Redemption Island Ep. 08- "The Game Respects Big Moves"

Previously on SURVIVOR:

Ometepe

As long as they kept winning challenges, nobody had a concrete reason to question Rob's authority. Phillip only wanted respect, or deferential treatment, or attention, or... something - but he didn't feel like he was ever going to get it. This upset him for a while, and he secretly started plotting Rob's demise the second he got the opportunity. However, they won so many challenges in a row that Phillip couldn't help but feel a sense of tribal unity by the episode's end. Will he burst at the merge or merely join the rank-and-file?

Zapetera

Where do you even start with this tribe? If you just looked at Zapetera vs Ometepe on paper, you'd pick Zapetera every time (especially with strong faces like Steve, Mike, and Julie). Instead, we have a jumbled mess of an alliance with so many people in it, they started having to vote out their own by the fourth Tribal Council. And they even screwed that up! Fellow poster Iltarion over at Reality TV World pointed out last week how utterly stupid it was to blindside Sarita, when everyone knew it was either her or Dave. Why blindside someone when there's a good chance they could return to the game as a potential ally or enemy? As it turns out, none of that mattered, considering she lost her duel this week and appeared to hold no ill feelings towards anyone (besides Dave). Honestly, the best and worst thing for this tribe is to just put it out of its misery. Cue the start of this week's episode:

Redemption Island Ep. 08- "The Game Respects Big Moves"

The Game Respects a Champ

I won't spend much more time on the various ways Zapetera completely mishandled the "Dave vs. Sarita" situation, but I will say that it was absolutely hilarious to hear them recap their evening with, "We completely blindsided her," and "She took it like a champ." What? It was almost as if they knew they had made a stupid move, and they were trying to justify it. "Yeah! Yeah, we...we got her real good! Wait. What if she comes back? Maybe we should have uh... maybe we should have told her she was going home instead of letting her think it was gonna be Dave... since we pretty much implied that it was gonna be Dave... Maybe we should stop being weasels." Ah, but Dave doesn't care! He's ready to make his peace with Ralph and call it a night.

The Game Respects a Trooper

It turns out that Sarita did take it like a champ. She arrives at Redemption Island and can't stop talking about how great the members of Zapetera are (Well, minus Dave, who she doesn't really mention). So Matt gets the lowdown on literally everyone, with an extra serving of goodness to the tune of how good a player Mike is. Matt is riding so high, he says that he might just have a great opportunity to take out Ometepe.

Well, man, you did. You really did. But you screwed it up. I'm getting ahead of myself...

The Game Respects Loyalty

We got a completely different Phillip this week than we did last week. Or ever, really. He seems content. He's not starting trouble. He's not necessarily pledging allegiance to Rob, but  definitely to his tribe. And since Rob is leading this tribe... well, there it is. It's not really clear what sparked this change in Phillip other than those repeated Immunity wins. Perhaps it was when he realized that the numbers finally tipped in their favor? Whatever it is, he seems like he's starting to feel comfortable, and safe. We'll see how that attitude bodes for his relationship with Rob. We didn't get much of that dynamic this week, but I can't imagine we'll go much longer without something happening. For the time being, however, Phillip has joined the rank-and-file.

The Game Respects Perseverance

Matt and Sarita show up for their duel to find everyone has come to watch them play. That can only mean one thing: Merge! The challenge is a Survivor classic: stand on the pegs as long as you can. Matt's suffering from an injured foot, which works in Sarita's favor. You can see the desperation written all over Zapetera's faces. She is their only hope! The way they cheer her on is like this pitiful "Sure, we blindsided you, but we're still buds...right? Right?!" When it comes down to it, Sarita actually seems like she's going to pull it out. But eventually she slips, disappointment all over her face.

Her exit leads to Probst's announcement that Matt is back in the game, and the tribes are now merged. As I predicted last week, Redemption Island continues on. Probst says that this means Matt's butt could be kicked right off all over again and he could be sent right back. A lot more ironic, upon second viewing. "Please, guys, give me a minute," he jokes. If only you knew, Matt!

The Game Respects Murlonio

New tribe, new camp, lots of food. Everyone is in good spirits, high enough to believe whatever Rob says. If the man somehow continues to run the board and ends up winning, he would have truly controlled the entire game, down to naming the merged tribe after his wife's stuffed animal.

The Game Respects Chaos

Where exactly to go next in this recap? So much happened. Rob wasn't happy that Matt came back, because he's afraid he'll defect ("I mean, that's what I'd do!" he tells us). Matt knows he can go either way. He's the "lynch pin," as Mike calls him. Mike immediately gets to work, trying to convince Matt of Rob's hold on the game. Mike even promises to forsake his Big 5 alliance and take Matt to the final four. All the power seems to be in Matt's hands, but he's unsure of his official position. Mike even promises an idol at Matt's disposal if he needs it. He's living the high life! What could go wrong?

So Matt decided to make a big move.

The Game Respects Matt's Original Master Plan

It's hard to tell what would have happened if Matt had actually stuck with his original plan, but I'd say that the odds were in his favor to stick around longer than he did. His plan made a heck of a lot of sense, at least to me. Here's how it went- Step 1) Let Rob think everything is good, and vote a Zapetera person out (Probably Steve. Why does his name always come up first?). Step 2) Go after Phillip, sitting on the outskirts of Ometepe. Step 3) Blindside Rob. Step 4) Commence with the mercy killing of the rest of the leaderless, confused Ometepe. Matt told Andrea this plan, and she was on board. Well, she sounded like she was. Her first real contribution to the plan was to make sure he told NO ONE. She wants to think of Matt as an ally, but she isn't sure if it's the wisest move for her in the long run. So she acts like they're BFFs when she's around him, but she's playing a game all her own when he's not around. She's a contender. I'm curious to see how far she'll make it.

But, I mean, really, it sounded like a great plan, had he been able to execute it. But I guess it just wasn't in the cards. Matt's heart wouldn't allow it.

The Game Respects Beautiful Language

If Matt bought that whole thing with Mike picking up Krista's Bible and reading the book of Matthew (He wasn't even subtle!), then he's straight up just dumb. Matt's been really straightforward about how important that book is to him, and Mike was taking advantage of that in order to maybe get two extra votes. From a distance, Rob didn't like what he saw. He says he has no problem with God, but if a group of people like the same thing, Rob doesn't like it - even rom-coms and cookies are threatening if people start bonding over them. This solidifies for him that Mike needs to be sent packing first.

The Game Respects Endurance

After last week's marathon, this week's Immunity Challenge was a nice change of pace: keep the balls on the disc while balancing on a log. Mike's level of stoicism was epic, and it didn't look like he could be beat. But eventually he slides off, giving the victory to Natalie, and Rob breathes a sigh of relief.

The Game Does Not Respect Anything Matt Does for the Rest of the Episode

While I've argued in the past that Matt keeps getting dumped on for being a nice guy, what he does next is inexcusable. After coming up with a near-genius plan that could have gained enough traction to eventually get rid of Rob, he immediately decides that God has him on Survivor to honor him, which means honoring his commitments and being honest with those around him. This is all well and good - no one will ever argue that Matt has anything but the utmost respect for his God and for the people around him. The problem starts when he decides to tell Rob everything. And he does just that, sounding really contrived, and sort of innocently arrogant the whole time. This does two things: it relieves Matt's conscience for ever thinking up that awful plan in the first place! And it successfully changes Rob's vote from Mike to Matt. He likes his allies dumb and quiet. And you've gotta love Rob's face as Matt tells him how great the plan was, how he had everything figured out, but in the end he just couldn't do it. Rob puts on his best poker face and tells him he appreciates his honesty.

Oh, but wait for it! Andrea shows up and he drags her into it, too, like she was 100% on board with the plan the whole time. Matt's a nice guy, he really is. He isn't entirely without self-awareness the way Phillip is, but it seems like that same trait lies somewhere within him, just to a lesser degree. There is a way to be honest with your mouth shut.

The Game Respects Rob

It's interesting to note that as much scrambling as everyone did, Rob waited for people to come to him. He's sitting pretty, sure, but the level of cool he exudes is uncanny. He observes, waits, and then acts.

After talking to Matt, Rob sets off to tell the people what his will is, so that it can be done. Natalie and Ashley are immediately on board, because, you know, it's anything Rob says. Grant feels bad, but is convinced after Rob quips that Matt can still be a good, Christian guy on Redemption Island. Rob doesn't even have to ask Phillip before Phillip asks him, "So who am I voting for?" (What's with this guy?). We don't see the conversation Rob has with Andrea (which is understandable for dramatic effect) but I wonder how she explained what Matt had just confessed to Rob. And I'd like to know if it happened before Matt got that note from Zapetera. If so, that means she straight poker faced him the same way Rob just had. But, I'm getting ahead of myself again...

The Game Respects Secret Notes!

So Mike writes Matt a secret note that asks if Matt likes Mike the same way Mike likes Matt. I mean, it explains the magic plan for final THREE if Matt votes Grant. Maybe in the end, Matt was just holding out to see if Mike would give him a final two guarantee. "Top three huh? That's not bad..." he contemplates, like it's a done deal or something. He shows it to Andrea, and Matt is too caught up in his own importance to see that Andrea has mentally checked out of her friendship with him. She simply asks if he thinks he'll do something big tonight.

The Game Respects a Split Tribe

At Tribal Council, Ralph says that Murlonio (I'll probably chuckle every time I write it) is split big time, and Rob seconds it. Apparently the tribes don't talk to each other, sleep with each other, or do much of anything with each other. It'll be interesting to see that line inevitably begin to fade, and I'm curious to see how much it does fade. Just look at them, they don't look like the kind of people that would hang with each other, or even get along. We'll see. For now, the divide is apparent.

The Game Respects Andrea's Vote

So much was made this week of the importance of Matt's vote, but really, it was Andrea's that ended up being the decider. Her decision to screw Matt and solidify her place in the Ometepe alliance avoided a tie and sent Matt packing. But before the votes could be read, Ralph decided to play his hidden idol on Mike, assuming that's who Rob would target. Rob is amazed. They seem to be making it too easy. So the votes are read- Grant gets 5. Steve gets 1. And then Matt gets 6. You can tell, as much as he talked about using caution this week, Matt felt safe. And now he's mad. He stomps back to Redemption Island, and Probst is probably correct in his assertion that Matt won't be in a forgiving mood.

Steve and Dave put it perfectly with their post-vote observations, "Let the fireworks begin," and "Genius is what that was." To everyone else, Matt was the swing vote, the most important key in the game. To Rob, he's a menace, a loose cannon that can't be controlled or manipulated. Why worry about where he's going to be when he could just be gone? The looks on the faces of the former Zapetera members say it all: Uh oh.

Observations

Grant already seemed a little iffy about voting Matt out, but from the preview for next week, it appears he's going exercise some self-awareness and try to be his own man. Now, granted, sometimes these previews are just rabbit trails, edited together to throw off those of us looking for clues; but I thought about it, and honestly even if Grant decides to flip, he thinks that Rob doesn't have an idol. Rob went out of his way to make sure Grant thinks that. If Grant votes with the Big 5 to get Rob out, Rob could play his idol and (more likely than not) Grant would be gone. All of that being said, if Grant flips, I think the Big 5 + 1 would be smart enough to vote for someone in Ometepe other than Rob. Cut those numbers down a little more. But the fact remains that, in Grant's head, there is no way Rob has an idol, and that mindset could potentially play a huge role in the weeks to follow.

The problem that remains for the other ten players is that the further along this goes, the less likely it becomes that anyone will be able to blindside Rob. He's just too observant. Whether it's about reading the other players' motivations, simply knowing where everyone is and who they are talking to at any particular moment- no one is as tuned into this game as Rob. And it's going start costing people dearly if they don't act soon.

Redemption Island Ep. 07- "It Don't Take a Smart One"

Previously on SURVIVOR:

Ometepe

It was the usual with Rob's posse. Riding high on immunity victory, they could really only squabble amongst themselves to keep things interesting. Philip is certain he's in an alliance with Rob and Grant, so he's hurt when he sees them hide an immunity idol clue from him at the Reward. Unrest is growing, division is deepening, and you just know that somewhere down the line, this epic rivalry between Rob and Philip will become full blown. Now we just need an Ometepe loss or a merge to watch it happen.

Zapetera

Russell, Russell, Russell. It is a testament to the scoundrel he is that three episodes after his departure, his presence is still felt in a big way. Be it in the form of a two challenge losing streak, or in the form of Stephanie, Russell has plagued this tribe. Ironically, however, he really didn't even do that much to screw with anyone. Other than team up with two of the dumbest players I've ever seen on Survivor, and pretend to have an Immunity Idol when it was obvious they didn't, he did literally nothing. He was all talk. The Big Six made him the legend he was by amplifying him in their mind. I'm sure if he had stuck around, he'd have found a way to shake things up, but as it is, the Big Six screwed themselves royally by making him the villian they did. They might now be in less trouble had they proceeded differently.

Most everything went by the numbers for Zapetera last week. They lost the challenge, Stephanie scrambled, Stephanie got voted out. The only real hiccup was that Dave scrambled for Stephanie, too. He even voted with her for Sarita, feeling she was the weakest link on the tribe (But mostly, he just hates her! Shh...)

Survivor: Redemption Island Ep. 07- "It Don't Take a Smart One"

...To Realize We've Got a Problem

What is happening to Zapetera is absolutely fascinating. They now have exactly what they've wanted since around day one, and they all couldn't be more miserable about it. The Big Six are all that's left, with Russell and his minions all either gone or chilling on Redemption Island. But Dave went over to "the dark side," as Sarita put it. Oh, and he doesn't have any plans on making good with her. You can just see on his face that for whatever reason, he straight hates her. Maybe he's got a Jack Shepherd complex like on LOST. Maybe his dad used to tell him he didn't have what it took, and that he couldn't work under pressure. So it hit a nerve when Sarita said the same thing, years later? Who knows?

...To See Why They Voted You Out

Matt finally meets his match in Stephanie. He's such a nice guy that he becomes instant BFFs with most everybody that comes to Redemption Island. But when he says "I'm ready for the duel," you know he means it. Stephanie grates on his nerves big times. She talks food. A lot. He says wryly: "You're killin' me, smalls."

...To See you Need a Babysitter

While Matt waits to get the heck away from Stephanie (one way or the other) Ometepe has to choose two people to go to the duel. Philip says it's his turn to go, so Rob volunteers to go, too. you can tell he doesn't really want to, but he tells the audience he has to, to make sure Philip doesn't say anything stupid. This tension between Rob and Philip just keeps growing, and it actually gave this entire episode a more intense and elevated feel the whole way through.

...To See That Philip's Gonna Make a Move

After a boring challenge that was pretty much Matt's after the third or fourth round, Philip can't help but compare Matt to a Samurai Warrior (He read up on Japanese history and culture since last week, apparently), and this makes Rob, who had been almost bored as he watched the challenge unfold, furious. This is probably because he is beginning to see that odds are, Matt will re-enter this game, and Philip appears to want to align himself with him. Rob deduces that once the merge hits, the story will go: "Let's get Rob out."

...To Tell Who Runs the Circus

On the way back from the duel, Philip, in (I guess?) an attempt to let Rob know that he still owns his vote, asks if Rob wants to withhold any information about the duel when they reach camp. Rob says he wants everyone on the same page, and almost chastises Philip for even asking, which puts Philip on the defensive just a little bit. To the audience, he applauds Philip's question, because it's ammunition he can use against him. Rob had a fire in his eyes this week, it was undeniable.

You can see that it's game on for Rob, at this point. He is normally a really good day-by-day player, but the double threat of a looming merge and "dangerous because of his stupidity" Philip has Boston Rob thinking a little bit farther down the line, for better or worse. He almost sounds slightly paranoid, but mostly just aware of the heightened state of affairs.

Back at camp, Rob tells everyone what Stephanie spilled after the duel - that Rob needs to watch his back, because there's a target on it. Once Philip walks away, Rob lets the others know that Philip wanted to withhold information, and uses that to inform them that if they lose a challenge, it's Philip going home.

And of course, they all nod and smile, because Rob's logic is air tight. He tells the audience that he wants everyone on the same page, because if they all feel that Rob's number will come up before theirs, they feel safe. Genius! Plus, with Philip on the outskirts of the tribe, there's even more security. Rob is somehow playing this game on the edge while being almost one hundred percent honest with everyone. He even says he'll let Philip know when he's going to vote him out. He won't blindside him, he says. "I'll frontside him!"

...To Call This Tribe Dead

I'm beginning to think there aren't too many forward thinkers in Zapetera. I can't really put my finger on it, but they just aren't seeming as bright as I once thought they were. But more on that later.

Anyway, Dave is completely alienating himself, and everyone is complaining about him. He's getting "tough to stomach" as Steve puts it. This has become a completely lifeless tribe. There's really nothing especially interesting about them, and I'm hoping some of the personalities will start to pop once we hit the merge.

But one thing worth noting is that we really only see Dave have one conversation about the state of affairs in the tribe, and that's with Ralph. He asks if Steve has said anything about Dave's defiant vote for Sarita at the last Tribal Council. They talk about Steve as though he is the leader of the tribe. We have previously seen him play peacemaker multiple times, including at the beginning of this episode, after Tribal Council. It has sort of gone without saying that Steve is ultimately in charge of affairs at Zapetera, but this week we got our first real proof that he's the man in charge.

...To Make a Mountain out of a Mole Hill

Next up is one of the best segments of this season so far. So the girls of Ometepe are talking about saving all the crispy rice for Rob. Rob this, Rob that. Philip exasperatedly chews on some rice of his own as he listens from a distance. Rob, Rob, Rob, Rob...

Finally, Philip has had enough. Philip is done. Philip can take no more. He walks over and asks for a small scoop of crispy rice. This, he is denied. And then it's over.

He blasts Rob and the rest of the "tribe" to the audience, stating that in any other world, he would receive deferential treatment because of his seniority! But instead, he gets the red-headed stepchild treatment! There is a division in the tribe, but not of Philip's making! The first chance he has to eliminate Rob, he's going to do it!

It's on.

What makes Philip so absolutely fascinating is that, though he is seemingly without a real sense of self-awareness in his relations with his tribe, he is also the only person, other than Rob, aware of just how tight a grip Rob has on the tribe. So, although he has a vital understanding of the tribe's unfair politics, he can't relate it to anyone without coming off as crazy. This works in Rob's favor, because it makes opposition to Rob seem like allegiance to Philip, because of how polarizing Philip is.

...To See that One Could Have Gone Either Way

This week saw one of the closest and most exciting Immunity Challenges I have ever seen play out on Survivor. Slight leads, catch ups, breakaways, lead changes... it had everything. In the end, though, it came down to who could shoot hoops the fastest, and Grant looked like he was going to win that one every time. So Ometepe wins for the third week straight. And sure, you could get into how Sarita struggled with the bag, and that helped lead to the loss. But Philip struggled with the net cage, and Rob struggled with getting the ring of the loop. This one was a marathon that could have gone either way.

...To See- Holy Crap, Volcano!

At the Volcano Reward, Rob takes all of ten seconds to locate the Immunity Idol clue, and then toss it into the volcano, which probably marks the first time in history a television program openly littered into a volcano. Really, Rewards have just become about watching how quick Rob can find and then get rid of the clues. This was his finest and most artistic work to date. He sent that thing straight to Hell.

...To Get Blindsided at Tribal

I have to say that even though I said last week that I thought Dave would end up being okay this week, they did a good job of making it seem like he was going home. Don't worry, Sarita was surprised too! So they sent her packing, with Dave offering her a friendly "Don't get too confident" on her way out. Yeah, someone do some research on this guy's relationship with his dad. Come on.

Now, back to just how stupid this tribe has become- with a merge on the horizon (Even though they don't know it's as soon as before the next Tribal Council...), why would you get rid of a weak, but loyal member of the tribe, in favor of a cocky, smart, headstrong player that does well with puzzles and is (obviously) good at arguing his case? They all even admitted he'd probably be willing to flip at the merge, where they'd likely be down in numbers anyway. Wouldn't it make more sense to just assume at this point that you'll probably be down in numbers at the merge, and have a tighter group of five? Literally baffling.

Predictions

Last week I made a couple of predictions that ended up coming to pass- Dave would be safe, and Tribal Council would be a trip. Safe and generic bets, I know, but I've got one or two more predictions I want to throw out, and we'll see how I do next week.

• From next week's preview, we know that the winner of the next Redemption Island duel is going back into the game- the assumption being that Redemption Island ends when Matt or Sarita comes back to the merged tribe. But what if it continues on? What if those voted off after the merge keep getting sent to Redemption Island in the same fashion as before the merge? Then the remaining player comes back when there are maybe six players left. Just a thought, but I have a feeling it's a good guess.
• Though the preview hyped up the idea that Rob could be in trouble at the merge, and that Probsts told EW that Tribal Council "will have your jaw on the floor," I don't think Rob's going home. I can think of a hundred arguments detailing why I'm probably wrong. But I think the man will find a way to make it happen. Unless he's severely blindsided, he has an idol, anyway. But if I'm wrong, refer to my above prediction. (Potentially) Well played, CBS.

Redemption Island Ep. 06- "Their Red-Headed Stepchild"

Previously on SURVIVOR:

Ometepe

We found out definitively last week that Phillip and Andrea are on the outskirts of their tribe. Though Andrea is actually in the five-strong alliance, it's apparent that if it came time to vote off one of their own, she'd be the one forced into doing the most scrambling to save her own butt. It's hard to tell exactly where Phillip sits with Ometepe. He's definitely the outsider, but that makes him a valuable asset to Rob. As long as Phillip is so detested by the female half of the tribe, Rob knows he's always got one extra week to scramble, even if his number does come up. This uncertainty pertaining to his place in the tribe keeps Phillip just crazy enough to continue on as an important asset to Rob's end game.

Zapetera

All is not well. Things were initially on the up and up after throwing a challenge to vote Russell out. Though they won their next immunity challenge, they lost last week's. And that was all this tribe needed to start tearing at the seams. It's unclear what it is exactly about one of the strongest six-person alliances I've ever seen that has made things to volatile. Is it really just the feud between Dave and Sarita? Or does it lie deeper? Regardless, they sent Krista home in spite of the infighting. Stephanie had the world on her shoulders this week if she was going to make any attempt to penetrate this tribe and stay in the game.

Survivor Redemption Island Ep. 06- "Their Red-Headed Stepchild"

Of All the Survivors in All the World...

Steve is hurt. Steve is scared. Why did the village idiot and her lackey vote for him?! It isn't fair! It isn't right. When Stephanie and Krista made the initial decision last week to cast their votes for him, it was with this idea that he was the weak link on their tribe. It sounded bizarre at the time, but in light of the first few minutes of this weeks episode, one can only wonder... Is Steve a sissy? He sure doesn't look like one. But, you have to admit, sometimes he kind of acts like one.

The Damage She Did on Her Way Out

Granted, now that Stephanie is on her own in this game, she can't afford to be as obnoxious, and that made her just a little bit likable this week, in a sort of "pitiful underdog" kind of way. However, she was the last of her three-person alliance to get the boot, so there really isn't much of a reason to dwell too much on all the scrambling she did this week to keep herself in the game, which ultimately was all for naught. Or was it? Stephanie may be on her way to Redemption Island, but she affected some changes that I'm guessing will be long lasting. More on that as the recap unfolds...

Lazy Ometepe

Things could not be more entertaining at Ometepe. This tribe is honestly funnier when they aren't getting ready for a vote. Just leave these people to themselves, and hilarity ensues.

Phillip cannot believe how lazy Natalie and Ashley are. They just sit there, have spa days, pick each other's armpit hair, etc... Phillip has had it. So, he politely requests that the girls check on the fire every thirty minutes or so. Ashley can't believe it though, she tells the cameras that she was a basketball player (High school, I guess?), and not only that...but she did Pageants! She's had a rough, tiring life. And she thinks Survivor is just the place to catch up on some R&R. They're comfortable in an alliance with Rob, and things are good.

Well, like everyone else, they are unknowingly playing right into his hands. "They're 19, 20 year old girls, they're not going to do anything," he tells Grant. And then to the cameras, states that the less they do, the happier he is. He doesn't need reasons for people to write their names down for a million bucks if it comes down to one of them and himself. You get the feeling this guy has such a grip on this game, that absolutely nothing phases him. Like this is just a fun vacation CBS calls him up from time to time to send him on.

So Two Christians Walk into a Duel...

Turns out Krista's born again, which we would have never had a clue about except that her luxury item on Redemption Island ends up being a Bible. Matt is thankful for the Christian fellowship, and you can tell it genuinely does his heart good to have someone to pray with. He even looks a little downtrodden at the prospect of having to compete with his new BFF.


At the challenge, it sincerely looks like Krista is going to pull it out, but Matt hustles. He has a calm and composure that can only come from the familiarity of these duels at this point. Even though they're always different, he's competed in four of them.

He makes up the time he lost collecting the bags, and when Krista's ball falls in one of the maze holes near the end of the track, it seals her fate. Matt is able to very slowly and delicately finish up the maze, and for a fourth time, he wins. It would have been somewhat interesting to see Krista pull this one out, but at this point, Matt's domination at these challenges is great in its own right, even if him being the one to re-enter the game wouldn't be the most exciting because of all the time that has passed at this point. But you can tell he still has a chip on his shoulder just a little bit. And if he were to somehow pull out every single duel... well, that'd be fantastic.

Anyway, at challenges end, Krista hands her Bible over to Matt and tell him that it's his now. It was actually a sweet moment for an otherwise unlikable castaway on this show. Almost like her true "redemption," regardless of her status or non-status in the game. Kudos also to Probst and the show-runners for treating the subject with some respect. Though it's usually pretty easy on reality shows to highlight a contestants shortcomings when they make their faith so blatant, there's no denying that Matt is just a genuinely nice guy. Which leads to my next point...

Matt is Just a Genuinely Nice Guy

Andrea's comments about the duel were misguided and hilarious. She's worried that Matt could be a threat in the game, given how quickly he formed bonds with both Andrea and Krista. Whatever. She just felt a little betrayed. She's on a tribe with airheads, and felt special because of the attention Matt showed her. Hopefully it was just an aside and won't play into her decision making if Matt ends up getting back into the game, and if she's still around to see it. Matt has been crucified over and over for simply being a nice guy. It keeps getting misread as strategy. All we know about Matt's strategy in this game is that he'd like to be in an alliance with Rob and Grant. That's really it. That barely counts. Everyone wants that.

Toothaches and Dave

Stephanie gets the lucky break of her life when Sarita starts walking around camp complaining about a toothache. It doesn't help that she already isn't that strong in challenges. Julie even dubs her a drama queen, and a princess.


Whether Dave really does only care about winning, or if Krista's words at the last tribal council about him having not a real "friend" in the Big Six got to him, he seizes the opportunity to lobby for Stephanie to stay. It's kind of hard to understand exactly why he stuck his neck out for her as much as he did. If Krista is right, and he really doesn't have a real ally in the Big Six, why put himself out there? Is he simply tired of the complacency found in his alliance? The fact that no one is addressing the reality that if all goes according to plan, they'll be eating their own after this week? You can tell he's a thinker and a speaker in a tribe of people content to ride the wave and deal with the future as the future happens. And if nothing else is absolutely clear about his motivations, you can tell that one fact grates on his nerves more than anything else. I really like him, but after this week, he better be praying for some immunity wins, or a merge. And soon.

Credit, Credit, Credit...

Back at Ometepe, Phillip just wants some credit, but he's alienated everyone. Especially the girls. But he does all the work, and the girls get all the spoils. He just wants the credit! Why he's obsessed so much with "credit"... I'm not so sure. But it's funny. So it all culminates in his proclamation that he's the red-headed stepchild. This is the end all. It's time to call the girls out.



He does just that, and it turns into a full-blown argument between Phillip and Ashley and Natalie. It's one of those where both sides are just making the other angrier with each passing sentence spoken. Rob, the benevolent dictator, recognizes this, and once things have calmed, calls Phillip aside and says the most important thing is team unity. Honestly, as much as Phillip talks about wanting to kill the King, it seems that more than "credit," he just wants Rob's attention. anytime Rob calls him aside for a "talking," Phillip is usually good to go for a few days. So we'll see how this one plays out.

Rob's walking a fine line here, and you know he's got to be thinking, "Maybe I should just accept the risk and send this guy packing." Whatever the case, it'll make for an incredible, and probably humorous, tribal council the next time Ometepe graces it with their presence.

Immunity: The Shirts Are Off


Immunity Challenges like this week's are great. When they pit castaways against each other, one-on-one, it creates some great drama. The challenge was to simply launch a ball with an over-sized slingshot and then have your tribe mates catch it with their nets. First tribe to five wins. Ometepe dominated again. But not before Mike ripped off Grant's shirt attempting to slow him down. It was almost poetic, really. Mike states it best, afterwards: "We weren't meant to win." I've watched the challenge twice- it really wasn't anyone's fault that Zapetera lost. They just lost. This is a team without it's mojo. And though they won the challenge immediately following the one they threw to out Russell, you can't help but point to that moment as the one that began this downward spiral.

How Hiding a Clue Disrespects the United States

I could recap what happened at Ometepe's reward lunch, but Phillip just really nailed it already:

I’ve been in an alliance with Rob, Grant and myself. In fact, I call ourselves “Stealth R Us.” I’m the specialist. Rob’s the mentalist. And Grant is the assassin. And yet today, when Rob and Grant found the clue for the idol, and they tried to hide it… Well, Hell hath no fury… *Long pause* Like a lion, or a gorilla when he thinks he’s been provoked. If you’re gonna make an alliance with me, you’d better adhere to it, because I’m all about integrity. I served my country for 4 years, 11 months, 13 days for duty, honor, country. That means something to me. And when you try to trash on that, me and the United States got something for you when you try that one, baby.

Do you see what I mean about Phillip getting attention from Rob? It tides him over, or something. He gets a talking from Rob, about anything really, and it solidifies in his mind that he's on the inside. It's Stealth R Us or bust, baby. But one sign from anyone that he's not in the position wherein he likes to imagine himself, and it's lion and gorilla time.

I'm just hoping Ometepe keeps winning challenges until the merge, because much as I'd like to think Rob would keep him around, I have a sneaking suspicion he'd probably be the next to go.

Trust vs. Strength

At tribal council, the topic of choice is whether to remain loyal to a trusted member, Sarita, or to switch gears and keep someone who is perhaps stronger in challenges, Stephanie. This is where Dave out-and-out looks like he's turned on his alliance. He spars with Steve's assessment of Sarita's strengths, and argues to Probsts that the tribe is too obsessed with trust. "All I care about is winning" is his motto this week, and Stephanie is eating it up. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. With a vote of 5-2, Stephanie is sent packing.

This means that for the first time, someone within the Big Six voted for one of their own. While everyone granted Dave his main point that Sarita is Zapetera's weakest link, he could still find himself in hot water next week for his disloyalty. Somehow I think he'll end up being okay, but we'll have to see.

Last week I ended by saying that no matter who ended up at tribal council, it should make for a good one. I wasn't 100% right because it was pretty obvious for the entire episode that there was no way Zapetera was going to keep Stephanie around. That being said, now that the Big Six is all that's left, and Phillip has insinuated that his lion and gorilla have been provoked, next week's episode should bring the goods.

Redemption Island Ep. 05- "We Hate Our Tribe"

I'm jumping into the game a few weeks late, but this season has been so intriguing thus far, I've just got to write about it. But before we hop in, just a disclaimer that I haven't watched a full season of Survivor in years. I've caught episodes here and there, but this is the first season in many, many cycles that I've followed from the beginning (As an example, I'm a lot more familiar with Rob's game than with Russel's, but I knew who they both were coming into this season.) All that to say, references to past seasons will probably be held to a minimum, simply from a lack of knowledge on my part. Hopefully this will be a fun and enlightening experience for everyone, myself included; and "Redemption Island" will continue on in fantastic fashion just like it started out. Now, on to the recap:

Previously on SURVIVOR:

Coming into this episode, I've been characterizing Ometepe and Zapatera by two simpler names: The Dumb Tribe and The Smart Tribe. Now, hear me out. I understand that there are segments of both tribes that could justify both titles, but on the whole, there's a whole lot of dumb going on over at Rob's tribe, and a smarter, more united group going on at Russell's (former) tribe.

Ometepe

The way Rob is running Ometepe is just mind-boggling. His will be done, it seems. You have to give the man credit where credit is due, but there is no shaking the feeling that he got paired with a bunch of amateurs, and had he ended up on Zapatera, he would have been kicked off about as quick as Russell, on principle alone. These Ometepe guys act like they're absolutely clueless to the game Rob is playing. He's not even being sneaky about it. He's running it like a benevolent dictator, and they appear to be happy with it, without even a trace of "hey, make us unhappy, and we'll kick you right off of here. There's six of us and one of you." Well, as of the end of last week, now there's five of them, because Rob told everyone that Kristina was getting voted out next. Dumb.

Zapetera

Regardless of whether or not you agree with the whole notion of throwing a challenge just to out Russell, there's no doubt that, thus far, it has improved morale. Now, it may end up being more significant if or when things becomes a numbers game at the merge, but for now, things are looking good for the tribe. They just have to deal with Stephanie and Krista whining a lot about a really, really bad decision they made when they decided to be BFFs with Russell. And apparently they're ready to go to the death to defend that decision? Like I said, even the smart tribe has its quirks. Or idiots.

Redemption Island Ep. 05: "We Hate Our Tribe"

We Hate Our Phillip

Though there are always bigger things going on around him, Phillip has become the quiet star of this show. I've never seen such a subtly hilarious contestant on television than Phillip. A lot of the things he says are easy to dismiss, but if you really think about them, there is a silent poetry to the things he says (i.e. "The girls are like crabs.") You have to respect the man for marching to his own drum, and for sticking around as long as he has. Pink underwear and all.


We Hate Our (Former) Tribe

At Redemption Island, Matt easily dispatched of Kristina in a simple game of block building. During the challenge, however, he called Rob out on his "rascal" tactics, blindsiding him like he did. Jeff prodded Rob for a response; and Rob, veteran that he is, gave nothing up. "It takes more than one person to vote someone out, Jeff. You know that." What a pro, what a pro.

Matt also made mention of his hope to return to Ometepe and make it to the final three with Rob and Grant. Assuming the merge is fast approaching, and also that the champ of Redemption Island will return to the game at that point, Matt could turn things around a little bit. He's a wild card- a genuinely good guy that just got blindsided because he was too palsy-walsy for Rob's liking. But he could just get kicked off Remption Island next week. So there it is.

We Hate Our Tribe

Our resident village idiot Stephanie and her lackey Krista got to represent Zapatera at Redemption Island this week. Never one to let any opportunity to screw herself pass, Stephanie verbalized her disdain with her tribe, stating she'd rather be playing for the enemy. Krista seconded this, and Rob said it sounded interesting, if it was true. Stephanie flashed her best "Who wouldn't trust this face?" smile, and Rob seemed unconvinced. But just to throw the poor girls a bone, Rob whispered for them to "Hang in there" as they were walking out. This little aside prompted a talking head where Stephanie started talking about not planting seeds, but whole sequoia trees into Rob's brain! She just flipped the entire game on its head in one moment! Wait. No she didn't. While it was all Stephanie could talk about for the rest of her time on screen this week, Rob made no mention of it. At all.

From his perspective, if they're lying, big deal, he'll play along so they feel they've accomplished something. And if they are genuinely desperate, well, he has no problem letting them know he can be friendly. Regardless, they just played right into his hands, and all he had to do was use three words to make it so. Again, is the man a genius or are the people around him just that stupid? I think it's a little of both.

We Hate Our Ladies

Poor Phillip! He's having trouble making an "impression on the ladies" (The man is a poet!). He isn't self-aware enough to understand that he's a little awkward. And abrasive. Two things people tend to shy away from. Did I mention he was in the Secret Service?

So with Rob and Grant at Redemption Island for the duel, Phillip wishes he could work some magic on the girls and maybe stick around the game a little longer. Well, as it turns out, Ashley and Natalie aren't really huge fans of Phillip OR Andrea. And, as it also turns out, Andrea sees the other ladies of the tribe as a bit shallow, and longs for deeper conversations than those that begin with, "It only looks bad because my skin is wet" and end with, "Oh, my god... STOP."

We Hate Our King

What follows next is a conversation that could possibly have long-lasting effects, if it isn't nipped in the bud. Andrea and Phillip end up convening and having a conversation about being varying levels of outsiders in the tribe. It's obvious, given her quickness to dismiss Matt as "long gone," she still holds some fear/resentment at how that situation went down. When Andrea says she's afraid to suggest sending the other girls home first because then her head's on the chopping block, it may be the most telling explanation thus far concerning exactly how things work at Ometepe. The fingerprints of Rob run through every single conversation this tribe has. Phillip sums the entire thing up well: "The king is a dictator."


We Hate Our Puzzle Solver

What exactly it was that prompted Sarita, and then everyone in Zapetera, to go along with Stephanie as the caller AND puzzle solver is beyond me. Inevitably, they lost. I mean, that's really about it. But on the plus side, at least we don't have to hear Julie worry that karma will make them lose the next challenge anymore. Unless Karma is another word for "crappy decisions at the outset," it had nothing to do with it.

The fallout from the challenge is far-reaching, and turns into a full-blown argument between David and Sarita. She claims he's bad under pressure, which prompts him to say he's solving all the puzzles from here on out, no questions asked. And there seems to be no complaints from the onlookers.

We Are Beginning to Hate Our Tribe

Will this be the day that the famed alliance of six began to crumble? Sarita and Julie go on a walk and talk about how David is a lawyer "at his core," which I guess makes him a horrible person. and Julie says she wants Krista off because she doesn't like her, but has hope for the village idiot Stephanie.

I could spend an hour on this. All this talk about maybe bringing Stephanie into the fold... why? She's a loose cannon. How quick they are to forget her meltdown at Tribal Council just a few days ago where she basically fought Russell's entire, futile battle for survival. She acted like a brat. I don't know why there is even a discussion about this. Let alone more than one.

We Hate Our Tribal Council

At Tribal, Krista says the first smart thing she's said the entire game. Amazing what she comes up with when she's not just quietly going along with something a dumb person is saying. Jeff Probst singles her out to identify sub-alliances within the main alliance of six. She happily obliges. Mike and Steve. Julie and Steve. Sarita and Ralph. And then she says she doesn't know where that leaves David. Why is this the first we've heard of this? Why didn't she throw Stephanie to the wolves after her sorry showing at Tribal when Russell was voted off, and try and get herself aligned with Dave, and perhaps one or two others? It may not have worked, but Mike is right when he says Krista didn't even try. Krista even says "What was I supposed to do? Go to everyone and say, 'Hey, everyone! Let's vote out Stephanie!" Yes, Krista, that's exactly what you do. It's called making the best of a bad situation. Not sitting on your hands.


You would think perhaps Stephanie would vote Krista, and Krista vote for Stephanie, just as a show of good faith to the rest of the tribe, or as an extended hand to say "I know my chances are slim, but I'm not an idiot." Nope, they are. They both vote together for Steve. It's absolutely beyond me. Stephanie was right at Redemption Island when she said she'd fit in at Ometepe.

Anyway, Krista is sent to Redemption Island where she'll face Matt in a duel; and all of Stephanie's hope to "keep the faith in each other alive" dies, because even if she manages to finagle herself into this alliance, you know she's out of there if Krista ends up winning that duel, as big a deal as the two of them have made about everything up to this point. They're just too dangerous to potentially keep together.

It'll take a small miracle for Stephanie to stay in this game for much longer. But things get interesting when there's only one person left outside of an alliance. That's when the wheeling and dealing begins. And this is where both Stephanie and Phillip find themselves going into episode six. Next week should make for an interesting Tribal Council regardless of which tribe happens to be there.