SURVIVOR: BLOOD VS WATER – 10/16/13

So now it’s Day 11 and we’re back at Galang. After the return from Redemption Island , the tribe is discussing how awful that must have been for Monica and how supportive they are of her. That all sounds well and good, but as we find out in the next scene with her and Tina, Monica’s connection to Brad may not be such a good thing for the Galang “ Alliance of 5” when the tribes merge. Monica even calls it out herself when she mentions,

“I think our group will stay five. And then after the merge, we’ll have to see who’s got loved ones, do they come in, do they go out? Where do they stand?”

Which, to me, sounds like she just set herself up for execution. Tina is a savvy enough player to know when someone is a threat. And she even mentions that the Monica/Brad couple is very threatening if they reconnect at the merge. Looks like Monica is playing too many cards at this point, or maybe she just has a case of the Culpepper’s and can’t keep her mouth shut. Speaking of her husband, she offers this…

“He’s not just a dumb jock. He’s a lawyer too.”

Wow. There’s a backhanded compliment… Thanks, babe…

We head over to Tadhana and the tribe is just falling apart. Regardless of all the blindsides and loses, the tribe is just looking ragged. We’re provided with a montage of everyone’s cuts, bruises, fungi, and assorted ailments. Ciera then reminds us of how the game is comprised of various “layers,” the first being to survive. We’re then shown her arms and back and legs covered with bug bites. Ewww… Then we see that Katie has a form of athlete’s foot that’s swelling up her toes and causing her toenails to fall off. Yuck!

This is where all the big talking I do about how I’d love to be on the show gets a reality check. Sure, I would figuratively kill to be a contestant, but when I see the bug bites and funky things that can happen to your body when you’re out there, it makes me reconsider. I get it that you may get cut up and bruised doing the various challenges, but the bug bites are what give me pause. I’ve heard past contestants say that their skin was never the same after being on the show, and I’m not sure that’s something I would like to endure. Yes, a million bucks and the adventure of a lifetime sounds great, but a big can of Off! and a mosquito net sounds even better…

Vytas gives us his own little reality check that with all the losing this tribe is doing, how does he align himself to come out on the other side unscathed? He was the “flipper” last Tribal Council, something that probably doesn’t sit well with ANYONE moving forward. As you may recall, I’ve been mentioning that Vytas has been doing a little bit of strategizing this season, and some of it has been unwise. Now, I’m just beginning to question if all his moves have been smart ones.

He does seem to have the right read on Caleb, though, which is that “once you flop like he did, no one can trust you fully from then on.” True, I do see the validity of that, but I also see how that kind of move is something that plays well at Final Tribal when asked, “What big moves have you made?” It’s too early in the season to know how his decision will play out, but you still got to give the guy credit for shaking up the tribe like he did. Caleb even admits in his VO that he’s an important vote moving forward, because he can swing toward the girls or he could swing back to the guys. I’m just wondering how that “pendulum approach” may hurt him in the future, because tribes do have long memories when it comes to Tribal votes. Vote with me, good for you. Vote against me…shame on you.

Before we head over to the Immunity Challenge, Vytas shows us his yoga moves and tells us how beautiful and peaceful this place is…now that Brad is gone! He just “polluted” the tribe, is how Vytas tells it, and we can see from the Tadhana unity party atop a mountain that the tribe needs to win one. A bit of foreshadowing, perhaps…?

The challenge looks more fun than anything else: a waterslide ring toss. Hopefully no one gets any more rashes or gashes and we see the reward they’re playing for is either a steak/veggies/spices/wok feast or fishing nets. Gee, I wonder what they’d rather have? Looks like the show couldn’t give away the fishing net last time so they’ll just keep offering it up again and again.

First team to score 5 points wins so getting the rings tossed properly is key. Looks like anyone with a horseshow background may do well here. And off they go…

Caleb beats Gervase by nailing his toss on the first throw. Horseshoe’s anyone…?
Tyson beats Hayden.
Katie (booty shot!) beats Kat.
Vytas beats Aras by landing the first toss.
Tina beats Ciera.
Caleb beats Tyson. (and is anyone else noticing how lame Tyson’s right arm is…?)
Hayden wins a long duel against Gervase (3 tosses each?!).

Tadhana wins! (haven’t said that before).

And you can just see the joy on their faces as they succeed in not having to go to Tribal Council. Of course, they pick the steak dinner, because who wants some ratty old fish nets when you can eat NOW!