Survivor Millennials vs Gen X - Nov 30/16 Episode Recap

About to Have a Rumble

Last week we saw two eliminations, first with Chris getting blindsided and then there was a stalemate and they drew rocks, which resulted in Jessica going home.  She ended up willing her legacy advantage to Ken (that thing better be pretty good after all this build up.)
 
Vinaka - Night 30
They are all shell shocked after the rock drawing and Hannah is freaking out - guilty/thankful/sad.
-David is angry that he burned his idol at tribal for no reason and now he feels like he's in the minority with no idol.
-Zeke on the other hand thinks that Tribal Council Was AMAZING! He's trying not to be too cocky but he truly feels like he could win this game... and that David is going to lose it. (Never say stuff like that... oy.)
 
Vinaka - Day 31
-Ken gets the gift of the Legacy advantage in his bag... and takes the opportunity to preach about being authentic and building genuine relationships in this game (blah, blah... Ken's pretty - he has such a simplistic view because I don't think he's able to play on the same intellectual level as many of the other players... but he does seem like a really nice guy.) We find out that he's trying to win to give himself and his daughter a better life.(Oh now I feel like the jerk.)

REWARD CHALLENGE
Oh NO... it's the crying show... yes, the loved ones make an appearance and it's just a veil of tears - they ALL lose their sh*t.
Sunday's husband Jeff comes out - and she shares good insight, you're with people all the time but you're alone - seeing someone that makes you not alone is overwhelming at that point in the game.
Bret's Dad Don comes out - and he makes Bret crack... even Bret cries... (oh man, I was a mess.)
Jay's sister Melanie comes out and Jay is a mess (seriously, why am I crying?) Says, "I'd give me up before I'd give her up."
Hannah's Mom Liz and yes, she looks like you'd expect, older mom version of Hannah.(crying)
Adam's brother Evan comes out and he loses it - they remind us that Adam's mom has stage 4 lung cancer and he's out there with no news of how she's doing so seeing someone from home is that much more for him... he whisper asks how she's doing and Evan tells him she's okay.  Then Adam (who is full on ugly crying) says he's not going to use his advantage to steal this Reward, he couldn't do that to everyone...(and I think it was at this point my husband had to go get me a tissue... It got me, I'm not proud of it, but yup, the crying show totally got me.)
David's dad Doug comes out and he's a taller and bigger built man than David, it's interesting to see their family... oh and more crying.
Ken's brother William comes out and Hannah comments to Zeke, "Oh my God they're both so handsome." (Ha, and it's true - though all the family members are much more pale and pudgy, it does definitely show a sharp contrast and highlights how harsh the Survivors have had it for the past month.)
Zeke's dad Sam comes out to Zeke's jubilant, "Poppa!" and he kinda looks like the actor that played Max Headroom... Anyway, Dad/Sam says Zeke is his hero and who he models his behaviour after which gets Zeke crying (yup, even Zeke who was holding it together... I may have been on tissue two.)
Will's Mom Irene comes out and she's a ginger... and seeing someone's Mom sets Adam off again.

Phew, that was too much.  On to the challenge - they will be tethered to a rope that is woven through a series of obstacles - they have to make their way over, under, around the obstacles, leaving themselves enough slack to make it to the end.  First person to reach the end wins Love. (Alright, that was a bit over the top.)

Off they go and it's Ken & Jay out to an early lead but the one obstacle that proved the undoing for Ken & Adam both was having to dig themselves under a log... neither dug deep enough and both got pretty hung up... leaving the field open for JAY to win the Loved One reward.
Of course he gets to choose two people to share it with, he chooses his boy Will first and then Sunday who apparently he said she made a promise to him first (huh?) and finally Jeff gives him one more spot (because, hello) and Jay is not a complete d*ck, he relents and picks Adam for the last spot. (His tearful thanks had me going again - I think I'm dehydrated after that, sheesh.)

Reward
-The Survivors and loved ones sit down to a picnic with beer and soft drinks and Will definitely had a beer (oooh) - Adam and his brother go off and talk about mom - he gets filled in on how she's doing, stopped chemo pills, taking strength from him being out there.   And then Jay and his sister come sit with them (not set up at all - right) and Adam gives Jay his right to steal a Reward Advantage as a thank you for picking him for the loved one visit. (Huh, I wonder how many reward challenges are left... there are 9 people still and the season usually ends before Christmas - he better get using that soon.  Okay, I looked it up, there are supposed to be 14 episodes and this was episode 11... and it looks like they'll have a final three.)

Vinaka - Day 33
David is watching the meeting going on down on the beach between Zeke, Bret, Sunday and Jay - he mentions it to Will who says he's ready to make a big move (seeing his Mom has spurred him to start playing this game so he gets the credit he deserves for the moves he's made.) Will suggests they take out Zeke tonight and he will vote with David, Hannah, Ken & Adam to make that happen.  Will wants to flip the scrip, he didn't come here to be dragged as a goat, he's come here to play.
-David is all about this plan, he believes Will is genuine and they may actual send Zeke home.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-They will each have two handles which they will use to keep tension on a steel bar (so the bar is threaded through loops at the top and bottom of the handles and they have to pull outward at chest level to keep the bar suspended between the handles.  If they let up the tension, the bar slips and falls, smashing a tile in front of them at their feet and they are out.  Last person standing wins Immunity.
-Four people drop almost immediately David, Hannah, Will and Bret, just like that.
-Next goes Sunday, Zeke... and we are 4 minutes into the challenge (What?)
-Ken is next to go and we are down to Jay and Adam... with Jay losing it just seconds before Adam thankfully lets it go... But that was long enough for ADAM to win his first individual immunity.
-The big news for Will is that Zeke did not win, time for this high school kid from New Jersey to show them he came to play (son!)

Vinaka - Day
-Adam is reveling in his win, he tells the camera he's making his Survivor dreams come true, he only has one tick box left and that is to win the whole thing.  He's feeling good about tonight, he's got the immunity necklace, he's got a hidden immunity idol in his pocket (oh yeah) and Will wants to make a move to take out Zeke.
-David says to Adam, Hannah and Ken - no matter what anybody says, vote Zeke.  Everything hinges on Will and David feels like Will just got his drivers license and they are all terrified waiting for him to take them for a spin.

-The other group is nervous that David is so calm - Jay wonders what David must have up his sleeve to not be flailing around. Zeke agrees, something is amiss, things should not be this calm.  So they figure David must have another hidden idol so they should shift their vote... to Ken. Zeke has decreed it and Will is told to vote Ken.

-So then we see Will talking to Ken and it's painful for Will.  Will tells him he wants to work with people that listen to his input, don't just tell him who to vote for... and Ken is clueless, he's schooling Will on his style of not just talking strategy right way, he's got to get to know someone... and he's testing Will treating him like a kid instead of a man who is playing the game.  Will is finding this excruciating but he wants to make a big move so he's got to deal with Ken's crap.  Ken is going on about only being loyal to people he feels are as authentic as he is (OMG get over yourself already) finally Will loses patience and to show Ken he is in with them, he tells him that the other group is going to vote for him [Ken] tonight.
-Ken freaks out - the genuine/zen guy - runs right into camp and grabs Jay to have a talk, right in front of Will (WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?? Ken is not the sharpest tool in the shed, holy moly.) 
-So Ken says to Jay that Will told him they were voting for him tonight. Jay, "Will said that?" And next thing you know, Will and Bret have joined the convo and Ken thinks he's totally justified in this course of action, tells Will he was "testing" him earlier and had to find out if what he told him was true (I can't believe what a hypocrite that guy is, preaching about giving people one chance to prove their trustworthy and then doing this to someone who trusted him - wow, just wow.)
-Will can do nothing but watch as Ken totally blows up his game, and he says exactly that, "You are blowing up my game at this point." And then who comes over to join the fray, Zeke.  So Jay fills him in and Will defends himself, says he's trying to make big moves and build a resume, he is not going to be taken to the end as a goat... and then Ken leaves (what a douche.)
-Now Will is left to deal with Jay berating him for not coming to him since they've been together since day one - they are all mad at Will but still treat him like kid who was just acting out and Will plays it well, backing down and letting them think he's back in line.

-Now Ken's got to go try and do damage control on the other side since he's screwed up everything - and he's still convinced that he was in the right by testing out Will.  David and Adam ask how he 'tested him' and when Ken admitted he went to the other side and told them what Will had said David just utters, "oh jeez" (Yeah, Oh Sweet Jebus! Why are we keeping the dolt around!)
-Adam yells at the camera, "That's not a test, that a betrayal!" (Exactly!)

-Back at the other group they are rallying Will back over to their side, look at what Ken just did, you trusted him and he turned around and screwed ya... Will agrees, he's done with them and wants to take Ken out tonight (can't say I blame him.)

Consensus among Hannah/Adam/David is that Ken just screwed up everything and Will has no incentive to vote with them now so whoever Zeke wants to vote out will be gone.  Hannah thinks it will be her.

Zeke is worried that David may play his (non-existent) idol for Ken so should they vote Hannah?

Will is in the middle, he's played it well with the Zeke group thinking he's back in with them... but he knows he's still the swing vote - he's in control and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

TRIBAL COUCIL
-David puts it all out in the open - that there are two sides vying for one swing vote.
-Sunday goes further to name the sides: Zeke, Bret, Jay and Sunday vs Adam, Hannah, David and Ken with Will sitting appropriately in the middle.
-Jeff asks Will how he ended up in the middle and he tells him, exactly.  His original plan was to flip on Zeke but Ken today revealed this plan to the whole tribe so everyone knows what is going on.
-Sunday says she thinks Will came out there to play and doesn't want to sit on the sidelines while the big kids make all the decisions (that doesn't sit well with Will.) She continues that he was swayed a bit today but she thinks he is back with them.
-Will pipes up that he was not swayed at all, he went to them with the idea to flip on Zeke and that is part of the issue - they treat him like the 18yr old high school kid and he doesn't want to be treated like that, he wants to be treated like an adult because he came to play and to win just as much as any of them.  He finds it very insulting and it's crazy that this huge swing vote is what it takes to make them realize that he is a serious contender. (You know, the more you have to say you are a serious contender, the less you actually are one.)
-Zeke's pitch is that he always wanted to work with Will and he's been protecting him and keeping the heat off him.
-Adam points out Zeke was treating him exactly how he didn't want to be treated but Zeke counters that he knows he owes his life to Will from last tribal and if he makes it past tonight he will again owe that to Will.
-Jay confirms he's never looked down on Will, he always talks to Will as an equal and hasn't tried to take credit for moves they've made together - we took out Michaela together (I'm pretty sure Jay took credit for that.)
-David says that Will feels like he has to have some big moves on his resume for final tribal if he gets there and Jay is trying to make him feel like he already has it - but I'll say if he votes with us, his name will be on this vote in big bold letters - and that's something to put on your resume.
-Bret tells him they will build you up and they will vote you out in a heartbeat, they've done it several times (and you haven't? Again, welcome to Survivor.)
-Adam says their side has an equal say in the votes and Will is already a part of that.  Will doesn't really buy that.  Hannah says there has been a lot of fluffing by the other side and Jay cuts her off to say he's not there to fluff him (do they know what that means?) but Will should just vote his gut, if that feels right then do that. And Will listens because Jay is the one person who has treated him with respect the whole time. (I notice we did not hear word one from Ken tonight - he's sitting there with his tail between his legs, as he should.)

Time to Vote:
They don't show how anyone voted... and they left Will's vote to last.

Tallying the Votes:
Anyone have a hidden immunity idol that they want to play now is the time... and ADAM stands up (what?) and digs his hidden idol out of his crotch to play for Hannah.  Who says, "whaaat?" (This episode should have been called the Selflessness of Adam.)

Votes:
Hannah - does not count
Hannah - does not count
Hannah - does not count
Zeke - 1
Zeke - 2
Zeke - 3 - that's enough to make ZEKE the next person to join the jury.  (Okay, that was a baller move by Adam but I'm a little sad to see Zeke go, he did turn from underdog to running the show but he had a genuine likeability and joy in the game that I will miss.)
And with Zeke's elimination, that also takes: Trish J. and Emily H. out of the pool.

Next week: Will tries to take charge, decreeing they should take out David.  But Adam has different ideas and he's talking to Bret because Adam does not want Will controlling his fate in the game.

Zeke's final thoughts: It's possible he went for David and his side a little early but he didn't go out there to ride coat tails he went out there to throw some punches and he wasn't going to go down with out a fight.  When you play at this level, with this caliber of players, it just makes you want to play better. 

(Oh, and they showed the votes, Will did vote for Zeke so Adam didn't have to burn his hidden idol... though it did make for pretty good TV.)

Happy December everyone,

Coleen







 

Survivor Millennials vs Gen X - Nov 23/16 Episode Recap (PART 2)

Million Dollar Gamble - Part 2

We jumped right into the next episode with the tribe returning to camp after blindsiding Chris

Vinaka - Night 28
Jay made the million dollar gamble at tribal by reading the crowd and realizing no one was really talking about him - he didn't play his idol and his name didn't even come up once.

-Bret is immediately talking to Zeke and trying to weasel his way back into Zeke's good graces, agreeing that the move to take out Chris had to be done because he was going to win the whole thing.  Zeke says that Bret & Sunday are not on the bottom in his opinion and Bret wants to play on their good rapport to stick around and Zeke wants to keep them close.

-Zeke tells us his plan.  He knew he had to make a move on David soon and in order to do that he needs six - Bret & Sunday are integral to that six and he's excited that he got to them before David did (huh, I don't remember you talking to Sunday... the patriarchy is live and well in Survivor, that's for sure.)

Vinaka - Day 29
We see David bright and early talking to Bret & Sunday, but is he too late?  They understand that Chris was a strong player and they would have had to take him out at some point or he'd win the whole thing.  Bret is acting like he's fine with David... and Sunday doesn't say a word (so maybe it's her own fault they don't talk to her.)
-David floats the idea that Jay should be the next vote... but he tells the camera that the person who is playing this game the best right now is Zeke and David wants to take Zeke out in three votes - Jay, Will and then Zeke.  David makes the mistake of telling Bret and Sunday that he thinks Zeke is the best player right now and this sets off alarm bells with Bret.  He smiles and nods along but now Bret is thinking that David needs to go and he needs to go fast.

-Bret tells Zeke about what David said about him and Zeke's not surprised David is coming for him because he's already coming for David.  Zeke does share the fact that David has an idol with Bret who says he knows because David always has an idol.. they will have to be very sneaky to vote him out without his suspecting it.

Vinaka - Day 29
-David and Zeke are the chess players in this game and they think very similarly - David just hopes people see Zeke as playing harder than he is so it will be an easier sell to vote him out.
-Zeke recognizes that he and David are very similar people and he knows he seems threatening but he thinks David is more of a threat to win this thing. (No you're the best, no you are...as they are stabbing each other in the back.)

-Zeke is gathering his troops telling Adam & Hannah that David is coming for him and David has an idol.  Hannah is trying to steer them towards seeing Jay & Will as more threatening right now because she wants to play with David, they have their crippling anxiety as a bond... but she has history with Zeke.

REWARD CHALLENGE
Okay, this was hilarious!  They are divided into three teams of three.  Their feet were bound together and their hands were tied to their sides, then on Jeff's go one person from each team had to slither through the sand like a snake to the first marker, then the next person had to go up a hill in the sand and down to the next marker before the last person had to go to the final marker - one that was reached they all got to untie and run to the puzzle board where they had to assemble a snake puzzle.
First team to assemble the snake correctly won the reward of a helicopter ride to a Survivor picnic.
-As there are ten people still in the game the one odd man out will not have to participate in the challenge but will automatically get to go on the reward (nice) and it was David who got the lucky rock.
Teams are: Hannah, Jessica & Adam - Will, Ken & Jay - Bret, Sunday & Zeke
Off the go and it's an immediate face plant in the sand without being able to use your arms to propel you a lot of them were digging with their faces... and they are going to have sand EVERYWHERE!
-Will was losing his shorts, the ladies with the biggest boobs had the most trouble, Jessica could not get up the hill, Ken was a superstar, Zeke and Bret were slow and steady.
-Will, Ken & Jay were the first team working on the puzzle, Bret, Sunday & Zeke were the next team to start on the puzzle and finally Adam, Jessica & Hannah made it to start on the puzzle.  But it was Zeke, Bret and Sunday that breezed through the puzzle and won the Reward. 

Sunday was so excited, all she wanted was a helicopter ride and she won that Reward.  (Adam chose not to steal it, he's still holding on to his advantage.)

REWARD
All the news that's fit to print is that Bret came out to Zeke (and all the viewing public) by telling Zeke that he was not the only gay man out there... (huh. I didn't see that coming, I don't see it making any difference in the game but maybe it will solidify Bret & Zeke's bro-mance even more than the beer drinking) this issue really shows the difference between the generations, where Bret had to hide his sexuality growing up, Zeke was free to just be himself.  Bret didn't say anything when he got there as well because he was with a bunch of macho guys and Zeke wouldn't have even considered not saying anything about being gay. Now they have the rainbow connection.
-Once Sunday comes back they are back to talking about the game and they agree that they are nervous about David.  Zeke wants to try and get Jay & Will on board so he can bring in Hannah... they just have to makes sure that David doesn't suspect they are coming for him.
 
Vinaka - Day 29
-When they get back to camp Hannah immediately grabs David and spills that Bret told Zeke David was gunning for him and Zeke told Bret that David had an idol.  This sends David into a tailspin, he's screwed up his game and Hannah is reassuring him that Zeke still trusts her so if the vote is going for David, she'll know and can tell him.  David tells her that his idol is for the both of them.
-David proposes that the vote for Zeke now, let them vote for David and then he'll play his idol and Zeke will go home. (Yes, good plan.)

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 30
-They will each stand behind a cage door.  They will have to manoeuver a handle through a maze that's on the outside of the door.  Once they get the handle through the maze successfully they can unlock the door and then race to complete a slide puzzle. (Ughh, slide puzzles are the worst, I can never do them.)  But it turns out the real roadblock in this challenge was getting the handle through the maze because it was on the outside of the door, they couldn't see it, they had to do everything by touch and memory... needless to say only one person got the handle through the maze and he was able to complete the puzzle and win Immunity with everyone still behind the cage doors.  That person was JAY! What a blow out!

Vinaka - Day 30
-David comes clean to Jessica, telling her in a misguided effort to lure Bret & Sunday over to their side he told them he considered Zeke to be the best player out there.  Jessica, "Oh lord." (see she knows).  So now David is asking that Jessica and Ken vote Zeke tonight because the others are voting for him.  Jessica owes David her life in the game because he played a hidden idol for her, so she will do what she can to protect him.  Ken is also in, his loyalty is to David 100%.

-Then we see Zeke talking to Hannah and when he asks her if she agrees that David is the biggest threat in the game she blows it, big time.  Instead of just agreeing with him like a normal person she doesn't say anything and says she's thinking.  So right there Zeke knows that Hannah is no longer on his side.  He asks if she's told David that Zeke is coming for him and she says, "you both know you're coming for each other." (Oh man, she's digging herself in deeper and deeper, just say no!)
-Zeke has now shifted his focus to Hannah tonight, if she wants to be one of David's numbers she no longer has any value to her and he has no problem voting her out of the game.

-Zeke tells Will, Bret, Sunday and Jay that they are voting Hannah tonight.  So they have five votes, that's half, at worst it will generate a tie.

-Hannah goes and talks to Adam and tells him that Zeke and David are gunning for each other so they need to stick together and pick a side.  Hannah wants to vote Zeke tonight but Adam is not confident. 
-Hannah goes and talks to David and tells him that Adam will vote with her... but with them only having five votes she's pretty sure that Zeke is going to vote for her instead of David because of his idol.  David warns her if he burns his idol for her and there is a tie, they will revote and if they tie again, rocks will be drawn among the rest.  Or someone could flip and he'd go home.  This is the scariest scenario for David.

TRIBAL COUNCIL #2
-David predicts this is going to be one of the most chaotic trial's they've seen so far.
-While Jay is blah blah blahing Hannah starts whispering to Adam who is sitting behind her and Bret is trying to eavesdrop.  Hannah asks Jessica what is going on because she's not paying attention and Jessica says she doesn't know.
-David says this is what is known as a "trust cluster muck." And Bret blows up: "Trust clusters, musters, cut that crap." This is every man for himself right now. You talk, you hope what you've been told is correct and you move forward.
-David says, well will the members of Zeke's alliance like to raise their hands?
-Bret totally attacks him, Oh David, Now I'm going to cry because I have anxiety.  And Zeke piles one, "Don't cry David." (Holy bullies on the playground, that was really ugly.)
-Hannah and Sunday actually tell them to knock it off, that was a personal attack and uncalled for.
-David says, "And that's where we are right now."
-Adam says hell yes he's nervous. He's even less sure than he was when he walked in to tribal council, the vote is very much live.
-And Jessica's eyes are bugging out of her head - she is so confused right now.  While Ken's blah blahing - Hannah is whispering to Adam.  David is mouthing to Jessica not to worry and Sunday is whispering the Will and Bret to just stick to the plan.  Hannah asks what's the plan.  They subtitle Ken but I didn't hear anyone say that.
-Bret makes another a-hole comment to Ken, like welcome to the game this is Survivor and then grouses more that this is all smoke and mirrors.
-Zeke thinks that no one is quite sure that people are going to vote how they said they were going to vote.  Tribal Council is theatre Jeff and I think we've proven that tonight.
-Grumpy Bret asks if they can just vote and they all agree, it's time to vote.

Voting:
They didn't show how anyone voted but a huge cockroach type bug landed right on Taylor's chest and to his credit he didn't scream like a little girl like I would have, but when he tried to pick it off it didn't move (Arghgghh!)

Tallying the votes:
Anyone want to play a hidden immunity idol?  David stands up and as he's heading to Jeff Adam tells him to wait... then he tells him they were talking about the vote being for Ken so David changes on the fly and plays the hidden immunity idol for Ken (WHAT? They just played you dude.)

Votes:
Zeke - 1
Hannah - 1  She says, "Dammit. I knew it. Told you."
Zeke - 2
Hannah - 2
Cutting to the chase, they tie 5-5, Zeke and Hannah.  So there is a revote, Zeke & Hannah don't vote and the rest of them can only vote for Zeke or Hannah.

Zeke whispers to Jess, "Do you want to go to rocks?  I realign with people all the time."
Hannah also whispers her plea to Jess, "Please don't vote for me."
Jessica, "I don't want to go to rocks." Then there was lots of "Oh my God" as Jessica went up to vote.

Re-Vote:
They tie again 4-4 Zeke & Hannah.  So now if they can come to a unanimous decision on either Zeke or Hannah to go, that person will be out, otherwise Zeke & Hannah are immune along with Jay and Ken and the rest of them will have to draw rocks and the odd rock will go home.

Will asks if anyone is willing to give up their games for either of these two - they all say no.  David makes his pitch that Zeke is playing the best game so he should go tonight, Zeke says David is not going to let him stay in the game anyway so ... Jessica just says she doesn't want to draw rocks... but no one is budging on their vote so Jeff calls it, they are going to rocks. 
And who got the odd rock - JESSICA! (She was on borrowed time anyway.) Bret had to get his licks in that David wouldn't change his vote, implying it was his fault she was leaving.  But she was so shocked and almost seemed traumatized by this - if she had just changed her vote to Hannah, Hannah would be sitting there and not her.  (Yup, but you didn't and now you have to live with it.)
And Jessica willed her legacy advantage to Ken, hoping he was there on Day 36 to reap the benefit of whatever is in the envelope.

Oh and with Jessica leaving as well, that takes Mike L. and Kim A. out of the pool.

Next time: David gets a glimmer of hope when Will tells him he's ready to start playing the game hard.  And it's the loved ones visit and Adam still has his Reward steal... Guess who's getting a family visit!

Happy US Turkey Day everyone,

Coleen






 

Survivor Millennials vs Gen X - Nov 23/16 Episode Recap (PART 1)

Million Dollar Gamble  - PART 1

Buckle up everybody cause it was a two hour extravaganza (well, two episodes back to back) last night meaning I'm going to try and keep it brief but still include the juicy stuff.

First, last episode we saw Taylor finally get his comeuppance for stealing the food with absolutely no remorse but he tarred Jay with his brush and did his best to paint a target on Adam's back on his way out.

Vinaka - Night 25
-They return to camp and Adam is apologizing right away I thought about not telling them about his advantage but really, who would not keep that a secret from everyone, I guess it was because he didn't tell them about the food.  It seems he gets a pass because Taylor was the guiltiest party and Taylor was voted out.
-David wanted to know if there was any food left, Adam said he knew where it was but then Jay told them Taylor moved it and as a token of good faith, Jay digs up the one jar left of stolen dried fruit.  He knows his back is literally up against the wall after Taylor's performance at Tribal and he's got to find a way to get back into the fold.
-Jay also thinks it's perfect he hasn't used his idol yet because everyone must really think he doesn't have one.

-We also see Chris talking to Brett and saying Jay can wait, at this point Chris wants to take out Jessica - for no reason other than he's got a vendetta against her ever since Paul (member the old guy with the long grey hair, member?) Anyway, I think Chris is not playing smart, she is not his biggest threat by far... but whatever.  Bret cautions Chris that they have to do this carefully, yeah, yeah, Chris tells the camera, "If it's the last thing I ever do, I'm voting her out." (seriously?)

Vinaka - Day 26
Filler - we see Hannah and Ken watching the sun rise and she's building up a pretty powerful crush on the hunky guy (oh Hannah.)

Member when Jay was saying no one thinks he has an idol... That was until Will decides he wants to start playing the game hard and his version of doing that is to approach Zeke and as a sign of his trustworthiness, spills the beans about Jay having an idol. "But don't tell anyone."
-Of course Zeke immediately tells David.  David tells Chris,  David tells Hannah, Zeke confirms for Hannah, Chris tells Bret, David tells Ken, Zeke confirms for Chris (holy greased lightening!)  Zeke & Chris discuss a misinformation campaign, make Jay think they are voting for him to flush out the idol and then actually vote for Jess.
-Zeke is holding a lot of the cards, he's friendly with everyone, they're all bringing him information and wanting to work with him... as long as it doesn't go to his head, he's sitting pretty.

REWARD CHALLENGE:
They will be split into two teams and having to start on a platform out in the water, on Jeff's go one person at a time from each team will swim to the next platform, climb up, untie a key, slide down a pole, run up the beach and hang the key on a hook before the next person can go, once they have all five keys they will have to unlock a number of locks to release their puzzle cubes.  Once all the cubes are free two tribe members will try to stack the multi-coloured blocks so there is no duplication of colours on any side.  First team to complete the puzzle wins reward of a floating pizza restaurant that will be anchored just offshore so the losers can see them pigging out (that's so mean).
-As there is an uneven number of players, one person will have to sit out - David tries to bow out siting his weak swimming and everyone encourages him to not count himself out - which makes David (and me) cry.  They end up drawing rocks and it's Jay that has to sit out and have no chance at the reward. (They should have made Adam sit out so he couldn't steal the reward... or could he?)

Teams end up being: Ken, Jessica, Chris, David and Will vs Bret, Zeke, Sunday, Hannah & Adam

Off they go and David holds his own - his team is actually ahead when they start on the puzzle - it's David & Chris working on stacking the blocks but it's going slowly.  The other team starts on the puzzle with Zeke and Adam stacking... and they come from behind and take the REWARD! (Well, Adam doesn't need to steal the Reward cause he won it.)

REWARD:
Zeke has become Bret's drinking buddy... Zeke doesn't even like beer but if Bret needs a drinking buddy, Zeke will be that for him.  Hannah wants everyone to be quiet so not to rub it in the losers faces but Bret couldn't care less...
While they are eating, a guy comes out and gives them all letters from home - Instantly Adam and Hanna are bawling! And Bret tells them to just take it easy.  Adam's mom has cancer and he hasn't told anyone so his reaction is understandable to us, maybe not to everyone.  (It's interesting that no one mentions the messages from home when they get back from Reward either.)

Back at camp: David, Ken & Jessica are talking and David thinks Chris, Bret & Sunday are too strong a threesome and they should be broken up.  David wants to vote Chris out tonight and he thinks he can get Zeke, Hannah and Adam to vote with them (whoa, Zeke is Chris' little buddy) Ken actually brings that up and David agrees that Zeke is actually playing the best game out there right now, and he'll understand that voting Chris off is in his best interest as well.  Jessica of course is all in, she feels like he's her nemesis and can't go home soon enough in her opinion.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
They have to stand on a narrow beam while balancing a statue on narrow board with a long bamboo pole.  At regular intervals they will  move backward on the beam which will get narrower and the statue will be farther away making it harder to balance.  Last person still on the beam with the statue still balanced will win Immunity.
-We get down to the bitter battle between Zeke and David... and it's David that is able to hold on the longest and win Individual immunity. (He is the epitome of the 90lb weakling but David was killing it this episode.)

Vinaka - Day 28
-Jay is bummed he didn't win immunity, he tries to pump Hannah for info but she isn't telling... he tells the camera if he feels it's him tonight, he's playing his hidden idol.

-Chris, Bret, Sunday & Zeke are talking and Chris is dictating that they vote out Jess.  Sunday wanted to do that last week so she's all in.  They also want to flush Jay's idol but Bret cautions they have to be subtle about that because Jay won't play it if they tell him to.
-Zeke doesn't look super convinced that voting for Jessica is the best play but he will definitely play along to their faces.

Next we see Zeke talking to David and David tells him they want to vote out Chris tonight... Zeke terms this the great Gen X Civil war and he's going to pit the Gen Xers against each other to take them all down.  Zeke tells David that Chris is coming after Jess and watches the fur fly.
-Jessica knows that Chris has been gunning for her since the beginning so it's not a total shock, but she's going to fight and tells Adam the plan to vote out Chris.  They both agree that they think Zeke is with them... but Adam whines, "Why can't we just vote out Jaaayyyy?"

-Zeke is right where he wants to be, with his little group of nerdy Millennials deciding which side they want to go forward with; Chris or David?  Which way gets him further in his game?

TRIBAL COUNCIL #1
Taylor shaved half his head... ugh.

-Jay is a lone wolf, no one wanting to talk to him.
-David talks about voting blocks having emerged and this vote being predictability vs blindside tonight.
-Zeke elaborates that it's not quite voting blocks, its a permutation between voting blocks and alliances, still built on trust like an alliance but just smaller.
-Hannah likes to call them trust clusters and Jeff immediately adopts this term which turns Hannah all giggly fan-girl, "Jeff Probst just used a term I made up." (Oh boy, I did roll my eyes at her.)
-Bret agrees there are trust clusters and for him it comes down to who he can trust going forward and who he can't. (yup, that's pretty much how it works.)
-Chris says there is no uncertainty in the vote for him tonight.
-Adam agrees there is a sort of cold war brewing but tries to steer them back into talking about taking Jay out tonight... Jay admits he knows he's the biggest target, but no one else seems to be talking about him.
-Gen Xers go right back to talking about trust and past actions (Sunday),  Jess knows they mean her but Chris says Jess has nothing to worry about (but he's not a good liar.)
-Jeff polls them on how certain they are the voting is going the way they expect tonight and David, Zeke, Sunday, Chris - they all say they are 100% certain. Jay says he has no idea what's going on but Zeke brings it back that most of them have participated in at least one blindside out there so they are all very good at playing that they can stick to the plan.  Appearances are very deceiving in this game.

Time to Vote:
Jessica votes Chris - you are still holding a grudge
Chris votes Jessica - just too big a threat

Tallying the votes:
Anyone want to play a hidden immunity idol?  Jay doesn't even blink - there is no idol played.

Votes:
Chris - 1
Jessica - 1
Chris - 2
Jessica - 2
Chris - 3
Jessica - 3
Chris - 4
Jessica - 4
Chris - 5... and 6 is for CHRIS.  B'bye big man. 

Chris' final thoughts: I was completely blindsided today. It's disappointing because I wanted to go farther in the game but Jess outplayed me. No regrets, he's coming home to his boys soon and he thanks his wife for letting him have the experience of a lifetime.

Also with Chris leaving, that takes Elaine R. and Bernice R. out of the pool.


 

Survivor Millennials vs Gen X - Nov 16/16 Episode Recap

Thrown Punches

Last week the three tribes merged and the nerd kids sided with the Gen-X'ers against the cool kids on the Millennials side, making Michelle the first casualty after the merge, and the first member of the jury. 

Vinaka - Night 23
-They return to camp and Jay is a bitter, bitter boy.  He lost one of his most trusted allies in Michelle and really hates being on the bottom.  He calls the Millennial flippers frickin' idiots for choosing to be on the bottom of the Gen-X alliance (and how is that any different than being on the bottom of the Millennial alliance? He is just sulking and pouty about not getting his way.)

-The Gen-Xers are really happy the vote went the way they wanted, Chris is feeling like he's finally gaining some control - though he doesn't really trust the floaters in the middle, like Adam.

-Jay & Taylor are trying to re-group and figure out how they can winnow their way into the solid (seeming) Gen-X alliance.  Taylor decides he better try and make sure he's still okay with Adam keeping his hidden food secret but then he basically threatens him about the secret he knows (about Adam's advantage).  They both confirm they are going to keep the secrets.  Taylor is happy because he has the bigger and more damaging secret to hold over Adam's head.  They already know Taylor stole food, they just don't know how much and how he's still got a huge stash.  Then we see Taylor out eating from his buried stash, congratulating himself on being so sneaky and crowing about how great this idea was. (This kid is the worst! He's so smug, it's disgusting.)

Vinaka - Day 24
-Jay is trying to find his way out of the bottom three hole - he decides to talk to Hannah and she basically tells him she's taking her game into her hands, she realized playing the game as the Millennials wanted her to, would make her into a decent goat for them and she didn't want that.  She's
taking her game into her own hands, making moves, improving her resume and playing to win.
-Jay seems sincere when he tells her he's proud of her, and she laps up the praise, but I'm sure he's swearing inside.  He plays it friendly with Hannah asking her to include him in the next vote... but I don't know that will actually happen.

REWARD CHALLENGE
-They are going to be divided into two teams of six, on Jeff's go they will have to go through a series of obstacles to retrieve a key - once they get the key they have to unlock a box - they will then have to push/pull/drag that heavy box through the dirt under a rope net - once they get the box to their mat they have to hack it open with a machete then take the bolos inside and attempt to land them on a target - first team to get all 5 bolos wrapped around the target will win Reward : Taken to a resort, lounge poolside and dine on cheese burgers, fries and cocktails (and soft drinks for Will.)

They did a random choice of captains and then a schoolyard pick of teams and here is where the challenge was lost:
Captain: Chris
Chose: Bret, Ken, David, Sunday & Taylor
Captain: Hannah
Chose: Adam, Will, Zeke, Jay & Jessica

Yeah it was a total blow out for Chris' team - they had all the bolos around the target when Hannah's team never even got the box through the net.  Now I was thinking that Adam should steal the reward - Taylor knows about it and is threatening him with the knowledge, just use it... but alas, that did not happen.

Reward:
What did we learn from Chris, Bret, Ken, David, Sunday and Taylor going on the reward?  That Bret like himself a cocktail or ten... and I bet that hangover is not going to be very pleasant.
-They showed us a little Sunday talking head and I bet the reason we don't hear from her that often is because her accent is just unpleasant, so nasal... but I digress, she lays out that the Gen-Xers are fractured, she doesn't trust David, Ken and especially Jessica.  Sunday is ready to make a big move and take control of the game (really? You go, soccer mom.)

Vinaka - Day 24
Meanwhile, back at camp, Jay tries to talk to Adam and Adam makes a right royal mess of it rubbing in to Jay that he, Taylor and Will are on the bottom, he basically makes Jay really hate him. 
-Adam tells the camera he's worried he may be playing too hard but then he makes stupid social mis-steps like alienating Jay to the point that not just Jay but Zeke and Hannah also no longer want to work with Adam.
-Jay is now hoping that he can win immunity because he knows he's on the block.

Vinaka - Day 25
-Sunday decides to make her move against Jessica, (why do the girls always turn on each other? It's sad) but anyway, Sunday wants to use Jay to take Jessica out.  She talks to Jay, he's willing to write whatever name she tells him, she's going to push for Jess today and see if she can make it happen.  Jay is going to stay positive, give good energy and the universe should be okay with giving it back (ho-boy.)

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
They will be standing on a narrow beam and balancing a ball on a wooden bow - at regular intervals they will move farther down the narrowing beam to make it more difficult.  If at any time they drop the ball or fall off the beam they are out.  Last person standing wins Immunity.  And to try and force those who feel safe to reveal themselves, Jeff offers grilled ham & cheese sandwiches, potato chips, beer and soft drinks for anyone who wants to for-go the challenge all together.
Only Zeke & Will opt to sit out and take the food - not because they fell all that safe, but because they knew they didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the challenge.
-I bet Hannah was mad when she was quickly out that she didn't take the food.  Bret absolutely griped when he was out and had to watch Zeke drinking beer (boozy buddy.)
They were dropping pretty consistently until we came down to Adam, Jay, Taylor and Ken.
-Adam dropped and Jay tried to hold on but he dropped next - so we were down to Taylor the surfer dude and Ken the older surfer dude.  And experience won out - Taylor dropped and Ken won Immunity tonight. (YES! Oh, please tell me Taylor may actually get booted finally.)

Vinaka - Day 26
They return to camp and David lays it out, they are deciding between Jay & Taylor tonight because Will is seen as less of a threat.  They are afraid that one of them has an idol so they decide to split the votes evenly for Taylor & Jay.  Sunday isn't happy that she's told to vote for Jay, but she doesn't do anything beyond whining to Bret that they have to vote Jessica next time hoping that he'll do the dirty work and plead her case to the group.  He says he'll talk to Chris but that's not how you win this game.  If she wants to make a big move and take control, she's going to have to do it herself.  In other words, the Jessica plan fizzled before it even began.
-Sunday goes and tells Jay that the majority wants either Jay or Taylor tonight and she couldn't do anything about it (well, she didn't really try to do anything about it either.)  Jay knew it was a long shot but now he's got to figure out if he should play his idol for himself, or play his idol for Taylor, which could backfire and take him out, or just ride it out (and see if the universe rewards his positivity.)

-Taylor knows it's either him or Jay tonight so he takes him down to the bunker of food and the two of them pig out on the dried fruit and other goodies he still had stashed.  Jay is totally in, enjoying their possible last meal together and Taylor decides to spill Adam's secret, what has he got to lose at this point.  Jay is surprised by the advantage Adam found and he also encourages Taylor to totally blow up Adam's game, "Dude, do it. He voted out Figgy." (Jay may just have a little devil in him.)
-Taylor wants to put a target on Adam's back and be Figgy's avenger (ugh!) He hopes the threat of Adam stealing a loved ones visit will make Adam more hated and maybe save Taylor's bacon.

TRIBAL COUNCIL
Michelle comes in as the first member of the jury and she looks like she still hasn't washed her hair (yes, I am turning into my mother - is she going for dreads, because that right now is not a good look.)

Jeff dives in and asks Jay what happened at camp after the last tribal council.
-Jay puts on a show with a huge smile saying he was impressed by the great blindside and wishing he wasn't on the wrong side of it because that felt pretty crappy honestly.
-Adam cuts off the performance and say welcome to the club, Jay's not the first one to be blindsided, it's happened to me, it's happened to a lot of us here.
-Jay makes it obvious he can't stand Adam, sneering, "Well that's the game Survivor." (yes, that was Adam's point.) Jay tells Jeff he'd be happy to write Adam's name down again.  Jay knows that he, Taylor and Will are on the wrong side and their clocks are ticking.
-Chris tells them he's been on the wrong side before, you just have to work your way back in - there are cracks.
-Taylor reacts like that's a huge revelation (dude, have you never watched this show? No, he's just so used to things coming easily to him that he couldn't imagine having to work to be liked and accepted.)  And this is when Taylor decides to make his grand announcements - first he comes clean about the food bunker but also drags Adam along saying he helped him do it. 
Hannah starts hyperventilating, Will looks impressed/surprised, Bret and Chris look disgusted (that's how I feel) and Adam is just shaking his head.
-Jay jumps in saying THEY had three jars buried in the sand together and he said, "Look what I hid with Adam." (Seriously? Why be such assholes and lie - Grr, that just makes me mad.)
-Adam sanctimoniously wants to clear the air and admits he knew about Taylor's stash but he is adamant that he did not help him steal the food and he did not eat any of the food himself, he just kept the secret.
-Taylor and Jay try to spin it, "Why are you so upset about this?" (And the bullying smirks, I hate this.)
-Adam, "Because you are defaming my character!"
-The others start to ask Taylor questions, what food was in there, where is it now and Taylor is in his glory and proud of his thievery.  He tells them he took as much as he could smash in the jars and all the food was gone, "Jay and I ate it all today." (Oh yeah! Jay can use mud in his face too.)
-BUT, Taylor continues, if they want to gun for him and Jay, the bigger threat is with Adam because he told him a little secret, that Adam has an advantage in the game.
-Everyone does a "wait, what?"  And they ask Adam "is that true?" He admits it is and Adam tells them the advantage allows him at any point, if he loses a reward, he can play the advantage and it's like he won the reward.
-So Taylor spins it again, "In other words, He can steal your loved one visit." Adam "Not necessarily" - Taylor should be an actor, "So someone is going to have their loved one - ripped - from - your - hands, even though you won."
-Adam tries to say it doesn't impact the game, its a reward not immunity but Taylor still showboating, "oh but it does impact the game, in  here (points to his chest) and in here (points to his head.)
-How did Jay & Taylor know about the advantage Hannah asks - Adam, "Because I told Taylor.  Clearly I made a mistake in who I can trust. (And I think this actually reflects worse on Taylor than on Adam.  Who wouldn't keep this advantage a secret?  Taylor not keeping the secret just reinforces how untrustworthy and horrible a person he is.... but it made great TV.)
-David said he's uncomfortable and shocked and he thinks that admitting what they did is the nail in the coffin for one of them.  (Adam still can't believe he's being painted with the same brush as Taylor).
-Taylor is completely unrepentant - If I know I can get ahead by eating more food than you, of course I'm going to do it. (What a self-centered little brat - Errrgh! He's horrible.)
-Jessica thinks Taylor is looking for a pat on the back and someone to tell him it's okay but she wasn't raised like that and neither was Chris or Ken or Bret.
-Jay pipes up, why did you skip me? I wasn't raised like that.  I didn't hide those jars and it was not okay with me. (But you ate it!) Jay went on a rant how he's not just some dumb surfer (whoa - that comment does not go unremarked - Taylor mumbles, I'm not a dumb surfer) A little, no offense was thrown out by Jay but he kept going about he's there playing the game and trying to improve his life.  Jay continues that if he was in Adam's position he would have told Taylor it wasn't morally right (get off the high horse, you were still in the wrong as well.)
-Adam says this is coming some the guy who admitted to eating the food, Jay says it was just crumbs and he's not going to forget his morals for some game and eat when everyone is starving - Adam, "You ate the food, I did not - what are you talking about?" (Exactly!)
-Hannah says this is a complicated game - blah, blah, blah... let's vote.
-Bret wants to know who is culpable (oh, showing the cop vocabulary.)

Time to Vote:
They didn't show us how anyone voted.

Tallying the votes:
Anyone want to play a hidden immunity idol now would be the time... they show us Adam, they show us Jay, he fidgets a little but in the end - no hidden idols were played (WHHHAATTT??)

Votes:
Jay - 1
Taylor - 1
Adam - 1
Jay - 2
Taylor - 2
Jay - 3
Taylor - 3
Jay - 4
Taylor - 4, 5... 6 and TAYLOR is the 9th person voted out and the second member of the jury.  He says good luck and laughingly, "Sorry for stealing food." (Somehow I don't think he really is, except it finally got his ass voted out - thank you Godapus!)
And with Taylor leaving, that takes Tori K. and Brandon L. out of the pool.

Next week: It's a Gen X civil war - David is talking about voting out Chris, Chris is talking about voting out Jess and Will puts his trust in Zeke, telling him Jay has an idol - and that knowledge tears through camp faster than greased lightning.

Taylor's final thoughts: My Survivor adventure has been quite epic - he stole food, survived a hurricane, made a great friend named Jay, got a girlfriend and hopefully they'll buy a sailboat and go have some adventures together. So I'm pretty stoked about that.

Seriously? This was never about winning or the money for him, just having fun, doing whatever he wants - woo!  Yup I'm the bitter old lady just shaking my head at this doofus - b-bye Tails.  Oh and by the way, your great friend Jay voted for you, hope you still have a girlfriend now that you didn't win a million dollars.

Too much? 

Have a great rest of the week everybody,

Coleen
 

Survivor Millennials vs Gen X - Nov 9/16 Episode Recap

I'm the Kingpin

Last week the Ikabula tribe went to Tribal Council and again the majority voted out one of their own when Jay & Will voted with the Gen X'ers to take out Michaela in an epic blindside.  Those boys had to make sure the smarter, more competent female didn't win (sound familiar?)

Ikabula - Night 20
-They return from Tribal and Jay was proud of his big-ass move, though he thought he was going to be punched in the face (I think it was pretty close, Michaela was really mad.)  Hannah feels totally left out, she was the only one left in the dark and while the boys were man-splaining that they wanted to keep her clean, she just feels like she's on the bottom.
-Hannah feels like she can't trust any of these people - Jay thinks she's a pathetic idiot who can't see past his pretty face and epic game play - but she is now plotting her revenge and hopes she can see it realized.

Day 21... there is a boat coming into the beach - they hand over a note that tells them they have 5 minutes to gather everything they want to take with them to their new home... it is the MERGE!
And there is celebration all around - Bret went from terrified to hopeful, he'll be reunited with Chris and he thinks he can trust Jay & Will.

Takali - Day 21
-They have also been told to pack up and get on the boat, they are all heading to Vanua beach apparently.  Adam is so excited that he made the merge - but this is where the game really begins and the mediocre players are separated from the really excellent players and he hopes he's in the latter group.

Vanua - Day 21  MERGE!
-The boats converge and everyone spills out on the beach - it's a party!  Zeke is utterly thrilled that he's made the merge.  It's reunion for some, lots of hugging of former tribe members... and they show Hannah go in for a hug with Taylor but he hugs someone else so she awkwardly changes course (Oahh!)  Michelle is so happy to be back in the game with Jay & Taylor.
-They open two great big crates of food and it's feast time.  Jay lays it out to the camera that he's the kingpin that nobody knows about - he's back together with Taylor and Michelle, he's got Will & Hannah and Bret & Sunday, plus he has an idol in his back pocket (Survivor karma does not favour the cocky young man.)
-Bret's not sure who he can trust, he's sizing up everyone, knows he can trust Sunday, thinks he can trust Jay but then the Millennials seem to be coming back together in a big way... and he's reconnecting with Chris.  Chris also feeling his way around, he's meshing pretty well with Zeke & David, now Bret is back and Sunday - he feels this is a pretty good core group to work with.
-Zeke reconnects with his nerd-alliance of himself, Hannah & Adam - they were each on a different tribe so they have intel on everyone.  Hannah fills them in on Jay spearheading the blindside of Michaela and Zeke is genuinely leery of Jay's charm and ability to get people to do what he wants - it makes him nervous to see all the "Dudes" Ken, Chris, Tay - being taken in by Jay's charm.  Zeke says, "If this bro-liance happens, I'm in trouble."

Vinaka - Day 21
-Adam has left the merge feast to search for a hidden immunity idol.  Instead he finds a scroll that says he's found an advantage - he can use it to steal a reward that is won by someone else.  It's a Survivor first and he's almost more excited about being a part of history than the actual advantage.

-Middle of the night everyone is sleeping, and then we hear the movement of jars in the crates (all the food was in sealed jars) and it's Taylor, helping himself and making his own stash of food - because that's a normal thing in a game where everyone is starving, to steal and hoard food for yourself. (I really cannot stand this guy.) He's not being very covert about it (except for doing it when everyone is sleeping) and he wakes up Bret who also cannot believe that Taylor is taking food for himself - but he also doesn't confront him, he rolls back over and is going to use the information later. 
-Adam also wakes up and sees Taylor sneaking food and decides this is a good time to bro-down with him, share the secret of the stealing of the food and build trust.  Adam, unfortunately, is too eager Taylor will never trust him because Adam voted out Figgy but he plays along and lets Adam think they have a bond... Adam goes so far as to tell him that Jay is building an army, Will is his new right hand and he wants to vote out Will. Then he shares the advantage he found. (Oh Adam, Adam, Adam... he's so busy thinking he's going to rule this game he doesn't realize that Taylor is just humouring him - is it that dark you can't see the disinterest on his face?) 
-Taylor could not believe how easy that was, he got all this intel and didn't have to do anything.  He is a big believer in Survivor revenge and hopes to blindside Adam hard!

Vinaka - Day 22
-Early morning and Chris, Bret, Ken and Sunday are sitting on a log contemplating what to have for breakfast... assuming there is anything left... and Bret spills that Taylor stole a bunch of food.  They don't get it, and it makes them worry even more that they've underestimated the bond of the Millennials.  Chris and Bret take stock of the numbers they have and think this could be the time to take out Taylor. (YES! Please, make that happen.)
-Ken, David, Jessica and Zeke also discuss the tightest bonds seem to be between Jay, Taylor, Michelle and Will... and they agree that they are in for taking out Taylor.

-Next we see Taylor asking Jay how he feels about voting out Millennials at this point.  Jay says they have to stay strong for now, he wants Gen Xers to go first.  Then he tells him to be really tight lipped about it, but Adam wants to take out Will, tonight. Jay wonders what the hell?  Taylor tells him Adam thinks Will is his right hand, so Jay realizes that Adam is also gunning for him and then Taylor asks if it wouldn't be in their best interest to take Adam out now... and conveniently there is Zeke in the background overhearing Adam's name being bandied about for elimination. This is not good for his nerd-alliance.

-Taylor goes and tells Will that Adam had mentioned voting him out and Will is immediately calling Adam a rat and says he has to go... and then Will realizes, his best bet is to win Immunity.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-It is the first individual immunity challenge and they've modified an oldy but a goody.  They will be standing perched on a small beam, both hands will be tethered to a bucket above them, when their arms drop, the bucket showers them with gross coloured water and they are out.  Last man or woman standing wins immunity - everyone else is in danger.
-The Gen-Xers start dropping out quickly - Sunday first, then Chris, followed closely by Bret... ouch.
-The Millennials start dropping too until we are left with final two - Will and Jessica.  They both look very solid after and hour... then an hour and a half and finally it's Jessica that flinches and Will, the youngest person to ever play the game, wins the first individual immunity.  (And Adam's plan blows up in his face.)

Vinaka - Day 23
-They return to camp after the challenge and Jay tells his Millennials that he thinks they should vote out Adam.  Michelle thinks this is a stupid and objects that he doesn't have any numbers to do anything, Jay leaves it up to Will as he's the one Adam targeted and Will says he wants Adam.  Michelle sees this as more of a personal move than a strategic move but they aren't going to listen to a little ol' girl.

-Zeke, with Jessica, finally goes and tells Adam that Taylor told Jay and Will that Adam wanted to vote him out - Adam realizes now why Will knew he really needed the immunity tonight.
-Zeke tells him that Adam is now Jay's target but he thinks they can pull the votes together to get out Taylor.  Adam doesn't seem to register what Zeke told him, he's in full on panic, scramble mode.  They go back and talk to the rest of the Gen-Xers and David puts the brakes on voting out Taylor because he thinks he could have a hidden idol (seriously? Taylor's been too busy canoodling with Figgy to waste time looking for an idol.)  But David's bright plan is vote out Michelle instead because she definitely doesn't have an idol (again, seriously?  Why wouldn't she have an idol, because she's a girl? Murica!) Ken still wants to vote Taylor and they can't come to a consensus - so Adam decides to try Plan B.

-Adam goes and talks to Taylor in an effort to get him to try and target someone else - Adam is super desperate and he looks it - he tells Taylor he will literally write anyone's name down at this point but Taylor tells the camera it's too late - this is about revenge, Adam is responsible for Figgy going home and now that he has his boys back, it's payback time.  They also don't think Adam has an idol, he's scrambling too much... but Adam does have an idol, so he really should just chill out.

-Hannah and David see Adam talking to Taylor and it makes David nervous, they are trying to save Adam but what if he's trying to screw them.  Hannah goes and talks to Adam and tells him to stop pulling people aside, he's going to screw this thing up for himself... I don't know if it worked.

-Hannah then talks to Zeke and they agree that Adam is a loose cannon, he couldn't have just been content to stay with the nerds, he had to try and sit at the cool kids table and now Hannah & Zeke don't trust him and agree he has to go very soon... maybe tonight?

-Adam has an idol so he knows he could use it and guarantee he'll be there tomorrow, but if he uses it and he does have the numbers, he'll look like a chump (who cares what it looks like?  You'll be more of a chump going home with an idol in your pocket.)

TRIBAL COUNCIL
Jeff asks David what differences he's seen between the Millennials and the Gen-Xers?
-They eat a lot more food. (Ah yeah, get right to the heart of it.)
-Bret tells Jeff point blank that it was Taylor that ate all the food and there is a laugh... Taylor pipes up that he wasn't trying to hide it and they all agree he wasn't hiding it but he was still taking more than his share. 
-Taylor thinks that because he woke up and his stomach was 'messed up' that he was justified in taking food to make himself feel better.  Jeff polls them and everyone is hungry, Jeff can't understand how Taylor thinks it was okay to take more than his share and it still doesn't register with him that what he did was wrong.
-Taylor goes on to say it wasn't that he was hungry, it was a "medical emergency" (term supplied by Jeff) and Zeke pipes in that everyone was having medical emergencies that night.  In a game for a million dollars you have to practice some delayed gratification or your actions could cost you a million dollars. (I think those words might have been too big for Taylor to grasp the meaning of what he was saying.)  Chris just called him selfish and Taylor still seemed okay with it. (I hate this kid.)
-Adam says yes, there may be a Millennial majority but they had been split up and they have formed bonds with others. (Jay, Will and Taylor were all giving Adam the cold side-eye when he was talking... that does not bode well for little Chris Hardwick.)
-David said the phase of the game they are in, is the people I trust vs the people you trust, not necessarily the original divisions.
-Jay says he's going to latch on the those he finds trustworthy and Jeff points out that is what everyone who has had their torch snuffed thought or said right before it happened.  But Michelle is going to stick with what Jay said, you stick with the people you mesh with best. (And let them stab you in the back.)
-Will says there are some clear objectives tonight, it's just finding out what is the prevailing objective.
-Chris says there are likely 13 objectives among them but he thinks a line may be drawn in the sand tonight.
-Taylor is still not worried for himself tonight, there is no point in worrying, there is nothing that can be done at this point - he says as he looks right at Adam. 
-Adam is terrified that he could be the first person voted out after the merge.  It was a great accomplishment getting to this point, but this is where the fun begins.

Time to Vote:
Taylor votes for Adam - This one's for Figs.
Zeke - they don't show who he votes for but he says, "I have never been able to trust you." (Oh, who was it??)

Tallying the Votes:
Anyone have a hidden immunity idol they want to play?  Adam looks around, (what are you waiting for?) looks down (okay, he's going to play it) and then just sits there. (Oh man!)

Votes:
Adam - 1
Michelle - 1  That surprised the Millennials to see her name.
Adam - 2
Michelle - 2
Adam - 3
Michelle - 3
Adam - 4
Michelle - 4
Michelle - 5, 6, 7... and that means that MICHELLE is the first person voted out after the merge and the first member of the jury.  Jay looks mad, Will baffled, Michelle just trying not to cry.  (See! They totally could have voted Taylor out tonight, poor Michelle did not deserve his backlash.)

And with Michelle leaving, that takes Alexis G. and Terry B. out of the pool.

Next week: The battle lines have been drawn, Adam is rubbing in to Jay that he's on the bottom and then Taylor tells Jay about the advantage Adam won to put a target on his back.

Michelle's final thoughts: I think they didn't trust me, or Jay or a group of us and I thought I could just lay back and trust what they said but maybe I went overboard with my laying back. (Ya think?)

Have a great short week. 
Lest we forget.

Coleen
 




 

Survivor Millennials vs Gen X - Nov 2/16 Episode Recap

I Will Destroy You

Last week Millennial Adam made the decision to vote out Taylor's girlfriend (yes, that is actually how Jeff referred to Figgy in the opening, not even by name) but, of course, this did not sit well with Taylor.

Takali - Night 18
They return to camp and Adam comes to Taylor with his tail between his legs, giving him his tale of woe- it was a lose-lose for me and maybe I messed up... blah, blah but then Adam boldly says, "I screwed you, I own that." But...that's really not going to win Taylor back to his side, I'm not sure what the point of this talk was.
-Adam is dead to Taylor now - Adam says to the camera, "this is a total game of revenge.  When it comes time, I will destroy you."

Vanua - Day 19
-David wants to solidify his bond with Zeke and he shares with him that he has the hidden immunity idol.  Zeke is just delighted to hear it, if he can't have an idol it's good to know someone he's close to has one. Zeke says, "He put his life in my hands and I'm going to take very good care of it... for the time being."

REWARD CHALLENGE
All the Millennials were surprised to see Figgy had been voted out, and Michaela looked delighted. Jeff asks her how she feels about what she said at the last challenge about the Millennials voting together or deserving to go home and she says that it's been time for Figgy to go home for a long time, bye Felicia (her name was actually Jessica Figarilo - but then Michaela never really got to know her, it was dislike at first sight with those two.)

The challenge - they start out in the water with the four tribe members having to work together boosting one person up to reach a bag of balls they have to work through a suspended horizontal corkscrew to release the bag.  Then one tribe member will start shooting the balls into a basket/shoot where a pair of tribe members will have to work the ball through a net tube to the basket at the end.  Once all three balls have been worked through, they then have to throw the balls up to rest on a beam above their heads.  First team to get all three balls resting on the beam will win a feast with a chef sent to their camp to cook for them.  Second place team gets a plate of skewers (meat & veggies) that they will have to cook themselves - but still, Food!  And third place gets nothing.

Vanua, as usual, is behind in the beginning but once they got to Chris shooting the balls and Zeke & Michelle working them through the net, they caught up and Chris was able to bring them the First place finish by getting all the balls on the beam first.  Then it was between Takali with Ken having a hard time getting the balls to stay on the beam, and Michaela finally bringing home the second place from behind for Ikabula. Getting some food is better than none - but Michaela is starting to get nervous with her helping them to win so much that they will start to think she's the one to beat. (You don't want to be too strong, but I don't think she can help it when the competitive side kicks in for her.)

Vanua - Day 19
They return to camp and the chef is already there with the grill fired up and food cooking.  They make pigs of themselves - well, the men do.  Zeke let's the inner fat kid out and binges like there is no tomorrow because out there, every bit of food they get is fuel to get them farther - Chris & David are right along with him eating like pigs with only Michelle remembering her manners.  Then the belching and farting begins - making room for more food and putting Michelle off of hers.  (Lovely.)

Takali - Day 19
-Ken is talking politics and Taylor hates it but he's engaging in the discussion - he doesn't care about politics and thinks his generation is going to change things (sigh, doesn't every generation think that until we're disabused of our idealism?).  Jessica finds Taylor to be your classic Millennial - he may not come off as the brightest but he is totally honest.  Whatever he tells you is the unfiltered truth and she thinks that could be better for them than the machinations of Adam.
-Taylor tells them that Adam did lie to him and Figgy, and he (Taylor) has no allegiance to him (Adam). Taylor shakes their hands and vows he will not write their names down. And Jessica thinks, if they don't win, it's going to be a huge decision which Millennial to vote off.

Ikabula - Day 20
-Michaela is going on about the bug bites itching is all in her head and she tells the camera that she knows she's pretty intense - "Steve Jobs was pretty intense, Michael Jordan was pretty intense, Michaela Bradshaw is pretty intense, but that's what makes us winners, you know." (Did she really just compare herself to Steve Jobs and Michael Jordan?  Oh yeah, she did.)

-For the most part this tribe is getting along, and they are trying to stay united so they keep winning -  but Hannah is suspicious of Bret.  He is actually a police officer but he is lying to them and telling everyone he's a funeral director.  Under further interrogation by Hannah, he doesn't really have any details to share, he seems like he's being evasive and it makes her that much more suspicious.  When Bret leaves the group she tells the other Millennials that she thinks Bret is a cop - she grew up in Boston and he walks, talks, looks like your typical Boston cop.  Jay says he agrees, he thinks Bret's a cop too (sure jump on the bandwagon, I'm still impressed by Hannah figuring that out.)  If it comes down to them having to vote out Sunday - the really sweet, youth pastor, mom of four - or Bret - the liar - who do you think it's going to be?

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
They will race to throw coconuts into a net, once enough coconuts pull the net down, a banner with three numbers will drop and then they have to use those three numbers to release a key, the key will unlock their slingshot and they will have to shoot sandbags to knock down five targets.  First two teams to knock down all the targets win immunity and the last place team is going to Tribal Council.

Vanua is pulling up the rear again - it takes them longest to get their net full of coconuts and then Michelle can't figure out the combination to get the key - but the slingshot becomes the great equalizer as they all have trouble finding the range to the targets.  Takali is the first tribe to clear all their targets and it's down to Ikabula and Vanua - and Vanua with Chris shooting pulls out another come from behind win sending Ikabula to Tribal Council.

Ikabula - Day 20
-All six members of the tribe are sitting in a line on a log in silence.  Sunday and Bret seem resigned to the fact that it's one of them going home.  They don't even try to scramble and get the youngsters to turn on each other - the only thing we see is Bret & Sunday agreeing that they will vote for each other (what?? Then you both do deserve to go home - come on!)
-Next thing we see is Michaela using rocks and shells to show the other Millennials that it doesn't matter who they vote out because the Millennials will have the numbers - she has all the other tribes mapped out, she's run all the numbers.   They decide to split the vote the first time around to flush out any idols if there are any, and then to vote out Bret the second time around. 
-But what Michaela actually ended up showing the boys of her tribe is that not only is she a beast in the challenges, she's also scary smart.  And a strong and smart woman is something to be feared! 
-Jay has an epiphany, Michaela is a huge threat - she should go home before the merge.  He takes Will aside and shares this idea with him and he agrees, especially since Michaela is also the only other person that knows that Jay has an idol (oh yeah! How could I have forgotten his 'fricken Michaela' last week.) They know that Sunday & Bret will vote Michaela in a heartbeat but they both like Michaela and she's fun to have around, also, they don't trust Bret... what to do, what to do.

They don't show the Millennials talking to Bret or Sunday and then they are heading to...

TRIBAL COUNCIL
Jeff points out that the other two tribes voted against the majority when they went to tribal, knowing that he asks Michaela what's her level of trust tonight.
- She says the majorities in the other two tribes were full of sketchy people and the nice thing about Ikabula is that they are all pretty trustworthy people.
-Jay was surprised that the majorities took out one of their own on the other tribes, "what are you doing? It's just nuts." (Will looks like he's trying to avoid eye contact with Jeff, don't call on me teacher.)
-Michaela says it sucks that they are having to vote someone out, they genuinely like each other, it's Uncle Bret and Mama Sunday, they would have taken over this whole game if you let us go to the merge.
Jeff - It's always my fault.
Michaela - you did it, we didn't ask for sling shots.
-Sunday says that she and Bret are very well aware that they are on the outs.
-Bret is very game to have the majority vote out one of their own here too.  He says they know who he is, they know I'm being genuine with them (oooh, man, it's actually the opposite, they know you have been lying to them.)
-Will doesn't agree that the game has evolved to a maverick, voting block, I could turn on you at any moment type game - people see through that and when you find somebody you can trust, you latch on to that because it might be what can get you to the end in this game.
-Jay says you got to follow your guts.
-Michaela is sure the merge is coming soon so the vote for her has to do with who she sees making it to five with them. (That made Jay raise his eyebrows.)
-Will & Jay say the vote will make the tribe stronger because the bonds will only grow from that point forward.
-Michaela hopes whichever of the Gen X'ers that doesn't go home, doesn't feel like they're on the bottom - that's not what she wants.  (And Jay is shaking his head behind her.. hmm.)

Time to Vote:
Hannah votes for Bret - Wish I could have gone fah-ther with you. (She dropped in the Southie accent.)
They don't show how anyone else voted.

Tallying the votes:
No one played a hidden immunity idol.

Votes:
Bret - 1
Bret - 2
Michaela - 1 (both Michaela & Hannah were shocked to see her name come up)
Michaela - 2 (still confused but it could be Bret & Sunday...)
Michaela - 3 - and she whips around, "WHAT?" looking straight at Jay, "Did you do that?" And he looks her in the eye and says, "Yeah. I did it." (I give him props for standing his ground, she made it very uncomfortable - if she could, I bet she would have slapped him.) Oh, then he kinda smirked and I wanted to slap him too.  Hannah, "I did not do that." And Bret made the "Yikes, don't look at me" face.
Michaela - 4 - Jeff finally tells her that she has to bring him her torch.  She looms over Jay telling him he just f'd up... then had to go back and get her shoes... she lingered so long, it was like she wasn't going to accept the outcome of the vote and it was just crazy.  She had a few more expletives for Jay and stared him down as Jeff snuffed her flame.  (Oh, he is lucky looks don't kill.)

So, with that dramatic exit, Michaela takes Bryon L. and Kevin C. out of the pool.

Next time: the Merge has arrived and now is when Zeke says they can start destroying people's hopes and dreams.  The Gen X'ers are out numbered but Hannah wants payback, she can't trust Jay and hopes she can get her revenge.

Michaela's final rant: I'm pretty pissed off.  I think it was the dumbest decision.  My focus was the end and I didn't even make the merge.  If Jay could have controlled his paranoia, this four could have made it to the end and one of us would have won a million dollars. (But she overplayed her hand, she showed him that she was a stronger and smarter player than him, and he's not there to win her a million dollars.) "Oh well, I'm gonna get rich some way." (And I believe she will.)

Have a great rest of your week everybody,

Coleen