I'm back after my run of Cabaret, and a much-needed break. Since I've been gone, we've lost Kelley, Dale, Julie, Josh, & Jeremy, the latter two becoming the first 2 members of the jury. Keith and Jon both have idols.
This episode begins with the tribe returning to camp after voting Jeremy out. We're shown an adorable sloth, & are led to believe that said sloth is just hanging &/or creeping around in the dark camp, eavesdropping.
What is with
this trend of vilifying sloths? How are we not all loving sloths
the way Kristin Bell does? Or, at the very least, the way
Chunk does?
Much like sub-alliances, a vote not turning out the way he expected it to was something Keith didn't know was a thing that sometimes happens on Survivor. Keith is now wary of Reed because
Natalie is now without her ally Jeremy, and is intent on voting Jon out and finding the idol she knows is at camp.
The Reward Challenge is a Team Challenge that involves swimming, climbing, unlocking puzzle pieces, and building a statue. First team to finish wins a trip to deliver baseball equipment to local children - baseball food included. Jon, Jaclyn, Reed, & Alec win the Reward, but Reed gives up his spot for Missy after Baylor cries that her Mom hasn't won a reward yet. The winning team sends Wes to Exile.
Everyone was all smiles at the Reward, because only Spencer doesn't like underprivileged children.
Back at camp, Reed explains voting to Keith, & Natalie & Baylor look for the idol even though Baylor doesn't know what's going on.
The Immunity Challenge is an Endurance Challenge, where Survivors stand on a small perch, and hold onto handles above their hands.
Side note: I am in love with Natalie's braids & even though my hair is super long & healthy, hers is about 3" longer & I fear I will never be happy with my hair again until it is at her length.
Probst tempts with chocolate & candy & Jon steps down as he says he felt like he wasn't going to last anyway. Keith, still up there, is not impressed. "Heck, I'm 53."
Kai isn't impressed either.
"'I'm 53'...says the guy wearing the backwards camouflage hat."
After 30 minutes, Probst taunts with "There's no way this doesn't hurt". Alec says
"Does he know how that ended?"
Missy bails, & minutes later Baylor & Jaclyn jump down for cookies & milk. Somewhere, Angie is saying I TOLD YOU, MOTHERFUCKERS.
Wes jumps down for chicken wings & 2 beers. The man loves his tacos & wings...and something else, too.
The challenge goes on so long that Jon & Jaclyn fall asleep on the sidelines, & a Wes that just had 2 beers turns into Chris Farley.
Natalie is struggling to stay up, can't even spit past her own t-shirt, and her only competition left is Reed, who's flexing & smiling & winking. She jumps down for a killer meal she orders from Probst, & Reed wins Immunity. Almost immobile, Reed slowly lowers himself down off of his perch until he stretches out Broadway style.
Inspired by his own flexibility perhaps, Reed plans with Alec to get a split vote going between Keith & Wes, but to actually vote
with Keith & Wes & get Jon out. While walking around with fish in his hands, Alec convinces Jon & Jaclyn to just trust him & believe him &
maybe he's taking the Jesus thing a little too far now.
Tribal Council is amazing. Nobody is sure of anything, everyone is paranoid & they all start talking over everyone else. Reed flat out tells Keith to stick to the plan, Jon & Jaclyn openly discuss and argue about what they're doing, & Missy compares everyone to popcorn because she has nothing useful to add. Baylor compares it to a Fun House, & says that she basically feels like:
but at the same time, kind of like:
& also like:
When it's finally time to vote, Natalie tells Jon he should play his idol. He plays it. Keith sees this & tells Wes to get theirs out. There are gasps. Keith tells Wes to play it, & Wes declines because it isn't an eating contest. Keith plays the idol - which he never even unwrapped - for himself.
Probst reads the votes & Kai is giggling & shaking with excitement.
"Jon - does not count. Jon - does not count. Keith - does not count. Keith - does not count. Jon - does not count. Keith - nobody with any votes. Wes." Wes is voted out, but at least he participated in some great eating contests while in Nicaragua.
Jeremy, who had insisted that Keith had found the Exile Idol all along, was hilarious watching all of this unfold from the jury.
There has been a lot of talk about how bad this season is - but after 2 exciting Tribal Councils in a row, I think I disagree. Share your thoughts below in the comments, on twitter (
@MomofKai) or on this blog's
Facebook page!
