By Andy Sloan

 

After 22 days in Nicaragua, Survivor: Worlds Apart is down to its final 10 and those on the bottom are scrambling for power. Welcome back to your favorite reality recap site, where like Will, we're incapable of doing simple things like sliding down a ramp!

 

In what originally seemed like a predictable episode, I ended up on the edge of my seat with a mouth full of cake. It was another Survivor great, so here are this episode's top FIVE highlights.

 

1. Strategy in Overdrive
Everyone seems to know what they're talking about this season... that is if they're talking. Will and Sierra don't say anything, so who could know what they're actually up to. However, Rodney and Shirin know what's up.

 

Quote of the game goes to Rodney with "Flippers win the game at the right time with the proper blindside." After Dan repeatedly tries to rationalize his line "Flippers Never Win," Rodney swoops in with the soundbite to put the superfan to shame. On top of that, Rodney has the gears ready to make his statement a reality.

 

Meanwhile, Shirin jumps into damage control overdrive, integrating herself into Mike's alliance and deflecting the target onto Carolyn. Shirin's playing the game smart and hard, putting everything Dan says about her to shame.

 

Following Shirin's interaction with Mike, she says, "I might not be in the driver seat right away, but I'm in the passenger seat, backseat driving." Meanwhile, if I was to put Dan somewhere in this metaphorical car, it'd be the trunk. Right now he's riding Mike's coattails.

 

2. There's the Product Placement
We see it every season. Whether it be Sears, Sprint, or now M&Ms, product placement is a great way to help pay the bills. But what's even better than a Snickers bar is this challenge the castaways had to get it.

 

Will flops down a slide, Carolyn dives into a net and Shirin struggles on the balance beam. It's a sight to see, in what Jeff calls "the most awkward slides in the history of Survivor."

 

In the end, Sierra, Mike, Dan, Tyler and Shirin win the double-decker chocolate reward, while Jenn contemplates leaving game. But hey, she's just upset Hali got the boot and they're killing her chickens. Sorry Jenn.

 

3. Rodney's on his A Game
Now that Rodney isn't making ignorant comments, like he was at the beginning of the game, we're finally getting to see what a character he can actually be. His impersonations of Mike and Dan are on point. I can't explain it through writing, but they amazing. Go back and watch.

 

Meanwhile, through these impersonations, Joe realizes the cracks in the Blue Collar alliance, leaving space for the outsider alliance to swoop in and divide the tribe.

 

4. Get Your Head in the Game
Leading up to the immunity challenge, Jenn approaches Joe saying if she wins immunity she's giving the necklace to him. Now that Hali is out of the picture, Jenn doesn't care about the logistics of her game. Instead, she embraces her No Collar mentality and does whatever she wants.

 

In the immunity endurance challenge, the survivors must balance a block between their head and a post. The falling order is Carolyn, Will, Shirin, Rodney, Dan, Sierra and then the immunity challenge beast himself, Joe. However, with Jenn still in the game, Joe has yet another chance to win immunity.

 

Mike falls next, leaving Jenn and Tyler. However, after 30 minutes Tyler seals the deal and wins his individual immunity of the season, leaving Jenn and Joe vulnerable at tribal council.

 

5. Joe's Going Home? Right?
In what originally seemed like sure bet of Joe getting the boot, Shirin finds a "voting loophole," giving her the power of who to send home. Carolyn, Tyler, Dan, Sierra, Rodney, Mike and Will will split the vote 4-3, 4 for Joe, 3 for Jenn. If Joe and Shirin were to vote for Jenn, she'd be the next out.

 

Mike, however, realizes the situation and asks Shirin to vote out Joe, in her first task of loyalty to him. While Shirin must decide which way she wants to go, Joe runs into the woods to make a fake hidden immunity idol. We've seen it happen before and work, so why not give it a try!

 

A tribal, Joe gives Mike the fake idol and Shirin lays out her options to the tribe: vote out Joe and become the next biggest target, or vote out Jenn. What everyone doesn't know is the strategy behind the decision she's about to make.

 

Right before the vote, Mike asks Jeff to verify the idol Joe gave him, however, Jeff can't do so unless the idol is actually played. So after the vote, Mike plays the idol on Will and Jeff announces the truth. Imagine if the idol Joe made actually eliminated the person he used it on. Then Will would be off to ponderosa and everyone would go crazy. Why couldn't that happen?

 

In the end, Joe gets the boot, meaning Shirin decided to side with Mike and possible bridge a gap between alliances.

 

With just 9 people left in the game, it all kicks off next week, so you won't want to miss it. In the meantime check out my interview with Joe to get an inside scoop on all the madness!

 

Drop a comment below and we'll see you back here next week!

 

Photo credit: CBS