More Whatnot

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. Be sure to come back for exit interviews with all six of the finalists. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Gordon Holmes: How are you doing?
Wendell Holland: I’m doing pretty well!
Holmes: I’d imagine you’re doing better than that.
Holland: I’m better than the last time we talked.
Holmes: You were doing pretty good back then.
Holland: I was feeling alright, but now I’ve secured the win so things are a lot better.

Holmes: I’m sitting here in my Philadelphia office and you’ve got me thinking…Eagles…Villanova…Wendell… is this good news for the Phillies?
Holland: It’s good news for the Phillies. I’ve got love for the Sixers. The last series wasn’t our series, but we’re looking a lot better. Philadelphia is the city of champions right now, Gordon.

Holmes: The most important question coming out of last night; what do you think of “TKO.”
Holland: (Laughs) I was just in shock up there. I was laughing at the things that Kevin Hart was saying. I think that show is going to be pretty hilarious. Dom and I said to each other, “That’d be hilarious if we were on that show.”
Holmes: Agreed.

Holmes: When the three of you were sitting there before the final Tribal, did the possibility of a tie ever come up?
Holland: No, Dom was very confident in his game. Dom thought he was going to beat me 8-2. And, I thought that it’d be a closer game and that Laurel would get some votes, at least a vote. We never thought it would be a tie, ever. I think the numbers were a little closer than 8-2 going in and I think I was able to push a couple of people over the edge at the end. So, we split it 50/50 which is just crazy.
Holmes: If votes were switched, what do you attribute that to? Because the story seemed to be that Dom may have been too aggressive with some of his moves. Do you think that turned the tide?
Holland: I think so. Domenick had been playing a very aggressive game which can win “Survivor” in many seasons depending on the jury. But, not our season. Our season wasn’t one of those seasons. There were a lot of strong players that respect that style of gameplay, but there were a lot of players who respected the personal game and the relationships, the things that I did. I was a fierce competitor in challenges, but I was strategic and I was very social. And, I relied a lot on the friendships I had made out there. You have to know the jury and six out of eleven people wanted to reward someone with a strong social game in our season. Not saying that happens every season. And Dom had a strong social game, but I was able to connect with certain people. I might have seemed a little more genuine.

Holmes: What percentage would you have put on Laurel’s vote being for you?
Holland: Oh…100%. It was really like…99%. I felt it in me.

Holmes: I’ve been thinking about that final four fire challenge a lot, because it seems like you’re giving a challenge competitor a chance to look like a bad ass in front of the jury. So, does it make sense for Dom to take you along and say, “I’m not afraid of Wendell.” Or, the mega move is him challenging you himself. It’s a lot to think about.
Holland: Wow…it’s very easy to say what I’d do if I was in his shoes now. Would I take off the immunity necklace and give it to Ang and battled it out? It’s easy to say that now. But I would never do that. That would be on “Ghost Island 2.” As “Survivor” evolves and the fire challenge stays, there will be an evolution of strategy. This is the second year with that challenge. We learned about it right when we got to Fiji, so it wasn’t sprung on us during the game. You run scenarios in your head. But, at the end of the day you have a family…and what if I eliminated him in the fire making challenge? That’d be the dumbest mistake for him ever. You’ve got to get to the end. And playing his game, that’s a winner’s game. I got very lucky and I was able to edge him out. If I was in his shoes I would have taught Laurel or Angela how to make fire all day and hope for the best. But, it did make me look a lot better in front of the jury.
Holmes: You were stone cold. Ice in your veins.
Holland: I was kind of sad because I liked Ang a lot and I felt like it was me being set up to knock it out of the park. My face was kind of sad because Ang wasn’t going to make fire, so it kind of hurt.

Holmes: Laurel’s story about wanting to go to the end with you and Dom and there being a split vote and Laurel picking up the rest…I don’t buy it. Going to the end with you two was a ticket to third place. How concerned were you with her making moves on you at the end?
Holland: Laurel and I had a very true bond out there. It started pretty early after the first swap when she came to Naviti. Yes, they blindsided us with the Morgan vote, but after that we picked up the pieces. And from then, Laurel, myself, and Dom were working very closely. And there’s a time and a place where you should cut people, to increase your odds of winning. But, deciding when to cut us? That would make her trip to the end tremendously more difficult. If she cut us at seven, eight, nine…her road to the end would be so hard. The Navitis would gun for her every single elimination. She’s a physical threat and a social threat. She’s great at everything. So, her dilemma was; do I make my road to the end difficult, almost impossible and cut Wendell and Dom? Or, do I make my road to the end easier and have a much more difficult final Tribal Council? That’s the dilemma! Dom rubbed some people the wrong way, some people didn’t like my game. I thought she could have picked up some votes, maybe not three or four or five votes.

Holmes: Alright word association time. Let’s start with Chris.
Holland: Well intentioned.
Holmes: Michael?
Holland: Fierce.
Holmes: Angela?
Holland: A warrior.
Holmes: Morgan?
Holland: Morgan could have won the game.
Holmes: James?
Holland: (Laughs) I want to say, “a robot,” but that’s my buddy. He’s a great friend.
Holmes: Domenick?
Holland: A scary competitor.
Holmes: Jenna?
Holland: The love of Sebastian’s life.
Holmes: Donathan?
Holland: Sweetheart.
Holmes: Sebastian?
Holland: One of the nicest people I know.
Holmes: Libby?
Holland: I only have nice things to say! We had too nice of a cast.
Holmes: That’s true.
Holland: We’re so close now. Libby is a tough competitor, she’s a tough cookie.
Holmes: Desiree?
Holland: She’s super cool.
Holmes: Was Des pro-Kanye or pro-Chance the Rapper?
Holland: (Laughs) Kanye. You can’t be pro-Kanye anymore!
Holmes: Kellyn?
Holland: Super woman.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Holland: She’s another scary competitor despite the edit.
Holmes: Bradley?
Holland: He’s a silent assassin.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Laurel.
Holmes: That’s my sister.

Holmes: Were you ever looking to get rid of Dom or were you locked in till the end?
Holland: I was prepared to take him to the end. If there was a glaring opportunity to take him out around five or six…without emerging as the one and only threat…I might have shot that shot. But I was prepared to work with him and Laurel till the end.

Holmes: You were my pick to win. You won challenges, you built furniture, you made moves, but you are responsible for the most disappointing thing this season; we never saw you make the cornhole set that you promised in pregame.
Holland: (Laughs) Oh man! You know what, Gordon? That’s my bad. I did build some game out there, but they weren’t shown.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. Be sure to come back for exit interviews with all six of tonight’s finalists. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: Wendell lost a challenge due to a lack of yellin’, Don was worried Dom had a secret he wasn’t tellin’, and the person voted out of the game was totally adorable.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Lavita Tribe (wearing black)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

Let’s do this!

Post-Tribal Shenanigans

Wendell cracks a joke, telling Dom that if he’d known which way the vote was going to go, he could have sent Dom home. Yeah…that feels like one of those jokes that has a little too much truth in it.

Donathan is (rightfully) shocked to still be in the game. But, Laurel tries to talk him down.

In other news, Dom and Wendell (Domedell?) aren’t worried about Donathan, so they decide to target Sebastian next. And what bait do you use to catch a Sea Bass? Banana Laffy Taffy.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will run through the MOST AMAZING SKULL-SHAPED MAZE EVER in search of three bags of puzzle pieces. The first person to complete their puzzle will win immunity and a steak dinner.

Result: Wendell finished the puzzle first and made sure to tip Jeff Probst off to that fact. He was allowed to share his meal with two people and chose Sebastian and someone named Angela.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

Laurel is really bummed that she didn’t get to go on the reward. She uses this as her 30th wierdo reason to not trust her alliance.

Sebastian realizes that he’s playing a game and that he’s in Dom and Wendell’s shadow. He approaches Donathan and Angela with a plan to use his secret extra vote. Angela is psyched to be a part of someone’s plan.

CUT TO: Angela telling Dom about Sebastian’s extra vote.

SERIOUSLY?! She just offered it up. Didn’t try to use the information as leverage to get further in the game. Ugh…tell me she wasn’t in charge of any military secrets.

Best ways to spread a secret on “Survivor”: Telephone, telegraph, tell-a-swing-vote.

Dom’s concern is that everyone knows he has two idols, but everyone suspects that one of those idols is fake.

Tribal Time

So, this one got weird quickly.

Donathan downplayed his chances in the game, but Domenick didn’t buy it. He immediately called out Sebastian and Donathan, spilling the beans about Sebastian’s extra vote.

Domenick then breaks out his two idols and provides a fun little backstory for each. He even goes so far as to hand the fake idol to Probst.

This…uh…this isn’t a great look for Domenick. He’s coming off as a bully. Chris even refers to him as “The Godfather.”

Then Wendell and Domenick have an awkward back-and-forth where Wendell claims that they wanted to work with him.

Voting Time: Sebastian votes for someone whose name starts with a “Do” and the rest of the votes are secret.

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and Dom confesses that the one he gave to Jeff didn’t have a chance to mature and is worthless.

Alright, we’ve got one vote for Domenick, one vote for Donathan, two votes for Sebastian, and the fifteenth person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the eighth member of the jury is…Sea Bass.

Wow…he didn’t play the vote at all. OMG, so cursed, you guys.

Quick Analysis: That was it. That was the last chance to get Wendell or Dom out before final four. One of them will win this game no matter what.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will race through an obstacle course while retrieving bags of puzzle pieces. The first person to complete the pyramid-shaped puzzle will win immunity.

Result: Wendell takes another one. Who knew a carpenter would be so good at putting wooden pieces into place? Ooo…and now he’s free to gift that idol to somebody.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

Laurel appreciates that she’s the biggest challenge threat left on the board. And Domenick knows that she’d take Donathan to the end if she was given a chance. She claims that she needs him on the jury. Yeah, Laurel would need six Donathans on the jury.

Wendell counters by mentioning that taking them out would be a big resume builder.

Laurel again pushes the idea that Domenick and Wendell would split the votes and she’d pick up the rest. Yes, she’d get all of the votes that don’t go to Wendell and Domenick. Unfortunately for her, that number would probably be zero.

Tribal Time

Ha! Sebastian is the only jury member who looks the same as he did in the game.

And that’s pretty much it excitement-wise. Everyone appreciates that Dom and Wendell have all the power and can do whatever they want.

Voting Time: Donathan votes for Laurel, Laurel votes for Donathan, and the rest of the votes are lost to the magic of editing.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…Dom does. Then, Wendell plays his idol for Laurel…while giving a big speech. Like…too big of a speech.

Alright, we’ve got one vote for Laurel, two votes for Donathan, and the sixteenth person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the ninth member of the jury is…Donathan.

During the break, Jeff tells us that Sia is gifting $10,000 to Donathan. So, Sia is like the new Sprint?

Quick Aside: Both Donathan and Sebastian were awesome on their way out. Say what you want about this season, but this cast is full of class acts.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a wobbly board and stack balls and platforms. The first person to stack six balls will win immunity.

Result: Wendell almost had it, but Domenick pulled off the win. Also, the foursome will spend the day at Ghost Island where Domenick will be faced with another decision.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

Wendell immediately accepts that Domenick won’t be taking him to the final three. So, it’s up to Dom to figure out who he thinks can beat Wendell in the fire-making challenge.

Laurel makes the case that she’s not very good at making fire. While Angela makes the case that the jury likes Laurel. So…Angela is pitching that Laurel is a threat? Maybe that’s why we don’t hear a lot from Angela…

In any case, Domenick doesn’t love the chances of Angela or Laurel getting the best of Wendell.

Quick Aside: Is it crazy for Dom to take Wendell to the end? That way you show you’re not afraid of him. And, you avoid the very real possibility of Wendell looking like a champ if he wins the fire challenge.

In other news, Domenick must choose which urn will be used for the final vote. He’s given the choice between “The Australian Outback,” “Cagayan,” and “Game Changers.” The thought is that these are urns where people took the wrong person to the finals.

He stands there pondering this nothing decision for way too long before going with Cagayan.

Heh…my favorite “Survivor” joke ever: What’s the sound of a million dollars flying out the window? Woo…

But then Dom comes up with the idea of giving his necklace to Angela and facing Wendell himself. Wait…what?!

Whoa… I literally got goosebumps. That’d be the biggest move ever or the worst.

Tribal Time

Laurel and Angela both lobby to be the one who Dom takes to the end. It actually makes both of them look really bad. Meanwhile, Wendell has accepted his fate and kind of looks like a bad ass in doing so.

When it’s all said and done, Domenick chooses Laurel to go to the end.

Fire-Making Challenge

Before things get underway, Wendell wants to use the purple table, but he’s been assigned the orange table. Angela doesn’t care, so Probst lets them swap.

The challenge isn’t even close. Wendell smokes Angela…no pun intended. So, the seventeenth person eliminated from “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the last member of the jury is…Angela.

Welp…safe to say this season is going to have one of the best second-place players ever.

Day-39 Brunch

Wendell considers himself to be a silent assassin who made strong personal bonds with people.

Laurel thinks she’s come a long way from day one where she was terrified. She knows her challenge will be letting the jury know the moves she’s been making.

And finally, Domenick believes that juries respect great gameplay and that he has had the best gameplay.

Tribal Time

Whoa…Angela cleans up very nicely.

Round One: Outwit

A big part of this round was trying to discover who was really driving their alliance. Wendell claimed that he was the mastermind, and Dom kind of laughed at that. Domenick said it was a team effort, but he wouldn’t let anyone tell him what to do.

In other news, some jury members gave Laurel heat for tagging along with Dom and Wendell, but Donathan came to her defense.

And the Round Goes To… I’m giving this to Domenick, there’s a weird urgency to Wendell’s speech that isn’t playing well. Laurel made good points, but it’s clear she isn’t in the running.

Round Two: Outplay

Laurel claims that she was good in challenges, but she didn’t feel like she ever needed to win a challenge to save her game. I’m actually a big believer in that.

Wendell says that it was part of his strategy to make camp life as comfortable as possible. He also points out that he found an idol and never had to use it. In fact, he used it to prove his loyalty to Laurel.

Domenick then calls out the move he made to get Sebastian to change his vote at final six. This seems to backfire as Sebastian and Kellyn feel like Domenick was too aggressive.

And the Round Goes To… Again, Laurel is doing great, but nobody seems to care. Between Dom and Wendell, I’m giving it to Wendell.

Round Three: Outlast

Laurel knows that the jury wanted the big move of her taking out Wendell or Dom, but she knows she would have been the next target.

Domenick tries to patch up the fact that he has hurt peoples’ feelings. He claims to be passionate, not malicious.

Finally, Wendell was proud of bringing his weirdness to the game. He believes he put his heart out there and that he played a clean game even though there are a few things that he isn’t particularly proud of.

And the Round Goes To… Wow… I just don’t know which way this is going to go. I expected Chris to be anti-Dom, but that wasn’t the case at all.

So…uh…Jenna and Angela didn’t say a word. Not shocking.

Voting Time: Michael votes for Dom, Sebastian votes for Wendell, Chris votes for Dom, Kellyn votes for Wendell, and the rest of the votes will have to wait.

Wow…I’m guessing that means no votes for Laurel.

Probst tallies and returns…and starts…reading…the votes… What are you doing, Probst?!

Everybody is freaking out…I’m freaking out. Wait…does this mean there’s a tie?

Alright, we’ve got one vote for Domenick, one vote for Wendell, one vote for Domenick, one vote for Wendell, one vote for Domenick, one vote for Wendell, one vote for Domenick, one vote for Wendell, one vote for Domenick, and the final vote is for…Wendell.

We’ve got a tie!

Ok, Laurel will have to cast the deciding vote. This is intense.

Seriously, she had a minute to make that decision? That’s terrible.

She casts her vote. Then Probst gathers it and bids them farewell.

Next up, we’re in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Probst cracks open the stylish Cagayan urn and announces that the winner of “Survivor: Ghost Island” is…Wendell!

Verdict: What an amazing ending to a middle-of-the-road season of “Survivor.”

So, what went wrong? I dunno…maybe tone down the pre-merge swaps. Maybe a few less advantages.

But in other news, my personal “Survivor” curse, the one where I’ve never picked a winner in my pre-season rankings…the one that started when I picked Michele Chase to win “Survivor: Gabon” has finally ended.

Power Rankings Results: Roark received six points, while I received eight points. The final score was Team Roark 138, Team Gordon 143. Big thanks to Roark for being awesome competition this season!

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Gordon Holmes: That Tribal last night! Plan A, Plan B…it was a mess.
Kellyn Bechtold: (Laughs)
Holmes: What information were you privy too before it started?
Bechtold: No plan had been relayed to me. That’s how much it was definitely me. I know it doesn’t make great TV, but Wendell had paid me my respects before we went to Tribal. Sebastian had paid me my respects. I knew it was me. But the fun thing was that Donathan started to get so frustrated that he was pigeon-holed and stuck. He’d drag me to the well, he said, “I saw Dom give Wendell an idol and I think they’re going to play it on you.” And I said, “No. No…that’s probably not going to happen.” But I realized that Donathan was emotional enough that maybe I could get him to vote for Dom. And so I was like, “OK, let’s let Dom know what it feels like to see his name come out of the urn.” He hadn’t had any votes at that point. And at Tribal they’re talking out loud and they’re explaining that the split is this and this. And I thought, if I don’t vote for Dom and I vote for Donathan I can make it a tie. It was a fun little moment. It was a little bit of sweet justice.

Holmes: Everybody is screaming at their TVs, “Laurel, what are you doing? You can’t beat Dom and Wendell in the end.” While you were in the game, did you get the feeling that she was waiting for the right time, or was she locked in with those guys?
Bechtold: My last three days I fought tooth and nail. I worked Dom and I worked Wendell trying to get them to go through the jury scenario that they couldn’t beat each other. I thought I had more of a chance with them because they were giving me more space than Laurel was. So, she was pretty locked in. It’s easy to sit at home and Monday morning quarterback that call, but they’re giving her a chance at final three. And if people were giving me a final three deal? It’s hard. I feel for Laurel, but she was the least likely to move out of the other six people out there…from my perspective.
Holmes: You’re very right that it is easy to play “Survivor” from my couch.
Bechtold: (Laughs) It is so fun, right?! That’s the best place to play.
Holmes: When I’m well fed and there are no bugs and I’ve got air conditioning, it’s a piece of cake.
Bechtold: Yes it is. Yes it is.

Holmes: There was one point after merge where they showed you and the rest of the Naviti women at the water well and I thought, “Oh wow…this is it. They’re going to let Chris and Dom battle it out, then they’re going to pick off the rest.”
Bechtold: I really thought we could keep the four girls working together. I thought it was in our best interest to get some of those guys out because once we got to the merge Dom and Wendell were so clearly wanting Chris out. The girls wanted Chris to stay and we gave in. After that, all four of us were like, “They’re telling us what to do. Let’s do this thing.” And one of my biggest mistakes was it took too long to believe that Des was turning on me. I played 25 straight days with her and I had just met Laurel. Des was telling me she didn’t do it. And the story was that Des and Chelsea were turning on me. And I’m reading Chelsea and there’s no (expletive deleted) way that Chelsea is lying to me! She’s just not. And Des was acting weird, so I really missed that. And once Des was gone, I thought maybe we could bring Laurel in as a powerful female. I just couldn’t get my feet under me. I brought a knife to a gun fight after the merge and that knife was covered in orange blood. It was an uphill battle after the merge when my ride-or-die Bradley was gone. But, I’m proud of myself for towing the line between, “Yeah, Dom and Wendell, I’m Naviti strong and I’m the mother bear of this purple family” and also, “Oh (expletive deleted), these Malolos are mad at me because I voted out all of their friends.” I was on that balance beam. I didn’t do it great, but I did my best.

Holmes: In back to back episodes you had Desiree’s betrayal and Michael’s make-believe idol. Did that throw off your confidence in being able to read situations?
Bechtold: On the Micheal vote, I asked him for 45 minutes about that idol. What season was it from? Kaoh Rong. What was it wrapped in? What did it look like? And he knew the whole story! He had helped find the idol. I’m a dumbass for not asking to see it. Totally a dumbass. I admit that. But he did have 99% of the story right. So, the moral of the story is that was probably my number one chance to turn the game on its head. I should have put my two votes on Wendell. I talked Michael into the whole story. I told him to vote for Wendell. So, it wasn’t so much that I was making mistakes and missing things, it was “Oh (expletive deleted), I just put myself on a raft and I have to start fighting uphill now.”

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Wendell.
Bechtold: Intuitive.
Holmes: Brendan?
Bechtold: True gentleman.
Holmes: James?
Bechtold: Calculated, yet kind.
Holmes: Libby?
Bechtold: Hard to get to know.
Holmes: Jenna?
Bechtold: Goes with the flow gorgeously.
Holmes: Chris?
Bechtold: Um…I’m not sure Chris and I have one thing in common.
Holmes: You’re not a rap star?
Bechtold: (Laughs) Maybe that’s what we have in common.
Holmes: Because I’ve seen you do mic drops.
Bechtold: (Laughs) What we have in common is we are both not rap stars.
Holmes: (Laughs)
Bechtold: You found the one thing! Go Gordon!
Holmes: (Laughs) Stop… OK…Desiree?
Bechtold: Don’t make me pick on him! Um…Desiree is (expletive deleted) fabulous.
Holmes: Morgan?
Bechtold: Feisty.
Holmes: Stephanie?
Bechtold: She is a passionate goddess.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Bechtold: My island BFF.
Holmes: Domenick?
Bechtold: In real life he’s an amazing family man. On “Survivor” he’s a reckless dictator.
Holmes: Angela?
Bechtold: Tough as nails.
Holmes: Michael?
Bechtold: Lethal and the little brother I never had.
Holmes: Sebastian?
Bechtold: Heart of gold.
Holmes: Donathan?
Bechtold: Unfiltered.
Holmes: Laurel?
Bechtold: Smart, but risk-averse.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Bradley.
Bechtold: Bradley is ridiculously entertaining and believe it or not, a great listener.
Holmes: Awww…that kid is bad news.
Bechtold: (Laughs) Yeah yeah yeah…

Holmes: I felt bad for you last night. You know who I felt worse for? Jeff Probst. The look on his face after the challenge was heart-breaking.
Bechtold: Gordon, I can’t believe they showed it on TV. I figured they’d just edit around it. There are zero times where you feel like the game breaks. Maybe when your loved one runs out, and you forget the game. But when Wendell said, “I had it” the air just went out of the room…or off the island. Jeff just took a minute and said, “I had no way of knowing you were done.” And I was exhausted, I could barely get up those damn steps. I felt for Wendell. He’s saying, “Wait, it’s a rule? You have to say, ‘Jeff, I’m done’?” I feel like Jeff handled it with grace and Wendell handled it with extreme grace as well. It just took everyone a minute and I think Wendell thought, “What am I going to do? Stomp my feet?” And Wendell said, “If those are the rules, those are the rules.”

Holmes: You started to get a little bit of a villain edit. Which to me was like rooting against Santa Claus.
Bechtold: (Laughs)
Holmes: What was your reaction when you noticed the edit was headed in that direction?
Bechtold: So many women on “Survivor” are edited as one note. You’re a dumb blonde or you’re the smart bitch. Or you’re like a sweet old lady. The fact that I believe that they showed a woman who was a complex character? Sometimes I was the sweet lady, trying to keep the family together. Other times I was figuring things out, working strategy, getting people on my side, making enemies. That’s “Survivor,” that’s the whole game. Did I expect the evil hag edit? No. Am I pretty OK with owning it? Hell yeah.
Holmes: I didn’t say “Hag.”
Bechtold: (Laughs)
Holmes: I don’t think that’s accurate.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: The boys got a reward, but Wendell went and missed it, Kellyn tried to rally the girls, but Laurel resisted, and Chelsea was voted out, which is proof that she existed.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Lavita Tribe (wearing black)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Kellyn, 31 – Career Counselor
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

Post Tribal Shenanigans

Kellyn knows she’s on the outs, but she isn’t going to let that get her down because she trusts her gut. Is that the gut that didn’t think Des would target her?

Or is that the gut that thought Michael had an idol?

Reward Challenge Time: The players will be split into three teams of two. Three captains will be named and they’ll pick their partner. They’ll work together to keep spools rolling on a cool spool-rolling contraption. The last duo with their spools in motion will win a trip to a local school to deliver supplies. While there, they’ll also enjoy a fried chicken dinner.

Quick Aside: Aww…I love the good-will mission rewards.

Another Quick Aside: Boo…one person won’t get to compete and won’t be eligible for Ghost Island.

Team Picking: Kellyn picked Sebastian, Wendell went with Domenick, and Donathan chose Laurel. So, Angela gets to sit there and wonder why she’s wasting her summer.

Result: Domenick and Wendell pick up the win in what was a super fun new challenge. They pick Laurel to come with them. They also decide to send Sea Bass to Ghost Island.

At Ghost Island

Sebastian is greeted by a three-in-four chance of winning an advantage. I see the logic in this. The later you get, the more valuable votes get. He plays and is rewarded with the extra vote that Kellyn just played on Laurel. Ooo…double cursed!

Jeez…that extra vote is reaching Ozzy levels of returning.

Sebastian claims that this extra vote is the best thing that could ever happen to him. The best thing? Better than fishing-based immunity challenges? Or a Domenick and Wendell double medical evacuation? Or a crate of banana Laffy Taffy washing up on shore?

He also uses a fisherman analogy to say that he’s worried that the others see him as a remora…a sucker fish…but he’s really a shark. Well played, Sea Bass.

School’s In Session

Domenick, Wendell, and Laurel have a blast with the adorable Fijian kids. Later on, Domenick claims that they’re the final three. However, Laurel lets us know that she isn’t so sure.

Laurel tells the guys that she wants Domenick and Wendell to split the votes and she’ll get the rest. Yeah, the rest will be zero.

In a cute moment, Laurel asks a Fijian woman who’s going to win. She keeps looking at Domenick. Wow…even she knows.

DTF…Donathan to Flip?

Donathan says he’s getting tired of waiting for Laurel to make a move and is prepared to strike out on his own. Apparently that means rubbing both Wendell and Domenick the wrong way.

He starts off by telling Wendell that he feels like he’s on the outs and that he’ll be voting for Domenick if he gets sent to the jury. Wendell realizes that Donathan is trying to play him and even says, “I don’t know what you’re doing right now.”

Dom joins the conversation and Wendell immediately rats Donathan out. Dom makes a great point, saying that if Donathan thinks he’s headed for the jury, what’s his incentive to keep working with them?

This is like a “Survivor” masterclass with Wendell and Domenick picking poor Donathan apart.

Oh…and Dom makes a reference to Donathan slitting someone’s throat with a credit card. Is that a real thing? I’m afraid to Google it.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will pull planks to a bridge, then use the planks to finish the bridge’s surface. They’ll run across and then build a ladder and climb a tower. The first person to complete the slide puzzle at the top of the tower will win immunity.

Result: This is one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen on the show. Wendell actually did complete the puzzle first, but he didn’t call for Jeff to check it, he just stepped back. Laurel then finished the puzzle and called for Jeff. Jeff checked the puzzle and declared her the winner. When Wendell protested, Probst claimed that you have to call for a check. So, Laurel wins immunity. Wendell doesn’t take it too hard though, saying that Laurel is the rightful winner.

Quick Aside: Before every immunity challenge, Jeff walks the players through every step and they’re allowed to ask questions. Every time I’ve been out, he’s told the contestants they have to tell him when they’re done. So, I think Jeff is in the right here.

Weird situation though. Wendell must be zonked.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

Laurel doesn’t feel right sending Wendell home after what happened at the immunity challenge. That means she’s targeting Kellyn. She says this is going with the “smart move” over the “big move.” Um…a move can be both.

Meanwhile, Domenick and Wendell are tempted to get rid of Donathan because he’s being shifty. When they’re all talking strategy, Donathan asks that they let him know if he’s going to be blindsided. Well, then it isn’t a blindside. Doy.

Wendell decides to use a fake idol he has been crafting, but he needs the paperwork from Dom’s idol. Donathan catches the exchange and gets freaked out. They tell him he can see what they’re handing off, but Donathan doesn’t want to look at it. It’s just awkward and weird.

This is enough to fully set Donathan off. He runs off to chat with Kellyn.

Tribal Time

Donathan is frustrated that the people on his team aren’t sharing all of their information with him. Domenick asks if he can say something and Donathan flatty responds “No.”

Ooo…

Then the whispering starts. First it’s Wendell and Sebastian, then Dom starts saying, “Stay with it.”

Donathan thinks the target has switched from Kellyn to himself. He tries to address Dom, but Dom points out that they’re done talking.

Burnnnnn…

Voting Time: Donathan votes for Dom, Kellyn votes for Donathan, and the rest of the votes are secret.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…nobody does. We’ve got one vote for Dom, one vote for Donathan, two votes for Kellyn, two votes for Donathan, and the final vote is for…Kellyn. A tie!

Voting Time Part Deux: No votes are shown.

JPro tallies and returns yet again. We’ve got one vote for Donathan, two votes for Kellyn, and the fourteenth person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the seventh member of the jury is…Kellyn.

Kellyn congratulates everyone on the way out. Class act. Love to see it.

Verdict: This is probably my best Power Rankings season ever. Not because I’m a genius (and not that you needed that reminder) but because it’s just so predictable.

Seriously, can you imagine someone other than Domenick or Wendell winning?

	Domenick – You handled Donathan perfectly. So well, in fact, that I think you could take Wendell in front of the jury. Sebastian – I…have…actually…talked myself into a scenario where a well-liked Sea Bass could take a win over Angela, Donathan, or Laurel. It’s not likely, but it is plausible.
	Wendell – That moment at the immunity challenge was not a good look on you. You’re fine, but you need to keep your head in the game.
	Laurel – I think when a player dominates, the jury wants to punish the person who let them do it. If you don’t play your cards perfectly, that person is going to be you.
	Donathan – I get trying to drive a wedge between Domenick and Wendell, but you did it in the worst possible way.
	Angela – Seriously, how are you so invisible at final seven?

Power Rankings Results: Roark and I both had Kellyn in spot seven. The current score is Team Roark 132, Team Gordon 135.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

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 players will earn. For example, if Angela is voted out this episode, Roark will receive five points and Gordon will receive six points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Ghost Island” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Last Week: Roark had Chelsea in spot eight. Gordon had her in spot seven. The current score is Team Roark 125, Team Gordon 128.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

 

Roark’s Score: 125 Any questions for Roark? Drop her a line on Twitter: @roarkstweets	Gordon’s Score: 128 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Domenick: SOMEHOW THESE PEOPLE BOTH STILL HAVE IDOLS	1. Domenick: If Dom and Wendell turn on each other, and that’s a pretty big “If” it’ll probably be at final five. No need to rock the boat just yet.
2. Wendell: This is absolutely bonkers. See above.	2. Wendell: You had me sweating a bit last week, but you stuck to your guns and kept that idol in your pocket. I don’t want to put too much pressure on you, but you’re my winner pick. Nineteen seasons of failure. Reverse that curse.
3. Laurel: She may be catching a lot of flack, but so far, no one has proven to her that their path can give her better options than Dom and Wendell. I understand the choices, and why it frustrates viewers, but I’m not gonna rake her over the coals for doing what’s best for her.	3. Laurel: Anyone who thinks Laurel is just content to get no votes in third place doesn’t know her very well. She’s really smart. I think her plan is to bounce Dom at five and then hope someone can beat Wendell at fire-making. I think she can beat Donathan and Angela in front of  a jury. But, she’s walking a tightrope at this point.
4. Donathan: Donathan is stirring up drama, and that may be the perfect excuse to cut him at this point. The boys seem to have Sebs in their pocket still, and the dominant alliance has so many advantages.	4. Donathan: It seems like you’re going to cause some trouble, but I can’t imagine a situation where you’d get enough votes to do any major damage.
5. Angela: Greetings, person who is still on this show!	5. Sea Bass: Seriously? You took all of the guys on the family reward? Have you ever seen this show before?
6. Sea Bass: Sebs is tight with the bros, so until they view that extra vote as dispensable, he’s OK.	6. Angela: There’s no real reason to get rid of you at this point. In fact, I’d be trying to figure out a way to get you to the end. But, there’s always the chance that Kellyn wins immunity and the others aren’t ready to make their moves just yet.
7. Kellyn: If this group of 4 holds up, Kellyn is on the wrong side of a bad situation.	7. Kellyn: I’m not sure what your move is at this point. Domendell aren’t going anywhere this week. Donathan and Sea Bass are in the clique and Angela is harmless. Win that immunity, kid!

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: A real/fake idol was found, a pretend/real idol was believed, and a real/real idol was wasted.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Lavita Tribe (wearing black)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Chelsea, 24 – EMT/Professional Cheerleader
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Kellyn, 31 – Career Counselor
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

Post Tribal Shenanigans

It doesn’t take long for everyone to realize that there were six votes cast by five castaways. Kellyn owns up to the extra ballot, as if it wasn’t obvious.

And uh…that’s it.

Reward Challenge Time

The players will race through an obstacle course, then attempt to throw a bean bag onto a small platform. The first person to make this shot wins a barbecue lunch and…

Cue: “Loved Ones” music

Sure enough, Jeff tells them that the loved ones visit has finally arrived.

We get to meet Wendell’s father first. They share a beautiful hug and I don’t cry. Because I’m super tough.

From there we get to meet Kellyn’s brother, he tells her to “Do it.” It’s unclear if he means, “Believe in invisible immunity idols.”

Donathan’s aunt is next and he asks for an update on his grandmother and mother. She assures him that they’re fine. Dusty…dusty in here…keep it together.

Then it’s Angela’s daughter. Probst really digs into the notion that Angela has missed a lot of her daughter’s life due to her military service. Jeez…Jeff. This isn’t hard enough?

Wow…Chelsea’s sister is like a slightly younger version of her. Which…is probably not too weird considering they’re siblings. Also, Chelsea’s sister has had as many lines as Chelsea this season.

Next up is Laurel’s brother and she bursts into tears. I, however, do not. Because I have a will of iron.

Sea Bass’s little sister is our next visitor…and she kinda looks like Jenna. I’m not going to read anything into that.

And finally, we get to meet Domenick’s wife…and that’s it for me. Waterworks. Stupid “Survivor.”

Domenick’s wife quickly becomes one of my favorite people on this season by saying, “I love you and I hate you so much.”

Fun Fact: During pre-game interviews, Domenick and Kellyn said they’d rather lose the family visit than win and have to decide who to take along.

Result: Sea Bass picks up the win and it’s not even close. He’s allowed to choose three people to come with him and he picks Domenick, Wendell, and Donathan. All the dudes, yikes.

Sebastian is also allowed to send someone to Ghost Island. Aaaand…there is no challenge waiting there. Whoever goes will automatically get an advantage. Sea Bass doesn’t want to send himself, but Wendell volunteers to go. That means he has to sacrifice lunch with his dad. But, Wendell assures us that his dad was all for that plan.

At Ghost Island

Wendell is greeted by an extra chance in the immunity challenge that Malcolm screwed up at final four during “Survivor: Philippines.”

Seriously?! No trigger warning? It hurt my heart to have to watch Malcolm blow that challenge again.

Family and Feasting

Domenick quickly makes a play to get Donathan and Sea Bass on his side. Donathan’s aunt hilariously threatens to hunt Domenick down if he stabs her nephew in the back.

Kell Hath No Fury

Hoo…boy…Kellyn is not pleased that the guys all got to go on little adventures. She immediately rallies the women to her side. It seems like Laurel is into it, but she does say things like, “They may or may not have idols” when she knows they do.

The plan is to target Domenick because Wendell probably has more tricks up his sleeve.

Honestly, Laurel should seriously consider this. The guys are getting too deep into this game with too many advantages.

Also, is Kellyn becoming this season’s villain? I never would have guessed that during pre-game interviews. It’s like rooting against Mr. Rogers.

Immunity Challenge Time: Yup…it’s the final four immunity from season 25. The players will have to balance a ball on a cylinder that they’re holding up with two handles. As time goes on, they’ll add pieces to the cylinder. If your ball drops, you’re out. If Wendell’s ball drops, he’ll get a second chance. The last person standing wins immunity.

Result: Wendell does not last long at all. Curse-unreversed. Domenick picks up the win.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

It looks like it’s going to come down to Chelsea or Wendell with Donathan and Laurel being the swing votes. It’s tough to tell which way they’re leaning, but Wendell does say that he’s getting weird vibes from Laurel. Uh oh…

Tribal Time

Donathan quickly drops a bomb, saying that there are finally cracks in the classic Naviti tribe. This immediately puts everyone on edge.

However, after that it’s all just a bunch of vague statements from everyone. So, it’s hard to get a read on what’s going on.

Voting Time: Chelsea votes for Wendell, Wendell votes for Chelsea, and the rest of the votes are secret.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…nobody does. We’ve got one vote for Wendell, one vote for Chelsea, one vote for Wendell, one vote for Chelsea, one vote for Wendell, two votes for Chelsea and the thirteen person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the sixth member of the jury is…Chelsea.

Verdict: I…I like all these people…but I’m kind of bored with this season.

Do somethinggggggg…

	Wendell – The target on your back can’t possibly get any bigger. So, going for the advantage was smart. Also, congratulating Chelsea on the way out is a good move. Domenick – Good job keeping your options open with Sebastian. He seems loyal and you can definitely beat him in the end.
	Kellyn and Angela – Hey, you tried.
	Laurel and Donathan – I don’t think either one of you can win over Wendell or Domenick. This vote may have been your last chance. Sebastian – I think you’re partnering with the wrong guys, buddy.

Power Rankings Results: Roark had Chelsea in spot eight. I had her in spot seven. The current score is Team Roark 125, Team Gordon 128.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

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 players will earn. For example, if Angela is voted out this episode, Roark will receive five points and Gordon will receive six points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Ghost Island” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Last Week: Roark had Jenna and Michael in spot ten and nine. I had them in spot nine and ten. The current score is Team Roark 117, Team Gordon 121.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Roark’s Score: 117 Any questions for Roark? Drop her a line on Twitter: @roarkstweets	Gordon’s Score: 121 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Domenick: Is it just a forgone conclusion that Dom and Wendell are going to march through the mid-merge? The bottom line is – THEY BOTH STILL HAVE IDOLS. And one is on the loose. And Ghost Island is still there. Ugh. Oh god a fake idol, too.	1. Domenick: Welp…I think the time for trusting Kellyn has passed. She let Michael get into her head and it almost cost Domenick one of his closest allies.
2. Wendell: I repeat – they both still have idols.	2. Wendell: There’s going to come a point where the challenges are less standing in one place and more running around and solving puzzles. And with Michael gone, Wendell’s gotta be a top contender to win all of those.
3. Laurel: So what’s going to happen between Kellyn and Laurel? Laurel is solidly in with the people Kellyn thought she was “Naviti strong” with, and Kellyn has no interest in working with Laurel, so either the two sides fight it out, or Kellyn cries uncle and finds a way to fit within Laurel’s landscape.	3. Laurel: If Michael had voted for you, his crazy plan would’ve worked. I’d absolutely let Wendell and Domenick know how you feel about that.
4. Donathan: Donathan made some odd choices this round. He made it through, but if we are viewing this group of 8 as two blocks of 4, I think he is 4th.	4. Donathan: So…uh…what was the point of that idol fun? Were you trying to boot Sebastian, but figured out that Jenna wasn’t really going for it? You’re probably fine this week, but idols don’t grow on trees…they’re hidden next to them.
5. Angela: Angela seems like an easy get for either side. She seems safe and malleable.	5. Sea Bass: Voting out your girlfriend?! Cold-blooded. Anywho, with Michael gone, your potential challenge prowess is going to put a target on your back.
6. Sea Bass: Shockingly, this man is still here. I hope he gets tricked by Dom’s fake idol. That would be fun. But there is no change Sea Bass sees it, right? I feel like there could be a neon sign directing him, personally, to an idol and he would miss it.	6. Angela: I don’t even know.
7. Kellyn: In theory, Kellyn still has Angela, Sebs and Chelsea which would make this vote a four/four split. Bet you wish you had that extra vote, eh Kellyn? Well, I don’t see this going in her favor, tie or no.	7. Chelsea: Challenge beast! Keep it going and you can pick who to take to the end. Or…you can pick who gets to make fire for a chance to get to the end.
8. Chelsea: If Chelsea doesn’t win immunity, I sense trouble. Left out of the Des vote two weeks ago, *beyond* purple edit, doesn’t look good.	8. Kellyn: You made some bad reads and it’s going to cost you. Domenick and Wendell can’t trust you anymore. So, you’ve got two potential moves; try to win them back…which will probably fail. Or, rally the others against them. But, they have idols to protect themselves. It doesn’t look good.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes