Survivor Guatemala: week 12

Well it's day 31 and only six Survivors left, all of whom are treading very carefully. Despite Judd having been outed as someone who willingly lies without provocation, everyone is ignoring it and saying nothing. Fortunately Judd had plenty to say by the end of the episode, but we'll get to that later.

The reward challenge was the classic Survivor auction, but with a couple of twists. The first is that Jeff didn't end his explanation of the challenge with the words, "Worth playing for?", which in itself was unusual. The auction opened with Danni paying $20 for a plate of beef jerky, Cindy paying $40 for a plate of cookies and a glass of milk, and Lydia – who you'll remember has been bitching and moaning non-stop about how hungry she is – spent $140 on a personal mosquito net.

Danni knew she was the next target as the final remaining member of Yaxhá, and paid $200 for an "advantage" at the next immunity challenge. The final lot was the somewhat predictable really worthwhile prize, which walked around the corner of a pyramid on cue in the form of loved ones, live. (Yes, I was wrong two weeks ago when I said it wouldn't happen now that the videos have been shown.) Judd, with a loan from Cindy, managed to outbid Stephanie and got to have his wife stay over in camp for the night. His bid also bought him the right to choose two other loved ones to also stay, so Cindy got her money's worth after all and once again Jersey loyalty saw Stephanie win just as big as Judd.

While Rafe, Danni and Lydia were exiled to the old Yaxhá camp (and spent the time constructively working out how to break up the Judd-Stephanie connection), Judd got to impress his city-girl wife with what a 'sexy camper' he is. Stephanie's boyfriend helped collect firewood, and oddly used Judd's "throw a large branch on the ground and hopefully it'll break in half" trick, with the same non-result. Must be a Jersey thing.

The immunity challenge was a kind of hexagonal, 3D chess board, which Judd seemed comfortably with until Jeff announced that it was a game which "requires smarts". Players took one step each turn by flipping a tile from white to red then standing on it. Since you could only stand on a white tile either directly in front or beside, people soon ran out of moves and were out of the game. Danni's 'advantage' purchased at the auction was the right to change places with any other player, once. She waited until Jeff announced out that Stephanie had carved herself out a nice piece of real estate then promptly took it. Strangely enough, Cindy and Rafe were out before Judd, but Danni's purchased advantage (and Stephanie's hard work) made the difference and she got to wear the immunity necklace the week she needed it most.

Back at camp she proved her listening skills again. Rafe had told her that they'd need to catch Judd in a lie to prove to Stephanie his untrustworthiness and break up their alliance, but it didn't even take that. Stephanie watched Danni listen in on a conversation between Judd and Lydia, then quizzed her about its content, obviously not trusting Judd. It was a real pleasure to watch Danni reel a big game player in like a marlin, slowly feeding out the lines then pouncing once it was clear she had her hooked. Rafe, too, managed to play it cool when Steph approached him with the idea to vote Judd out. Lydia, who'd told Judd he needed a plan, was running around camp offering her vote to anyone who wanted it.

Rather than say any more about tonight's episode I'm just going to present as series of statements from Judd, which tell you all you need to know.

1. Judd giving advice to a clearly worried Lydia after Danni won immunity:
   "Nobody's safe here tonight. If you think you're safe in this game you're crazy. You're absolutely berserk. You're never safe in this game."
   
   
2. Judd answering a question from Jeff at Tribal Council about how tough it is to vote someone out at this stage, after three others saying it's really hard because they're like a family, and you have to think about the jury and the final two:
   "I'll tell you what, to be honest with you. No matter what they all say, everybody wants someone to go home. They're sitting here making believe, like "Ah, man, it's gonna suck". That's not the case, man. Everybody wants someone to go home. That's the bottom line; that's what we're here for. The only way you move on is somebody goes home. No hard feelings, just deal with it."
   
   
3. Judd after being voted out 4-2:
   "Thanks guys. Hope you guys all get bit by a freakin' crocodile. Scumbags."
   
   
4. Judd's piece to camera during the closing credits:
   "I'm really pissed off. I mean, I feel, I…I was…pissed off, lied to, betrayed. It doesn't feel good being lied to. It sucks being lied to, man, because one thing I didn't do was lie to anybody, man. But hey, get rid of the biggest target and that's what they did, man, so I really believe you're a bunch of scumbags and I can't wait until the final two, man. I'll have a lot more to say than that, man."

Didn't I say that's all you need to know!