This week on Survivor… After they return from Tribal Council, Spencer thanks the rest of the Ta Keo tribe and promises that he’s not going to run around camp strategizing; it’s all about the tribe and personal relationships now. If he can make the change that he knows is within him, he still has a chance. Terry is super proud of himself for having a social game and super happy that he’s gone from the bottom to the top. He’s on top the world. They still have Spencer to vote out if they have to go to the next Tribal, but life is good… The next day both tribes meet up with Jeff and he does a little talking about how the tribes feel about their tribes – everyone is feeling great about their tribes – then Jeff tells them to drop their buffs. It’s tribe-switchin’ time! Of course, everyone drops their jaws along with their Buffs. Spencer looks disappointed, but his reaction should be more like Stephen’s because Spencer has a shot to form some new alliancships – you know, relationships/alliances – that aren’t planning to vote him out next time they go to Tribal.
Then Jeff drops another bomb: they will switch from two tribes to three with six players each and one tribe will have to go to a whole new beach and build a whole new camp. No one is excited about this at all and Savage is scared, not about building a new camp, but because tribe switches haven’t really done him any favors in the game of Survivor. After Jeff reveals wicker boxes containing new Buffs, each person grabs one and the new tribes are revealed. On the new Bayon tribe: Jeremy, Monica, Stephen, Borneo Kelly, Spencer, and Kimmi. On the new Ta Keo tribe: Keith, Kass, Joe, Ciera, Terry, and the other Kelley, which leaves Savage, Woo, Peih-Gee, Varner, Tasha, and Abi on the new tribe, Angkor. Joe is really happy with his new tribe; all their girls are stronger, all their guys are stronger and he thinks they will be able to take control of the game. Savage is overwhelmed, he’s in the minority with his new tribe, they have to build a new camp – it’s devastating.
But Savage doesn’t have any idea just how devastating it really is. After Jeff dismisses the tribes, (and after opening credits), Angkor gets a look at their new camp. They have no food, not even rice, but they do have a pair of flippers, a snorkel and mask, what looks like a fishing net, and some other stuff that will make life easier, including flint. That’s pretty generous of Survivor if you ask me. Upon seeing exactly tools and such they have, and seeing that there isn’t a lot of bamboo around, Savage and Tasha go to check the boat for something… The Former Ta Keo members pow wow real quick. Varner tells the group that he knows Savage is going to get on his nerves; Woo pleads that they all stick to their four to get both Savage and Tasha out of game. Peih-Gee likes where she’s sitting because the vibe is that no one will be targeting her for awhile. Out alone in the jungle, Tasha and Savage know their position and Tasha says they have to find the weak link in the Ta Keo alliance. Tasha isn’t giving up, she’s just going to play the cards she’s dealt and do what she can to survive the votes. Over at the new Ta Keo, everything seems all great and wonderful. Terry feels great about this tribe. He’s not worried that he’s with four Bayon members because they are all strong competitors and he doesn’t think they are going to lose many challenges. Ciera sees no reason for the Bayon members to NOT stay intact, they have the numbers so win or lose a challenge, the Bayon alliance should be just fine. Kelley knows the four of them will stick together so she buys herself a little insurance when Kass and Ciera ask her if Terry could have an idol. With the idol in her back pocket, she tells the girls that Terry and Spencer were out there a lot together. *claps* Smooth move, the Other Kelly…
At the new Bayon, it’s a lot like the old Bayon except they have two easy votes in Spencer and Borneo Kelly from the old Ta Keo tribe. Stephen couldn’t be happier. He’s not on Camp Macho anymore. Spencer is happy to have the opportunity to play a more social game and connection with people emotionally; he’s trying to have feelings. So, Spencer opens up to Jeremy about his relationship with his girlfriend, Jeremy thinks Spencer is a good dude, he’s funny, and he’s happy to have a personal conversation with him. He’ll be good to have around in the game. Back at Angkor, it’s raining and everyone is pretty miserable. This is just round two for Tasha, she experienced all this in her first game of Survivor. Tasha has also noticed the divide between Peih-Gee and Abi and she opts for talking to Abi about voting with her and Savage. Abi doesn’t know what to do. She wants to go to the end this time, but Ta Keo wants to remain Ta Keo strong. The next day Varner, Savage and Tasha are talking out in the jungle; Savage and Tasha are promising Varner a spot on the Jury if he votes with them. Isn’t that lovely? Jeff is very nervous about Savage and Tasha. They are out and about talking to everyone and they could be making the same promises and deals with the others.
Back to Bayon, Stephen has infected the rest of the original Bayon members with Idol Fever. They are all out looking for the hidden Idol. Monica and Stephen are having no luck, staring up into the trees isn’t doing Kimmi any favors, and Jeremy is in the jungle by himself, poking around in trees. And just like that *snap*, Jeremy finds the CLUE to the Idol – his idol – will be on the third box in the next Immunity challenge. Jeremy doesn’t know how he’s going to do it, but he wants that Idol bad. Time for Immunity! Each tribe will drag a cart through an obstacle course and retrieve keys to obtain a chest. After collecting all three chests, the cart must be taken apart, transported through a barricade, then reassembled and dragged through the final obstacle where two members of each tribe will solve a three section puzzle from the pieces in each of the three chests. This is the first challenge of Cagayan and each tribe has a member of the Brains tribe that failed so miserably to win this one. Two will be redeemed, one will not! And Jeremy is pumped and ready to get that idol.
And GO! Jeremy is quick to position himself as the key-catcher and thus, the person who uses the key to release the chests. Ta Keo takes an early lead as the first tribe to have all three chests. As Bayon reaches their third and final chest, Jeremy pushes Kimmi out of the way to catch the key, then kneels down, grabs the idol, pushes it down his pants, then pops back up ready to use the key. Bayon is next to reach the barricade with Angkor not far behind them. Ta Keo’s lead, though, has been helpful. They are already working on reassembling their cart and as soon as Jeff says they are good, they get to work clearing away the obstructions in the final leg of the obstacle course. Bayon gets to the puzzle station not long after Joe and Kass have begun putting the first section of the giant circle puzzle together. Angkor is nipping at Bayon’s heals, though. Spencer and Monica have taken the puzzle reigns for Bayon; Tasha and Peih-Gee are tackling it for Angkor and they have made quick work of the first section, joining Kass and Joe who are already working on it and quickly move on to the third and final section – They finish first, leaving Bayon and Angkor to battle it out for the second Immunity idol, but Jeremy and Spencer are working very well together and it’s not long before they finish, claiming the second idol for Bayon. Angkor will go to Tribal Council.
So… After the challenge, before they have reassembled on their starting mats, Varner tries to communicate with Borneo Kelly, but Tasha sees him and is quick to jump in front him to cut off the visual link saying “We’ve got a rat”. After Jeff hands out the Immunity Idols, he of course takes a moment to address the altercation. Varner says he barely said anything to Kelly before Tasha freaked out on him. He made deals with her and Savage and then they turned around and made a deal with “her”, whom I assume is in reference to Peih-Gee. Savage says he’s wrong about that. This shakes Woo’s confidence because he knew nothing about any side deals being made with the people on his tribe AAAND it’s time to go back to camp! Varner knows he’s in trouble and Savage couldn’t be happier. He thought for sure he was a goner, but after Varner’s little outburst, things are looking better for him. By the well, Savage pleads his case to Woo and Peih-Gee – the challenges are going to be physical and they need him. Abi tells Tasha that she will totally vote out Varner, then she let’s Woo and Peih-Gee know that she’s voting with Savage and Tasha because she knows she’s on the bottom of the Ta Keo alliance. This fuels Peih-Gee to go to Savage and Tasha to let them know that she now wants Abi gone, but this backfires because Savage finds Abi and lets her know that he and Tasha will be voting for Peih-Gee since she is targeting Abi… Varner tells Abi that he is on board to oust Peih-Gee, it keeps him in the game so he’s game for that. Tasha tells, Woo and Peih-Gee, though, that they are voting Abi, giving herself and Savage all the power they need to send home the woman of their choice. Bravo, Tasha and Savage. Brilliant play.
Time for Tribal Council! After Tasha and Savage get fire, because they haven’t been to Tribal Council yet, remember… Jeff gets into the switch with Savage and there is a lot of nodding about how tough it is to get a new camp built in this kind of situation. Jeff then gets into what happened after the Immunity challenge and ya know… I don’t know what Varner was saying, but Tasha made too big a deal about it. I would have made a mental note of this, put the card in my pocket, to play it later back at camp. Sure, family business is family business, but you don’t need to show the other tribes that there is trouble in paradise. So Jeff wants Varner’s thoughts and he has no idea what’s going to happen with the vote because so many names have been thrown around, but oddly, Tasha and Savage are not on that list; he says they have gone from the bottom to the top. He knows that the former Bayons are in control of who goes home tonight. Abi and Peih-Gee plead their cases to the rest of the tribe; Varner still has no idea what’s going to happen, but his firm on his stance that whoever it is, it will be because of Tasha and Savage. So let’s get to the votes! First vote: Abi, Peih-Gee, Abi, Peih-Gee, Peih-Gee… Peih-Gee. Of course…
So, next week on Survivor… Or rather, should I say, THIS week on Survivor since I can’t seem to get these things written in a timely manner… I’ve been going directly from the restaurant to the liquor store to work on Thursdays and Fridays… And there is real life drama… I’m doing my best. Anyway. So, in the next episode, everyone is miserable at Angkor and the next Immunity challenge is the “everyone’s blindfolded and carrying heavy things so people’s gonna hit in the face and stuff” challenge. Should be fun! Be sure to check out Jon and Eric’s Survivor videos – obviously I am too busy to participate or I would totally be making appearances on them. Hanne is covering the Amazing Race, we have post-season Big Brother coverage, if you love Bravo shows, you’ll love Your Reality Recaps, and a lot of other stuff to feed your reality TV addiction to surf around. xoxox
