Survivor 14.13 "I have bad vibes."

WHERE'S YOGI WHEN BOO NEEDS HIM?

One of the main problems in writing these reviews so long after I watched them is I cant read my own handwriting. Also, I say things like "Sting ray Par-tay!" based on the animal inserts they always use at the top of sequences, which are probably meaningless to everyone, even those of you who watch the show. Trust me, this episode opened with a school of Sting rays swimming in attack formation, and it was awesome. Then we had a humorous juxtapostion of images: Boo devotes a great deal of energy to creating a secret path to the water well that will enable him to overhear his tribemates when they go off to talk about him behind his back. Of course, since he is devoting all this time away from camp, his tribemates can now easily talk behind his back--great strategy, Boo. Everyone wants Boo gone, because he's annoying and physically strong. Stacy offers to stage a fight between her and Earl to help blindside Boo. We cut back to doofus Boo working out his top-secret spying plan, as the hillbilly music piped in by CBS and company seems to say, "Are they really scared of this guy?"

THE CAR CHALLENGE THAT WILL GO DOEN IN INFAMY

The tree mail arrives with talk of "Built Tough" and "Bold Moves," which tips off Boo that today is the day they get to try and win a car--and try to avoid the car curse. As is stated every season, no player has ever won the car, and gone on to win the million dollars. Boston Rob got around it of course, by marrying the million dollar winner, Amber, after gifting her a different car in the rward portion of that challenge--so it isn't the CAR that's cursed, it's the actual winning of it, right? Right. If you believe in such things. I like it just because I love Survivor lore in general. Dreamz not only doesn't own a car, he doesn't own a license, but that doesn't stop him from imploring the others to let him get a car today. The car is a HUGE Ford Super-DUty F350 truck--you'd almost have to win the million to afford the gasoline,but it LOOKS cool, and everyone oohs and aahs and covets it. Dreamz forshadows the most talked-about aspect of this season when he declares, "You won't believe what I'd do for a truck like that." The group will be devided into two teams, and the winning team will compete for the truck against each other, then deliver school supplies (including a "mobile classroom" with computers) to a local school. They are divided into two teams, and it winds up being the three black people versus the three people who aren't black, which makes AMerica a little uncomfortable. I can't read my writing very well, nor rmemeber the challenge enough to recount it, but we all know it was some kind of onstacle course. Boo, Yau and Stacy win, and move on to an axe throwing contest, which Yau wins, to pal Earl's delight. Yau mixes things up though by choosing to negotiate with his prize, and winds up trading the truck to Dreamz for his shaky promise that if Dreamz wins Immunity when it's down to four remaining players, Dreamz will give said Immunity to Yau. This seems very one-sided, as Yau says the truck belongs to Dreamz even if Yau goes out BEFORE Dreamz can honor the deal, or if Dreamz doesn't HAVE Immnuity to give Yau. Yau is content though--he doesn't really care about the truck, and he's aware of the car curse (and the price of gas). He is also genuinely happy to give a life-changing gift to Dreamz, because Yau is just a fundamentally decent person. Then he goes and sends HIMSELF to Exile, which is apparantly possible, who knew? Dreamz raves, "Yau is amazing to me. I don't get it. I'm not gonna try." So Dreamz takes Yau's place on the winning team, and he Stacy and Boo go off to deliver the school stuff--Boo drives. While they revel in bringing joy to the villagers, Dreamz has worked out Yau's plan to eliminate him from the Finals, and plots to oust Yau before he has to consider honoring his word. On Exile Island, Yau finds the next clue and vows to share it with Earl so he can get the other Immunity Idol.

FLIP FLOPPING AWAY

Earl seraches in vain for the other Idol while Dreamz goes back and forth about what to do about his promise to Yau (who gave him a $30,000 truck). He recognizes that Yau wants him gone, becuae he's so tight with Earl and Cassandra. In practically the same sentence, Dreamz decides to stab Yau in the back AND stand by his word. He frets about being seen as a liar, even though he's already lied extensivley in this game--just ask ALex, Mookie and Ed. He goes over all this with Cass, who just "mmm-hmmms" him to death. He wants to get rid of Yau and Boo. Cass recognizes Yau as a threat due to his EXTREME likability, but is more worried about Boo becaue of the liklihood that he could win-out in terms of Immunity...

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Once again, Immunity is back up for grabs! It's one of those ones where they move on in stages, and I'm pretty sure it's the one where they have to do all these pieces of challenges they've done before--again, my notes are a little fuzzy. Stacy and Cass are the first two out--where's Steph when you need her? Seriously, this game needs another "girl that kicks-ass in physical challenges" next time around. I mean, they have to throw a rope out in the water to try and bring something to shre, and Cass throws her entire rope in and then has to go get it, you know? Earl barely moves on to the next round and when Jeff points that out, Earl gets kinda ticked. Boo and Yau move on to the Finals, and Boo wins and everyone else is like, "Sh**, now what?"

NOW WHAT?

Boo is greatly amused by everyone's disappointment at his Immunity, and he cnat wait to find out what Plan B is. Yau gives Earl the last clue, and Earl goes off on an epic quest and eventually finds it! He shows it to Yau and the two friends revel in the fact that they are in control of the Idols. They feel very safe--but they have to play the Idol before the votes are read, meaning they are both still vulnerable to being blindsided. Dreamz tries to enlist former arch-enemy Stacy into a plot to eliminate Yau, and she knows she'd be the easiest name to write down tonight so she's eager to join. Cassandra sees the pros and cons--she knows yau would be impossible to beat in the Final Two, but if Yau plays the Idol tonight, then she'd be exposed as trying to betray Yau, and by extention Earl, and right now, both men with take her to the Final three. Stacy pretneds that she's resigned to her fate and ready to go, ehich a pleased Earl seems to buy. Dreamz has Yau right where he watns him, but he's so insecure, he wrecks it all by telling Yau that he (Dreamz) is no dummy. He realizes that Yau's "selfless" gift has some selfish motivation behind it--that Yau wants Dreamz out of the game before the Final Three. Dreamz, playing dumb would've been a lot smarter. Yau tells Earl, "I have bad vibes," but Earl isn't worried. He thinks Stacy's ouster tonight is a lead pipe cinch.

TRIBAL COUNCIL

Mookie and Rocky seeth with jealousy when they hear that someone else got to win truck. Dreamz relates how Yau traded him the truck for a promise and there is a CLASSIC reaction from Alex and Ed when Dreamz claims, "I'm a great man of my word." The jury seems to be torn between thinking Yau is awesome or dumb, or maybe a little of both. Alex has shaved, by the way, and isn't nearly as hot as he was with the beard--it was working for ya, dude! Everyone discusses the hidden Immunity Idols, and Jeff brings up the spectre of the "million dollar blunder" of HAVING and Immnuity Idol and choosing not to play it and then geting voted out. Then Stacy adds to Dreamz earlier tip-ff to yau by predicting a plit vote tonight, instead of say, saying something to the effect that she wishes she could stay in the game longer. Anyway, everyone is stunned when Yau plays his Idol, and Stacy, Dreamz and Cass look crestfallen. It turns out he absolutley played it at the right time, as only he and Earl voted for Stacy, though Jeff only reveals three votes for Yau, maybe giving Cass some leeway to lie? Earl is thrilled and impressed at Yau's insight, and Yau is actually happy to see his name come up so often at Tribal Council because he knows he played it at the right time.

EVICTED SURVIVOR FUN FACT

Stacy is not a very fun person on paper--no favorite TV shows? She enjoys horseback riding and roots for the Miami Heat. Eh, whatever.

Stacy is ousted in 6th place, joining a host of other pretty girls, and the occasional man. In borneo, sweet and witty Colleen was booted and in the Outback, no one dreamed we hadn't seen the last of boring Amber when she was cut loose--who knew? In Africa, Lil' Kim managed to make it this far and in Thailand, ol' Jake was botted for not doing his share of the chores around camp--kidding Jake, kidding. In the Amazon, brave and deaf Christy was a victim of her own hubris (the theme to the Amazon season) while the Pearl Island's Christa aka Big Bird lost the numbers game. In Vanuatu, Ami the judgemental lsbian was sent packing while in Palau, hot but boring Gregg was outplayed by Tom and Ian. Big angry Judd wished death by crocodile on those that voted him out in 6th place in Guatemala, and flaky obnoxious Courtney was blindsided in Exile Island as "the Navy Guy" kept winning Immunity. Last season, Parvati was finally faced with a situation she couldn't flirt her way out of.

Next up: the Finale (Finally!) :D

Christine