Survivor Palau: Episode 12
Day 31, and everyone feels sorry for Steph, who they previously eliminated. Tom goes on an ego trip, saying "If I'd have been playing against me, I'd have voted me off." That relativistic statement flashes me back to Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, a book that freaked me out totally as a 5th grader. Better refresh my cocktail after that one.
Tom further cements his position with Caryn by telling her she's on her own. Caryn is understandably worried, and realizes she needs to break up Tom's alliance.
Treemail promises a pampered reward to whoever wins. The challenge: a quiz on Palau. The reward: shower, feast, and a night's sleep on a luxury yacht.
Probst asks the questions, and the Survivors provide the answers. The rules for elimination are so complex, involving levers, knotted ropes, and lanterns, that I won't even begin to describe them. Let me just say that if this event took place in America instead of Palau, the environmentalist would not permit kerosene torches to be dunked into a "wetland" like they are here.
This game demonstrates that Gregg is totally whipped; he actually asks Jenn for permission to vote. I can't believe it and neither can Probst. In the end, Gregg and Jenn remain, with Gregg winning. Allowed to take a friend, he of course chooses Jenn. Allowed a second choice, he picks Katie, who he had betrayed seconds before. Gregg is slowly and methodically building himself a chick alliance, with him at the center. It looks to me like a Jim Jones kind of following, though.
At this point, Ian and Tom realize what is going on: it's Gregg, Jenn and Katie aligned against Tom, Ian, and Caryn. They try to figure out how to short-circuit Gregg's plan, and the answer is obvious: vote off Gregg.
Back at reward, we are treated to Gregg, Jenn, and Katie living the life of luxury, which now includes Gregg's best friend, Jenn's sister, and Katie's brother-in-law (Katie must be really hurting for family and friends if the best the producers can produce is her brother-in-law. The six of them are so smug and self-satisfied that, for the first time, I am rooting for Tom and Ian to defeat these clowns.
Back at camp, Ian and Tom hatch a plan to force a tie with Gregg's coalition by bringing Caryn into the mix. So there we have it, sports fans: Tom, Ian and Caryn against Gregg, Jenn, and Katie. Whoever survives this next tribal council is on the fast track to the finals.
Meanwhile, on the yacht, we are treated to both a dolphin swim and a strategy session. Gregg confirms the split, and Katie throws in her lot with Gregg, at least until something better comes along.
The family and friends take off, the Survivors get all weepy, and we go to commercial. And I go to the kitchen for a fresh gin and tonic. . .
Treemail for immunity challenge is unusually cryptic, but the challenge turns out to be less surprising. The challenge is - wait for it - an obstacle course consisting of a series of challenges that are repeats of challenges already used this season.
Off they go, with one eliminated at each station. Caryn is eliminated at the rope climb. Katie is gone at the puzzle. Gregg can't eat the chicken egg, and he's gone. Jenn loses the flag raising, and Tom and Ian's plan seems to to be a lock. In the end Ian wins immunity, and the game is on.
Tonight, Tom, Ian and Caryn are voting together against Gregg, Jenn, and Katie. Gregg, for his part, has no clue, as Caryn plays the part of victim. An editing trick? Who knows, but probably so.
Inexplicably, Ian flips the plan to Katie, who doesn't know what to do. Last night, Katie told us that she would stay with Gregg as long as he was in control. Ian has now told her he is not. Now what will she do?
Tribal council finds Gregg blowing smoke up everyone's behind: "It did hurt to leave behind three tribe members who didn't get to share in the reward." That would be the same three that Gregg plans to eliminate in succession. Caryn is cryptic: "They thought I had too many rewards." Jenn and Gregg claim not to be a couple as far as the game goes, but nobody really believes them. Tom is in "go for it" mode: "All's fair in love and war."
As a parenthetical aside, let me say that over on the jury, Stephenie has obtained full-on "Jersey Girl" hair. Don mentioned it previously, and he is right: I haven't seen a mane like that since I tried to pick up a Hawthorne chick at Nickel's Alley in Paramus, circa 1982.
The vote is cast, and Probst tallies 'em up: Gregg is gone, and Jenn looks like someone took away her lollypop. And you know what? They did, because she is now all alone in this game. And from the look on her face, she knows it.
Next week: A cryptic preview in which we learn nothing, other than to expect an emotional debacle.
Tom further cements his position with Caryn by telling her she's on her own. Caryn is understandably worried, and realizes she needs to break up Tom's alliance.
Treemail promises a pampered reward to whoever wins. The challenge: a quiz on Palau. The reward: shower, feast, and a night's sleep on a luxury yacht.
Probst asks the questions, and the Survivors provide the answers. The rules for elimination are so complex, involving levers, knotted ropes, and lanterns, that I won't even begin to describe them. Let me just say that if this event took place in America instead of Palau, the environmentalist would not permit kerosene torches to be dunked into a "wetland" like they are here.
This game demonstrates that Gregg is totally whipped; he actually asks Jenn for permission to vote. I can't believe it and neither can Probst. In the end, Gregg and Jenn remain, with Gregg winning. Allowed to take a friend, he of course chooses Jenn. Allowed a second choice, he picks Katie, who he had betrayed seconds before. Gregg is slowly and methodically building himself a chick alliance, with him at the center. It looks to me like a Jim Jones kind of following, though.
At this point, Ian and Tom realize what is going on: it's Gregg, Jenn and Katie aligned against Tom, Ian, and Caryn. They try to figure out how to short-circuit Gregg's plan, and the answer is obvious: vote off Gregg.
Back at reward, we are treated to Gregg, Jenn, and Katie living the life of luxury, which now includes Gregg's best friend, Jenn's sister, and Katie's brother-in-law (Katie must be really hurting for family and friends if the best the producers can produce is her brother-in-law. The six of them are so smug and self-satisfied that, for the first time, I am rooting for Tom and Ian to defeat these clowns.
Back at camp, Ian and Tom hatch a plan to force a tie with Gregg's coalition by bringing Caryn into the mix. So there we have it, sports fans: Tom, Ian and Caryn against Gregg, Jenn, and Katie. Whoever survives this next tribal council is on the fast track to the finals.
Meanwhile, on the yacht, we are treated to both a dolphin swim and a strategy session. Gregg confirms the split, and Katie throws in her lot with Gregg, at least until something better comes along.
The family and friends take off, the Survivors get all weepy, and we go to commercial. And I go to the kitchen for a fresh gin and tonic. . .
Treemail for immunity challenge is unusually cryptic, but the challenge turns out to be less surprising. The challenge is - wait for it - an obstacle course consisting of a series of challenges that are repeats of challenges already used this season.
Off they go, with one eliminated at each station. Caryn is eliminated at the rope climb. Katie is gone at the puzzle. Gregg can't eat the chicken egg, and he's gone. Jenn loses the flag raising, and Tom and Ian's plan seems to to be a lock. In the end Ian wins immunity, and the game is on.
Tonight, Tom, Ian and Caryn are voting together against Gregg, Jenn, and Katie. Gregg, for his part, has no clue, as Caryn plays the part of victim. An editing trick? Who knows, but probably so.
Inexplicably, Ian flips the plan to Katie, who doesn't know what to do. Last night, Katie told us that she would stay with Gregg as long as he was in control. Ian has now told her he is not. Now what will she do?
Tribal council finds Gregg blowing smoke up everyone's behind: "It did hurt to leave behind three tribe members who didn't get to share in the reward." That would be the same three that Gregg plans to eliminate in succession. Caryn is cryptic: "They thought I had too many rewards." Jenn and Gregg claim not to be a couple as far as the game goes, but nobody really believes them. Tom is in "go for it" mode: "All's fair in love and war."
As a parenthetical aside, let me say that over on the jury, Stephenie has obtained full-on "Jersey Girl" hair. Don mentioned it previously, and he is right: I haven't seen a mane like that since I tried to pick up a Hawthorne chick at Nickel's Alley in Paramus, circa 1982.
The vote is cast, and Probst tallies 'em up: Gregg is gone, and Jenn looks like someone took away her lollypop. And you know what? They did, because she is now all alone in this game. And from the look on her face, she knows it.
Next week: A cryptic preview in which we learn nothing, other than to expect an emotional debacle.
posted by Kurt at
10:33 AM
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