Survivor 39 - Episode 11 - Trust Your Armpit, Not Your Gut

[MrsGryn]

As you remember from last week, the tribe was split into two groups. The first group makes it back to camp and they await the return of the second group to find out who got voted out. Lauren is fearful that her main alliance partner, Tommy or Big Red as Elaine calls him, will be the target, so she is overjoyed when he sees him emerging from the jungle like a ghost of Survivor Past. As relieved as she is, the girl is still in game mode and they regroup to plan the next step. I really like Lauren and Tommy as partners in this game. Neither one panics, they think things out, and seem to be pretty solid in their alliance. I would probably lean more toward Lauren as a stronger player but a case could be made for both.

Apparently there is a Goat Army alliance, or at least the name of a pretend alliance. Dean calls it mustering the Goat Army to get rid of the bigger threats. It is hard to figure out who was recruited into this Bovidae Army, but we see Dean talking to Tommy and Elizabeth about it. For a few minutes, I was actually thinking Dean is not the complete nunchuck he seems to be, but then he goes and confirms he is still an idiot by deciding the fake advantage that Jamal crayoned while at Island of the Idols is actually real and dude. Seriously? If I stuck a box of Crayollas up my butt, I would poop something more believable than that sloppy parchment. Dean gets the bright idea to use some of the paint leftover from the new tribe flag and make up a fake legacy parchment in order to keep what he thinks is a real legacy advantage in his pocket. Oh Dean. It’s a good thing you’re pretty.

Sound of a motor boat wafts over the beach. Finally! Back to Island of the Idols! The tribe has to choose one person to go to the island unanimously, otherwise a name will be drawn from the bag. I have a question: are the names only those who have not been yet or of everyone left in the game? Like, could Janet or Elizabeth conceivable be picked to go again? Just some idol (ha) curiosity. Lauren immediately pipes up that she wants to go, and the votes trickle in for her. Naturally, this causes Weekend at Karishma’s to find something to whine about. I swear, this woman. She just gets worse as the season drags on. I mean, we all knew from the outset that Reem Daly was an annoying loudmouth, but Weekend at Karishma’s has taken a downward track since landing on the beach. She is bitter that other people are running the tribe. I guarantee that if she were part of the majority alliance or in the decision making circle, she would be singing the “Too bad so sad” tune to those on the outs. Because Weekend at Karishma’s is kind of a rude bitch. Sorry to insult bitches everywhere.

So Lauren hops in the boat. On the way over, we are treated to a funny scene where Rob and Sandra are eating freshly sliced papayas with lovely hand-carved wooden forks that cost several dollars apiece at Crate and Barrel, when a chicken sneaks up on Sandra and pecks the papaya in order to knock it out of her hands and start munching on it. Rob laughs that Sandra has been very loyal to the chicken this whole time and that is how she is rewarded. Something tells me this chicken is going to become Pollo Saltado by the next episode. Lauren makes her way up the beach and sees the giant heads of Miles Standish and Priscilla Mullins (Happy Thanksgiving!), and then when Rob and Sandra emerge from the jungle, she gets completely giddy. They take her back to their secret villain lair to play their mind games. For once, Sandra is allowed to speak and she says they want to know what is going on with her in the game. Turns out their Survivor lesson is one on “situational awareness” to see how well she knows the people on her tribe and if she can predict how they will choose to play on the next challenge. If she’s right, she gets an idol good for two councils, if she’s wrong she loses her vote. Boston Rob tells her what the challenge will be (hold a bar until a ball falls), but the twist is that those who choose to sit out will get breakfast foods. This is an easy choice as I love breakfast foods. Bring on the bacon! Lauren has to choose someone who will play the challenge. She equivocates a bit, noting that Noura is vegan so she might not be tempted and Elizabeth is without allies and is a competitor, so she thinks they will for sure play in the challenge. The Idols sweeten the deal by giving her two choices and if one of them plays the challenge, she wins the idol. Boston Rob claims he doubled her odds and two out of ten doesn’t seem like an actual doubling. But hey, it’s math so I will defer to the millionaires on TV. After giving it some thought, she picks Noura and Elizabeth. Sandra explains that if she gets it right, the idol will be hidden by tree mail.

Lauren gets back to camp and tells a much better story and Noura. She tells them she knows what the challenge is and explains it. She adds that the twist was that she got to choose if it was a sit out and eat challenge and what they would eat. The tribe loves it, especially when she mentions bacon. She has them all fooled, it seems, so that was successful. A little later, Lauren pulls Tommy aside and clues him in to the real thing and they decide to work on everyone to they want to sit out to do just that. Weekend at Karishma’s whines that a mimosa is her favorite drink in all the world and she would order it in bars if she could! I wonder if Applebee’s will put a new mimosa based drink on their menu? I also wonder if Weekend at Karishma’s has no idea how to order a glass of orange juice and a champagne split and an empty glass? It looks like Lauren and Tommy are doing a great job convincing the people they want to convince, and I’m getting more and more impressed with them.

Immunity challenge time! Probst is wearing a Glidden Paint Gray Hearth shirt, for those keeping score at home. Elaine has to give back the immunity necklace but she makes it as difficult as possible while getting a little handsy with Probst. Did she not pay attention in #MeToo discussion the producers JUST had with you people? Jeffy explains the challenge, lift the bar, out when the ball drops. He then does his big reveal to show the array of breakfast goodies and…..he is shocked. None of the Survivors react at all. It was so silent that we could hear the wind whistling in the space between Dean’s ears. Lauren explains they all had a heads up, like Probst didn’t know about that ahead of time, and he pretends to be relieved as to why no one started drooling immediately. He gives everyone a red rock and a yellow rock. They will display red if they want to play, yellow if they want delicious pancakes, bacon, hash browns. When the reveal comes, it is only Weekend at Karishma’s, Elizabeth, and Noura who are playing. Well done, Lauren! Probst makes it clear that when the challenge is over, the food goes away. Survivors ready? GO! And the people eating barely have enough time to shove some bacon in their mouths before Weekend at Karishma’s ball drops. Probst tells her she can sit down but she cannot eat and she mutters, “I can handle it.” Jeffy is confused and asks concernedly what she can handle. Weekend at Karishma’s explains that she can handle smelling the food and not being able to eat and also feeling like a failure. You’d think she would be used to that by now. Probst stares at her for a moment and asks why choosing to do the challenge would make her feel like a failure. Naturally she starts whine-crying about something stupid and I just can’t with this broad. Neither can Probst who says something generic and runs away back to the challenge, leaving Weekend at Karishma’s to weep alone on the sit-out bench. I can hear Lauren crunching bacon in the background and it sounds delicious! Okay, back to the challenge. Eventually, Elizabeth’s ball drops so Noura wins the challenge, but Noura does not move a muscle. She says she is staying there as long as she can for her tribe to keep eating, but Probst gently explains to her that the challenge is over so the eaters have to shove in their last bites. Elaine: “We’re tryin’ Jeff!”

Post challenge. Lauren and Tommy find their idol that she won. The talk post-challenge has to do with voting between Weekend at Karishma’s and Elizabeth. Tommy feels that they can vote out the weak one any time and my LORD how many times do these people say that and yet she still survives? Noura and Elizabeth fret that Weekend at Karishma’s might have an idol. The two girls approach her to see how she is doing okay after the challenge, but it is a subterfuge as Noura grabs Weekend at Karishma’s bag to go through it. She and Elizabeth rifle through and find a crumpled up note, which OMG DID YOU EVEN READ IT? and some shells so they assume that means she does not have an idol. They forgot to check her armpit. Meanwhile, Dan talks to Weekend at Karishma’s and says they are splitting the vote between Elizabeth and Janet, even though in truth it is split between Elizabeth and Weekend at Karishmas. Immediatelyl after finishing the conversation, Weekend at Karishma’s goes over to Elizabeth in FULL VIEW of Dan to talk to her about what just happened. Lauren joins Dan and it turns out that another one of Lauren’s talents is reading lips. I love it. Dan confronts them but Weekend at Karishma’s just says they were talking about JAN-et. Mmmhmm.

Tribal council time. Probst is wearing a Glidden Paint Bali Hai Teal shirt, for those keeping score at home. Rob and Sandra are in their little grass shack. They love that Noura got immunity and know that means Lauren got the idol. The jury comes in and Jack’s hair has been washed and fluffed. It’s very curly. Probst goes into the challenge and what happened and Missy looks fairly disgusted that six of the nine chose to sit out the challenge. A-a-ron just looks like he wants to punch a nerd. Elizabeth laments not winning immunity. Weekend at Karishma’s claims she chose not to eat because she wanted to challenge herself. I hope she remembers the lesson she learned is that she sucks. To quote Homer Simpson, “You tried your best and failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.” Dan says something, but he is gesturing with his hands and that is just distracting now, so I ignore him. Dean reminds Probst that he has a legacy advantage and Boston Rob grins from the confines of his grass spy shack. Probst goes on to ask about people agreeing on what to do and Tommy makes a great analogy about asking his girlfriend where she wants to eat, and even though it’s one person they still can’t figure it out. Tommy missed a great opportunity here to pick up a sponsor in Applebee’s by claiming they can always agree on that! I hear they have mimosas now. There is more talk about loyalty and core alliances and I don’t care because tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have to get up and drive four hours in the morning. So let’s get to the vote.

Probst tallies the votes. He asks if anyone has an immunity idol they would like to play. Dean stands up and gives Probst his legacy advantage and Jeffy takes great delight in denying its authenticity. Rob and Sandra LOVE it. Then suddenly Weekend at Karishma’s stands up and reaches into her armpit. She pulls out her hidden immunity idol and hands it to Probst. There are some shocked looks on just about everyone’s face, except of course for our Idols, who are wriggling with glee. I’m surprised no one asked if there was a snake in that grass hut overlooking the tribal council area, as Rob and Sandra were moving around so much. Probst confirms that it is a hidden immunity idol and thus any votes for Weekend at Karishma’s will not count. And yet before he goes on, Lauren interrupts him to play her own idol. Sigh. So unnecessary. She should have known she was safe! Did you not learn anything from your lesson with Boston Rob? Read the tribe! Probst starts to read the votes.

Weekend at Karishma’s. Does not count.

Weekend at Karishma’s. Does not count.

Weekend at Karishma’s. Does not count.

Weekend at Karishma’s. Does not count.

Weekend at Karishma’s. Does not count.

Weekend at Karishma’s. Does not count.

Weekend at Karishma’s. Does not count.

Janet. (NOOOOOOOOOOO!)

Elizabeth.

It is officially a tie. The Survivors will have to revote. No one can vote for Weekend at Karishma’s, they can only vote for Elizabeth or TinyTank. I swear if this is how Janet goes out I’m gonna riot. The Survivors revote and Probst goes to tally the votes again.

Jeff reads the new votes.

Elizabeth.

Elizabeth.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth. That’s enough. The Olympian is voted out and she takes it in good humor, smiling at everyone and wishing them luck.

So that’s it this week. Good luck, travel safe, and enjoy your Thanksgiving, whatever it looks like. I’m thankful for all you people who come back every week and read these recaps. I salute you with a forkful of mashed potatoes.

(Recap title from a suggestion by Tsylyst)

[Magpie]

Great recap, @MrsGryn, and so quickly, too! Enjoy that well-earned feast tomorrow! *FIST* (waving a turkey leg)

[gforce]

Great recap!  

[tlh9]

Thank you for getting it up so fast even with the impending holiday!

I enjoyed reading it before bed last night.  You always point out -- and enhance -- all the funny in this show.

[MrsGryn]

Thanks! Figured if I didn't get it done right away, it wouldn't happen until at least Saturday night. Luckily this was a straightforward episode.