Survivor BBB recap – Mar 24

kaoh rong start

It’s episode 6 already – boy, that went quickly. Back at camp after the ousting of Anna (the poker player with built-in flotation devices that would have made diving challenges tricky), Tai thanks his tribemates for keeping him and is relieved he didn’t show his idol.
1taichicken

He jokes that he should at least outlast the chicken. (Hmm, who do we think would be on chook-killing duty in this tribe? Joe?)

Dr Evil decides now is the time to change his status as bottom-rung Brain and chats to Tai about alliance. That’s Tai, who we know from last episode can’t stand Dr Evil – and Tai loves all living creatures.

Everyone wants a piece of Tai.

Everyone wants a piece of Tai.

Doc tells Tai he wants Joe gone, which is odd because Aubry is far more strategic and has a strong bond with Neal on the other team.

Over at blue team beach, we finally start to get some confessionals from Nick (always a dangerous sign). He is focused on getting in tight with his new tribe and reckons he has Debbie sussed out: she wants someone to listen to her and work hard. “Whatever person Debbie admires – which is herself – just be her,” he tells the confessional. (Please tell me Debbie isn’t falling for this and is playing him just as hard.) Debbie thinks Nick looks like a Greek god and has great features for modelling, and she should know – she’s been a model for years. Here the editors cackle with glee and up flashes another of the ever-changing Debbie occupation chyrons.

Lately she's been a chemist, waitress, civil air patrol capt and electronic expert.

Lately she’s been a chemist, waitress, civil air patrol capt and electronic expert – the editors are loving this.

She hopes he gets a modelling contract out of the show “but it’s going to have no effect on my strategy”. Phew.

Nick entertains the idea that she’s just stroking his ego but then, because he has a Dr Evil-sized ego, dismisses the notion.

They learn the reward challenge involves throwing balls through hoops, which Yellow team’s Scot, ex-professional basketballer, should smash. But Nick shot some hoops in school and is tall, so he’s the one who gets to practise back at camp with coconuts and what appear to be juggling beanbags. I’m surprised Debbie did not add basketballer to her list of careers.

5practice

So, come on in, guys, says Jeff, as always. I’m going to have to  rewatch Borneo and see if he used that phrase 31 seasons ago. The challenge has a loooong course.

6challengevie

Exile over, Julia appears, and black-and-green-capped Jeff ushers her to the yellow team. Everyone’s hungry and wants to win this:

Wonder if there's an idol clue baked into the bread?

Wonder if there’s an idol clue baked into the bread?

Aubry – who looks like a total nerd – is a challenge beast for the yellows and gives them a good lead, releasing the buoys way before Michelle – who looks like a pilates instructor or something. I know nothing about Beauty Michelle because we’ve barely seen her.

It get to the basketball stage and Scot takes a while to get the hang of out, allowing Nick to catch up and at one point to overtake him. Scot is worried.

Oh no - this is going to be like the time Wiglesworth the whitewater raft guide lost the rowing challenge to Gervais.

Oh no – this is going to be like the time Wiglesworth the whitewater raft guide lost the rowing challenge to Gervais.

But he gets it together and wins. Over at blue, Michelle knows she’s in trouble for not releasing the buoys sooner, but she really wasn’t that bad.

(That's Michelle talking while Neal and Jason have Who Has the Palest, Most Cochran-like Skin? contest)

(That’s Michelle talking while Neal and Jason have Who Has the Palest, Most Cochran-like Skin? contest)

Julia is stoked to be out of exile and on a team which has food, but not so stoked to see her alliance member Anna was voted off. Dr Evil is thrilled, though, to have someone young and seemingly naive to work with. He takes her for a dip and bitch session for more “I hate Joe” talk.

I just hope Dr Evil's not aqua dumping right now.

I just hope Dr Evil’s not aqua dumping right now.

And then he reveals he actually has some smarts: “Aubry is more important to get out because she’s the bigger player.” Julia plays the Sandra Diaz-Twine strategy of “as long as it’s not me”, which is really her only option at this point.

Watching from the sidelines, Joe and Aubry (who is wearing Joe’s jumper – nice one, Joe) can’t believe how obvious Dr Evil is being. Aubry in confessional: “Peter’s a little rogue and desperate right now. Which makes me feel like I need to seriously consider whether now is the time for Peter to go.”

Over at blue, Michelle is bummed they lost the challenge, knowing she will be held accountable. But she gets to work trying to build new alliances and goes to see the Oracle.

Teach me what to do, O Wise One.

Teach me what to do, O Wise One.

Debbie says it’s ok; she wants Jason gone because he does *&@! all around camp, and she wants a woman to win. Good one, Debbie. Michelle recounts the convo to Nick, who tells her bluntly Debbie is lying because she just wants her to be calm. “You are definitely the target,” he says.

(That's Nick talking about not voting for Jason. And you know it's true because we've seen very little of him this ep and lots of Nick and Michelle)

(That’s Nick talking about not voting for Jason. And you know it’s true because we’ve seen very little of him this ep and lots of Nick and Michelle)

All of which is true but the way he says it is all wrong, and gets her hackles up. But she’s smart enough to let it slide. We get a lot more of Nick saying how much better at this game he is than Michelle – total shades of Dr Evil and Liz’s boasting just before the Liz blindside.

Speaking of His Evilness, he’s over at the other beach telling Scot he wants Aubry gone, then Joe. And Joe is not happy to see yet another tete-a-tete with a non-Brain.

Joe seethes while Aubry talks.

Joe seethes while Aubry talks about Dr Evil.

Joe decides he’s going to confront Dr Evil, using his lie detecting FBI skills.

Who - me?

Who – me?

And Pete, looking guilty as hell, fails to shoot back with: “It’s a game, I’m making sure the other three don’t team up against us by pretending to want an alliance. Brains forever!”

It’s immunity challenge time and Jeff is in his orange cap. It’s one of the more straightforward land-based challenges, but I’m still hanging out for the merge and some endurance-based or balance challenges. And the merge can’t be far away, as we’re down to 12 players and they usually do it at around 11, and we’ve already lost Caleb. The challenge starts and Giant Scot helps Tiny Tai and his teammates over the rolling barrel.

19tinttai

The next part is even more challenging, with the most athletic guys having to leap for a handhold on this structure and pull themselves up, while their teammates give each other boosts so they can be hauled up. Luckily Debbie only ways about 45kg by now as she’s just skin, bones and hair.

20nickpull

Of course, Scot is the booster for his team and Jeff delights in yelling: “This is like a dad with his kids.” The blues are leading and it’s interesting to see the next bit has Nick and the strong but short Jason poking blocks with poles – a task surely more suited to taller members of the team.

Jason does his block.

Jason does his block.

Now, Neal is taller than Jason and yet he’s not on block duty. Is this a case of Jason’s ego winning out, or Neal being smart and “non-threatening”. For yellow, Peter is proving an asset – he knows he’d be in danger at tribal if they lose.

At the block-stacking station, the lead goes back and forth and it’s proving a tricky challenge.

Timberrrrrrrrrrr!

Timberrrrrrrrrrr!

25bluetimber

Poor Joe cops a couple of wooden blocks on the noggin’ but seems ok. He can always consult the tribe’s resident ER doctor. Oh, that’s right, he pissed him off earlier so that could be a no go.

Tis but a scratch, Jeff - a mere flesh wound.

Tis but a scratch, Jeff – a mere flesh wound.

Yellow tries a new approach.

26scottai

But Debbie goes one better …

Debbie #block stacker

Debbie #block stacker

… and blue wins by a hair.

Back at yellow camp Aubry tells Joe they still need Peter on side, so they still have a numbers advantage. Joe concedes she makes sense “even though he’s a big pain in the butt”. Aubry says Joe needs to talk to Peter about their earlier spat and “work it out as guys”. (Have I mentioned how much I like Aubry?) Joe swallows his pride.

Said while trying not to grit his teeth.

Said while trying not to grit his teeth.

Peter agrees with their plan to take out Julia and then tells Scot he’s shelved his mutiny and is voting Julia. Why would you tell Scot that? Just nod and say yes to whatever Scot tells you.

So Scot, Tai and Julia discuss who they want gone.

The tribe discusses how much they love Peter.

The tribe discusses how much they love Peter.

“We need to talk to Aubry,” says Julia, knowing she’s the Brain of the Brains.  They lay out Dr Evil’s deception for her and she plays it cool.

Aubry's wishing she could use the machete on Peter right now.

Aubry’s wishing she could use the machete on Peter right now.

I’m not sure why Aubry has not approached Scot about joining up with her and Joe – although maybe she has and we’ve just not see it. Tai is worried by her lack of reaction, which leads to this adorable scene:

40taiwater

Joe is not impressed that Aubry is thinking of switching her vote to Peter, after she just made him eat humble pie when he wanted to do the same. He’s sticking with the Julia vote, which means if Aubry flips she’ll lose Joe as a future ally. “I feel that no matter what I do, it’s going to blow back and bite me in the ass,” Aubry says. Since we’ve seen no other footage of Aubry talking with Brawn and Beauty, I reckon she’ll vote for Julia. Unless Peter says something really douchey at tribe, and that’s not likely, is it?

Who brought the marshmallows?

Who brought the marshmallows?

It’s tribal council time and Jeff leads the chat in the direction of making it obvious either Julia or Peter is going home. And while he’s talking to Aubry, this happens:

I love it when they whisper stuff at tribal.

I love it when they whisper stuff at tribal.

And then, while Jeff is talking to Joe, Aubry whispers:

46aubruwhisper

And Scot replies “Peter”. Well, this is fun. Poor Aubry looks so stressed and we see her pause immediately before and after finally writing Julia’s name.  Darn it.

And then Jeff reads the votes and it looks like it will be a tie until this awesome thing happens:

48juliapete

And Dr Evil gets his comeuppance. Well, that made for great TV.

The preview for next week’s Survivor: Kaoh Rong shows what looks to be the merge. So, left in the game are Beauties Nick, Julia, Michelle and Tai; Brawn Scot, Jason and Cydney; and Brains Aubry, Joe, Debbie and Neal. And we get footage of Jason boasting about “shoving geeks in lockers”. Urgh.

***

In other news, check out this article on Fishy. Nothing much new but good to see Survivor on the home page of news.com.au.
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/former-survivor-contestant-stephen-fishbach-spills-show-secrets/news-story/4dfdc934a8d79397385ab0b0beaee5a5



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23 Comments

  1. Thanks for a great recap, Juz!

    Things I liked about this week’s episode:
    – No more Dr Fauxbama!
    – We saw very little and heard even less of Tattybountyboy.
    – That I now know who Michele is.
    – That Michele is clearly capable of standing up for herself to DickNick.

    Things I didn’t like about this week’s episode:
    – That Nick the dick had me almost liking him for a few seconds there when he almost beat Scot in the basketball challenge.
    – Everything else, because it was really pretty boring. Although Debbie, whether you love her or hate her (and I seem to vacillate between the two) always livens things up. And thank you editors for once again giving her a new title, which according to the following, might have a teensy bit of validity. I said TEENSY: http://www.modelmayhem.com/2850516

    • lol – I googled and got the same site. They are very amateur-ish. I’m hoping the scene of Tatty boasting about hurting Brains is a precursor to him getting his comeuppance.

  2. Thanks for another great recap Juz.

    Damn GO changed the start time from 8.40 to 8.30 so I missed up to the first ad break. So annoying when they do that.

    Poor Michelle really struggled getting that knot undone. It wouldn’t be easy trying to hold your breath & try & untie a big knot. Every time you nearly get it you need air & have to go back to the top & try again. Some people seem to be able to hold their breath under water better than others.
    I think I would have given that tuna salad a miss, how long was it sitting there in that hot sun? Not worth the risk of food poisoning. There was still plenty of other yummy food there.

    • Here Carole. This photo is for you.

      And Rosie, Debbie (Sue Heck) would drive you mad with all her, “I used to be a model, chemical engineer, animal activist, lion tamer, banker, ballerina, nuclear physicist, landscape gardener, dog groomer, astronaut…..
      But on tv, it’s funny.

  3. I think we need to start a tally of how many people Debbie has convinced that she is naive, dumb, or simple. She’s really clever at giving people that impression.

    It seemed that Michelle’s trouble underwater was the big metal pin that she had to pull, rather than the knots. Just before, we see Aubry giving a huge heave to get the pin out. Looks like Aubry is doing all the swimming/diving parts – does she also have a secret past occupation? Ex-olympian synchronised swimmer?

    Certainly Aubry is going to have words with Joe after that tribal. Joe seems to value loyalty above all else (fine in real life but a bit of a liability here) and I don’t think he is going to take well to her flip. But now, I think her best bet is to pal up with Scot/Tai etc, if they will have her.

    Offtopic, did anyone see “Hunted” on Wed night. Well worth watching.

  4. Fijane, is that the David Attenbourough show where animals kill and eat each other? Not my cup of tea. I would rather watch Judge Judy devour an irresponsible and entitled defendant in her court room. Or doctor Phil maul an enabling parent or interfering mother in law.

  5. Not at all, it is a British reality show. The contestants have to ‘go on the run’ for 28 days and evade being found. The team trying to find them are real intelligence officers using all the technology used by British intelligence in real life such as atms, cctv cameras, phones and laptops,

    It’s a fascinating mix of cheering for the people, yelling at the tv when they do something stupid like phoning their mother, and being engrossed by the methods used and just how far they can penetrate into your life. Both DH and I were left trying to plan how we would do it if given the opportunity.

  6. Love them all, but Axel is so classic as the ultimate of every teen boy. The big winner is the writing. They nail down the marriage and family dynamics, the little games parents play, the kids who hassle and annoy each other, then turn around the next minute and do something loving.

    Loved the recent ep where they forgot Sue’s leap year birthday, then woke her in the middle of the night. ROFL at giving her the presents still in their shopping bags, and her sheer excitement of the whole performance.

    • No worries, Ryan. I’ll check it out. Do you listen to Rob Has a Podcast as well? I love him. – admin Juz

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