May 13, 2010: Survivor Recap

Tonight is the final regular Thursday night episode of Survivor before Sunday night's 3-hour Finale. Will Russell join with Rupert and Colby to create an old fashioned Boys vs. Girls showdown? Or will the Villains stick together and vote out Colby or Rupert, knowing that if either of them make it to the Final Tribal Council, they will surely win?

Returning back from last week's Tribal Council, Parvati was still stunned that Danielle was voted out. Jerri immediately owned up to the fact that she flipped her vote, but the two of them quickly got to work on how to make sure things still ran smoothly with Russell until the last two Heroes were gone.

And in the winner of the 'Most Obvious Statement Of The Season' Award, Parvati told Jerri that "Russell uses scare tactics." James' mumbo-jumbo comment about Colby being 'Superman in a Fat Suit' was a distant second. (And on a side note, I'd like to personally thank the person who arrived on my recap last week by Googling "Colby sucks at challenges". You and I should be friends...email me.)

Parvati then racked up her second award of the evening, the 'Innocent phrase edited to look dirty so that Survivor producers can continue to make me look like a promiscuous tart' Award, when she said "I still need to get Colby and Rupert off."

But you know what was interesting about this whole time back at camp. It was the first time in the game thus far that we've seen Parvati rattled. She's been coasting along flirting and laughing, and completely running the game, handing out idols and winning challenges... seemingly cruising her way to the end. But you could see on her face that Danielle's elimination had her concerned.

Oh man, I forgot about the "loved ones" episode. I know some people love it, and I used to as well, but I'm sick of it now. I had actually forgotten up until tonight that we hadn't seen it yet this season, but sure enough, here we go again. The Loved Ones Challenge was once again brought to you by the Sony Palm Pre, and the product placement was even more obvious than in previous years. Just listen to what Probst said:

"In addition, you'll be taking with you, the Palm Pre by Sprint. Now you have the confidence to know that whatever great memories you make during this once-in-a-lifetime experience, will be safely recorded on the very easy-to-use Sprint phone. I know it's worth playing for."

And...cha-ching! Thank you very much, Mr. Sprint executive, I'll take that pretty little check and tuck it right into the breast pocket of my spiffy blue shirt. Who's ready to play?

The challenge itself was frustrating to watch, as I kept yelling at the loved ones to use their hair and clothes. Finally Jerri's sister and Russell's wife caught on (and Melanie actually was spitting water into the trough as well...that's commitment to the task!). I thought it was absolutely hilarious watching Colby, who has arguably been the weakest Survivor all season in challenges (and yes, I'm including Courtney), get so frustrated with his brother for not performing well. Irony, thy name is Donaldson. I'm surprised that the first thing he said to his brother wasn't...How's Mom?

So Jerri and her sister won the challenge, and when choosing which of the others to take with her, she went all Spice Girls and chose Parvati and Sandra. Politically speaking I thought at the very least she would have taken one of either Rupert or Russell considering they had their wives there, and it was Rupert's anniversary! Come on, Black Widow...have a heart!

But Girl Power ruled, and Russell was pissed, staying fully in the game and instead of telling his wife how much he loved her before she left, instead ranted about Jerri, "She's in trouble now. She screwed up." You're a lucky woman, Melanie.

And just when I was starting to note that it seemed odd that Sandra had an uncle there instead of her husband or one of her parents, she tells us that her husband is in Afghanistan, and that her mother died a week before she left. Have I mentioned how much I hate the Loved Ones episode?

So off they went to the Blowholes, which is arguably the most promoted thing in the last 2 Seasons of Survivor (except for the Sony Palm Pre...see sales pitch above). It was admittedly pretty awesome, but we've seen dozens of shots of it in the last 2 runs of the show. Seriously, I'm starting to think that everywhere has the blowholes, and it's an anomaly if you can't see them.

So the boys were left back at camp and supposedly formed the second coming of the He-Man Woman Hater's Club, which meant that Russell and Rupert agreed to it, and Colby stood off in the distance wishing he could watch the end of Treasure Island. Rupert had some trepidation, saying "I want to trust him, but he's a villain." Newsflash, Cap'n Tie-Dye, with the Heroes down 4-2, if you want to get to the end, you're eventually going to have to align with a villain.

I was, however, skeptical of Russell's pitch to them, simply because he targeted Parvati as the one he wanted out. I don't actually believe he wanted Parvati out. Say what you want about Russell, that he gets to the end and doesn't really think of the endgame, but I think he has to realize that his best chance of winning would be to be sitting next to someone who has already won the million dollars in a previous season. That can't be lost on him, can it?

Rupert snapping and sawing and crushing and throwing...and pretty much acting like an angry giant except for stomping around saying "Fee Fie Fo Fum!"...was pretty funny, and it brought out the angry side of Jerri, which we haven't seen for a while. Although as she ranted about not wanting to live with him any longer, I kept thinking...it's day 36 of 39. Now is when you snap? (and yes, I realize they were on different tribes prior to the merge.)

At the Immunity Challenge, I was thrown for a loop from the get-go because...and make sure you're sitting down...Jeff Probst was NOT wearing a blue shirt! That's right, the King of the Dimples went with a white shirt for this, and it obviously affected everyone. I thought that the challenge was tailor-made for Colby to redeem himself, but before I could even write that note down, he was out after only 15 seconds (Reminder - Google: "Colby sucks at challenges"). 17 minutes later, Parvati had won another individual Immunity.

I have to point out, if you're on that Jury, how can you not give Parvati the $1 Million if she's there at the end. Constant winning in terms of challenges, smart game play, smart alliances, great social game, and that spectacular move of giving away TWO Idols which sinigle-handedly preserved her alliance, which is why she is where she is now. This girl knows the game, and may now have to be considered as the greatest ever.

I loved the schoolyard antics of the individual conversations and ratting out of each other back at camp. Sandra went to Rupert, Rupert went to Russell, Russell went back to Sandra, and then we got the following exchange:

Russell: "Sandra."
Sandra: "What?"
Russell: "Are you with me or are you against me?"
Sandra: "I'm against you, Russell."
Russell: "OK."
Man, with all the lies and political BS that goes on in Survivor, that was refreshingly direct and honest, wasn't it? Say what you will about Sandra, but she certainly is blunt.

At Tribal Council, thankfully the Blue Shirt returned and all was right in the Universe. The jury returned as well, featuring a newly "hot" (according to Parvati) Danielle. I was hoping that Coach would have worn his 'Dragons' shirt again like he did last week, since I found out what it meant since the last episode. Words can't even describe the awesome-ness, so just watch the video.

Did you notice that Rupert, Sandra, Parvati, and Russell were all considered as voting options at one point or another during this episode? Not Jerri, and not Colby, who just sulked on the end log at Tribal Council, trying to remember a time when he didn't suck.

Since it was the final day that Sandra could use the Idol, it was obvious she would use it. She would have been a fool not to. But I loved how she did it:

Jeff: "If anyone has the Hidden Immunity Idol..."
Sandra: (jumping up) "Shall I let you finish?"
Jeff: (trying not to laugh) "No need."
Sandra: "I would hate to go home with the idol in my bra."

One of the downsides of writing my recap immediately after the episode is that I have limited access to images from the show so early after it ends. I wish that I could get screen captures of both Rupert's face and Parvati's face when she played the Idol. It was awesome.

So Rupert the Friendly Pirate walked the plank, but not before stopping and sending a 'Shiver Me Timbers' dagger-shooting glare at Russell. Obviously, he thought that Russell misled him to vote for Sandra knowing that she had the Idol and that it would lead to his downfall. Wrong.

And as Rupert gave his exit interview, declaring "Maybe I'm not destined to win Survivor", we saw that Russell stayed true to the Villains and didn't flip, and the vote was 4-2 for Rupert. The Idol played by Sandra was unnecessary, but still awesome.

I wanted to mention something last week, but forgot to. I read in one of Jeff Probst’s blogs from this season that the way that Russell has found Immunity Idols over the past two seasons, that they are going to be changing the ways that they are distributed in future seasons. I’m not sure if that means that they’re just going to be hiding them better, changing the ways in which tribes (or players) get hints, or broader changes.

Here’s my suggestion. During a reward challenge, after the team wins, and just before they leave on their reward, Jeff says “Wait a second” and pitches this deal to them. You can go on/receive the reward, or you can take this hint to the location of a Hidden Immunity Idol. But whatever you don’t choose, the other team receives.

It would work for Tribal challenges before the merge, although the hint would likely have to be for an Idol contained in a common area (perhaps right there where the challenge just took place…imagine the mad scramble!) But it would be even more relevant and crucial after the merge, when individual Immunity is so valuable. I think it’s a great way to make the Survivors decide what is more valuable to them: the reward, or the possibility of an Immunity Idol.

So who do you think will take home the Million Dollars on Sunday Night? Here's my quick takes on the remaining 5.

Parvati: The one to beat. If she's there, she wins. Period.
Sandra: If she can win an Immunity challenge, I think she has a shot. Otherwise she is out 4th or 5th
Jerri: If she's sitting next to Russell and Parvati, a bitter Jury may give it to her since she's not the Devil, and hasn't won a Million already. I see her sitting in the Final 3.
Russell: Can't win with how many people he has burned already. I see him sitting at the end, and once again not winning. Finale night will again be difficult for him.
Colby: If he wins the next 2 Immunity Challenges, he wins. Which means...he has no chance. (Remember when Colby was awesome? Remember? Geez.)

I will be doing a FULL Finale Recap on Sunday night. Look for it shortly after midnight ET.