Thursday, April 5, 2012

TV: Survivor - One World (ep. 8)

Last week's episode Survivor: One World proved interesting as Tarzan proved to be the undoing of Jonas.

The title of the episode this week is "Just Annihilate Them". The previews say that the game gets personal when one of the tribe members is confronted about her physical appearance. And a shocking blindside eradicates any sense of security in the Tikiano tribe.

Let's look at the episode...


Starting out, Troyzan and Jay really feel a woman needs to go next to keep the numbers balanced.

We dive right into the reward challenge, sponsered by 7-Up (love the old school bottles here). Everyone gets a taste before they split into two teams. Tarzan is left aside - no chance of reward for him. The players start on a huge water slide, then run out to the water to retrieve very heavy puzzle box pieces. First team to solve their puzzle gets a 7-Up party with BBQ and more. It looks like Blue has the early lead but Yellow ends up coming through in the clutch and solving it (smart of Christina to run ahead and survey parts).

At the reward, Kim and Sabrina talk strategy on the side. They want to target Mike as he is a strong competitor. Back at camp, Kat brings up the vote too and offers Mike as an option. Jay and Troy want Christina gone.

The storm rolls in and so too does the flare of tempers. Once more, Tarzan starts to get on people's nerves. He then accuses Chelsea of having a problem with him because perhaps she didn't like the plastic surgeon who did her boob job. What?!? Where does this kook get this stuff? She admits in interview that she has to tolerate him right now in best interest of the game.

Kim tells Troyzan that Mike was targetting him at the reward (a lie to be sure). But Troyzan eats it up, just as Kim hopes he would. She wants him down for voting Mike out.

At the immunity challenge, they group have to cross a ladder bridge while moving their bags of puzzle pieces along the ropes to the end. First four go to the final round. Jay is done first, followed by Kim, then Troyzan and finally...Alicia? Wow. Where did that come from? She's been so laying low since Colton got evacuated out.

Final round - 60 wooden blocks that have to be paired to create a flat image puzzle. Jay is way behind the others but everyone fails on their last pieces. Jay, who admits he hates puzzles, stays calm and steady and pulls out the victory.

Kim is worried that Jay might talk to Troyzan and find out she asked Troy to go for Mike. Chelsea actually tries to swing Jay to the Mike vote in front of Alicia and Christina. That sends some red flags to Jay. Jay goes off with Mike and Kim quickly follows. She defuses the situation by telling them both that they will just vote for Christina and be done this time.

My input: the women need to make the move now if they hope to keep the odds in their favor.

At tribal, Jeff asks who is worried they might be going home tonight. No one is worried. No one! Clearly there are many alliances at work with everyone feeling safe. Here comes a blindside.

My guess: Mike is so going to be surprised.

The vote commences and this is how it shakes out:

Tarzan and Mike vote for Christina (two).

Alicia and Christina vote for Tarzan (two). Interesting that these two went this way - almost as if they are still on the outside of the alliances.

All the rest of the votes (Jay, Troyzan, Leif, Kat, Sabrina, Chelsea and Kim) vote for Mike (seven votes total - five revealed). The blindside works and Mike joins Jonas on the jury (Jonas looked amused by the results).

So, the game has shifted again and interesting to see where the votes shook out. I was surprised to see Jay, Troyzan and Leif all siding with the strong girl alliance to vote out Mike. What are they thinking?

Next week, there will be more shuffling. Will this new mixed alliance hold? Will the guys wise up before they are picked off one by one? Will the six girls bond together?

I really like it when the show is unpredictable. See you next week!

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