The ad for this week promised "several twists that will throw them off their game", but that was only partly correct. Yes there were several twists, but fortunately people’s basic characters shone through and the tribes performed as we’ve come to know and love.
Ulong upheld their ‘loser’ tag by getting lost in the 300m of jungle between their camp and a cave that would have provided shelter from the drenching rain and lightening. James’s efforts at motivating them didn’t help, and the shattered looks on their faces set the tone for an episode that really wasn’t as much fun as previous ones.
This week’s challenge – yes, "challenge" singular - was the first big twist. It was a combined reward and immunity effort where both tribes would be going to Tribal Council regardless of the result. The winners would still have to vote somebody off, but would at least get to stay and gloat while they ate a full meal in front of the losers.
There’s just no limit to the number of times I’ll laugh at hearing host Jeff pronounce the word buoy as "boo-ee". This week the teams had to dive and retrieve sake bottles tied to a wrecked Japanese patrol boat in an oh-so-subtle reminder of who won WWII. The instructions were as clear to me as Palau’s water, but at least three of the Survivors looked in completely the wrong direction. (Ian, how is it that three weeks ago you could find a tiny metal box 80 metres off shore, but not a warship laying on its side almost directly under a boo-ee?) Ibrehem’s chiselled physique couldn’t manage to retrieve even one bottle, and he squandered the small lead Ulong had actually managed to eke out.
Koror won, but they were still forced to attend Tribal Council. Everyone, even Willard, knew that he’d be voted off. It was calm and rational and, aside from some distinctly Wanda-like warbling from Ian, very civilized. The tiny bit of alliance-broking that did happen meant Coby finally got a chance to camp it up and gossip for the cameras, pointing out the cosy relationship developing between "Ken and Barbie", a.k.a Gregg with two Gs and Jenny the nanny. Coby, next week I want you to extract at least six syllables from the word "please", please; four just isn’t up to hair stylist standards.
Katie got a real scare when Willard’s vote for her was the first one read out, but otherwise the Koror tribal council was totally boring. They voted, Willard left, they moved to the jury’s side of the fire and gleefully tucked into their unsponsored stew and root beer while they watched the car-wreck that Ulong’s tribal councils tend to be.
It started off as usual with the person most at fault for Ulong’s challenge loss trying to shift blame anywhere else. Then, SURPRISE! Jeff announced that Koror would assign immunity to one member of Ulong by secret ballot! Who knows whether it was an accident or some strategic kicking while Ulong was down, but somehow Ibrehem ended up with individual immunity. That threw into complete disarray the plan Stephanie, James, Bobby Jon and Angie had for getting rid of him. With no chance to discuss who to target instead, the first round of voting was deadlocked between Bobby Jon and Angie, causing a tiebreaker that our little tattooed butterfly eventually lost.
Interestingly, Angie and Willard were the last two picked for their respective tribes in the very first episode, so it was fitting that they go out together. That’s Rob and Jenny out of the sweep, and yet another member of Ulong gone. The remaining ones are so desperate for the merge and a chance to get away from each other that they brought their entire camp to tribal council. At the rate they’re disappearing there won’t be anyone left for Koror to merge with! Surely the Producers won’t let that happen. Let’s hope not!
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