'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/20 - Gone

Bruce's entire digestive system was blocked up. He will not be returning to the game although if cleared, he might be a jury member. No Immunity Challenge and no vote tonight as Bruce is out of the running for the million.

'Aurvivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/20 - Medical Emergency

Bruce has been removed by medics for severe stomach pain. Medics say they can't rule out appendix problems and must take him for treatment.

The other emergency was that Shane was naked through this.
Ewww. Poor Courtney.

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/20 - Reward

Cirie won the Reward Challenge - a helicopter ride, spa, feast overnight. She could choose two to go with her - Aras and Danielle. She chose Terry for Exile Island.

Immunity and boot updates will be posted as they happen. A full recap/review will be posted late this evening.

'Survivor: Exile Island' - Ep. 9 -or- "Chafing Shane, Insane in the Brain and Not So Privates Pain"

Something has to change on the show or Terry will have to be Superman. Although he's such a strong player, I get irked when one tribe is picked off one by one in a numbers game after the merge. Yes, he has the hidden Immunity Idol from Exile Island, but is he going to conquer the odds against him? I guess we'll just have to keep watching, right?

Eight are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

After the predictable and inevitable recap of last week's show, we opened on Day 22 at the Gitanos campsite. Super Terry was going on about his jet fighter pilot career, something which may not endear him to others who already are worried because he keeps winning immunity. Courtney, Cirie and Danielle were giggling as he talked to Shane and Aras about his past. We got a hint of what Danielle wants for the ousted order when she said in a confessional Terry, then Sally, then Aras. That really didn't surprise me much - go after the remaining LaMina folks, then hit the strongest Casaya one. She searched through Terry's stuff a bit looking for the hidden Immunity Idol to no avail while telling the girls it was a "furry thing." Many are doubtful Terry has the Idol. Aras actually wants to be sent to Exile Island so he can look for it or traces that it's gone.

In the Rewards Challenge, they all got to see a tidbit of videos from loved ones. Shane went hysterical while watching his son and, again not a surprise, was the most emotional. His child looks like a normal little boy. That was the surprise! The tribe was randomly split into two teams. The winning team would see their videos in their entirety while chowing down on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and guzzling cold milk. The challenge itself was a new one for the show. One team member was harnessed in a cradle suspended by bungee cords and the other three had to steer her (both teams went for women) with ropes to collect 15 numbered flags in order. Once the last flag was placed in its holder, the team would win. Along with the videos and treat, the winning team would choose someone to send to Exile Island. The team of Terry, Courtney, Bruce and Sally won. Aras got his wish; he was sent to Exile Island.

We didn't see the videos as the show focused on those folks who headed back to camp. Shane was fussing and fretting. What now? He called Cirie over to him and told her, "I have an issue with my penis." Of course, she cracked up. He insisted she look at it (poor woman) as she's a nurse. She explained to him that he's been wearing wet underwear for more than 20 days and he's chafing. He didn't understand. "But it's all red! LOOK!" Finally she told him it's like diaper rash and he understood that. He made his shirt into a skirt. What an odd, odd little man.

Aras had troubles with the clues over on Exile Island. He spent some time digging and finally gave up to relax. He couldn't determine whether someone has the Idol or not, but he thinks it's probably been found. He's probably right, I'd say. Heh.

Shane, Cirie and Danielle were already not too thrilled that Bruce, Terry, Courtney and Sally saw their videos and ate. They were outright disgusted that the four returned with their luxury items, too. Now, this is weird. We haven't seen the luxury items for the last few seasons. Apparently, although they haven't had them on the show, contestants are still selecting them. Bruce had a sketchbook, Terry had the flag from his father-in-law's funeral, Sally had her journal and Courtney had fire toys - basically two ropes, each with an attached ball. Remember, she has an act she does with fire. She's a performance artist, oh-la-la-la.

The Immunity Challenge wasn't in itself all that thrilling. Castaways had to swim out and dive down to a huge bar with 7 symbols, memorize the order, swim to shore and recreate the bar in the proper order in a puzzle box. The twist was that each person was handed a nut and a shell. (I don't know why that had to be done, all Jeff would have to do is ask...!) One meant they wanted to go for Immunity, the other meant they felt secure and would gorge themselves on hamburgers, fries and sodas rather than compete. As I said, the shell/nut bit wasn't necessary at all. Just ask! It ended up that the only three competing in the challenge were Aras, Sally and Terry. Terry won. He's immune once again, plus has the Exile Island Hidden Idol. You go, Terry!

So, back at camp, the campaigning and trying to flip some Casaya members over started anew. The results were the same as last week, not a flip in the bunch. At Tribal Council, the vote went right by LaMina and Casaya lines -- six votes for Sally and two for Aras. Terry wisely, for his own game, didn't use the hidden idol to save Sally. After all, once that hand is played, it's over. Right now, although outnumbered, his only chance is to keep winning immunity until at least the Final Four and keep the find a secret. In Sally's good-bye confessional, she said she totally understands why he didn't use it to save her and hopes he wins it all.

My opinion? I'm getting a bit perplexed with this season. Yes, I understand why Casaya members aren't flipping. I don't think I would, either. I like Terry. I think he's pretty ethical in how he's playing the game. He seems like a good guy and he's definitely one of the strongest competitors ever on the show. While he has the figurative ace up his sleeve, is that going to be enough to go against the Sinister Six?

What do you think?

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/13 - Voted Off

Sally was voted off. Voting went along Casaya/La Mina lines - 2 votes for Aras, 6 for Sally.

A full review/recap will be posted late this evening.

'Survivpr: Panama - Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/13 - Immunity

Terry won Immunity once again!

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/13 - Reward and Exile

The tribe was split into two random teams for the Rewards Challenge. The team of Terry, Bruce, Courtney and Sally won. Reward was watching videos from home while eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with cold milk. They chose to send Aras to Exile Island.

I will enter East Coast Updates for Immunity and Tribal Council as they happen here in the East. A full recap/review will be posted late tonight.

'Survivor: Exile Island' - Ep. 8 -or- "Bonding Ain't What It Used To Be"

Nine are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

Tonight's episode opened on Day 19 at the Gitanos camp. Ah, Austin explained his behavior at Tribal Council. He was so certain he was going to be voted out that he felt he had to explain how he tried to look weak. Of course, that backfired on him. Now he's got the biggest target in Panama plastered on his back. That target would be Terry's, but he keeps winning everything and we know he has the hidden Immunity Idol from Exile Island. If he keeps this up, he's going to make Tom Westman look like a wimp! Courtney and others feel they made the wrong choice in voting Nick off instead of Austin. Aw, too bad. Too late. Aras keeps pushing the Casaya Agenda and no one trusts Austin. It's not a happy place, not at all.

But the Rewards Challenge comes around and temporary happiness will be had by a few castaways while two others will be in for the most miserable two days of their lives. Jeff splits the tribe into three teams of three -- Shane, Austin, Terry; Bruce, Aras and Sally and Cirie, Courtney and Danielle. The teams had to run coconuts from up on the beach and put them in the boats of their opponents, the objective being to weigh the boats down and slow the other team(s) as they row out to retrieve their flag and a net. After arriving back at shore, they had to load the coconuts in the net and haul them up the beach loading them into a coconut corral. Aras kept pushing for the girls to target the mens' boat. It didn't really work too well. The Women Only team ended up having to put coconuts in their own boat after the other teams finished loading their nuts. Had the Men Only team not decided to take two trips with their coconuts, they might have won. Instead, it was Aras, Sally and Bruce winning Reward.

They won a bed and breakfast feast and the opportunity to name a person from each of the other teams to go to Exile Island. Aras took over and decided Austin and Danielle would go. The B&B initially started out bad. It was pouring rain and the canopied bed was on a sandbar, soaked clear through. But once the food arrived, all was peachy keen. According to Sally, "I can't believe I'm cold and wet and in a bed with two strange men." Well, it happens. Meanwhile, over on Exile Island, Austin and Danielle are really suffering. No fire, no shelter and they're cold miserable. A perfect situation for bonding. But will the bond be enough to break tribal ties?

While the Lucky Three chowed down in their damp bed and the Exiled Two shivered, back at camp Terry was once again campaigning. He was prying information out of Shane who admitted he wants the final four to be himself, Aras, Cirie and Courtney. Of course, that gave Terry the idea of who to pursue for a flip -- Danielle and Bruce. Will it work? Once Sally and the Breakfast Club returned, Terry told her he had the hidden Immunity Idol and was planning on using it to barter votes. Now, I'm not sure that was such a good move. I think Terry has got to be one of the strongest contestants ever on the show. He has the ace in the hole and it's not a game of tribal lines anymore. I personally think he should have kept things mum and remember it's his ticket to $1,000,000 if he plays it right.

The Immunity Challenge was a huge contrived affair. There was running, digging, crawling, jumping, brainteasers, a Lincoln Log type obstacle course and more. Eventually it was down to the three ex-La Mina members pitted against each other, then down to Sally and Terry. Terry won, not surprisingly. However, it was pretty surprising that Sally was only a smidgen behind him. She almost snagged Immunity. I'm suitably impressed, aren't you?

Then the scheming starts. Danielle claims she's bonded with Austin. She also is angry with Aras for sending her to Exile Island. All the women get ticked off at Aras. Shane, for once, stayed out of the fracas. Terry is going around telling Danielle and Bruce that they're the next targets of their own tribe. He offered Danielle the Immunity Idol to flip her vote. Bruce claimed he respects Terry more than members of his own tribe. So, what happens?

They voted along previous tribal lines at Tribal Council. Five votes for Austin and three for Aras. So much for bonding. So much for Terry's secret find.

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

Argh. Terry should have kept his mouth shut about the Idol. Obviously, Bruce and Danielle didn't flip and now everyone will know he has it. What is going on with him? He's a great player and it's honorable that he doesn't lie or cheat. But he should know that's not Survivor.

I found this episode very frustrating. What did you think?

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/06 - Voted Off

By a vote of 5-3, Austin was voted off. Aras received the 3 votes. The hidden Immunity Idol didn't come into play.

A full recap/review will be posted later tonight. Please stop back! :-)

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 4/06 - Immunity

Terry won Immunity. Again!

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' East Coast Update - Reward/Exile

The tribe was split into teams of three for the Reward Challenge. At stake was bed and breakfast and the choice of who to send to Exile Island.

The teams were chosen by Jeff (or producers, or someone not a castaway) -
Shane, Terry, Austin
Bruce, Aras, Sally
Cirie, Courtney, Danielle

Winning team - Bruce, Aras, Sally
Sent to Exile Island - Austin, Danielle

'Survivor: Exile Island' - Ep. 7 -or- "When Tribes Merge, Shane Remains Obnoxious"

Ah, finally! A new episode of Survivor: Panama - Exile Island! I had fear I'd forget their names in the three week forced Mad Marchness hiatus. Yeah, I know they had the recap show on one off night at the beginning, but that doesn't count. I went through Survivor withdrawal. I almost went as far as to tattoo "Boston" on my chest, but decided against it.

10 are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

At the Casaya camp, it doesn't look like Shane's apologies at the barbeque meant much to Danielle and Courtney. They still want him out. I respect them for that. Even Aras is still worried about being able to trust Shane. Bruce just wants to make the merge. I don't think he cares much about any of them.

Meanwhile, Sally is happy off at Exile Island. She's digging for the hidden Immunity Idol and pleased to be off the chopping block. Peace and tranquility are hers ... for the time being, at least. At the La Mina (sans Sally) tribe camp, the boys' club gets tree mail. And, it's actual tree mail, unlike the ceramic pot mail we kept seeing on Guatemala. The rhyming letter indicated that a treasure could be found on the back beach and they'd be more comfortable tonight. Nick and Austin automatically thought food and beverage. Terry was more reserved. While technically, in the end, they were right -- it was a boat with some firewood and wooden crates. There was a map to the Casaya camp and an admonition not to open the boxes until they arrived there. The merge is on! The La Mina men vowed to stick together with Sally as an alliance knowing the numbers are right for Casaya to pick them off one by one. All they need is a flip of one from the other tribe for a tie, two for a majority vote. Terry knows he has the hidden Immunity Idol from Exile Island, but he's not sharing the news.

Over at Casaya, they're enjoying a lazy day eating rice when they spot the La Mina tribe coming in on the boat. They quickly vow they'll be the final six and pick off La Mina one by one. Then they chow down eating all the rice they can so they don't have to share their food. Oh, but then they go greet La Mina like they're childhood sweethearts. No sooner are the La Mina men ashore than Sally gets dropped off to join them. One big happy family ... of schemers and would be wheeler dealers. Inside the crates were the paint supplies and new buffs for the newly merged tribe. Also in the crates was food. Glorious food. The new tribe named themselves Gitanos (saying it means gypsies) and enjoyed chocolate, fruit, pickled stuff, wine, crackers and cheese.

Terry, in my opinion, was a bit too blatant as he campaigned for a flip from Casaya. I could understand him approaching Bruce as they were on the Older Men tribe together and have a bond. But, he approached Cirie and Shane! Cirie (dang, I get a kick out of her) said in confessional that she had an encyclopedia and there he was trying to sell her a dictionary. What the heck is wrong with him? I thought Bruce would flip, but when Casaya saw Terry talking to him, they started buttering him up with how valuable he is and what a great leader he is for them. @@ <-- I need to roll my eyes at that one! Will he flip? He seems to know the score. He knows he's sitting pretty with both tribes wanting him in their numbers game. Shane doesn't think Terry has the Immunity Idol and vows he'll be voted off first chance they get.

Of course, it didn't help matters for La Mina that Nick hit Bruce in the face with a machete. Nope, that wouldn't help their cause at all, accident or not. There have been spoiler rumors since before the season aired that Bruce got hurt and had to be taken away. The promos before the hiatus showed a helicopter. But if that happened with this injury, it wasn't shown on tonight's show. Maybe he'll get hurt again! Actually, for a machete blow to the face, it wasn't all that serious. He may have needed a stitch or two on the inside of the lip from how it looked.

Tonight, with the merge, it was the first individual immunity up for grabs. The contest was a physical one. On horizontal wooden poles the castaways had to hang upside down holding onto the pole with their arms and legs. One by one they fell leaving Terry last man hanging. So, he has the hidden Immunity Idol and won the first Immunity Necklace. He's safer than safe at the upcoming Tribal Council.

Terry campaigned again with Casaya folks, but no one outright committed. Nick just wants to make the jury. Austin said in confessional he pretended to be weak and drop because he knows either Nick or he will be voted out. Nick knows it's between those two, too. Terry keeps on campaigning. Then, Creep Me Out Shane loudly calls a meeting of the ex-Casaya tribe and they all agree to vote out Nick. Shane actually wanted Austin out, but the rest wanted Nick.

And, so it went. The voting went strictly according to previous tribal lines - four votes for Shane from the four La Mina and six votes for Nick from the Casaya.

"Nick, you must leave the tribal council area immediately."

He didn't make the jury. He tossed something to Cirie on his way out, but I'm not sure what it was. His goodbye speech was odd, not mentioning the show at all. It was something about young hungry people working on their dreams and changing the world. Maybe he had too much wine; I don't know.

I hope that we're not going to see La Mina decimated one by one for the next four weeks. I'd rather see a flip or even a mutiny with Shane being voted out. Did I mention he creeps me out? What did you think of tonight's show?

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 3/30 - Boot

The voting went strictly along tribal lines with no flipflopping -
6 votes for Nick to go; 4 votes for Shane to go.
Nick was voted off.

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update 3/30 Immunity

The first individual immunity was won by Terry.
Heh.

The new tribe name from the merge is Gitanos.

I'll update the boot when it happens and a full report will be posted late this evening.

'Survivor - Exile Island' East Coast Update

For the West Coast (and Hawaii!) --

The merge is on. La Mina got a boat with some supplies and scroll telling them to go join Casaya for the merge.

'Survivor' Scheduling Heads Up!

Folks --
Thanks to blog reader John, I went looking for this week's Survivor: Panama - Exile Island scheduling. Apparently there is no show on Thursday. On Wednesday at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas will be the typical filler show we see each season full of recaps of what's gone on thus far and the oh-so-special previously unseen footage. (Can you tell how thrilled I am?)

Alas, I have plans to be at B.B. King's Blues Club in Manhattan on Wednesday night reviewing a concert for Blogcritics.org. Now I'll have to make the decision between taping a recap of Survivor or Bones. I'll probably go with Survivor, but it better be darned exciting unseen footage, not Shane scratching bug bites! American Idol is down to a half hour that night starting at 9 PM and I'm actually grateful that Lost is yet another repeat.

So, I feel safe rockin', rollin' and singing the blues in the city.
Okay.
I won't sing.

'Survivor" Exile Island' - Dan Barry on 'The Early Show'

CBS has posted its 'The Early Show' interview with the latest 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' castoff, retired astronaut Dan Barry. In the website article Astronaut Blasted Off 'Survivor' - CBS News Barry mentions his feeling of being let down by his friend Terry.

I found this bit interesting -

"I loved that place. It was so beautiful," he told Smith. "Every morning it became a saying around camp. I would get up and say, 'Another beautiful day in paradise.' I saw two new species of birds every day. The iguanas would come up to the fire and you could just pet them. They hadn't seen people. It was completely back to nature."

Cool!

'Survivor: Exile Island' Ep. 6 - or - "Alliances, Double Whammy and One Down From the Boys' Club'

Whoa! A topsy-turvy, good alliance, bad alliance, smokin', shoot 'em to the moon (or off the show), break up to make up, karate choppin' hoe down of a show tonight. As always, I named the episode myself. It's of no consequence that the producers name each episode when I can do it myself, right? Tonight's episode is named "Alliances, Double Whammy and One Down From the Boys' Club." Yep, that's it.

11 are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

The show opened looking in on the Casaya camp. Shane is fussing and fretting. (I know ... that's nothing new.) Now he wants out of his alliance with Courtney, Danielle and Aras. Well, out of the relationship with the two girls. Since he swore on his son, he wants them to take his name off of it and rescind the swear with their permission. Or, something odd to that effect. Oy! Of course, the girls want him gone, so they're fine with it. Aras is just befuddled. He thinks Shane is crazy. Well, they all think that, I guess. I think it and I bet you might think it, too! Not one person in the alliance trusts him. After allowing him to back out of the alliance, the plan goes into effect that he'll be the next voted off. Uh-oh, he realizes it after all is said and done. Poor crazy Shane. Meanwhile, Cirie is so loving it all. If Shane goes next, then it might be Bruce before it gets around to her.

Over at the La Mina camp, the Boys' Club and Sally are struggling with leftover beans and itsy bitsy minnows they're catching at the edge of the water. Dan decided he liked everyone so much that he first told Nick about his space travels on shuttle missions. Then he told everyone. The tribe, especially the men, have bonded very well. Both Nick and Austin are in awe of Dan and can't praise him enough. (C'mon, guys ... this is Survivor! Backstab! Stop being all truthfully friendly! What's wrong with you?) Sally, but of course, is the fifth wheel.

The tree mail was a creepy spooky smiling skull doohickey. Well, well ... the Rewards Challenge will be combined with the Immunity Challenge. This is the one the tribes must give their best effort - Immunity is at stake. But one tribe won't make the grade.

Both tribes met up with Jeff in a field where an obstacle course was all set up, skulls playing a big part in the challenge. Courtney sat out for Casaya as they were one person ahead. Three members of each tribe had to go through the course, untying knots and getting puzzle pieces. Once four puzzle pieces were brought back, the remaining two tribe members had to solve the puzzle. The Reward being played for was a Panamanian barbeque, party and delivering toys to native children. Also, the winning tribe would choose one member of the losing tribe to be exiled off to Exile Island. This exile would be a bit of a reward for the person chosen as that person would be safe from Tribal Council. So, a strategic decision must be made.

Shane slowed things down a bit for Casaya, but in the end it was Dan who just couldn't get the puzzle started right for La Mina. Casaya won immunity and they wisely chose Sally to go to Exile Island. Sally would have been the boot. She knew it; we knew it. They would make a dent in the Boys' Club - the one true alliance on the show.

Casaya headed off to the barbeque where fun and frolicking was had by all - the show folks and the Panamanians. The kids loved it. Shane bartered for a cigarette. And everything was all lovey-dovey betwixt the previously battling alliance, much to Cirie's chagrin. Good times can cure all kinds of ills. I doubt Cirie has too much to worry about. Those good times aren't going to be eternal. One bad challenge and all should rightfully turn on Shane despite his apologies.

Back at La Mina, everyone is in the doldrums. The Boys' Club guys really, really like each other. Who should go? Dan is obviously the weakest member of the tribe, plus he loused up the puzzle at the challenge. Terry and Dan had agreed to never vote for each other, but Terry decides to look at things from a managerial perspective for the good of the tribe. Dan hopes it will be a tie, but knows things won't go that way. Sure enough, at Tribal Council the whole thing was discussed and Dan was ousted. He took it well and said he had a great time although he would never have voted for Terry.

And, that was that.

Will Casaya stay all lovey-dovey? How will the Boys' Club react to Sally when she returns? Isn't the merge within the next few weeks? Will Cirie be able to keep flying under the radar? I guess we'll just have to keep watching!

'Survivor' East Coast Update - Tribal Council

Dan was voted off.

'Survivor' East Coast Update - Reward/Immunity

Reward and Immunity Challenges were combined into one. Casaya won. They chose to send Sally to Exile Island, thus keeping her safe this week. La Mina has Tribal Council a'comin' up.