'Survivor: Caramoan' (CBS)
Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Michael Skupin. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.
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Last Week: Brandon was tempted to release his inner Russell, but he fortunately didn’t indulge, Phillip broadcast his alliance’s code names, which is info you probably shouldn’t divulge, and Reynold didn’t save Allie, even after Laura pointed out his bulge.
39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog
Let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…
The Bikal Tribe (wearing purple)
Andrea – Entertainment Host and Writer, 23
Brandon – Chemical Disposal, 21
Brenda – Paddleboard Company Owner, 30
Cochran – Harvard Law Student, 25
Corinne – Pharmaceutical Sales, 33
Dawn – English Professor/Power Rankings Champ, 42
Erik – Comic Book Artist, 27
Malcolm – Bartender, 25
Phillip – Chief Executive Officer of Enter Software Sales, 54
The Gota Tribe (wearing orange)
Eddie – Firefighter/EMT, 23
Hope – Recent Graduate of the University of Missouri, 23
Julia – Racecar Driver/Student, 21
Laura – Administrative Officer, 23
Matt – Brand Manager of Two BMX Brands, 38
Michael – Event Planner, 44
Reynold – Sales, 30
Shamar – Iraq War Veteran, 27
Sherri – Fast Food Franchisee, 41
The evening’s festivities kick off with harmony and smiles after Gota’s first Tribal Council. Just kidding, Reynold, Eddie, and Shamar get into yet another shouting match. Shamar then branches out and starts yelling at members of his own alliance. He’s versatile.
The next morning, Sherri practically begs Shamar to chill out. He claims he isn’t bothering anybody. Ha! He’s making Brandon Hantz look like Mr. Rogers.
Over at Bikal (BIKAL!), Phillip is getting his exercise on. He tells us that back home he plays basketball with people twice as tall as he is. Whoa! That’d be like playing one on one with Spud Webb on Yao Ming’s shoulders.
Later, Malcolm and Corinne go on an idol hunt. Sure enough, Malcolm finds it. Remember how impressed we were when Russell found the idol without a clue? I’m starting to think they just put 40 out there and then remove the other 39 once one is found.
Unfortunately for the lucky duo, Andrea doesn’t like how intensely Corinne and Malcolm seem to be in their private conversations. She seems more interested in keeping Brandon than Corinne. Really? This makes my heart hurt. It’s like watching my children fight.
Brandon’s excited that someone is throwing him a lifeline. But if they’re lying to him, he’ll get his revengeance by peeing on everything. I still say “The Urinator” is a sweet Stealth R Us Too nickname.
Back at Gota, Shamar tells everyone that he isn’t happy being the angry black man on “Survivor” and he’s OK being voted off next. Ooof…somewhere Allie just threw a potted plant at her television.
Sherri convinces him to stick around so that they won’t be down two people if they lose the immunity challenge. He says he’ll stay and fight. Reynold is very annoyed that Shamar looks like a hero for holding off on quitting for a few days.
Immunity Challenge Time: Both tribes will race out into the water to a bamboo cage. They’ll climb the cage, drop back into the water, and release a chest. They’ll then have to drag the chest back to shore. From there they’ll use grappling rings to drag sections of track together. The first team to push their chest down the track and to the finish line wins chairs, a tarp, pillows, blankets, and immunity.
Before the challenge starts, Michael tries to get a low five from Shamar, but Shamar isn’t having it. Can’t leave a tribemate hanging there.
The favorites jump out to a lead as Laura was having trouble backstroking to the cage. However, the fans catch up and are the first to untie the cage and start moving their chest.
It’s just about dead even by the time they get their chests onto the track. But the faves do some fancy ring tossin’ and track pullin’ and manage to score the win.
That challenge was awesome, the grappling section was super tense. Kudos to John Kirhoffer and the challenge team.
During the post-game wrap-up, Shamar snaps again. He’s awfully upset for someone who’s getting his wish of getting to go home.
Laura’s worried that she’s in trouble because of how poorly she performed. So, she decides to throw some hatred Hope’s way in an effort to take heat off of herself. Smart. She takes this plan to Matt and Sherri, and they all decide to split the vote in case the idol is played.
Sherri’s worried that Shamar might fudge the plan up. Sure enough, he does. He goes to Hope and tries to give her a hint as to what’s going on. He wants her to vote for Eddie so she can stick around. This is why Boston Rob would wait until right before Tribal Council to tell his Phillip what the plan was.
Then some crew member named Julia notices that Shamar is screwing things up. That’s weird. Usually the crew is invisible.
Anywho, Laura is not pleased with Shamar and goes to Reynold with the idea of getting rid of him. Man, none of the votes have been dull this season.
That night at Tribal Council, Shamar tells JPro that he thinks he’s misunderstood and people are making up lies about him.
Apparently Shamar told Reynold not to talk to him anymore. Wouldn’t the world be amazing if you could just Facebook block people who annoy you in real life?
Hope then admits that Shamar said her number was up and that she should turn on her alliance. Shamar disagrees saying that he said it wasn’t for sure that she was going home.
Matt thinks Shamar gets aggravated easily and that water is wet and the sky is blue.
Julia the boom mic operator doesn’t appreciate Shamar yelling at her. Jeez, she has a job to do, Shamar.
Sherri says she’s known lots of Shamars and once you cross them, you’re done. Shamar agrees.
Eddie thinks there’s a target on his back because Shamar’s been gunning for him. Apparently, Eddie’s on the “No Talk” list too.
Voting Time: Eddie votes for Shamar, Shamar votes for Eddie, and the rest of the votes go to the bottom of urn.
Jeff tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Shamar, one vote for Hope, one vote for Shamar, one vote for Hope, one vote for Shamar, one vote for Hope, two votes for Eddie, and…a third vote for Eddie.
Three-way tie! Make ‘em wrestle!
Voting Time Part Deux: No votes are shown.
Fun Fact: Even though Probst had to tally twice, he only gets paid once.
Alright, we’ve got one vote for Shamar, three votes for Hope, and the third person to be voted out of “Survivor: Caramoan – Fans vs. Favorites” is…Hope.
It’s official, the fans are Hopeless.
Verdict: This Shamar thing is rough. He’s a nice guy, I just think the game is getting the better of him. Honestly, it’s very similar to how I felt about Brandon before “South Pacific.” Anywho, the fans are a mess. And, if they go down in numbers to the merge or the tribe swap they’re done for.
Although, the faves might be mixing things up in places where mixing it up isn’t totally necessary. Is Andrea over-thinking things? We shall see.
At any rate, this season is off to a hot start.
Who’s Going to Win? Is Erik still in the game? I don’t remember seeing him. If he’s still around, he’s my pick.
Power Rankings Results: Michael had Hope in spot thirteen, I had her in spot seventeen. That brings our current score to Team Skupin: 21, Team Lighting Punch: 36
Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
Tags: jeff probst, survivor, survivor caramoan, survivor fans vs favories
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