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‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Episode 7 Recap – Fail Mix

November 5, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY TV is the place to go for “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” coverage with “all the fixin’s.” We’ll have Power Rankings with “Cagayan” fave Spencer Bledsoe, every Wednesday evening we’ll bring you a recap of the most recent episode, and every Thursday you’ll be able to watch the previous night’s episode and read an interview with the eliminated contestant. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for immediate updates.

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Last Week: An evening of rain made Julie want to quit, Dale’s fake idol wasn’t worth a whit, and Hunahpu got rice in exchange for all their stuff.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Hunahpu (wearing blue

Alec – 22, Student
Jeremy – 36, Firefighter
Josh – 32, Actor
Julie – 34, Owner of Spray Tan Business
Natalie – 28, Crossfit Coach
Reed – 31, Broadway Performer
Wes – 23, Firefighter

The Coyopa (wearing yellow)

Baylor – 20, Student
Jaclyn – 25, Media Buyer
Jon – 26, Financial Assistant
Missy – 47, Owner of Cheerleading Gym

Keith – 53, Fire Captain

We start things off the morning after Tribal and Keith is not happy about having his name written down. Missy tells him what happened and blames it on her maternal instincts to save Baylor. Keith wishes they would have clued him in.

Meanwhile at Hunahpu, the merge invite arrives in tree mail. Josh isn’t psyched because he wanted to get rid of Jeremy first. Maybe they should’ve traded him to Probst for some extra rice.

Also, Alec is wearing a weird rainbow necklace. Is that a meat collector thing?

Over at Coyopa, Jon makes a joke at former Power Ranker Kat Edorsson’s expense, saying that he can keep dating Jaclyn cause she made the merge. Hilarious.

Next up, we see the twelve remaining players meet up at the merge feast. They waste no time diving in.

After a while, they’re told to head back to Coyopa camp. While they’re packing up the rest of the food, Julie dumps a bunch of it into her bag. That might be important later.

Jeremy thinks the pre-merge is like the preliminary round and now they’re playing real “Survivor.” I’m thinking right now Jeremy is in a living room somewhere getting dirty looks from Val.

Jeremy breaks down his current alliance as he, Natalie, and Julie. Jeremy talks to Jon who tells him that with him, Jaclyn, Baylor, and Missy they can target Josh.

Later on, the tribe decides to call themselves Huyopa. What a Stume Napid.

Oh wait, the tribe flag is “#Huyopa.” All is forgiven, that is awesome.

The next morning, we find out that Keith forgot about Wes’s birthday. Oh man, it’s like Nicarguan “Sixteen Candles.”

Josh wants to start an all-couple alliance. So eight against four? Not smart.

He’s also hoping to bring Baylor back to his side. “Hey, remember all those times I voted for you? Sooooo sorry.”

Baylor appreciates that she’s going to have to boot Josh, but she wants to do it in a way that will keep his vote. Missy tells her it’s a game and to suck it up.

Listen to your mother, Baylor. She has experience sending men away.

Josh realizes he’s lost Baylor and decides to make a move for Jon and Jaclyn. He gives them a solid pitch, telling them that Jeremy will be tough to beat at the end. He might’ve been more successful if he’d offered Jon a role in the next Disney musical. I’m thinking Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast.”

Next up, it turns out that Julie is still snacking on the trail mix she stuffed into her bag. While she’s out tanning, Jon goes into her bag and finds it…

Dun dun dun…always food. Always.

Immunity Challenge Time: Players will balance a ball on a disc on ropes. As time goes by, they’ll add more slack to the rope. Then, they’ll add a second ball. Last person with their balls on their disc wins immunity.

Oh…come…on! These challenges only exist so Probst can make inappropriate comments.

The challenge starts off and Jeremy is out quickly. Missy and Julie are both eliminated before they hit the second round.

Reed is the first person out in the second round. He’s followed by Baylor, Alec, Jaclyn, and Natalie.

We’re down to Josh, Wes, Keith, and Jon.

The third round starts off and Josh is immediately bounced. Jon is out next. It’s down to Keith and Wes. Maybe Keith should throw it as a birthday gift?

Wes’s ball eventually falls, giving immunity to Keith.

Back at camp, Alec makes a crack about wanting trail mix. Julie gets annoyed and walks off. Missy follows her out and tries to get her head back into the game. Julie admits that she’s considering quitting. Missy tells her to hold off until after this vote.

Julie doesn’t love the idea of sticking around for their plan. She wants to do what’s best for her.

Later, Jon tells Jeremy exactly what Josh was telling him. Jeremy smartly points out that Josh is the only one in his alliance playing the game. Well, that is all they’re showing us.

Afterwards, all of the couples are thinking about teaming up. Jon seems into it, but Jaclyn isn’t sure.

Aaaaand…Probst is at camp. Durnit.

Sure enough, Julie is calling it quits. She claims that being without her Rocker-poo is just too much for her to deal with.

Probst gathers the tribe and shares the lame news. Jeremy is not thrilled. Josh, as you’d imagine, is loooooving it.

There will be no Tribal that night. Only sadness for “Survivor” viewers.

Verdict: First NaOnka, then Purple Kelly, now Julie. Is there something in the Nicaraguan water that sends people running from this game?

And worst of all, Julie was in a solid position. If Jeremy’s side wins, she’s golden and probably in the final three.

Anywho, quits are always deflating, and this season hasn’t been off to an amazing start. Here’s hoping things pick up next week.

Who’s Going to Win? The next vote will settle this whole Josh and Jeremy debate. I’m sticking with Jeremy.

Power Rankings Results: Spencer and I both had Julie in spot twelve. So, the current score is Team Spencer 61, Team Gordon 69.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes.

Tags:jeff probst, survivor, survivor san juan del sur
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‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – Merge Edition

November 4, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

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The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Keith is voted out this week, Spencer will receive five points and Gordon will receive two points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Spencer and Gordon both had Dale in spot thirteen. The current score is Team Spencer 49, Team Gordon 57.

Let’s check in with our two competitors before jumping into this all-important pre-merge ranking…

Gordon Holmes: First up, thanks a ton for playing this season. It’s awesome to have you on board.
Spencer Bledsoe: Of course! I consider it an honor, or at least consider it the kind of nerdy activity I would be doing with my friends anyway while watching “Survivor,” without it being posted on XFINITY.
Holmes: Nerdy? I resent that. What’ve you been up to since you proved Jeff Probst and I don’t understand how the show works?
Bledsoe: Since May I’ve just really enjoyed refocusing on real life – getting a job, working toward graduation – but now that I’m a bit removed from the experience, I’m loving watching the show again with the player cap off and the fan cap on.

Holmes: What would be your ideal situation heading into a Blood vs. Water season? I’m thinking a family member would be safer than a spouse, because a family member can’t divorce you.
Bledsoe: As tempting as taking someone I care zero about would be (the Corinne Kaplan approach), I’d feel good about being out there with my sister Taryn.

Holmes: Alright, we’re six votes into this season and I’m kind of blown away by some of the horrific gameplay we’ve seen. You could argue that Val, Rocker, and Drew were all totally responsible for their own exits. What’s your take on this pre-merge mess?
Bledsoe: You mean to tell me that Ms. “I have two idols,” the badass of San Juan Del Sur, and John Rocker had subpar gameplay? I think it’s a couple of things. Newbies are always a mixed bag; I think we’ve just forgotten how bad the play can be since this is the first all-newbie season following another all-newbie season in five years. Cagayan, One World and Nicaragua all had their share of bad players, so I don’t think the poor play is as novel as it might seem. San Juan Del Sur also seems like a case study in why you want people who know the game out there. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that people like Josh or Jeremy have been the most compelling so far.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” on Your Computer


Spencer’s Score = 49 Any questions for Spencer? Drop him a line on Twitter: @SpencerBGM	Gordon’s Score = 57 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

1. Baylor – She’s stepped in gum. Josh (her closest ally) has voted for her. She’s had honey in her hair. Seven separate people have voted for her at least once. Her Dairy Queen has melted. It’s about to be merge time, but no matter what the sticky situation, Baylor always seems to emerge unscathed.	1. Jaclyn – Even if Jaclyn ends up on the wrong side of the numbers, she isn’t going to be anyone’s first vote. Her boyfriend on the other hand…he might be in some trouble.

2. Jeremy – WHY. ARE Y’ALL. HAPPPYYYYYYY?!?!?!?? These people are so DUMB! If they were smart, they would have gotten rid of Jeremy long ago. Now they have to be called idiots in at least ten more of his confessionals.	2. Keith – Dale thinks that Keith is totally in Missy’s pocket, and why wouldn’t he be? Apparently she gives out the biggest servings of rice. The question is; will Wes join up with his dear old dad? Out of all the couples this season, they seemed to be the most likely to go their separate ways.

3. Natalie – I’m actually not high on singles to thrive like they did in the first “Blood vs. Water,” but like Jeremy, I think Natalie will find a niche anyway. She has close ties from the original Hunahpu, and I could see Missy/Baylor/Jon/Jaclyn, or even Josh/Reed/Wes/Keith, welcoming her aboard.	3. Baylor – Will Baylor be torn between partnering with her mom or her old pal Josh? I don’t think so. Josh voted for her for funsies a few too many times. But could they work together? All of ’em? Team Missy and Team Josh? Nope, this isn’t “Big Brother.” You can’t have an alliance of 40 people.

4. Jon – I think it was an aggressive move of Mattel to release Barbie and Ken: deaf-mute and howler monkey-whisperer edition. Jon seems as detached from other players as Jaclyn is from the show at large (Missy and Baylor are his only other bond). Still, four couples remain at the merge, and Jon is just a few new allies away from forming a paired mega alliance.	4. Missy – Between the original alliances, the post-swap alliances, and the original relationships, this whole merge looks like a big mess. Missy has ties with the former dominant alliance at old Hunahpu. Natalie and Jeremy are right there ready to join up with them. But, Baylor has ties with Josh. I’m not sure which way they’ll go, but they’ll have options and won’t be obvious targets.

5. Keith – Keith rounds out the five people that I’d bet the farm are safe for another week. With the game’s only current immunity idol and options between his son’s and his own relationships with Alec and company and Missy and company, respectively, Keith could hardly be set up better.	5. Natalie – If Natalie was able to convince Baylor that her and Jeremy were still on Team Missy when she volunteered to go to Exile (not an) Island, she may have made the move of the season.

6. Josh – Josh takes the biggest dip in my rankings because a merge means uncertainty – something he hasn’t faced in a long while. We see him mulling over a pact with Reed, Keith, Wes and Alec, but there’s no sure sign he can lock down a majority (7/12 players). Further, Jeremy has sunk his claws into…	6. Jeremy – Hunahpu traded their eternal souls to Jeff Probst for a bag of rice. Jeremy wasn’t a fan of the move, but he made sure the only person he told was the cameraman. Smart man. Now that he’s made the merge, here’s hoping he’s either able to make peace with Keith, realign with Missy, or make some other clever moves.

7. Alec – Alec. He’s in limbo. His position in the game is as precarious as his word choice when he said, “I’m a meat collector” and “my skirt was blown up” last episode. I think he’ll stay tied to Wes, but beyond that, I have no idea where kingpin junior will find his place.	7. Wes – You’re tight with Josh. Your dad is tight with Missy. So, no matter what you should be able to maneuver your way into the alliance that has the numbers.

8. Jaclyn – In the tradition of hearing from or about Jaclyn,	8. Alec – Things are going to get really interesting after the merge feast, and you’re someone who is going to have some options. I don’t think you’re going to be an obvious target no matter which way the wind blows. So, take your time and find the situation that best suits your needs.

9. Missy – It’s a shame Missy has to merge just when things were getting good – her foremost enemy (Dale) just left, and she appears to have full control of the new Coyopa. Despite a silver lining that Hunahpu now has more rice for her to cook, I think the merge is worse news for Missy than for anyone else.	9. Reed – Jeremy had a real good point last week about Reed and Josh spending too much time together after the swap. You’ve got two guys who are smart, likable, and in shape. It’s like the Baskauskas Brothers version 2.0. They’ll have plenty of time to canoodle after one of them takes home the Sole Survivor title.

10. Wes – Wes is just threatening enough, via his connections to Keith and Alec, to be taken out. He isn’t powerful enough, however, to save himself. If we’re to anticipate a shootout between Josh and Jeremy, I fear Wes is the guy who gets caught by a ricochet bullet.	10. Jon – It was very nice of production to allow you to try on the merge buff early last week. (Ahem.) But, you shouldn’t count on Missy to do you any favors once she has her original alliance back.

11. Reed – Reed’s “Survivor” game has mirrored Gordon Holmes’s Power Ranking game thus far. Things have gone smoothly – almost too smoothly – and he hasn’t yet found reason to worry. I like Reed, but for the sake of avenging the fallen Ciera Eastin, here’s to a downfall of Garrett Adelstein proportions.	11. Josh – Yup…you’re in the same boat as Reed, except you’re double dangerous because Baylor knows you were running the show at old Coyopa.

12. Julie – Julie is as determined to win “Survivor” as John Rocker is to win a Nobel Peace Prize. All signs point to a quit, but if she does steal something, food or otherwise, from the merge feast, a rain of Julie ballots may extinguish her fire before Nicaraguan precipitation extinguishes her will.	12. Julie – You’re in an amazing position to make a serious run at the crown and you’ve been detoured by…rain? Like, one night of rain? Right now the cast of “Survivor: Samoa” is hating you. Whatever you do; don’t quit. Being John Rocker’s girlfriend is rough enough, you don’t want to have to deal with the “quitter” label.