Preview:

And the winner is…

Instantly, we are transported to New York, and a tribal-council like TV studio set, where Jeff Probst walks in with the vote jar. All our finalists are seated together, considerably cleaned up. The jury is seated off to one side, also considerably cleaned up, except for Rupert – still clad in tie-dye, same scraggly beard. Otherwise the men are now clean-shaven, saving only a moustache on Coach.

Sandra and Parvati look marvelous, Russell has a five-day beard and a new hat, so he’s not forced to wear his buff to protect us from the glare off his bald head.

Jeff naturally says this is probably the best Survivor season ever. Wonder if he’d ever get up and say “This season sucked, so let’s get it over with.”

And out come the votes:

Parvati – 1
Sandra – 1
Parvati - 2
Sandra – 2
Parvati – 3
Sandra – 3
(Russell has a wistful look on his unsmiling face)
Sandra – 4
Sandra – 5 THE WINNER!

Sandra gets a hug from Parvati and a hug and kiss on the cheek from Russell, managing to accept it gracefully, then makes her way down to the auditorium floor for more hugs from her family – including her husband, just back from Afghanistan. We see a cheering section from her home town in Connecticut, as well. She re-ascends to the stage and gets a hug from Rupert and Coach as the rest of the 20 survivors make their way onto the stage. Jeff points out that Sandra has become the first two-time Survivor winner.

From somewhere, a tiara has made its way into Sandra’s hair. Did she bring it herself? All the Survivors are now seated together in center stage, finalists in front.

Jeff asks Sandra if being the first two-time winner makes her the best Survivor ever? “It makes me the queen, yes.” And later she agrees that two titles make her the best Survivor ever. Parvati is sitting between Sandra and Russell, possibly as a buffer zone. You can see fumes of chagrin rising from underneath Russell’s new hat.

Jeff asks Parvati if Sandra’s the best ever. Parvati points out that she, Parvati, has played three times, won, and is a ‘challenge dominator” so… Sandra interrupts to say Parvati’s played three times and only won once, whereas she, Sandra, is two for two.

Jeff asks Russell the same question, the opportunity he’s been waiting for, so he ticks off a list: “Social player: No. .. . Physical game: Maybe the worst physical player to ever play the game. Strategic game: Her strategic game from day one – get rid of Russell. And you know what – it never panned out for her. So let’s award her, for her failures.” Sandra is objecting and Russell talking over her, and Parvati holds the two of them back from each other. (See pic above.)

Russell says there is a flaw in the game. “If she can win the game twice, there is a flaw in the game.” [Boos from the audience.] Russell is in his element but Probst tells him he’s only got ten seconds to reveal the flaw. “What needs to happen, is America has to have a percentage of the vote.” [Cheers and applause from the audience. Is this a fickle audience or what?] Sandra says he still wouldn’t win if they had a percentage of the vote to which Russell responds “I would have won last season.” Sandra continues with “The only people who like you are sitting right there (pointing to his family).”

Jeff says that would be a different show, not the one they have here, if the audience had a vote. Jeff asks Sandra what was her key move. She says she was a fan first before she became a Survivor, and she learned from every season a little bit more to use in knowing what not to do.

Jeff turns to a very popular former winner, Tom Westman, and asks what it says that Sandra has never been voted out in her two seasons, despite having never won a challenge – even Courtney won a challenge [Yeah, one that involved sitting very, very still]. Tom says the game is 1/3 physical, 1/3 strategic and social, and 1/3 luck, and if you win it you deserved it.

Asked if he’s surprised he lost – not even getting a single vote, Russell replies he didn’t play twice – he played once, referring to his back-to-back seasons. Russell says “Let me tell you how good I am. [He holds up JT’s note, delivered with a gift immunity idol.] When I can make a winner – a winner – look like the dumbest player in history, I’m good, right?” JT is cracking up, good sport that he is, but then he snatches the note and tosses it at the stage-fire. Russell snatches it out of mid-air and keeps his souvenir. Jeff says this is what it was like. Every. Single. Day. Out. There.

Sandra gets to show off her husband in the audience. He’s going back to the ‘Stan in two weeks.

Parvati agrees with Jeff that teaming up with Russell worked against her. Jeff points out that Parvati has now racked up 114 days in Survivor – the most ever – and she’s tied for second in most individual challenges won with six, Colby Donaldson, despite his disappointing showing this season, has the record with seven.

Jeff asks Russell is he knew what happened to his hat. Russell says no, he couldn’t figure it any strategic reason for taking it, so was mystified, and didn’t know what happened until watching tonight’s episode. He says he gives credit where credit is due – burning the hat could fluster him at tribal council. Sandra tries to make out like it was a sanitation move “it was funky” at first, and says when she learned he’s worn it through two seasons she felt bad at first, but later when he started ‘acting all crazy’ that feeling went away.

Russell says he thinks Parvati should have won. Jeff asks Russell if he considered the effect of his actions on the jury. Russell says he plays the way he plays – as hard as he can – and he doesn’t worry about the jury, and it gets him to the end, every time.

Jeff ask Boston Rob if he’d have gotten further if he’d teamed up with Russell instead of opposing him. Rob says he probably would have, and his analysis of Russell is that Russell doesn’t play to win, just to get to the end. Russell: “And you play the game to win?” “I do.” “When have you won?” “I haven’t.” Rob lays down a challenge: “Given the opportunity, I’d gladly go back and kick your ass.”

Jeff turns the topic to dumb moves, first bringing up Tyson’s changed vote that got him voted out and changed the course of the game. Tyson, who’s wearing his hair Jesus-style now, says you have to takes risks to win the game, leaving aside the question of whether this was a legitimate risk or just dumb. My vote is for “dumb”.

The other dumb move is JT’s. JT says he has no regrets – he had to take a chance to avoid going home. Jeff says Survivor has been conducting an on-line poll of “dumbest Survivor moved over the twenty seasons.” JT asks if there’s money involved for the winner – Jeff says no, the winner has to give some money back.

And the nominees are:

1. Tyson’s vote switch that got him voted out. (H vs. V)
2. JT’s giving the idol to Russell. (H vs. V)
3. James getting voted out with two idols in his pocket. (China)
4. Colby taking the wrong person to the finals. (Australia)
5. Erik’s immunity give-away. (Micronesia)

And the winner, complete with Tiki trophy is… JT. He takes it with good grace and shows it around to the rest of the jury.

Jeff questions James about his ‘attitude’, especially with his exchanges with Stefanie. James says he’s disappointed in his knee, not his play. Amanda, of course, jumps to his defense.

Rupert says he actually broken two toes on his foot. He says the line between Hero and Villain is blurred, even though he likes the appellation “Hero”.

Colby says he knew things would be very different this time around when Coach manhandled him in the first challenge. He says he had more fun watching this season than playing, part of the reason being that they weren’t allowed to go in the water, or explore in the jungle, which he greatly enjoyed in seasons past.

Jeff compliments Amanda on being one of only four people to make it to the final tribal council twice -Russell, Sandra, and Parvati being the others, as well as second in most days played in Survivor, and yet, he says, some quality seemed to elude her, and we all knows this refers to finishing. She can’t explain it.

Stefanie – shoulder dislocated on day 1. She was grateful to come back a third time, saying she’s one of three that doesn’t ‘hang out’ with the others, and makes a plug for her restaurant.

Cirie – what could she do when she has such a large target on her back? Cirie says ‘not much’, it being too hard to break people’s pre-conceptions.

Jeff plays a clip of Coach’s tearful confessional with Tyson. Coach says he didn’t like the way he came across in the first game and tried to change it in the current game. He says he’s more humble and gallant with the ladies now.

Jeff introduces Amber in the audience, holding “our first Survivor baby” (which she had with Boston Rob).

Jeff announces that they’re giving $100,000 to the ‘player of the season’ voted on line, and the finalists are a good guy and a bad guy, Rupert and Russell. And the winner is… Russell. Russell, of course, takes this as proof of his earlier point, that the audience should have a hand in the decision.

Jeff asks Jerri how she liked her game. She says she was proud of how she played the game, and whereas the first time people hated her and wanted her gone, this time they liked her too much to keep around.

Danielle says she felt her melt-down coming on and it proved that she wasn’t really a villain, and finishes with a sotto voce “Russell, damn you.”

Courtney says she’s always having fun – the best time she possibly could.

Randy, on the reverse side, says he didn’t have any fun at all. At least he smiles when he says it.

Sugar, all the way to the finals her first time, then first out this season – says she didn’t have much fun in her three days. Especially since it rained so much.

Candice, it turns out, delayed her wedding to be in the show, but she’s happily married now.

Jeff reels off survivor stats:

• Fifteen different countries


• Over three hundred players


• Nearly five hundred challenges.


• Eleven men winners, nine women.


• Average winner age 32.


• Twice as many single winners as married.

There’s a tribute to Jenn Lyon, former survivor and recent cancer victim.

Next season will be in ------ Nicaragua. Impenetrable terrain, smoldering volcanoes, savage wildlife. New survivors next time, no all-stars.

Sandra and Russell sit on the set in casual jeans, Russell still has his hat and his five-day beard, Parvati is all spiffy in purple dress and knee-high kid boots.

We see a clip of Sandra saying she’s here for one reason and one only – to win another million dollars. Sandra says it feels wonderful to have won twice, but it really hasn’t hit her yet because they haven’t given her the check, yet. They bring out the huge ceremonial check and present it amongst much merriment, then hand her the real one. Sandra is hoarse from the celebrations the previous night. She says she’s surprised she won, thinking Parvati had taken it.

Parvati says no outcome wouldn’t have surprised her, because tribal council was so intense.

Russell crows about his player of the game award, and says he doesn’t understand how he couldn’t get one single vote, and repeats his critique of the game, and also announced he’s trying out for American Idol.

Sandra can’t resist a last dig – she says when she saw his previous season finale she knew right away he hadn’t won, and for him to turn around and play the same way in a second season means he wasn’t learning anything.

Ask what she’s going to do with her million dollars, Sandra’s ready answer is “Pay my taxes first.” Where were you when Richard Hatch needed advice?

That’s all for this season, folks. Sorry about the lateness of this final posting. An electrical storm in the area caused my station to break in on the broadcast and I had to wait to see some of the final on “On Demand” later, then there were two other finales to cover, and whew!..

Thanks for reading, see you next season for Survivor Nicaragua!

=Cecil=

The Final Three Survivors:

Preview:

The finalists face a final tribal council and each other. Russell, Sandra, Parvati – who will win a million dollars?

The final three, weary after 38 days of competition, and probably a little stressed at making the final cut, make their way back to camp. Sandra says she misses her kids and dog and she’s ready to go home. She’s thinking about her husband in Afghanistan with the army. She says she’s tired and going to bed. Russell and Parvati are a little amazed she’s going to leave them alone around the campfire, but as Sandra rightly says, no need to babysit anyone now – it’s every Survivor for him/herself. Sandra interviews that that’s the only reason she’s here – to win another million dollars. So Russell is the only non-million winner left – will that work in his favor? It might, if he were a more sympathetic figure, and if he hadn’t made it clear just how financially well-off he is. Of course he’s mainly made it clear in private interviews with the camera – we’re not sure just how much the other Survivors know about his wealth, or lack of it.

The Survivors head out to pick up treemail. Parvati squeals with delight at the fresh fruits and veggies and the bottles of champagne and other drinks waiting for them at the treemail site.

Russell interviews that he’s done it, made it to day 39 once again. He says last time he brought two people he thought were easy to beat to tribal council. Were he a more reflective person he might meditate on how that worked out for him. This time, he says, he brought two people other people don’t like. Parvati, he says, has lots of enemies. Sandra, he says, has done nothing, and the only reason people let her stay in is because she’s easy to beat. He doesn’t mention that each has one once, while he has not.

As the three lie around, logy with fullness after their feast, Russell asks Parvati if she would have voted for him if he’d put her on the jury. She says no, she’d have voted for Sandra. Russell finds that hard to believe, saying he’d have voted for her if it was the other way around. Russell says they played the same game, just he played it a little stronger. Parvati begs to differ. Sandra just lies in the shade and rakes it all in without comment.

As Russell takes a walk down the beach, Sandra and Parvati talk – Sandra saying Russell has no idea what he’s in for, no idea what it’s like going up against a ‘couple of chicks’.

Russell has walked off without his hat, and the imp inside Sandra jumps up and impels her to burn his hat. As soon as she’s voiced the idea she acts on it and tosses the hat in the fire. This is reminiscent of her previous season when, angered that the others in the tribe had voted Rupert out, she said they had no right to all the food Rupert had gathered snorkeling and scattered it all in the jungle. “Screw it,” she interviews,“ that’s payback for all the things he done to me.” She doesn’t think Russell cares about the money, just the title of ‘sole survivor’. “And if that’s what Russell wants, that’s what I’ve gotta make sure Russell doesn’t get.” She says she spent every day wondering how to get rid of Russell, and “…the worse thing of all – those heroes are responsible for their own self destruction.”

Parvati interviews that she’s now played the game of Survivor for 114 days – a record, and that must make her one of the strongest survivors ever. She says she’s ‘embraced her villain.’

Russell returns and asks if anyone has seen his hat. “No,” Sandra says innocently. He looks though his burlap sack of belongings, muttering he’s not going to tribal council without his hat.

Parvati lights a makeshift torch and begins the ritual burning down of the camp. I always wonder what would happen at this point if Jeff walked up and said ‘No, tribal council is tomorrow night.’

Sandra interviews how she had to hustle to stay safe at every tribal council, and never got to hide behind immunity – conveniently forgetting about the idol Parvati handed her in week 10 that could have that kept her in the game, and the one she found herself that saved her from a tie and almost certain elimination in week 13.

The Survivors trek past their burning camp and head for tribal council.

From twenty, three are left. The nine jury members will now pick a winner. The finalists first get a chance to pitch themselves in and opening statement.

Sandra says she’s been scrambling ever since her alliance was wiped out. She tried to oust Russell three times and failed, but somehow survived, tribal council by tribal council.

Russell says he played as hard as he possibly could. He says a lot of Survivors think there’s a lot of luck involved, and sometimes there is, but he got to the end without any luck – apparently just pure strategy. He apologizes if he did anything to offend anyone, but he was just playing the game as hard as he knew how.

Parvati is a little more polished, saying she knew she was up against twenty of the best Survivors, ever. But, she says, she didn’t realize how much of a threat she was perceived to be, so she had to put up a defense, which was where Russell came in, and she ‘kept’ him and played she says the ultimate social game and the ultimate strategic game and the ultimate physical game.

Now the jury gets their chance to torture interrogate address the Survivors.

First up: Colby. He asks Russell if he really believes he got there without any luck. Russell does. Colby says he’s delusional. Colby asks Parvati what strategic moves she made, besides winning challenges. She brings up her double-idol play, which was a master-stroke. Colby wishes all three luck.

Coach characterizes the three as Parvati, “the charmer, and also the manipulator”, Russell “the schemer, and also the liar” and Sandra “the coat tail rider”. Where’s the love, Coach? He uses his time to run down each of their faults in comparison to his own virtues, and never asks a question – sits down without any of them saying a word. “Oh, so this is abuse?”

Amanda asks Sandra how her strategy was better than Russell’s and Parvati’s. Sandra says she wishes her strategy had been better because then Russell wouldn’t be sitting there, but every time she went to a hero, they ran right back to Russell instead of cooperating to get him out. Russell, forgetting who’s supposed to be asking the questions here, asks her “So did that strategy work for you?”, and she admits it didn’t.

Courtney congratulates her three Villains. Especially, she says, “my two Villainesses.” She congratulates Parvati for her challenge prowess, and Sandra for her loyalty. Sandra agrees it’s true, when she picks someone to be loyal to, she’s loyal to the end. It’s a Courtney-Sandra love fest.

JT says the two components of winning Survivor are ‘getting to the end of the game’ and ‘winning the end of the game’, and asks Russell how he thinks he’s doing on that second part. Russell says he seriously believes everybody on the jury is going to respect his game play (the jury sits poker-faced), and he has to stick to what’s going to get him to this point (final tribal council) and hope the jury respects that. To the same question, Parvati says she’s a lot like Sandra, but had to work harder to stay because of the perceived threat she represented. Sandra says she gave 110% in the challenges but she’s not a very physical person (JT mumbles “We know that”). But, she says, she wishes she’d known about his giving the idol to Russell, because if she had, she’d have intercepted it and thrown it right back at him saying “don’t do that!” JT says he’s not out for vengeance and points out he shook Russell’s hand after his ouster.

Danielle congratulates all three. She tells Russell there’s a lack of skill in his jury management, and wants to know if, based on what he’s heard so far, if there’s anything he’d have changed. Russell says he wouldn’t change a thing, and if he hadn’t played like he had, he wouldn’t be there at tribal council. She’s amazed at his answer and tells him “You’re not going to get any votes. Nobody respects the way that you played the game, Russell.” He repeats he wouldn’t change anything and doesn’t regret anything. “That’s too bad.” I must admit, I’m beginning to feel a certain sympathy for Russell, here, it’s beginning to feel a little like elementary school and the outcast being told by the cool kids “Nobody likes you.” Sort of like Jonathan Penner in the ethnic tribe season.

Jerri says she’s “absolutely 100% undecided.” She asks Russell why she was voted out when she thought the plan was to eject Parvati. He says she would have won if she’d been sitting next to him, so strategically he had to vote her out. Good answer, but Parvati jumps in and says he told her it was because he was certain of Jerri’s vote if she were on the jury. Jerri asks Sandra where was the loyalty to her – not that I ever saw them swear loyalty, of course, but Sandra never gets to answer.

Candace says everybody lies on Survivor, but she thinks Russell went too far telling lies “You told dirty lies – lies that you didn’t need to tell.” [Not that she has an example, or anything.] Parvati, she says, played the whole game under Russell’s thumb, like a spouse in an abusive relationship. “I like you, but I can’t support that.” So, Candace is another narcissist, like Coach, who uses all her time to berate, never giving the finalists a chance to respond.

Rupert calls Russell a “manipulative, lying, deceiving person.” Rupert says he wishes he’d talked to Sandra more, but he had been swayed by “what I consider a disgusting human being” (looking at Russell.) Lighten up, Rupe, it’s Survivor. He tells Sandra she deserves a big “thank you” from all the heroes. “Parvati,” he says, “you are a very, very strong player – you may have aligned yourself with… “ he hesitates, not being able to think of a word bad enough, finally settling for an adjective standing in for a noun “terrible”. Parvati protests that nobody else would ally with her.

Jeff thanks the jury and gives them a time to think over their vote. Then he charges them to vote for the winner that they think deserves the million.

Voting time:

Jerri votes. She says “This is absolutely insane. I’m walking up her going Parvati, Sandra, Parvati, Sandra… I’m perplexed.” [I guess she was actually only 67% undecided.] Then she writes down Parvati’s name.

Candace votes for Sandra. “Sandra, in this game the line between Hero and Villain was blurred most of the time. But you work hard, you put family first, and you always stay true to yourself, and that makes you a true hero to me.”

JT votes.

Danielle votes for Parvati. “Hey girl, I’m voting for you. I know everything that you had to go through, dealing with Russell and all, but you are a great player. I thought you deserved to be sitting in the final three.”

Courtney votes for Sandra. “Fist bump, girl.”

Colby votes.

Coach votes for Parvati. “Parvati, I was wrong about you. You are a warrior. And that is why you get my vote.” After he casts his ballot he adds, “King Arthur’s journey… has officially ended.” But I thought he was Sir Lancelot?

Rupert votes for Sandra. “I’m honored that I get to write your name down again and give you a million dollars. Love you.”

Amanda votes.

So… will Russell get a single vote? Jeff goes to count. When he returns, he thanks all the Survivors for being part of a great 20th season, and reminds them they’ll have to wait until they get back to New York to see who won. He walks into the distance with the ballot urn as the final three and the jury exchange grins.

The Final Three Survivors:

Preview:

One tribal council to go? Who will be the final three?

The final four make their weary way back to camp. Parvati and Sandy talk about Rupert (on the jury) looking like a lunatic who might leap over the rail and kill somebody. It’s just that intense stare he has, combined with so much facial hair it’s hard to read his expressions. Rupert’s not hurting anybody – he’s a hippie and a teddy bear. Parvati shares that her eyes were opened as to how much of a threat she’s viewed as by the others, and that she thus has to work extra hard to win the final immunity.

Russell talks to Jerri and they agree that if Parvati wins immunity, the rest of them are sunk because she’s the automatic winner. Parvati returns with tree-mail congratulating them and giving them a map for the standard stupid fallen comrades ceremony, where we’re supposed to get all mawkish over people who are NOT DEAD!, for cat’s sake. They’re off enjoying an expenses-paid world trip, or, if on the jury, living the life of luxury on the Ponderosa.

So I’ll just mention names here (in vote-off order) and quote if they have anything interesting to say in the segments (taped and voiced over the Survivors’ reminiscences).

Sugar “You can’t win this game playing good all the time. I proved that.”

Stephanie “I think people were gunning for me.”

Randy “My lack of ability to communicate with 26-year old girls is what got me booted. … What fazes me is having people clearly stupider than me controlling my fate. ”

Cirie “I attempted to play different this time but I feel like I wasn’t given a chance.”

Tom “The fact that you can be a winner in one season and then get cast aside for a guy who’s jumping around on one foot in the next is what makes the game special and worth playing.”

Tyson “I was basically the victim of my own stupidity.”

James “This time I actually tried to be a little more conversational.”

Boston Rob “I gotta applaud them for getting rid of me. It’s the first smartest thing they’ve done in 20 seasons. They’re starting to learn.”

Coach “I was and am number one on the hit list, and I’m proud of that fact. ”

Courtney “There were not pawns here. Everyone was a master of the chessboard and they were all playing a different game.”

J.T. “I give my idol to the biggest villain in the game, and he just used it to vote me out. It was beautiful.”

Amanda “I’m just not destined to win this game.”

Candace “I’ll definitely take a few lessons home.”

Danielle “I have no regrets. I am a good person and I am not a villain.”

Rupert “I feel very good about the way that I played the game, and that label of ‘hero’ – I deserved it.”

Colby “I’m proud of the way I played. I outlasted all the other Heroes.”

With the traditional ‘bonfire of the mementos’, memories are laid to rest - at least until tribal council.

There’s a huge maze, which the Survivors will have to negotiate blindfolded. At various guideposts there are feelable indicators to the location of four necklaces they each must collect before finding their way to the target destination for the win.

The barriers are built about waist high, and there is much banging of shins and knees, and banging into each other. Each necklace has a symbol on it which matches the guidepost symbols.

Russell, Jerri, and Parvati are the fastest lookers, with Sandra trailing behind. The competitors learn to be silent, as others (Sandra mostly) learn to que on their voices. Jerri, Russell, and Parvati all collect four necklaces and are searching for that final station with the one immunity necklace. The three are within touching distance of each other when they converge on the post – Russell manages to grab the necklace. The three agree the challenge was fun – Sandra, way back, says it was the pits. Parvati worries if she’s still ‘Russell’s girl’, while Jerri is sure it means Parvati is out.

Russell shares he’s for sure taking Sandra with him because she’s likely to get only Courtney’s vote, thus increasing his chances for the million bucks. He tells her that. She’s OK with it. “He’s keeping me because I’ll never get a single vote. But I don’t know about tha-at.”

Russell tells Jerri he wants to take her with him in the finals, along with Sandra, and get rid of Parvati. Then he tells Parvati the opposite - he wants to take her and Sandra. Parvati points out he shouldn’t be so quick – that Sandra’s got at least three sure votes – Amanda, Candace, and Courtney. Russell says he doesn’t think so, then commits a HUGE Freudian slip and says “I’d rather take Jerri…” then realizing what he’s said and to whom, hastily corrects himself “I mean, I’d rather put Jerri on the jury because I’ve got her vote.” Parvati ask what if Jerri votes for Sandra instead?

Privately, Russell shares that he thinks Parvati is afraid of him taking Sandra, because she (Parvati) can’t even beat Sandra, and she’s maneuvering for second place.

Jerri says she’s spent more time lobbying for herself this time than usually. Sandra say she goes to the person with immunity and lets them know how she improves his chances if she goes to final three with him. Russell says this is the hardest tribal council. Sandra says you’ve got to write it in the sand, do the math. Parvati says Russell can redeem himself by taking her, his closest ally. Parvati says she’s been protecting Russell. Russell begs to differ, and is annoyed at the suggestion that he needed any protecting. Russell says everyone came to him and told him the reasons they should stay, and they all made perfect sense.

Voting time:

Parvati votes for Jerri. “Hopefully, it’s you tonight and not me – because I want to win. Sorry.”

Sandra votes.

Jerri votes for Parvati saying "I have mad respect for you, Parvati. You have shown that you’re capable of kicking some serious butt. And for that reason, it’s not a good idea to sit next to you in the final three."

Russell votes. “Sorry I had to do this. I trusted you the entire game. I believe you have been loyal to me, but now my best shot to win the entire game is to get rid of you.” Well, we can be sure he’s not voting for Sandra, but we don’t see who his vote is actually for.

Jeff reads the votes:

Parvati: #1
Jerri: #2, #3, #4

Jerri rises and gives Russell a hug, telling him “I can’t wait to hear this story later.” After her torch is snuffed she half turns and gives a little wave and a “Bye, guys,” to her tribe.

Jeff congratulates the final three and tells them tomorrow night will be the final tribal council.

Jerri says “Crap! One more night! I was. So. Sure. I had this one. I’m leaning toward voting for Russell, because of the way he’s played the game. For the most part Russell makes decisions that make sense. Except tonight.”

Voting against:

Jerri: Sandra, Russell, Parvati
Parvati: Jerri

The Final Three Survivors:

Preview:

One Hero left. Can Colby suddenly turn into a challenge monster and stay alive?

The tribe squabbles over whether Sandra's idol play at the just-concluded tribal council was good play or not. Russell is miffed at not knowing she had it but Sandra rightly points out how many times he had an idol and never told her. For myself I remember the one thing nobody's bringing up - it was the LAST opportunity to play an idol so for goodness sakes why not? Had one vote shifted Sandra would have been in a tie with Rupert and we all know how well Sandra does in tiebreakers. Russell is also miffed at Parvati because he thinks she knew, and her protests are to no avail. Colby is, of course enjoying all the Villain dissension, and hoping it takes attention off him. If I were he, I'd concentrate on winning the next two challenges because no Villain wants a two Villain-one Hero finale.

Tree mail arrives, saying they'll need a steady hand to win the next immunity challenge. It's the "balancing dishes" challenge from China. Russell shares that Colby's out unless he wins immunity. He says the best final three for his own chances is him, Sandra, and Jerri, because neither of the women has been a strategic player. And the juries always vote for the best strategic player, right? Methinks Russell is confusing strategy and tactics. Tactics is about winning the next battle. Strategy is about winning the war. Soldiers and politicians often confuse the two.

The challenge is to take a balancing stick with a platform on one end, laying it across a ball-shaped fulcrum and holding the other end, then stack large and small plates, bowls and cups on the platform without dropping them. Last one with dishes left wins. The holding end of the stick has a downward bend in it to at least give a little mechanical advantage to the holder.

First object to stack is a large plate, followed by a large bowl. If I recall correctly, somebody in the China challenge came up with the idea of stacking things upside down, thus lowering the center of gravity and sometimes putting it below support of the object, making for greater stability. I don't see anyone trying it here, and I suppose it may depend on the order the objects are placed in, whether it's a good idea or not.

Next up - another large plate. Then we add a small bowl, small plate, cup, and another large bowl. So far everybody's still in. Cup, small bowl and we're up to nine dishes. Some hands are beginning to shake. Parvati's looks steady as a rock. The players, of course, have to maintain their stacks with one hand while reaching over to a table and retrieving the next dish called for with their other hand. Sandra and Jerri's hands shake a bit and Sandra's stack falls, making her the first person out.

More are added and the stacks are up to 14 high, and Jerri's wobbling again. The stack drops and she joins Sandra on the bench. Soy dish, medium bowl. Russell is wavering. Colby's stack is haphazard, but steady. Russell's falls and he becomes the third on the bench, only Colby and Parvati left in.

A gust of wind blows through the clearing where the competition is held, and Colby's stack starts to wobble. They each recover and add a large bowl. They hold these for a few minutes, then Colby's stack falls over without warning. Parvati wins immunity! Adios, Colby.

Jerri interviews that "once again Parvati has escaped her elimination vote". OK, so Russell might have voted her off in preference to Colby, but how would it really serve any Villain to leave a hero in right up to the last cut?

Parvati is just happy that with Colby not winning, she didn't have to make a painful decision - i.e. which Villain to throw under the bus. When they get back to camp Colby makes a speech about being proud to be the last Hero standing but knowing he's going so he's not going to try to hustle, just enjoy his last day in camp with his friends. So of course he immediately begins hustling. To Russell, his pitch is that if they get rid of Sandra (a poor challenge player) he can help more in keeping Parvati from winning the next immunity challenge. Russell recognizes at least that he couldn't win if Colby makes the final three.

Rupert comes in with the jury, a little cleaner perhaps, but otherwise looking just like he did in the tribe. Same scraggledy beard and hair, same tie-dye shirt. Jeff questions Colby as the sole remaining Hero, why it's not a no-brainer for the Villains to get rid of him? He says he's been hustling, principally trying to convince Russell to take him forward instead of Sandra. He says it would have been easier if Sandra had won immunity, since it would have been easier to convince the other Villains to vote off Parvati since they're all afraid to stand against her in the final 3. Sandra just takes all this discussion of her worthlessness with downcast eyes and no expression on her face.

Sandra says if she's so secure, maybe she shouldn't have packed, and that, this being Survivor, you can't believe anything anybody says at this point. Parvati agrees you can't believe anyone at this point. Russell says you just have to hope your alliances hold.

Voting time:

Parvati votes for Colby.

Jerri votes.

Colby votes for Sandra.

Sandra votes for Colby, saying "Well, Colby, today's your day top go home, so adios."

Russell votes.

Jeff reads the votes:

Colby: #1, #3, #4
Sandra: #2,

Colby gets a hug from Jerri, then gets his torch snuffed and heads down the trail without a look back, cowboying up.

Jeff congratulates the remaining Villains on being in the final four.

Colby says he knows if he'd won today he's have had a shot at the million, and it's disappointing, since he used to be so good at challenges. [Colby in fact has the record, over his three seasons of having the most challenge wins, 7, despite his miserable performance this season.]

Voting against:

Colby: Sandra, Jerri, Russell, Parvati
Sandra: Colby

Remaining Survivors:

Preview:

Well, the women have wasted their majority without ever taking advantage of it. Will the villains do likewise? Is Russell really on the outs and allying with the heroes? Or is it an elaborate fake?

The SURVIVOR Finale is THIS SUNDAY, MAY 16, 8PM (Check local listings)

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Jerri and Parvati confer over their confusion - they thought it was Rupert's night to go home. Parvati says she thinks Russell changed his vote at the last minute - probably over that 'how close Parvati and I are' remark of Danielle's. Jerri relates how Russell threatened her with going next if she didn't vote the way he wanted. Parvati says she completely distrusts Russell now.

Russell continues his cover story that Danielle wanted Parvati voted out. Parvati tells him she just wants to make sure the four villains left are solid, and Russell says 'of course', but privately shares that he thinks that doubt means she and Danielle were indeed plotting against him.

Rupert crows privately over his good fortune at tribal and relishes how close he's getting to a million bucks. He's played this game before, and presumably watched it. Surely he realizes just how much the producers appreciate irony in such pronouncements. If I was him it keep up my "I'm dead" litany.

Tree mail arrives with a product placement phone. It tells them to be prepared to be a leader and check their memos. The memos are videos from relatives of each of the remaining Survivors saying they'll see them at the next challenge.

The challenge is a bucket relay with their relatives Parvati, her dad Michael; Jerri, her sister Jennifer; Russell, his wife Melanie; Colby, his brother Reed; Rupert, his wife Laura (it's their 12th anniversary); Sandra, her uncle Fernando. Sandra's reunion is particularly touching as Fernando was with her mother when she 'passed', comforting her.

The challenge: The Survivors will be paired with their relatives and will run to the ocean and fill a bucket, then toss the water over about a ten foot gap to the relatives also with a bucket. The relatives pour the water they catch into a third bucket, which by a Rube Goldberg contraption will set of a chain reaction when full to declare them the winners. Winners get a plane trip to a nearby island to tour the blowholes that we've been seeing in the opening credits.

The trick is apparently to throw the water in such a way as it holds together in a cohesive clump over the interval and can be caught. If it fractures into a spray, very little gets caught. Jerri is pretty good at this, others not so much. Colby gets increasingly frustrated, apparently blaming his brother (who's only catching, after all) for not instructing him better in what to do. It's part of a pattern of poor challenge performances by Colby, who used to be pretty good at them, making it to the finals in season 2.

Working steadily, Jerri and Jennifer win the reward to take the trip and are allowed to choose another Survivor and relative to go with them. Jerri chooses Parvati and Michael and begs to be allowed to bring another. Jeff allows it and Sandra and Fernando join them. Apparently Jerri has never heard the aphorism "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" and chooses all friends, leaving her enemies in camp to plot against her (and them). Russell comments to his wife "She's in trouble now." The men part from their relatives and head back to camp, while the women and theirs take off for adventure.

The blowholes are indeed spectacular. Volcanic vents in a shelf undercut by the ocean, when big waves come in the plume of water shoots out a hundred feet in the air. The tourists are afraid to approach at first, but a little Samoan man shows them how to walk out to the holes and throw a coconut in at just the right time to make it shoot up in the air like a cannon shot. After amusing themselves for a while, they spread out a picnic repast and review the pictures they've been taking of themselves with the product placement phone.

Sandra tearfully explains that it's only been a week since her mother passed (while the game was going on, I presume, although we've seen no hint of this previously) and her husband is serving in Afghanistan, so that's why Uncle Fernando, who's always been very close to her family, is here. She's got a message painted in gold on her blouse, "Mom, send help from heaven," along with the "1/2 my heart is in Afghanistan" that was there previously.

Jerri brings up game strategy, and Parvati tells her that Russell can do nothing against her because she and Sandra have her back. "What's he gonna' do, recruit Colby and Rupert?"

That's exactly what Russell is doing. The men talk about Jerri's naiveté in her choices, and Russell calls them 'unappreciative little bi***es' and the three men vow to stick together to the final three. Privately, Rupert expresses skepticism at Russell's bona fides, but says he's all he's got to depend on. Russell thinks he can swing Jerri's vote as well, and considers Parvati the only remaining threat.

After the women return, Rupert stays up late sawing wood (literally) and breaking up more firewood and irritating everyone that's trying to sleep, especially Jerri.

Russell gets up and Jerri gets her chance to talk to him and they appear to still be best buddies, Russell saying he was worried Parvati was swaying her against him and Jerri saying no such thing did, or ever could, happen.

Jerri interviews that she wanted to talk it out with Russell when they got back to camp last night, but Russell and Colby were already asleep. She's also very irritated at Rupert for his sleep-interrupting activities.

It's another endurance/concentration challenge. Survivors must hold up a wooden pole about five feet long and four inches in diameter with the back of their hands spread a couple of feet out from their shoulders. The top end of the pole presses lightly against a flat board above their heads. The least release of pressure will cause the pole to drop. The poles are very light, and the board above them does not offer much resistance to press against, so it's a very delicate balancing act.

Colby continues his string of disappointing challenge performances by dropping his less than fifteen seconds in. Sandra goes out before a minute has passed. Most of the survivors have adopted a strategy of pulling their hands in toward their shoulders to lessen the strain, but thereby tilting the column. Thus it touches the board only on its edge rather than its full circular surface. It should also be possible, by slightly rotating the hand, to 'walk' the top of the column to a more advantages position on the board, but it would be a very delicate balancing act to do so, especially with a column on each hand.

Rupert's hands tremble slightly, Russell seems steady, and Parvati and Jerri seem to be in Zen-like trances of concentration. Russell inexplicably drops a column next that seemed very well placed. As soon as Jeff compliments Jerri on keeping her poles dead center right where she started, she drops one. Parvati and Rupert left.

Seventeen minutes have passed and Rupert and Parvati steal glances at each other. One of Rupert's poles slips near the edge. Parvati tries to walk her left pole closer to center and her right pole gets away from her and almost goes off. Rupert tries to do a little adjusting of his own but gets no further from the edge. Finally he loses it with his right hand and Parvati wins immunity. So much for Russell's plans to eliminate her tonight. Rupert shares that Sandra is plan B. But of course, he doesn't know she has a hidden immunity idol.

It looks like they're coming straight back from the immunity challenge, so I guess it was on Day 36.

Russell interviews that he'll have to flip back to the girls now that his Parvati plan is defunct.

Sandra tells Rupert that she hates Russell and wants him off but the other girls won't go with that. Rupert rats Sandra out to Russell. Russell immediately goes to Sandra, who's lying in the shelter with Peter and asks her if she's with him or against him and he tells her she'll go ext if she's against him. Parvati is amused by the contretemps. The whole camp, except Colby who doesn't seem to be around, is in on the conversations, and Jerri is freaked out by the goings on.

Peter tells Sandra that she and Jerri won't vote against her no matter what so she has nothing to worry about (isn't a potential tie something to worry about? - Especially if you saw Sandra's last 'make fire' playoff where Jeff practically had to hand the contestants blowtorches to determine a winner.) Sandra actually says she's rather not use her idol - despite this being the last chance to do so - that's how confident she is. [Why in heaven's name would you not?]

Sandra says Rupert tried to stir up trouble between herself and Russell to save himself just like the Russell/Danielle friction did last time. Jeff is flabbergasted to hear Sandra said "I'm against you" to Russell. Parvati says the Villains are shaky, but she doesn't see anyone leaving a Heroes in the game to draw jury votes in the final three. Rupert says a Villain might want to get another Villain voted out to show he was the 'top Villain.' Asked, Parvati says she's not the top Villain. Asked "who are you talking about, Rupert", Rupert waffles and says "any of the top Villains that want to show that they're the top."

Voting time:

Parvati says she'll keep her immunity. Jeff reminds the players that tonight is the last opportunity to play an hidden immunity idol is anyone has it.

Colby votes.

Sandra votes for Rupert, saying "I'll write you name again and if I'm up there in the final three you'll still give me the million dollar vote.

Parvati votes.

Rupert votes for Sandra - "Now I wrote your name down, too."

Jerri votes.

Russell votes.

Jeff asks if anyone wants to play a hidden immunity idol.

Sandra stands right up and say she wasn't going to play it, but since she got mixed feelings at tribal council, she will. As soon as she can get it out of her bra, anyway.

Jeff reads the votes:

Rupert: #1, #3, #5
Sandra: #2, #4 (Don't count)

Rupert's smart enough to know that the first vote is his death knell.

After his torch is snuffed, he turns and looks silently at the tribe. Rupert is so hairy it's hard to tell what kind of expression he's exhibiting behind that beard and hair, but it looks… bad.

Finals. Two hours, three tribal councils, and a reunion show leading to ONE SURVIVOR!

Rupert says he thought he had it this time, but he's still proud of the way he played the game - he may not be as tough as he was six years ago, but he's still pretty tough.

Voting against:

Rupert: Sandra, Jerri, Russell, Parvati
Sandra: Rupert, Colby

Remaining Survivors:

Preview:

Will Russell’s coalition fall apart? Will it be his own big mouth that does it? Can Rupert and Colby dodge TWO bullets (hint, hint).

The SURVIVOR Finale will be SUNDAY, MAY 16, 8PM EST (Check local listings for time in your zone)

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Returning from tribal council, Jerri shares that it was nice that Candace helped them out, but nice only goes so far – Candace is next.

Rupert laments to Colby that the Heroes have only themselves to blame (i.e. mostly Candace) for their current predicament.

A cute little bat yawns and stretches in the trees as day breaks. Rupert interviews on what a despicable person Russell is. He wants to show the other Villains how disgusting Russell is, and picks a verbal confrontation with him over breakfast. It gets pretty personal, but I don’t think anyone is swayed.

Survivor breaks tradition and opens with an immunity challenge – making this the first time ever, if I recall correctly, that we’ve had two tribal councils after a merge. My guess is somebody was counting on their fingers and realized that single eliminations would put the Survivor finale on Sunday, May 23 – which also happens to be the night of the big Lost finale extravaganza, and would sink Survivor’s ratings like a stone (despite the fact that Survivor has mostly been beating Lost in the weekly ratings.) So, a little hasty editing to produce a double elimination this week, and the Survivor finale is now scheduled for 8PM (EST) on Sunday, May 16. – my wedding anniversary and won’t that go over peachy with the missus.

Ahem. Back to Survivor. The challenge is to stand on a small wooden perch with one hand tethered overhead to a bucket of ‘water’. Slip or fall or just weaken and you get soaked. Without the perch, this has been run before and Parvati once lasted six hours. Of course her arm weighs about 6 ounces.

Only a minute in, Jeff starts hauling out covered goodies to tempt Survivors to stand down. Sandra says she’ll take the first one sight unseen. Russell says he’ll go, too. When they step down the bi bucket of water turns out to have been dyed, Sandra’s is white and Russell’s is blue. They step up to a glass of milk and an assortment of cookies. Sandra taunts the others with the goodness of their cookies

After 20 minutes Jeff hauls out another tray with four doughnuts and iced coffee. Colby bites and tries to, and mostly does, elude his green deluge. Now,, I’m wondering – have some folks given up? Russell may feel confident about the next vote, but Sandra, and even more so Colby are in trouble. Why such easy give-ups?

At 35 minutes, Colby is just finishing his iced coffee and Danielle and Candace are whispering deals, when Jeff brings out a bi platter of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and two glasses of milk, plus chip and dip, and candy. Jerri, Candace, and Danielle, all bite and enjoy while Rupert and Parvati remain in.

Of an hour and Rupert stumbles on his stand, giving Parvati the win and making Rupert sure he’s going home tonight. After Parvati gets her necklace, Jeff reads a hidden immunity idol clue. Saying the idol is hidden where two paths meet, in the shadow of a burning bush under a stone.

Sandra goes looking, along with all the other Survivors. She seeks Candace and Russell looking near a trail junction under a red bush. She finds another red bush near there and, viola, finds the idol under it, picks it up quickly and strolls away, no one else the wiser. She notices it makes a big bulge in her pocket, and rehides it.

Elsewhere, Rupert not having found the idol, thinks a little, picks up an idol-sized rock and stuffs it in his pocket, then strolls back to camp, where Russell immediately notices the bulge. Russell begins plotting a split vote that night to flush out the idol. He tells Sandra, who must be cracking up inside, and keeps her knowledge to herself. The ‘knowledge’ quickly spreads among the Villain women.

Colby and Rupert do a little plotting of their own. They think the Villains will make a split vote for Rupert and Candace. If they throw their two votes to Candace, breaking the tie, then Rupert is saved.

Rupert says he and Colby are in trouble because of Candace. Candace says her last vote didn’t change anything. Colby disrespects that reasoning, and says she’d be better to just admit naked self-interest. Russell says they have to whittle down the two remaining Heroes next, and implies it’s Rupert tonight, which I’m sure is dissimilation. Asked about the idol hunt, Rupert does his best to project and air of non-committal smugness.

Voting time:

Colby votes for Candace. “I can honestly say I’m proud of the way I played this game. Can you?”

Parvati votes.

Russell votes.

Rupert votes.

Candace votes for Rupert. “Mom always told me – ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.’ ” [But I must point out you’re saying something, Candace.]

Danielle votes.

Jerri votes.

Sandra votes.

Jeff calls for the hidden immunity idol. Rupert squirms a little and produces nothing, drawing smiles from the Villains.

Jeff reads the votes:

Rupert: #1, #2, #3

Candace: #4, #5, #6, #7, #8

Candace rises and presents her torch for snuffing, then gives a little wave and a smile and says something unintelligible to the players.

Later she interviews that she made a risky choice and it didn’t work out. “I guess karma’s a bitch sometimes.”

Voting against:

Candace : Colby, Russell, Rupert, Jerri, Danielle
Rupert: Parvati , Candace, Sandra,

Russell says they just blew it because they should have split their votes between Rupert and Colby, and he makes no bones about telling the women in his coalition it was stupid to concentrate on Candace. He says Parvati is an equal power to his own now, but he has a plan to take control of the game back.

It’s a three stage challenge.

1) Dig up a peg an maneuver it through a table maze. First 5 to finish move on.
2) Use four other pegs to climb a steep ramp, fitting them into holes (each peg is unique). First three move on.
3) Solve a sliding puzzle, winner is immune.

Round 1 – Rupert digs out his peg first, followed by Parvati, Sandra, Danielle, and Russell, Colby running dead last. Rupert, with his big lead, finished the maze first, followed by Sandra, Russell, Parvati, and Danielle.

Round 2 – Russell makes a strong run and get half way up the wall before having to plant his first peg, and finishes first, followed by Rupert and Parvati.

Round 3 – The puzzle is a Survivor logo. Russell edges out Rupert to win. Rupert’s again sure he’s going home.

The tribe treks back to camp in daylight in a pouring rain with no torches in their hands, so I’m pretty sure they aren’t just coming back from an overnight trek to tribal council, but why no day identification? Probably because the producers don’t want to reveal the hasty edit to put two tribal councils in the same program.

Parvati interviews that she’s pretty sure Rupert does not have the idol, and wants him gone.

Parvati, Russell and Danielle talk on the beach, Parvati emphasizing how they need to get the two remaining Heroes out next.

Russell doesn’t like the ‘coupleness’ he sees in Parvati and Danielle, so he says he needs to break them up and hatches a scheme. His plan is to make each of them think the other is gunning for them, it not this tribal council then the next, and counseling each to keep their conversations private from the other. Parvati and Danielle immediately cross him up by conferring and comparing stories.

Russell says he’s getting rid of Danielle tonight and then Peter will be so scared she’ll do whatever he tells her to. He enlists Rupert and Colby to help him achieve this, which they’d only be too happy to do,

Peter interviews that Russell is running scared and she and Danielle are outmaneuvering him. Peter enlists Jerri and Sandra and swears them not to vote for Danielle.

Russell tells Jerri she has to help him get rid of Danielle tonight or “they” will turn on her next. Paranoia reigns.

Rupert says he doesn’t know who’s running the show right now, Russell or Parvati. Danielle says the Villains decide together. So, says Jeff, it must be peaceful in camp, right, Jerri? Uh, no. Danielle and Parvati say today was mad chaos, crazy. Peter explains she sees Russell testing their loyalty. Russell spins a tale of Danielle coming to him to get rid of Parvati, and talks over he when she tries to object with some truth. Danielle loses it in more than one sense of the world when she breaks down in tears. At one point Danielle says “I’m closer to Parvati than you think.” Drawing an eyebrow lift and an “Oh, really?” from Russell, and a sigh from Parvati, who understands Russell’s paranoia.

Voting time:

Danielle votes.

Parvati votes for Rupert. “OK, second time’s the charm, right. Hopefully, you’re going out tonight.”

Sandra votes.

Colby votes.

Russell votes for Danielle. “You’re ‘closer to Parvati than I think.’ That makes me think that ya’ll got something going on. So I’m gonna have to cut that tie.”

Rupert votes.

Jerri votes. “I have absolutely no idea what just happened… but with this vote I’m sealing my fate.” But we don’t see who she voted for.

No one plays an idol.

Jeff reads the votes:

Rupert: #1, #2, #3
Danielle: #4, #5, #6, #7

Parvati whispers “That’s messed up,” to Russell.

Danielle has her torch snuffed with a little backwards wave and a quiet ‘bye’.

Russell is on the out with the Villains, so he tries to turn the Heroes to the dark side.

Danielle says she might have been a little too aggressive, and ,made a mistake calling Russell out at tribal council “Put my foot in my mouth.”

Voting against:

Danielle: Russell, Rupert, Jerri, Colby
Rupert: Danielle, Parvati, Sandra

Remaining Survivors:

Preview:

Well, the women have wasted their majority without ever taking advantage of it. Will the Villains do likewise? Is Russell really on the outs and allying with the heroes? Or is it an elaborate fake?

The SURVIVOR Finale is THIS SUNDAY, MAY 16, 8PM (Check local listings)

New feature: Survivor Poll

Preview:

Can the Villains work together to eliminate all the Heroes now that they have a numeric advantage, or will internecine warfare break out (as it almost always does?) Can Russell keep his girls happy? Will the girls wake up and say - hey we've got a 6-3 majority here! - and do anything about it?

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The tribe excitedly talks about the tribal council events. Of course the Villains are more excited than the Heroes, but all is not well in Villainy, either. Russell wanted to know if anyone else knew Parvati had a second idol. “Nope” is the universal reply, even from the ones that knew.

Russell asks Parvati directly and she tells him when and where she found it but says she wanted to keep it a surprise. Russell doesn’t like surprises, at least when they are on him. Danielle chimes in supporting Parvati, and Russell doesn’t like that, either.

Rupert and Amanda discuss the former Heroes predicament, now down 5-4. Rupert agrees to talk to Sandra and see if they can flip her over and become the new majority. Rupert interviews that they had a chance with Sandra before but he doesn’t know if she’s still open, but she’s his allies’ only chance.

Candace and Russell talk on the beach, and Russell does his best to convert her, realizing that Sandra may be the shaky member of his alliance. He talks Candace over with Danielle and Parvati.

Survivor shuffleboard. The board is a map of the Pacific with a big X on Samoa, where, Jeff informs us, Robert Lois Stevenson is buried. The Survivors will be randomly divided into three teams of three, and each will be given two pucks to shove at the X. When all are finished, the team with the puck closest to the X wins an overnight trip to the museum at what was once Stevenson’s home, where they’ll get food, clean sheets, a chance to clean up and a screening of “Treasure Island”.

The teams are:
1) Black: Candace, Parvati, Jerri
2) Red: Sandra, Russell, Rupert,
3) Blue: Danielle, Amanda, Colby

Candace leaves hers a foot in front of the X.

Sandra shoots hers off the board.

Danielle leaves hers in front of Candace.

Parvati leaves hers to the right of the other two.

Russell slides his a few inches to the right to the X, closest yet.

Amanda leaves hers in front, the shortest yet.

Jerri slides hers through and taps Russell’s, but not enough – he’s still closest.

Rupert taps Jerri’s on the left side, deflecting his to the left and making it the closest now to the X

Colby’s knocks a front puck out of the way but does not end up in contention.

Second Round:

Candace knocks a blue piece out of the front, but she was probably trying for a red.

Sandra slides hers way right and short – out of all contention.

Danielle knocks Rupert’s puck out of contention, but ends up further away than Russell’s.

Parvati knock a front-lying blue puck closer to the X, but not as close as Russell’s.

Russell leaves a blocker out front, hoping to protect his original puck.

Amanda leaves another short one in front.

Jerri knocks a blocker out of the way, but becomes a blocker himself.

Rupert hits a blocker and goes nowhere.

Colby slides in a perfect shot that kisses a front puck and deflects right on top of the X.

Blue wins!

Sandra is disappointed and tells the winners “We’re eating up all the rice so don’t come back looking for it,” as she shoulders her bag for the trek back to camp.

The winners tour the museum and handle objects that Stevenson once used, and see first editions of some of his books. That night, they lounge together on a big bed with popcorn as “Treasure Island” (The thirties Lionel Barrymore version, not the – in my opinion better – fifties Disney version.) starts on the big screen video player. Amanda interviews that she didn’t pay any attention to the movie because she was spending all her time trying to figure out where the clue could be – somewhere in this room, she figures. (Meanwhile, I’m wandering – is there only one bed for the three of them? Whoopee, Colby!) As they sit there Danielle finds a rolled up scroll in her popcorn and ‘casually’ slips it over the side of the bed and drops it on the floor – the camera focuses right down on it, and again you have to wonder, how can the other two people in the room not know what’s going on? I mean, a camera pointing right at the floor must give you some kind of clue, right?

Amanda, at least, is no dummy, and slips out of her side of the bed and sits on the floor beside Danielle. Colby, in the center, is oblivious and just concentrating on the movie and that swell popcorn. Amanda slides a foot under Danielle’s side of the bed, pulls out the scroll, and holds it behind her back, following which Danielle goes bat-doody crazy. They wrestle around on the floor, and Danielle makes accusations of psychosis. They both appeal to Colby like daddy settling the argument, and he pronounces that Amanda must give it back and she does. They once announced that the only “rules’ in survivor are 1) no violence and 2) no colluding to share the prize, so I don’t know what keeps Amanda from just opening the scroll and reading it, but she doesn’t.

The rewardees return in a driving rain. Colby confirms that they shared one bed. [WooHoo!] Russell, of course, is more focused on clues than beds, and can hardly wait to get Danielle alone. She confirms to Russell and Parvati and Jerri that she got it. The clue says it’s near their water source. Russell goes with her to ‘help’ look, and finds the idol immediately, but conceals it and doesn’t tell Danielle.

Russell reveals the idol to Candace to secure her loyalty. Candace figures she can’t tell her fellow Heroes lest they use the information against her.

Colby works on Sandra and she appears amenable to flipping, she being the first to go among the former Villains. Colby interviews that he’s sure Danielle has or will have the idol.

Russell talks to Sandra and tells her he’s flipped a Hero (without saying who) and should she defect she’d still be on the short end, which would be ‘very bad’.

Sandra talks to Rupert and says she’d love to boot Russell, so if that’s who the Heroes want, he’s gone. She tells him about Russell’s information about a defecting hero. Rupert really wants Russell out. Colby talks to Amanda about Sandra. He thinks she’s sincere.

Each survivor must build a ‘domino tower’ (actually plastic tiles about 4x6 inches) ten feet tall to win immunity.

Many different construction techniques are employed. Many towers fall and have to be rebuilt. They have step ladders next to the construction pedestals to help when they get too high to reach. Russell and Jerri have the lead, Jerri slightly in front. Russell gets to 9 ½ feet and runs out of tile, and now has to play a little ‘Jenga’ to build his any higher. Jerri’s tower wobbles as she tries to add the last layer. She finally breaks ten feet with two leaning together A-frame style to win her first immunity ever.

Sandra interviews it’s Russell’s time to go home. And “this is for Courtney, Boston Rob, Tyson, and even Coach who I don’t care about but I’ll stick him in there, too.”

Russell says he’s happy as long as any of his Villains won. He sets his sights on Amanda, saying she’s aggressive and intelligent, kind of like Boston Rob, but in a girl’s body, which shows he’s no better at figuring out the other side than JT and Rupert, but at least he’s not dumb enough to give an idol away. Oh, right, he already did that twice this game. Well, at least not without getting some loyalty in return… I think. He gives Candace the word to vote for Amanda.

Candace interviews that she’s going to anger people any way she votes, but Russell’s possession of the hidden immunity idol tips the balance and she’ll go with the Villains. Candace confirms that Sandra is with the Heroes, and Russell confronts Sandra to tell her so. She protests her loyalty. Candace joins them and Russell tells them both even if they flip there’s enough votes to send Amanda home. Privately, he worries that if that BOTH flip, it could be him going home.

Sandra tells Rupert that Candace is flipping. Candace denies it. Sandra thinks the villains will give Russell the idol now. Colby and Candace join them and Candace again swears she’s not flipping. Rupert’s theory is that Danielle has the idol and may or may not give it to Russell, so the best thing to do is vote for Parvati.

Now Sandra lobbies furiously with Candace offering to get anyone she wants voted out if she’ll only stay loyal, and Candace dithers. Sandra even has the nerve to tell Russell and Danielle to bug out when they come upon the conversation.

Rupert says there’s no real reason for a Villain to flip. Sandra says she knows that it’s better to stay with whom you’re with. Amanda says to get someone to flip they need to offer them a better deal. Russell says Sandra has a pretty good deal now – weak in challenges, on the outskirts of her old tribe – doesn’t this sound like someone you’d want to take with you to the final tribal council? (Is he forgetting that Sandra is a million dollar sole Survivor and he’s not?)

Russell says all the Villains play a different game – he and Danielle play an aggressive game, Jerri a calmer game, and Parvati a charming game. “What about me?” pipes up Sandra, echoing Ben Linus. Russell must have seen the Lost S-5 finale, because he doesn’t say “What ABOUT you?” back, instead opting for “Sandra, she’s just there with us.” Check her hands of knives Jacob Russell. That fire looks mighty handy to kick a corpse into. In the jury, Courtney is amused by the verbal knives flashing. Rupert says he wishes he’d known about all this distrust before just finding it out now. And keeps a straight face.

Russell says he likes having an aggressive player like Danielle on his side, they both support each other in advancing, and applauds her ‘aggressively’ getting the idol clue while on reward. Colby says he and the Heroes are sure Danielle had the idol. Parvati agrees that Danielle having the idol, or even just everyone thinking she does, makes her – Parvati – more vulnerable, and sneakily says she ‘gave all her protection away’ reminding at least two potential flippers of their debt to her from last week. Russell agrees he’s a target, and knows he has to take risks to get further.

Voting time:

Russell votes for Amanda- “You’re a very strategic player, but I believe I know what’s going on tonight, so I’ll be using the idol to get rid of you. And I found it, not Danielle.”

Danielle votes.

Jerri votes

Rupert votes.

Amanda votes for “Parv” – “I have to play my game and you have to play yours.”

Colby votes.

Parvati votes.

Candace votes.

Sandra votes.

Jeff goes of to count the ballots and returns and invites anyone with an idol to play it. Russell rises to chagrinned grins from his fellow Villains, saying he thinks somebody has flipped, and to keep them all honest he hopes he’s doing the right thing playing it for himself. The Heroes just goggle a bit, each in their own way.

Jeff reads the votes:

Amanda: #1, #2, #5, #6, #7
Parvati: #3, #4

Amanda gives her patented ‘sad look’ and brings her torch to Jeff. “OK, Jeff, I know you’ve been waiting forever to do this.” That’s right, Amanda made the finals in each of her two seasons, so never has had a torch snuffed before.

Then Russell whispers to Parvati “I had to. I’ve never been that nervous.” Parvati whispers back that “You wasted one.” More than that, Russell has made himself look vulnerable and made a miscalculation that will undermine his mastermind reputation. We’ll see how that works out next week.

There seems to be some friction among the Villain big three - Russell, Parvati, Danielle.

Amanda says she made too many mistakes, which is what gets you booted. She says she should have never given the clue back to Danielle. She thinks the rest of the game will be really crazy, making her kind of glad she won’t be in it. At least she won’t blow her jury speech for the third time.

Voting against:

Parvati: Rupert, Amanda, Colby
Amanda: Sandra, Russell, Danielle, Jerri, Parvati, Candace

Remaining Survivors:

Preview:

Can the Villains work together to eliminate all the Heroes now that they have a numeric advantage, or will internecine warfare break out (as it almost always does?) Can Russell keep his girls happy? Will the girls wake up and say - hey we've got a 6-3 majority here! - and do anything about it?

///////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Preview:

Will we see a merge tonight? Will Russell die laughing at the Heroes? Will the Heroes die of embarrassment?

/////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

The Heroes sit around the fire hoping their valiant gesture saved poor little Russell at the last tribal council. Rupert and Amanda find a huge box at tree-mail and a note telling them not to open it until they have the key, plus to prepare for visitors who will be arriving soon.

The Villains find a key and a map directing them to the Heroes camp. They all jump up and down with glee at the impending merge. Did they learn nothing last time about anticipations? Serve them right if they walked into a surprise tribal council instead. Their plan is for Rupert to pretend to defect and direct the Heroes’ votes to Parvati.

Privately, Russell crows about having the only hidden immunity idol and keeping knowledge of it on a need-to-know basis, and using it to knock off a Hero at the next tribal council.

The villains load everything up and make the trek down the beach. Parvati interviews about how she’s keeping her own hidden immunity idol secret from Russell to use as she sees fit.

As the Villains come into view, JT is shocked to see Parvati still with them, but glad when he sees Russell’s stubby little legs sticking out from under the box he’s carrying. He figures that means Parvati had the idol, used it, and thus the game is now idol-free. Inside the box they find new, black, buffs, and instructions to come up with a merged tribe name, plus a ham and veggies (wonder how well it kept for however long in that unrefrigerated box?)

Colby interviews that – merge or no – they’re still really two tribes in competition with each other. Among suggestions for a new name are “All Villains” (which bothers Rupert), and Yin Yang which is stupid but wins.

JT finds Russell for a private time, and Russell tells him He and Parvati both played an idol at the last tribal council, resulting in Courtney’s ouster. But Russell is not supposed to know about Parvati’s idol – did he just make up a story that happens to be partially true, or does he know something? Rupert and JT take the story hook, line and sinker.

JT interviews some self-doubts about his strategy giving Russell the idol. What if her was never really in trouble? What if he’s really the leader of the ‘girls’ over there? Naaah. JT figures Russell is a good ole boy and he (JT) did exactly the right thing.

Rupert and Sandra run into each other and Sandra basically spills the whole story of Russell’s plot and how Russell is in charge and no immunity idol’s were played last night. “This,” Rupert says, “is where the game gets crazy.”

The Heroes are cooking eggs for the Villains, and the Villains are quite ready to accept their services, almost as if they were their due. After breakfast Parvati and Danielle wander out to the huge hanging stalk of bananas and violate “banana etiquette” under the watchful eyes of Rupert and Colby, which incenses Rupert.

JT, Amanda, Candace, and Colby discuss Rupert’s new information. JT is skeptical and thinks they can trust Russell. The others aren’t so sure. They think Russell is leading them to vote for Amanda, then giving her the idol, thus eliminating a Hero with Villains’s votes.

JT interviews about how he’s the brains for Rupert, guiding him along to the ‘correct’ vote.

Amanda and Parvati confer. Amanda tells Parvati everyone wants Parvati out. Parvati worries Amanda is some sort of genies and is misleading her. Parvati tells Amanda she has an idol as a means of gaining her trust. They part with a ‘secret handshake’ and swear mutual trust.

JT and Colby agree with Rupert’s reasoning and figure they must vote for either Sandra or Jerri.

Now Sandra’s worried and figures she’s stuck with Russell for the moment.

Russell digs up his idol and gives it to Parvati to ‘protect’ herself, getting a hug for his gallantry.

Amanda and Parvati talk some more. Amanda, playing the Heroes’ strategy, tries to convince Parvati she’s in danger and needs to play the idol herself. Parvati sees through the lie, but plays along and tells Amanda to vote with the other Heroes and they’ll confer after the tribal council.

First off, Rupert brings up the banana etiquette problem, which mystifies Danielle. On the jury Courtney whispers “banana wars” to Coach. Russell says “So what! about bananas, let’s play the game.” And this is the most important vote in the game. Russell says he’s talked to more Heroes than Villains today, and Sandra says she’s fine with that. Parvati wonders why she’s viewed as such as threat. Jeff asks JT is there’s been any talk about who might if the hidden immunity idols (Jeff uses the plural) if there are any in the game, which should have tipped somebody off about something right there. JT says it’s a huge topic, and Parvati agrees.

Voting time:

Russell votes for JT “You seem like a real cool guy. It was a real dumb move giving me the idol, and because of that, I gotta vote you out tonight. [I dunno, if you really believed that wouldn’t you want to keep the dumb opponents in and vote out the smart ones?]

Sandra votes.

Parvati votes for JT. “This is my love letter for you, (She adds “xoxo” at the bottom.) since you tried to vote me out, I think I should return the favor.”

Danielle votes.

Jerri votes for JT. “Hoping my name doesn’t come up tonight.”

Amanda votes for Jerri.

Colby votes.

Rupert votes for Jerri. “I hope Parvati plays that idol and shows everybody that Russell is a liar.”

JT votes.

Candace votes for Jerri. “Jerri, we’re voting for you tonight because, if there is an immunity idol, you’re the least likely person that they would give it to.”

I think that’s the most votes ever displayed in tribal council voting.

Jeff returns with the votes and invites anyone with an idol to play it. “You know what, Jeff “ Parvati says, not rising but digging into her bag, “I think it would be downright depressing to sit and watch green bananas turn yellow without my debaucherous little Villains, so, Sandra, that’s for you…” handing Sandra an idol.

“Get out of here, is that for real?” Sandra blurts, smiling.

The Heroes are all smiling too. Their plan has worked to perfection!

Then comes THE MOST STUPENDOUS IDOL PLAY IN SURVIVOR HISTORY, when Parvati REACHES BACK INTO HER BAG, PULLS OUT ANOTHER IDOL AND HANDS IT TO JERRI “… so, Jerri that one’s for you, too!” The Heroes’ faces all drop five feet, as JT mutters a (mild) expletive. Russell rubs his brow in puzzlement, too.

Jeff reads the votes:

Jerri: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 (none counting)
JT: #6, #7, #8

JT says “Well done.” and shakes Russell’s hand, then rises to hug Colby.

Russell whispers to Parvati that she’s got some ‘splainin’ to do, Lucy. [Actually the “Lucy” was me.] So I guess he was just inadvertently semi-accurate in his story to the Heroes. “Secret.” Parvati says, shrugging and smiling. JT gets his torch snuffed and wags a ‘hang loose’ hand symbol at the tribe saying “good luck, fellas.”

The Villains all look smug, the Heroes glum as they are dismissed.

The voice-over says Russell loses control of his alliance and Sandra takes control of the game. Typical survivor spin, I’d say. How many times, this season and last were we told Russell was in trouble. Sandra talks with Colby and promises “Russell’s gone.”

JT says he feels like a total idiot, being voted out by his own idol. The moral he draws is “never trust a villain”, but, “worse than that, don’t ever trust women,, ever, ever, ever.” “It was a big move tonight, do or die, and tonight I died.” Oh, well, he’s got a million things at him to console him, and not all of them are cows.

Voting against:

Jerri: All 5 Heroes (none counting)
JT: All 5 Villains

Remaining Survivors:

Preview:

Will we see a merge tonight? Will Russell die laughing at the Heroes? Will the Heroes die of embarrassment?

Preview:

Can Russell mend his tattered coalition? Can the Heroes avoid making the biggest Survivor bonehead play of all time?
///////////////////////////////////////

Sandra exults over her fait accompli in convincing Russell to target Coach for bumping, Jerri worries since she was so closely identified with Coach, that she’s next, but Danielle assures her that’s not the case.

Jerri talks with Russell and is appalled to learn he was a little blind-sided himself. Russell assures her she has nothing to worry about, and promises the camera that Courtney or Sandra will go next.

Side note – has everybody noticed that the motto on the Survivor Logo this season is not “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast” but “Return, Revenge, Redemption”? Just sayin’.

Tree mail announces the next “Reward Challenge” will be pain-endurance – standing on narrow-ledges on the outsides of the feet, in pairs with the opponents. A point if you outlast the one you’re paired with. First to three wins. JT, of the Heroes, won this challenge in Toncantins. Each team is to rank their players from first to last, and will be paired with the person similarly ranked by the opponents.

Sneaky person that I am, I’d put my worst player at number 1, my second worst at number 2, then my best three at 3, 4, and 5 respectively. Now what’s “best” here? Basically lightest, meaning the smallest women, both for having less weight to press down on a small area, and smaller feet to get a greater percentage of their area on the limited support area available.

Courtney has a pleasant flash of memory of Coach’s screaming as he stepped down on his try in Tocantins. Russell claims he’s the strongest, but also recognizes he’s the heaviest, so they decide to sit him out. Danielle says the ‘guys with the big egos’ on the Heroes team won’t be able to resist ranking themselves highly.

Rupert makes Danielle prescient by claiming “I’ll be able to do great at this.” JT, who’s actually done it, says weight is a negative and Rupert is probably the ‘weakest’ for this challenge at least..

Seeing Coach gone, Rupert thinks his diagnosis of a woman’s alliance is confirmed, and says so. JT pretty much agrees.

The challenge: Bare feet on three sets of increasingly smaller ledges. Besides feet, only arms allowed to touch the sides of the boxes they’re in. At ten and twenty minutes, move down to a smaller ledge. First teams to have three out loses.

Reward: A feast from ‘product placement eating place’ (PPEP). Steak, shrimp, potatoes, fixins.

The matchups:

1. Candace vs. Danielle
2. Amanda vs. Courtney
3. JT vs. Parvati
4. Colby vs. Jerri
5. Rupert vs. Sandra

No backs, butts, hips or shoulders – forearms OK.

As the contest begins, Jeff congratulates Amanda for being the first person to reach 100 days of participation in Survivor. Sandra shares that she loves PPEP, because she and her husband ate there before he deployed to Afghanistan. JT uses his secluded niche to mouth ‘hang in there’ to Russell, sitting on the bench. Russell makes a ‘praying hands’ gesture back to JT, and later interviews that his plan is working perfectly to make the Heroes think he’s being persecuted by the girls.

At twenty minutes they move to the third and narrowest ledges, only about a quarter inch wide. Almost immediately Colby, whose little toe doesn’t even fit the ledge, grimaces and drops out. Point for the Villains.

Jerri calls to Sandra to hang in against broken-toed Rupert, reminding her she’s ‘popped out babies’, a much more painful ordeal. “Two of them,” Sandra agrees, “didn’t even get a aspirin.” Rupert’s beard is soaked with sweat and he drops down. Sandra says she’ll stay up another minute just to rub it in.

Amanda drops soon after and the Villains have won. Sandra makes crying eyes motions, and ‘wah’ noises at the losers trudge off.

The Villains trek a short distance to a sand spit on the ocean where a replica of a PPEP is erected, and start off with a round of drinks – fruit drinks it would appear. They must be dehydrated because the suck down a lot. The women all exclaim over the salad course coming up [I’d be chanting the heck with salad, bring on the protein!] and sit at a long wooden table. As Parvati, who’s at one end, unwraps her napkin, a small rolled up slip of paper falls into her lap and she quickly stuffs it into her underwear. Russell and the gals cackle over Rupert’s ‘confirmation’ of the all-female alliance. Do none of the women think “Hey, that might not be a bad idea?” Not that we can see, anyway. In comes steak and stuffed baked potatoes. Parvati excuses herself to go to the bathroom and in best female dining out tradition Danielle jumps up to go with her. Parvati reveals her hidden immunity idol clue to Danielle. They’re looking for a place to put their treasure [no pockets in bikinis] and Danielle suggests “Put it in my boobs,” a spot with plenty of room all right. Parvati interviews she’s building a debt into Danielle and they’ll fill Russell in on a need-to-know basis – which is not right now.

Out loud JT tells the tribe “Who needs steaks?” but inside he bemoans the loss. He reveals his master plan to the tribe – if Russell is indeed the next victim of the “all girls alliance” over at Villain Ville, slip him the hidden immunity idol to allow the ouster of presumed AGA leader Parvati, thus earning Russell’s eternal gratitude and vote after the merge. In a private interview Amanda voices some doubt about the soundness of this plan. She tells only Candace who says it might accomplish two things giving “us” (presumably meaning the Heroes plus Russell alliance), “the numbers” and also getting the idol away from JT’s hands, where she doesn’t trust it. That apparently is the limit of these two’s brainpower, because just stare open-mouthed at each other after putting in their bits.

Parvati and Danielle look over their clue which tells them to go over the bridge and look for the ‘dancing trees’. They carry the camp shovel with them, not to be obvious or anything, and find the idol with just about zero effort. Parvati decides keeping Russell out of the loop for a while is just fine. Russell is videoed symbolically walking down the wrong path.

JT is writing a long note to Russell. In which reward were steno pads and pens one of the perqs? He’s telling Russell exactly how to play the idol and against whom. It’s a pretty long-winded note. But then he hasn’t seen Russell’s season (it was broadcast while this one was being filmed.) Innocent little Russell is good at giving the impression of being a little naïve.

It’s an underwater obstacle course, except this time it’s a bag of puzzle pieces attached to a line that must be threaded over/under/around the obstacles in the water, and when all the bags have reached shore, the tribe must assemble a totem pole from the pieces.

The villains sit out Sandra. The first two off the raft with a bag are Rupert and Jerri. The bags get heavy and more frictional as they get wet, and Jerri’s initial lead evaporates as Rupert’s mass and muscle make themselves felt. JT gets started and reaches the first (of 4) obstacles before Jerri finishes, allowing Danielle to start. JT maintains and possibly extends the lead and Amanda gets a start for the Heroes. Danielle, despite coming equipped with her own flotation devices, slows in the latter part of the course as well. Finally Parvati gets a start at Villains #3. Amanda gets her start and moves quickly through the course. Parvati reaches the end and Courtney starts the Villain’s fourth bag.

Temporarily this leaves only Colby and Russell on the side-by-side rafts, and Colby quickly whispers the idol plan to Russell, telling him if the Villains lose to make sure he goes to JT who has something for him. They don’t have long to talk because Candace finishes and Colby starts the Hero’s last bag. Russell, alone on the raft, mouths a silent “wow!” as rain begins to fall. Russell, give him credit, doesn’t slack, but Colby still finishes substantially ahead and the Heroes begin assembling their totem pole. Puzzles are normally somewhat dim Hero’s Waterloo, but this isn’t a very hard puzzle, and the Heroes finish it before Russell even gets to the beach, and the Heroes have won their third straight immunity.

The Heroes make a big display of sportsmanship, which should have set off some Villain’s threat-radar, but doesn’t, and JT pulls the idols and note from his shoe and surreptitiously slips it to Russell who puts it in the pocket of his baggy shorts.

Russell interviews in a bit of a breaking Andy Devine-esqe voice that he no longer even has to find idols, people are giving them to him.

JT exults over the success of his plan. “Did I make Survivor History [lol, episode title] with this one today guys?” [Probably not the way you think, JT.] JT badly needs an ally like Stephen [see Tocantins] to do his thinking for him. Rupert beams over how full of Joy Russell must be right now.

Rupert got that one right. Russell and Parvati guffaw over JT’s ‘private’, burn-before-reading, double-plus-secret note.

Courtney and Sandra are watching the mirth over at the Russell-Parvati log and getting all paranoid. Sandra interviews that it looks like the Russell/Danielle/Parvati troika will decide which one of them goes home, and neither of them seems to be doing much to prevent it. I say again – does it never occur to any of the women that this might be an excellent time to boot Russell? The troika decides tentatively it’s Courtney. Courtney argues to Parvati that she could pull in Amanda after a merge. At one point Courtney says “Whatever Happens Happens” [lol, Lost episode title - almost].

Parvati shares she’s rather keep Courtney as more likely to be loyal to her than Russell in the end, but doesn’t want to appear to advocating for her fear of alienating her current alliance.

Russell and Parvati show Jerri and Danielle the idol the Heroes gave him, resulting in more merriment. They actually discuss the Sandra vs. Courtney issue without anybody leaving in huffs or saying the other makes no sense this week. A lot of chin scratching goes on.

In comes Coach, the first jury member, wearing a patchwork coat and a long feather on his necklace. Jeff asks Sandra if trust is the issue tonight, and she says from her living room observations of Survivor, the person that question is asked to is the last person who should be answering it. Nice dodge. She says she knows either her or Courtney is going tonight. Jeff asks Courtney and she agrees. Jeff asks Russell if that’s because Sandra and Courtney do most of the sitting out at challenges and Russell gives his most innocent “No, not to me.” Reply. It’s trust, he says. Danielle, asked for an example of Sandy’s untrustworthiness as Sandra can manipulate people. Asked for an example by both Jeff and Sandra, she says “I’ve seen you put into people’s minds things that weren’t true.” No one shouts out ‘Yeah, like convincing Russell that Coach was gunning for him last week.” Except me, in my living room, of course. Danielle says Sandra and Boston Rob pulled in Courtney and Tyson, but wouldn’t talk to her (Danielle) leaving her nowhere to go.

Jeff asks Parvati if she’s the boss. Parvati says “Of course, if you ask the Heroes.” Parvati says it’s not trust with her but alliances. Russell says that strong trust is why he, Parvati, and Danielle are still sitting there. Jerri tries to avoid being cast as a manipulator, but Courtney says she did vote against her current alliance, and “flipped just in time to save your butt.”

Voting time:

Sandra votes.
Courtney votes.
Danielle Votes.
Jerri votes.
Russell votes.
Parvati votes.

Jeff reads the votes (again not mentioning the possibility of a hidden immunity idol):

Jerri: #1,
Courtney: #2, #3, #4, #5

Courtney hugs Sandra, Russell frowns, Coach strikes a Buddha pose in the jury box. Courtney leaves with a smile, a wave, and a “Luck, bitches.” And off to Ponderosa where her reward is three days alone with Coach and his feather. A-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-e.

Jeff notes the Villains and the Heroes are now even at 5-5, and that tomorrow Parvati will join Amanda in the 100-day-Survivor club. Coach and Jerri exchange winks as the tribe leaves the council.

It looks like the merge happens. The Heroes note Parvati is still there. Russell promises the Heroes he’s “on board with y’all.” Sandra tells Rupert Russell is running the show.

Courtney says she’s proud of herself for making the jury and now she can get all pretty and make all the Survivor Bitches jealous.

Voting against:

Jerri: Courtney
Courtney: Everybody else.

Remaining Survivors:

Preview:

Can Russell mend his tattered coalition? Can the Heroes avoid making the biggest Survivor bonehead play of all time?

Preview:

Tonight the Villains have to put things back together and learn to compete without Boston Rob, who was integral in almost all their victories.

The Heroes try to sustain their recent win streak. Can Colby come through for them again?

///////////////////////////////////////

Russell and Parvati cry crocodile tears for Boston Rob. Russell interviews a little brag. They both snicker a little too much if anyone can hear them.

Coach feels the tribe made a mistake (which the contributed too, of course, with his throwaway vote for Courtney) . He says Russell is a bully. Jerri says she’s sorry now for voting for Rob, but Coach calls her on it. Coach is depresses and says the Villains are toast and will never win another challenge.

JT wanders off to look for the hidden immunity idol singly, which of course he wasn’t supposed to do. He finds it! Before he can stuff it down his pants and make it back to camp, Amanda, who’s tailing him, finds him and he shows it to her, then Candace walks into view and the jig is really up, so he walks back to camp showing it to one and all as if that was his intention all along. Amanda and Candace are not fooled.

Russell and Danielle eat toasted coconut and Daniel worries about ruining her teeth. Treemail arrives promising a challenge that’s ‘good clean fun’ and ‘a meal’ and the Villains decide this means a merge and haul their while camp along.

When the Villains arrive and see a hut with a spread of pizza, they’re sure they were right about the merge. When the Heroes see the villains have brought their whole camp, they wonder what clue they failed to pick up on. When Jeff questions Rupert he blurts out that the exit r Boston Rob seems to confirm his view that there’s a woman’s alliance on the Villains side, drawing a quiet smile of satisfaction from Russell. He thinks this gives him an advantage at the merge. Colby’s disquieted by the Heroes’ apparent failure of observation. But it’s just Survivor being catty – Jeff tells them to “Drop. Your. Expectations.”

It’s survivor bowling. One on one, to balls, most pins scores a point, first team to three wins. The Villains have to sit out two, provoking some discussion, nobody wants to volunteer in or out, or to make a decision of any kind. Finally Jeff calls on Coach for a decision, for no particular reason I can see except possibly sexism on Jeff’s part, and Sandra and Courtney are name to sit out, meaning the will be IN on the immunity challenge, which is more likely to be physical, a tactical error. But who do we pin it on?

Round 1 - Rupert vs. Parvati

Parvati bowls a gutter ball. Rupert knocks down three. Parvati bowls another gutter ball and the House have a point.

Round 2 - JT vs. Danielle

JT scores 6. Danielle rolls a gutter ball. JT gets nothing on his second. Danielle gutters again and the Heroes have 2 points.

Round 3 - Colby vs. Russell

The balls, by the way, are coconuts, and roll about like you’d expect a coconut to roll (i.e. wobbly). I wonder what keeps anyone (Colby say)0 from just lofting it down there to land in the middle of the pins without touching the alley at all. Rules we haven’t heard? Wish they’d tell us all the rules so we could make up our own strategy. Colby does loft his, but only about ten feet, resulting in a gutter ball. Russell hits a light 4-7 pocket, knocking down 5 pins. Colby knocks down 1 and it’s Heroes 2 - Villains 1.

Round 4 - Amanda vs. Coach

Coach knock over 5. Then Amanda does the same. Coach knocks down 1 with his second. Amanda just brushes one pin. It quivers and falls sideways, taking another with it and the Heroes win the reward.

The Reward

The Heroes exult in their reward and their third straight win, and talk about how to handed the ‘women’s alliance’ over at Villain-ville come the merge.

The Villains rebuild their camp and bicker over their stupidity in breaking it down to begin with. They also bicker over their stupidity and sitting out Sandra and Courtney. Sandra thinks she’s being blamed for the loss, which is NOT what was being said, and interviews about how much she hates every Villain except Courtney. Sandra begins scheming with Courtney to work on Russell’s paranoia by making him think Coach is plotting against him.

Sandra begins working her wiles, outing a bug in Russell’s ear about Coach. Russell falls for it and brags about his ability to manipulate the vote any way he wants, and revenge himself on Coach. Parvati goes along with the deception, consciously or not, I can’t tell.

It’s a mud obstacle course. Teammates will be belted together in pairs and race through the mud over and under obstacles, retrieving a flag and bringing it back. First to two points wins. One matchup will be one on one. Jerri and Danielle sit out.

Match 1 – Amanda/Candace vs. Russell/Sandra

It starts off equal, but Sandra poops out about before even reaching the turnaround point, and cannot even squeeze under the first obstacle going home before the Heroes have won their first point.

Match 2 – Rupert vs. Coach

Coach is faster and his slimmer profile helps in on the crawl-unders, plus Rupert’s beard but weigh twenty pounds by the midway point. Rupert scores some catch-up by crawling the straights and not even trying to stand, and actually creates a lead going in the last crawl-under, but Coach’s speed wins out on the final sprint. Barely. 1-1 tie.

Match 3 – JT/Colby vs. Parvati/Courtney

It’s not pretty, unless you’re a mud-wrestling fan. Parvati or Courtney (hard to tell which) is getting some blurage around the bikini bottom, and they both poop out around mid-way. JT and Colby finished before the Villains even have their flag, I think. Plus Courtney seems to have sprained an ankle as well.

Daniel interviews about how much she wants Courtney out, it not being fair to the rest how she pulls them down in challenges.

The Villains wash off in the ocean, while Coach would rather interview about how he’s coming into his own and shining. He thinks they really need to get rid of Russell, but for now he’ll go along with getting rid of Courtney and improving their challenge work. He talks with Russell who says he’s “getting rid of the he can’t trust” which Coach thinks means Courtney, but Russell interviews means, in fact, Coach.

Danielle talks with Russ and pushes to keep Coach and get rid of Courtney or Sandra, but they can’t reach any understanding and Russell freaks and refuses to talk to her. Sandra enjoys the conflict.

In a strange moment, Russell comes to Danielle and Parvati and says he’s had a change of heart and is down with voting Courtney.

Danielle tells Jeff they voted off the two strong men because that was their strategy. Jeff throws a little disrespect Courtney’s way saying she would have been a much more logical vote off. [Of course that’s only of your prime motivation is to win challenges, when really it’s to win the million bucks, something even the game-runners seem not always to understand.] Coach says the tribe is a laughingstock now. Courtney uses the topic to blame Coach for the immunity loss. Parvati say’s they’re definitely less athletic than the five remaining Heroes. Russell says he just wants to keep the tribe strong.

Voting time:
Coach votes for Courtney.
Sandra votes.
Parvati votes.
Courtney votes for Coach. “You’re frigging lunatic. I’m just glad I won’t have to live with you anymore. Nice feather in your hair.”
Danielle Votes.
Jerri votes.
Russell votes.

Jeff reads the votes (not mentioning the possibility of a hidden immunity idol):

Coach: #1, #2, #6, #7
Courtney: #3, #4, #5

Coach is voted out and becomes the first jury member. Hm. 11 players left in the game. Will it be 10 jury (with a tie possible) and two finalists, or 9 jury and three finalists? Coach rises with a “good luck, guys”, a pat on the shoulder and handshake for Russell, and a hug for Jerri.

Jeff reviews all the stupid moves we’ve seen in 19 seasons of Survivor. But says next week we may see one that tops them all.

Coach say he had so much more he wanted to accomplish, and he’s exhausted and still in a state of shock, but also “probably more pissed off than I have been in a number of years. And you know I’m not really a vindictive person, but I hope they get wiped off of the face of the map.”

Voting against:

Coach: Danielle, Sandra, Courtney, Parvati
Courtney: Coach, Russell, Jerri

Remaining Survivors: