The Koror Tribe: Caryn, Ian, Jennifer, Katie, Tom
The Jury: Coby, “The Quitter”, Stephenie, Gregg
The Losers: Jonathan, Wanda, Jolanda, Ashlee, Jeff, Kim, Willard, Angie, James, Ibrehem, Bobby Jon,
Greetings fellow Survivor junkies! Its Monday, so that means its time once again for your weekly:
Well, for once we are not subjected to the tribe stumbling back from Tribal Council in the dark. The show opens with a stiff breeze blowing through the camp. (If this is the producer’s idea of “stormy weather” they need to get out of sunny southern California and spend some time here in the Northeast!) In fact, I don’t know about you, but I sure didn’t see anything to imply that this would be “a night the tribe will never forget.” So much for the Website clues!
Anyway, Tom confesses to the camera that “He wouldn’t have been surprised if it was him last night because if he was playing the game that’s what he would do.” He also says that it looks like everyone is going to stay true to the five. (Himself, Ian, Katie, Gregg, and Jenn). He closes his confessional by describing Caryn as “more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”
Caryn’s self preservation alarm is howling as and she makes a plea to Tom that it makes more sense to keep her around and split up the Gregg/Jenn twosome by booting Gregg. Tom is noncommittal.
Treemail calls them to Reward Challenge.
Jeff describes the challenge as the typical Q&A challenge with questions about Palau and it’s history. Each player has a flame in a can suspended over the water. This “lantern” is suspended by a rope attached to three levers. For each correct answer, a player will be permitted to throw another players lever. As each lever is thrown, the lantern drops towards the water. After the last lever is thrown, the lantern is dunked in the water and that player is out. The last player to have a “lit” lantern wins reward. A cruise on a luxury yacht with all the amenities that come with it. Massage, shower, bed, food, etc.etc.etc.
The first question: “Palau is famous for its green mushroom shaped islands known as:
a. Stone Islands
b. Rock Islands
c. Mushroom Islands
The correct answer is B. Everyone gets it right.
Tom pulls Gregg’s first lever.
Jenn pulls Caryn’s first lever.
Ian pulls Caryn’s second lever.
Caryn pulls Katie’s first lever.
Gregg pulls Tom’s first lever.
Katie pulls Caryn's third lever, eliminating her.
Question number 2: “In the early days of Palau, stones were used as a form of money. The largest stone weighed up to:
a. 5 lbs
b. 10 lbs
c. 100 lbs
d. 10,000 lbs
The correct answer is D. and Tom is the only one who got it right.
Tom pulls Ian’s first lever.
Question number 3: “The islands of Palau are encompassed in the North Pacific Ocean and which other body of water?
a. The Indonesian Delta
b. The Bay of Guam
c. The Philippine Sea
The correct answer is C. Everyone gets it right.
Tom pulls Jenn’s first lever.
Jenn pulls Tom’s second lever.
Ian pulls Tom’s third lever, eliminating Tom.
Gregg turns to Katie and says, “I’ll save you…if you don’t get me on this.” as he pulls Ian’s second lever.
Katie pulls Ian’s third lever, eliminating Ian.
Question number 4: “Palau lays in which direction relative to the Equator?”
a. North
b. South
c. East
d. West
The correct answer is A. Gregg and Katie get it right.
Gregg moves to the levers as Katie pipes up and reminds them of “their deal.” Tom confirms that he heard “a promise being made.” Gregg asks Jenn “Is that horrible if I hit you Jenn?” to which she replies, “You’ll never live it down ever.”
At this point, Jeff (with a dumbfounded look on his face) asks Gregg if he just asked Jenn for her permission. Gregg doesn’t say anything, so Tom answers for him and says yes. Jeff still can’t believe Gregg's wimpy-ness as Gregg pulls Katie’s second lever.
Katie retaliates by pulling Gregg’s second lever.
Question number Five: “True or False: Palau was the first nation in the world to issue the Elvis Presley postage stamp.”
The correct answer is true. Jenn and Gregg get it right.
Jenn pulls Katie’s third lever, eliminating Katie.
Gregg steps up and pulls Jenn’s second lever (The ever vigilant Tom jokes “At least he didn’t ask permission this time.”)
Question number Six: “The coconut crabs which inhabit the island of Palau have the ability to do what after they eat?”
a. Change color
b. Leap up to three feet
c. Replicate themselves
The correct answer is A. Gregg gets it right. (Of course Jenn looked as if she really didn’t try all that hard to get it correct. But we won’t go there!)
Gregg pulls Jenn’s third lever, eliminating her and winning reward.
Jeff tells him that enjoying a reward “all alone” is no fun, so he can bring a friend. (Now I ask you, did ANYONE think for one minute that he wouldn’t pick Jenn?) Well he does as she immediately Freaks! Jumping up and down, throwing her arms all around and generally making a monkey of herself. (Ian looks pissed. Why? Who knows?)
Anyway, Jeff (knowing full well that these two need a chaperone) tells Gregg to pick a third person to share reward. (Ian immediately starts acting like a little kid on a school playground! Pick me! Pick me!) Whereupon, Gregg makes his most fatal decision of this season and picks Katie. Jeff sends Gregg and his two ladies off to their reward and sends the three losers back to camp.
The three return to camp where Tom proclaims even more of his wisdom with “The reward was the icing on the cake and we didn’t come here for the icing, we came here for the cake.” Ian follows with a very profound “We have lost control of the game to Gregg and Jenn.” Doubting Tom looks doubtful so Ian continues. “They (Gregg and Jenn) have Katie and we are the next three gone.” Caryn agrees and lets them know what the order will be, with a simple “Me, Tom, You.” Tom is starting to see the light as he admits that Katie has become “The Shady Lady Katie.” The three continue their strategy session and realize it all comes down to forcing a tie vote by voting for Gregg. Tom says he is willing to draw rocks (referring to the tie breaking method) and Ian quickly agrees. Caryn is a little hesitant, but they convince her that if they don’t force a tie, she’ll be voted out anyway, so what does she have to loose? She agrees.
The scene cuts to the three other players arriving on the yacht. They are shown their rooms, get showers, are given their bathing suits (the ones they weren’t wearing when they were stranded on the island, 31 days ago) and go up on deck for their massages. During Gregg’s massage, his “friend” (who’s name is also Greg) sneaks up and takes over for the masseuse, massaging Gregg’s feet. Gregg realizes that someone else has taken over the massage when his friend smacks him on the behind. They have a reunion scene with hugs and high fives and Gregg introducing Jenn and Katie to his friend Greg. Are you all as confused as I am at this point?
Later, at lunch, two more strangers arrive to surprise Jenn and Katie. We discover that these two new “loved ones” are Katie’s brother-in-law (her sister is pregnant and couldn’t make the trip) and Jenn’s sister. The six all have a grand time, stuffing their faces and catching up on all the gossip back home.
Back at camp, Tom, Ian and Katie cement their plan by shaking on it. Tom then gives Caryn her instructions that she is to continue acting like she knows she is the next one to go. Caryn says she call pull that off because she’s “a good actress.” Funny, I thought she was a “Civil Rights Attorney” from Ohio!
Anyway, back on the yacht, they decide to go “swimming with the fishes” er, I mean dolphins. Katie says it is the “most magical moment” she’s ever had while Jenn just blubbers because her sister is here.
At dinner, the six are again stuffing their faces, when Gregg finally informs Katie that he has decided to let her into their little alliance and that the three of them should be the final three.
Katie then confesses to the camera, that her strategy is “to stick with the people who make the decisions until they no longer make the decisions and then jump to the new people who make the decisions.” In other words, she is a parasitic leech! The last shot we see of the three on the yacht, is their agreeing about the final three and deciding that Caryn is next and then Tom followed by Ian. All the while, ominous music is playing in the background. The question is, who is the music playing for?
The next morning the three arrive back at camp with their “loved ones” to rub it in the faces of the three reward losers. The Emmy Awards committee should create a new category titled “Best make believe actor/actress in a Reality series.” And the nominees are:
Caryn, who acts just like Janu er, sorry, “The Quitter” did for the last two weeks, all defeatist and “Oh woe is me, I’m next and there’s nothing I can do about it! And
Tom, who acts jealous that he didn’t get to see his family. What? You thought he really was jealous? Come On!
Anyway, Ian pulls Katie’s brother-in-law aside and promises “he’s going to look out for Katie.” I don’t think anyone bought this, least of all Katie’s brother-in-law, so, sorry, no nomination for you, Ian.
Its time for the loved ones leave so Gregg gets all weepy and tells his friend to tell his mom he loves her. Why you ask? Well come on! It IS Mother’s day weekend after all and . . . What’s that? Oh, you want to know why all the boo-hooing? Well, it seems that Gregg’s father died last year and he still hasn’t quite gotten over that. No, No, I don’t think he was trying to play on our sympathies ala Jonny Jackass from Pearl Island, I think he was genuinely still mourning the loss of his father. So, no nomination for Gregg either.
Cut to commercial.
Gregg reads the Treemail calling them to Immunity challenge:
“Some played hard, some just watched
And others just skated by.
To make your chances one in five
Give this one your best try.
Usually this is a second chance
But for some it’s all brand new.
So embrace the challenges of the past
Or tonight you could be through.”
Yep, Jeff introduces the challenge as a five leg race with one player eliminated after each leg. First is the net maze followed by a “land version” of the sea star sliding puzzle. The third leg will involve eating three Baluts followed by untying knots, opening a box and raising a flag. The final leg involves a shooting competition.
Jeff says players ready? Go! And Caryn is eliminated first.
The second leg shows Katie’s ineptness at sliding puzzles as she falls to the wayside.
Gregg can’t manage to stomach the Baluts, (or maybe he just pigged out too much on the yacht!) In either case, he is eliminated.
Tom and Ian left Jenn all tied up in knots as they both raised their flags. So, just like that Jenn is eliminated.
The last and deciding test pits Tom against Ian. Tom shows us why he is a New York City Fireman and not a member of NYPD Blue! Cuz he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn door! Ian easily wins the shoot out and the ugly necklace.
Back at camp Tom, Ian, and Caryn act as if nothing’s wrong and “as according to the plan” Caryn is the next to go. Ian goes as far as calling Caryn’s performance “Oscar worthy!” Gregg is completely bamboozled! So is Katie for that matter, until Ian pulls her into the woods to inform her of the scheme. She is obviously shocked when Ian informs her that Gregg is the bootee tonight and unless she goes along with them, it will come down to a tie, and the dreaded purple rock. Is she willing to place her fate to chance?
Katie, confesses to the camera that she is upset that Ian told her all this “right before Tribal Council” as opposed to when Katie? AFTER Tribal Council? Dumb blond! Anyway, she continues with how she is upset that “the only reason Ian wants to take her to the final two is because he knows he’ll win in the jury’s eyes.” Yep! Even dumb blonds have a lucid moment once in a while!
The tribe files into Tribal Council, Jeff calls the jury in. Stephenie looks as if she ready for a night out on the town! After the typical blah, blah, blahs. Ian says he is going to keep the ugly necklace, as Jeff says “Its time to vote.”
Again for those who cannot or will not view the videos at the SeeBS website, here is what each person said as they cast their vote.
Unfortunately, the Survivor website has a busted link to the video showing Tom and Caryn’s remarks. If the Survivor webmaster gets the link fixed by Thursday, I’ll post their comments. But until then, here are the rest of the votes.
Ian (votes Gregg): Gregg, you're the dark horse, and it's just time for the dark horse to ride off into the sunset.
Jennifer (votes Caryn): Caryn, you played a really great game but I hate to do this, but you're just not part of the five, and that's it.
Gregg (votes Caryn): Caryn, unfortunately our five person alliance didn't give you any fair opportunity to execute any strategy, sorry about that.
Katie (votes Gregg): This was not my original plan but I have to go where the numbers are. You played a really smart game, and I saw you in the challenge that you picked Jenn over me, so sorry (she just mumbles the rest).
Jeff says, “I’ll go tally the votes.” He leaves as we are treated to a couple of shots of worried faces. He re-enters the camera view and says his typical “Once the votes are read, the decision is final. The player voted out, will be asked to leave the tribal council immediately. I’ll read the votes.” You have to give Jeff some credit. He tried his best to impart some suspense into the vote starting out with two Caryn votes, but he just couldn’t pull it off. Gregg gets the boot and we all know it!
Gregg stands up and says, “You guys are good” as he walks over to Jeff to get his torch snuffed. Jenn has a shocked look on her face while Coby mugs for the camera.
The tribe has spoken!
Gregg's Final Words
Wow, that's hugely disappointing but I think I would be lying if I said I wasn't completely surprised. I think I was starting to feel a little too comfortable and my strategy involved trusting too many people for too long. And you know I trust us going into the final five, I trusted the look in people's eyes but my hats off to them, they got me, they got me good. You know, no regrets on what I could have would have should have done. I am pretty proud and happy for the way that I played the game, it's a disappointing ending but it's been a great ride, one that I will never forget. I learned about myself, I learned about a lot of what I can do, and what you can overcome if you put your mind into it.
With respect to the game, man they got me. You think about me, you don't want to have regrets but you think about it and uh, did my relationship with Jenn hurt, did I trust Ian and Tom too much, did I pin Tom and Ian as targets and assume they would be buffers for me? I think it would have been a better situation if Jenn and I had not been, had not had such a strong relationship because if you think about it, it would be dangerous for anyone to go to the final three with us because they would assume that we would take each other, kind of write each other off. That was something I was kind of aware of, I wanted to work through that but unfortunately I waited a little too long to before I started to execute that strategy. I wanted to have Jenn and myself to convince Katie that, hey Jenn and I are a team here, and we'd take you but I never got the opportunity to do that, I waited too long, and obviously I am sitting here as a result.
So, uhhh, you know its 33 days in, but it's not too bad but I am a competitor but it's not how I envisioned things ending, but I got to take my hats off to them, there is no hard feelings to anyone over there. I see it as a game and that's all it is. I still think there are a bunch of great people left over at Koror. I don't look at it as being stabbed in the back, I look at it as someone having a better strategy, someone, myself, not being aware of all of the possible scenarios and not being aware of the threat that I pose, and so for me not being aware of the threat I posed, I am sitting here. It wasn't cause I trusted someone too much, it's because someone came up with a better strategy and I didn't have a role in it. I'd like to think if I made it one more round, the game would be a little different, as the story goes, that's all she wrote for me. It would be interesting to see how the rest of this plays out and see if this messes up with any of the dynamics with the rest of the Koror tribe. I wonder how Jenn will react to it, but it seems like they definitely got four people on the same page at this point.
In closing, it's an invaluable experience, I took a lot away from this. I guess all of the experiences that I was able to have with the Bai, scuba diving and having family come out to visit, it really completes the experience for me but more importantly, I take a new perspective on things, I bring back much love home, people said over and over again, family will get you through this. I look forward to taking this experience and sharing it with them, and um, enjoying it all over with them with people who are close to me.
Well, that’s it for this recap, see you all Thursday for my weekly picks.
Take care,
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body,
but rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up,
totally worn out,
and loudly proclaiming....
Wow, what a ride!"
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