Survivor 15.7 "Boo, challenges! Yay, feast!"

I know there are serious issues involved with the Writer's Strike, people's livlihoods and whatnot, but I do need to add: If I have to wait until 2009 to see "Lost" again, I will explode. Okay, onto to the review...

The show starts with Amanda telling Courtney and Jean Robert that they have to resolve their differances, and Todd telling JR that he's been impressed with JR's improved attitude and effort around camp--which is all part of Jean Robert's strategy. Courtnye is peeved by the fact that the others aren't totally on her side and against JR. She tells us about Todd and Amanda, "I like them more than I like the rest of the people here--I think they mistake that for friendship." Oh, Courtney, are you ever really happy? Let a little love in your heart. Later, Denise and Amanda squirm as Courtney challenges Todd to stand up for her with Jean Robert. Todd is weary of explaining to Courtney how Survivor works--they need JR to think they want to keep him around or he'll flip to the other team when they Merge. Tood spits at the camera, "Deal with it, bitch!" Wow. I now want Todd to get outplayed by someone--anyone, even Jean-Robert...well, okay, not Jean_robert, but Todd's whole "It's my game, you're just getting in my way" attitude is wearing thin with me.

At the Tiger's camp, Peih Gee tries to convince James that they won the last challenge knowing they'd lose Sherea or Frosti--meaning they're loyal to him. She tells James she respects him as a person and as a player and would like to see him go far. He's sort of grunts and nods. It's kinda hard to tell weather Peih Gee means anything she's saying or if she's just grasping for a Plan B. James waits for everyone else to go down to the river and then he takes down the stupid bats above the freakin' things at THIS camp, and finds the second Immunity idol. He's unable to return the other placard, which he took down thinking IT was the Idol, so when the others get back, they're like, what happened to the stupid bats over the freakin' thing? Jaime finds the non-Idol, and then she and Erik search James' bag and discover he has TWO Idols in there--but it's night, so they down't read the signs on the back, Jaime just realizes he has two of the stupid bat things. So she hangs onto the not-Idol, thinking it MIGHT be an Idol. When James scouts around and can't find the not-Idol, he chuckles with glee at the possibility of Jaime or womeone else playing it and finding out it's not an Idol. He really has no use for any of his new tribe. I also found it interesting that I wasn't all that concerned with Jaime seashing James' bag, even though when Alex and company did it to Yau-Man I was irate. Huh. Also, Jaime never considers stealing one of James's Idols, and I've never really unsderstood why people DON'T steal Idols--maybe for fear of an actual physical conflict? I mean, James could squish Jaime between his thumb and fore finger...

MERGE, BABY

Everyone gathers for the Reward, and it turns out it's time for new clean-smelling black buffs ("Ninja buffs!" Frosti yells) and a feast and "cultural performance." Jeff warns them ominously, "The game never stops!" Everyone thinks about this for a millisecond and then gets totally absorbed by the feast and the booze and the dancing and the amazing acrobats. As Courtney puts it, "Boo, challenges! Yay, feast!" Afterwards, the "Unnamed Merged Tribe" brainstorms a name. Everyone wants something with "black" in it because of their kick-ass buffs, and Jena Robert makes a joke that they'd have to remname it once James, the only black player left in the game, was voted out. Courtney rolls her eyes, but James thinks it's funny and then the half-Japanese Frosti points out that he AND Peih Gee were on the "yellow" Tiger team. THe new tribe is named Hae Da Fung, which means "Fighting Black Wind." THen Jeff arrives with the Immunity neckalace and a surprise IMMUNITY CHALLENGE! He circles everyone up, and quizzes them on the Merge party. Jaime comes oh so close to winning the Immunity she desperately needed, but instead it goes to Frosti.

WHY IS JAMES LYING?

He's not even lying with words, but he keeps grunting these "mmm-hmm's" to Peih Gee, and I don't really get what he gains by making her think he's on her side for a few more hours. Peih Gee is trying to stay afloat, and she and Jaime decide to target Jean Robert, since they know that Courtney voted for him last time (they also know Frosti voted for Sherea, which dampens their hopes that he'll flip back to their side now. When Jaime shows Frosti the blank placard, he realizes it's NOT the Immunity Idol, but he doesn't tell Jaime this :( That made me sad. Amanda and Todd are seriously worried about Courtney's loyalties, and they want Jaime, the Toger's "silent leader" gone. Then Jean Robert corners Todd and makes him swear that the Final Three will be Todd, Amanda and Jean Robert. JR threatens Tood, saying that if Todd screws him over, he will hold him responsible and lobby the jury against Todd. Todd shines him on and then tells us he couldn't give a rat's ass about JR's warnings. Jean Robert woud rather see Peih Gee gone, because he thinks she's more likable than Jaime, and will be more able to ingratiate herself with them. Then Jaime seeks out Todd and tells him she'll tell him who has the Immunity Idol if she survives Tribal Council tonight. Todd laughs at her behind her back and mocks the very IDEA of anyone besides him having a legitamate strategy to win this game. Todd can be very insufferable at times. THEN, Jean Robert makes things even MORE interesting when he insists he's voting for Peih Gee no matter what the others say, hoping to force his alliance into doing the same. James can't believe that JR would be so stupid as to play into a scenario that could see HIM going home! Jean Robert may get the most votes tonight if the Dragons don't all vote the same way!

TRIBAL COUNCIL

There aren't a lot of secrets at Tribal Council: The Dragons are enjoying the Merge a lot more than Peih Gee, Jaime and Eric, even though there isn't the kind of open hostility we was in the previous two seasons. Jean Robert continues to get under Courtney's skin when he tells Jeff that now that it's an individual game, he thinks Courtney will last all the way to the end because no one is in the least bit threatened by her. Courtney tells jeff that this is JR's way of saying she IS a threat, and that she should be voted out. James tells Jeff that Jean Robert is his own worst enemy, and that he should talking once in a while. Word. Peih Gee then make sFrosti squirm when she insists that she has "spies" who've told them of the fractures in the Dragon alliance. Everyone votes, and then Jaime asks Jeff about the Immunity Idol procedure, and he tells her it has to be played before the votes are read, so she gives him the blank placard, says she doesn't know if it's an Idol or not, but what the hell. Jeff tells her it ISN'T an Idol, and James, Todd and Jean Robert are especially obnxious about pointing and laughing. In her exit, Jaime shrugs and says playing the not_Idol was her only play and she doesn't regret it. And really, it woould have been stupider to have that thing and NOT play it and have it turn out to be an Idol. SHe blames James for her ouster, but I'd be more mad at Frosti--he could've at least told her about the Idol!

Jaime is ousted in 10th place, but winds up on the jury. 9 used to be the first jury slot, then it expanded to 12, now it's shrunk to 10. I hope we've seen the last of the Final Three, and go back to the traditional Final Two. Anyway, Jaime joins good Gretchen the Air Force survival guide and Mean Jeffy Jeff of the Outback. In Africa, Clarence Black finally paid the price for eating those stolen beans and in the Marquesas, Boston Rob left the game, but never really went away. In Thailand, Shii Ann was tricked by the fake Merge, and wound up losing out for turning on her creepy tribe too soon (really, she was the only non-creepy person in that whole season). In the Amazon, cranky Roger found out the hard way the reason why there's never been an all guy's final ANYTHING: guys like hanging out with pretty chicks.In the Pearl Islands, whiny Osten and jerky Shawn were voted out, but then Burton and Lil were let back in, and then we lost Andrew the good leader n the next vote. So for our puroposes, Osten, Shawn and Andrew all finished in 10th place. In Vanuatu, crazy Rory left without burning down the women's camp, much to our disappointment, and in Palau, sweet Bobby Jon lost a fire-making contest to Steph. In Guatemala we bid adieu to another nice country boy, Brandon, and on Exile Island, we lost cute Nick. In the Cook Islands, Jenny was cut loose by Nathan, who'd quickly regret that when Jonathan flipped on him, and last season we had to say goodbye to plucky, smart Michelle.

EVICTED SURVIVOR FUN FACT

Jaime is on the Dean's List at THe University of South Carolina, and though she's spend her whole life in the South, she's somehow wound up a Buffalo Bills fan. She's also a fellow fan of the Harry Potter books--yay.

Next up: I'm hoping for some major drama--like Todd trying to oust James and James plays the Idol! That'd be sweet. But, realistically, it'll probably be Peih Gee.

Peace Out! :D
Christine