This week on Survivor… Not only is Jeremy’s most-trusted alliance member shocked to be returning to camp without him after Tribal Council, but Keith is also surprised. He thought everyone was voting for Reed; even HE voted for Reed. Keith says that Reed can do things that he can’t do like, count and talk to people so Reed is a bit of a threat. However! Reed rounds up the Three Little Pigs (Keith, Wes and Alec) for a little huff and puff; they just need to stick together, blah blah blah. Reed is very happy that Jeremy went home, but he’s not sure which group of people he should align with to go deeper into the game. All Reed is really sure of is that Jon thinks he’s an alpha male and that Jon may have to become his target. Natalie has a sit down with the people she thought were in her alliance, Jon, Jaclyn, Missy and Baylor and lets them know that it’s hard to trust them now. They all jump on the damage control bus and take Natalie for a ride. Jon tells her that another reason Jeremy had to go is because Jon DOES have an idol and he wouldn’t be telling her if he didn’t trust her and blah blah blah. That night while everyone is asleep, Natalie makes her first attempt to find the hidden Immunity Idol that is still hidden around camp…
Time for reward! This week reward is a Survivor classic: the goodwill ambassador reward. The team that wins reward will deliver baseball gear to a group of local kids and enjoy some classic baseball game food. The challenge? Dive into the water, climb up a platform, grab a key while jumping off, unclip puzzle pieces floating in the water, swim them over to another platform; first team to assemble the statue puzzle wins. Yellow Team: Jon, Jaclyn, Reed and Alec; Blue Team: Missy, Baylor, Natalie and Wes – Keith was not picked for a team so he will neither participate nor be eligible to go on reward.
Wes & Jon are first in the water for their teams and when they make it to the puzzle solving platform, we learn that they have buoys on ropes that they can use to pull people over to the platform; a BIG help in this exhausting challenge. The teams stay pretty neck and neck until it comes time to unlock the platform on which they will assemble the puzzle. Yellow has the platform unlocked fast… And from this point forward it’s pretty obvious that blue has no chance; it takes them far too long to unlock the platform and just as they are getting started on the puzzle, Yellow has won reward. Baylor is really upset. Her mom hasn’t been on Reward yet, but Reed speaks up; he wants to give up his spot to Missy… Because he would rather spend his time talking with the people that didn’t win! Food reward, schmood reward! A million bucks allows for the opportunity to act as a good will ambassador more than once and with a million bucks you can buy enough hot dogs to fill a an Olympic size swimming pool. Smart move, Reed! Along with Reward, the winning team also gets to choose someone to go to Exile and they choose Wes.
While the actual reward plays out we see that being around the kids really gives Missy the recharge she needed; she feels like the Energizer bunny now. We also learn during the Reward segment that Jon really would like to have kids someday, but Jaclyn was born with a medical condition that won’t allow her to have them. And it’s all very sweet that Jon doesn’t care, they can adopt and he’s not going to leave a great woman just because she can’t birth his children. Jaclyn reiterates that she and Jon have a lot of love to give a child and that this reward felt really good and blah blah blah. Like, don’t get me wrong: I am a very sympathetic, empathetic, compassionate person; I genuinely care about other people and the situations in their lives that they have to deal with, but… It’s sooooooooo obvious that the editors/producers are doing absolutely everything they can to build up audience sympathy for Jon and Jaclyn. We’ve heard more about their personal struggles than we have anyone else, even Jeremy, the firefighter with a police woman wife that are raising two kids. I just think we should all prepare for a final three that includes Jon and Jaclyn because the editors are going above and beyond to garner sympathy for them. Moving on!
Back at camp, the others make return and get on the tasks of maintaining their island lifestyle. Natalie suggests that the boys, (Keith and Reed) go check the fish nets while she and Baylor retrieve some water. Reed is MORE than happy to oblige because he wants to have a little chat with Keith, because he doesn’t think that Keith understands the intricacies of the game and wants to know where his head is at. So away from the ladies, Reed tells Keith that the other alliance thinks they have an idol and that they plan to split the vote between him and Wes at the next Tribal and that they think that Reed and Alec are going to vote with them, BUT… Reed assures Keith that he and Alec are going to vote with Keith and Wes because Reed wants to take out Jon. Keith is totally down for this plan, he doesn’t really care for Jon and he likes the prospect of being able to hang on to his idol.
While the boys are out chatting, Baylor and Natalie are NOT out getting water because Natalie’s plan all along was to get the boys away from camp so that she and Baylor could look for the Immunity idol that is still hidden there. No one else got a second clue about the location of the idol and Natalie is pretty sure that the one hidden at camp is not the idol that Keith found. Baylor is very pleasantly surprised by this new task and the ladies waste no more time counting paces from the flag and digging in different spots around camp. Aaand… They find it! Right in the heart of their camp, near the fire, Natalie finds the last remaining hidden Immunity idol, she stashes it on her person and the girls gleefully gallop away from camp to collect the water Natalie said they were going to retrieve. They are so giddy they almost forget the pots, though (lol) and they are back with water in record time. Reed and Keith will be none the wiser to Natalie’s successful scheme.
And I have to say… Thank you, Natalie! I just KNEW it would be you that would rally those girls to take out the guys! I’ve been waiting since the Merge for you to make that move!!! So, after they return from record water collecting time, which must have included strategy talk time because we jump back to footage of the girls at the well looking at their new friend, the Immunity Idol and to Natalie talking about what she would like to do. She wants to keep Jon feeling nice and safe, but he needs to go soon. Reed is also a threat and for right now she wants to even up the guy to girl ratio so that they can take out the girls one-by-one. (I love it! I just love it)! Natalie wants Jon out really bad, but they have to get rid of a guy next, doesn’t matter how, but it has to be a guy and they both agree that Reed is scary enough to be their first victim. !!! This is exactly what I have been telling my mom that Natalie needs to do. So happy it’s happening.
Come on in, guys! It’s time for Immunity and it’s an endurance challenge with a food temptation twist! I love these. In this challenge, players have to have to hold onto bars above their head while standing on a narrow ledge on a wooden pole. If they let go of the handle or a foot comes off the ledge they are OUT of the challenge. Stations have been measured for height so everything is all fair and the challenge begins. First food temptation: a plate full of candy, including a chocolate bar. Jeff walks the small plate by everyone, takes a bite of the candy bar and within a minute or so, Jon is out of the challenge! It was his favorite candy bar! He had to have it. He lasted seven minutes. Keith is not impressed or happy about Jon’s actions at all. Missy steps down next… Without being tempted by food, talking about how great the sand feels as she walks over to the bench, Baylor tells her mom to shut her mouth (lol) and soon after Jeff brings out a second covered dish. Wes asks if they can share the next item with someone else, which amuses Jeff because the item is totally set up to be shared: it’s two glasses of milk and a plate of chocolate chip cookies! Baylor’s feet immediately hit the sand and Jaclyn joins her.
Forty-five minutes into the challenge, Jeff brings out a third plate of food; it’s wings and two beers and Wes is off his perch for wings almost as fast as Baylor was for chocolate chip cookies. Keith looks proud. Jeff reminds that there are four people left: Keith, Reed, Alec and Natalie. Keith is all over that! Hey, isn’t that your whole team over there enjoying food instead of fighting for immunity, Natalie? And Jeff is all over that, provoking the conversation towards explaining how this challenge works: the safer a person feels, the more likely they are to drop for food. Obviously Natalie is at the bottom of the totem pole and her position in the game is no safer than Keith, Wes, Alec or Reed… Even though Wes dropped out of the challenge for wings; Keith is going to have a little “father/son” about his food weakness after the challenge. Wes then tells everyone about his chicken nugget eating prowess… He won a nugget eating contest for downing fifty-eight in only 5 minutes! Well color Jeff impressed! Jeff wants to know what Wes won, as in what type of prize was up for grabs – Wes says that he won the nugget-eating contest. ::facepalm:: Moving on…
An hour and twenty minutes into the challenge, Jon is licking his plate clean and Keith and Alec aren’t looking so great. Feet a numb, people are squirming and struggling to find spots that don’t hurt. Keith steps down, wisely and gently,as Jeff puts it. Alec steps down not long after Keith leaving Natalie and Reed to battle it out for Immunity. After three hours of elapsed time, Jon and Jaclyn are leaning on each other snoozing and we learn that Natalie can’t spit and that Wes loves Two and a Half Men and remembers Jeff’s naked cooking scene. THEN, Natalie asks if Jeff is going to bring out anymore food because it’s obvious Reed is going strong and if she’s going to step down, she wants to get some food out of it. And wouldn’t you know… Look what Jeff has: pizza, wings, a cookie, water and beer. He compares it to the necklace and asks what kind of decision Natalie is going to make, she looks to Reed, he winks sooo… Natalie steps off and crumbles to the sand… Reed wins Immunity, steps down and does the splits.
So… There’s goes Natalie shot at getting Reed out at the next Tribal Council. Reed knows that Jon feels safe, safe enough to step out of the Immunity challenge seven minutes into it so… He’s going home that night. Reed tells Keith to vote for Jon. Reed’s plan is for the majority alliance to stick to their plan of splitting the votes, 4 for Keith, 3 for Wes and for himself, Keith, Alec and Wes to vote 4 strong for Jon to send him to the Jury. Reed talks to Alec and explains his plan of making Missy, Baylor and Natalie believe that they are voting for Keith, he talks to Missy and Baylor and everything seems to be going smoothly for Reed. Missy runs to Jon, Jon is a little skeptical, but Alec sidles up to the conversation and reassures that he is down, 100% down for this plan to split votes between Wes and Keith. Jon is nervous, though, because he and Jaclyn have been the swing votes for awhile, but now the outcome of the votes is totally out of his control and now he has to rely on his alliance members to keep him safe… But he does have that idol… But he feels it would be selfish to use it on himself right now. He wants to save that idol for him and Jaclyn to use later. He believes that Tribal will go as planned because of Alec’s reassurance.
Tribal. Council. Time. Everyone takes their seats, the Jury joins them and Jeff wastes no time pointing out that it’s been blindside after blindside to fill the seats on the jury side of the fire. Those two guys over there trusted people over here sooo trust has to be an issue at camp, huh? Jaclyn and Baylor confirm – yeah, trust is an issue in the game of Survivor. Jeff reminds that not a single idol has been played and looks to Keith for commentary, Keith isn’t sure why one hasn’t been played, someone must feel comfortable. Natalie pipes in about how there is a lot of pressure to play an idol at the right time; if she had one she would look at it as both a blessing and a curse. Reed speaks up about Wes stepping down during the Immunity challenge. He points out that it makes sense for the other five who have strong numbers in an alliance to step down, but not Wes so… Wes must have an idol or he’s sharing one with his dad because it just makes no sense for him to take food over a shot at Immunity…
So Jeff addresses Keith: it can’t be more direct than that, right? Keith agrees, gets visibly upset… I think. Anyone else notice how Keith always looks really worried or sad or… Something… Confused? Disappointed? Anyway… Keith doesn’t like that Reed just called him out for having an idol, sorta blames idol paranoia for the comment and says to Reed that they should just stick to the plan… Uh… Oh… Looks are shared and Jeff asks how Jon is feeling. Keith cackles. Reed dons a “omfg I can’t believe you just said that” face then starts whispering to Natalie to “stick to this” and not to let paranoia get to her and he says it in the most casual, comfortable way. Natalie asks if Jaclyn trusts him, she says no and Reed rolls his eyes as his plan spirals out of control and Natalie’s mind springs into action. Jaclyn says that they’ll vote with “them”, Jeff asks Missy about how it feels to be one of the people sitting on that side of the fire. It’s crazy! Everyone is popping like popcorn. She’s talkin’, they’re poppin’ and Jeff has the BEST seat in the house! Baylor likens the feeling to looking in a fun house mirror; that’s how she feels right now. Everything is distorted and it’s nearly impossible to see reality in the reflections, everyone kinda feels that she’s sure and she probably won’t make a decision until she’s over there with the pen in her hand.
It’s time to vote! And Reed is still whispering to people as he walks towards the podium. Everyone votes, Jeff goes to retrieve the urn… And Natalie whispers to Jon to play his idol. He’s like, really? Are you sure? She says it is up to him and covers her eyes… So smart, Natalie!!! If Jon didn’t trust you before, he totally does now and he’ll feel NICE and safe with you next week… So… Anyway… Jeff returns with the votes and poses the question. Does, uh, anyone want to play an idol? After a few moments, Jon hands his idol over to Jeff who confirms that it IS a valid idol. After a few more moments Keith stands up, asks if Wes wants it, he doesn’t, so Keith hands over HIS idol to Jeff who confirms that it TOO is a valid idol. Alec is dumbstruck. As the votes are read… It’s Jon, Jon, Jon, Keith, Keith, Jon… is very glad he played his idol. Another vote for Keith and then two votes for Wes fly outta the urn and with two votes against him and none of the others valid, Wes has been eliminated. Jon expresses to Reed how impressed he is at the sly move and Keith shakes his head with that same look on his face that he always has. That man has THE BEST poker face!!!
Next time on Survivor… Uh oh! Trouble in paradise! We’re looking at a “expose the chopping block list” challenge in next week’s TWO HOUR episode of Survivor, which are always fun and ripe with drama. Reed calls Baylor a brat! Missy snaps at Reed cut to Jaclyn arguing with Jon and he’s saying what a bad idea it is for her to do be acting that way so close to Tribal and she’s all “screw him”… Oooh, ladies and gentlemen… It’s gonna be a good one and I am so excited to write about it next week. In the meantime… As always, lots of good stuff here at Your Reality Recaps! We’ve got so many people covering so many reality shows, like The Amazing Race and shows on Bravo and much more. And don’t forget that if you’re doing any holiday shopping on Amazon, to please click here! It doesn’t cost you anything more and it gives us a little more than we had before so, just do it! We really appreciate the support and promise to keep bringing you fun recaps and commentary of the shows you love. ; )
