Survivor Season 16 ~ Episode 11 – April 24, 2008

By: Mary Cavaliere

So we’re down to the final eight tribe members and a definite alliance has been formed with the ladies. Cirie, Alexis, Parvati, and Natalie began forming the alliance and then allowed Amanda to join the party. The only problem is Amanda is just faking it. She’s none too happy that they blind-sided her main man Ozzy and now she seems to be hanging close with James but not letting on to the girls that that’s where her head is at. The girls are planning on picking off the men (Jason, James, and Erik) one by one.



The first challenge wasn’t really a challenge. It was the infamous Survivor auction where contestants are given $500 cash to bid on trays of something unknown. Cirie bought a plate with a hot dog and french fries for $120. Erik got a plate of cheese nachos for $80. But when Natalie put up $240 she got a bowl of bat soup which she refused to eat. But James was right there to collect her prize for free. He had no problem chowing down on those little suckers. On one of the auctions they announced what the prize was ahead of time – a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that went for $280 to Amanda. Natalie spent yet another $240 and got a bottle with a note inside. The note told her to choose someone to go to Exile Island where a new immunity idol had been hidden. Whoever she picked had to turn over their remaining cash for her to spend. Natalie chose Jason, took his cash, and spent $380 for a chocolate cake and also another note. This time the note told her she could share her cake with three other tribe members, but they only had 60 seconds of eating time available. She chose her “girls” Cirie, Parvati, and Alexis. The auction ended with Erik paying Cirie $40 just to lick all of the chocolate residue off her finger. That kid is just crazy! As for Jason, while off on Exile Island, he found the immunity idol as expected.

The girls figured Jason would find the immunity idol and plotted against him while he was away. They decided they would convince Jason that James was going home so he wouldn’t play the idol. They decided to spare Erik because it was his 22nd birthday and they didn’t feel it would make his day too special if he went home on his birthday.

The immunity challenge had three parts to it. The first round started with the tribe members racing to throw rocks at tiles which released a bundle of puzzle pieces. The first four to release their puzzle pieces (Erik, James, Jason, and Amanda) moved on to the next round. The second round they had to dig to find a key that would unlock the bundle of puzzle pieces and once that was accomplished, they needed to use the puzzle pieces to assemble a wheel that was put onto a wench. Once they spun their wheel it would lower a set of two planks. The first two to lower their planks (James and Erik) moved on to the last round. The girls were secretly rooting for Erik because if James had won immunity it would have spoiled their well thought-out strategy to eliminate Jason. James and Erik had to use their planks to cross a rope bridge and make their way across discs to a platform. The first person to get to the platform won immunity, and as the girls had hoped, Erik won. All was well at camp that night!

I loved that the girls were taking control of the game, but what wasn’t cool to me was them going through Jason’s bag to see if he found the immunity idol. Once they confirmed that was the case Natalie made sure to let Jason know that James had the target on his back. Sure enough it worked, and just like they did with Ozzy last week, they completely blind-sided him at tribal council. What is wrong with these people? Why is everyone getting so relaxed and comfortable? Jeff said it best after the vote. “Anyone who feels safe is a fool.”

I thought tonight’s episode was going to be a bit boring without Ozzy but the tribe proved me wrong. I’ve watched Survivor a long time and I’ve seen people get blind-sided before, but never this many in one season. C’mon people – learn from the mistakes of others!

You can read more of Mary’s television blogs at www.myspace.com/italiangirl57


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