Survivor - Heroes vs Villains - Premier Episode Recap (Feb 11/10)

Good morning Survivor fans,

Last night was the highly anticipated (by me anyway) premier of the 20th season of Survivor – this one, all returning contestants, divided into teams based on their past game play – Heroes vs Villains!

They open with stunning views of the Polynesian islands and then, through the mist, four troop transport helicopters come into view… and inside are our new/old crop of Survivors.

Quickly scan through them and Coach has a big dragon tattoo on his chest now (oh come on!)
Rupert - he’s always been a big believer that Good will Win.
Russell – thinks Villains are smarter – they don’t mind stabbing people in the back to get where they need to go – it’s a proven fact – Google it.
JT – Heroes are the people he’d rather play the game with, battling against the villains, it’s perfect.
Jerri – had a few colourful names attributed to her – her favourite though was “Man-eater Manthi.”
James – Ooooh James, loves me the gentle giant… ahem… he’s coming back to redeem himself.
Coach – This time it’s “Slay Everyone – Trust No One” (the title of this episode.)
Tom – He’s not in the same shape he was this time but still thinks he can hang in there with the best of them (I should hope so, cause this is arguably the best of them.)
Rob – If they’re smart they’ll get rid of me right away… but they won’t, they never do.
Colby – almost a decade since he played the game the first time – test to see if he still has it. (Are we just forgetting the All Stars season then?)
Sandra – Last time I was mean, now I’m meaner – I’ll lie, I don’t care, but I’ll make up a good lie.
Cirie – These people think they know me, they don’t know me – I’m a nice gangster in an Oprah Suit.

In the end only one will remain – 39 days, 20 people… One Ultimate Survivor.

They’re still coming in on the choppers and they’re all excited and nervous – Coach is making stupid arm poses in the chopper – (Oh, please, someone smack him.)
The Heroes are deposited on the beach first and they all congregate on their mat, sizing each other up, excited – then the Villain choppers come in and pelt them with sand like the bully kicking sand in the face of the geek at the beach – nice symbolism there producers.
Stephenie says just looking at the Villains get off the choppers – you know they are Villains – Rob with his confident swagger, Jerri, Coach…
Jerri says she’s the original Villainess of Survivor and she feels like Mother Teresa next to these people – it’s on!

Jeff addresses the tribes - Russell, how does it feel being one of the 10 most notorious Survivors?
Russell – I’m in awe – finally I get to play with people that respect the game.
How bout you Rob?
Rob – I’m a Villain? (got a laugh) It’s all in your perspective I guess.
Rupert, even after 20 seasons still one of the most popular to play the game, how do you feel coming back?
Rupert – I just love the game, it’s an honour (he gushed some more but you get the gist.)
Tom, stack up these two tribes.
Tom- I wouldn’t assume anyone would play the same game they did the last time – if it didn’t work for them they could change it up, and that’s the same for both tribes.
Colby, after your season people liked you so much they were naming their kids after you.
Colby – this is all about the experience and the adventure (oh, see, he’s not even getting close to winning with that attitude.)
JT, are you intimidated by all these great players?
JT – feels like the young buck, watched these people play when he was in high school, feels like the rooky.

Anyone out here feel like they are on the wrong tribe?
Sandra right away puts up her hand (ORLY?) Courtney and Parvati do the stupid girl/flirty – yeah, what did we do, Jeff? (Oh Come ON!)
Jerri doesn’t put up her hand, she seems to be relishing her bad rep. now – points out the Black hat she bought for the show – and Colby has a white one… subtle guys.
James agrees with Jeff that Parvati is a villain – she played him like a fiddle in Fans vs Favourites, the season she won.
Everyone admits to being kind of intimidated by James size but James has learned a thing or two in this game and he knows to be wary of the talkers, they’re the most dangerous and usually win. He was voted off with two immunity idols in his first go round in China, has learned since then.
Boston Rob, how big a factor is size vs scrap?
Rob – I think we have stronger women (Heroes girls didn’t like that) he says he thinks the Villains have the advantage because they won’t have to deal with the egos like they have on the Heroes side (No, you have to deal with even bigger ones!)

Jeff tells them they are going to have their first Reward Challenge – Right NOW!

Reward Challenge:

They will run out in pairs (two people from each team) and dig in the sand for a bag – once the bag is found they have to run it back to their mat – with the other team members trying to stop them by any means possible. First person to get the bag to their mat, wins the point. First team to 3 points wins Reward, and they are playing for Fire in the form of flint. Fire is your life, blah, blah, blah…

They are off – Ladies first, Cirie & Stephanie against Parvati & Danielle (Who?) – Cirie finds the bag and it is on, lots of wrestling and blurring of lady bits – Courtney yells out “break her shoulder” and Parvati, who has a hold of Stephenie, almost does. Danielle gets a hold of the bag and runs it home to get the first point for the Villains but Stephenie has dislocated her shoulder (eww.) They call over medical and they pop it back in (nice sound effects) crunch! She’s good to go. Stephenie says to the camera – you’re already Villains, you don’t have to be jerks. (Hahaha.)

Next round – Man & Woman teams – Jerri finds the bag and yells to Randy so the other tribe in on her – Randy tackles and gets on top of JT – Hello! – Amanda on Jerri – JT is used to wrassling the hogs so he quickly gets the upper hand on Randy – grabs the bag and runs it home for the first point for the Heroes.

Coach slapping his pecs (uh, really?) heads out with Russel vs Colby and Tom (cowboy & firefighter) – Coach isn’t digging at all just standing ready for when they find the bag (I can’t stand this guy – again – already) Russell finds the bag and Colby tackles him – Coach gets on Colby and Russell & Tom tussle – Russell gets all MMA with an ankle lock on Tom – Colby has the bag and starts dragging Coach on his back towards the mats but he runs out of steam and Coach is able to steer him into the villain mat – Damn! Villains up 2 to 1.
Tyson – Colby might as well be a woman to be overpowered by Coach. Demoralizing.

Four ladies out again – Courtney & Sandra vs Sugar & Candice – villainous ladies working together, keep quiet when they find the bag but Candice sees it and gets in there – Sugar is not a powerhouse – Sandra throws her around then undoes her bra – Sugar though, shrugs the bra off, grabs the bag and scores for the Heroes – shooting double-birds at Sandra from the mat. We’re tied 2-2 – next point wins.

Final round – Tyson, wearing animal print tighty shorts (Oh my EYES!) & Rob vs Rupert & James. Rob does the hold back this time watching everyone else dig – James finds the bag and Rob tries to move him – Ha ha – good luck buddy – Rupert does a great job of holding off Tyson and Rob as James is able to linebacker the bag to the mat and the HEROES Win the Reward!!! YAY! Rupert, unfortunately broke a toe in about three places – ouch!

Russell – so the villains lost, do you think I care? – I’m used to losin’ – doesn’t make a difference to him.

Villains get to camp – Day 1
Russell – I have to stay on my toes – way more to prove this time – if I can whup these all-stars, aren’t I the best ever? He’s taking this crap serious and has to start working his magic on the Villain side – going to be tough.

Russell approaches Danielle (who?) first – "you and me to the end, have to trust each other, he will stab people in the back, blah, blah, blah…"

Then he’s on to Parvati – "you and me to the end, have to trust me, blah, blah" – she’s on to him though, she knows his game and has played it before. She says making a deal with Russell feels like making a deal with the devil but she’s rather be with him than against him. (See, I told you he was the devil.)

Russell is going on again about how he’s the best ever in this game, he’s gone above everyone in his sport (of Survivor) – OH Please! Get over yourself already. The cocky never win – did you not learn anything from last time? Sheesh.

Heroes get to camp – Day 1
And it’s pouring rain on them – they decide to take a little swim before starting on the shelter – (hmm. The Villains got working right away, I hope this isn’t a bad sign.) Colby says he’s rusty on the game play but he’s getting into it. Oh, there, they get to work and quickly make some decisions about where to build shelter and get to it. Good for you guys, working together well it seems.

Tom sees some chickens and JT and James step up to help catch them, start to surround them when Candice suggests they get the net and voila! The Heroes have caught themselves 3 hens and a rooster (I bet Erik is jealous!) They use the net to make a pen for them.

Back at Villains Camp
-Tyson relishing the fact that some of the Heroes got hurt in the challenge.
-Coach was recounting his victorious moment over Colby then telling the camera his team was going over it long after he’d stopped thinking about it, riiiggghhttt… he’s so full of crap! I bet you he never stops thinking about that moment of triumph, a legend in his own mind.
-Jerri says she’s very surprised by Coach (like in a good way – huh?) They show them lying side by side and she says she’s stealing his Mantra – Going in as a warrior. Then they are flirting and, OMG, could there be a Jerri/Coach romance??? I don’t know if I’m more intrigued or disgusted by that prospect (Laugh or cringe? But I am loving the drama!)
-Next morning Russell is goading Coach – Go for it, dude. Never walk away from love. Coach looks all abashed and kind of giddy (he really is socially retarded this guy.)
-And Sandra & Courtney are also pushing the romance angle to Jerri – They really are all evil.
-Coach talks to Jerri alone – The Black Widow and the Dragon Slayer – we have to be careful though, don’t want to be perceived as having a strong bond. (He really has no clue, she would chew him up and spit him out but she could possibly use him here.)

Back at Heroes
-JT approaches James – I want to be in an alliance with you – Straight up guys, hard working, they get along right away.
-Colby is talking to Candice – We gotta watch JT & James. Then they talk about the other players, who knows who, are they friends, who played together before.
-Amanda & Cirie played together in Fans vs Favourites – went to final 3 with Parvati – have to watch not to be seen as too chummy to the others.
-Tom & Stephenie also played together in Palau – they are strategizing who they can align with – Maybe JT. Tom likes that idea, he wants another winner beside him at the end to even up his odds to win again.
-JT says he’s more willing to sacrifice his integrity this time out in order to win again… Oh?

Villains – Day 2
-Rob is bitching that no one is working – no one wants to do anything, build a fire, build shelter – it’s ripping at his very fiber. Rob wants to make fire and starts notching a piece of wood to use friction.
-Randy – no one gets booted cause they don’t make fire – just shrug if off man (wow, when did Jimmy Buffet get to the island?)
-Rob looks at him disgustedly and proceeds to start a fire – everyone lends a hand and they get a ton of smoke and then FLAME! Rob’s the Man.
Rob says he’s the same competitive cut-throat guy he was before but he’s grown a lot with a wife and daughter, he’s learning to compromise and get along. “These people aren’t the brightest bulbs but I’ll try to make it work.”
-Coach is in awe of Rob now – oh no, he’s crushing on his idol, Boston Rob. Bromance is in the air.
-Russell sees Coach fawning all over Rob and right away Rob’s got a target on his back. Russell sees him as a threat to his palace… he’s going to try and get Rob gone.

Heroes – Day 2
Rupert is out in the ocean with the spear but his broken toe is hindering him and he’s not catching anything. He figures he’s better off being a worker bee so he heads back to camp and tries to make a fire. He’s using up all the flint and not even a spark. Cirie’s looking at him, just shaking her head; you can’t say anything and bruise his ego. Finally JT offers to take over and Rupert retreats, siting great amounts of pain in his toe that he doesn’t want anyone to know about. JT looks at the flint and there’s fire.

Villains
Rob & Tyson decide to climb a palm tree to get the fronds for their shelter but when Rob actually get up on the tree he sees it’s really high and since he was told not to do anything stupid thinks better of the climbing idea and gets down. But he still wants the fronds so he knows exactly who to rile up and strokes Coach’s ego and dares him to do it. Coach, of course, falls for it and jumps up on the trunk. Rob sits back with Sandra and laughs at him – they bet a buck on if he’ll do it or not. Coach though shows a glimmer of self preservation and gives up the endeavour, losing Rob a dollar.

Sandra says she likes Rob; they’ll get along until she has to cut his throat.

Heroes – Night 2
-Sugar is looking for a protector and sets her sights on Colby. Everyone is trying to get some sleep in the shelter and she starts talking loudly and snuggles up to him. He tries to move away but she’s relentless and won’t take a hint. He’s just really put off, not interested, everywhere he goes she follows. He got very little rest, none of them did, because of her antics. Not how you win friends honey.
Day 3
The chickens have laid a good 4 or 5 eggs and they decide they’re going to eat one of the chickens so JT grabs it and wrings it’s neck – old school. James says his grandmother did that once when he was a little kid – it was really traumatic - it’s funny now, but it was really traumatic. He looks thrilled though that JT killed the chicken.  And they ate well.

Villains – Day 3
Tree Mail says they’re playing for immunity and someone’s going to tribal council.
– Coach – Let’s thrash the Heroes unmercifully.
-Jerri – Get your evil on.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

They have to race to assemble a boat and lash it together with 7 planks – then paddle out and light the torch at the cauldron buoys – paddle back to the beach, remove the planks from the boat, race them up to a mat – remaining tribe members then have to assemble a puzzle – once the puzzle is done they have to use the planks to form a ladder, place the puzzle in the wall and everyone race up the ladder to the platform with their lit torch, light the fire barrel and win immunity.

-They’re off – Heroes get the boat together quickly – Villains struggling – Why is Coach in charge? Heroes are paddling out and get their torch lit, Villains finally get the boat done and head out. Heroes are the first back to the beach and they get started on the puzzle.

Villains also make it back – start on the puzzle too. The Heroes stall out and have to start the puzzle over but the Villains catch up and get the puzzle done – they get the planks, make the ladder, set the puzzle and light their fire. Villains win Immunity! It was a blow out.

Sugar is crying – oh yeah, I forgot how much she cried – she was one of the people working the puzzle and feels like she’s in trouble now.
Colby says if she’s crying after three days she’s not strong enough to be out here – if we lose her… we won’t miss much.

Villains - Day 3
-How do you like us now, huh? Rob – good job – now lets just relax, no one has to cut anyone’s throat tonight.
-Sandra says no one wants to be the first to leave so they can rest easy on that score now.
-They stand around speculating on who’s going to go tonight, who on the other team has relationships from past seasons, it’s all about who you know.
-Russell says the Heroes are shook up, they have to capitalize on that and decimate them.

Heroes – Day 3
-Rupert – we were a little cocky and it bit us. This is going to be a tough one.
-Sugar brings coconut to Cirie, JT & Rupert – she throws Amanda out there as who she thinks should go first (anyone to distract them from her.) And she’s crying again.
-JT tells Colby Sugar wants to vote Amanda tonight but he doesn’t agree, he’s thinking Sugar and we know Colby is 100% for that.
-Stephenie is saying to Tom she thinks they should vote Sugar tonight and Tom thinks they should be taking out the strategic player (Cirie) not the follower (Sugar) and he sways her to his way of thinking.
-Tom talks to Colby and says he’s thinking Cirie is the bigger threat and Colby seems to agree as well (Oh, come on.)
-Cirie, Amanda & Candice thinking Tom or Stephenie. Cirie wants to keep Sugar, keeping someone weak and annoying keeps the focus off her. They seem to come to the consensus that Stephenie would be the way to go, she’s a threat and they still want Tom for the challenges.

TRIBAL COUNCIL– (it’s like the Ewok village from Return of the Jedi – tree houses built 40ft in the air – if there is a C3P0 on a throne, I’d die laughing. (Wow, I really am a geek.))

Jeff – Tom, how big a factor are prior relationships?
Tom – worried about it initially but now that’s been pushed aside.
Sugar – thought Tom’s was a good speech but she’s not buying it.

Amanda, you’ve played the game twice before and got to the finals, are you trying to deflect attention from yourself?
Amanda – I haven’t won though Jeff, there are people here that have won.
(Tom & JT share a look – what you thought they wouldn’t remember?)

Cirie, you’ve played three times, that makes you a bona fide threat.
Cirie – Everyone here’s a threat Jeff, if not, we wouldn’t be here.

Steph, and that’s what I’m getting at, there is a reason to get rid of every single person up here.
Stephenie – I think the first tribal council is the hardest and no one wants to come back here so I’m voting off the weakest so we can stay strong and continue to win.

Lets talk about today’s challenge – James – you started out strong but then it came to the puzzle and disaster
James – Nobody was focused, hopefully they can focus next time ‘cause this can’t happen no more.

Cirie, if it’s you tonight is it fair to take it because you blew it on the challenge?
Cirie - I don’t think one challenge should determine a person’s worth in this game.

Sugar, you blew the puzzle, would it be fair to say “Vote Sugar out.”?
Sugar – that’s why I was crying (and she looks like she’s going to again) she says she wouldn’t vote someone out on the basis of one challenge (oh sure you would, as long as it wasn’t you.)

Candice, is it fair to vote people out based on the puzzle?
Candice – She thinks the puzzle people were brave, don’t blame them or no one will want to do a puzzle again – (What? I see why I don’t remember her either – bor-ring.)

Tom, do you vote tonight based on long term game or short term game?
Tom – I think we’re all working on relationships and looking towards the end game but that’s not what we’re working on here, we need to stay strong and keep our best people and let’s not come back here anymore.

Candice, is the first tribal council an opportunity to take one person out of the equation and really change things up?
Candice – first tribal council is an opportunity to do anything. 10 people here and a lot of ideas going round so yes, or no. (Zzz… wha?)

Time to Vote. Sugar couldn’t figure out how to use the pen…(shaking my head) Oh, there she goes.

Tallying the votes:
Sugar – 1, 2, 3, 4… Amanda – 1… Sugar – 5 & 6 – First person voted out of Survivor Heroes vs Villains is SUGAR! The tribe has spoken.

So, with that vote, Robert L. and Kim B. are both out of the pool - thanks for coming out.

Sugar’s final words: Not a great feeling to be the first voted off but I think they made the right decision – then my recording cut her off – oh, so sad.

Preview of next week shows Rob walking in the jungle, then boom, he’s down. Jerri rushes over and he’s passed out or something, medical is prying his eyes open – WHAT THE WHAT??? Olympics who? I can’t wait til next week!

Have a great weekend everyone and don’t forget the Amazing Race starts this Sunday night. Oh, and happy Valentine’s Day ;)

Coleen