Season 16 ~ Episode 12 – May 1, 2008

By: Mary Cavaliere

Wow.  This is the strangest Survivor I’ve ever watched.  Not only an unexpected amount of blind-siding going on but three people eliminated from the competition without being voted out.  First there was Jonathon, and then there was Kathy.  This week it was James.  The cut on his finger was infected and when medics treated it and it didn’t improve within 24 hours, they forced him to quit the competition for fear of him not only losing his finger, but his entire hand.  Now what would a grave-digger do with only the use of one hand?  Poor James.  Or should I say poor Erik who was now the only man (or should I say boy) left to play the game.

The first challenge was a “How well do you know your fellow tribe members?” challenge.  Each member of the tribe privately answered a series of questions about the remaining tribe members.  Once Jeff tallied the results the group was asked to guess whose name would come up the most on any given question.  Each time a tribe member guessed correctly they were able to chop a rope with an axe that would lower a weight and eventually smash a ceramic likeness to each person on the tribe.  Once a tribe member’s rope was chopped three times, they were all done.  The reward is probably a Survivor favorite for both players and viewers – spending time with loved ones.  Parvati’s Mom Gail arrived first to watch the challenge followed by Erik’s brother Kirt. Then Natalie’s Mom Rocky entered followed by Alexis’ brother Nathan.  Amanda’s sister Katrina entered followed by James’ Dad James Sr.   Last but not least was Cirie’s husband H.B.  The final reward was taking a swim with their loved ones in Jellyfish Lake where the jellyfish are friendly and don’t sting!

I loved the questions and the voting majorities (although some were obvious).  Who does the most for the tribe?  James.   Who never shuts up?  Parvati (obvious).  Who mistakenly thinks they are in control of this game?  Parvati (obvious).  Who is the most honest?  Alexis.  Who are you least likely to invite to a family dinner?  James (James’ Dad had a real problem with this one).

Alexis won the challenge and was able to choose two other tribe members to join her and her brother Nathan to Jellyfish Lake.  Alexis chose her girl Natalie and Cirie.   Alexis also got to choose who would go to Exile Island where the un-played hidden immunity idol was once again up for grabs.  Amanda found the last clue on Exile Island which told her the idol was buried back at the camp under the tribe’s flag.  She played it really smart when she returned.   She told everyone she couldn’t find it and even went so far as to empty her bag to prove she didn’t have the idol.  It wasn’t a lie because she hadn’t retrieved it yet from under the flag.   What surprised me though was that she trusted Parvati enough to tell her she knew where it was.  Of all people I thought.  Didn’t Amanda see what Parvati did to Ozzy?  If I were in her position I would have definitely been wary.

The girls talked about who they would take out next. Although they all wanted Erik to go they feared he might win immunity and they would have to vote out one of their own.  Parvati was quick to ask Alexis if she wanted to go home because of a wounded knee but Alexis wanted no part of that decision.  She was in it to stay.  It seemed Amanda was the one with the target on her back because everyone knew, even those that loved her, that they could never beat her if she was in the final two with them. 

The immunity challenge was a shooting range where each tribe member had to shoot at colored bottles.  The first to break three of their bottles won immunity.  Surprise!  It was Erik who won and the girls were forced to eat one of their own. The mistake they made, however, was in being honest with Amanda and telling her to her face that they would be voting her out.  She acted sad and wounded so no one would be suspicious of her possessing the immunity idol.  It was perfection. I loved the look on Natalie and Alexis’ faces when right before the vote at tribal council Amanda played the idol.   I also enjoyed the reaction of the jury who were obviously ecstatic over Amanda’s success.  So now the idol has been played and no one else from this point forward will have the opportunity to play it any longer.

Jeff closed the show with another great one-liner.  “You guys are perfecting the art of a blindside”. 

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

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