Sunday, April 23, 2006

'Survivor: Exile Island' - Ep. 10 -or- "Survivor Down!'


Argh, my apologies ... I know this isn't Friday evening. I've had mouse issues. Computer mouse, not furry living mice issues. Enough of that.

Onto the really, really late review/recap of the show which aired on April 20:

Seven are left. Who will be voted off tonight?

Of course, after the time-consuming recap of last week, we see Terry is all alone although he's supposedly a part of the tribe. The ex-Casaya tribe members alliance is still solid even though soon they'll have to turn on one another. If Terry wins Immunity again, it'll force their hand. Bruce is clutching his stomach and complaining of severe pain. He's constipated, perhaps a bit too much information, but very necessary in the light of this episode.

I always enjoy the challenges which have the castaways attempt to be creative. So, I was pleased to see that the tree mail told them to decorate huge straw voodoo dolls in their own likeness, then head off to the Rewards Challenge with them. Cirie was a hoot building up the chest on her doll, but Shane should have made the pants on his doll droop more and somehow reflect that odd little malnourished boy figure of his.

The Rewards Challenge itself was one of those which reveal the pecking order of the tribe. Jeff posed questions about the tribe members; the tribe members then had to answer what tribe member was the most popular answer. Folks who got the answer right got to chop a rope leading to the voodoo doll of their choice. Three chops would set fire to the doll and knock that player out of the running.

This challenge was a bit of a two-fold whammy for some -- it showed the order the majority wanted out of the game by whose ropes were chopped the quickest, plus the questions themselves revealed rather controversial impressions for some. For example, Courtney was the one most chose as Most Annoying. You would think she freaked right then and there, but Shane wins the Freaking Award. He took every cut of his rope as a personal affront, was upset that folks thought he thought he was in charge of the game and went down-out whacko when Cirie (the winner) didn't choose him to accompany her on the reward. Heck, Terry knew he'd be first out and just accepted it. He also figured that Cirie would send him to Exile Island, which she did.

The reward was a helicopter trip to a spa, feast and overnight rest. Cirie chose Aras and Danielle to go with her. I'd imagine to this day Shane is still resenting her choice. Oh, the Drama Mama Shane! I think if I had been there, I would have chopped his voodoo doll rope just to watch him go crazy!

While the three were off to the spa, it left only Shane, Courtney and Bruce back at the camp. Bruce crawled off to writhe in pain while Courtney and Shane fussed at each other. Sheesh, just call it a tie -- they're both the Most Annoying! And, another thing that I find annoying about Shane is that his front is usually blurred because he wears his pants too low under that little boy belly physique of his! I don't think I've ever seen any of the men on the show constantly blurred there. Eww.

Bruce's pain eventually necessitated calling in the medics. (Good-looking male medics with cool British accents, I might add.) He was hauled on out of there as the medic couldn't rule out appendix issues. Oh. And Shane was naked through all of that. Poor Courtney.

So, like when Mike Skupin was removed from a show for severe burns, Bruce is gone and there was no Tribal Council. After the reward winners and Terry returned, Jeff informed them that Bruce had a severe intestinal blockage. If the doctors permit, he might be able to be on the jury. But, he's out of the running for the million. The spoiler sites pre-season had this one right. They knew Bruce was carted off, but I don't recall any claiming illness. I had the impression it would be an injury.

Out of the castaways left, I have a few I'd like to see make it to the Final Four. I'd like to see Terry there because he's really kicking butt on the show despite the Casaya-LaMina numbers game. I'd like to see Cirie make it just because she seemed like the least likely person to make it anywhere near the end, but she's a smart player. She's very observant of others and stronger in the natural setting than I thought she ever would be. Although he's not my favorite player, I have a pre-season online cyber-bet that Aras will be there. Hmmm ... now I have to pick a fourth, eh? Let me think about it!

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