his wife Jennifer for 23 years. They have two children, a dog and two rabbits, Ruby and Cupid.

[BCandScott]

Episode 1 - Something Cruel is About to Happen

Jeff flies over the Fiji Islands, a place once known for its cannibalism. Could this be the survivor where it's really a matter of survival. I often imagine a tribal council where only one person shows up, looking rather sated and Jeff asks, "Where are your tribe mates?" The survivor looks at Jeff and with a greasy grin replies simply, "Et 'em." My thanks to my friend Jill who first introduced me to such a scenario; it's a little evilness that I will treasure forever.

The survivor contestants are on what appears to be a big catamaran rowing toward an island, looking intense. The water is blue and beautiful. and we get a few glimpses of amazing scenery. There are 19 contestants who have been given NO information at all. Jeff explains that fear of the unknown has caused one contestant to quit just before the boat was prepared to leave, taking them to their destination. Exile island is back and apparently inhabited by thousands of deadly sea snakes. There are two immunity idols this year, making the game more complicated than ever. 39 days, 19 people, 1 survivor.

They arrive at the island where there is a big cave that looks to make a great shelter. They quickly set about exploring, giving one another nicknames, finding water, and speculating on what will happen. Will they be split into tribes?

Yau-Man quickly proves his merit by displaying his ability to open coconuts. He says that being from Borneo, he is quite familiar with the vegetation, which appears to be lush with coconuts, bananas and other fruits. While everyone is working together, they are still perplexed by being dumped here with no flags or tribe names and they quickly begin forming little groups to try and solidify a relationship with someone, anyone, so they feel more secure.

A plane flies over and drops a small wooden cask. The brawny guys grab it and begin bashing it around trying to open it. They are hammering it against a rock, picking up the rock and slamming it back down. Yau-Man, the little guy, comes over, picks up the cask and hits it twice on the rock and it opens. (I like him, I really do.) He explains this is due to simple physics, he simply found the weakest point and applied pressure to that spot. Heh.

The cask contains flint, directions to the water that they already found, and plans and directions to a supply of lumber, supplies, rice and tools. They are told to build a shelter, complete with kitchen, latrine (with a toilet seat) with the supplies. Alex admits that at first this sounded completely awesome, and then he began to think that something about this was too good to be true. Something cruel is about to happen.

The men set out to find the cache of stuff and soon are standing on a huge pile of tools, cut lumber, a toilet seat (which seems to amaze everyone) and even roofing tiles. Erica now says this is too easy, this is not the usual thing of survivor which is about suffering and deprivation. She too is suspecting a cruel twist.

Sylvia, the award winning architect, is able to read the drawings and soon the group is busy erecting a shelter which incorporates the cave. She quickly takes charge, which seems reasonable to me, and they begin pacing out the placement of the latrine, kitchen, and sleeping area. Obviously Sylvia is in her element here. Gary gets a little whiny about this, as he does some carpentry work and he feels that Sylvia is being a little bossy, I guess. Considering that Sylvia is not just an architect, but an award winning architect in one of the most successful and noted firms in the country that is HER firm, and the project involved reading plans, I think his criticism of her is unfair. The others seem happy to let her explain to them what they need to do.

They make fire and keep moving the wood and stuff from the cache to the shelter site. At first everyone is just working showing they can handle the load but slowly as the work goes on and on they begin pairing off and grouping off, continuing to search for someone to be allied with in the game. Jessica and Erica talk to one another about an alliance. They think they need at least one man in their group. They boil water and have a drink though the water is still hot.

Sylvia worries they aren't getting the buildings up fast enough, and pushes a few of the guys to start on the latrine as well as finishing the shelter building. They are only about half done with half a roof and half a floor when darkness falls and they are hit with a tropical rainstorm. They are wet and miserable. They all approach the building the next day with more determination.

Yau Man is still gaining the respect of the bigger younger men because of his intelligence and skills. Michelle is thrilled with the new digs, surprised to be on Survivor and having so much given to them. Rita comments that they still don't really know what is going on after two days. Jessica says this is her "Fiji Vacation", that they have everything they need and that she is really worried about what is coming. They celebrate completion with a "Home, Sweet Home" sign.

Dre, who is nicknamed Dreamz at his own request, says that compared to living on the streets, this is paradise. While they all try to go to sleep, Dre starts carrying on and talking loudly, ranting about white and black and the backgrounds of the others. Rocky (James) takes offense at some of the stuff Dreamz is saying and asks him to just be quiet and let him sleep. He says he does not like being talked to like that. They definitely aren't getting along.

Immunity, Reward, Getting to Know You, Tribal Lines Challenge

They arrive and are greeted by Jeff. Yau Man explains how amazing the "fancy" shelter was. Jeff asks if anyone took charge in building the shelter and they say that one person was an architect and was able to read the plans and make it happen. Jeff asks who is the architect and they tell him it is Sylvia. She admits it was great for her because it is what she does every day. Jeff says it sounds like she stepped up and became the leader. The entire group agrees she did.

Jeff has Sylvia come to stand next to him and tells her to divide the tribes sending one person to a green line and then one to the orange line. As you can see people have developed a few nicks along the way.

Green (MOTO)

Cassandra
Liliana
Stacey
Lisi
Dreamz
Boo
Gary (Papa Smurf)
Alex
Edgardo (Big Ed)


Orange (RAVU)

Michelle
Erika
Rita
Jessica
Rocky (Boston) (James)
Earl
Yau Man
Anthony
Mookie

They receive their buffs. Sylvia is then told she is not on a tribe but is still in the game. She is being sent to Exile Island. Good news, bad news. Bad news, there are thousands of sea snakes (yes, they are poisonous) on Exile Island. Good news, she is immune since she is not on a tribe and she will receive the first clue to the location of a hidden immunity idol. She will rejoin the game by joining with the tribe that loses a member in the challenge to follow.

They will race chariots across a 1/4 mile course on the mud flats, two people riding, the other 7 pulling the chariot. Along the way, they have to stop and those riding in the chariots must untie 3 bags of puzzle pieces. When they reach the end of the course, they will retrieve a tribe flag and race back to a puzzle table where each of the three bags will create a puzzle that shows a number. The three numbers are the combination to turning a wheel that is filled with wrapped packets. If the combination is performed correctly, the packet that is selected will contain a knife. That knife will be used to cut a rope lowering a flag. The winning tribe wins the entire universe and everything in it. Well, not exactly the entire universe, but almost. They get immunity. They get the camp that they all just built. They get some things provided to make the camp even more comfortable, goblets, cutlery, hammocks, a bush shower, and a nice big soft sofa. Losers go to a new beach where they will have one pot and one machete.

Michelle and Jessica ride the chariot for Ravu, Lisi and Stacey ride for Moto. Moto gets an early lead going at the first bag. Untying the bags requires working through a series of knots. While Ravu stays close behind, Moto seems to be able to keep a small lead throughout the course. Moto gets their flag first, but Stacy picks up a lot of time on the third bag and then Moto seems to lose some steam on the trip back with the tribe flag. I will point out that part of the problem with both tribes is that the riders don't understand what they are doing. The chariots are two wheeled. There is a rail in the front that the riders can hold onto. The optimal way for this to work would be for the riders to hold onto the rail but to stand far enough back in the chariot to put their feet and their weight behind the wheels which act like a fulcrum. This would raise the front of the chariot up and out of the dirt. Instead, the riders are standing up by the rail, in front of the wheels which points the front of the chariot down into the dirt. This negates any helpful rolling of the wheels since the pullers must pull the front of the chariot across the dirt with the front digging into the dirt. If one of these tribes had noticed this and corrected for it, there would have been a huge difference in their time on the course, buying more time to solve the puzzle.

Ravu manages to take the lead as Moto slows down, exhausted. Ravu starts solving the three puzzles, one person per puzzle. Soon both tribes are solving puzzles. Ravu's puzzle people are Jessica, Rita and I believe Mookie. Moto's puzzle people are Lisi, Stacy and Alex. Moto finishes the puzzles first, and quickly begins turning the wheel using the combination 35-13-22. Alex is turning the wheel and soon they have the knife. He chops the rope, the Moto flag falls and Moto wins this huge reward.

Jeff gives Ravu the map to their new beach and tells them to be ready for tribal council that evening.

Moto returns to their luxury accommodations, thrilled with their win. Alex said he almost shed a tear when he saw the great couch. They all feel they are living "fancy". Plus, Lisi points out that not only do they have immunity, and a great place to live, they have a kick ass tribe. They have pretty plates and cups and all sorts of goodies. She adds that it's ironic that Sylvia helped to build this place in a big way and now she is sleeping with the snakes.

Sylvia arrives at Exile Island and meets the sea snakes. They are amazingly plentiful. Sylvia said she thought Jeff was pulling her leg, but the place really is FULL of snakes. She gets her idol clue. It reads:

Here you won't find the idol you crave
Search back at your camp if you hope to be saved

Sylvia says, well OK, she has this clue opportunity but the clue says, sorry, it's not here, it's back at camp and she says it will be very hard to manage to search around camp without prying eyes.

Ravu paddles to their new beach. Earl says losing the challenge was really hard. All the work they did is just gone. Rocky says hey, this is awesome, this place is so nice, it's almost good that we lost. Everyone laughs understanding that making the best of things is all they can do, except Erika. She's unhappy. She says that she can't understand the other people being OK with it. She says that they have to start all over and she's pissed off but nobody else is.

Rocky tells her to just relax and not be sad. He is working with Earl and Jessica, as well as Erika and trying to decide who should go home. They talk about the various women, deciding they need to keep the men for now, for strength. They talk about which of the women is stronger and which might prove to be a liability. They agree that Michelle is like a little monkey, she hangs from things, Erika is strong, a real girl, they say. They decide that Rita can go home.

Jessica says she is glad she's not going because she was working on the puzzle and they lost on the puzzle.

Earl is talking with Michelle and Erika and Mookie about the puzzle. Mookie says that the puzzles were equal in difficulty. They decide that Jessica was probably the slowest in the challenge. Meanwhile, Rocky has asked Jessica to tell him if she ever hears it's going to be him voted off. She promises to do that and says that she and Erika are sticking together. Yau Man and Rita discuss Jessica as being "under the radar" and they all say they love her but that she probably should go.

Erika runs to Rocky and says that Jessica is going. Rocky says, No she's not. I guess he thought he had it all sewn up having decreed to three people that Rita should go. Uh, there is more tribe than you Rocky. His shock at having his decision overturned is amusing, really.

Everyone is still basically nervous about it because, as Earl says, people will try to trick you in that game.

Tribal Council

Ravu arrives and gets fire for their torches. The tribe sits and Jeff asks Michelle how frustrated they are about the other tribe getting the shelter. She says it was hard at first, but that they like their island and they are really adjusted to it at this point. Jeff is amazed. He reminds them they need fire, and they will not be able to take their torches back with them. Erika says they have an abundance of coconuts. Earl says they are going to work really hard to survive on their beach and Rocky says the other tribe may have an advantage now, but they are going to rise above. He also says the person voted out tonight will be surprised. Most of them say they would be surprised if it were them. They all say they have worked hard and think they have earned a place on the tribe.

They vote and it is chaotic for the most part.

Jessica votes for Rita.

Michelle, Earl, Mookie, Anthony, Yau Man, and Rita vote for Jessica.

Rocky votes for Mookie.

Erika votes for Yau Man admitting it's just a throw away vote because she won't vote for Jessica.

Jessica is the first person voted out of Survivor: Fiji.

Next episode, Ravu licks leaves for water, Earl kills a snake, and Boo gets hurt a lot prompting Dreamz to say that he will hurt himself out of the game.

[BCandScott]

Episode 2 - Snakes are Misunderstood...We Have an Understanding Now

As a reminder, this is how the tribes were divided up, minus Jessica who was sent home and adding Sylvia in her place. It takes me a couple of episodes to learn all the names and faces so I thought I'd just keep this list up for a bit, or maybe all the way through as the tribes dwindle, merge and whatever.

Green (MOTO)

Cassandra
Liliana
Stacey
Lisi
Dreamz
Boo
Gary (Papa Smurf)
Alex
Edgardo (Big Ed)


Orange (RAVU)

Michelle
Erika
Rita
Sylvia
Rocky (Boston) (James)
Earl
Yau Man
Anthony
Mookie

Ravu is beginning to suffer for lack of water. They still don't have fire and can't boil for water. They have begun licking the leaves of plants to get the dew from them for moisture. They have coconuts, but opening them expends a lot of energy for very little fluid. They are all feeling the effects of dehydration.

Moto - Day 4

This is Camp Luxury, with pillows and hammocks and a plush couch, silverware and plates. They are all very happy. Lisi is having a grand old time killing ants with a hammer and laughing maniacally. They are all lazing around, farting, and enjoying the good life.

Ravu is trying desperately to start a fire, but they are quite literally weak from lack of water. Anthony says that they have loads of heart but heart won't make fire. Yau Man is chopping up coconuts as quickly as he can to fill their canteens with coconut water. Earl steps up to help and he, being bigger and stronger, is able to open the coconuts much quicker. Everyone is still miserable and some of them cannot stand up for long. They begin getting clams and oysters off the ground and eating them raw or moisture and protein.

Boo, despite the luxury of Moto is constantly getting hurt. He begins with something in his eye which Dreamz flushes for him with water. Barely minutes later he takes the ax to chop wood and ends up injuring his hand and his knee by chopping into himself. They laugh, saying he has one leg, one eye and one hand, he's no good to them anymore. They add that he will hurt himself out of the game. While they discuss this, Boo is laying in one of the hammocks. One end of the hammock comes loose dumping him on the ground. He says, "what happened to me?"

Ravu is lying about miserable when Sylvia is dropped off by boat to join the tribe. She asks if they have built a home yet and they say they were waiting for her. Yau Man goes out to greet her and while giving her a hug he looks over her shoulder and looks into the bag she is carrying to see if she has the immunity idol. They tell Sylvia there is no fire, no water, no shelter, nothing. Sylvia is not thrilled, but she tries to learn to chop coconuts and she really can't. She feels she is not really part of the tribe yet. Michelle doesn't like Sylvia much, thinks she is bossy. Very quickly she begins rubbing people the wrong way and almost everyone is using he word "bossy."

The men get together and discuss that the next person to go from their tribe should be Sylvia because they were getting along better without her.

Dreamz says that being on Survivor is easier than being homeless. He says that his mother was on drugs when he was seven and that he and his brothers ate out of trash cans and that they always shared the food they found because they knew everyone was hungry. He says that Survivor may be the biggest struggle his tribe mates ever had but to him, this is not a real struggle. He says he feels a responsibility to stay in this game so he can help his family.

Earl walks all over the island looking for food. He feels he is starving. They find a mango tree but the fruit is too young to eat. Erika is with him and they all look in vain for food. Then Erika is clearing some vegetation for the camp and she finds a huge field off pineapple. They are ecstatic. They cut one open and it's ripe and beautiful. The pineapples provide much needed carbohydrates and moisture. Earl says he and Erika are getting married now because she saved his life.

Ravu - Day 6

They have tree mail.

RUN, PADDLE, PULL, THINK...
THIS ONE'S ANYBODY'S GAME
TEAMWORK AND THE WILL TO WIN.
HELPS WITH FOOD AND SAVES YOUR FLAME!

Ravu is very motivated to win this challenge. Erika is chopping and drinking coconuts. She sees today's challenge as a chance to get back at Moto for keeping the camp they all worked to build. Sylvia says she needs them to win because she is he outsider and likely to be voted out.

Moto is anxious to keep their winning streak going. They have a huge advantage because they have eaten and slept well. They use green paint to do themselves up warrior style.

Some Moto tribe members seem surprised that Jessica is gone. Sylvia gets her orange buff.

The challenge requires the two tribes to paddle their canoes out past a floating marker and then to return to shore. As they return to shore, they must unwind a long rope which they must attach with clips to four floating wooden containers. Once they reach the shore, they must haul all of the containers to shore by pulling the rope. All four boxes must be collected on a tribe mat and then they can be opened. Inside are pieces for a pole that is a puzzle that must be put together correctly and then a flag is inserted in the top of the pole. Then the pole is carried to a platform with a hole in it and the pole is positioned in the hole to raise the flag. The first tribe to complete the challenge wins immunity, fishing gear, and Ravu is still playing for fire and if they win they will receive flint. The winning tribe also chooses one member of the losing tribe to go to exile island.

Despite lack of food and water both tribes are working together well and reach the buoys at about the same town. It has started to rain. Stacy is hooking onto the containers for Moto, and Michelle is clipping on for Ravu. Ravu is ahead. Michelle is managing to clip on quickly. They are ahead by a crate as Ravu heads for shore. Ravu is still ahead and has started untying their crates when Moto finally gets their fourth crate out of the water. Erika is freaking out because she feels they are not putting the pole together correctly. Sylvia tells her to calm down. She is distracting the people trying to make the puzzle work. She begins watching the other tribe. The teamwork of Ravu falls apart and Moto catches up, puts their puzzle pole together and win the challenge. Moto chooses Earl to go to Exile Island. Jeff tells him to watch out for sea snakes and Earl says "I'll eat 'em."

Clue #2 for Hidden Idol

TO SEARCH WITH SUCCESS YOU
MUST BECOME CENTERED
UNDER THE HIGHEST POINT THROUGH
WHICH YOU HAVE ENTERED

Earl makes fire easily with the flint. He says it's good having fire but not being involved at camp bothers him. He is sitting drinking much needed water when he sees a sea snake sneaking up on him. He jumps up and kills it with the machete. He says he hates killing animals but the one you let go may come back to bite you.

Back at Ravu, they say that if they ever have a challenge without a puzzle they will kick ass. Mookie is saying it is only Day 6 and he is really really not happy about them not having water or winning anything. Rocky is not happy with Erika's screaming during the challenge. They all agree she was freaking out They had planned on sending Sylvia home but are now wondering if they can afford to keep Erika around because she is too negative and her freak out distracted them and hurt them in the challenge. Mookie tells Sylvia and Rita that they want to vote Erika out. Sylvia says that she agrees. All agree it's not personal, but that the whole situation was difficult because of her screaming and freaking out. Michelle and Anthony say they think its not really a good idea to vote off Erika instead of Sylvia. They feel they were all getting along better before Sylvia got here. Rita more or less agrees with Anthony. As usual, Survivor leaves us wondering what will happen at tribal council.

Waves coming in have managed to fill the canoe they need to go to tribal council with water and they have to bail it out before leaving. Anthony comments to the camera that he thinks that if everyone voted the way they say, it could be a four to four tie and that brains would explode.

Jeff asks them how deep the hole is that Ravu is in. Anthony says that too many people trying to help out on the puzzle made it more difficult. Jeff points out that he noticed Erika screaming at the tribe, nobody listening. He asks her if this could have caused a distraction. She explains she was just trying to get them to try another way because what they were doing was not working. She says she is passionate about the tribe and winning. She was really trying to help out and her input was not a bad thing. Sylvia admits that she feels a bit of an outsider. Rocky says that Sylvia is used to leading and that she came back and sort of took charge. Anthony says that she throws out ideas and just assumes they will all do it without discussing it with anyone. Then she adds that she hasn't talked with anyone about it yet, but that she thinks that they should sit down tomorrow morning and select a leader. Her tribe mates don't look like they are thrilled with her saying this at all.

Yau Man says the criteria in voting tonight is to form a more cohesive tribe without anyone that is too vocal or too arrogant about things.

Jeff explains that the immunity idol, if it is to be played, would be played after the votes are cast but BEFORE the results are read by Jeff.

They vote:

Erika and Anthony vote for Sylvia

Rocky, Mookie, Michelle, Yau Man, and Rita vote for Erika.

Erika is voted out. Jeff tells them that the tribe must find a way to win and sends them back to camp without fire.

Next week, it appears that Ravu manages to make fire. I know they were trying to use someone's glasses this week, but that the sun wasn't cooperating and the sky remained overcast. Rocky says that is the shot in the arm that they needed. Sylvia is digging around camp looking for the hidden idol and saying she thinks she knows where it is. I'm not sure how she knows with only one clue that says it's at the camp. A Moto member is in trouble somehow, and Cassandra says "He didn't want to die in Fiji," so it's possible someone elects to go home.

[BCandScott]

Episode 3 - This isn't Survival...it's Thrival

Tribes as they stand now, Erika being voted out of Ravu last week.

Green (MOTO)

Cassandra
Liliana
Stacey
Lisi
Dreamz
Boo
Gary (Papa Smurf)
Alex
Edgardo (Big Ed)


Orange (RAVU)

Michelle
Rita
Sylvia
Rocky (Boston) (James)
Earl
Yau Man
Anthony
Mookie

Ravu isn't very happy about their dwindling numbers and the losses are demoralizing. They go back to their camp in darkness and plan to spend the next morning getting coconuts and pineapples and trying to make fire. Without fire they are all suffering from dehydration since the water isn't safe to drink. They all agree they have to turn the trend around and start winning, but they are just not sure how they can try any harder in their depleted state.

Moto continues to live a life of luxury. They are painting their porch to keep ants from coming in. They are having a party out there, lounging on the hammock, and the sofa. Boo says it is not even survival...it's thrival.

Morning arrives and Ravu is laying out on some palm fronds trying to recoup some strength. When Earl returns from Exile Island he is disappointed that they still do not have fire. Sylvia says that as soon as the sun is out high enough, Michelle is going to work with the eyeglasses to see if they can make a fire. Finally the sun is up and hot and Michelle realizes she has set some leaves on fire. She runs and gets Anthony and they all start working feeding the tiny flame and suddenly they have a full grown fire. They are ecstatic hugging one another. Rocky says this is the first break they have had.

Reward Challenge

Jeff asks how things are going on Ravu and Rocky tells Jeff that Michelle managed to start a fire. Jeff says that very few tribes have ever done this on their own and now, having made fire, they are entitled to a flint so they can keep it going. They are thrilled.

Contestants for reward must slide down a very slippery mat along a course. Along the way they must retrieve a numbered ball that is hanging above the course. The number will be given by Jeff before each pair starts on the slide. At the end of the sliding course, there is a little basketball type setup. with a net that drops the ball back to the start if the contestant misses. The contestant must essentially do basketball free throws until the ball is in the basket. The first person who gets the ball in the basket ends that round and scores a point for their tribe. The first tribe to obtain 6 points wins the reward.

Reward consists of a choice of one of three rewards. 1) The luxury items they brought from home. 2) Duplicate fishing gear. 3) Fresh fruit. Also the winning team gets to send one person to Exile Island, but that person will return in time for the immunity challenge and will NOT be immune from being voted out of the tribe.

Lisi is chosen to sit out for Moto to even up the tribes. First up are Anthony for Ravu and Papa Smurf for Moto. Papa tries to run and takes a hard fall, while Anthony belly flops and slides down the course. Anthony gets to the basket faster but Papa is able to put the ball in the basket first scoring for Moto. Next two women, Rita and Cassandra. They both try to run but hit the slippery mat and fall hard. Rita manages to slide a long way after her fall, and beats Cassandra to the basket and scores for Ravu. Next up, Rocky goes head to head with Boo going for the no. 7 ball. Boo manages to slide right down the course snagging the ball and hits the basket with one shot while Rocky falls on the slide. Moto scores another point. Michelle is facing off against Stacy going after ball 6. The girls seem awkward tiptoeing across the slide. They arrive at the baskets almost together and both miss the basket at least once before Stacy nails the shot scoring another Moto point. Alex and Mookie move to the starting line. They are trying for ball 10. Mookie has the ball first and gets another point for Ravu. Sylvia takes on Liliana. Sylvia just can't seem to move on the slide. She cannot slide like the others for some reason so she gets up and begins walking, but Liliana has a number of free shots and scores for Moto. Eduardo shoots better than Earl after they both slide the length of the course and puts Moto in a position of 5 to 2. Yau Man is up next against Dreamz. Both of them make it down the slide easily, but both shoot and shoot without a score. Finally Dreamz manages to hit the basket and Moto wins reward. They choose to take the duplicate fishing gear and send Sylvia to Exile Island.

Sylvia arrives at Exile Island saying that she is very embarrassed by her challenge performance. She worries she will be sent home because of her performance and being separated so much from her tribe. She does, however, get the third clue to the hidden immunity idol. It reads:

WHEN NIGHT HAS FALLEN
AND THE TRIBE IS ASLEEP
YOU'LL FIND IT UNDER THE CAVE'S THRESHOLD
IF YOU DIG DEEP.

She thinks this is a really helpful clue. Since it basically tells you exactly where to dig, I would guess so. She says it's right in the middle of camp and it will be hard to look for it.

Moto arrives back at camp cheering for themselves and happy. Papa Smurf however is not feeling at all well. He says he can't get his breath, and he thinks he may have broken ribs in one of his falls. They decide that they should call for the medics. The doctors arrive and begin checking him out. He says he got a little disoriented and dizzy. He says he didn't even know his name for a minute or so. Cassandra says that Papa said he didn't want to die out there in Fiji. She is very worried about him because he's older. The doctor says he really can't see that it's anything serious, they give him something for pain and then see how he feels after he has some rest. The tribe tells him to NOT be a hero, his health comes first.

Moto - Day 8. Tree Mail.

KEEPING YOUR TRIBE TOGETHER,
WON'T REQUIRE BRAWN,
THIS ONE IS A TRUE TEST OF WILL...
AND IT'S TIME TO GET IT ON!

Lisi says you never know what these challenges might be. They know that Papa (Gary) is in a weak condition so they are going to keep a close eye on him.

Both tribes show up for the challenge and Sylvia is reunited with Ravu. Jeff then explains the challenge. They will compete head to head in a speed eating competition. Ravu is happy to have FOOD, they don't care what it is. The first tribe who wins four heats wins the challenge. Jeff says that everything they will eat today is something the Fijians eat.

Liliana vs. Rocky, eating giant clams. Rocky shoves it in and tries to swallow. Liliana is taking more time but thinks she has won but Jeff says no, she still has some in her mouth. Rocky wins. Silvia vs. Dreamz eating an octopus tentacle. Dreamz works it like beef jerky. Sylvia is tearing her tentacle into pieces. She just can't keep up and Dreamz wins for Moto. Lisi vs. Mookie eating peanut worms. They look pretty gross. Mookie dives in but Lisi is moving slow and can't seem to swallow. Mookie is taunting Lisi trying to make her puke. Mookie wins for Ravu. Boo is upset about the taunting. He thinks it's poor sportsmanship. Rocky objects saying it's all fun and games, not to be so serious about everything. Earl vs. Alex eat sea cucumber. Earl is eating very slowly while Alex is flying through the stuff. Earl can't seem to swallow at all. Alex wins another Moto point. Earl walks back to his tribe saying "can't do it, no water, no water." Michelle vs. Eduardo eating fish eyes. They are just popping them in at first but Michelle quickly falls behind. Eduardo wins for Moto. Papa Smurf vs. Anthony eating pig snouts...which wouldn't be so awful but there is still HAIR on the snouts. Papa Smurf just digs right in. Anthony is struggling He just can't seem to eat the things. he is chewing barely but not swallowing and is still struggling with his first bite when Papa wins immunity for Moto.

Ravu gets back to camp and Rocky is pretty dejected. Sylvia quickly apologizes for her performance on the reward challenge the day before. They say, don't worry, you did the best you could. Sylvia says that she must find that idol before tribal council because she is the oldest woman, she has failed in two challenges, and she has been kept away from her tribe by being sent to Exile Island. Anthony thinks that Sylvia is targeted for the vote that night but that if she has the idol someone else could end up going home and Anthony is concerned it could be him. The others have said they would vote out Sylvia unless she has the idol in which case they would vote Anthony out. They discuss ways to assure that sort of outcome by splitting the vote. Rita isn't comfortable with the plans either way and says she will vote something completely different. Earl is mostly unhappy with Anthony over the food challenge because he didn't seem to even try and kept making excuses about not having any water. Sylvia is still feeling insecure enough that she feels she must try to find the idol, so she throws caution to the wind and starts digging right under the highest spot of the cave at the threshold with everyone watching.

The tribe tells Jeff that they are tired, unhappy, hungry, and frustrated. Sylvia admits she was awful at the reward challenge. Anthony talks about having no spit to swallow the pig snout. Rocky stays he still wants to believe they can snap out of it and start winning. Mookie admits that he was really angry at Anthony over the pig snout thing because it seemed like he just didn't WANT to win enough. They discuss the hidden immunity idol and whether Sylvia has it but she just smiles.

They vote:

Mookie, Rocky, and Sylvia vote for Anthony
Michelle, Anthony, Earl and Yau Man vote for Sylvia
Rita votes for Earl

Jeff asks if anyone wants to play the hidden immunity idol and nobody responds. He reads the votes three for Anthony, one for Earl and four for Sylvia and Sylvia is voted out of the tribe. Jeff says that one good thing that came out of the tribal council is that they were honest with one another a little bit.

Next week, Gary is feeling worse and worse. Liliana makes a move on the guys and Anthony takes a beating.

[BCandScott]

Episode 4 - Let's Just Call Jeff on the Phone

Tribes as they stand now, Sylvia being voted out of Ravu last week.

Green (MOTO)

Cassandra
Liliana
Stacey
Lisi
Dreamz
Boo
Gary (Papa Smurf)
Alex
Edgardo (Big Ed)


Orange (RAVU)

Michelle
Rita
Rocky (Boston) (James)
Earl
Yau Man
Anthony
Mookie

Ravu - Night 8

Earl wants to have a powwow and discuss the personality problems and the other obstacles to a consolidated tribe. Rocky is vocal about Anthony's "moaning" and Anthony talks about how he is holding out. Obviously that is one big personality conflict. Part of it seems to be Rocky's ideas of what it is to be a man. He resents Anthony showing any sentimentality. Anthony says he's not giving up, and that if they want him off the island they will have to push him off. It doesn't seem like much gets resolved.

Moto - Day 9

Lisi is happy to be in a five person alliance with Boo, Alex, Edgardo and Stacey. They all seem to get along and are not having any doubts about one another. Gary is continuing to suffer. He says even though he did a tour of Vietnam this head spinning that he suffers now is the worst thing ever. Plagued by nausea, thousands of bug bites on his legs, and weakness, he feels like he is just not able to contribute. Lisi is nice to him but says that she really doesn't want to end up babysitting Gary and that if he doesn't get better, he should go.

Reward Challenge

Both tribes must line up on a very narrow balance beam over water. Then, one at a time, each tribe member must walk through the rest of the tribe to reach a finish platform. This means that two tribe members must work together to balance and stay on the beam while exchanging places. The tribe member who is moving can only touch the tribe member they are passing. If either falls into the water, they must climb up and start again from the beginning of their attempt. They are playing for a bunch of fish, rice, spices and pillows, blankets and a king size bed that will be waiting for them back at the winning tribes camp.

Gary and Cassandra sit out to even up the tribes. It's windy which makes it more difficult to step around tribe mates. Moto learns early that if the stationery tribe member squats without touching the beam with their hands, the passing tribe member can step OVER them. Lisi still has a lot of problems, touching two tribe members, falling off, etc. When she finally makes it, Michelle and Yau Man are already finished. Ravu all jumps in at one point to start a different line up. Anthony seems to be falling off a lot, unable to stay on the beam. Moto seems to get the hang of it and quickly takes the lead and finally the inevitable, Moto wins. They send Yau Man to Exile Island. It's almost becoming too boring. Moto is winning everything. Ravu just can't seem to pull it together. Tensions between Rocky and Anthony continue to run high. Whether it is simply momentum and morale that keeps Moto on top at every one of these challenges, or whether their posh un-Survivorlike lifestyle with sofas and shelter and beds and food and water is making the difference, this game is becoming a rout. If something doesn't happen quickly, this will be like the season where the "merge" consisted of Stephanie, the last member of her tribe, joining the other tribe. Moto is already up by 2 tribe members giving them a larger talent pool to draw from for the challenges and more people to assist in the chores of living which means more rest, more food. Something has to change.

Moto takes it's booty back to the posh camp and enjoys a banquet of fish and rice.

Ravu gets back to camp and Rocky starts throwing things in frustration. He says why don't we just go ahead to tribal council. He says he knows of 15 homeless people who are 40 pounds heavier than him. Rita asks if he thinks they should talk about it. He replies that they need to call Jeff on the phone and tell him they are ready to vote the next person out. Anthony is upset because he knows there is a big target on him. Earl says that they need to keep trying. He thinks they can come back and start winning.

Hidden Idol Clue #4

HERE YOU WON'T FIND
THE IDOL YOU CRAVE
IT'S BURIED UNDER THE HIGHEST POINT
OF THE BIG CAVE

Yau Man says he is quite sure he knows where the idol is from this clue, but he will have to find time to dig when others won't notice.

Liliana is giving all the guys massages at night saying this is to improve their performances in challenges. Lisi watches this and knows that Liliana is using this sexually charged manipulation to try to secure her place in the tribe.

Gary says he has had malaria and it was not as bad as this malady he is suffering now. The medics come back out to check him over. Dreamz is worried about this because Gary (Papa Smurf) is one of about two people he talks to. The medics tell him that there is nothing dramatic going on (heart attack, etc.) but that the only thing they can do for him is call in the medical boat and remove him from camp. Lisi says this would be bad, losing a tribe member and she likes Gary, but then that is one less person between her and winning. Gary says he cannot continue and the medical boat comes in to take him away. Alex isn't happy about this, because they have lost a member, and now if they would happen to lose the immunity challenge, this would leave them TIED with the Ravu tribe, eliminating their number advantage.

Rocky admits that he went a little crazy and now he is going to try to get people fired up. Tree mail arrives:

SOME OF YOU ARE FEELING TRAPPED
WHILE OTHERS JUST HANG AROUND
THE KEY TO WINNING TODAY'S EVENT
ON YOUR TEAMMATES WILL BE FOUND
WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE BOTTOM
OR IF YOU'RE ON THE TOP

(at this point in time in the middle of Michelle's reading of the tree mail, Rocky walks up behind her stark naked. Michelle averts her eyes and keeps reading, Rita turns away, and the guys say things like "oh dude")

THE PRESSURE TODAY WILL BE INTENSE.

Rocky says he's trying to take the focus off losing five in a row and to make people laugh. Well, they groaned. Does that count? Next he borrows a pink top from one of the girls and puts it on and then creates a lovely little pair of coconut boobs with perky little nipples. O...K....

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Rocky is the first out of the jungle and Jeff notices his cute little pink top and asks if pink is his best color. Rocky says he hopes Jeff is enjoying his attire. Jeff says that Rocky has a great attitude for someone who has lost five challenges in a row and the tribe starts to react as if this was a big burn on Jeff's part, but Jeff assures them that it's a compliment. Yau Man comes back from Exile Island. Moto arrives missing Gary and Jeff explains that he had to be evacuated and is now out of the game. Everyone on Ravu expresses sorrow that big Papa Smurf is gone.

Each tribe has four tribe members locked in floating cages placed further and further out into the water. One tribe member is at the starting point. That tribe member, on Jeff's signal must quickly go to the first floating cage, unlock that cage with a key and release the tribe member inside. That tribe member must walk, run, crawl, etc. across floating platforms (lily pads) to the next cage and release that tribe member and so on. Once the fourth tribe member is released, that tribe member and their rescuer join a tribe member in a boat and they row toward shore, picking up the abandoned tribe members who opened the cages as they go. When they reach the shore, they must run to a mat and build a human pyramid. The top of the pyramid has a ring with five keys on it. One of those keys opens a hanging cage. While standing on the backs of the others, the top person of the pyramid must try the keys until they open the cage containing the last tribe member. Once that member is freed, the entire tribe must stand on the finish mat to win immunity. Also, the winning tribe will be given a bottle containing a message. They will read that message after they have won immunity.

Lisi is picked to sit out to even up the tribes. Rocky and Edgardo are the first out into the water. Rocky falls behind a bit, but releases Yau Man. Yau Man loses more time for Ravu. Most of them are literally crawling across the "lily pads" unable to move fast enough to stay on foot. The Moto tribe is starting back in their boat before Ravu manages to get the third cage opened. As they start rowing, Moto is already working on the pyramid. Ravu manages to get back to shore and soon it's a race to find the right key out of five. Stacey and Michelle both frantically try to open the lock to the last hanging cage. Stacey prevails. Moto wins immunity. Are we surprised? Can this get more boring? SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE.

And then, there is the bottle....

YOU HAVE JUST WON IMMUNITY
YOU MUST NOW DECIDE WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU
IMMUNITY OF COMFORT
TO KEEP YOUR IMMUNITY, YOU MUS LIVE AT THE RAVU TRIBE CAMP
TO ENJOY THE FOOD AND COMFORT OF THE MOTO CAMP
YOU MUST GIVE UP IMMUNITY AND VOTE SOMEONE OUT TONIGHT.

Jeff explains, you can keep your tribe strong at 8 but you must give up the luxury of the Moto camp. If you go to tribal council and vote someone out, you will be tied with the Ravu tribe 7 to 7.

OK, everyone knows that the reward challenges and the bounty therefrom are all just a distraction from the real game of Survivor which is all about strategy and immunity. If you boil Survivor down to its essence, as if it were a table top strategy game, each turn of Survivor consists of an award challenge which has no impact on the outcome of the game, an immunity challenge, a negotiation phase where everyone gets to conspire with one another and an eviction vote that removes a player from the game. At this point where the game is a tribal game rather than an individual game, it's almost completely about numbers. Numeric superiority in the tribal phase of the game is a huge advantage because 1) you have a larger talent pool to draw from and you can selectively set people out depending on strengths and weaknesses improving your chance of winning and 2) if you are able to keep that number advantage into the merge phase of the game, your tribal alliance can theoretically pick off the members of the smaller tribe one by one. Another more subtle point is that until a tribe starts voting out members, it is far easier to be one big happy family. The minute a tribe has to look around at each other and start thinking about who should go home and who stands between them and 1 million dollars, the group dynamic is completely changed. NO tribe with any sense whatsoever would EVER choose comfort and luxury over immunity that would provide game advantages like these. Most of us, if asked, would you sleep on the ground for a month for a million dollars would immediately make an appointment with the chiropractor for a month hence and start looking at good spa retreats for after the adventure. Again, no tribe having given it a moment's thought would sacrifice not only immunity, but a boatload of advantage in the game via numbers, talent pool, solidarity and bonding, and momentum even if it only lessened their number advantage but NEVER EVER EVER to put the tribes back in an even number situation. A tribe would have to be INSANE to do this. Obviously, Moto must choose to go to the Ravu camp and tough it out.

Moto chooses to go to tribal council rather than give up their camp. I can't begin to tell you how absolutely amazed Scott and I were when this happened. Scott, just before the decision said, "Oh, well that's not a difficult decision," and I was thinking, Oh good, finally the Ravu tribe gets a little comfort. Of course that comfort would be giving them a little morale boost....but NOTHING ELSE. And then Moto made the wrong choice, perhaps the worst decision ever on Survivor. Certainly more devastating to a larger number of people than Cody taking Tina to the final in the Outback. Worse than Lex trusting Rob and saving Amber on All Stars.

Jeff send them all back to camp. I guess one thing is sure, the tribe will vote someone off who is the least valuable to them. They wouldn't vote someone strong off who has helped them in challenges.

Back at the Moto camp, Dreamz starts the discussion in front of everyone saying he doesn't want anyone to have to be a snake in the game this soon so, everyone knows the only two people they can afford to do without are Cassandra (older) and Lisi (who was bad at the reward challenge). He keeps saying, tell me if I'm wrong. Everyone just stares at him aghast, as if they can't believe he's being this stupid. Edgardo says, well, I like Lisi, I'm not voting against Lisi, so I'm sorry Cassandra, my vote will be against you. Cassandra just looks perplexed. Alex says that you can't base this decision on personal bonds. Stacy tells the camera that Dreamz doesn't understand that there is a five person alliance.

People start backing off saying that they aren't ready to decide yet and Dreamz persists saying they must decide NOW so they don't become snakes sneaking off to discuss strategy. Dreamz has no idea what Survivor is about, does he?

A snake pukes up a big slug looking thing. I mention this mostly because they often use various animals to hint at something....like a spider spinning a big web would often be shown just before someone told a bunch of lies to different people. I think maybe this snake puked because it was a Survivor fan who could not believe the complete idiocy of this group of pampered people in their little luxury camp who obviously aren't doing the hardship part of the Survivor experience and now have proven they can't play the actual game of survivor either. OR, someone is about to completely barf up a new plan.

The alliance of five Alex, Edgardo, Lisi, Stacy and Boo get together and discuss who to vote out. While they admit that Cassandra is not good at anything, and Liliana is strong and performs well at challenges, Liliana wants to make it to final five (who doesn't) and she is strong and can present a threat (like almost everyone else) and though she doesn't say it outright, Lisi knows about the flirty massage thing going on. Alex is completely against voting out Liliana because he realizes they are now putting themselves back in an equal numbers position and he thinks they need to keep the strongest around until they regain an advantage. Poor Alex, he is thinking, and obviously doesn't fit in with the rest of his non thinking tribe, or alliance.

Moto arrives at tribal council and lights their torches. Jeff does the "fire represents life" game. Jeff asks Boo about the loss of Gary and he says they all miss him. Dreamz expresses the feeling that people just sort of ignore him (wonder why) and Edgardo says he doesn't understand that but will try to make Dreamz feel more accepted. Lisi tells Jeff about Dreamz "soliloquy" about who should be voted off. Jeff asks Dreamz about it and Dreamz says not to make him out a monster, that people must have agreed with him because he kept saying "tell me if I'm wrong." He adds he was trying to keep them from becoming snakes. Liliana talks about her strength and her participation in the tribe and Cassandra stands up for her saying she really is strong and should go far in the game.

They vote:

Alex, Stacey, Edgardo, Dreamz, Boo and Lisi vote for Liliana.

Liliana votes for Cassandra.

Cassandra votes for Lisi.

Liliana is completely and utterly shocked. She says to Jeff, if they didn't get me out now, I was going to beat them. Jeff says that Liliana's shock proves that the game is being played in the Moto tribe.

Next week Moto begins to fracture. No kidding. Yau Man is digging secretly to find the idol and Rocky exchanges harsh words with the other tribe.

[BCandScott]

Episode 5 - Love Many, Trust Few, Do Wrong to None

Tribes as they stand now, Gary having left on a medical and Liliana being voted out of Ravu last week.

Green (MOTO)

Cassandra
Stacey
Lisi
Dreamz
Boo
Alex
Edgardo (Big Ed)


Orange (RAVU)

Michelle
Rita
Rocky (Boston) (James)
Earl
Yau Man
Anthony
Mookie

Ravu - Night 11

Yau Man is cooking for the others. He has just returned from Exile Island and he knows where he believes the hidden idol is but he is not sure how to get to it. Finally he talks to Earl who has also been at Exile Island and they agree to help each other in trying to obtain the idol. Earl says he will try to pull people away and take them somewhere so that Yau Man can work at finding and retrieving the idol. He says he likes Yau Man and this would be a good way to establish trust between them.

Ravu - Day 12

Ravu is struggling. they are starving, they a still sleeping on palm fronds. The only thing they have going really is a system for water. Earl wants to help Yau Man so he tells the others to come with him to search for food, crabs, clams, fruit whatever. Everyone leaves the campsite and Yau Man is then able to spend some time digging with the machete, hoping to reach the idol, but the clue indicated that one needed to dig deep and this is very difficult because the earth becomes very hard only about 6 inches down.

Earl and Anthony hike up to the top of the island, the highest point of the hill and they can see 360 degrees all around the island. It is beautiful and Anthony says that seeing this vista helps him to rejuvenate mentally to proceed in the game. Yau Man does not seem to be doing well finding the idol.

Moto - Day 12

I love the happy Hawaiian music they play when showing this tribe. They have gotten a book of stuff, a catalog, from which they can choose the items they would like to win as reward. Ravu is also looking at the book.

After a little discussion about the things that Ravu would LOVE to have, the tribe decides to go for practical rewards. Earl says it's not Fantasy Island and he doesn't want wine and cheese. Someone mentions they would love a philly cheese steak and Rocky quickly tells them "not to start with the food". They really are starving.

REWARD CHALLENGE

The tribes arrive to sit on bleachers out in a huge mud pit and Boo walks in and sits down eating a piece of mango. Jeff points this out and asks rocky if it burns to see that. Rocky says there is "fire coming out of his eyes" and Dreamz laughs at this. Rocky tells him to go ahead and laugh it up and they would see where this goes.

The challenge is physical. There is a platform out over the mud. The members of the tribe will compete one on one, head to head, to try to sumo style push or bump the other person off of the platform into the mud using a large padded bag. Winner of each bout scores a point for their tribe. The first tribe to 7 points wins the reward. Winning tribe will send one member off the losing tribe to Exile Island. Winners will get the rewards chosen by both tribes. Ravu chose necessities, fishing gear and potatoes. Moto, having plenty to eat and lots of luxuries has chosen a coffee pot and coffee and a toiletry set with toilet paper, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste.

As the rewards are announced, Dreamz looks over at the Ravu tribe and smirks saying "Yeah, baby." This infuriates Rocky who says, "Keep it up guys, seriously. Why don't you and me go up there right now?" They exchange a few more snide remarks and then go to the platform, the first pair to compete.

I have to say at this point, it's just not fun to watch. The Ravu tribe is starving, emaciated, beaten down. They have little or no sleep. The Moto tribe, sleeping and living in comfort in a well built shelter with a bed, a sofa, plenty of fruit and other food due to having two sets of fishing gear, is physically just more able to compete in any sort of physical challenge and is rapidly getting better at the mental challenges simply because the others are so hungry and weak they can't think. Last week was supposed to make some sort of change, I suspect. After all, no tribe would EVER choose tribal council for a few luxuries, but then Moto decided to sit tight in their "posh camp" and let the chips fall where they may.

Rocky and Dreamz square off. I would guess that Dreamz has about 40 pounds on Rocky, all muscle. They bat at each other a it and in a few seconds, Rocky is dumped unceremoniously into the mud. Moto cheers and Dreamz looks smug and tough at the camera. I thought, yeah, you're a big man. You just beat up a guy that has been so starved his ribs are all showing and his stomach has caved in. Be real proud.

Next up is Rita vs. Cassandra. Cassandra just uses her body weight to walk over and shove Rita off the platform in one push. Edgardo vs. Anthony ends pretty much the same way with Anthony being bumped off quickly. Lisi uses her bigger mass to shove Michelle off in about 4 seconds. Boo is up against Earl and Earl looks like he might prevail until his feet slide in the mud that has been drug onto the platform by all of the players and he is quickly shoved off. Alex and Mookie barely scuffle. Moto now leads 6 to 0. Yau Man takes on Stacy. Crazy though it may seem, Yau Man manages to overpower her and hit below her center of gravity and scores a point for Ravu. Rita is back up with Cassandra in what Jeff calls a grudge match. One good whallop and Rita is over the side and Moto wins reward. They send Earl to Exile Island and Ravu returns to their camp empty handed. Moto now has three sets of fishing gear, a pot of potatoes, a coffee pot and coffee and toiletries.

Back at camp, Moto revels in their victory, smelling the soap and the coffee. Alex says it was a great win. Stacy is talking about the way the tribe is divided. Apparently Dreamz and Cassandra have not made any alliances within the tribe. The other five tribe members are pretty solid and Stacy says she thinks it's fine that way, they don't really need Cassandra and Dreamz because they are in the majority with five.

Dreamz tried to make coffee and apparently he isn't doing it right. Stacy tells him it's not right but doesn't explain what is wrong. Alex suggests she help him and she says she isn't going to tell him anything. Finally she tells him very quickly, rattling it off like it's a total pain for her to have to lower herself to talk to him. Cassandra end up with a cup of grounds. Stacy makes coffee for herself and Lisi the right way and they sit and enjoy it in front of the others.

Edgardo is displeased that Stacy and Lisi are on some sort of power trip because of the alliance of five and that they are so rude to other people.

Out on Exile Island, Earl gets another hidden idol clue.

UNDER THE ENTRANCE
UNDER THE GROUND
RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE LIVING
THE IDOL IS FOUND

Earl says he KNOWS this already, and it's true the last clues are repetitive. He just doesn't think Yau Man has the right tools to get to the thing.

Back at Ravu Camp, Rita is talking about lip gloss and makeup with Michelle. Rocky says that them talking is making him crazy. He says all the conversations they have are absolutely stupid. It's basically girl talk.

Alex goes to Lisi and tries to explain something about the math of the tribes. He says if they win every single immunity up to a merge, Ravu will come over with three people. Lisi says, yeah but there are five of us (she doesn't seem to realize there are seven of them which is part of Alex's problem.) Alex explains, yes, there are five of us, and three of them, but there are also two other people, Dreamz and Cassandra. If the two of them flipped to the other side, it would be five and five, tied and we would have no advantage in numbers. Lisi says well, that's cool, whatever. Alex says, but we won't have a majority. Lisi just shrugs.

Alex says he started thinking about this and felt it was important that they begin to do things to solidify the position of Dreamz and Cassandra. He goes to Stacy who says "we do not have to do business with them at all." Alex thinks that this attitude is the dumbest mistake they can make. Frustrated he goes to Boo and explains this whole thing to him. Boo asks what he is wanting to do. Alex says they need to start bonding better with Dreamz and Cassandra so they feel more a part of the tribe and don't flip after the merge. Boo says that they want to be final five so they want them gone as if this justifies ignoring them now. Alex tears at his hair and says KILL ME, KILL ME NOW....he can't believe these people are so dense. He goes to Edgardo and finally finds someone who understands. Edgardo has seen how rude the girls are toward Cassandra and Dreamz. He is against that on general principles anyway. He agrees with Alex that they are irrational and that they all should be keeping Cassandra and Dreamz close.

They have sort of a meeting in the shelter. Alex and Edgardo are speaking about how no matter what may happen between them all personally, they should all remember they are a team and must stick together especially after the merge. Even Stacy agrees with this and they all talk about how they are solid, one tribe. Their goal is to take Ravu out. This whole thing is blatant and transparent. Dreamz calls it a "warm embrace that came up all of a sudden." He says that this will not change his strategy come the merge. He says that when the tribes merge, he and Cassandra are going to leave and align themselves with the other tribe. Stacy continues to say "solid solid solidarity" over and over while nodding and smiling vapidly. It's really sort of pathetic to watch. Dreamz says he cannot wait for his day to put on snakeskin boots and show them some strategy.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

The tribes must stand on two platforms as a starting point. They will take turns sending one tribe member at a time out into a field of 30 flip boards. The tribe member flips two of the boards over to reveal either a word or a number. When the two boards match, they stay turned over and the tribe scores a point. When they do not match, they are turned back over to conceal the word or number. This is basically the match game. If you remember what has been revealed before, you can make the matches and win. There are also 4 dummy boards that do not match any other board. The tribe can discuss which boards they think might match but once the tribe member leaves to go out to the field of flip boards, they may not communicate with that member in any way. The first tribe with 7 points win immunity. Moto wins rock/paper/scissors and send Edgardo to begin. He flips over a 7 and PRIEST.

Rocky is out for Ravu and he turns over a 9 and a 4. Cassandra turns over an 8 and an 8, a match and scores a point for Moto. Mookie flips over a 10 and a 7. Boo flips over the first 7 and the 7 that was just revealed and scores a 2nd point for Moto. Rita flips a 14 and a 3. Stacy flips a 5 and PRIEST. Yau Man is out for Ravu and he quickly reveals the PRIEST that was turned over by Edgardo but becomes confused finding the one Stacy just turned over moments ago. He knows it was in the back row beside an uncovered board, but he picks the wrong one and reveals PRINCESS. Moto sends Lisi out and she runs toward the course and belly flops on her face in the dirt. She runs out to capitalize on Yau Man's failure and uncovers the PRIEST he couldn't remember. She runs back toward the front of the course to turn over the other PRIEST and hesitates a moment, then starts toward the wrong board. Her tribe says "NO" violating the no communication rule and Jeff sends her back to the platform without a match. Ravu is back up and Earl walks directly to the first PRIEST and facing the tribes with a smile, he flips it over. Then he walks to the second PRIEST and again, facing the tribe with a smile, he reveals the second PRIEST for a match scoring Ravu's first point. Dreamz reveals a 5 and a 10, unable to remember where the original 5 was. Anthony reveals the first 5 and theen the 5 that Dreamz had found to tie the score at 2 to 2. Alex matches 3s. Rocky matches WARRIOR. Edgardo matches 2s. They end up tied 6 to 6 with only one matching pair left on the field plus the 4 dummy boards. Michelle goes to the course and flips over a 13. She does not match the 13.

Edgardo is out for Moto and he flips the 12 over first and then a 9, not a match. Ravu has another opportunity. Everyone is talking fast and furious on Ravu platform telling Rocky what to match up. He quickly flips over the 9 and then he becomes confused. he knows he saw the nine somewhere, but he can't remember. The Ravu tribe is intense. Rocky turns over a 12. Cassandra is on the field for Moto and she reveals the two matching 9s. Moto remains undefeated and wins immunity. They celebrate while Ravu suffers in silence.

Back at camp Rocky wants to speak to the tribe. He says he takes full responsibility for the loss of immunity. He does want to say something else though about everyone talking at once and how it makes it very confusing for someone who is fighting to remain mentally sharp in the challenge despite not having had much sleep or food for days. He says he is not shirking the blame but that it confused him a lot when the entire tribe started pointing and telling him which boards to turn over on his last turn. Everyone nods in agreement, realizing that it was difficult to concentrate and that their excitement at being so close to winning made them talk over one another. Rocky says those few moments when they were tied 6 to 6 and so close to winning was the best he'd felt in 14 days. Anthony thinks that Rocky was silly to say what he did because he puts a target on himself. Anthony feels that the last time they went to tribal council, his head was on the chopping block but this time he is hoping someone else will be the target.

Michelle begins a discussion around the campfire with Yau Man, Mookie and Rita about voting out Anthony. They agree. Then Rocky gets aside with Mookie and says that Rita running her mouth all the time about stupid stuff is making him crazy and suggests they get rid of her. Mookie says everyone is just trying to play their own game. I think they may have been forced into this simply because it's so hard to survive in the non posh camp that they really can't worry much about each other.

Jeff asks them how frustrated they are and Yau Man says it was totally frustrating to be so close to winning and to lose again. Mookie says that Rocky seems to think it was all his fault but that it was all of them talking over top of one another that confused him. Jeff asks Rocky why he wants to take the blame for himself. Rocky says he just feels he let everyone down by not making that final match. Jeff asks Rita about going through something this extreme and how they cope with the hardships. She says she just tries to tell little stories and keep them all entertained. Earl says that things are changing and that instead of voting on strength so much, they are voting based on chemistry. Jeff asks Yau Man if he trusts the others on his tribe. Yau Man replies his credo is "Love Many, Trust Few, Do Wrong to None." He says that whether he trusts soemone or not really depends on whether their goals and his own dovetail or not. Scott says this is the absolute attitude everyone should have playing Survivor.

Anthony says that voting is uncomfortable for all of them. Jeff does the hidden idol speech and they vote.

Michelle and Rita vote for Anthony.
Earl, Rocky Anthony, Mookie and Yau Man vote for Rita

Nobody has the hidden immunity idol. Jeff reads the votes and Rita is sent home. She waves and smiles back at them as she proceeds down the trail. Jeff comments that the immunity challenge that day did show one thing for sure, they still have the will to win and that that will must sustain them in the days to come.

Next week, Jeff tells them to take off their buffs....a shake up is coming. Then we see Rocky and Dreamz embrace as the voice over says one of the biggest rivalries now teams up. We hear Rocky say, we're a powerhouse. Next Jeff announces that they have one more thing to decide, which group goes to live at the old Moto camp and which goes to the old Ravu Camp. The next episode is on March 21st, WEDNESDAY.

[BCandScott]

Episode 6 - I Got Strength Now to Carry the Flag

Green (MOTO)

Cassandra
Stacey
Lisi
Dreamz
Boo
Alex
Edgardo (Big Ed)


Orange (RAVU)

Michelle
Rocky (Boston) (James)
Earl
Yau Man
Anthony
Mookie

Ravu - Day 15

They continue to live in squalor. Flies are becoming a terrible annoyance, and

they are beginning to look like one of those commercials for feeding people in

third world countries. Yau Man feels he is still in danger, as someone he thinks

might be considered expendable.

Tree Mail arrives to alert them to a reward challenge.

TODAY NO BRAWN REQUIRED.
SOME BRAIN TEASING AT THE LEAST
WHEN IT'S OVER, ONE GETS EXILED
WHILE THE OTHERS GET TO FEAST.

Ravu is happy because it's all about brain teasers and food.

When they arrive, Jeff says he needs one person from each tribe. Edgardo and

Earl step forward. Then Jeff tells everyone to drop their buffs, they are choosing

new tribes. Edgardo and Earl will go first choosing from the OPPOSITE tribe.

Those people chosen will then choose the next person from the opposite tribe

and so forth until everyone is chosen except the one last person. The choosing

begins.

Edgardo chooses Mookie.
Mookie chooses Alex.
Alex chooses Rocky.
Rocky chooses Dreamz.
Dreamz chooses Anthony.

Earl chooses Boo.
Boo chooses Michelle.
Michelle chooses Cassandra.
Cassandra chooses Yau Man.
Yau Man chooses Stacey.

Thus the new tribes are:

MOTO

Earl
Boo
Michelle
Cassandra
Yau Man
Stacey

RAVU

Edgardo
Mookie
Alex
Rocky
Dreamz
Anthony


Lisi is left out. Jeff tells her that she is NOT out of the game and she's like "oh

wow," and then proceeds to laugh and jabber about how now would be a good

time to make an exit (I think she means because nobody picked her) but this

sits very badly with Jeff who tells her she has just informed everyone that she is

ready to leave. She says she wouldn't mind saying "great guys, do your thing."

He tells her she is going to Exile Island and she again acts weird about it. Jeff

then says, "maybe some time on exile island will help you get your head

together and you'll come back ready to play." He's obviously steamed a her

"duh" attitude about it all. Lisi will be immune for this tribal council and will take

the place of whoever is voted out at that council.

In order to determine which tribe goes to which camp, Earl and Edgardo will

draw a buff out of a bag. The green buff means Moto beach with all the creature

comforts, the orange buff means back to 3rd world Ravu Camp. The two do

rock/paper/scissors to determine who draws first from the bag. Earl chooses

rock, Edgardo paper. Paper covers rock, Edgardo will choose first. He draws

from the back and conceals his pick behind him. He then holds out his hand and

he has drawn the orange buff. Yau Man, Michelle and Earl are on their way to

Moto Beach with it's sofa and bed and luxury shelter with new tribemates

Cassandra, Boo and Stacey.

Lisi has a new clue to the elusive immunity idol. This has become pretty

comical. I know the people writing the clues are thinking....what is WRONG with

these people. They have done everything but go into the camp and paint a big

black X where the thing is buried. Still, there is a new clue that reads:

THE HIGHEST POINT, THE JUTTING POINT
THE EDGE OF THE LIP BELOW
DIG DIG DIG AND SAVE YOURSELF
FROM THE FATAL BLOW

Lisi says "whatever" and then goes on to talk about her reaction to the news she

was going to exile island. She said she thought she was going home and was

like woo hoo and then found out exile island and maybe she should have thought

a little more before reacting. Ya think?

Earl is back at Moto camp saying....Nothing...Everything....Nothing...Everything.

Yeah I'll take Everything. He and Yau Man are the only people who have been to

exile and know about where the idol is up to this point. So he is fairly confident

nobody on Ravu will find it even though they are in that camp now.

Both tribes get a housewarming gift when they get home, with wine, food, and

fishing gear. Alex says he is actually happier on Ravu despite losing the

luxuries. He says with just men, there is less politics. Rocky also says that it's

better with no distractions, but he likes women, he really does, he's all man, yes

he is, but he's glad there aren't any there today.

Alex quotes a line from the movie, The Count of Monte Christo:

"Life is a story my young friends. One day you're battered on the sunlight and shattered on the rocks next. So shout, do your worst, for I will do mine, and the fates will know you as a man. We have different straits, my friend, but I assure you, the result is the same."

They all agree this sounds real manly so they will say this every time they go to a challenge. Lots of male bonding going on with proud music in the background. You can tell that Anthony is feeling really alone at this testosterone fest. They decide to start a fire and then all go fishing. They will leave Anthony behind to "tend the fire."

Anthony is talking about how there is a time in everyone's life, that first gym class in high school where nobody wants to take their shirt off except a few really athletic types. Anthony says "I'm a nerd." He says he knows that he's a nerd and he is comfortable most of the time being a nerd. He says he is a geek and a dweeb and he lands on this tribe of all men....he says "I am so screwed right now....wow."

Boo is unhappy with this change up as well. He had his alliance, his plan, and all of that is completely changed now. Earl feels like he is in good position at this point. Yau Man is out fishing with Earl and Cassandra brings Earl a cup of coffee. Cassandra says she knows she was NOT part of the other tribe really as far as an alliance and now she is with Earl and Yau Man and she likes them very much and she is in a position to be a swing vote. She is very happy with this switch up. Yau Man, Earl and Michelle are tight, and Cassandra is making overtures so Earl thinks everything is going to be very good for them at this point.

Ravu - Day 16

Anthony says he has NOBODY to trust on Ravu. He says he is at home tending the fire and boiling water while the "big men" are out getting food. Rocky and the others are poking between rocks to get crabs. Rocky says that Anthony doesn't always carry his own weight and that he is effeminate. This would be really funny considering that Rocky does little but run his mouth while Anthony carries water and firewood except these guys, recognizing the "nerd" qualities in Anthony (and being oblivious to his value on puzzles and geeky parts of challenges) buy right into Rocky's line. Rocky apparently thinks if you don't talk like a punch drunk retired boxer and spar verbally with the other tribe, you're a "girlie survivor." Personally, Anthony is more of a real man than Rocky will ever be. Hell, his name isn't really even Rocky, it's JAMES for pete's sake and the only reason they call him Rocky is because he talks as unintelligibly as Sylvester Stallone.

So, they are all basically considering Anthony the most expendable player. I wonder who will get to be camp wife and tend the fire and boil water if Anthony has to go? If Anthony leaves this week, they get Lisi and she just doesn't strike me as the hausfrau type.

Mookie is catching fish! The men are thrilled. No more starvation. He says he was upset to be going back to Ravu, but now, with fish and food, he feels like this is where the game will really begin for him. Rocky says that at this point, ON PAPER, Ravu is a "superpower". He's quite smug.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Jeff says this challenge will test how effectively they communicate within their tribes. The six players will each be fastened at the waist to one of six spokes of a wheel. Basically you have three logs on a movable hub. The logs can be shoved through the hub to change the distance tribe members are from the center hub. As one tribe member moves toward the hub, the other member on the other end of that log must move away. The tribes must maneuver their six armed contraption to which they are attached through a course that has standing poles and 5 gates through which they must all pass. Also, the paths that the tribes must follow through the course intersect at four separate points. This means moving in and out from the hub to finagle all 6 team members and the logs through narrow openings. The first tribe to get all 6 members through the course and to a finish mat wins immunity.

Ravu is out quickly but they end up meeting with Moto at the first intersection. Moto, by sheer force, gets through that intersection first, but Ravu is through the 2nd gate first anyway. They are running neck and neck and Michelle keeps getting stuck in the middle of the Ravu tribe hub. Jeff describes this game as a weird game of twister which is pretty apt. Neither tribe can manage to get a lead. Dreamz gets stuck in the Moto hub. Nobody wants to give an inch. Still, note that this challenge is more a challenge of communication and spacial skill than one of force. Moto finally gets a tiny lead at the fifth gate. Some members of both tribes make it across the line. Finally, Moto, the undefeated tribe, even with it's new members, prevails to win immunity. Ravu will go to tribal council.

As Moto leaves the area, Yau Man picks up the tribe banner and hoists it high saying, "I got strength now to carry the flag."

Anthony, back at camp, is indulging in a little dry humor. Whiny violins play a old western kind of sound (usually there would be some mouth harp along with that making sproing sounds) and in a sort of old timer, forty niner, cattle drive, kind of accent he says, "So we lost the challenge...again and now old cookie has been left by the fire to tend the fire while the boys are out huntin' and fishin'." He admits he is in a panic.

He overhears Rocky and Alex talking in the water about how he's a "good kid" but he just isn't up to the challenges. Anthony is asking around trying to find out what is going to happen and Dreamz won't tell him anything but Dreamz feels it should be Rocky leaving because he runs his mouth all the time and is lazy around camp. Anthony is quiet, brings water all the time, and tends the fire, keeping busy. Still he knows the rest of the team will think Anthony is weak in the challenges.

Someone should really remind people that as this game continues, the challenges are often less about brute strength and more about mental abilities and stamina or endurance. Rocky is overly emotional and nervous. He doesn't seem to be very bright either. Whereas he may be stronger than Anthony in some regards, I have yet to see Rocky as a stand out at challenges and other than the "eat weird stuff" challenge, I haven't seen Anthony actually freeze at anything and cost his tribe a win all by himself. Rocky is NOT going to do well in endurance challenges either. Nobody is going to fight Apollo Creed for reward or immunity here.

Rocky yells constantly around camp. He tells people what to do. Edgardo says that Rocky has made Anthony his "little pregnant dog" making him run for water or wood. He says that Rocky will obviously be a source of turmoil around camp. Everyone is telling Anthony that they will decide when they get to council. Rocky figures he's fine and thinks Anthony should just accept his fate and then goes on to talk about how Anthony has no social skills. He then says that Anthony is trying to save himself "no offense" (which usually means I'm going to offend you) like a "girl" and does a whiny voice mimicking what he thinks Anthony sounds like. Personally at this point, Rocky is being more of a whiny little girl than Anthony's SISTER could ever be.

Jeff asks how the old Moto people felt when they got to Ravu beach. Edgardo says it's like they are just now playing real survivor. Mookie says they went out and fished, and Anthony got water and tended the fire. Jeff asks Anthony if he was concerned about being left alone like that and Anthony barely gets a chance to answer and say yes, it concerned him before Rocky jumps in and starts telling Anthony he should "act like a man" and if he doesn't like how he's treated he needs to "stand up and act like a man" and blah blah blah. The entire tribe is rolling their eyes. They all KNOW Rocky is full of it. Anthony just sits there and doesn't say anything and Jeff asks him why he isn't standing up for himself. Anthony says he tried being more assertive early on but that he got knocked back and he decided to just lay low. Before he can finish AGAIN, Rocky is interjecting and saying that Anthony needs to "BE A MAN" and how Anthony gives up and how he should never back down because he's giving him a life lesson. Anthony says that the ONLY person who has shown him no respect is Rocky. Rocky says Anthony has poor social skills and Anthony is amazed at this. Rocky keep saying Anthony is effeminate and acts like a girl. Alex is burying his head in his hands and Jeff asks why and Alex says he thinks maybe it's some tough love but that Rocky may have hurt Anthony's feelings. Well, DUH. The thing is, Alex wasn't around Anthony enough to KNOW that Rocky is a first class ass and that all his talk of effeminate and girlie is because he KNOWS that will make all those guys uncomfortable around Anthony.

Anthony says he wants to be in this game but that he's tired of Rocky calling him names. He said he has tried to not say anything to keep peace and to keep the team working together. He is obviously more sane and presenting himself better than Rocky, but will the tribe understand that? Also, did they make a decision how to vote before they got here and are now unable to say, after this pathetic performance, hey, maybe we should change our minds?

Anthony votes for Rocky.

Every other sorry jerk on the testosterone brigade votes for Anthony. They are complete and utter idiots at this point. And NOW, the fun begins because Lisi will be their new tribemate....and Lisi is NOT going to fill in for Anthony as "Rocky's pregnant dog". This is the stupidest thing on survivor since...oh yeah, since the tribe that took tribal council and evened up the numbers rather than give up posh camp. Good grief.

Next week Lisi joins the tribe, Yau Man keeps digging for the idol. The new episode is Thursday, March 29.

[BCandScott]

Episode 7 - An Evil Thought

The new tribes are as follows after Anthony was voted out at the last tribal council.

MOTO

Earl
Boo
Michelle
Cassandra
Yau Man
Stacey

RAVU

Edgardo
Mookie
Alex
Rocky
Dreamz

Yau Man and Earl are the ONLY people at Moto who know where the immunity idol is. They have decided to work together to locate it.

We now have a tribe with all the buff guys and Lisi vs. the tribe with all the older people and Boo (who is accident prone and a little goofy) but have the advatage of the nicer camp. Will this change the game completely?

Alex is quick to pave the way for Lisi to return to the Ravu tribe. She has been tight with Alex and Edgardo from early on and they are quick to tell the other guys that she's cool and was just having a bad day that day she seemed so nonchalant about going home. She tells her new tribe that she had a bit of a breakdown but the time on Exile Island really helped her to get her head together and face the rest of the game. Dreamz isn't going for it. He doesn't like her. Mookie and Rocky don't seem convinced completely either.

The new Moto really likes their new camp. They are eating well. Cassandra has quickly let Earl know she is more or less with the old Ravu people. Still, Earl feels there is a need for that immunity idol, to give them an extra edge. So Earl is cleverly managing to get the rest of the tribe to take on various tasks that will remove them from camp so that Yau Man can dig and look for the idol. Earl takes them all out to try to rescue their boat that has drifted out to a sand bar. While the rest of the tribe is gone Yau Man, armed with the luxury of tolls at Moto, begins to dig and some moments later, he finds the idol. It's a turtle on a rope, like a necklace. He gives it much affection, that little turtle, and he is thrilled. He has agreed to share the idol with Earl since Earl had made it possible for him to search for it. Yau Man covers over the hole he dug and resumes coring out coconuts. The rest of the tribe returns and tells him they will have to wait for high tide to rescue the boat.

Yau Man says he never dreamed he would find a friend like Earl, a big strong black man, that he trusted so much and found to be such an ally in the game. Earl says he knew Yau Man would trust him if he helped him with finding the idol and he's glad that they now have an edge that will take them further in the game.

REWARD CHALLENGE

The challenge is simple. There are three flammable targets lined up going down the beach toward the water, each one a little further away from the platform where the contestants will use a flame thrower to launch fire balls at them. The flame "thrower" looks much like a jai alai sort of thing. A little cage of flammable material is put into the thrower, and then the thrower is held up to a torch until the ball is lit. Then the tribe member flings the flaming ball toward the targets. If the target is hit, it burns. The first tribe to set all three targets on fire wins reward.

They are playing for a trip to a Fijian arcade. A plane will pick them up to take them to the arcade where games are available, foosball, pool, golf, bowling, and there will be hot dogs and beer.

Earl and Dreamz are up first. Dreamz manages to set a target on fire, Earl falls short. Next up are Lisi and Michelle. Both women miss. Yau Man and Egargo are next. Ravu, the "manly" tribe is making a lot off fun of Yau Man as he looks kind of spindly as usual and he's rolling the flame thrower around in his hands and testing the heft of it and they think this is immensely funny. Edgardo missed completely and Yau Man nails the first target for Moto. Boo and Mookie are up and Mookie scores. Alex and Cassandra take their shots and both miss. Stacy faces off against Rocky and both miss. We are now back to Earl and Dreamz. Dreamz says he doesn't drink but is really excited about hot dogs. Dreamz manages to hit the final target for Ravu, winning the first team challenge for the beleagued Ravu tribe.

Ravu sends Earl to Exile Island because, they say, he's already been there and they don't want more people knowing where to look for the idol.

The Ravu tribe seems to enjoy it's plane ride and they are energized by having finally won a challenge. They arrive at the arcade and are happy that it is air conditioned. There is a huge spread of food, hot dogs, and beer and they eat insanely. Rocky says they are being stupid eating so much so fast because they will get stomach aches. Rocky is bowling (why am I not surprised.) Lisi is just enjoying hanging out with the guys. Lisi says this is good for them because she knows as the only "chick" she might be a target if they don't win immunity. She says the whole dynamic of the game is shifting at this point.

Earl is hanging out at Exile Island and since the idol has been found Earl relaxes and renames the island Earl Island.

Everyone at the arcade is sick and throwing up and they actually show us someone's big old butt as they drive the big white porcelain bus and heave their guts. Rocky thinks this is funny so he laughs at them. He says something about how good the brownies are and the nauseated yell at him to shut up and he goes off about how they all cried about needing food and now here they are all pitiful because their stomachs ache from eating too much food. As usual, he doesn't know where he crosses the line from good natured banter to abusive ridicule and he irritates everyone with his long diatribes all ending in "suck it up."

Moto - Day 18

Boo says losing the reward challenge taught them that they have to step up their game and win immunity. He adds that immunity is very important and more so for some than others. For example, he says Yau Man should be concerned because if they go to tribal now, he will be gone because he's the obvious weak link. Excuse me, Boo, I'm just askin', but uh, Yau Man, wasn't he the guy, THE ONLY GUY, who hit one of the targets at the reward challenge? Uh, Boo, uh, I'm just askin' but well, did you hit any targets? No? Ok, I see.

Yau Man is happy because things are looking up because he has an alliance with an honorable man, Earl, and he has the immunity idol. Then Yau Man has an evil thought.

I have to interject here that Yau Man's evil thought should go down in Survivor history as one of the single most brilliant moves ever. Hell, I think he earned the million dollars for this one.....really. It's funny that Boo, who doesn't seem to be all that bright, thinks of Yau Man as being so weak. Physically maybe, but you know what, this game isn't all about being physical, and Yau Man thinks RINGS around Boo and just about everyone else on the tribe. OK, now I'll tell you what he did.

Yau Man has an evil thought. What if there were a "fake" immunity idol put where the "real" idol was when he found it. Perhaps someone would find that "fake" idol and think THEY had the real idol. Perhaps they would even try to use it at a tribal council. Oh, this would be so funny. Someone thinking "I'm completely safe" would find themselves completely fooled. So, Yau Man takes one of the halves of a coconut and he finds the paints and brushes that belong to the tribe and he "makes a bogus immunity idol." He paints a little face on the shell and then just in case they don't realize what it is supposed to be, he paints the initials I I on it. When the girls lay down to take a nap, he wraps it back in the cloth the real idol was in and he buries it in the same place but shallowly so it is more likely to be found. Yep, BRILLIANT.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

One person will be the caller. The rest of the tribe will be sent one by one out into a corral area wearing blindfolds, being directed where to go by the caller. Hanging over that area at various intervals are five skulls. The blindfolded person must whack the skull pinata style with a Fijian war club breaking the skull and releasing it's contents. The contents of the skulls are tiles, puzzle pieces, that form a two word phrase. The blindfolded tribe member, being guided by the caller, breaks the skull, retrieves the pieces from inside the skull, and then takes them to a tray at the far end of the course before returning to the starting point. After all five skulls are broken and all the pieces are on the table and all five blindfolded contestants are back at the start, then they may remove their blind folds and go to the table and solve the puzzle. They may change callers during the game. The first tribe to complete the puzzle wins immunity.

Lisi is calling for Ravu and Michelle is calling for Moto. Alex and Stacy are the first two blindfolded people on the course. Alex begins swinging wildly and the skull is swinging all over and he is not making contact. The skull finally falls to the ground and Lisi manages to get him to it to break it and get the puzzle pieces. The Ravu people need to take a little more time and listen to their caller rather than just trying to use brute force. Swinging harder doesn't help unless you can connect with the skull. Stacy finishes about the time Alex manages to break the skull. Moto has a slight lead.

Lisi switches out and Alex is the new caller. Michelle steers Cassandra right to is and they manage quickly to break another skull, but Edgardo also makes up a lot of time and follows Alex's directions to catch up. Michelle send Earl out and he quickly breaks a skull as Dreamz breaks the skull for Ravu. Boo is out on the course for Moto. Michelle is giving good directions but Boo is having a little problem. Finally Michelle actually has to yell "YOUR OTHER LEFT" and Boo finally smashes the skull. The two tribes are running almost neck and neck.

Alex guides Rocky to complete the task quickly. Mookie is then out for Ravu. Yau Man is out on the course for Moto, but Michelle has lost her voice and has even fallen off the platform at least once. Boo becomes the caller for Moto and guides Yau Man through the task. Moto is now unblindfolded and free to work on the puzzle. Mookie keeps running into the sides of the course but finally gets back and they also start working on the puzzle. Moto has only a slight lead.

Moto works well together and Michelle and Stacy are very smart. The puzzle is quickly solved "CANNIBAL ISLES." Moto wins immunity.

RAVU - Day 19

Edgardo says that he and Alex think that at this point in the game, stronger people are not as important as loyal people. They know that Lisi is loyal to them but they don't feel Rocky can be trusted. They tell Lisi that they need to find out who has the immunity idol. She says that the idol is not on Exile Island but is there somewhere on their island. She says that she's not sure where it would be because the clues are really vague (she's got to be kidding). We have been laughing these last few weeks that they have all but gone into the camps and drawn big red Xs where the things are buried. This woman is not very clever. Lisi and Alex and Edgardo agree to work together to find the idol.

Dreamz tells Mookie that the others want to vote out Rocky before "homegirl". Mookie says he promised Rocky he would NOT vote him off. Mookie says he trusts Dreamz and he thinks he can align himself with him. Dreamz says that Rocky throws a lot of false attitude. He wants Lisi to go so that the tribe remains strong. Rocky says that at all the other tribal councils he's been to, he was the one pulling the strings (is HE delusional too?) He says he is nervous this time because he is not in control, but he believes Lisi will be the one to go.

Jeff asks Lisi about her "meltdown" when she was sent to Exile Island. He asks if she was worried about the tribe thinking she had given up. She says no because she knew there would be people she knew from her old tribe on the new tribe. Dreamz admits he didn't want Lisi on his tribe because of the meltdown but that when she came back from Exile Island, she was changed, and strong and positive.

Mookie says that every person has certain traits that make them important to the tribe. Rocky says he knows who he can trust on his tribe. Lisi does another weird laughing "golly" kind of thing when Jeff asks her how she'll feel the next day when she is still there.

They vote.

Rocky and Dreamz vote Lisi.

Lisi, Alex, Edgardo, and Mookie vote for Rocky.

Rocky is voted out and becomes the first member of the jury.

Jeff says that it is obvious that Rocky was completely shocked about being voted out and reminds them all, if it can happen to him, it can happen to you.

Next week, Lisi is crying and upset, obviously having a difficult time, Moto learns some sort of tribal dance, and the search for the idol on Ravu intensifies.

[BCandScott]

Episode 8 - Do You Think You Can Meke?

The new tribes are as follows after Rocky was voted out at the last tribal council.

MOTO

Earl
Boo
Michelle
Cassandra
Yau Man
Stacey

RAVU

Edgardo
Mookie
Alex
Lisi
Dreamz

Alex and Edgardo seem to be in a good spot, being allied with Mookie and Dreamz on one hand and with Lisi on the other hand. While Lisi and Dreamz sleep, Mookie, Alex and Edgardo use Lisi's clues to dig for the hidden immunity idol in their camp. Mookie manages to be in the right place at the right time and digs up the Ravu version of the immunity idol. It is a turtle necklace like the one that Yau Man found at Moto.

Mookie, Alex and Edgardo agree to keep the idol a secret between them and they agree they will use it to their mutual advantage. They don't want to tell Dreamz because he might tell Cassandra after a merge, and they don't want to tell Lisi because she is headstrong and might want to use it her own way.

Lisi wakes up and Mookie is covering over the hole where he found the idol, but Mookie says, I was looking here and didn't find it. Lisi laughs that they think they can dig right at her feet and her no know it, but she does not realize they have the idol. Lisi gets up and starts digging herself and Mookie helps her to keep the ruse going.

Tree mail comes in the form of a group of figian dancers. They are going to teach the tribes how to dance. They will have two hours of instruction and then the tribes will compete to see who is best at the dancing. Yau Man says he has NO rhythm so he will sit this challenge out since Moto is one man up. The dance consists of a rhythmic dancing with a spear wearing grass skirts and face paint. This is not a strength challenge. Dreamz says they have to win this because they have lost twice to a bunch of girls and an old guy. Lisi is more laid back about it all.

Dreamz says that Lisi is the weakest and he really doesn't like her because she doesn't really try hard at the challenges.

Both tribes paint up and don their traditional garb and head off to the reward challenge.

REWARD CHALLENGE

Jeff lets them know that Rocky is now the first member of the jury.

Jeff tells the tribes that they are going to perform the dance they have learned, a traditional Fajian "Meke". They will be judged by a group of Fijians on three criteria, appearance, authenticity and spirit. The judges are experts in Fijian dance and will decide who is the winner. The reward is a Fijian feast and singing as well as the right to send one person from the other tribe to Exile Island.

Moto is up first. The drums and chanting begins. Earl is the leader of the dance. The tribe has learned the dance well and the judges smile as they watch them perform the rhythmic steps.

Ravu is up next. Ravu isn't quite as polished as the Moto tribe and they don't seem to have the same spirit about their dance, and they don't stay together very well on the steps but at the end Dreamz delights everyone with an irrelevant back flip.

The judges deliberate. They feel both have spirit, they both are equal in appearance, but Moto was much more organized and Earl was especially good and kept the tribe dancing in time with the drums. Moto wins. They send Lisi back to Exile Island saying that it is so nobody else will have clues to where the idol is. Of course they don't know that Lisi has already spilled the beans to her whole tribe about the clues. If I were Lisi, instead of "alright then" I would have said, "I've told them all the clues, you can send someone else!"

Earl was really thrilled to get to know more about the Fijian culture and food. The entire tribe enjoyed the great food...huge lobsters, chickens, fruit. Michelle says that the Fijians have huge hearts and none of them will ever forget this. Earl says that this feast has helped to solidify the tribe into one, instead of old Ravu and Motos. There is much dancing and singing in which the tribe joins in.

It's a dark and stormy night and Lisi is really losing it out on Exhile Island. She says that continually losing challenges is really defeating. She cries, telling the camera she really doesn't want to be there anymore. She doesn't want to let down her alliance, but she wants to quit.

Icky view of HUGE millipede crawling through the eye socket of a skull. Much ickier than a snake. It's the little feet. Lots and lots of little feet.

Yau Man is building a fire. He's gotten really good at that. Michelle and Earl usually have a sort of "morning meeting" and they discuss which members of the Ravu tribe could be expected to turn after a merge and they agree that Boo would probably go with them. Michelle thinks they probably need to get rid of Stacey before the merge. Michelle says that she and Stacey are sort of interchangeable with regard to function, so she would be more secure with her gone.

Dreamz says that he is really tight with Cassandra and he is sure she will come with him after a merge. Edgardo reads this as Dreamz being tight with Cassandra in which case he MIGHT switch over to Moto after a merge. Edgardo is probably right.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

EVERYBODY GETS THEIR SHOT.
IT'S IMMUNITY YOU DESIRE
READY, AIM...MAKE IT COUNT,
TONIGHT SOMEBODY LOSES FIRE.

Alex says they really need immunity to keep their numbers up. He is also concerned about a merge. Edgardo is glad there is a bow and arrow involved because he "shines" at archery.

Lisi joins the tribe at the challenge. There are three targets. They will test their skills with three weapons firing at the bullseyes on the targets. They will use blow darts, scoring one point for the closest one, spears scoring two points for the closest one and, bow fired arrows scoring three points for the closest one. Individuals compete for tribal points and the most points wins immunity.

Cassandra is sitting out for Moto.

Blow darts. Lisi is up first and manages to stick a dart in the target. Interestingly, Yau Man makes a great shot, but Boo gets the closest to the bullseye and Moto wins one point. Earl doesn't have to compete.

Spears. Most of them cannot even hit the target. Sometimes they hit but they fail to stick into the target. These are like the fishing spears with a bunch of sharp metal barbs attached to the long shaft. Yau Man picks a spear and goes way back behind the firing line, takes a run (like a javelin thrower) and sticks his spear in the red circle around the bullseye. Alex must beat Yau Man or Earl will not have to compete in this round either. Moto wins the two points for a total of three.

Bow fired arrow. Ravu must win this round in order to tie 3 to 3. Ravu is on the board thanks to Dreamz, but just barely on the target. Yau Man steps up and begins to examine the arrows. Ravu sblack persons. Jeff asks him what he's doing and he replies, "Looking for the straightest one." He then goes behind the firing line and kneels on one knee and fires cleanly to a point just outside of the red ring around the bullseye. Edgardo is up. If he fails to best Yau Man's mark, Earl will not have to compete in this challenge at all. His arrow falls short of the target. Moto wins immunity.

Please note: The OLD MAN just scored 5 of the six available points in this challenge.

Ravu can't believe it. They got "blew out". (Scott says, BY AN OLD MAN.) Dreamz is horrified. Lisi is just carrying on about how the tribe is a sinking ship and that they are LOOOOOSERS. She gripes "there was no reason for you guys to lose today." Scott wonders what she means by "you guys" since she was also there and also failed to score any points. She says her time is up and before she drives herself crazy, they should send her home. She's ready to go. Alex is unhappy at losing part of his alliance. She says she has played the whole game...the luxury tribe, the poor tribe, and exile island. She carrys on about how they will be friends forever and she got further than she ever believed she would and she is just done.

The men discuss this and decide that if that is what she wants, they should probably let her go. Dreamz is relieved to see her go. He says he is very happy because she has made him unhappy being there. I kind of understand what he means.

All of a sudden Lisi gets with Alex and Edgardo and says she is having second thoughts. Maybe she should say. They should send Dreamz home. The problem with Lisi is that she seems to feel the need to have all her internal debates OUT LOUD with others. This isn't smart. The guys are tired of having to reconnoiter because of Lisi's changing her mind.

Rocky comes in as the first jury member.

Jeff asks Lisi what is missing in the tribe. She says they are not coming together as a cohesive force. (She doesn't admit that in the last immunity challenge they all got skunked INDIVIDUALLY by...yep, THE OLD MAN!!!) She continues to talk about how she's played the game, rich, poor, exile. Dreamz says he thinks that Lisi wants to go home because she isn't on the winning team like she was on Moto. Lisi says that Dreamz gives up on challenges. He calls her on that and asks when and she starts explaining and he disagrees and she says, Oh well, I can't do this. (She just gave up in the middle of a discussion.)

Lisi says she is wavering about continuing. They keep asking her "Do you want to continue." She says, " Can't I catch a break."

Dreamz asks her again, "Do you want to be here?"

She doesn't answer so he asks the others one at a time and each says, "Yes, they want to be there."

She says that it isn't fair not to allow her to at least think about her answer. Dreamz cuts her off announcing he's ready to vote.

She asks the tribe to give her a chance.

They vote.

Lisi votes Dreamz. She says "You're a grown man, consider a name change."

The rest of the tribe votes for Lisi and her torch is snuffed. She gave her hat to Edgardo.

Jeff says that one thing is certain, "You have to want to win to play this game."

Next week, the tribes both go to Exile Island and they merge.

[BCandScott]

Episode 9 - Are We Gonna Live on Exile Island

The new tribes are as follows after Lisi was voted out at the last tribal council.

MOTO

Earl
Boo
Michelle
Cassandra
Yau Man
Stacey

RAVU

Edgardo
Mookie
Alex
Dreamz

To recap, Yau Man has the hidden immunity idol on Moto and only Earl is aware of it. On Ravu, Mookie is holding the hidden immunity idol and everyone knows except Dreamz. In addition, there is a fake hidden immunity idol buried at the Moto camp that Yau Man created using paints and a coconut shell in order to fool someone who might find it and think it is real.

Moto admits to the camera that he is holding that idol and that he is selfish enough to use it for his own best interests. Dreamz has not been told about it because they fear he will tell Cassandra since they are so close.

On Ravu, it's another day in paradise, lounging on the sofa, or in the bed. Then Boo shows up with tree mail, shaking his head. Earl notices the negativity and asks Boo what's up and Boo tells him it's "not a good treemail."

GATHER YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS ONLY
AND USE THE MAP TO PADDLE YOUR TRIBE BOATS TO
EXILE ISLAND IMMEDIATELY.
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING REWARDS, TOOLS, OR FLINT.
BRING ONLY YOUR PERSONAL ITEMS INCLUDING YOUR CANTEEN.

Boo is worried they may have to live on Exile Island for the rest of the game. Michelle and Earl are pretty calm because they have lived in extreme conditions on the old Ravu tribe. The people who have always been on luxury survivor are concerned.

On Ravu beach, Mookie figures they are going to merge on Exile Island. Edgardo says he hopes that's right but there have been so many twists to the game, he isn't sure. Alex quickly begins trying to figure out who they should target and try to turn to their alliance to protect themselves since they are short on numbers.

Both tribe paddle to Exile Island and meet there. Jeff isn't there and there are no instructions so they climb the tower to see if there is any indication of what they should do. Earl is aware this may well be a merge. Earl says people are depending on the merge thinking they will be safe once they get their old tribe mates back. They talk about the resources on Exile Island, that there is no food there other than what they can catch fishing or crabbing. Someone mentions this is where the cannibalism part comes in. (Now, that would be interesting.)

Lo and behold, there is a box at the top of the tower with new buffs and treemail.

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE MADE IT FAR AND NOW MERGED INTO
ONE TRIBE.
DROP YOUR OLD BUFFS AND WEAR TH NEW ONES WITH PRIDE AS YOU
PADDLE ONE BOAT TO YOUR HOME...THE OLD MOTO CAMP.

Everyone is relieved to find they are going back to Moto. Mookie says he is the ONLY one who has never been to Moto and he's looking forward to seeing it and enjoying the luxuries, finally. They hop in the boat full of excitement and anticipation and get back to Moto, talking about getting to eat and sleep in a bed and all the things Moto has to afford them. Unfortunately, Survivor doesn't work that way. Everything is gone from Moto camp. They are in true Survivor mode, a pot, a machete, flint, and some fishing gear. They are back to the beginning. No bed, no couch, no bathroom. No phones, no lights, no motorcar, not a single luxury. Like Robinson Crusoe, it's primitive as can be.

The tribe recovers from the shock and pick their new tribe name Bula Bula which is hello hello in Fijian. Michelle and Stacy paint the new flag. The two of them talk about how they feel pretty secure since they seem to be less of a threat than the men. Earl, Michelle, Yau Man and Cassandra have a pretty strong foursome, but Alex, Edgardo, Dreams and Mookie plan on taking on the others one at a time to try to get them over to their side of things. Calling themselves "The Four Horsemen" (who is the Big Brother fan, I wonder), the Ravu people begin infiltrating with people they knew on their old tribes.

Alex feels that the four horsemen are controlling the game right now. They are targeting Boo and then Stacy. Mookie, Alex and Dreamz are out by themselves and Mookie suddenly turns around and tells Dreamz that they have the immunity idol. Alex is shocked thinking this is NOT a good move. Dreamz is taken aback that these guys in his pact have kept this secret from him. Presumably the reason they didn't tell Dreamz was concern that he would spill this information to Cassandra. This was before they merged and Dreamz had any contact with Cassandra. Now they have merged and Dreamz actually has the opportunity to tell Cassandra, Mookie decides on his own to tell Dreamz. Yeah, I agree with Alex...bad move. Dreamz trust is shaken and he is more likely than ever to tell their secret to Cassandra.

Alex informs Edgardo that Mookie has told Dreamz about the idol and he's really unhappy about it. They talk for a while and decide finally that they will have to get Boo out and now they will keep Stacy because Alex trusts Stacy. Mookie sees this as a betrayal of him because then when it gets to final five, Stacy will be with Alex and Edgardo and Dreamz and Mookie will be on the outside. Sounds to me like the four horsemen are fracturing badly.

Earl and Cassandra discuss how they think things are going to play out. Cassandra feels that Earl and Yau Man are her alliance along with Michelle and she hopes she can get Dreamz back working with her. Earl is happy they have merged and now the "game is really on."

Mookie fills Dreamz in on the new situation with the "horsemen" and Dreamz is not happy, realizing that he and Mookie are being shoved aside. Dreamz remembers too well how badly Stacy treated him on the old Moto. He wants her to go not become a new part of his "alliance."

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Jeff has the tribe draw stones from two bags, one for women, one for men. Orange stones go to the orange mat, green stones go to the green mat. The survivors are bewildered. Jeff asks Boo what he thinks is up, and Boo says he doesn't know. I don't think Boo is real quick in his thought process and may not know even after Jeff tells them what is up.

Orange:

Edgardo
Boo
Earl
Cassandra
Yau Man

Green:

Michelle
Stacy
Dreamz
Alex
Mookie

The tribes are still merged, but for this challenge they will compete as green team vs. orange team. To begin, the two teams will be shown a large Fijian mask with symbols on it in a honeycomb pattern. They must remember the symbols and how they are arranged on the mask. Then the teams must each row down the river to retrieve bags of puzzle pieces from a coil at the top of a pole, using a pole to unwind the bag, from a series of stations in the river. Once all the pieces are retrieved they must row to the puzzle station and put the pieces together forming six pieces that fit into the puzzle at the end. The puzzle is the mask with holes where the symbols belong. The team that completes the mask puzzle first with all the symbols in the correct positions wins team immunity. They will not go to tribal council. They will also be treated to a feast of steak, vegetables, and wine.

The losing team will go to tribal council and vote out one of the members of the tribe. They will also be read a note with further instructions.

The masks are revealed. Green is out first, but Orange is out soon after. They paddle down the river to the first station. There is some difficulty using the tool to remove the bags from the coils. Yau Man quickly figures it out and gets their first bundle. Green team lags when Stacy and then Dreamz are unable to get that first bundle.

Yau Man gets his second bundle and starts for the third station. Alex is having better luck with the tool and gets the second bundle for the Green team. Green reaches the third station as Orange paddles for shore. Orange slows a little with fatigue and the Green team makes up a little time but Orange is still the first group to get to the puzzle station. Yau Man and Earl are working hard on the puzzle.

Green reaches the shore and runs up to work on the puzzle, Michelle and Alex working as puzzle solvers. All six pieces must be put together and inserted into the map in the correct spots.

Orange has assembled their pieces and begin inserting them into the map. Yau Man makes a last minute switch of one of the pieces and Jeff says it's a good thing he did. Orange wins immunity.

Jeff reads the note. There will be no time to strategize, the green team is on it's way to tribal council NOW. They are stunned.

The green team celebrates with their feast. Earl lets Boo do the cooking. Boo says that he is so glad for this team thing because he believes he would have been gone for sure if this hadn't been the result of the challenge. Edgardo us worried about Alex but he hopes that Mookie will use it smartly and perhaps save Alex if need be. Earl is worried about Michelle. General consensus is that Stacy will go, but there has been no time for strategy with the Green team.

Rocky and Lisi arrive at tribal council as jury members.

Dreamz tell Jeff that he was happy about the merge because he had friends on both sides. Alex says it was not good going back to Moto with all the luxury gone. Mookie says they all feel like they are on the hot seat because they can't discuss who to vote for. They are all uncomfortable.

Jeff begins asking what would be a good reason to get rid of someone. Dreamz says a good reason to get rid of Stacy would be because it's not him. Alex says he has no reason to get rid of anyone except Michelle who he says he doesn't know as well. Dreamz thinks they are all answering the questions to let people know who to vote out. Mookie thinks the vote tonight will change some things and let people know who are in alliances.

They vote.

Alex as much as targeted Michelle with his comments. She receives votes from Alex, Mookie and Stacy. Dreamz, holding a grudge, and Michelle both vote for Stacy. Michelle is sent home.

Next week Mookie is mad about Dreamz vote for Stacy and jumps him about it. Then Mookie gets mad at Cassandra about something. He declares "She has made the worst mistake of her life!" Apparently Mookie thinks he's got it made because he has that immunity idol. However, having upset Dreamz, who he TOLD about the idol, the same Dreamz he chewed out for not voting the way he was "supposed to" at tribal council, Mookie should be careful. Dreamz, evidently not happy with Mookie goes to Cassandra and Earl and tells them that Mookie has the idol. Let the fireworks begin.

[BCandScott]

Episode 10 - It's a Turtle?!

The new tribes are as follows after Michelle was voted out at the last tribal council.

MOTO

Earl
Boo
Cassandra
Yau Man
Stacey

RAVU

Edgardo
Mookie
Alex
Dreamz

First off let me quote my good friend Sally's review of this episode.

"Best...Survivor...Episode...EVER."

She's right. This was the kind of episode you all dream of. I was yelling "YES YES YES" so much, my cat was scared of me. If you didn't watch it....go download it and watch it. I'll recap for you, but your really need to see this one.

Back at camp, the winners of last weeks immunity are trying to sleep in the cave but everyone is also wondering who was voted off. The rest of the tribe arrives and admitted that they voted off Michelle 3 votes to 2 for Stacy. Mookie is really unhappy because he and Dreamz had agreed to vote off Stacy and Dreamz ended up being the third vote for Michelle.

Alex is unhappy because Mookie is making it clear that he will only surrender the hidden idol from his possession if HE deems it appropriate. Alex tells him that the idol belongs to all four of the horsemen, Alex, Edgardo, Mookie, and Dreamz. Mookie shrugs Alex's complaint off. Mookie tells Dreamz privately that Alex is trying to dictate how the idol should be shared. Dreamz suggest they recruit some more people to an alliance with just Dreamz and Mookie.

Dreamz explains his vote for Michelle by saying that when Jeff was asking questions of each of the people and saying, "what reason do you have to vote" this person or that person off, Michelle commented that she didn't know Dreamz at all. This, he says, made him think that he really didn't know who she might be with as an ally and he decided to vote for her then. Mookie tells Dreamz that Dreamz has really screwed it up for them. Dreamz tells Mookie not to worry about it.

Earl is not happy. He goes up to the top of the island, a bluff overlooking the sea, and talks about how Michelle leaving has completely changed his plans. Earl talks with Boo, knowing he really needs his vote, and Boo assures him he is "with" Earl, but Earl isn't completely sure he believes him. He thinks it is highly likely that one of the four horsemen has the Ravu camp hidden idol.

REWARD CHALLENGE

This is one of MY favorite challenges because people really find out where they stand with their tribe mates. Everyone is given a series of questions aboout the tribe which are answered privately by the contestants. Then Jeff reads the questions to them again and they must answer publicly what they believe the majority answered previously. Each time they match what the majority said, they get the right to smash a tower. Each tribe member has three towers. When all three of someone's towers are smashed, they are out of the game. The last person remaining wins the reward, an overnight stay on a luxury yacht with food, wine and warm comfy beds and the right to send someone to Exile Island.

Who would you trust with your life? Most common answer was Earl. Yau Man, Cassandra and Boo got it right. Cassandra smashes Stacy's 1st tower. Boo smashes Stacy's second tower and Yau Man completes the trio by taking out the 3rd tower.

Who are you least likely to invite to a family dinner? Most common answer was Boo. Mookie, Dreamz and Alex smash Boo's three towers. Cassandra takes out one of Alex's towers.

Who most has a sense of entitlement? Most common answer was Alex. Cassandra smashes another of Alex's towers and Mookie smashes one of Earl's.

Who would you most like to be stranded on an island with? The correct answer is Yau Man. Everyone gets this right except Alex who thinks it would be Earl. Earl smashes Mookie, Dreamz smashes Alex's last tower, Edgardo smashes Earl's third tower, Yau Man smashes Edgardo's first tower, Cassandra smashes Mookie.

Who do you not want to see again after the game? The correct answer is Stacy and everyone got it right. Dreamz smashes Yau Man, followed by Edgardo. Yau Man gets Dreamz and Mookie smashes Cassandra. Cassandra takes Mookie's third tower down.

Who smells the worst? Dreamz is the correct answer. Cassandra takes Yau Man out of the game and Dreamz takes out Edgardo's second tower.

Who mistakenly believes they are in control of this game? Alex is the correct answer. Cassandra takes out Edgardo's third tower.

Dreamz and Cassandra are left.

Who has wasted this great opportunity? The answer is Stacy. Cassandra smashes Dreamz. Dreamz thought the answer would be Edgardo.

Athletically, who has surprised you the most out here? The answer is Yau Man (no kidding) and Cassandra smashes Dreamz last tower to win the reward.

I should mention that throughout this challenge we got to see people's faces as they were outed as the person the tribe though smelled the worst, or wasted the opportunity. Stacy, by the end of this, looked half sick, perhaps realizing that there is no way for her to win this game even if she did make it to the end. She has obviously offended everyone.

Cassandra sends Mookie to Exile Island and is then told she may pick three more of her tribe mates to join her on the reward. She is told to take three boarding passes back to camp and decide there who should go with her. Alex offers to lick her feet. Jeff laughs and says, "sounds like there could be some bargaining going on."

Mookie finds himself spending Day 25 at Exile Island. He is angry saying she has no idea who she is messing with. He adds, "she just made the biggest mistake of her life." Mookie reads the clue about the hidden idol and finds out that the clues were the SAME for both tribes. He knows that Earl was out to exile island several times so he is pretty sure that Earl has the Moto island hidden idol. Mookie says he wants to take out Cassandra and her alliance as revenge for sending him to Exile Island (oh boo hoo, what a baby) and says all he has to do is "get in touch with the four horsemen and it's done." (Oh, brother.)

Back at camp Cassandra is having fun picking folks to come with her. She chooses Dreamz and Boo because she isn't sure where they stand and wants them to vote with her group. She chooses Yau Man because she says he works so hard around camp he deserves a break. They are picked up and taken to a 70 foot yacht where they find wine, cheese and olives to start with. Yau Man and Cassandra both work to solidify their relationships with Boo and Dreamz. They agree that the next person to go should be Alex. When it gets dark they have more food and fireworks out over the ocean. Dreamz says all the information coming at him from everyone has him confused, going in every direction but his own.

Bula Bula Day 27

Dreamz tells Alex that his name will probably come up at tribal if he doesn't have immunity. Alex says he will have to talk to Mookie about the immunity idol. He and Dreamz talk about how it is like Lord of the Rings...when they get that immunity idol it's like my precioussssss. Earl walks up on their conversation because he needs the one camp pot that they have with them. Earl is concerned about Dreamz spending so much time with Alex.

Cassandra tells Dreamz that there is some doubt because he's staying with them. Earl comes up and Dreamz says he can tell he is not trusted. Earl says he just spends a lot of time with the others and they aren't sure what he is up to. Dreamz then tells Earl and Cassandra that Mookie has the Ravu camp immunity idol and that it's a little turtle necklace. Earl pretends he hasn't already seen the little turtle that he and Yau Man have from the Moto Camp and says, "It's a turtle?!"

Earl says that Dreamz is trying to do too much strategy on his own and that he still questions Dreamz sometimes but he is obviously grateful for the information regarding the idol. Yau Man joins the conference and now he also knows that Mookie is carrying a turtle in his pocket.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

There is no more "tribal" immunity. The individual immunity is a necklace that is made out of some kind of tusks or teeth.

The challenge is simple. Each person must brace themselves between two poles using their arms, not holding onto the pole but pressing outward with their arms and elbows to press against the poles. Their feet will be positioned on a small ledge on the poles. After thirty minutes, they will move down the pole to a set of even smaller ledges. After another thirty minutes, they will move down again to ledges that are only about 1/2 inch in width, where they will stay until they can no longer continue. This is obviously an endurance challenge and the last person remaining, perched on the ledges between the two poles wins immunity.

They all take their spots. The first ledges are about an inch and half wide. Jeff mentions it is a very hot day. Jeff mentions that Edgardo looks like he could go all day and that Mookie looks like he's going to sleep. Actually I think Mookie is holding himself up by hooking his horns of evil into the pole because he's got his head leaned over touching the pole which I thought was not allowed. Cassandra is the first one out.

Alex starts a little Fijian drumming on the poles and Boo goes into the MEKE routine for a minute. Suddenly Edgardo slips off and hits the ground. Thirty minutes have now passed and they move down to little ledges about one inch wide. Earl goes down followed by Mookie.

Five people last 1 hour and they are now standing on 1/4 inch of wood. Alex drops followed by Dreamz. Stacy is starting to hurt, her feet cramping. At the 1 hour and 15 minute mark Stacy drops out. Boo keeps slipping off the ledges but is able to pull himself with sheer upper body strength. After several slips and recoveries, he can no longer fight gravity and he drops to the ground. YAU MAN WINS IMMUNITY.

Yes, my friends, the OLD MAN just whipped all of the big boys and won immunity. What was that again...oh yeah.....YAU MAN WON IMMUNITY. It was an endurance challenge. All the strong young bucks tried, but they couldn't beat YAU MAN. Say that name again...YAU MAN. Am I going overboard. I don't care. YAU MAN, people, YAU MAN.

Bula Bula Day 27

YAU MAN has immunity. Just had to mention that. Oh wait, Yau Man has DOUBLE immunity because he also has the immunity idol. He hangs the necklace on the tree to "give everyone luck."

Mookie takes a few moments to reiterate how mean ol' Cassandra send HIM, the magnificent Mookie to Exile Island and that he is going to take down her alliance one by one.

Mookie, Alex and Dreamz want to vote out Earl. They will keep their plan a super secret so they can surprise him and he won't use the hidden idol they are sure he has found. Once again, these guys are making an assumption. Yau Man actually has the idol but they assume that Earl will have it because it's as if they think Yau Man isn't really there or something. Dreamz wants to vote out Stacy, but the other "horsemen" are pretty sure they know what they want to do.

Stacy talks to Yau Man and says she has no idea who she should vote for, and no idea what is going on with anyone. Yau Man tells her to vote for anybody except Earl, that if her heart lets her to vote Alex, but to not vote for Earl. She says she doesn't want to be the only one voting Alex and Yau Man assures her she will not be the only person voting that way.

Stacy says privately she doesn't owe anything to Alex and she will sever that tie if it will save her. Later Alex approaches her and asks her if she will join them voting for Earl. She doesn't commit saying she is very tired and she can't think when she's tired. Alex suspects something is wrong. Meanwhile, Mookie tells Edgardo that everyone on the other alliance is planning to vote for Alex. Edgardo absorbs this and then says that if that is the case, then Mookie should give Alex the hidden idol. If all the others vote for Alex and Alex plays the idol, then their votes will not count and the four horsemen can vote out Earl.

Edgardo tells Mookie that they must put the idol with Alex. Mookie doesn't like this because he didn't want to use it this soon in the game. However, he realizes with Stacy hedging and likely to vote with the other alliance, they must keep Alex in the game. Mookie says this has all become very complicated.

Alex and Mookie nonchalantly go set on two rocks next to each other and try to look like they aren't doing anything. This, of course, makes them look like they are doing something. What they are doing is going through an elaborate procedure of Mookie removing the little turtle from his pocket and holding it under his leg (completely visible to the camera, mind you) and then dropping it on the ground in the general vicinity of Alex. There's some groping, some tender finger touching and Alex manages to pick up the idol. Dreamz watches all of this intently.

Dreamz walks up to Yau Man, Cassandra, Stacy, Boo and Earl standing in the entrance of the cave and says, "Mookie gave Alex the idol."

They all stare at him and repeat it a few times while Dreamz says "I promise, I give you my word."

Boo finally says, "I believe him." They all begin to nod. They decide to vote for Mookie since Alex has the idol, to catch Mookie off guard.

Meanwhile, Edgardo goes to Alex and says he thinks they should vote for Cassandra instead of Earl. Alex wants to know why. Edgardo explains that Cassandra is the glue that holds the two parts of the other group together. She is with Stacy and Dreamz. She is with Earl and Yau Man. If she is gone, Earl and Yau Man are more or less alone and Stacy and Dreamz will come back and vote with the "horsemen."

Alex goes to Mookie and tells him the Ed wants to vote for Cassandra. They agree that this is their plan. Edgardo is all happy thinking this is going to be one of the best moves ever on Survivor. The others will vote for Alex. Alex will play the hidden idol and Cassandra will be eliminated fracturing the other alliance.

Boo, Yau Man, Stacy, Earl and Cassandra are talking at the cave and Stacy says, "If they think we are voting for Alex or Mookie, why don't we just vote for Edgardo." They all stop and stare at her. Earl says that would come out of nowhere. They look at each other for a minute and agree...the five of them will vote for Edgardo and they will not tell Dreamz because he has run back and forth too much. It will only take their five votes and if they do not discuss it any further with anyone, there is no way the "horsemen" will expect it.

Earl says everyone is a little paranoid. No kidding.

Dreamz goes to Alex and says that the others have quit talking to him so he wants to make sure who they are voting for. He tells Alex that they KNOW that Alex doesn't have the idol (which isn't true, they know he does have it) and that they think Alex will be going home tonight. Alex smiles with those incredibly beautiful white teeth and says "so they think." Dreamz has a hard time keeping a straight face as Alex walks away saying "this is brilliant."

TRIBAL COUNCIL

Rocky, Lisi and Michelle show up as the jury.

Jeff asks them if there's been a lot of strategy going on and Dreamz says the day has been complete chaos. Edgardo agrees saying everyone is paranoid and that he is paranoid right now!

Jeff notes that Yau Man is the only one safe at the moment. Yau Man says this is the first time he's come to tribal council with a normal heart rate and blood pressure,...very good for an old man. Jeff asks Mookie if being away at Exile Island made the paranoia worse and Mookie just shrugs it off with disinterest, saying he'll just use his own judgement.

The hidden idol is played differenty this season. Jeff asks Yau Man how this affects voting. Yau Man explains that they should try to avoid voting for the person who has the idol. I think what Jeff was actually getting at is that the difference in how it is used this season is that it is played after voting but before the votes are read. In prior seasons, you could wait, see if YOU were being voted out and then play the idol. This season, you have to guess if it is YOU being voted for or someone else and either use the idol to save yourself or hold onto it because you are safe. It's a gamble.

Jeff asks Alex if the idol rules affect strategy and Alex says that you can pretty well figure that only people who have been to Exile Island would have been able to find the idol so you would want to vote for someone in the alliance of the person you believe has the idol and not the person who has it. I think Jeff was trying to get them to talk about the "gamble" aspect but they are either not thinking about that possibility or they are deliberately avoiding mentioning it.

Dreamz tells Jeff that this vote right here will determine everything. It will seperate the snakes and rats.

Jeff explains the hidden idol rules again, and reminds Yau Man that he is safe if he keeps the idol for himself, but he can give it away. He decides not to give it away and the tribe votes.

Alex, Edgardo and Mookie vote for Cassandra.

Dreamz votes for Mookie.

Boo, Stacy, Yau Man, Earl and Cassandra vote for Edgardo.

Jeff tallies the votes and then comes back asking if anyone has the hidden immunity idol and wants to play it. Alex rises and presents the little turtle to Jeff to protect himself even though he has NO VOTES. Jeff explains that any votes cast for Alex will not count (that would be zero votes, Jeff) and that Alex is safe. Alex flashes his pearly whites at the other "horsemen" as he retakes his seat. Mookie is grinning back at him and Edgardo is smirking. Yau Man is watching them and can barely hide his mirth.

First vote, Cassandra, second vote Cassandra, and third vote Cassandra. The horsemen are practically up dancing a polka, they are so tickled with themselves. The fourth vote is Dreamz's vote for Mookie. Mookie looks miffed. (I imagine he is thinking "hmpf, they don't know who they are messing with.") He sticks his lower lip out as if to say "boo hoo, but I KNOW who's going home." Vote number 5 read by Jeff is the first vote for Edgardo. Survivor does one of those weird sound effects that signals shock and awe. The smiles literally melt off of Alex' and Edgardo's faces.

The jury is watching this intently. They KNOW something just went wonky for the "horsemen". Rocky taps Michelle on the leg and they nod at one another.

Earl can't hold back the big grin that has been working it's way onto his face for a while now. He strokes his beard and nods his head as he grins with delight. Vote six is for Edgardo. Vote seven is Edgardo. Edgardo is looking sick. There is only one vote left. The tenth person voted out and the fourth member of the jury is Edgardo. Jeff snuffs his torch.

Somehow managing to make it even worse, Jeff reminds them that Alex played the immunity idol and that he didn't really need it. He also explains that the idol will be rehidden and new clues will be left on Exile Island. He then says that the chaos of this night's tribal council is a reminder that this game is always in a state of flux.

Next week on Survivor, Dreamz has some explaining to do. Alex and Mookie dig around in Yau Man's belongings and discover he has the idol. They have some new super duper plan in mind.

[BCandScott]

Episode 11 - Blackmail or Betrayal

The tribe is as follows after Mookie was voted out at the last tribal council.

BULA BULA

Earl
Boo
Cassandra
Yau Man
Stacey
Alex
Dreamz

As the tribe returns to their campsite, Earl tells his alliance "Now you know why I wanted to vote straight." He feels Alex is more dangerous than Mookie and wanted him to go first, but Alex, by voting for Mookie while the others split their vote managed to save himself. Alex is feeling very lucky but Earl is now thinking he will not listen to the others when his gut tells him what to do.

Stacy comes up to Alex and tries to make up and get him to forgive her for the way things have gone. Alex isn't having any of it. He feels his best game right now is to lay low and observe what the others are up to and try to find a way to get himself out of the hot seat.

Day 31

While everyone lays around sleeping, Alex wakes up but decides to lay there pretending to be asleep to see if he can hear anything.

Cassandra and Earl talk about trust. Earl only feels he can trust Cassandra and Yau Man 100% but he does feel like Dreamz has been trying hard to prove himself. They think maybe he'd be good in the final four. Yau Man doesn't like that idea because he tells them bluntly, he thinks Cassandra would pick Dreamz over him if it came down to that. He feels Stacy is a much better choice for top four. Earl has started calling the alliance the "Core Four" but nobody seems to know who number 4 is. Cassandra tries to reassure Yau Man but she makes no promises. Secretly, she feels he's "playing to win" and that he has that idol and that makes him scary.

REWARD CHALLENGE

OK the immunity necklace is just silly. It looks like a bunch of small elephant tusks strung together. Of course SMALL elephant tusks are still petty darn big and I swear if someone stumbles and falls while wearing that thing, they may end up speared in about 20 places. OR if they run into someone while wearing it, it could inflict some serious wounds. Stacy arrives at the challenge wearing it and it looks hysterical on her because she is so small.

The challenge is equally silly. There are a group of big old pieces of pork hanging by ropes, swinging in the breeze. The survivors will have their hands tied behind them while they try to rip chunks of meat off of the pork things and then drop them on a plate. At the end of five minutes, the person with the most meat on their plate by weight will win. That person and the two runners up will be picked up by helicopter, flown to a place where they will river raft some rapids and have a nice lunch. Also the winner sends someone to exile island AND receives something that will give them an advantage at immunity challenge.

Jeff says go and they begin ripping off pieces of pork. If they work together, they are able to push from two sides, stabilizing the swinging pork so that both of them can tear off a piece. Everyone seems to be helping each other except for Alex who is sort a loner. Still, everyone is grabbing big hunks of pork. Even Yau Man is managing to get big chunks off the swinging swinage. This is a completely gross challenge. Bits of meat and pork cling to the hair and clothing of the competitors. The plates fill up with big piles of fat meat. The decimated pork chunks swing lonely as the challenge ends.

Jeff has a scale to weigh the plates.

Boo has 8.9 pounds.
Yau Man has 6 pounds.
Cassandra has 5.8 pounds.
Stacy has 4.3 pounds.
Earl has 5 pounds.
Dreamz has 6 pounds.
Alex has 5.4 pounds.

Boo sends Earl to Exile Island and receives a bag with something that will give him an advantage in the immunity challenge to come. Boo, Yau Man and Dreamz will go on the reward trip.

Day 32

The helicopter arrives to pick up the reward winners. Dreamz, Boo and Yau Man are all decked out with headsets so they can talk. Yau Man is thrilled to fly over the rain forest, so much like the islands where he grew up. They fly over Exile Island.

Boo begins to get on the nerves of his companions quickly. He talks non stop. He can't seem to ever stop talking.

They are given instructions on how to do the river rafting thing safely and then they go down the rapids. Dreamz said it was really fun and not something he'll probably ever get to do again, but he'd love to take his family on a trip like this. Boo says he's "tickled pink" and feels like a "little girl."

Earl finds the new clue for the hidden idol at Exile Island.

YOUR NORMAL WINDING PATHS YOU'LL WALK
IT'S INSIDE A TREE NEAR A LONELY TOWER.

He says he can't wait to get back to camp and find the idol. It will all be worth it.

The rewardees are able to feast on a huge lunch. After they eat, the river guides come over and give the three men envelopes. Inside, are letters from home. All of them are thrilled to get word from home. Dreamz is especially touched with a letter from his mother because he says she still believes in him even when he doesn't believe in himself. They all shed a few tears.

Dreamz tells Stacy and Alex that Boo made them crazy talking so much. Yau Man also said that Boo just would not be quiet and talked way too much. Alex is encouraging the Boo bashing because he is hoping they will become so aggravated with Boo that he won't be sent home. Alex approaches Dreamz and asks him to try to talk to the others and see if they won't vote Boo out instead of Alex. Alex knows that Boo has the advantage in the immunity challenge but he knows that if Boo wins, he is not going to survive so he plans to put everything into winning immunity.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Earl comes back and greets the tribe with a hearty "BULA". Stacy surrenders the insane immunity necklace. Boo is asked to display his advantage won at reward. In the bag are "climbing steps". Boo will not have to compete in phase one where the others must dig along a long trench to find their climbing steps. He is automatically in round two where the he and the first two people to find all of their climbing steps (there are three) in the dirt will compete to scale a pole out in the water using the climbing steps that fit into the pole as they move up. The first person to reach the top of the pole and retrieve a flag wins immunity.

They begin digging, looking for three wooden paddles. Alex is intense. Yau Man is using his arms, scooping down to try to find the paddles. Dreamz is the first one to find a step...and his second as well. Cassandra is barely trying to dig. Dreamz finds his third step and moves into the finals. Yau Man finds his first step followed by Alex. This gives them a better idea of how deep the paddles are buried. Alex is digging furiously. Cassandra has stopped even trying. Alex finds his third step and moves into the final with Boo and Dreamz.

They start up the poles. Alex gives up on even using the steps and just begins climbing the pole but he is worn out from digging and just can't make that last jump to get up to the top and Boo, who didn't have to dig reaches the top of the pole, retrieves the flag and wins immunity.

Alex looks completely devastated as Cassandra pats his back to console him.

Day 33

The alliance is feeling very comfortable. They know that they can vote Alex out as planned. Yau Man is glad he won't have to use his immunity idol. Alex has decided he should just sit back and wait for people to approach him, that being aggressive wouldn't be a good idea. Sure enough, Cassandra seeks him out and tells him he should be proud of himself.

Alex talks to Cassandra about how they really should consider voting out Yau Man because he has that idol and that Alex could actually help them to get rid of Yau Man. He tells her that Yau Man would take Dreamz and Stacy with him if he has the opportunity because he knows their personalities have made them good partners for final two. Alex ends up talking with Earl and Cassandra and explaining that if they don't make a power play now, it will be too late. Earl winks at Cassandra and Dreamz to let them know to play along with Alex but not to take him seriously.

Yau Man is back at the cave and tells Boo he thinks they are all off talking about "me".

Dreamz is actually thinking they should try to get rid of Yau Man. He is talking to Cassandra and Stacy and trying to get them into a vote Yau Man plan. Finally Cassandra goes to Earl and Earl tells her to stop right there, they are NOT going to vote out Yau Man. Meanwhile, Dreamz (who needs western union with him around, eh) runs to Alex and tells him that Earl was not taking him seriously at their discussion earlier. Cassandra says she is conflicted with her heart telling her one thing and her head telling her another.

They arrive at tribal council and the jury comes in...Rocky, Lisi, Michelle, Edgardo and Mookie. Jeff immediately asks about how Alex voted last tribal council. Alex says that things are going to get very messy with or without him because the alliance will have to eventually start voting each other out. Jeff tries to get Alex to admit to trying to work some kind of thing to save himself but Alex isn't giving up any information.

Yau Man says he feels confident he is alright tonight but he will have to be very careful about how things are happening in the future since he may be a target with that immunity idol.

Alex is surprised at how comfortable the 6 people in the alliance seem to be with each other, that they don't seem to entertain the idea that some of them might not be trustworthy.

They vote. Jeff asks for anyone wanting to play the immunity idol and no one responds.

Alex votes for Yau Man.
Everyone else votes for Alex.

Dreamz then turns to Boo to say something and pokes out his own eye on the immunity necklace. OK OK, just kidding, but seriously, that think could HURT someone.

Next week, Yau Man is in trouble, and the competition reaches a whole new level.