This time on Survivor… After the Brains return to camp Debbie is happy with the way things went down at camp, she confident that she’s playing smart and fancies herself the mastermind. Peter the narcissist has been knocked down a few pegs on the ego chart and he knows he’s still in the back of everyone’s minds as a target. Peter is shocked that he’s still around; he was pretty sure Jeff’s snuffer would be putting the moves on his torch that night and now he’s on the “Pea Brain” tribe because they are deficient both physically and strategically, and he’s going to turn on them as soon as he can, and blah blah blah… No offense to Liz, but Aubry has been the challenge powerhouse on the Brains so far this season if you ask me. The girl has been a beast in challenges. And has anyone else noticed that what they display as Debbie’s job is like the stairs at Hogwarts? It changes…
Come on in, guys! Wait, what? It’s “come on in, guys” time already? We haven’t even had a commercial break yet and we’re heading into a challenge? Whoa. Some serious stuff must be about to go down… And, FYI, this is just a Reward challenge, a spicy one too because up for grabs this week two Survivor Kitchen Sets: first place has coffee, mugs, cooking vessels, spices, oil – all kinds of good stuff. Second places just gets the basics, salt, pepper, a cooking pot, a knife, one small bottle of cooking oil, and a wok-like pan… Knowing what’s about to happen I have to say that no amount of pepper is worth being airlifted out of the game… ANYWAY, tribes will maneuver obstacles on a course to a log, which all tribe members must slide under to progress to the next stage – a sand pit in which three bags of balls have been buried. Once all three bags have been recovered, one tribe member at a time must toss the balls up a ramp to sink them into six targets.
Survivors ready? GO! And go they do. Like race horses chasing a carrot on stick in a cartoon, everyone is flying under and over the first series of obstacles then sand at the log obstacle starts flying. In record time, Cydney is the first player to squeeze through to the other side of the log, giving the Brawns a tiny lead for a few seconds because Debbie and Tai join her very soon, but the Brawns start digging first, followed by the Brains then the Beauties join the party. This is where everyone really starts to slow down their pace. The Brawns manage to find two bags, Brains and Beauty both have one… Forty-five minutes later… Wait, what? FORTY-FIVE EFFING MINUTES??? Jeeeeeeeeez… How far down did they bury these effing bags? Are the people who buried them surprised at how long it took to dig up three bags??? I mean, I think after 30 minutes, everyone playing should have been given some water, at the very least, or a fifteen minute shade-break, if everyone on the crew was so shocked at how long it was taking people to dig up these damn balls. I’m all about keeping Survivor pure, but seriously, at a certain point, in certain conditions, the welfare of those playing this game should be considered more important that the purity of the game. What is about to happen could have been avoided is all I’m saying…
So after 45 effing minutes, Debbie and Aubry find the other two bags for the Brains and they win first place in the challenge. Everyone else is still digging for bags of balls. Finally, Caleb and Nick find the other two bags for the Beauties and Caleb gets to rolling balls up the ramp. While Caleb is sinking balls for the Beauties… Debbie is succumbing to heat exhaustion and after a couple of “No, don’t call them” replies, Joe signals Jeff to call Medical in to help Debbie, who is very aware of the situation she is dealing with at the moment. Cue the opening credits… WAIT WHAT? I’m on page two already and it’s only been eleven minutes and we’re just NOW seeing opening credits??? Holy crap, dude! I hadn’t even noticed the lack of opening credits, and it’s the short version too. As soon as the commercial break is over, we’re right back in the thick of it at the challenge. The medics are keeping Debbie cool, shaded, and they are monitoring her vitals. Caleb is still rolling balls and the Brawns are STILL looking for the third and final bag. And Jeff is loving all of this drama. There are three stories happening all at once and I swear, he’s got this little glint in his eye because he knows… He knows… Jeff knows this is reality TV GOLD. You sadistic sociopath… 😉 For the record, I really admire and love Jeff Probst and I don’t really think he’s a sadistic sociopath, but seriously, there is a glint in his eyes during this whole ordeal and it’s an excited glint. He’s also concerned, but like me, he’s confident in the Survivor Medical team. After making sure that Debbie is okay, who is feeling MUCH better at this point, Jeff gets back to monitoring the tribes still competing in the challenge.
Back to the challenge, Nick and Caleb have scored five balls for the Beauties and seem to be taking turns, slowly, to land the last one, and the Brawns are still in the sand pit looking for their third and final bag. Alecia is playing the part of cheerleader, which Scot says she should keep doing because that’s what she’s good at to which Alecia replies something about how that’s not being a team and then Scot says something like he’s already found two bags and how many has she found… All the sudden, Jason has found the last bag for the Brawns and the pace quickens as the Brawns start to catch up to the Brawns, but Caleb gives another ball a toss and it’s all over… And as soon as the challenge is over, Jeff checks in on Debbie who is doing just fine and just a few yards away Caleb collapses… As soon as Jeff notices the Beauties all hovering around Caleb, he calls for Medical and runs over to him and chaos basically ensues at this point. At the Brawn’s ball throwing area, Cydney isn’t doing so well and Jason is helping walk her over to the medics; she collapses on the ground a couple feet away from Caleb.
Okay, I’ve spent enough time recapping this challenge. Immediately after the challenge is over, everyone is given cold water to drink and pour over themselves. Debbie is fine, Cydney will be okay, but Caleb is airlifted out of the game. The Beauties are upset, especially Tai. They all thought Caleb was invincible, but the Evil Sun got the best of him. I’m only upset because I was sooo excited to watch him play Survivor, but I know he’ll be back. Jeff was happy to have him out on the island. He’s Beast Mode Cowboy from Big Brother. As if CBS isn’t going to bank on that… Caleb is okay now, by the way, probably getting ready to film another season of Survivor… After all the chaos has settled, Jeff addresses the group – no one phoned it in during this challenge, they all dug deep, literally and figuratively, so no one should feel they didn’t give 100%… Jason also makes a comment in regards to his excellent care of Cyd while she feeling sick about being in the military and as soon as a team member goes down, it’s not about the mission anymore – that’s a solid bond that can’t be broken. And that’s that.
Oh! And Tai still wants that kiss from Caleb, but we got no time for love, Dr. Jones! This is Survivor and the show must go on and go on we do to the Brains camp for Debbie back story time. She didn’t want to seem weak to anyone on the tribe and to her daughters back home, who think the world of their mom and were so proud of her coming to be on Survivor – She doesn’t want to let them down. Well, you know what would have really disappointed them, Debbie? You being airlifted from the game because you pushed yourself too hard so as to not seem weak to anyone. To all Survivors past, present, and future – Everyone back home is proud of you no matter what happens in the game, unless you’re a total dick or quit or something, and as far as your tribe goes? I’m sure they’d rather have an extra tribe member instead of watching one being taken away on a helicopter. So… Rule #3 of Survivor: Know Your Physical Limits; Don’t Risk Your Health & Safety… Especially over a Reward challenge and especially when it’s just, like five items… I mean really…
We are now taken to the Brawn tribe where Alecia confronts Scot on the cheerleader comment he made during the challenge. Would he treat a teammate like that if he was playing an NBA game? Scot points out that when he’s playing an NBA game he’s playing with the best in the world and I’m like, duuude, come on! You played for the Jayhawks, not K-State, let’s show a little class, man! At this point, Scot back peddles on the intention of the cheerleader comment, which he says he didn’t mean to be taken as insulting – he truly appreciated her encouraging comments. I don’t really buy this, but the tone of his voice indicates that there is some remorse in him about the comment. Alecia doesn’t let up on the issue, though, which pushes the rest of the tribe to get more frustrated with her – they tell her she’s next to go and that she’s lucky to still be around. Jason hopes his daughters don’t turn out like Alecia and he’s ready to send her packing as soon as possible. They are all just waiting to go to Tribal at this point…
Come on in, guys! It’s time for the Immunity challenge. But first… Jeff checks in to make sure everyone is taking care of their selves given what they just went through. Yes. Everyone is doing just that and yes, Jeff, everyone knows just how serious it is to stay hydrated and with that – Immunity is back up for grabs! In this challenge, two tribe members will run into the jungle, the shaded jungle, climb up a ladder and retrieve puzzle pieces then race back to the starting mat where two tribe members will then swim out in the water to retrieve more puzzle pieces. Once all the puzzle pieces have been collected, two tribe members will solve a snake puzzle, the pieces are all flexible, like those plastic snakes we all played with as kids that if you hold them they stay all horizontal in the air, only these pieces don’t do that… ANWAY… Survivors ready? Go! Wait… The Brawns put Alecia on a puzzle again??? For fu…Okay… Let’s just get to this because the majority of the Brawns wanted to go to Tribal and guess what – the Brawns lose this challenge. If you’re in a mindset of wanting to lose, you’re gonna lose and they did, despite Alecia doing her best.
After the challenge, Alecia says that she tried, Cyd quickly replies with “we” tried, as if Alecia, who has been berated by her tribe repeated for not being “up to snuff” with the rest of them, was insinuating that she was the only person trying to put the puzzle together. Scot remarks that she’s saying that to validate herself and can you really blame her? Jason says it’s all about her her her her her to Alecia and I’m just like, really? Anyway, after the other tribes are gone, Jeff talks to the Brawns who tell him that Alecia is going home tonight – he aks if they wanna do Tribal right now, the boys do, but Alecia has to agree to it and she doesn’t. GOOD FOR YOU, GIRL! Make them endure you for another afternoon at camp, which we see nothing of and go directly to Tribal Council and the outcome is the expected outcome. Alecia is voted out of the game and it’s a shame, because as Jeff says – Alecia is Brawn because she doesn’t take crap from people and I bet we see Alecia on Survivor again too. Jeff likes Alecia as well. 😉 Next time on Survivor… Drop. Your. Buffs. Tribe swap time, ya’ll! Too bad Alecia couldn’t make it through episode four.
