This week on Survivor… Everyone is still reeling from the epic blindside of Savage when they return to camp. Kelley immediately apologizes for getting a little overheated, but everyone is quick to say that it was a badass move and she’s getting mad respect for it. She’s really proud of herself for idoling Savage out of the game, which is my new favorite Survivor-related verb. When asked where she found the idol, Kelley is tight-lipped and off in a quiet corner at camp, Kimmi tells Joe and Borneo Kelly that one of those girls has got to go at the next tribal – they have to break up the little witches coven before they lure people into the circle their cauldron. Stephen, on the other hand, is trying to figure out how to make the girl’s toil and trouble potion work for him. The next day, Jeremy shares his thoughts with us about Savage going home; he’s not that happy about it because Savage was one of his shields. He’s got his one idol, but he wants two because he knows the rest of the tribe is going to come after him eventually and he wants more insurance.
On the beach with Jeremy and Keith, Stephen reminds that there is another Idol to be found… And the tribe has caught a severe case of Idol Fever. Everyone is out looking for it. Joe especially wants to find it because he’s won two immunities and he KNOWS everyone is gunning for him. While he’s out searching, Abi runs up – she has to, uh, “use”, and she need to be alone for that so could he just, like, ya know, go away? Just for ten minutes??? lol Abi loves how nervous Joe is and after she’s done “using”, she laughs with Kelley about his desperation to find the idol. Kelley knows there is this group of eight that are voting together, but she also knows that there is paranoia within that group. She really wants some people to cowboy up – god I can’t believe I’m actually using that phrase – and she’s is hoping hoping hoping for another big move at the next Tribal Council.
Come on in, guys! It’s time for a Reward challenge! Up for grabs? A Survivor Spa Getaway complete with yummy spa foods. Totally worth playing for, but this is not gonna be an easy challenge. The tribe will be split into two teams of five, meaning one person won’t get picked to play and will have no chance of going on the reward – It’s Abi. Poor Abi… So anyway, this obstacle course is brutal. First, they must use wooden poles to construct a stairway they will use to climb to the top of a jungle gym maze – the catch is that the depth of the holes they will insert the poles into vary so the shortest pole may not be the one you put in the first spot. After going through the maze, they have to slide down a ramp made of bamboo rods then one person will navigate a key ring through a rope obstacle that will unlock a chest containing puzzle pieces that will reveal a number code that, when put in the right sequence, will allow them to raise their flag and win reward. On the red team… Because those headbands are red! Joe, Spencer, Stephen, Tasha, and Ciera aand … I mean… Wow. This one was a total blow out, for sure. It definitely is the most one-sided challenge I’ve ever seen because the red team totally takes this one. It was no contest. That stair puzzle just really messed with the other team.
At the reward, it doesn’t take long before Ciera brings up strategy. She doesn’t have anyone really, her biggest ally was Kass. The self-proclaimed Queen of Just Sayin’ Things takes this opportunity to throw Jeremy under the bus – if they take him to the end, they lose. Same goes for Wigglesworth and everyone pretty much agrees with Ciera on this. No solid plans are made, though. No one is ready to commit to a voting block yet. Back at camp, Jeremy leaves everyone NOT on the reward to their conversations and does some idol hunting alone. For some reason, Jeremy chooses the area around Tree Mail to do his searching and since the last clue he found was in a tree, he decides to poke around in a tree near Tree Mail. And he freaking finds the clue! Obtaining this Idol, though, is going to be tricky! In order to get the safety he seeks, he’ll have to sneak away from camp after everyone goes sleep and follow a map to a location where the Immunity idol will be illuminated by a lantern. Jeremy is pretty optimistic about this, though, because if things go as they normally do, the winning team will get back to camp and everyone will go to sleep, buuut… The ONE NIGHT Jeremy needs that to happen is the night everyone decides to hang out by the fire and chat chat chat chat chat so he finally says that the food they ate messed him up and he slips away into the night and he gets that Idol – it’s Val’s, they are both Val’s– And Jeremy’s chance at winning this game just sky-rocketed.
The next day, Stephen laments on how close Borneo Kelly and Joe are; they’ve got this whole brother/sister, aunt/nephew thing going on and they are both a little arrogant about their position in the game. Stephen wants to break that up and he wants to start making big moves that he can point to at the end of the game as the things he did to get to the Final Tribal. Stephen wants to work with the witches so he finds some time to do that while all three of them are lounging in the shelter. And Ciera, speaking for the group, says that they will write down whatever name he wants them to write down – none of them have anything to lose and everything to gain by forming a voting block with him. So who’s his target? Joe? While Joe is a juicy target, Wigglesworth is equally enticing because as Abi points out – her social game is on point. From here, things are left open-ended because…
Come on in, guys! It’s time for Immunity. This week, the Survivors will have to balance on triangular platforms in the water using narrow footholds to keep them stable. At regular intervals, they will have to move up on the platform until only one person remains. And as if on cue… The rain begins to fall just as everyone is taking their place on their platform. After eight minutes, everyone is still standing and Jeff begins to talk about being able to make the right decision at the right time and WHACK! He cuts a rope and up pop a bunch of buoys – first person to reach their buoy wins an advantage in the game, but will have no shot at Immunity. Stephen and Spencer hit the water and race to their buoys, but Stephen was just a tiny bit faster because he touches his buoy first. Way to go, Stephen! After a couple of minutes, it’s times to make the first transition and before Jeff is done counting, Kelley is down, Jeremy’s out, Ciera and Kimmi fall, and Tasha’s done. So now we’re down to four, Joe, Borneo Kelly, Abi, and Keith and they must endure 20 minutes in this position on the top beam of the platform. The women are like statues, but the guys are struggling and only Joe is able to stay balanced to make it to the final round. They must now go to one foot and Borneo Kelly isn’t able to make the transition in time so she’s out leaving Joe and Abi to battle it out for Immunity. Both are wobbling, Abi’s butt is cramping, but Joe is struggling a lot more, but finally… Abi loses it and Joe wins again.
After the challenge, and after the rain stops, the majority “alliance” are all talking about breaking up the witches coven; they need to split the votes, but Wentworth is their primary target. Stephen is quick to take a little jaunt into the jungle to read about his advantage and it is a goooooooood one! Stephen gets to steal another person’s vote – he gets to vote for them as well as himself. It’s a huge advantage and when used at the right time, a total game changer and Stephen knows that now is not the time to use it – he can get by on his wits and hustle for this Tribal Council. After burying his advantage, Stephen chats with Ciera and Kelley – He thinks he can get at least one vote and they are going to target Borneo Kelly and shake things up a bit. Stephen approaches Spencer and Jeremy… My mom and I were talking about this!!! This is exactly what these three guys need to do – join up with the witches coven and take control of the game. Jeremy and Spencer are hesitant, but Jeremy trusts Stephen – it’s the three girls that are untrustworthy, but Stephen assures that all three are down to blindside Kelly. The three of them are most assuredly on the bottom of the eight person voting block and Stephen doesn’t want to go down like that. It’s time to make a move.
To Tribal Council we go! And again, as if on cue – the rain – and I have never seen a tribe so miserably cold at Tribal Council. Stephen and Keith remark on how difficult it is to think because of how cold they are, lack of sleep, not enough to eat – that fire feels good! As Savage says – this is the warmest they are gonna be all night… I have to say, though, um… Smart players, who have watched the show every season, would always make sure to keep a stack of dry wood in the shelter for this very reason. Anyway… Jeff brings up Kelley playing her idol and she’s hoping that it opened up SOME people’s eyes and they will be willing to make a move at Tribal – cut to Stephen, Jeremy, and Spencer, the latter of the two wearing very conflicted faces. Kelley doesn’t think the vote will be as clear cut this week, Ciera says is play or get played, Joe agrees – it’s get or get got. Jeremy is just trying figure out how these voting blocks work, Spencer says that just because you vote one way one week, doesn’t mean trust is lost, but the votes never lie… Borneo Kelly agrees with the statement that the votes never lie and she’s pretty confident that her voting block is solid… So, Jeff asks the question – Who’s worried? Half the tribe is worried about their position in the game and they aren’t afraid to show it by raising their hands – Abi, Tasha, Stephen, Jeremy, Spencer, Kelley Wentworth, and Ciera. And it’s time to vote! The tally: Ciera, Wentworth, Wigglesworth, Ciera, Wentworth, Wigglesworth, Ciera, Wigglesworth, Wigglesworth… And Wigglesworth becomes the third member of the Jury.
For real, people reading this blog that want to be on Survivor and are lucky enough to get cast – DO NOT GET TOO CONFIDENT. It’s a game killer. And learn how to make fire, please. And do what you can to make sure you always have dry wood and a way to keep a fire going without burning down your camp if it’s raining. Let the misery in the next episode be your motivation to channel your inner Survivor McGyver when you’re out there. 😉 Be sure to check out Jon and Eric’s Survivor videos. 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 there is alsoScream Queens & American Horror Story stuff… And become a Patreon! Love love love you all! xoxox
