Survivor 15.6 "It's those stupid bats above the freakin' thing!"

Okay, so it's Halloween as I write this, and I gotta say, I'm kinda ticked because no one has shown up, and we have all this candy, and I carved a kick-ass jack-o-lantern, and...what, everyone's waiting for the Great Pumpkin?! Sigh. If I had skills, I'd totally post a picture of my pumpkin, it rocks. It kinda looks like Voldemort, if you wanna know the truth...

So, as we begin, James feels doomed at Tiger Town, while at Dragon Land, Jean-Robert's horrific snoring (I think he has health problem!) has him on his tribemates' Imaginary Chopping Blocks. A desperate Todd breaks down and tells bff Amanda about the existence of the Immunity Idol, because he just can't find it himself...

REWARD CHALLENGE

The Challenge involves racing into these shacks, and untying these planks that are, of course, puzzle pieces. First tribe to use the planks to reveal a Confucius quote wins Reward, a stay at a Chinese Tea House, snacks, tea, a shower/bath and use of Charmin Toilet Paper while they use a "western toilet." Everyone oohs and aahs. Peih Gee and Jamie try to make eye contact with Sherea and Frosti, but they're, well, frosty. Rather than being thrilled at Aaron's ouster (Todd's jaw dropped), Sherea and Frosti seem to be trying to pretend they don't even KNOW the Tigers anymore! Amanda and Courtney sit out, which is utterly confusing because they absolutely sat out the last challenge. Does it mean "back to back Rewards and back to back Immunity"? I don't get it folks. Anyway, it's a close race. At one point, Peih Gee and Sherea are undoing their planks together in the same room and Peih Gee tells her that they got rid of Aaron as a show of allegiance to her and Frosti, and Sherea doesn't even respond. Yikes! Jean-Robert keeps yelling, 'Western toilet, baby!" It's very creepy, and then the Dragons win by decoding the classic 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." TO make matters worse for Jame and Peih Gee, Jeff taunts them as they struggle on the puzzle, because he's still determined to be a biased ass about the whole "Let's lose on purpose thing." James is happily taken hostage, meaning he gets to partake of the reward, and Todd is determined to be the one to get the secret clue, which Jeff insists must be opened in private, as if there'd be any consequence if he didn't...

The Reward is at this gorgeous location, and we're treated to the usual nonsense: food rules! Being clean is amazing! Crest toothpaste is like a gift from God!! Then everyone gathers on the patio for baths. There aren't enough tubs for everyone, so Courtney and Amanda share one, which of course gets Jean-Robert to be more creepy, as he leers and makes suggestive commentary. Of course, one way to avoid that is not sharing a bathtub (bathing suits or no) in front of a weirdo. Then James let's it all hang out by showering naked, his backside for all the tribe (and world) to see. Neither the gals nor Todd complain. Later, Todd tells us he feels like he's the only person who's REALLY playing the game, and then he corners James. He insists that he has a plan that can save James' life in the game, and that James MUST give HIM what's in the tube Jeff gave him. When James says he doesn't know what it is, Todd assures him that HE does, and to leave it all to him. James is no fool, but he's desperate. He knows Todd is a player, but he also knows he's playing with people who lost on purpose last time and, as far as he knows, will do it again to get rid of him, so he agrees to Todd's deal. When Todd gets the new clue, he knows immediately where the Idol is, "It's those stupid bats above the freakin' thing!" I didn't realize those were bats on the plaques, huh. Anyway, Todd and Amanda struggle to get the thing down in front of almost the whole tribe, which they realize is stupid, but they do it anyway. Why they couldn't get James to lure people down to the swimming hole or whatever the hell, I don't know. Frosti sees them and tries to help, even as Todd and Amanda try to shoo him away, so they get the Idol down and wind up cluing him into the whole thing because "they have no choice." Frosti is thrilled. Then Todd goes to James and gives him the Idol. He tells him that the Dragons will win Immunity, forcing the Tigers to go to Tribal Council where they'll vote out James, but he'll have the Idol, meaning whoever James votes for goes home. Todd wants it to be their toughest player, Jamie. James is impressed and thrilled with this elaborate plan, and gives Todd a good-natured punch on the shoulder, which almost knocks Todd off his log. "You almost killed me right there," he mutters. James tells him it's all in love, and it will make him strong. Cute! Then Todd goes to Denise and Courtney and tells THEM about the plan, because, I think, he's a little too in love with his plan, and wants everyone to know how clever he is. Which he IS, and I really like Todd, but...seriously. I mean, they're all gonna try to win Immunity anyway, right? And, as James tells him, the Tigers will probably lose on purpose like before. But not so fast...

Back at loservile, Jamie, Erik and Peih Gee wallow in depression, and question whether losing last week was the right thing, now that Frosti and Sherea seem uninterested in their alliance/friendship. They vow to fight like hell for the next immunity! And to make matters MORE interesting...

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

It's the Gross Food Eating Contest! No challenge is easier to throw, or harder to predict. Because even the strongest may not be able to get enough spit going or control their gag-reflex or what have you, and it's pretty easy to pretend you can't eat something. First, things go Todd's way when Frosti beats Peih Gee in eating several chicken hearts (apologies to Bill Cosby). But then Jamie bests Courtney (who was never gonna win an eating contest ANYWAY, right?), downing her eel like it was cotton candy. Then Erik beats Amanda at eating little baby turtles. James has a showdown with his pal Denise, and he pretends he can't eat the (gah!) feathered chicken fetuses. Peih Gee and Jamie cheer him on, the irony of them trying to win now that JAMES is secretly tanking the contest is off course, lost of them, but it's very entertaining for us. But, Denise REALLY can't eat the things, and when she eventually refuses to, she apologizes to James and he says it's okay and finishes off his meal. He seems bummed, but as he's not going home no matter what happens, he really shouldn't be. Finally, Erik beats Frosti at eating "1000 year old egg," giving the Tigers Immunity and leaving Todd in shock that he can't, in fact, control everything.

DAMAGE CONTROL

Denise blames herself for the loss, and even loathsome Jean-Robert won't hear of it, because she had to eat a chicken fetus with feathers on it. Todd, Amanda and Denise strategize at the well and decide they want to keep Frosti over Sherea. They've really taken to the likable Frosti and want to keep him around, which is interesting--I think they may be mistaking his genial disposition with loyalty, but okay. Courtney is told of the decision to oust Sherea, and balks--she likes Sherea, and she's reached a breaking point with Jean-Robert. The idea of voting for anyone but her nemesis is beyond her tolerance. And she makes the valid point that JR hates HER, so why should she help keep someone in the game that hates her and oust someone who likes her and WOULDN'T get rid of her? Courtney and Sherea sit together and watch Jean Robert struggle with the cooking pot. When Sherea suggest they point out what he's doing wrong, Courtney again gives the line delivery of the episode when she mutters, 'That would require TALKING to him." Then Courtney does something that made me gain new respect for her--she actually goes to her alliance and lobbies HARD to keep Sherea and get rid of Jean-Robert. Amanda won't hear of it, saying IN FRONT OF FROSTI that it has to be Sherea or Frosti that goes home tonight and then "Eventually it'll be down to us," and I hope Frosti's asking himself if he REALLY believes he's part of that "us." But Todd finds himself somewhat swayed, and privately tells Amanda that maybe they SHOULD dump Jean Robert. Amanda is upset because she thinks getting rid of Sherea here (probably right before she can re-Merge with her old tribe) is pivotal. But Todd (who's still reeling over the fact that he GAVE James an Immunity Idol and the means to find a second one) is worried that they've gone too far, and that by telling Courtney she can't get her way, they're telling her that they, Todd and Amanda are in charge! "We're setting ourselves up as power players," he frets, "We will get voted out if we don't start doing what people want!" I gotta say, Todd is as smart as he thinks he is, cuz that's some good insight right there. Jean-Robert is unconcerned that everyone is off talking behind his back, 'I like to trust my gut and my vibe," he blathers. Ugh...

TRIBAL COUNCIL

Jeff asks Sherea about the mood around camp today and she tells him, "I sensed a lot of shadiness." Jean-Robert answers the same question by talking about how hard he's been working around camp, which gets Sherea riled up, "Did you ASK about that," she asks Jeff. Then she tells JR to wise up, "They don't LIKE you," she says of his tribemates. He isn't the least bit concerned because that's what happens when you're a "Bad Boy." This gets Courtney tied up in knots, and once she starts snickering, she tells Jean Robert how pathetic he sounds boasting about himself when he's really just a "crappy person." Then she hurts Todd's feelings by describing the tribe as a clique that she doesn't feel a part of. In the end, Courtney and Shera vote for Jean Robert, but it's Sherea who goes home. I still give Courtney major props for standing up for herself and her friend.

Sherea is booted in 11th place, where Joel got ousted in Borneo, for laughing at at a rude comment Gervase made. This was key because Joel was urging the group to target a member of the other tribe at the Merge, but most of his tribe thought that was unsportsmanlike (yes, they were that naive) so they got picked off, one by one. In the Outback, Nugentesque Michael severely burned his hands and had to be medivac'd out while in Africa, foul-mouthed and whiny Lindsay was undone, thanks to some of her old tribemates funneling info thru Kelly that she had votes against her and was thus vulnerable in a tie-break (back when previous votes mattered). In the Marquesas, Gina was well-liked by her new tribemates, but not enough to make inroads and in Thailand, Dumbb Robb skated off into the sunset. In the Amazon, Shawna had asked to be kicked out but held prisoner by her own tribe, than cut loose when she she showed renewed interest in the game (in other words, boys). John K. was one of the young Vanuatu boys that didn't stand a chance against the older, fatter dudes OR the ladies and devout and muscle-bound Ibrehem was yet another casualty on "The Tribe That Could Never Win." In Guatemala, Amy the cop went as far as she could go on a busted ankle and Dan the Astronaut Man was jettisoned after he failed at one measly challenge (cuz of the man code) on Exile Island. In the Cook Islands, loyal Rebecca was foolishly cut in favor of shady Jonathan, and last season we were pleased to be rid of mean, dumb Lisi, who couldn't hack it anyway.

EVICTED SURVIVOR FUN FACT

Well, first of all, Sherea is one tough grade-school teacher--I can't imagine she gets a lot of back-talk. She is also a twin, a fan "Big Brother" and Real World/ Road Rules Challenge and her two favorite movies are "Set it Off" and "The Sound of Music," which makes for an interesting movie night...

Next Up: Drop you buffs, it's time for the Merge, baby! :D

Peace Out! Christine