SURVIVOR: BRAINS VS BRAWN VS BEAUTY – 3/19/14

Solana tribe, Day 12, as they return with their tray of sugar and carbs everyone digs in and starts the process of getting to know each other. LJ informs us he’s a bit concerned being on the downside of a 5-2 new tribe, so he’s going to look for any opportunity to ingratiate himself to his new tribemates. As they all chow down, little bits of peoples’ lives, careers and hometowns start to come out. The one big reveal is when LJ tells Trish he’s from Massachusetts (he doesn’t sound like a Bostonian), which is where she’s from. And then, once he reveals he’s single, Trish begins to get her twerk on and is suddenly laughing and smiling more than we’ve seen all season. This appalling behavior grosses Lindsey out, who thinks it’s disgusting that “a 50-year-old woman is trying to get attention from 20-year-old men.”

Not that it means anything, Lindsey, but Trish is 48, and LJ is 34. So…you’re just revealing how much YOU like LJ and you’re just bugged that you’re losing out to a 50-year-old woman. Meow…

Batman and Robin are both happy with the new tribal lines, except for having Trish on their tribe. Especially now that they see she’s also throwing herself at LJ. Double meow… Looks like this Massachusetts thing is a storyline that’s not going away anytime fast…

Over at Aparri, the 7 new tribe members arrive at a camp where 6 of them feel like guests. Sarah instantly realizes she needs to make everyone feel at home so she starts to reveal as much info on her former tribe as she can. The most important thing is that they have 2 bags of rice at camp because Trish chose that option when she arrived at camp on Day 1. This little tidbit, while seemingly unimportant, puts a big target on Morgan’s back (or chest, if you prefer…) since she LIED to her tribe on Day 1 and told everyone she selected items for her tribe and did not search for the hidden immunity idol. She’s now forced to reveal that she looked for the idol that day, which raises a big red flag to Alexis, who now has Morgan square in her crosshairs.

Immediately after, Alexis approaches the 3 Brains to discuss joining up with them, since her closest alliance (Jefra) is on the other tribe, and Morgan’s lies are an indication she can’t be trusted.

It comes out in the next few scenes how openly the Beauties will trash/reveal about each other, so much so that Spencer likens them to high-schoolers. Must be nice to be a Brain finally…! What time does the Chess Club meet after school?

Jeremiah then approaches the Brains with the same offer as Alexis: let me join you and we’ll be 4 strong. Oh, the fractures that are forming on this tribe…

…seem to be carrying over to the Solana tribe too! In the next scene, as Jefra and Trish are going to get water, Trish takes the opportunity to reveal everything she can about the former Brawn tribe. Most importantly, she and Lindsey are not together, and the tribe’s been trying to get Cliff out for a while. I’m sure she would have gone on to air a lot more dirty laundry, had Cliff not approached them. So, looking like two little girls who just snuck a couple sips off their old man’s whiskey bottle, they scamper off leaving Cliff to wonder “just what in the hell are these two bi*ches talking about…?”

The immunity challenge is next and it’s another old favorite. I recall seeing it in Survivor: China , but it may have been used other times. 6 tribe members must use a massive “puzzle log” to smash through 2 gates and then pull and push the puzzle log to navigate a maze that is cut into the surface of the log. Once the log is out of the maze station, the first tribe to hit a gong at the end wins immunity. Looks like strength will play a big part in this challenge. Trish and Morgan are sitting out, respectively…

Solana takes a small lead in the gate smashing section but as they reach the puzzle/maze section, both tribes arrive simultaneously. Working the maze, each tribe seems to be making the same mistakes and making the same progress. As they come to the final twists and turns, the tribes are virtually tied. Maybe the luck of the old Brains has finally turned, or maybe their (supposed) intelligence helped them out, because they push the log through the final turn and ram it into the gong. Aparri wins!

While they celebrate their victory, Solana is left to figure how they could have lost. Tony and his man-boobs can’t understand how a challenge like this could have resulted in them losing. Um, I’d say it’s because this challenge involved something more than picking up something heavy…or shooting at people… Where’s CopsRUs now, Officer Krupke?

Once the Solanas return to camp, all they can do is sit around and ponder how they could have lost. LJ knows he’s a target (hidden immunity idol, notwithstanding) but he’s still going to make his plea to keep him around. I’m sure he feels that if he can get the right reaction/response from the former Brawns, then maybe he can keep his idol for another day. Some of the old Brawns – Woo, Lindsey, Cliff – are discussing getting rid of LJ first, since he’s established this connection with Trish, and Woo feels he can make up for anything lost if they vote out LJ. All this seems to be leading to an interesting counter-blindside, but let’s see what other scenarios develop before Tribal…