SURVIVOR: WC vs BC vs NC – 3/4/15

27 minutes in and we finally get to see Jeff Probst! And, oh snap, he’s wearing a black shirt…that can’t be good. As Blue and No get a look at the new WC tribe (minus So), some pretend to be surprised, but really, does anyone care about who’s gone from another tribe? Especially the first person voted out? I think not.

The challenge has an element similar to one from BBB when the Brawn tribe attempted to throw it to vote out Cliff. Of course, being an ex-NBA player helped him survive, but what I recall most is how pathetic the Brains tribe (specifically X’XXX) performed. The basket shooting is just one of the aspects of the challenge, as players also have to swim and maneuver buoys around a wooden rack while attached to a rope. And right now I’m wondering how the BC knew they should be practicing shooting a day before the challenge? Hmmm…I wonder…

With the extra player on BC and NC, Kelly and Nina sit out. Let’s get this underway and hope Dan doesn’t drown…or flash his hairy junk to America.

Vince takes an early lead but Dan actually passes him at the end and taps the post first. Tyler and the WC are in third. Throughout the challenge, NC seems to keep a small lead over BC with WC struggling to make up ground. With that challenge monster Shirin handling the penultimate leg, she somehow overtakes Will in the “floating rack” section and WC is now in 2nd place. (Didn’t Al Campanis say something about “black people in the water?”)

And with the strongest swimmers in each tribe going last (Joaquin, Rodney and Joe), the tribes reach the floating deck thus: WC, BC, NC.

Joaquin takes over the shooting for WC and instantly hits one. He seems to be dialed in and eventually sinks all of them fairly easy to win the challenge for the WC tribe, they’ll take home a massive fishing kit for their efforts. Sierra seems to be the shooter on BC (really?) and sinks a couple. NC is falling apart with airball after airball… Why don’t they let the black guy (with the moobs) shoot? Oh yeah, that would be a stereotype, right…? Eventually, Sierra hits the mark enough and BC places. At least they get a smaller fishing kit. NC is toast, and the Joe-Vince drama is about to go full bore. Wonder which side will come out victorious? Joe-Hali-Jenn or Freak Show-Emotional Wreck-Can’t Swim for S**t?

When they return to camp, it’s smoke and mirrors in that “we lost this as a tribe,” and blah-blah-blah, but with the clear 3-3 division in this tribe, it’s time for everyone to start playing. Will is evidently exhausted, and has asthma to boot, which may make him a target, but Freak Show is lobbying for a blindside on Joe, since this may be their only chance to do so. And this is the part of the column where I get to mention Fish’s #1 rule of Survivor:

Keep your tribe strong at the beginning!

Because even though FS and Nina know they may lose challenge after challenge if they vote out Joe, they’d definitely be the next 2 to go if they get rid of Will. So, looks like Nina is going to try to breathe some life into the resident “YouMoob Sensation.”

But before she can do that, Joe and Jenn grab Will for a confab to discuss who should go home. While the obvious “weak link” is Nina, Jenn is pretty adamant that Vince is sent packing. They make a quick plan to split the vote between Vince and Nina, which seems like a moronic play (split the vote when there’s 6 people, RUFKM?) but hey, they’re kids, playing Survivor for the first time, let them make their own mistakes.

While “the kids” go off to swim, Will pulls FS aside and reveals the kids’ plan to split the vote. And somehow, Vince is finally thinking clearly enough to not wanna get rid of one of their strongest players, and instead opts to take out the “girl who won’t hug me convincingly enough.” That’s Jenn, and that’s what you get for not hugging a smelly, piercing eyed coconut freak.

But just when you thought everything was decided, Nina finally gets her opportunity to speak to Will. He gives her the lay of the land in regards to the Jenn vote, and while that seems to make a lot of sense, she feels the need to ask him about his own health, since “Vince was concerned about that.” This accusation of tanking hits Will square in the face and now he’s concerned about the conversations he’s had with Vince, because maybe he was getting played. And Homey don’t like to get played… Regardless, it makes for some interesting “pre-Tribal” drama that EVERY EPISODE contains.

At tribal for the first time, the players grab their torches and sit before his holiness. Jeff starts the questions by asking Nina about how she’s fitting in, to which she reveals the divisions in the tribe and then we get the sob story about the kids not accepting her. Jenn follows up with, “Yeah, she’s deaf, but so what, it’s a game.” And that’s pretty much sums it up. Vince continues with a smarmy analogy about how he’s “all about cohesion,” and that’s why he’s the glue in this tribe (to which Hali rolls her baby blues).

Joe and Jenn reveal their own feelings about where things stand, but most important is Jenn’s comment about “keeping the tribe strong” and “not performing in challenges.” This causes Jeff to call out Will for his swimming debacle, and if you were pissed about my Al Campanis joke, then vindicate me for Will admitting that water is “the black man’s Kryptonite.” Good line from Will, and it’s just a fact that many African-Americans don’t grow up with swimming pools. Get over it.

So Will admits that he connected with Vince and Nina to discuss sticking together and see what happens. Jeff then asks Vince how he’s feeling about actually being in Tribal and not watching it at home and FS says he just needs to stick to his gut. Jenn closes with the statement that she hopes the “plan they set in motion” comes together, but “the worst thing you can be in Survivor is comfortable,” (very astute, young lady) and it’s time to vote…

With the split votes cast by Hali and Joe, it looks like the Jenn blindside is in effect. And how stupid for the kids to split their votes so early. Okay, let’s see how this plays out… Obviously, no hidden idols are in play. Jeff reads the votes:

Jenn
Vince
Nina
Jenn
Vince
Freak Show!

And the coconut drops from the tree. Looks like Will turned on everyone and based his vote on what Nina told him, and it just makes me wonder when that conversation actually occurred. Early or later? Who cares? Freak Show is gone and will never become a part of Survivor lore. Thank god…

Next week’s tease reveals Hali and Jenn are still interested in having fun (god forbid!) while living on a beach, and Mike’s work habits are setting the Blue Collars off the rails, specifically Boston Rod. Can’t wait to see what drama unfolds next week.

Gonna do a quick polish on tonight’s recap and then hit the sack. By the time you read this tomorrow, I’ll already be a few hours into my birthday celebration. Yeah, it’s the big day. And yeah, Fish is a Pisces (get it, now?). And while I’d prefer to be celebrating by sleeping in, I don’t have that luxury tomorrow. Up and at ‘em, and probably hung over. Oops, that’s not supposed to happen… Oh well, I don’t answer to anyone right now.

So, here’s a quick take on the shows I’ve been watching:

Gotham – can’t wait to see how this ends up. Once again, amazing casting.
American Idol – hate that 15 year old, like Clark, Trevor, and Jax…
Walking Dead – anxious to see where this goes, but that’s true every episode. Classic television.
Amazing Race – 1 episode behind, but feeling like it’s losing its luster. Fingers crossed.
March Madness is starting soon. Can’t wait to do my bracket. If you have a good pool, drop me a line and maybe I’ll join. I LOVE March Madness…

Okay, here’s the location reveal, in case you’re interested. Not that I wanted (or needed) to find this out, but there it is on Wikipedia staring me in the face. Looks like Season 31 and 32 are going to shoot on Koh Rong, Cambodia, which is an island in the Gulf of Thailand. If memory serves (I’ve traveled to Thailand a few times) the location is going to be beautiful and I can’t wait for Season 31 already. Damn you, Wikipedia…