'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Finale and Reflections on the Season

Sniffle...this will be the last time I get to use my cool revolving Survivor/Jackie logo made by Zoetawny. She rocks, y'know!

Well, last night was the big night, the season finale. As I thought, the commercials deliberately misled viewers to thinking that Cirie would win the fire-making tiebreaker challenge against Danielle. As an observer of the show and its promos since its inception, I know the editors tend to do that sort of thing. So I wasn't surprised when when the Final Three turned out to be Danielle, Aras and Terry. I was a bit surprised at who won the final Immunity Challenge, but that's getting a wee bit ahead of things at this time.

I want to focus just a little on Cirie at this time. Here's a city born and bred woman, coming up from Jersey City, New Jersey. She didn't know woods, critters, fishing, camping, or anything else of the outdoor life going into the show. She knew her couch, TV and stuff of the city. I'm sure if someone asked her how to catch the PATH train into lower Manhattan, she'd answer with ease. But ask her to make a fire with flint, catch a fish or make a camp? No way! It was amazing to watch her grow through the season. Apparently, her couch-sitting ways made for decent people-skills and strategical planning. She vastly improved her outdoors skills while she was the true manipulator of people on the show. Her buddy Aras wasn't the leader - Cirie had him wrapped around her finger. Hats off to Cirie and I'm glad she won the Yukon SUV voted on by show fans. She added a lot to this season.

Back to the finale show...I was leery of Danielle turning on Terry once again with good reason. Once the three returned to camp, Terry brought out the shrunken-head Immunity Idol from Exile Island so that Danielle and Aras could check it out. Right then and there, it was evident that her alliance was still with Aras, not Terry. She made a few comments about the macho thing between Aras and Terry, but seemed to think Terry was gloating.

Instead of the expected Immunity Challenge, the three had an opportunity to play for Reward - a power meal, cot and pillow which might help the winner be in better shape for the final Immunity Challenge. It entailed finding pegs in bags on spinning wheels and then using the pegs to climb a three-story wall. It was only seconds between Terry and Aras at the end, with a Terry win and Danielle way out of the running. But will it work? Will Terry come back refreshed and ready? Will Aras' determination push him into high gear for the win? Oh...and what about Danielle? She hasn't won anything all season.

As inevitable as the season recap which took up the first ten or more minutes of the show, we had the Memory Walk to endure. I watched as each previous castaway had his or her blurb and the three remaining said basically kind words about them. Eh. The only rather neat thing about this segment was they used the torches to set the huge bamboo skull on Exile Island afire. Alas, it was a very smoky fire; the material must have been damp from all the rain. It was all very symbolic and all that stuff nonetheless.

Well, Immunity was back up for grabs for the last time. In this one, it's a mix between endurance and balance as the castaways had to stand on floating "lily pads" and move to smaller ones in 15-minute intervals. Uh-oh. This one is a challenge geared for a woman to win. After all, women have a lower center of gravity. In a shocker, Terry couldn't get up and stay up on the third pad and was out of the running. Then a wobbly Aras took Danielle's nod for a jump-off and Danielle won her first challenge ever in the show - the most important Individual Immunity of the season. She's guaranteed to be in the Final Two and it's her choice to pick the other half of the Final Two.

Aras immediately got a bit threatening when talking to her about her choice. "If you don't choose me, you'll lose both my vote and Cirie's vote!" Terry was a bit more laidback about things, but almost killed her with fairness. It's a tough decision for her, indeed. But, my own thoughts? I don't think she stands a chance to win against either of them. Now, if she were up against Shane in the Final Two, she may win. Terry or Aras? Nope, both of them have played so well and so hard that she'd be doomed to second place. Her choice? Aras. It doesn't matter; her fate is sealed anyway. All it really does is enforce the Survivor Winner of the Car Curse - no player has ever won a car and gone onto the million dollars. Terry, of course, won a car a few episodes back.

Tribal Council was rather uneventful and almost "nice" compared to some of the past finales. Who can forget Sue's speech about rats and snakes and not giving a drink of water to Richard (or was it Kelly for that - one was a snake while the other was a rat) dying of thirst in the desert? Shane got a bit odd, but he's Shane. He's angry that they did better than he did and both betrayed him in the game. In the end, like mimicking Greg (Season 1) with the Blackberry bit (Greg had the coconut phone), he told them to choose a number and the closest would get his vote. Courtney was still a bit of a space cadet in her comments and I just wanted her to stop talking. What the heck was her point?

As I guessed, Aras won. I had a message board bet elsewhere that he would win, but that was just on the pre-season bio information. Too bad it was just a cyber-bet, eh? The vote was 5-2 with just Shane and Bruce voting for Danielle (I believe - correct me if I'm wrong on that). They didn't show the last vote, but 4 was enough for Aras to win. In the reunion show, through a show of hands, Terry would have won against Danielle with roughly the same count - only Bruce and Cirie would have voted for her. So, she would have lost either way.

To me, this season was the best in a long time. My favorite Survivor season remains the first one when all was fresh and new. I picked Richard Hatch for the win on that one and he was instrumental in starting the alliances which have continued throughout the show's run. I wasn't happy with Vanuatu and Africa didn't rank too highly on my list either, although I liked Ethan (the winner). I felt last season in Guatemala was tainted with the gimmicky return of Bobby Jon and Stephenie from the previous season. They had their chance; I don't want previous castaways returning. I want fresh meat. Um...players! If there ever is to be another rehash of castaways (I don't like All-Star versions, either), let it be those we never got to know - perhaps those castaways voted off in the first show each season. The person voted off first is usually an unknown entity in game play and all but forgotten as the season goes on. Bring them back if someone must come back!

In this season, we had Super Terry who did a fantastic job. We had wacky Shane who's still wacky though cleaned up for the Reunion Show. We had Cirie who possibly backstabbed others more than anyone else, yet came away with them all liking her. I give this season an A for its entertainment value to me. Good casting, nice location and a different twist with Exile Island and the hidden Immunity Idol. Although the idol itself was never used, it certainly played a huge role in the show just by folks figuring Terry had it.

Next season it will be Survivor: Cook Islands and it's to have an Exile Island with a new twist. I'll be there! Well, not on the show, but watching it!

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Reunion Update/New Season Location

Cirie won the Yukon voted on by viewers.

Next season's show will be Survivor: Cook Islands and it sounds like there will be another Exile Island there.

I'll be writing up the finale and reflections on the season in the wee hours or in the morning. Please stop back!

Winner 'Survivor: Exile Island' is...

Aras is the sole Survivor.

I won my bet! ;-)

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Finale Update - Final Two

Danielle chose Aras to go to the Final Two with her. Terry has his car, no million.

'Survivor: Exile Island' - East Coast Update Finale - Immunity

Danielle won Immunity. Although Tribal Council hasn't occurred yet, it looks like she'll probably take Aras with her. They were on little floating platforms and she gave him a nod to jump indicating he'd be her choice for Final Two.

It looks right now like the Car Curse of Survivor holds true. Terry is most likely not going to win the million...but he has a car!

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update Finale - Rewards

In as close a finish as one can imagine, Terry won Reward against Aras. (Danielle was way behind.)

Reward is a power meal, a cot and a pillow which could be an advantage in the Immunity Challenge.

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Finale Update - Final 3

Danielle won the tiebreaker.

The final three - Aras, Danielle and Terry

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' - Ep. 13 -or- "Call a Waahmbulance, It's To Be Continued!"

Time is dwindling and the season is near an end. On Sunday evening at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas, the two-hour finale will air followed by the reunion show. The Final Four are Cirie, Danielle, Aras and Terry. Who will win the million dollars? And, more importantly, will Shane clean up enough for the reunion so that he stops looking like Reverend Jim from Taxi?

But that's Sunday, let's get into tonight's episode (5/11). Four are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

The show opened on Night 33 at the Gitanos camp as the four remaining tribe members returned from the Tribal Council where Shane was blindsided by Cirie's scheming. Cirie plopped her torch to the ground and Terry almost tripped over it in the dark. So, then it started. He spoke harshly to her; she defended herself. Then Aras got into the verbal brouhaha by telling Terry he was ruining the time they should be celebrating as the Final Four. All grouchy-pusses at the camp. Terry went off to bed and told them they could celebrate.

The Rewards Challenge was a bit different from ones we've seen before. It entailed the tribe members tied to ropes following a path like some of the ones in the past. But they each had to go to six locations, one at a time, count what was there, return with the number and then set out to do it all over again. Once they had all the numbers, they had to use them to open combination locks. At the locations they had to count iguanas, poles, rocks, fish, sea shells and hermit crabs. Cirie did her squeaky voice when it came to the iguanas.

Terry and Aras had several sort of rough encounters on the course, deliberately blocking each other, bumping each other and words. All of them had to go back through the locations due to miscounts. Terry mistakenly thought they could only return to one location at a time and noticed Aras was gone a long time - checking all the locations in one outing for a double-check. When Terry mentioned it to Jeff, Aras started yelling, "Call a waahmbulance! Terry's whining!" (Yes, I'm rolling my eyes here. Aren't you?)

Aras won Reward - a cruise in a 100 foot luxury yacht through the Panama Canal, a five-course meal and an overnight stay. Since he could choose one guest, he naturally chose Cirie. Both Danielle and Terry were sent to Exile Island where Danielle belatedly decided to flip and work with Terry. Now, that's something she should have done long before the Final Four, don't you think? Of course, Terry's out of cards to play (with the exception of the hidden Immunity Idol from Exile Island), so he seems to have forgotten that Danielle backed out of the last alliance attempt. He once again told her he would give her the Immunity Idol from Exile Island if he won Immunity. The yacht trip was a bit less eventful for us as we all know that Cirie and Aras are loyal to each other.

Both groups of two met up next to compete in the Immunity Challenge. This one was a bit funky. Puzzle pieces in three bags were hidden in sand pits. Surrounding the sandpits were markers. The castaways had to use coordinates to cross ropes to know where to dig. Each puzzle led to the coordinates to the next puzzle. And, Aras was on a streak. Not only did he win Reward, he also won Immunity - both firsts for him. Terry's winning streak of all individual immunities thus far finally ended.

When they got back to camp, Terry confronted Aras about a nasty statement he made regarding him disrespecting women. To my surprise, Aras apologized and it seemed to jolt him back into a nicer person overall. Both shook hands and it appears the boys won't be catfighting through to the bitter end.

Although Terry hasn't admitted to either Cirie or Aras that he has the Exile Island Immunity Idol, they've assumed he does. Therefore, the whole tribe knows that both Terry and Aras will both be safe and it's Cirie and Danielle whose heads are on the chopping block (figuratively, of course!). It's also quite likely to be a tie vote. Unless that silly purple rock deal (Survivor: Marquesas) rears its ugly head and it's totally random who leaves, the tiebreaker is usually fire. Cirie had made a fire while alone with Aras and had success. Danielle has made fire on and off through the season. Still, Aras teamed with Cirie and Terry with Danielle for fire-making classes.

Sure enough, at Tribal Council, it was a tie - two votes for each woman. And, sure enough, the tiebreaker was a fire-making challenge. Since it was a tie and Terry himself received no votes, the hidden Immunity Idol never came into play and this show was the last one in which it could be used. I suppose that Terry could take it home and call it Shane. After all, there is a bit of a resemblance. The show left off on a "to be continued..." note with both Cirie and Danielle ready to start the challenge. Apparently, they will finish that at the start of the finale show on Sunday and it's not until then that we'll know the Final Three.

In a sidenote: What the heck was that giant ring taking over Courtney's hand in the jury box? Sheesh! It looked like the Mood Ring Which Ate Cincinnati or something!

At this time, I think I could support any of the four for a win. Terry has played a fantastic game and I think he's the most competitive man ever on the show. Aras, though he has some weak spots, came around with his apology to Terry tonight. I have the feeling that he's more that sort of man than what we've seen. Cirie? For someone scared of leaves in the first episode, she's proven herself to be a strong competitor and an excellent strategist. At the bottom of my choices would be Danielle.

How about you?

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update - 05/11 -Tribal Council

The vote was two for Cirie, two for Danielle. A Fire Tiebreaker Challenge was set up between them and then...to be continued (on Sunday night finale show, starting at 8 PM ET/PT).

A full review/recap will be posted here later tonight. Now I must watch C.S.I.

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update - 5/11 - Immunity

Aras won Immunity.

'Survivor: Exile island' East Coast Update 5/11 - Reward

Aras won Reward - an overnight cruise of of the Panama Canal on a luxury yacht, feast. He chose Cirie to accompany him. Both Danielle and Terry went to Exile Island.

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' - Ep. 12 -or- "What a Shame About Shane. Heh."

Five are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

The show opened on the 30th night at the Gitanos camp as we head towards the Final Four and the finale on May 14. Shane, as we could have predicted, was very upset that the voting plan changed and it was was Courtney voted out during the last Tribal Council. He wanted her with him in the Final Two as many others did, too. Except for Cirie, that is. She's playing it shrewd and getting her way. Cirie tried to cover with Shane by saying it was a last minute change and they couldn't get the news to him. Now, if he believes that, he's dumber than all get out!

Terry, though in good spririts about his winning streak, feels that Danielle lied to him. After all, the plan was Danielle, Courtney and Terry at the end with the vote to oust Aras. That is, until Cirie convinced Aras and Danielle to vote with her against Courtney. Terry should give up the idea of gaining allies. Cirie seems to be much more effective at rallying the tribe for a cause. The Lone Wolf Terry isn't a part of the pack.

The Rewards Challenge was the loved ones from home genre with a new twist. Jeff brought out family members of the tribemates - Terry's wife, Shane's son, Cirie's husband, Danielle's Mom and Aras' Mom. The winner of a "past challenges combined" obstacle course had to make some decisions. Two loved ones would go for an overnight trip with their respective tribe members. Another loved one would go back to camp overnight. One loved one would just get a hug from the tribe member. One tribe member would be sent to Exile Island and not be allowed to even touch the loved one. It was all up to the winner. And, as it's almost fated to be this season, Terry won. He and his wife and Shane with his son Boston took the overnight trip. H.B. (Honey Bunny? Eek!), Cirie's husband, spent the night at camp. Aras got a hug from his Mom. Danielle went to Exile Island. I personally thought his choices were just right. Even though I don't care for Shane, his young son was there. How could he have made any other choice?

Off at Exile Island, Danielle is mad. She knows Terry's reasoning. It doesn't make her much less angry, though. She chopped a coconut with a machete and pretended it was Terry's head. Oh. Did I mention she was very angry?

At the camp, Aras and Cirie put H.B. to work. He's as city as Cirie was on the first night. Unlike her, he wasn't scared of leaves. He didn't seem too thrilled with murky drinking water. In a side note - I think these two are a good couple. They seem to care a lot about each other. She kept calling him H.B. and Honey Bunny. I can't help but wonder if that's the "H.B." and how he explains it to friends.

On the overnight, Shane was in heaven spending time with Boston. He seems like a nice kid. He definitely thinks the world of his father. I hope he doesn't read this blog! Nuthin' against you, Boston. But your father really annoys me on the show, beyond annoyment. Terry's wife automatically got into strategical talks with him. Shane claimed she was more competitive than Terry. I didn't think that would be possible. I think he's the most competitive player ever on the show.

When the loved ones all went away and the tribe was reunited at the camp, Aras and Terry griped at each other. Terry thought his choices were right and Aras thought that he was slighted as his mother is as important as a wife or husband. Um, I don't think so! Aras is young. (If Aras reads the blog, he'd think I'm siding with Terry because we're both "old.") I bet if he had won the reward, he would have sent Terry to Exile Island. He should be thankful that Terry didn't send him there.

The Immunity Challenge had tribe members standing above water, each on a little platform, raising a bucket of water to try to dump down a small chute which would raise a flag. The first one with the flag wins. As in most challenges, Shane screwed up and misunderstood the directions. He was out first. And, as in almost all challenges (all Immunity Challenges), Terry won. He keeps breaking his own record. Five individual immunities and he's won them all. Plus, of course, he also has the hidden Immunity Idol from Exile Island.

So, the scheming starts. Shane wants Danielle out and thinks that's the deal. Terry has no objection to that choice as she played turncoat on his plan for the last Tribal Council. But, what is Cirie thinking? She's thinking Terry wants to be with Shane in the Final Two now as he might have a chance to win over the jury vote. She convinced Danielle and Aras to vote Shane and, once again, her mojo worked.

"Shane, the tribe has spoken. You must leave the Tribal Council area immediately."

He never saw it coming. He was so sure he had no worries. Terry just held his head in his hands while Cirie and Aras looked quite tickled pink over it all.

In the promo shown for next week, Danielle is seen saying that maybe it's time to ally with Terry. I don't trust the promo so much. But it's time that the Final Four really think about who they would take to the Final Two with them. No one will want to take Aras - he'd win the jury vote. Even Cirie and Danielle would be a worry. Almost any ex-Casaya member would stand a chance against Terry even though he's an incredible player. If the jury voted with their hearts, they'd vote the ex-Casaya the winner even if Terry deserved the win more. It's time for all the ex-Casaya to think that Terry's their best choice to be with in the Final Two.

Remember - the finale is Sunday May 14. Mark it on your calendars!

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 5/04 - Tribal Council

Shane was voted out.

The Final Four are Cirie, Aras, Danielle and Terry.

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 5/04 - Rewards/Immunity

Terry won the Reward Challenge. He chose his wife to accompany him on an overnight and then chose Shane and Boston to go with them. He chose HB - Cirie's husband to go to camp overnight with her. He chose Aras to get a hug from his mother. Danielle went to Exile Island and got nothing except a 20 feet apart talk with her mother.

Terry won Immunity. Again!

A full recap/review will be posted late tonight. I'll post the boot as soon as it airs in the East.

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' - Ep. 11 -or- 'Cirie Stars in Strategical Circles'

6 are left. Who will be voted off tonight?

The show opened on Day 28. We're really moving along with the season. Before you know it, we'll know the Final Four. Will the seemingly unstoppable Terry keep winning Immunity? Will he choose the best time to bring out that found bonus Immunity Idol? Or will the sheer numbers and probability that some ex-Casaya will knock him out come to fruition?

Terry, but of course, is happy that Bruce's medical exit spared him an Immunity Challenge. He's concerned about Bruce, but the fewer challenges he has to face, the better the prospects of making it to the end. Although he seems to be a Superman, each challenge is a risk. He loses just one and he has to play the not-such-a-secret found Idol. Once he's played that, he's out of aces up the sleeve.

This episode's Weird Shane bit had to do with him using a piece of wood he found as a Blackberry device to send and receive messages. I personally think he's trying to emulate Greg Buis (Season 1) and his coconut phone. Sorry, Shane. Greg was a bit off-kilter at times, but at least he was intriguing to watch. You just tend to creep me out in many ways, the Blackberry being the latest. Knock it off and get voted off, please!

The Reward Challenge once again split the tribe into teams. This time it was Terry, Danielle and Courtney against Shane, Aras and Cirie. In an athletic endeavor which included being team members tied to a long rope, an obstacle course above the water, diving to retrieve a bag and so on, the winners were Terry, Danielle and Courtney. I felt so bad that the other team got hopelessly tangled in their rope and had no chance at all to win. Heh. The Reward itself was a trip to a private island where they'd chow down on a barbeque, something these castaways always crave. They chose to send the biggest threat and strongest player, Aras, to Exile Island.

This challenge had more to it, too. The 3 winners competed in a secondary rather done-before bow shooting at tiles challenge where Terry won a spanking new spiffy 2007 GMC Yukon. Uh-oh. Will the curse of the Survivor Car Winner haunt him? Not once in the history of the show has anyone who won a vehicle ended up winning the show. Eep!

The next day, Aras was hanging around being bored on Exile Island -- he knows Terry has the hidden Idol -- and the winners were eating barbeque foods while quaffing flavored sodas. (What? No product placement? I didn't recognize the brand of the bottles they had.) Terry, once again, was trying to work his mojo to have Danielle and Courtney flip. It seemed to be working better than his last efforts. They finally decided that the Final Two should be the top two competitors in the game, not someone carried in because the jury wouldn't think worthy of the win. Can we say Courtney? I knew you could! She realized it, too. She's miffed, to say the least.

Back at the Gitanos campsite, Cirie caught a fish. Now, I'm really enjoying watching her on the show. She's so not outdoorsy that it's hilarious to watch her reaction to things like the fish. She's excited, scared of it and thrilled that she did it all at the same time. That makes her voice go higher and higher until she sounds like Minnie Mouse on speed. I love it! She scored more brownie points with Shane by declaring the fish a birthday gift to him. This woman is good, very good. We know from confessionals that she thinks Shane's a nutcase, yet she's not showing it at all to anybody but us. Shrewd, indeed.

Cirie knows that everyone wants Courtney against them in the Final Two as she won't get the jury vote. She knows Shane wants her, so lets him think she'll go along with his plan to off Danielle (off the show, not literally "off her"). Of course, a lot will hinge on who wins Immunity.

And, guess who? For the fourth straight time, Terry won individual immunity in a physical challenge which had the castaways holding up increasing weight amounts with ropes held in their hands. Shane was the first out; it didn't look like he started with a decent grip on the ropes. At the end, it was Courtney against Terry. She made a tremendous effort, almost going into a trancelike state, but he held out longer. Terry's third win was unprecedented, so now he's unprecedented his own record or something to that effect.

So the scheming starts. Shane thinks he has a deal with others while Terry thinks he may have finally broken the numbers game. But neither had anything on Cirie. She convinced Danielle and Courtney that Terry brainwashed them, while not giving a clue to Shane that her own personal target was Courtney. Not only that, but she convinced Danielle and Aras to vote Courtney and not mention it, too. She's really emerging as a top schemer in the many seasons of the show, I think. She's more likeable than past schemers. She may just make it.

The final vote at Tribal Council was scattered -- Terry and Aras voted for each other (naturally); Courtney voted for Aras as per the agreement with Terry; Shane voted for Danielle as he thought the ex-Casaya plan (sans Danielle) was to do so and Danielle, Cirie and Aras voted to off Courtney. Bruce, sent off to the hospital on last week's show, was in the jury and looking a lot healthier.

"Courtney, your torch has been extinguished. You must leave the Tribal Council area immediately."

All she could say was, "That's a shocker!" She never saw it coming. Although she balked at the thought that people might take her to the Final Two for the obvious win, I think she might have depending on just that sort of thinking to get her to that point. I'm finding this season more entertaining to watch than the past few. Although Terry's basically against so many such as Stephenie was, he's a stronger and smarter player than she was -- plus, he has the hidden Immunity Idol yet to play. Aras is Casaya's strongest physical player, but doesn't have great scheming abilities. Cirie schemes so well, but hasn't the athletic edge at all. Danielle is an okay player, but she's faltering against all the stronger ones. And, Shane's just weird.

'Survivor: Exile Island' - East Coast Update - Voted Out

One vote for Danielle (Shane), two votes for Aras (Terry, Courtney), three votes for Courtney (Cirie, Aras, Danielle)

Buh-bye, Courtney

A full recap/review will be posted in the morning - check back!

'Survivor: Exile Island' - East Coast Update 4/27 - Immunity

Terry has won his fourth straight individual Immunity Challenge.

'Survivor: Exile Island' - East Coast Update 4/27 - Rewards, Exile

The tribe split into two teams of three. The team of Terry, Danielle and Courtney won Reward - a barbeque feast on a private island. They sent Aras to Exile Island. In an individual Reward Challenge between the three winners, Terry won a 2007 GMC Yukon.

Updates on Immunity and the boot will be posted as they air here on the East Coast. A full recap/review will be posted tomorrow morning.

'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!

'Survivor' Recap/Review Will Be Posted Tomorrow Evening

My apologies to those who may be looking for it. Due to odd circumstance, I'll get the review up tomorrow night.