by Gina Scarpa

Phillip Shepherd is on a mission to expand the least secretive alliance ever to play the game of Survivor by adding fan Sherri to the group. He starts off by caressing her ego and saying she's hot, though I'm pretty sure she's not there for a love connection, and then gives her the name Tenacity. She plays along, but tells the camera Phillip is the new Shamar, which I'm sure he won't appreciate. Sherri seems to feel that in another two votes or so, she'll be calling the shots and people will be coming to her asking what they should do. Highly doubtful but alright.

In the reward challenge, the tribe is split into two teams and they must toss a ball into a net while an opposing player tries to block it. Malcolm defended for orange, while Michael defended for purple. What, no Malcolm vs. Reynold? Oh that's right, we're not tossing things. Brenda, on the orange team, figures out that you can just lob the ball over the defender's head to score and her fellow players soon follow suit. Unfortunately for her, the purple team is a bit better at it and Eddie, Reynold, Michael, Erik, and Cochran win a little trip rappelling down a waterfall with a picnic lunch waiting for them at the bottom.

Once we got past the hilarity of Cochran trying to get down the waterfall, complete with commentary by him, the fans try to lock up an all male alliance. Reynold and Eddie must not know Cochran that well, because he's not exactly game to attend Testeroneapalooza for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, can anyone tell me what Erik is thinking?

Back at camp, Malcolm tells Dawn his plan to take out one of the favorites after the immunity challenge. Either he doesn't realize that Dawn's the one whole sold out Corinne, or he has a short term memory problem. Andrea and Eddie must've borrowed Romantic Guitar Player from The Bachelor to join them as they form a little love connection on the beach. Well, you know, a love connection where they are on opposite alliances and will have to lie to and plot against one another to make it to the end.

The immunity challenge brings back an oldie but a goodie. Players must put their face up to a grate in the water as the high tide comes in. As they run out of space to breathe, they can pop out to the surface, but they'll of course be out. The guys all drop, along with Dawn and Sherri, leaving Andrea and Brenda to battle it out. Brenda was so in the zone that everyone had to jump in the water to tell her she had won!

Malcolm, thinking he has Dawn on lock, gets Reynold to show her his idol as an act of good faith and trust. Dawn turns around and plots to blindside Malcolm, but Eddie and Andrea meet in the jungle for a chat before the votes and she finds out that his alliance was plotting against her. Panicked, she runs back to Dawn and wants to switch the votes to Michael, which causes Dawn to inexplicably break down crying. This woman really needs to get a grip but just wait until next week, when she goes full blown nuclear.

At tribal council, Phillip announces that Sherri is part of Stealth R Us, much to Probst's amusement. He also goes on a long rant about people thinking they're in control of the game who will soon find themselves on the outs. Eddie tried to play the idol for himself but Malcolm convinces him to give it to him instead, right in front of everyone. Without hesitation, he hands it over, but it was all in vain, as Michael is the one sent to Ponderosa and also becomes the first member of the jury.

Survivor: Caramoan airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

(Image courtesy of CBS)

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