Everyone heads to Tribal, and methinks we’re in for an epic vote. The sun sets and the players file in to Tribal Council where Jeff brings in the always showered Jury. He reminds us of the last Tribal where some players were “100% sure” they knew what the vote would be so he asks if anyone is that confident tonight.
No one raises their hands. Well, there’s some honesty for ya, Jeff… And when he continues with “Who’s feeling confident it won’t be them?” only Jay can raise his hand.
Jeff proceeds with questions…
-David feels like a fruit bat (looks like one too) and says it’s “going to get chaotic”
-Jay agrees with Jeff these aren’t Freshman players anymore
-Hannah whispers to Adam about trusting her and they begin a secret conversation
-Other whispering continues as David coins the term “trust clustermuck”
-Bret is suddenly annoyed about coinage and says it’s “every man fah himself”
-David wants everyone in bed with Zeke to raise their hands (2 guys in the Camera department raise their hands off-screen)
-Bret and Zeke start teasing David about his emotionality and ask if he’s going to cry again (ouch, guys, a bit harsh…but, that’s what you get, you big crybaby…)
-Adam is nervous, and the vote is still up in the air
-Jessica is confused…
-“Stick to the plan”
-“What’s the plan?”
-and Sunday tells Hannah it’s Ken
Ken? Where did that come from? Is Sunday that clever? Did anyone discuss him all episode? Did anyone discuss misdirection? Hmmm…I’m stumped.
-and when Ken wonders aloud why people are so confused by whispering, Bret erupts,
“Ken, this is the game, welcome to it!”
Which gets a big reaction from Jessica, and a tepid reply from Ken, stating he’s well aware of what the game is.
“This is all smoke and mirrors” Bret says, “it’s all nonsense.”
-And then Zeke tells Jeff that things are still confusing and wonders if everyone is going to do “what they’re supposed to do,” and adds,
“Tribal Council is theater, Jeff, and I think we’ve proven that tonight…” and I think we may have found the replacement for Jeff Probst when he retires…
Whatevs…it’s time to vote, before there’s a fist fight…or Taylor gets hauled away by the giant beetle that just landed on him…
When all votes are cast, Jeff tallies the votes. He asks for Hidden Idols and after a dramatic pause, David asks for the floor… He heads over to Jeff and in those few moments, Hannah chirps up for a second to wait, but then says nothing. He hands his idol to Jeff and when David sits again, Adam suddenly chimes in about Sunday whispering about voting for Ken, so in a final act of confusion, David says he’s playing the idol for…Ken.
And for some reason, Jessica is the only one who looks troubled by all this. Jeff reads the votes.
Zeke
Hannah
Zeke
Hannah
Zeke
Hannah (oops, I guess you chose poorly, David. And STFU, Adam!)
Zeke
Hannah
Zeke
Hannah
Tied. We’re going to revote, just as David predicted. Hannah and Zeke don’t get to vote, and everyone can only vote for one of them. Time to put up or shut up, or switch votes, otherwise we’re going to rocks! Jessica is still troubled…
And while some players head to vote, Zeke whispers to Jess, asking if she’s ready to go to rocks. He offers one final olive branch to her,
“I realign with people all the time…”
Which gives her one more thing to think about at this moment. But…as an Asst. District Attorney, I would presume Jessica has faced much more difficult decisions than the one posed to her right now, but I don’t think those other decisions would possibly win/lose her a million dollars. It’s a tough decision, and she’s going to have to make it alone. All she has to do is switch her vote to Hannah, and she’s guaranteed to keep playing. If not, she runs the risk of having to draw rocks.
Hannah makes her final pitch to Jessica to stay aligned with the original plan, and it looks like Jessica is too afraid to rock the boat. Right now, I would hope the opportunity to make a “big move” would occur to her, but she really seems troubled by this decision. Poor woman…
She finally makes her choice and Jeff reads them again.
Hannah
Zeke
Hannah
Zeke
Hannah
Zeke
Hannah
Zeke (Jessica did not flip!)
Deadlocked! Which means they have to come to a unanimous decision to vote out one of them, otherwise Hannah and Zeke become immune and the 6 remaining players will draw rocks. Let the debate begin…
Will immediately implores everyone they should all agree that no one wants to go out like this. David adds that he thinks Zeke is playing the best game and, if you don’t agree, then vote David out next, but tonight’s vote has to be for Zeke. And then the debate gets ugly,
“David will never let me stay in the game.
“Who wants to vote Hannah?”
“I was trying to get you to vote for Jess last week”
“Who did you vote for?”
“You said it had to be Chris”
“I never said that!”
“I do not want to draw rocks…”
But that’s what’s going to happen since they can’t come to a unanimous decision. It’s the ultimate sh**ty way to get booted off Survivor, but no one seems to be able to use some logic or some serious bullsh**ting techniques and try something new.
How about, “Hey, let’s vote out Hannah tonight because she’s a goat and has no chance of winning the game, and in return, whoever changed their Zeke votes will get everyone’s Jury votes if they’re still around at Final Tribal?” How about that?
I mean, come on, people, try something new. You’re already famished, emotional, and not thinking clearly, couldn’t it be possible that someone would roll the dice? And once again, is no one interested in the proverbial “Big Move” label that everyone claims is valuable at Final Tribal? Perhaps these kids are all still Freshmen…?
But no, Jeff pulls out the magic bag of rocks from his crotch (so THAT’s why it looks so big!) and makes the six players grab a rock. Whoever draws the black rock (more fitting than purple, I guess) is going home. Here we go…reveal.
Jessica.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! That’s so f**king bulls**t. The person who has been playing such an amazing, straightforward, strong game gets their knees cut out while players like Hannah, Will, and Sunday get to stay. It’s just not fair. And what about that hero edit she was getting? Something’s wrong because I thought she was a shoo-in to make it to the end with her Legacy Advantage and great story arc. I guess that ark has hit Mt. Ararat as Jeff snuffs her torch and she leaves in tears.
Broken, annoyed, disappointed, and remarkably not swearing (as I would be) Jess’s final words are that she’s going to “will” the Legacy Advantage to Ken, and hopes he’ll be around a couple more votes to be able to use it. Whatever it might be…
Jeff informs the remaining players the rest of the game is going to get crazy, so buckle up… Grab your torches, and get the hell back to camp… And thanks for the theater!
Next time on…Survivor!
David is happy to hear Will wants to start playing the game…on Day 31! WTF?! And the Loved Ones visit will be here to flip the game on its head. Could it result in Adam ascending the power pyramid, or dropping him on his behind. We’ll find out next week.
And in Jessica’s final final words, she says the experience has been the greatest thing that’s ever happened to her, but laments all she had to do was switch her vote and she’d be safe. She knows she blew it, and the fact she’s the only one to blame for her demise is no consolation. Let’s hope to god she brings hellfire on whomever is at Final Tribal, considering her prosecution background. And with Chris’s trial experience, let’s keep our fingers crossed Final Tribal will be one of the most epic finales we’ve ever seen. Who’s with me!?
Well, there goes another one of my Final Four picks, and one of my best Twitter “friends.” I hope Jessica continues to be a presence on my Twitter feed, as she’s been all season. And more importantly, I hope this will earn her a place on a future season of Survivor with other players who should have gone farther. I’m sure many fans will agree she played a great game, kinda similar to Sarah Lacina, or Kelly Wentworth’s first try. They just got boned by the numbers.
Alrighty then, that’s going to have to do it for this week. It’s been a massive double episode with two great Tribal Council/blindsides. I hope the rest of the season continues to improve each week as the stakes increase. Right now, it looks like Zeke is playing his way to the final, but you never know how alliances, trust clusters, Rewards, and Immunities will rejumble the puzzle pieces. Can’t wait for next week.
I had a great Thanksgiving with my family so I’ll sign-off with what I’m thankful for, which I’m sure is obvious. I’m thankful for all of you. Not sure how many of you are out there, but I hope you’re enjoying what you’re reading. I promise to stay away from politics for the rest of the season because I think that may have scared some readers away. My apologies… As you can see, I have opinions on things other than Survivor.
And I’m thankful for the Fish family still supporting this little amusement I indulge in each week. This week was particularly eventful as my son broke his leg skateboarding, but we’ll get through it. I’d appreciate any good thoughts you care to send his way.
And lastly, I’m very thankful for RealitySteve for allowing me to continue doing these recaps. I know I’m not as timely as I could be, but I continue to appreciate his support of me. As fans of this show, I know we all want to see a good episode each week, and I pray we all get that. Can’t wait for Wednesday each week.
Until the next time, whenever that may be…
Fish
Email: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com
Twitter: @BF_TheFish
AIM: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com or Bryan Fischer
I am going to make a simple statement and re watch the episodes before I discuss the game play . I think Bret was a total douchebag bully at the second tribal !!!!! I also think he is lying about being gay . Not that I care if he is I just think he was an ass and hope he is gone soon ! Oh how stupid are these players ? Jay is the biggest threat and its not close . He has 3 votes guaranteed if he makes the final tribal . Michelle , Taylor and Will ( who has no chance ) . Simple math morons . Plus he will be able to argue that he was a strong player who won challenges and made final 3 even though his alliance was blown up early in the game !
Hi! Longtime reader, just too lazy to work up the energy to go through the registration process required to comment…until today. This has definitely been a pretty weak season. I can’t stand the fact that Sunday, Bret, and Will are still hanging around. Jessica was one of our top picks to win. I’m now solidly on Team Ken (mostly because he’s hot and seems normal). And I 100% agree with Rick in that Jay is a huge threat! Super excited for this season to end. Next season’s cast is pretty epic. Hopefully they don’t disappoint! Keep up the good work. This recap is something I look forward to every week 🙂
I really enjoyed reading this aside from the objectification comments you made about Jessica. She is attractive, yes, but she is way more than that.
Lena Marie Jessica is obviously a smart person . However when you are on TV in your underwear for 10 weeks you are going to be objectified . That goes for the men and women . The game play has been wildly inconsistent but the Tribal have been CRAZY !!! Jen welcome aboard !!! Yes next season may go down as one of the best ever with that cast ! Zeke vs David as the ultimate battle for Survivor power . Man how bad are the players to let that happen ! Zeke is an ok player but David is useless !
Folks, thanks for all the comments this week! THAT is what I’m talking about, always good to hear from you all…
Rick – I hear ya on Bret’s actions, but I really gotta wonder how much more happened at Tribal that they’re not showing us. I’ve heard they go for a few hours, so you know there’s a lot more that could have led to Bret’s anger. And besides, it’s a friggin’ game, right? All’s fair in love and Survivor…
-Not gonna touch on whether Bret is gay or not. I’ve never heard anyone claim to be (and isn’t) so I’m gonna go with he is what he is…
-And yes, you’re right about Jay and Jury votes. I’m surprised people don’t have more conversations early on about them.
-Keep up the comments, dude…!
Jen – Thank you for registering! I know, it’s such a hassle but it means so much to me that you did. And I think you can comment on any WordPress sites, so…you’ve got THAT going for you…which is nice.
-I totally agree with you on Sunday and Will, but I am getting fonder of Bret. Maybe it’s his drinking elbow, or just that he seems to be able to not let his emotions get the best of him…until that Tribal meltdown. We’ll see. And I do like Ken, a) because he’s a stud (no homo), and b) because he seems really down to Earth. Those are the players I’ve always liked, and wish we got more of them. On the flip side, sometimes he’s as boring as a box of rocks, but I’ll take that over the Russells, Brandons, Dans or Wills (no collar) anyday…
-Looking forward to next season too. Can’t wait. And thank you for your kind words. It really means a lot to me. Write in more!
LenaMarie – first of all, thank you for sending in your comment. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to write in. That said, I gotta defend the fact that I’ve been wholly supportive of Jessica since week 1. I’ve complimented her many times, said very nice things about her character, gameplay and moxie. And considering how her pre-game cast photo and first 8 episodes portrayed her — shall we say, rather frumpy — I don’t think it’s so wrong to say that a woman looks hot when she’s been (or the show has been) hiding it. Hell, a decade ago, I used to work in a strip club and if I said “you have great tits” to an employee, she’d be thrilled. And yes, I know that’s not a compliment I can make nowadays in my current situation or job, but it doesn’t mean I’m objectifying Jessica when I write it (maybe I’m just being flirty…?). And I don’t think she would have retweeted my column, or liked it, or continued to read it, if she felt objectified. Clearly, there are times I have to cross lines to try and make a joke, but that’s what any wannabe comedic writer does. And if I wanted to write a clean cut, straight-and-narrow recap, I wouldn’t be doing it on a site that defines itself with the words “slanted” and “sophomoric” at the top of every page. It’s just the format, my dear, and I hope you understand that. I look forward to your continued patronage and comments… Fish
Rick – keep ’em coming, buddy! Hope you had a great holiday! Looking forward to a Jay/Ken/Zeke FT…
Bret is growing on me as well. I do enjoy watching him knock back the drinks on the rewards…but not make a total ass out of himself in the process. The hubs and I were talking last week that one refreshing thing with this season is there is nobody we truly despise (like Dan). You know, the villain who has crossed the line from entertaining bad guy to despicable human being where I can’t even watch the show because I hate them so much. So I can appreciate that with this cast. The conversation between Bret and Zeke after the tribal where Chris left was pretty great. Two dudes having a grown up discussion. It was nice.
I may be too late in my comments for Mr. Fish to see them. We are all thankful for you Fish. Love your recaps as always. I know you work hard to put them together each week. Hope your son is doing ok. At least he has a cool story about breaking his leg. 🙂 I kept giggling when Hanna would say “trust cluster” since I kept thinking “cluster F”. She is such a dork. “Oh Jeff, you just said the phrase I said, trust cluster. tee hee. ” BARF! She has weird teeth too. Shows a lot of gum (maybe call her “gums”?) Yeah, she is hot for Ken. She has a better chance with Bret (whatever that’s supposed to mean!) I like the first post suggesting Bret might be lying about being gay. That would top even Johnny Fairplay’s lie. Poor Jessica. That was the worst. I just don’t get why her eyes were bugged out so much. It looked painful. I actually liked Chris too so I hated to see both of them go. To have all the annoying millennials still there is even worse. I am rooting for Ken. Jay is Joe Part Deux. He even had a man bun this week. They should do an all starts with a tribe of tan, Jungle book type guys and put Joe, Ozzy, Malcom and Jay on it. It could be called Manbundo.
I meant “all stars” above. Quick edit
HA kinbville that’s a great idea . I am not a fan of Bret but what a move it would be to pretend to be gay to further an alliance ! Old Johnny Fairplay and grandma . What a classic move that was . I think after punching Bret in the face Zeke would even laugh it off . Zeke seems like a likeable guy . I think he kind of blew up his original game plan to kind of play it low key . He made a power move and left himself no choice but to go pedal to the metal from here on out !
First time commenting!
Hannah has melasma. She’s not dirty. It’s when the sun leaves a splotch. Pregnant women get it a lot. You can’t scrub it off. Sometimes it lightens or you can get it bleached or lasers. Just FYI. And David has a scab it’s not just dried blood. But it bothered me too. And yes, Hannah is becoming so skinny that her pubic bone is jutting out. Women typically have a layer of fat on their lower stomachs to protect a pregnancy. More fun facts. So annoying if mr. sorry.
Great recap. Long show. Sad to see Jessica go. Her eyes were wonky but her body was nice to watch (straight woman here! You are stating fact, I didn’t take offensive but I’m used to it which is not good either. She takes care of herself and has played a good game. That was a painful elimination. I wish we were privy to more because I don’t get it sometimes! The Day of TC and then the ceremony is such choppy editing and I’m so heavily invested. Editing is awesome, which is why the audience gets blindsided too, but choppy with cutting up conversations and adding in facial expressions (similar to Bachelor).
Ok question: why don’t they do eating challenges anymore? Or at least not as often? Thanks in advance for any insight!
You see, folks, this is why Al Gore created the internet. So smart people can talk about sophisticated topics. I had no idea I’d be learning about female anatomy and skin conditions today, but goshdarnit, that’s exactly why I started writing these columns… But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Jen: Yes! I love Bret. I’d love to knock back a few and just pick his brain about gay stuff. Seriously. And I’m so down with you about “no villains.” It’s such a cheap device that shows use thinking “America loves villains, let’s give them one.” To be honest, we have enough villains in our regular lives. We don’t need to see them on TV. It’s one of those casting beliefs that I think was wrong a long time ago. When Russell became Public Enemy #1 it wasn’t because he was a villain, it was because he was successful. Yeah, he was a dick, but he found idols, he made alliances, and he manipulated the f**k out of people. For that, he was a great player, he just chose to wear the mantle of villain a little too much.
Kinb: It’s never too late for you! 😉 Thanks for writing in and thanks for your kind words. You complete me… And yeah, I think you’re on to something with Hannah and gums. Maybe I’ll call her Mrs. Ed, or Hubba Bubba, or Pollydent… And I think anyone who lied about being gay would be looked down upon so much. TBH, I always thought that would be a great gameplay, but to do it right, you’d have to go in all flamboyant and over the top Nathan Lane. And then do a big reveal at Final Tribal. “I was acting…I am Master Thespian!” and then maybe people would appreciate the ruse. But having hidden it all game til now, I don’t think he’s putting anything on. Good theory though. Yeah, I’m still lamenting Jessica’s departure. I’m still trying to hook up an interview with her. I’ll ask about her eyes if I can. Chris…meh. Did you hear he ate dog shit in his casting video to get on the show? Gross! And yeah, I’ve been longing for an “All-Surfer” season for a long time. Bring back all the “bros.” Love those guys… Just a big dumb season, and then everyone takes the short bus back to camp…
Rick: You know, I keep saying it. Zeke is playing a masterful game, and knows how to keep his emotions out of things. Did you see how stone cold he was at the last Tribal when people were freaking? That’s his debate background, right there. I think he’s going to do very well this season, just watch…
Avital: Hello, foxy lady… Nice pic… 😉 And thank you for writing in. I really appreciate it. And thanks for dropping some cold hard facts on me. I am glad you cleared those things up. I’ll refrain from lambasting poor Hannah from now on…until she does the next annoying thing. Deal? And please tell me, what does “So annoying if mr. sorry.” mean? I’ve asked people here and everyone’s like…”no idea, Fish.” Thank you for enjoying the read. TBH, I’m always kinda amazed at how they end up. I really start with nothing each week and then just vomit words onto the page. Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes not. But I do try to amuse you guys as much as I can. Who wants a boring old recap? And yeah, it’s amazing what hunger can do to bodies. For some, it makes them gross, but with Jessica, she got hotter and hotter. And when I see her pics on Twitter now, you can tell that she’s very sexy in real life. I wonder what Figgy would’ve looked like if she had stayed on another 10 days… And you’re right about editing like the Bachelor. I’ve been saying for a few seasons now there’s gotta be some crossover between shows regarding staff. Whether it’s producers, editors, camera guys, whatever…some of the tricks they learned on other shows are peaking through on Survivor. And I don’t like that! Survivor was always different than other shows, that’s why these casting decisions, story arcs, and despicable behavior are things I don’t need/want to see. Just give us a competition and make it less about drama. I know these folks think they know what we want, but I really think they’re overthinking some things… Not sure about the eating challenges. Personally, I don’t like them because they were such a Fear Factor ripoff. And they’re gross. If I get that interview with Jessica, I’ll ask her. Stay tuned.
Thanks again for all your comments. I’m loving this week’s participation! Let’s see what tonight brings! Loved Ones? Reward stolen? Adam’s murder…? Oh crap, I gotta stop by the liquor store after work… Cheers! Fish
Ha! That wa supposed to say “so annoying of me, sorry!” That’s what I get for typing on my phone when I should be sleeping.
Does anyone know if Adam was able to see his mother before she passed away. Such a tragic story. He seems like a great guy. I just hope he got to say goodbye.