SURVIVOR: BLOOD VS WATER – 11/20/13

At the Immunity Challenge, it’s another old favorite where the competitors have to stand on a little ledge while holding a rope. From what I recall about past challenges like this, it’s not really brawn that wins…it’s a light woman who can hold her weight. Right now, I’m thinking Monica may be the best suited, but let’s see what the guys can do…

Right off the bat, Hayden is having issues with his grip. Maybe it’s all that extra weight he’s carrying, but he’s not digging how this feels on his hands, and quickly, he drops in the water. Soon after, Caleb takes the plunge. And then Gervase. Ciera is the first woman to drop. Then Katie and Laura follow. It’s down to Tyson and Monica.

Right about now I’m thinking Tyson must have some rough hands from years of cycling, but that rotator cuff injury suffered earlier in the season has to be having an effect on his performance. On cue, Tyson drops and Monica wins individual immunity, and gets to enjoy a reward of hamburgers and hot dogs. Or does she…? In one of the nicer gestures this season, Monica allows the other players to enjoy the reward rather than her. Sure, she’s got immunity tonight, and maybe there’s a bit of politics behind it, but you can just tell that Monica is doing this from a good place. Let’s hope all that crap she endures for being such a windbag will subside a bit because of this gesture. And here’s a bit of advice to anyone who thinks that someone is talking too much:

Tell them to shut up! Rather than bitching to the camera that so-and-so talks too much. Just go up to so-and-so and say, “damn you talk too much. You’re getting on my nerves.” Chances are, they’ve heard it before and know when to keep their traps shut.

Upon returning to camp, the tribe finally sees the GIANT FRIGGIN SNAKE that’s been slithering around camp for days (and nights). I’m surprised that someone hasn’t been taken out by that giant monster. Does the show have 24-hour security to protect the players when they sleep? I can’t imagine it’d go over well with the insurance company that a player was squeezed to death by a native snake… I wonder how that’s handled…?

Ciera grabs Katie to let her know that numerous players are voting out her mom. But Ciera’s still undecided on whether she’s going to join them. Katie tries to play the only card she’s got and tells Ciera she’s going “to play the idol” tonight, but then Katie turns out to be the worst poker player ever and folds as soon as Ciera plays her bluff and tells Katie that SHE found the idol. Katie crumbles like a house of cards and must feel like an idiot after watching this episode tonight.

Then the mad dash begins as Ciera begins lobbying to get Katie out. She tells the boys (Hayden, Caleb and Tyson) about her “idol bluff” with Katie and that it’d be cool to vote her out tonight. While they’re all just “that’s cool with me” and “whatever” and “sure, let’s vote out Katie,” Tyson begins to feel that Ciera is starting to make moves and he’s not down with that. He campaigns to get the votes back onto Laura, and with relative ease, he seems to be able to rally his alliance to do just that. Caleb, on the other hand, is still convinced that Katie needs to go, which may just be the show’s way of presenting another option, even though it’s already set in stone that Laura is going home. Let’s see what Tribal brings…

The tribe enters and Jeff reminds us about last tribal and how Katie was at the bottom. While that may still be the case, he also mentions the final loved ones pair of Laura and Ciera may be a threat (man, how does he know this stuff…?). So after quizzing the tribe on the dynamics of tonight’s vote, and after Laura makes her final pitch to keep her around, it’s time to vote.

And it’s unanimous that Laura is voted out (besides her vote for Katie, of course). Personally, I think it’s kind of shi**y that Ciera voted for her mom, but I guess she’s convinced that she has a better shot if she cuts ties now. Not sure, but it seems like a crappy thing to do to the person who brought you into this world…

So we’re down to 7 individual players and 3 at Redemption Island . I can’t wait to see if the mighty Tyson takes a fall next week as the tease leads us to believe. What will he do with his Immunity Idol…!?

Until then…

Fish
bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com

PS. Just wanted to include a few links in case you would like to donate to Typhoon Haiyan relief. My Filipino wife would appreciate any effort that can be made to her home country. Thanks for your consideration.

American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/index.jsp?donateStep=2&itemId=prod4650031

Philippine Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org.ph/donate

UNICEF: https://secure.unicefusa.org/site/Donation2?df_id=16500&16500.donation=form1

Childfund International: http://www.childfund.org/emergency/