by Gina Scarpa

 

I’m psyched.  Tonight, Survivor has returned and for its 19th season, the show has headed to Samoa, an island in the South Pacific Ocean.  It’s full of volcanic mountains, beautiful waterfalls, and rugged mountains.  The 20 contestants arrive on the beach to meet up with Jeff and they have already been placed into their two tribes, Galu (purple) and Foa Foa (yellow).  As a tribe, they must elect a leader based only on first impressions.  Being a leader, especially in the beginning, isn’t exactly a blessing.  It’s probably more like a curse.  Galu chooses Russell (not the evil one), an attorney, while Foa Foa goes with Mick, a doctor.

 

Russell and Mick have to decide who’s going to participate in the opening challenge, starting by picking the best swimmer on each tribe.  Mick chooses Jaison and Russell goes with John.  Next, they have to pick the strongest person on their tribe.  Mick goes with Russell and Russell decides on Erik.  Then, the most agile person.  Mick goes with Marisa and Russell picks Yasmin.  Last, the smartest person.  Mick chooses Liz and Russell chooses Shambo.  I like Shambo… and her mullet.

 

The swimmer will swim out into the ocean and retrieve a key.  The strong person will have to unlock a bundle of locks and set them up as steps.  The agile person must climb the steps and make their way across a set of balance beams.  The smart person must unlock a set of puzzle pieces and put them together.  Winner gets fire.  This oughta be interesting.  Mick made great choices and Foa Foa fairly easily took that challenge.

 

At Foa Foa, everyone gets to work on their camp while Evil Russell already starts wreaking havoc.  He forms separate, secret alliances with the “dumb girls” on the tribe and another with Betsy, a police officer, who he deems smarter than the others.  She reveals in her interview that she doesn’t trust him at all.  Good instincts, Betsy.  At Galu, Shambo has a problem with the way Good Russell is leading their tribe and feels a bit removed from everyone, considering most of them are in their mid 20s.

 

Evil Russell is telling everyone at Foa Foa that he was in Hurricane Katrina.  This jerk… if you can believe it… is LYING!  Who in their right mind would lie about Hurricane Katrina?!  I hated him in the first ten seconds of this episode but that’s his goal.  Marisa believes his story (she shouldn‘t), but is starting to think he’s slimy.  Slimy he is, because now, he’s dumping out everyone’s water and burning people’s socks in the fire.  I’ve been a Survivor fan since the very beginning and this guy makes Johnny Fairplay look like Mother Teresa. 

 

For tonight’s immunity challenge, six members of each tribe will race across a series of A-frames, carrying rope which they will use to pull heavy crates to a check point.  From there, the remaining members will open the crates and use the puzzle pieces inside to create a saying.  Both tribes make it over the frame and get to work on their puzzles at almost the same time.  These things always come down to the puzzle and Galu easily puts it together.  They win immunity and Foa Foa is headed to their first tribal council.

 

Back at the Foa Foa camp, Mike tries to deflect attention off of him because he’s 62 years old and traditionally, the older people go first.  He’s pushing for Ashley to go, calling her the weakest physical player.  Marisa tells Evil Russell that she’s wary of him and now she’s his target to get out of this game.  He starts campaigning hard to get her out but they’re pretty stupid if they go for it.  He think he’s running the game but Betsy has already started telling people to look out for him.

 

At tribal, Mike tells it like it is: the honeymoon is over and it’s time to vote someone out.  Betsy is asked who the weakest link is and she chooses Ashley.  Russell calls Marisa out and says he doesn’t trust her or like her.  With that, it’s time vote and Marisa is the first person to be sent packing.  Wow.  Evil Russell pulled it off.  God, I hate him but while he’s on the show, things are going to be QUITE interesting.

 

 

Survivor: Samoa airs Thursday nights at 8pm ET on CBS.

 

(Image courtesy of CBS)

 

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