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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 8: Wentworth the Wait Edition

November 18, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (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 Jenn Brown and Max Dawson. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

The Rules: Each week our three 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 three players will earn. For example, if Joe is voted out this week, Gordon and Jenn will each receive eleven points and Max will receive eight points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Second Chance” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Jenn had Savage in spot ten, Max had him in spot four, and Gordon’s pinch hitter Gregory McBean had him in spot eleven. So, the current score is Team Jenn 95, Team Max 97, and Team Gordon 88.

Important Note: These rankings are not based on who is most likely to win the entire season. Players tend to rank the players based on their safety in the next episode.


Jenn’s Score = 95 Any questions for Jenn? Drop her a line on Twitter: @jenncantdance	Max’s Score = 97 Any questions for Max? Drop him a line on Twitter: @fymaxwell	Gordon’s Score = 88 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

1. Keith: Keith is up here purely for the best scene I have ever seen in an episode of “Survivor.” That tuk-tuk ride was just great, and pointless, and finally something more than just constant strategy on the show. I love it when the producers show the fun things that happen too, not just all business. Also Keith is going nowhere. Has his name ever even been brought up? No way. Everyone loves Keith. Keith is sticking around.	1. Jeremy: Andrew: “Jeremy, we need to vote Stephen out. He’s a spineless, lying, amoral, pantywaist. And get this – on day 1 I asked him what his favorite NFL team is and he said he doesn’t have one. What kind of man doesn’t have a team?” Jeremy: (Swinging in hammock.) “Nah, bro.” Andrew: “OK. Let’s vote out someone else then. That’s probably a better idea anyway.” Jeremy: (Continues to swing in hammock.)	1. Jeremy: So, Jeremy is pretty much running the show. And, if there’s a breakdown around camp he won’t be the first target. Looks like his “meat shield” plan is working. Throw an idol on top of that and this fireman is on fire, man.

2. Jeremy: Jeremy technically got Savage voted out. Sorta. I mean if he hadn’t nixed the Fishbach idea then Kelley would’ve played the idol for no reason and Savage would still be around. But this shows what a power he has over the groupthink, and he does it subtly. AND HE HAS AN IDOL STILL. Jeremy is just really kicking ass this season. Even if he sucked at this past immunity challenge. And now he knows that Kelley knows where idols are hidden. Maybe he can find a way to use that to his advantage. We shall see.	2. Tasha: You can divide the remaining Second Chancers into four categories: 1) People who seem dead set on voting out a rival (Stephen, Joe). 2) People who are targets (Abi, Ciera, Kelley). 3) People content to have others tell them whom to vote for (Kelly, Kimmi, Spencer, Keith). and 4) People who the others come to for permission or guidance (Tasha and Jeremy). It’s good to be in category 4.	2. Keith: If anyone could sneak to the end with two jerks and win based on their personality, it’s Keith. Problem is, are there two people left that people universally despise? Maybe they could bring back the Sprint Player of the Season. I’d love to see the tricked out tuk-tuk Keith could build with $100,000.

3. Spencer: This was the first episode I saw that wasn’t like, SPENCER LOOK SPENCER IS ON THE SHOW LOOK AT SPENCER DOING THINGS AND TALKING SPENCER. So that’s cool that there were other people on the episode. I like Spencer though, I think he’s a good guy and in a good spot right now.	3. Keith: While I don’t think Keith is really a factor in the game at this point I do think that he is the most delightful human being to appear on American television in recent memory. Keith deserves his own spinoff. My pitch: a show about Keith having new life experiences. In one episode he gets a massage and tries spa food! In another episode he snuggles with a Broadway star! In another he eats a bagel and drives a tuk-tuk. The possibilities are endless.	3. Kimmi: Hey, Kimmi! You know when Ciera is begging the people on the bottom of the dominant alliance to not settle for fourth and fifth place? She’s totally talking to you.

4. Tasha: I don’t see her going home this week but I didn’t see much from her this past week either. She seems to be in an alright spot, but I’m starting to get vibes that people will want to take her to the end for the easy win.	4. Kimmi: Somehow Kimmi has put herself in the position that I thought Monica would occupy: the quiet and relatively level-headed accessory ally who stays above the fray and off her fellow competitors’ radars.	4. Kelly: We all had awesome visions of Kelly Wiglesworth returning to right a fifteen-year wrong. Instead, she’s going to be someone’s vote until she’s no longer useful.

5. Kelly: She won the group reward for everyone! That’s great! She got to be carted around in a tuk tuk by Keith, which may or may not be one of my life goals now. But that’s all we saw from her. I don’t know really where she stands in the alliances, but for some reason no one seems to think they’re on the bottom of the majority. I think she might be (after Joe, of course).	5. Spencer: I think last week contained the least amount of Spencer of any of the episodes in either of his two seasons. To me that means he is safe for the time being.	5. Tasha: Joe’s the biggest challenge threat in the game. Then Spencer, then Jeremy and Tasha?

6. Kimmi: The whole clam thing is still kinda getting to me. Like, definitely don’t eat all the food you have all at once. Don’t do that. Because then later you starve. I think that also rubbed some people the wrong way, and she might’ve pushed some buttons. However we didn’t see much from her this week, and like Kelly, she doesn’t seem to think she’s on the bottom. Again, I think differently.	6. Kelly: Brett. Kelly. Rick. Carter. Brenda. Wiglesworth? At least let her describe how thin the lox were cut.	6. Spencer: It’s kind of funny that Spencer is playing the same role he played in Cagayan. He’s voting with the dominant alliance, but he’s not really a part of them. He’s always in danger. That would make a compelling story for a jury…

7. Abi-Maria: Her comment to Savage made me laugh so hard. So hard. She’s in a bad spot being in the minority but Abi is scrappy AF and always finds a way to not go home. I think that will be the case again this week, but who knows how much longer she can keep it up. I don’t. I don’t know the future. If I did I think I’d be a lot richer and have a private jet filled with baby tigers.	7. Ciera: Ciera knows that the Three Amigas’ long-term survival is contingent upon their ability to fan the flames of the Goofus and Gallant rivalry. Expect Ciera to blow on that fire with everything she’s got.	7. Abi-Maria: Oh, Abi. Your “jury” comment to Savage as he was on his way out was comedy gold. Unfortunately it was also jury management lead.

8. Kelley: I think what she did was an awesome move. I don’t know why people never split the votes anymore, they should’ve in my season and they should’ve in this situation, but they didn’t and, just like 30, the young blonde chick survives another day. However she is in the minority alliance, and no longer has an idol to protect her. She needs to start looking around challenges ASAP, or make some changes in alliances.	8. Joe: Gallant makes hammocks for his entire tribe and wins all the challenges and says “please” and “thank you” and paints an amazing merge flag and has fantastic hair.	8. Ciera: Poor Ciera is starting to sound like a broken record with her “Please, play to win” speeches. But, she’s not wrong. Right now her best bet is to play up the fact that odd votes are the best time to make moves. Maybe she can get Joe, Spencer, and one other person on her threesome’s side.

9. Ciera: She too is on the bottom of the small alliance of ladies. Tried her damnedest to make some moves, but the boys weren’t budging. Luckily one of her buddies had an idol and… well didn’t do much for Ciera except keep her small alliance the same size.	9. Stephen: Goofus looks for idols and hits the other tribe’s target and talks about people behind their backs and yawns when his friends tell their meet-cute stories.	9. Kelley: You killed it last week, Kelley. But, the problem with the idol is it can only be played once.

10. Stephen: This guy continues to be a target, got caught scheming, and had a wonderfully hilarious reaction to the reward challenge that he didn’t win. I swear this episode was just funny. I really enjoyed it. But back to Stephen. He doesn’t seem to really have a strong alliance, and the “bros” are targeting him after he suggested getting rid of Joe (which literally everyone else probably has too, but I digress).	10. Abi-Maria: During the pre-merge stage we heard a lot of people talk about bringing Abi to the end as a goat. Most of the people who floated that idea are now on vacation in Vietnam. The players who are left aren’t thinking about goats. They’re thinking about bumping off the opposing alliance.	10. Stephen: OK, we’re all ready to put this “Stephen returning was a mistake” talk to bed, right? He’s in the thick of it and is one of the five or six people left who are capable of winning. In fact, the only reason he’s this low is because Joe knows he was targeting him.

11. Joe: Joe is gone the second he loses immunity, there is no way in hell anyone in their right mind would keep him around if they have the chance to get rid of him, not even his alliance. (And hell, now that Savage is gone, the meat shields are dwindling.) I’m just going to keep him down here for the rest of the season I think, because he has to lose sometime…right? RIGHT?	11. Kelley: Kelley bought herself 3 more days in the game in the most spectacular manner imaginable. But what’s her plan now? Laying low is not an option. Kelley will need to make another big move to survive the next vote.	11. Joe: The only time you’re safe is when you’re wearing a necklace, Joe.

Tags:jenn brown, max dawson, survivor, survivor cambodia, survivor second chance
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‘Survivor’ Castaway Andrew: ‘We Honestly Didn’t Think Idols Were in Play’

November 12, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (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 Jenn Brown and Max Dawson. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

Life isn’t always fair. Neither is “Survivor.”

One minute you’re coasting through with a 40-person alliance and the next you’re flipping the bird to Brazilian dragon.

(That last sentence sounds so weird out of context.)

I spoke to the bird flipper the morning after Kelley Wentworth idol’d him out of the game and asked him about balancing balls, splitting votes, and Joe-adoring daughters…

Gordon Holmes: So, what was the mood like in the Savage household when the “Joe is perfect” story was broadcast to America?
Andrew Savage: (Laughs) The reaction from both of my daughters…here’s the thing…before I left for Cambodia I said to my daughters, Mackenzie and Skyleur, “If I’m on a tribe with Joe, I’m going to tell him that story.” And they both looked at me and said, “Yeah, daddy. We’re OK with that.” And I thought there was a zero percent chance that would make the airwaves. Then, it airs and my daughter’s first reaction was, “Oh my God, Dad. I can’t believe you told that story.” And then my older daughter Mackenzie stepped up and said, “You know what? That’s how I feel about Joe and I’m happy to tell the world.”
Holmes: If it makes them feel better, I’m sure a lot of people feel that way about Joe.
Savage: (Laughs) Exactly. That’s the consensus.

Holmes: Why didn’t we split the votes last night?
Savage: There was a lot of talk about it. In the prior episode we split the vote between Kass and Ciera. And that’s an exhausting exercise. Splitting the votes is dangerous. They can flip against you and you can get it wrong and folks can go home that shouldn’t go home. What you didn’t see was one of my toes was badly infected. I was pretty sick. And we’re all huddled around and I said, “Can we split the votes?” And others were saying, “Do we have to do that?” And then we started talking about idols. And the reality is, the only two people who knew idols were in play were Wentworth and Jeremy and they didn’t tell a soul. So, Joe and me and Tash, we all spent hours looking for idols. We’re scouring through all the reward challenge stuff. We found nothing. We honestly didn’t think idols were in play. We thought Wentworth wouldn’t see it coming. She’ll think we’re going after Ciera. So, we decided to load up Wentworth and send her home. We’ll live another three days and figure it out after that. I wanted to get Fishbach out at the next one. But we did talk about splitting. And I can’t believe we didn’t split the vote.

Holmes: It was mentioned a few times that the dominant four included yourself, Jeremy, Tasha, and Joe. Was that accurate?
Savage: Yeah, that’s spot on. You don’t see a lot of it, but the four of us were super tight and were running the show. We’re joined at the hip. We had very discreet, quick conversations. And no one is making all of the decisions. We were making them together. It was working so wonderfully. It’s a shame to see it get derailed like that. It was tough for me to watch with my girls, they’re so protective of me. But, that’s part of the reason we love this game. It was brilliant.

Holmes: You were famously a victim of the Outcasts twist that many people, myself included, found unfair. Idols are a part of the game, idols happen. Does it make it easier that you were eliminated by more traditional means this time?
Savage: Yeah. Idols have been a part of “Survivor” history. That’s a known element. It’s totally acceptable. The Outcast twist? If I’d known about it it would’ve been more palatable. I welcome idols.
Holmes: And if those Outcasts had been suffering in some way.
Savage: (Laughs) Yeah! If they would’ve not been in a cabana sleeping on cot with running water and three meals a day. That would’ve been a little different.

Holmes: If the vote had gone your way, Kelley is gone. The next week you try to get rid of Stephen. What were your plans for deeper in the game?
Savage: I’m an old school Survivor, Gordon. So, it was boring. Frankly. We had the majority and we were going to Pagong the rest of them. Wentworth, we wanted Stephen gone. I just didn’t trust him. My gut said he was going to make a huge move and that’d be getting rid of Joe, Jeremy, or me. I was not OK with that. I could see his mind racing. Then Ciera, Abi…and we didn’t have further conversations about final seven or eight.

Holmes: If you’d known that balancing balls on a platform was going to be such a big part of this season…
Savage: If I’d have known I would’ve been practicing all the time. I would’ve been in my backyard with a ball and a plate for five hours a day. Those challenges are so frustrating because one gust of wind or one twitch of your finger and it’s gone.

Holmes: You and Abi had a tense exchange last night where she made fun of your “making the jury” statement. You responded with one of Kass’s trademark hand gestures. Was there any animosity between you two earlier?
Savage: My relationship with Abi was terrific on Angkor. We were super tight. She was the first one to come to our side. Tash took Abi, I took Varner and Woo. We were going to divide and conquer. It was incredible. So, Abi and I got along really well. She has her issues and she takes things different ways than they’re meant. And that’s OK. Abi and I went a little south on the new Ta Keo tribe when she chose to go with Ciera and Kass and blindside Woo.
Holmes: Kass was wary of you after you told her you didn’t trust her. Did you know that you were almost a target there?
Savage: I didn’t know until Kass’s exit interviews that Kass was gunning for me on Ta Keo but Abi said, “I’m not voting for Savage.” That really touched me. That speaks to what we went through at Angkor. And I love that about Abi. She’s a loyal person. I have nothing but respect for her. Except for when she snickered at me when I made the jury. That was not from the heart, that was not genuine. Everything was so raw to me. I couldn’t do anything except flip her off.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Tasha.
Savage: My little sister. Love her to death. Courageous. A wonderful lady.
Holmes: Jeremy?
Savage: A close brother of mine. He’s strong and trustworthy.
Holmes: Joe?
Savage: Like my little brother. I love Joe. He’s a competitor. He’s honest.
Holmes: Woo?
Savage: A close ally. There were things he did with food that made it difficult to trust him.
Holmes: What was he doing with food?
Savage: We won that hero challenge and he ended up sneaking away and taking all the sugar, all the cinnamon sticks, and hoarding everything. It just wasn’t right. On “Survivor” that’s like stealing money from somebody. That rubbed me the wrong way.
Holmes: Abi?
Savage: Loyal, complicated, trustworthy in some situations, and dangerous.
Holmes: Wentworth?
Savage: Good competitor, I just never trusted her.
Holmes: Wiglesworth?
Savage: Honest, great competitor, good friend of mine.
Holmes: Kass?
Savage: Wow…I think of Chaos Kass. That’s a big part of who she is. She denies it this season, but the element of Chaos Kass was always lingering at the surface…ready to pounce. And it pounced a lot more than you saw.
Holmes: Ciera?
Savage: Dangerous. Not to be trusted.
Holmes: Monica?
Savage: Blank. (Laughs) I never really spoke to her.
Holmes: Stephen?
Savage: Decent guy. Great strategist. Not to be trusted.
Holmes: Kimmi?
Savage: Wonderful woman. Big heart.
Holmes: Varner?
Savage: The Jeff Varner you saw the first two episodes? I never met the guy. The Jeff Varner who showed up on the Angkor tribe slept all day. He only left the shelter to go to the bathroom. He had no strategy. He had no nothing. So, I don’t know the Jeff Varner from the first two episodes. So, my gut reaction is that he was a non-entity.
Holmes: Well, at least he left the shelter to go to the bathroom.
Savage: (Laughs) That would’ve been trouble if he hadn’t.
Holmes: Peih-Gee?
Savage: Probably a nice person, but she was mean to me and Tash at Angkor. She treated us like the position we were in, which was the bottom of the list.
Holmes: Keith?
Savage: A very likable, honest fireman. A good friend of mine.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Spencer.
Savage: A brilliant young kid. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.

Holmes: We talked earlier the Outcast twist sticking with you. This season you were on the bottom of Angkor and overcame it, you had that performance in the grueling hero challenge. Did your second chance help you get over Pearl Islands?
Savage: The Outcast twist was b.s. But, I didn’t do enough to overcome it. I had a lot of challenges in my second chance season and I drew upon the pain I had for twelve years, I did everything I could to not let history repeat itself. I didn’t want to let myself down and I didn’t want to let the fans who voted me in down. So, my takeaway is, similar to life, you do the best that you can. And I did the best that I can with who I am and how I’m wired. There are certain things at “Survivor” that I’m not good at. I focused on my strengths and I take away a lot of pride.

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

Tags:andrew savage, survivor, survivor cambodia, survivor second chance
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‘Survivor: Second Chance’ Episode 8 Recap: The Extra E Is for “Excitement!”

November 11, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

Last Week: The tribes merged, Joe’s influence surged, and the most chaotic member was purged.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

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

The Orkun Tribe (wearing orange)
Abi – Philippines
Andrew – Pearl Islands
Ciera – Blood vs. Water
Jeremy – San Juan del Sur
Joe – Worlds Apart
Keith – San Juan del Sur
Kelley W. – San Juan del Sur
Kelly W. – Borneo Terry – Panama
Kimmi – The Australian Outback
Spencer – Cagayan
Stephen – Tocantins
Tasha – Cagayan

The fun starts off the morning after the Kass-astrophic Tribal. Jeremy and Andrew are patting each other on the back, not literally, for a job well done. Savage can sense that a big move is on the horizon.

Meanwhile, Ciera appreciates that she’s on the bottom and is prepared to do anything to stir the pot. Yeah, but would she vote out her mother? Oh wait…

Ciera pitches getting rid of Joe to Stephen. Stephen doesn’t respond with “Doy” but he must’ve been thinking it.
Man, you vote out Joe and everyone at Claire’s and Hot Topic is going to be livid. Riot in the food court.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be divided into two teams. Both teams will push a boat into the water. They’ll paddle out and retrieve a series of crates. Once they have all of the crates, they’ll stack them so there are no repeating colors. First tribe to do this earns a trip to the “Survivor” cafe where they’ll get all kinds of breakfast goodies.

Heh…Probst points out that Kelly lost a paddling challenge to Gervase. That’s just mean. I’m glad he’s not around to remind everyone of when I peed my pants in pre-school.

We’ve got Kelly, Kelley, Ciera, Joe, Kimmi, and Keith on the green team and Tasha, Spencer, Abi, Jeremy, Stephen, and Savage as the purple team.

The green team is the first back to the beach with all of their crates. The purple team is way behind.

Purple finally manages to catch up, but there isn’t much to describe except for crate arrangin’.

The purple team thinks that have it, but they totally pull a Foley. The green team takes it.

We meet up with the green team as they arrive at their reward. Everyone goes to town on bagels and whatnot.

Ciera apologizes for accusing people of not playing hard. I’m sure Kelly forgives her.

Ciera then outs Jeremy, Tasha, Stephen and Savage as the dominant alliance.

Joe knows that he’s on the outs, but doesn’t say it to Ciera.

Later on, Keith jumps in one of the tuk-tuks they drove to the reward. Everyone hops in and he drives it around the beach. Please let the next challenge involve tuk tuk driving!

Back at camp, Stephen is depressed. Abi tries to make him feel better by telling him to “Get over it!” Ya been Dragon’d!

Stephen takes Jeremy aside and explains to him that they need to get rid of Joe quickly rather than take their time getting rid of the Ciera and Kelley.

Jeremy loves having Joe as a shield, but the more Joe wins, the bigger the target gets.

Stephen makes the same pitch to Tasha and Spencer and they seem into it. Savage overhears this and doesn’t dig it because he and Joe are…like…total bros.

The next morning, Savage lets Joe in on Stephen’s plan. Savage swears on his children’s lives that he’ll never vote for Joe. That promise lost some weight after Tony threw it around in Cagayan.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will balance a ball on a disc while holding reins. Last person standing wins immunity.

Fun Fact: Keith won this challenge in San Juan del Sur.

A lot of ball balancing this season. Two in a row. Switch it up, guys.

We start off and Ciera, Kelley, and Kelly are immediately out. Jeremy, Abi, Stephen, and Savage aren’t far behind.

After ten minutes, they move further back on the reins. Kimmi’s the first to go. She’s followed by Tasha.

Another ten minutes and they move back again. Spencer hangs for a bit, then drops out.

Another ten minutes pass and they add a second ball. They battle for a while, but Golden Joe eventually wins it.

#shocker

Back at Orkun beach, Stephen compares Joe to Moby Dick. Feel free to make your own jokes about that one.

Joe wants Stephen gone because he’s throwing his name around. He approaches Kelley with the idea of voting with him. Kelley’s all for it because she doesn’t want to use her idol just yet. They bring Ciera on board.

Savage tells Jeremy that he wants Stephen out, but Jeremy doesn’t want to do it. Jeremy tries to swing it by saying that they can’t let Ciera and Kelley hang around for long because they’re dangerous.

Savage eventually agrees to do whatever the group wants.

Later, Tasha tells Joe that they’re not ready to get rid of Stephen because it’ll rock the boat.

Joe goes to Kelley and Ciera and tells them that it’s probably one of them.

That night at Tribal, Kass shows up and gives someone the finger. Probably safe to assume it was Tasha.

Ciera doesn’t think anyone is fighting to win it.

Kelley says there are four people in the top of the alliance. Probst wonders why the foursome is so powerful when the other eight could oust them.

Ciera outs the four as Jeremy, Savage, Tasha, Joe, or Stephen.

Jeremy points out that she named five people, so they don’t know who’s in charge.

Savage thinks there’s a group that has mutual respect and a lot of people are making decisions.

Ciera says that someone’s always on the top and someone’s always on the bottom.

Spencer thinks what Ciera is saying is true. But they’re waiting for idols or flips.

Spencer also thinks there either aren’t idols or they’re waiting to be played.

Ciera isn’t asking for something crazy to happen, she just wants people to fight for their spot in the game.

Also, Ciera should be careful she doesn’t sprain something with the way she’s rolling her eyes.

Stephen thinks their isn’t a hierarchy, Ciera disagrees. She pleas for those who aren’t in the top four to do something.

Kelley thinks she, Abi, or Ciera are going home. She then says that somebody wanted to make a move today. She doesn’t out them because she might have to work with them in the future. Interesting…

Voting Time: No votes are shown. Dun…dun…dun…

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…Kelley does! Ciera proclaims this her “favorite moment.”

Alright, we’ve got a ton of votes for Kelley, one vote for Savage, and the ninth person eliminated from “Survivor: Second Chance” and the second member of the jury is…Savage.

SNEAKY SNEAKY!

On the way out, Abi says, “You made it to the jury!” Savage responds with a middle finger. Bad jury management, Abi. But, it was hilarious.

Verdict: What the what?! Amazing, jaw-dropping ending. I wonder if the lack of trust among the dominant alliance is why they didn’t split the vote.

Wow…just wow.

Who’s Going to Win? Kelley still has an uphill battle, but I’m not counting her out yet.

Power Rankings Results: Jenn had Savage in spot ten, Max had him in spot four, and my pinch hitter Gregory McBean had him in spot eleven. So, the current score is Team Jenn 95, Team Max 97, and Team Gordon 88.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor cambodia, survivor second chance
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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 7: The Orkun Man Edition

November 11, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

The Rules: Each week our three 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 three players will earn. For example, if Kelley is voted out this week, Max and Jenn will each receive five points and Team Gordon will receive two points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Second Chance” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Jenn and Max has Kass in spot thirteen, while my pinch hitter Colton Cumbie had her in spot three. The current score is now Team Jenn 85, Team Max 93, and Team Gordon 77.

Before we get into this week’s rankings, let’s crack open the ol’ “Survivor” tweetbag…

“I am seriously considering starting a Survivor blog for season 32. Any advice?” – @animorphlover3 (Gregory McBean)

Well Gregory, “Survivor” blogging has taken me on several amazing adventures, opened many doors in my career, and introduced me to some of my best friends. So, I’m all for it.

As for advice…

1. There’s no shortage of “Survivor” blogs out there. So, try to do something unique to stand out like Survivorbuffs.com’s hilarious drinking game or Lisa Ferreira’s adorable LEGO recaps.
2. Remember that the players are real people. I always try to keep in mind that we’re only seeing the most dramatic 42 minutes of a three-day span.
3. If we ever end up at a “Survivor” location together, don’t do anything to screw up my eight-immunity-challenge winning streak. It’s literally all I have.

And to get you started on the right foot, how about pinch hitting for me in this week’s Power Rankings?

Important Note: These rankings are not based on who is most likely to win the entire season. Players tend to rank the players based on their safety in the next episode.


Jenn’s Score = 85 Any questions for Jenn? Drop her a line on Twitter: @jenncantdance	Max’s Score = 93 Any questions for Max? Drop him a line on Twitter: @fymaxwell	Team Gordon’s Score = 77 Any questions for Gregory? Drop him a line on Twitter: @animorphlover3

1. Abi-Maria: Bow down, (expletive deleted).	1. Jeremy: Savage comes to Jeremy. Stephen comes to Jeremy. Kimmi comes to Jeremy. Tasha comes to Jeremy. Spencer comes to Jeremy. The game comes to Jeremy.	1. Jeremy: I think Gordon would kill me if I didn’t put some of the people who are guaranteed to make it through this episode up higher Cough Colton Cough. Jeremy has an idol and he recently got back together with his Bayon Brochachos. He is also keeping his “meat shields” in the game for as long as he can so he will not be first to go home.

2. Keith: All the hype this week seems to revolve around a power player getting blindsided. I don’t see that being Keith.	2. Kimmi: Kimmi appears to be the Edna Ma of the Alpha Alliance. But she’s also one of the few remaining castaways who doesn’t have any enemies or rivals left in the game. Taking for granted that she’ll outlast the remaining Ta Keos, now is the time for her to start making the side deals that will put her in a position to survive when Bayon begins cannibalizing itself.	2. Kelley: Is Kelley safe this week? She san juan del sure is! I really wasn’t sure how well she would do when she entered this game but she has exceeded all of my expectations. Kelley is in control of an idol and she voted with the majority last time so she could possibly find herself in the majority again this week.

3. Kimmi: If a big player’s going down nobody would be yelling “Timber!” about Kimmi.	3. Tasha: From Wikipedia: “One may determine how agitated the llama is by the materials in the spit. The more irritated the llama is, the further back into each of the three stomach compartments it will try to draw materials from for its spit.” Last week Tasha was wiping third-stomach llama spit from her face. She managed to clean up enough so that she was presentable for Tribal Council. But is it possible that she missed a spot? Are the allegations that were leveled during that confrontation going to come back to haunt her?	3. Keith: This is the part of the game where Keith can sit back and relax, maybe even do a little #Joga. This is where Keith needs to let the big players take each other out.

4. Kelly: Wiglesworth is hilarious to me. It’s like all of this chaos is going on all around her, and she’s just kind of like in her own little clam-collecting world. I would love to see her orchestrate and execute a huge move, but I don’t know if she has it in her.	4. Andrew: Remember the first time you beat your dad at tennis or one-on-one basketball or ping pong? It probably felt like a major accomplishment. But now stop and think about how your dad must’ve felt. Andrew played college football. He snagged himself a Playboy model. He made it to the top of the legal field. And now he’s getting lied to by people who don’t even have graduate degrees or hot wives or nice cars. Have a heart, people.	4. Kimmi: We really haven’t seen much from Kimmi except for the episode where she was a big part of blindsiding Monica. As long as she keeps quiet she will probably just fade into the background, I think that Kimmi will most likely end up in 4th or 5th place this season.

5. Kelley: Armed with an idol Wentworth’s ready for battle.	5. Kelley: Kelley is a power floater. I mean this only as a compliment. No matter what goes down each week, and no matter who she’s ostensibly aligned with, she somehow finds a way to drift onto the right side of the numbers. She’s got at least three or four more votes left to play this way, after which point she’s got an idol. That’s plenty of time to find a crack in the Bayon alliance.	5. Kelly: Alright Kelly, it’s time for you to tone down that massive social game of yours and let the big players get rid of each other. Oh wait…

6. Joe: Joe should always be ranked low now that the merge has happened, but it was cool when he appeared to somewhat land in the driver’s seat of the vote. With the tide turning this week, I definitely think he could be in trouble. Big trouble. But Joe’s a challenge beast, and we all know the hearts of 12-year-old girls around the world would be breaking if he was gone this soon. So he won’t be.	6. Stephen: “Roses are red, Violets are blue. Is getting Joe out now really worth risking your alliance over?” – Gerard Manley Hopkins	6. Tasha: Despite getting votes at the last tribal, Tasha is in a good position. She has a good relationship with Andrew, she still has the old Bayon alliance (although I heard at tribal that Bayon was no more), and she potentially has her Cagayan friend in Spencer.

7. Ciera: She seems like the obvious vote at this point, which exactly why I don’t think it’s going to be her.	7. Spencer: The closer I put Spencer to the bottom, the more certain I am that he is not going home. I’m hard-pressed to think of another castaway who plays better when the odds are stacked against him. Maybe Yul? Maybe Russell Hantz in Samoa? Tweet at me if you can think of a better power bottom.	7. Spencer: Going into this week, I can see Spencer being the swing vote again. Spencer is one of my top 5 all-time favorite players so I hope that he doesn’t end up like some past swing votes (see Christy in Amazon and Sarah in Cagayan courtesy of Rob Cesternino and Chaos Kass).

8. Jeremy: This is where my list of serious prospects to be voted out starts. Jeremy seems to be running a lot of things and a lot of people. If Wentworth’s got someone in her sights there’s a big chance it could be him.	8. Keith: Keith’s best moment last week was when he was practicing his golf swing in the background while Ciera was blowing up Orkun. Keith is out of the loop, but he’s also out of the fray. As he proved in SJDS, that’s a good way to make it to the final four.	8. Ciera: I was okay with Ciera getting the Rick (South Pacific) edit because I knew that there was more to come from her. I really liked her move to vote for Savage! She explained it on Twitter and I thought it was very smart, she voted for Savage so that somewhere down the line she could potentially work with Tasha considering she never voted for her. She had already burned the Savage bridge so she wasn’t worried about that. These are the kinds of things I was looking for from Ciera and I don’t think this is the end for her, she’ll find a way out of this mess.

9. Spencer: What are the odds that Spencer gets Dolly’d? Probably not that great actually.	9. Kelly: I’m calling for a moratorium on tweeting out Jeff Probst’s inappropriate challenge commentary. I don’t need my timeline cluttered up with 65 people all tweeting the same line about “holding your long pole” or “placing your balls” on something. Just let Rob Cesternino handle it in the podcast. And while I’m at it, I’m also over jokes about Kelly Wiglesworth’s favorite color.	9. Joe: Joe is playing a different game this time, even though Spencer thinks he has to talk in “Joe language” in order to strategize with him, Joe is doing quite well for himself. The fact that Savage and Jeremy want to keep him around for a while makes me think that he’ll be safe this week. Plus, he could also just go on an immunity streak like Terry, Mike, or Ozzy.

10. Andrew: Savage seems the most likely candidate for Wentworth/Abi/Ciera to target. I think if they’re going to try to take out a power player this one comes with a personal vendetta.	10. Abi-Maria: Wait, why did Abi vote for Tasha?	10. Abi-Maria: You can’t spell unpredictable without A, B, and I. I would normally say that someone like her could just keep quiet and go quite far in the game but Abi has proved time and time again that she cannot keep quiet. The only silver lining is that she is the perfect goat to take to the end but in the Philippines they couldn’t even put up with her long enough for her to go to the end. Basically she could finish this game in almost any spot which is why she’s so low on my list.

11. Stephen: The biggest advocate of making a “big move” has one made against him. That’s “Survivor” poetry, people.	11. Joe: It was nice of them to make the individual immunity necklace the same color as Joe’s shirt. It just looks like it belongs around his neck. Unfortunately, I think if Joe loses, he’s gone. The question is, will he lose?	11. Andrew: So far in the game it’s been Savage in charge over at the Bayon camp and then again at Angkor (but to a lesser degree, Tasha was the one in charge there). If someone wants to make a big move and go after the Bayon alliance, Savage is the perfect first target.

12. Tasha: This is more so wishful thinking, but I guess there is a possibility if Savage wins immunity you could take out his right-hand woman? I have my pom-poms ready either way.	12. Ciera: Two weeks ago Ciera made a big move. Last week she and her #1 ally faced the consequences. Her impassioned speech at Tribal Council turned heads. But, I don’t think that it was enough to break up the Alpha Alliance	12. Stephen: The previews show everyone wanting to make a big move. We all know that Stephen’s big move will be trying to get rid of Joe. If Savage and Jeremy have to decide between keeping Stephen and Joe, they will definitely side with Joe. Especially given the fact that Jeremy wants to keep these “meat shields” in the game. On the plus side, he outlasted Rob (Cesternino) so I’m assuming that means he’s the best know-it-all? (Even though Rob is my favorite know-it-all.)

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Kass: ‘People Were Calling Me Kass-anova’

November 5, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

I ask a lot of questions in my pregame interviews that are meant to give us a feel for how people intend to play. Seeing as this was a returnee season, I asked everyone who they thought would be targeted first.

Almost everyone answered “Chaos Kass.”

So, for Kass to make it to the merge and to have some allies on her side speaks well of her return trip.

I spoke to the chaotic one the morning after her elimination and asked her about the wild vote, the alpha male alliance, and her unlikely partnership with Spencer…

Kass McQuillen: You know, I had half of a mind to not do your interview because of your affiliation with Max Dawson.
Gordon Holmes: Yes, but by putting you last in the Power Rankings all the time…he was only hurting himself.
McQuillen: (Laughs) Yeah, but your integrity is compromised when you associate with someone as bitter as Max.
Holmes: You’re assuming I had any integrity to begin with.
McQuillen: That’s true. You did let Colton stand in for you, so that’s all out the window now.
Holmes: (Laughs)

Holmes: If I had said to you before the game, “You’re going to save Spencer one week, and he’s going to help vote you out the next”…
McQuillen: Technically he voted for Ciera. I don’t think we can say he voted me out. I know he intentionally did not write my name down. Who knew we were going to merge at thirteen?
Holmes: Yeah, that was crazy. It took Probst a month to read all the votes.
McQuillen: And if we hadn’t merged then, Savage would be gone. Ta Keo inevitably would have lost and Savage would have gone home. And Spencer and I didn’t have a problem. All that rivalry stuff is for people and it’s fun. But when you’re in the game you’re not going to throw your game away. Well, a good player isn’t going to throw their game away based on something that happened two years prior.

Holmes: As far as second chances go, everyone was targeting you, but you seemed to make some strong alliances.
McQuillen: I had a target the size of Iceland on me. Everybody wanted me out. It was an easy vote. So, I had to go in and make friends. And I did. Last night my phone was blowing up with nothing but love from everyone out there. Well, everyone but one person.
Holmes: A certain Power Ranker?
McQuillen: (Laughs) No, he wouldn’t have my number.

Holmes: Let’s talk about early Bayon. What were you doing while Jeremy was starting that alpha alliance?
McQuillen: I made amends with Tasha. We spent a night at the campfire talking about Cagayan. We agreed to move on and there were no hard feelings. And I genuinely meant it. I had the same conversation with Spencer. I was out there to play Second Chance, I wasn’t there to replay Cagayan. Early on, my plan was to lay low and let other people ruin their own game. When you have a ten-person tribe, there are people who are going to be far more annoying than me. And that happened. When we won the first challenge, that was a great relief. That bought me three more days. And by day six people were calling me Kass-anova, we were having fun at camp. I had my Joe-mance going. It was such a good vibe over there. We had clear first targets with Monica and Kimmi. It was like we were at summer camp. I was not disruptive. People expected me to come in like Abi and freak out over a bracelet or whatever. I was making bracelets for people! I got voted in because I said I’d be Chaos Kass, and you didn’t see Chaos Kass. You don’t have to act like that when you’re on a winning tribe and you’re not on the bottom.

Holmes: At new Ta Keo, Savage wanted to target Spencer, and use Ciera as a faux vote. Was the faux vote was caused you and Ciera to turn on him?
McQuillen: Savage was clearly with the men all along…and with Tasha. Savage came to me early on at Bayon and told me he didn’t trust me. He was going to have no tolerance for Chaos Kass. Savage gave me this lecture like he was my father. And I knew I wasn’t going to win him over. We did talk about being attorneys and things, but I knew I wasn’t in his top group. And I knew he was a person who judges and is unwavering in his view of things. So, he was a lost cause. When we got over to Ta Keo 3.0 and Savage said, “Let’s vote out Spencer and tell Ciera she’s the target, and it’s your idea.” I said, “We’re not going to do that, we’ve got Wiglesworth and Woo. Why would we throw Ciera out there? We’re supposed to be Bayon strong.” Poor gameplay on his part. I tried to talk him out of it. But, he insisted on doing it. And what that did was piss off Ciera.
Holmes: So why go after Woo instead of Savage?
McQuillen: Ciera wanted to go after Savage. Abi didn’t want to go after him. So we needed to go after someone who was in Savage’s pocket, which was Woo. Abi wanted to target Woo because he’d voted for her twice. It was just a way to keep tight with Ciera who was my number one out there and to keep close with our Ta Keo five…who were going to get back with Joe, Keith, and Wentworth at the merge. And that could have happened had Joe decided to come with us at the merge. So, Savage would have been next.
Holmes: So, the early merge saved him.
McQuillen: Oh yeah, he came back from that Tribal and he was an absolute temper-tantrum throwing baby about it. And he was very vocal about not trusting me and Ciera, and we’re terrible people.
Holmes: I heard he said some bad words.
McQuillen: Yeah. (Laughs) He would’ve been out next and the merge saved him because he got to get back with his bromance.

Holmes: Did you think Spencer was going to side with you last night or did you know he was a lost cause?
McQuillen: I knew. And Ciera knew because she threw a vote at Savage. When people come up to you after an immunity challenge and tell you you’re going home, and then seven or eight people do that you kind of know you’re going home. It’s a rough afternoon. And then to go to Tribal where someone is spewing hate at you. It sucks. Respect the game enough to blindside me.

Holmes: Alright word association time. Let’s start with Terry.
McQuillen: A great father. A good man. A gentleman. Love the guy. Solid.
Holmes: Ciera?
McQuillen: The daughter I never had when I was nineteen-years-old. Love her to death. I could be her mom but we’re more like sisters.
Holmes: Stephen?
McQuillen: Cerebral and poetic and a bad chopper.
Holmes: Joe?
McQuillen: He’s a gentleman, but he’s wishy-washy. He’s great at surviving.
Holmes: Keith?
McQuillen: (Spits)
Holmes: Jeremy?
McQuillen: Jeremy is tough. And he’s focused and he’s nice.
Holmes: Wentworth?
McQuillen: Oh…I don’t know. I didn’t come up with these predetermined Harry Potter references.
Holmes: You’re not supposed to.
McQuillen: Scrappy.
Holmes: Wiglesworth?
McQuillen: Invisible.
Holmes: Kimmi?
McQuillen: Passionate.
Holmes: Monica?
McQuillen: Drunken Periscoper. Bitter.
Holmes: Savage?
McQuillen: He’s like a toddler and a curmudgeon all in one.
Holmes: Woo?
McQuillen: He’s a sweetheart, not suited for the game.
Holmes: Abi?
McQuillen: A firecracker. Love that girl.
Holmes: Tasha?
McQuillen: Wow…she’s vindictive.
Holmes: Spencer?
McQuillen: Spencer is probably too cerebral for his own good.

Holmes: With such an early merge, it wasn’t ridiculous to think it could be an early jury as well. Did Tasha think about that at all?
McQuillen: I don’t think anyone was thinking we’d have a ten-person jury. That’s just unheard of. And I really think the manner in which she went about things was overly cocky. She was just so antagonistic about me the entire day. And she was banking that I wouldn’t be on the jury. You saw the look on her face when Probst said it. And we all know the first member of the jury is very important.
Holmes: Yeah, they set the tone at Ponderosa.
McQuillen: Exactly. It would’ve been more savvy for her to compose herself, blindside me, and gain some respect. It’s reflective of her social skills and lack of personal growth between seasons.
Holmes: Stephen had an interesting point about last night’s targets not being challenge threats. What do you think that means for the game that people are overlooking the challenge competitors.
McQuillen: I think it’s a unique season in that we have so many challenge threats left. Part of that is having thirteen people at the merge. I think it’s great strategy for the alphas to stick together. I don’t think we’ve seen it happen before. I love Jeremy’s tact of staying in that group, but trying to look small to them. To defer to them in some ways, but really be in silent control. So, when I saw his pre-game and saw his strategy, I was like, “Wow.” I respect people who are trying to change and correct things they did wrong their first time.
Holmes: Without getting into spoiler territory, is improvement over a previous season something you’re going to be looking for when you vote?
McQuillen: Definitely. I was taking my second chance very seriously. I improved on a huge deficiency in my game. So, I’m looking for someone who showed up, not to exact revenge, but to make the correction needed to win the game. And I think there are a few people who are doing that. A lot of people are slipping into their old ways.

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

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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 6: Orange Is the New Buff Edition

November 4, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

The Rules: Each week our three 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 three players will earn. For example, if Kass is voted out this week, Max and Jenn will each receive thirteen points and Team Gordon will receive three points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Second Chance” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Jenn had Terry first. Max had him tenth and Gordon had him eleventh. Jenn and I both had Woo in spot fourteen while Max had him in spot twelve. So, the current score is Team Jenn 72, Team Max 80, and Team Gordon 74.

Important Note: These rankings are not based on who is most likely to win the entire season. Players tend to rank the players based on their safety in the next episode.

Another Important Note: Jenn and Max had some fun last week by writing each other’s Power Rankings. Gordon decided to return the favor this week by having someone else write his.


Jenn’s Score = 72 Any questions for Jenn? Drop her a line on Twitter: @jenncantdance	Max’s Score = 80 Any questions for Max? Drop him a line on Twitter: @fymaxwell	Team Gordon’s Score = 74 Any questions for Colton? Drop him a line on Twitter: @coltoncumbie

1. Terry: Terry is still #1 to me. 1a. Jeremy: Jeremy using Joe as a giant meat shield is very smart. Keeping a slightly bigger target around is always a good idea, until Joe wins everything and they come after you. Luckily you have an idol, so you get to stick around. I think Jeremy is in a great spot heading into the merge.	For this week’s rankings I incorporated some of the amazing feedback we’ve received from our loyal readers into my evaluations of the 13 remaining castaways! “I don’t understand why Gordon picked these two to do the power rankings.” 1. Tasha: Everybody understands why American picked Tasha to get a second chance. But did the voters really expect her to play this aggressively, let alone this successfully? Sure she’s russled a few feathers along the way (see Varner’s exit interviews). But it also appears that she’s managed to tame the Brazilian Dragon. If that’s the case then Tasha is the “Survivor” version of the Toruk Makto.	1. Abigoddess: “We should vote out Abi.” [in my best Brazilian impression] “That was a mistake. You shouldn’t have done that.” If there was one person I would be willing to bet my life wasn’t going home this week it would be Abi.

2. Kelley: She’s making moves but doing it very under the radar. AND she has an idol. AND she is one of two people that know idols are hidden in challenges. People forget that. Jeremy and Kelley are constantly going to be looking for idols in challenges, and it’s easier now because it’s all individual challenges. Hell, they could just play their idols every week and then grab a new one before each challenge. Why not do that, guys?	“Max not getting a second chance was so satisfying, to see the look on his face. He actually thought he had a chance lol.” 2. Jeremy: Seeing Jeremy get his second chance has been so satisfying thus far. After playing too hard and going out too soon in SJDS Jeremy is really embracing Boston Rod’s #1 Rule: Stay Cool, Calm, and Collective. Every week we see him let the game come to him. I actually think he has a chance. No lol.	2. Kelley: This chick is a badass. I’m a fan. She’s athletic, she has an idol (that to our knowledge no one knows about), and she’s gorgeous. She’s just an all around cool chick, but there are still bigger fish to fry than her.

3. Keith: People keep giving me (expletive deleted) for putting Keith this high, because apparently he isn’t doing much or having much of an alliance. (Hell, people are giving me (expletive deleted) for every aspect of the Power Rankings. Get over it, they’re mine and I can do what I want with them.) But Keith got to fourth place his season by doing EXACTLY what he is doing now. Fourth place is a great place to make. There are always people that don’t make waves, don’t piss off people, and go with the flow that make it far. Keith is one of these people.	“I love Survivor and your insight is (expletive deleted).” 3. Ciera: After last week’s vote no one will ever accuse Ciera of having (expletive deleted) insight. Ciera looked at Andrew’s plot to use her as a decoy in his blindside of Spencer and saw the truth: that in the former college footballer’s eyes she was at the end of the Human Centipede. I just wonder if her power move might come back to haunt her after the merge…	3. Kass: Honestly, I love the fact that Kass has returned and done what I failed miserably to do – embrace change. I truly think Kass has grown as a “Survivor” player since her last time. Kudos Kass!

4. Spencer: Spencer is getting by, by the skin of his teeth. How many times is he going to be almost voted out? How many? He’s higher up than the others though because he keeps almost getting out and manages to find a way not to. Whether it be luck or skill, I don’t know. But he’s scrappy and I like it.	“I would love if Max went away after this season.” 4. Kelley: You know who’s not going away any time soon? Kelley Wentworth! She’s already convinced Joe to keep her over his original Bayon ally Kimmi. Plus she’s got that idol…	4. Keith: Keith’s done an excellent job of laying low. He’s not a physical threat to anyone, and anyone who watched him play last time (you know, when his “strategic prowess” got his son voted out :() knows he isn’t a strategic one either. He’s safe for now.

5. Andrew: Savage making moves! Trying to get rid of people! That’s great. But you scared off an alliance member when you threw her name out in a totally realistic, hypothetical situation. I thought it was a fine move. You had to tell Spencer something. Unfortunately it didn’t work. Fortunately, you now know where the loyalties lie, and you’re strong AF and going into the merge.	“You are dead to me, Max.” 5. Abi-Maria: A lot of people, myself included, thought Abi was drawing dead at start of this season. We were wrong. Dead wrong. Last week’s Woo blindside makes me think that Abi has graduated from goat status. She might actually be deciding who goes home and who stays.	5. Andrew: I really like Savage. He seems like a really solid guy, but I don’t agree with some of the strategic choices he’s made so far. He’s definitely a traditional (old school, if you will) “Survivor” player, but I admire his ability to go from the bottom of a tribe to the top on Angkor. What I don’t understand is how he lost Abi. I hope they revisit that next episode.

6. Kimmi: Kimmi was targeted by Joe. But anyone that is targeted by Joe is pretty safe I feel. A target can’t target a target. Target.	“Not sure Max’s integrity can be lowered anymore than it already is- he’s already at rock bottom.” 6. Keith: Keith is a man of integrity. He’s a straight shooter. That quality makes him one of the most beloved Survivors in recent memory. But his inability to tell a lie will be a liability in a crooked post-merge game. I’m not putting Keith at the rock bottom of this week’s rankings. But I am worried that his guilelessness might make him a sitting duck for a Jeremy or a Fishbach.	6. Kimmi: It is so cool watching Kimmi play this game again! I was so obsessed with Elisabeth and Rodger the first time that she played she was a mere blip on my radar. It’s hilarious to me that how all of her conflicts seem to revolve around food. She’s someone else that I feel has really grown as a person since her last time playing.

7. Kelly: Why don’t we get to see more of this lady in the show? Seriously. She’s getting the Kelly edit. Where is she?	“Max is a loser who taught college classes on Survivor then tries (& fails) to make a mockery of it after he gets premerge on his season (some “Survivor expert” he is psssssh, those students should get a refund) & then rejectedfrom [sic] this current season” 7. Stephen: Stephen is a near-winner and a “Survivor” expert. But until recently the show has made a mockery of him, focusing on his gaffes instead of his gameplay. All that changed last week when Stephen gave an emotional confessional outlining his plans to flip the game on its head by voting out Joe. Could this be the start of Stephen’s revenge of the nerd narrative?	7. Joe: I want to rank him higher. In my heart he’s number 2 (Hi, Abi!), but there’s so much illusion to the “old school” way of playing “Survivor” and so many old school players left that I’m afraid Joe’s going to become a casualty of the ole “as soon as he doesn’t win immunity he has to go” mantra.

8. Abi-Maria: Always stirring up trouble Abi is. She’s a fighter, and she’s here to play. And she’s about to be on a tribe with Kass. That is going to make for a fun, drama-filled merge.	“It amazes me how Jenn and Max get progressively more obnoxious each week. It really makes me feel like I’m watching Worlds Apart again!” 8. Spencer: It amazes me how Spencer manages to squeak out of the cross-hairs each week. It really makes me feel like I’m watching Cagayan again. We know how Cagayan ended. Will there be a different outcome for Spencer this time around? I hope so, because I really don’t think I can deal with Spencer coming back and winning his third season against a bunch of simps, teenagers, and ex-NFL concussion victims.	8. Jeremy: Solid guy. Solid position in every tribe he’s landed on, and solid position in his alliance. He’s going to be in trouble now though that the game’s individual. He’s going to have to let the bigger threats take each other out and try to lay low as far as physicality is concerned.

9. Tasha: I didn’t see much from Tasha this week, but I think that she’s going to need a stronger alliance going into the merge than what she currently has.	“Max is concerned about one thing and one thing only: Max. And he’s always been this way since he was on Survivor. Glad everyone finally recognizes it.” 9. Andrew: Actually this one works pretty good for Andrew. You just need to swap his name in for mine.	9. Kelly: I LOVE her! Nine-year-old Colton wanted her to beat Hatch SO SO bad! She just needs to wake up and realize this is a different game she’s playing this time, and unfortunately for her she’s not on Galang.

10. Stephen: He tried to make a move by ratting out Joe to his alliance and tried to get him out. You know you can’t get rid of Joe that easy, Stephen. You have to make him lose first, and that (expletive deleted) will never happen when you have a tribe with Joe and Jeremy on it. Bad idea.	“Max Dawson is a bottom 20 contestant of all time for me. He is so obnoxious and I’m so glad he got owned so early in Worlds Apart.” 10. Joe: Joey Amazing did not get owned early in “Worlds Apart.” That said, if he’s going to survive for long after the merge he’s going to have to have to go on an historic immunity run. If anyone can win six it’s Joe, and if he does he’s easily a top 20 contestant of all time for me.	10. Stephen: If there was ever two pieces of “Survivor” advice I could give it’s do not ever quit and STOP STRATEGIZING! For whatever reason it begins to annoy people. I know, it puzzles me too that people would rather discuss each other’s favorite yoga positions than plotting how to get rid of these people and mapping out the perfect plan to get to the end. But, for whatever reason they do. So, shhh.

11. Ciera: Hey look, I wrote something this week! That’s great on my part. She flipped her alliance when she got scared, but I think that means going into the merge she’s going to have a lot of people know that and not trusting her. People don’t like it when you flip flop a lot. You gotta do it to make it to the end, but I think with her name already being tossed around, she’s not long for the game.	“We need some real power rankings from some credible peeps. I say Max and Jenn need to be fired! #ByeFelicia” 11. Kimmi: Kimmi lost a lot of credibility with me when she ratted out Monica to Stephen and Jeremy. Maybe you saw it as a power move. I saw it as Kimmi voting against her best interests and paving the way for the alpha alliance that Monica warned her about. The one bright side is that Kimmi’s patronizing “No, Pumpkin” might just be the new “Bye Felicia.”	11. Ciera: I heart Ciera, but bless her heart she’s kind of just floundering around without a solid plan which is what she did in “Blood vs. Water. “She needs to grab ahold of a solid alliance and ride it until the end or else she’s going to get caught up in her double dealing like she did last time.

12. Joe: Joe is inevitably going to win every challenge, but the second he doesn’t, just like my season, he’s going to be gone. So, I think a safe spot points wise is somewhere near the bottom here. This is the big difference between him and Jeremy. Jeremy is playing a great social game. Joe’s social game isn’t really there because I don’t think he realizes he’s public enemy #1, regardless of how much people like him, and he’s not trying to divert the attention away from himself at all. He needs to suck at stuff more if he wants to stick around, but at this stage in the game I think it’s too late.	“youre [sic] such a tryhard max I dont eveen [sic] know who u are” 12. Kelly: Clearly Kelly is trying hard in the challenges. But is she trying hard to play the game? Surely after seven episodes we could expect to see her talk strategy at least once. Sometimes I feel like I don’t even know who Kelly is. That tells me that she is a non-factor in this game.	12. Spencer: The “‘Survivor’ gods” really love this kid, huh?

13. Kass: I thought Kass was doing great, making friends, being nice, all that jazz. And then the “scenes from the next episode” happened. Was she really just straight up telling people “Now’s the time to scheme! Let’s get to the backstabbing!”? Come on now.	13. Kass: Kass.	13. Tasha: I wish someone would have jumped in front of me trying to talk to Caleb the way she jumped in front of Varner trying to talk to Wiggles. I really, really do…

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Woo: ‘The Doctors Said They Could Pull Me from the Game’

October 30, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

When the last decision you make literally costs you the million dollars, that’s gotta be the tied for first-place in the “worst moves of all time” competition. So, if anyone needed a second chance, it was Woo Hwang.

Unfortunately for Woo, only one of these Second Chancers is truly going to fulfill the dream of taking home the big check…and it won’t be him.

I spoke to the master of “Ninja Stealth Mode” the morning after his elimination and asked him about his brutal blindside, his relationship with Abi, and his top skee-ball tips…

Gordon Holmes: Did you see last night’s blindside coming at all?
Woo Hwang: No, Gordon. Not at all. Hashtag blindside.
Holmes: When there’s no indication that you’re going home, does it just drive you insane until you can question someone who was part of that vote?
Hwang: A lot goes through your mind. You’re just kind of whacked out. It’s an out-of-body experience. I think that night, that blindside, my name was written down more times than my whole career in “Survivor.” Just the suspense of one vote left and it could possibly be me. I’d never been in that situation. Handing my torch to Jeff and having him snuff it. And him saying, “I’ve got nothing else for you. Get out of here.” I walked away and I glanced back and realized, wow…my second chance opportunity is finished. It’s a really empty feeling.
Holmes: Does it change how you feel about the game? You played with Tony Vlachos so you’ve seen some blindsides. But this is your first time going through that.
Hwang: Yeah, it changes my view in many ways. When I watched the blindside and remembering the conversations that had happened before Tribal. If I had done this, or said this… If I had aligned with Spencer would this have changed? But, you just go with your gut. Everything was set to have Ciera be the decoy, we told Spencer we wanted to get rid of someone who’s not going to be strong in challenges. It didn’t turn out that way. It’s unfortunate because I’ve been sitting here, the game’s been over, but reliving that whole experience is a tough breakup with the show.

Holmes: I was trying to figure out why they’d target you when Ciera is annoyed with Savage. Was it to not send the wrong message to the other classic Bayon members?
Hwang: I don’t think it was entirely Ciera’s call. Kass had a big hand in the decision making. I remember being at the old Angkor and Savage saying, “Stick with us. When we hit the merge I’ve got all the numbers with Bayon.” He said, “I’m really close with Jeremy, Fishbach, Joe, Ciera, Tash…and if you jump on board you can be our man too.” I just remember him never mentioning Kass. And when we were the new Ta Keo tribe, I was talking to Kass and I said, “I feel great with Savage.” And she asked how I felt about Tasha and I said, “I feel great with Tasha. I feel like a part of this big alliance.” Walking away from that and looking back, I realize Kass didn’t feel close with Savage and now I’m part of this alpha male alliance. She was probably thinking, Savage wants Spencer out, so I can get him on our side. So, it’s better to get rid of Woo now because if he makes it to the merge he’s going to lined up with Jeremy, Joe, Savage…Keith was mentioned…Fishbach. So, I think Kass was instrumental in that vote. So, I don’t think it was entirely on Ciera.

Holmes: On day one, actually hour one…your feet were injured on one of the boats. What happened and how did it affect your game?
Hwang: Unfortunately on my way to swim to the rice, the ladder that led to the boat…I don’t know if there were nails or pieces of wood, but I managed to cut up my feet pretty well. My right, big toe there’s a big chunk missing. A couple of more lacerations on the other side of the foot. And when you’re out in these isolated jungles, you don’t know what kind of infections are rolling around. The doctors checked it out because it was so bad. They usually don’t come out. They said to keep it clean because there’s not much they can do. The doctors said they could pull me from the game because infections were rampant, so I had to keep it dry and clean. That was a big downfall to the beginning of the game. A lot of strategy talk was being conducted in the water. People were walking here and there and I had to stay in the sleeping quarters.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Varner.
Hwang: Hilarious.
Holmes: Wiglesworth?
Hwang: Mom.
Holmes: Wentworth?
Hwang: Question mark.
Holmes: Shirin?
Hwang: Interesting.
Holmes: Spencer?
Hwang: Crafty.
Holmes: Peih-Gee?
Hwang: Friend.
Holmes: Terry?
Hwang: Proud father.
Holmes: Kass?
Hwang: Random.
Holmes: Ciera?
Hwang: Question mark…no comment.
Holmes: Vytas?
Hwang: Yoga instructor.
Holmes: Abi?
Hwang: Fireball.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Savage.
Hwang: Great guy.

Holmes: You had a very contentious relationship with Abi.
Hwang: I started the game with Abi and we hit it off really well. She came up to me and said, “Hey, Woo. I have this weird crush on you. I think you’re adorable and super cute.”
Holmes: Yeah, she said similar things in her pre-game interview. Hubba hubba.
Hwang: (Laughs) I was flattered and I was thinking this will really help my game. After that first vote, we got back to camp and I tried to apologize to her. And she forgave me. And she said I have to give her my loyalty and never write her name down again. I said, “Yeah, sure. I just want to make sure you’re in a good mood and I’m on your good side.” Because you know how she is.
Holmes: (Laughs)
Hwang: So, I write her name down twice and she still forgave me. She voted out Jeff. She really had some trust in me. Honestly, the relationship wasn’t as bad as you’d think. If I was Peih-Gee I’m sure it would’ve been terrible.
Holmes: Are you willing to admit now that you put Abi’s necklace in Peih-Gee’s bag?
Hwang: (Laughs) That’s so funny.
Holmes: That’s not a denial.
Hwang: (Laughs) Any one of us could’ve accidentally picked up her bag. She was so fixated on Peih-Gee, she wanted her out. Abi’s a great “Survivor” player, character, she’s great entertainment.
Holmes: You were talking about your mother last week and Abi countered by comparing it to her knee surgery. How did that sit with you? It seems like a case of comparing apples to nothing.
Hwang: I don’t hold it against Abi. How do you blame her? She doesn’t know my real story. All she knows is I might’ve made that story up to get in favor with Tasha and Savage. She’s just thinking of the game. What did happen to my mom is true. But that’s old news because she is healthy and strong. That’s all I’m thinking about. Do I hold anything against her? Absolutely not.

Holmes: You have the best attitude.
Hwang: (Laughs)
Holmes: Seriously. Between seeing Abi’s side of things and your farewell last night…
Hwang: How can I not? These experiences we go through…I’m just so grateful. I try to stay positive as much as possible. Any negative thoughts or regret…there’s not much I’m going to be able to do.
Holmes: One positive is; now that you’re back home you have more time for Chuck E. Cheese.
Hwang: Right?! My fiancée and I get to hit up more skee-ball. It’s best on the weekdays around nine when all of the kids are in bed. The skee-ball section is wide open! No distractions.
Holmes: Are you a straight-up guy or do you try to bank it off of the side?
Hwang: Straight up. The big left and right corner pockets have the most points. That’s my main move. I’ve been getting 34 tickets every token. I’ve been coming out with some pretty nice prizes.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor cambodia, survivor second chance, woo hwang
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‘Survivor’ Castaway Terry: ‘Danny’s Heart Is Pumping Like a Champ’

October 29, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

“I’ll do anything to play ‘Survivor’ again,” was a popular comment from people trying to win last Spring’s “Second Chance” vote.

On a starlit night in the Cambodia wilderness, Terry Deitz learned the truth about that statement. When host Jeff Probst told him there was a medical problem with his son Danny, Terry didn’t think twice before hopping on a boat and leaving the game behind.

I spoke with Terry the morning after this episode aired and we didn’t talk about “Survivor” much at all.

Gordon Holmes: You guys took us on a roller coaster last night. Did you know Danny had any issues before you took off for Cambodia?
Terry Deitz: Not at all. The day before we were out on the astroturf throwing bombs and he was like, “I’m a little short of breath.” I’m like, “Don’t worry about it. You’re probably out of shape from lacrosse or whatever.” Two days after I left, everything in his system started breaking down. He was throwing up. Cold, they thought he had bronchitis. The last thing she got him was an echocardiogram. It’s like an ultrasound for the heart. From that they can tell what your ejection fraction is. That’s the percentage of blood coming out of your heart. We walk around with a 50-65. He had an ejection fraction of eight. The doctor comes running back into the room. He says, “Mrs. Deitz, you’re not going on vacation. I just called 911. An ambulance is coming to take your son.” He went to Hartford Hospital, they wanted him to see a specialist. They put him in an ambulance immediately and took him to Boston Children’s Hospital. They’re the best children’s hospital in the world. And thank God they did. He shouldn’t have been walking. They had doctors coming in the room just to look at him. “There’s the kid with the EF eight.” There are athletes who have enlarged hearts and fall down on the field and never get up. Fortunately my wife got him a bunch of checkups because nobody was catching it. And all of this is going on while I’m doing challenges in Cambodia.

Holmes: There’s never been anything like it on the show. Jenna Morasca left “All Stars” but that was based on her intuition. I kept thinking about your mindset on the journey home. Because from the boat you boarded at Ta Keo beach it was another boat, and a three-hour car ride, and three or four flights. It must’ve been a nightmare.
Deitz: (Laughs) I can’t thank Jeff and his team enough. Everything was set up perfectly. Dr. Eliza, the company psychologist even came with me. It was wonderful having somebody with me. As soon as we got on the boat, Jeff gave me his phone and said, “Call Trish (Terry’s wife).” And Jeff didn’t really know what was going on with Danny because of HIPAA rules. I was able to fill him in. The game is the game and it can go on by itself. My tribemates were thinking about me. Jeff was constantly in touch while he was producing the show. It was really cool. But it was small boat to big boat. I was able to Facetime with Trish. I got to see my son. I got to see my daughter. That made my heart sink anymore because I could see how bad of shape he was in. He was one step away from dying. We boated back to the mainland. I got a shower. Four hour drive to Phnom Penh in an SUV. Flight to Hong Kong, layover where I got to talk to them again. And then a sixteen-hour flight with no communication to Boston. “Survivor” had a limo waiting and the limo’d Eliza and I right to Boston Children’s Hospital. Trish and my daughter met me out there. We had a little cry, then we got strong again for Danny. And when I went up and saw him the first thing I said was, “Dan.” He’s a big strapping athlete. 6’2”, 195 pounds and he’s now lost 25 pounds. He’s got all this (expletive deleted) hooked into him and everything. I said, “Look, nobody loves you for Danny Football. Nobody loves you for Danny Lacrosse. They love you for Danny Deitz, and I love you. And I want to see you get better, grow old, have kids, and have them give you the joy that you’ve given me. And we’re going to kick ass on this thing.” And that’s what we did. Two heart procedures and two open heart procedures within a month. God bless the organ donor, because Danny’s heart is pumping like a champ.

Holmes: Damnit, Terry. I’m not supposed to get weepy during exit interviews.
Deitz: (Laughs)
Holmes: I’m a professional!
Deitz: My wife and I have had 79 days in the hospital. We’ve truly had the worst days of our lives. But, we’ve stayed solid as a team. And Danny knows this. And the love and support that we’ve gotten from you and everybody out there. It meant the world to us. It was sad watching the show last night, especially with Kass and Ciera, they have kids. It was tough on them. We’re exhaling. We’re thankful for a lot of things.

Holmes: When’s he going to be ready to go for a “Blood vs. Water” season?
Deitz: (Laughs) He’s only seventeen, so it’d be a couple of years. But even then, it’d be a reach. He’ll never be 100%. But, you never know.
Holmes: The show is going to be on for another fifteen years anyway. He can play in his thirties.
Deitz: Yeah, but the way things are with research and development…the type of rejection drugs that are not only good for his heart, but good for his system are right around the corner. Twenty five, thirty, forty years down the line when he needs another transplant, it’s probably going to be a mechanical heart where there is no rejection. Or they build a new heart out of his own stem cells.
Holmes: So, he’ll need another heart transplant in the future?
Deitz: Yes. It all comes down to the match and how well the body gets along with the new heart. And a lot of them can get along for a long time.
Holmes: My father had serious heart issues in the past year. We were in and out of the hospital for weeks at a time. And the doctors would talk about advances and say things like, “If this had happened five years ago, he wouldn’t be around.”
Deitz: You’re exactly right.
Holmes: It was heartbreaking to watch, but it helped knowing there was a happy ending.
Deitz: Wait, did your father turn out OK?
Holmes: Yes. Sorry. He’s up and about and cranky as ever.
Deitz: (Laughs)

Holmes: What’s Danny’s day-to-day like?
Deitz: He gets up in the morning, he takes his rejection drug, he’s got about eight pills he takes in the morning and in the evening. He’s got to go to Boston Children’s at least once a week. He’s got physical therapy three times a week. He can’t go to school because his immunity system is squashed. He can’t go into a petri dish of a high school. That’ll happen next semester. He’s a teenager so he’s eating like a madman. He does his workouts, and he hangs out with his football team. Whenever he goes in public he has to wear a mask. He has clinics he has to go to. He’s being tutored, he has a girlfriend, and we’re hanging out a lot. He’s actually back driving, which is scary.
Holmes: In all fairness, it’s always scary when a teenager is driving.
Deitz: (Laughs) When Jeff pulled me off, I thought it was my mom who’s 85 or my mother-in-law who’s 85. What happened to them? This is not going to be good news. And when he said, “Danny” the first thing I thought was he had a car wreck.
Holmes: You really wanted to come back after Panama. But the way you left, and the bigger picture it provided you, I feel like there can’t be too many regrets.
Deitz: I don’t spend any time projecting myself into the future of the show. It’s not worth it. It’s fun because Eliza and Jeff both said the same thing. They’re like, “You’ve been here two weeks, these are the goals you’ve talked about. You wanted to do better in the challenges and you wanted to be better socially.” I think I hung with the young guys and on the social side I felt I was involved in one of the big strategic move of getting rid of Shirin. I did those two things in two weeks. And I have no regrets about the show. It’s weird, the whole summer has been such a compelling story. It’s more exciting and more meaningful than anything “Survivor” can give.

Holmes: And where can we go to donate to the Danny Strong Foundation?
Deitz: People can go to bostonchildrens.org/dannystrong. You’ll see the whole story there. There are donations that can be done and t-shirts. It all goes to pediatric cardiomyopathy.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor cambodia, survivor second chance, terry deitz
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‘Survivor: Second Chance’ Episode 6 Recap: Ciera Missed?

October 28, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

Last Week: Kimmi didn’t ration because she wanted Whole Foods, Stephen hit someone else’s Target, and Monica saw her GameStop.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

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

The Angkor Tribe (wearing yellow)
Abi – Philippines
Andrew – Pearl Islands
Tasha – Cagayan
Woo – Cagayan

The Bayon Tribe (wearing pink)
Jeremy – San Juan del Sur
Kelly W. – Borneo
Kimmi – The Australian Outback
Spencer – Cagayan
Stephen – Tocantins

The Ta Keo Tribe (wearing teal)
Ciera – Blood vs. Water
Joe – Worlds Apart
Kass – Cagayan
Keith – San Juan del Sur
Kelley W. – San Juan del Sur
Terry – Panama

We start things off back at Ta Keo Beach…which is weird because they weren’t at Tribal.

The reason for the odd beginning is quickly made apparent as Probst arrives in a boat with bad news for Terry. Jeff tells him that his son is in the hospital and it’s serious enough that he should go home. Terry says his goodbyes and takes off.

Poor Terry. Just imagining the questions he must have while he goes on those looooong flights seems like a nightmare.

Note: Terry’s son received a heart transplant and is doing well. #dannystrong

The next day, Probst breaks the news to the other tribes. Savage says that he loves the game, but he would run to the airport if he were in Terry’s shoes. Kelly gets really emotional as she agrees with him.

Aaaand…it’s a little dusty in my living room.

Joe thinks the news took the wind out of their sails, but they’re going to make Terry proud.

Once we’re ready to start the game back up, Probst shocks them with another buff dropping. They’re going to become two tribes; Bayon and Ta Keo. Angkor will no longer exist. I’m sure it’ll be remembered as fondly as Ulong.

Alright, we’ve got Jeremy, Kimmi, Tasha, Stephen, Keith, Joe, and Kelley on Bayon and Savage, Kass, Spencer, Abi, Woo, Kelly, and Ciera on Ta Keo.

Oh man, new new Bayon is going to murder new new Ta Keo.

Immediately, Kass lets everyone know that she’s worried about being on a tribe with Spencer due to lingering Luzon issues. Also, Kelley is nervous about being the only classic Ta Keon on her tribe.

Reward Challenge Time: One member from each tribe will race down a slip-and-side and retrieve a hoop. First person to toss their hoop onto a post wins a point. The winning tribe gets a picnic.

Round One: Jeremy barely beat Savage.

Round Two: Kass defeated Stephen.

Round Three: Abi topped Kimmi.

Round Four: Joe scored against Woo.

Round Five: THE KELL(E)Y ROUND! Wigles bested Went to win reward.

We meet up with Ta Keo back at camp as they sit down to their huge picnic.

Spencer asks what middle-era Ta Keo was like and Kass assures him that they were cool because they’re not very dramatic. Kass. Chaos Kass. Not dramatic. Still doesn’t sound right.

Savage is feeling good because he has two classic Bayonians, Woo, and Abi on his side. He also knows that Kass hates Spencer. Well, we all know that.

Savage wants to throw Spencer off of his scent by telling him that they’re targeting Ciera. As you’d imagine, Ciera does not love this idea.

At Bayon, Joe wants to find a way to save Kelley. He thinks the way to go is to say that she’s stronger than Stephen and Kimmi.

Man, a lot of pre-challenge strategy.

Joe tells Stephen that he wants to target Kimmi and Stephen doesn’t like that one bit. He immediately rats Joe out to Jeremy. This concerns Jeremy, but he likes the idea of one-man-show Joe being his meat shield.

Later, Stephen gets really emotional talking about his second chance. It’s really dusty tonight!

Immunity Challenge Time: GROSS EATING CHALLENGE! First tribe to four wins immunity.

Round One: Woo and Spencer ate tarantulas faster than Tasha and Kimmi.

Round Two: Jeremy and Keith devoured water beetles faster than Savage and Ciera.

Aww…Savage gave Ciera a big fatherly hug.

Round Three: Stephen and Kelley finished the pig snout before Abi and Kass.

Round Four: Kelly downed deep fried frog quicker than Joe. Joe lost?!

Round Five: Kimmi forfeited to Woo when she was asked to eat pig brains.

Round Six: Kelley gobbled a scorpion before Ciera. I did that once.

Round Seven: Tasha swallowed a balut faster than Kass to win immunity for Bayon.

Oh man, now Kass is crying. This episode is sponsored by Kleenex.

Back at camp, it looks like Spencer is the target. Savage takes Spencer aside and tells him to vote for Ciera.

Savage then goes on and on about what a great blindside it’ll be. Uh oh…foreshadowing?

Later on, Ciera pitches getting rid of Woo over Spencer. Wait, why Woo over Savage? So as not to upset classic Bayon?

Kass and Spencer go for a little chat and Kass admits that Savage targeting him. She pitches teaming with Abi and Ciera to get rid of Woo.

Oh man, Kass can get rid of Spencer and…she’s debating not doing it? Calm Kass vs. Chaos Kass!

That night at Tribal, some folks still need to get fire! Joe and Keith have yet to have fire!

Woo says he’s learned that you need to be cutthroat to win.

Kass thinks it’s hard to manage all of the levels of relationships.

Probst asks if she’s Chaos Kass or New Kass. She says she doesn’t know.

Savage admits that he’s only known “loving, loyal Kass.” Needs better alliteration there, Savage.

Ciera thinks it’s weird that Savage has grown close to Woo.

Savage doesn’t worry when he hears his name being thrown around because he trusts his judgment. And worst case, he goes home to his hot model/lawyer wife.

Ciera points out that somebody’s plan will not work out.

Voting Time: Savage votes for Spencer, Spencer votes for Woo, and the rest are secret.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Spencer, one vote for Woo, two votes for Spencer, two votes for Woo, and the sixth person eliminated from “Survivor: Second Chance” is…Woo

Well, Abi got her wish.

Verdict: What a roller coaster this episode was. From the heartbreak of Terry’s news, to the swap, to a legitimate blindside. This season is picking up.

Who’s Going to Win? My girl Kelley is in trouble, but I’m staying Team Wentworth until her torch is snuffed.

Power Rankings Results: OK, Jenn (or whoever did her picks) had Terry in first. Max had him in tenth and I had him in eleventh. Jenn and I both had Woo if spot fourteen while Max had him in spot twelve. So, the current score is Team Jenn 72, Team Max 80, and Team Gordon 74.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor cambodia, survivor second chance
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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 5: Everything’s Coming Up Jeremy Edition

October 28, 2015

"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Second Chance”

The Rules: Each week our three 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 three players will earn. For example, if Abi-Maria is voted out this week, Gordon and Jenn will each receive fifteen points and Max will receive fourteen points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Second Chance” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Jenn had Monica in ninth place, Max had her in fourteenth, and Gordon had her in thirteenth. The current score is Team Jenn 57, Team Max 58, and Team Gordon 49.

Important Note: These rankings are not based on who is most likely to win the entire season. Players tend to rank the players based on their safety in the next episode.


Jenn’s Score = 57 Any questions for Jenn? Drop her a line on Twitter: @jenncantdance	Max’s Score = 58 Any questions for Max? Drop him a line on Twitter: @fymaxwell	Gordon’s Score = 49 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

1. Terry: Terry is number one because I (expletive deleted) like him. He’s just a good solid guy just like my dad. Plus he’s good at challenges. I don’t see him going anywhere anytime soon.	1. Jeremy: Everyone should have Jeremy at the top.	1. Jeremy: A medical emergency and a tribe swap in the same episode?! Are you kidding me, Probst?! Normally I’d just pull names out of a “Survivor” Hall of Fame coffee mug. But, anyone with an idol should make it through OK.

2. Jeremy: Jeremy is a likable guy. Good at challenges. Has an idol. There is zero chance in hell that he is going home anytime soon.	2. Ciera: I don’t know how Jenn keeps forgetting about Ciera.	2. Kelley: See Jeremy.

3. Kelley: I like her. She’s good at challenges and she has an idol and she likes Terry. She’s not going anywhere anytime soon.	3. Spencer: Spencer is just like me and that’s why I put him here. I like people who love the game.	3. Tasha: And now I have to redo the colors on all of these Power Rankings graphics?! Before a merge?! Again, Tasha and Savage don’t have the challenge strength, but they have plenty of deadwood to vote out.

4. Ciera: I didn’t watch Tocantins so I don’t even really know who this is. She hasn’t made any waves so she’s probably safe for now.	4. Kelley: Kelley is in a great spot because she has an idol and a sense of wits about her.	4. Andrew: See Tasha.

5. KEITH NALE: I really like Keith. He’s great. I think that great guys that people really like aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.	5. Joe: This is as high as I will ever put Joe.	5. Stephen: When you kinda blow a challenge and your tribemates just laugh about it? That’s a good place to be. Kudos to Stephen for turning around his disastrous start.

6. Andrew: Savage has a really good social game and I think he’s calling the shots at Angkor. I don’t think he’s going anywhere.	6. Keith: Keith is doing great. What a likable guy. I think he will make it far, just not to the end.	6. Kimmi: Kimmi went to Tribal for the first time in fifteen years and she totally called her shot. Was it a good call? Meh… Probably won’t matter in the long run. I’m thinking Kimmi is the least-threatening person out there. She’ll go a long way.

7. Stephen: Just shut the (expletive deleted) up, man. Stop talking. Guys like this really drive me crazy. All they do is talk and think. Come on, man. I’m just like “Chill. I don’t care about anything. I just want to get drunk and eat cheese on a boat and pet Sunnycat.” And all they do is have ideas and talk about (expletive deleted) and worry about life and take Hali’s bed.	7. Tasha: Somehow her tribe avoided Tribal last week. This week they will be incredibly lucky if they do the same. However, her and Savage are somehow running it still.	7. Ciera: We joke a lot here about not knowing what to write about people who aren’t getting a lot of camera time. But…for reals…we’re hitting episode 6 pretty soon. Give us more Ciera!

8. Tasha: Tasha is not as in the loop as Savage but she’s good at challenges. I haven’t seen her make strong alliances with people. This should be fine.	8. Stephen: This guy just likes to shoot himself in the foot. How do you go with Spencer and still come out more of the “Survivor” nerd outcast?	8. Kass: Remember when everyone thought Kass would be the first target? She still could be, if she ever goes to Tribal.

9. Joe: Joe. You win all the challenges and cook all the food and make camp life great for everyone and still find time to brush your hair 100 times before bed with a comb that you made from a (expletive deleted) abalone shell. Did you have to go and tell them that YOU ARE THE BIGGEST THREAT IN THE GAME? STOP BEING SO GOOD AT EVERYTHING. STOP BEING SO LIKABLE. STOP MAKING ME LOVE YOU. I really like Joe so I think he’s fine for now, but if he makes the merge he is gone.	9. Andrew: This guy is pissing off people. That’s how I got voted out. That’s how he’s going to get voted out.	9. Spencer: Nothing but question marks for young Spencer. He proved he was loyal by voting with Jeremy. But really, what choice did he have? Also, how many alliance members does Jeremy need?

10. Kimmi: Eh. I haven’t seen that much from her lately so she’s probably going home soon. I don’t see her going home anytime soon.	10. Terry: I don’t know why I’m putting Terry below Andrew but I am. He’s still doing good for his alliance though. Even though his tribe will probably lose this week.	10. Kelly: Kelly, Kelly, Kelly Kelly, Kelly… I’ve learned more about Kelly from Woody’s birthday song than I have by watching this show.

11. Kass: Kass is really growing on me. She’s making friends with Kimmi and doing really good in the challenges. After the season maybe she and I will eat cheese together. She’s probably fine for now.	11. Kimmi: She did something this week. Congratulations, you finally made it on TV.	11. Terry: It’s bad news when a tribe of six people makes a final five deal and you’re not a part of it.

12. Kelly: I don’t even (expletive deleted) know who this is.	12. Woo: I think his tribe is going to lose and he or Abi are on the chopping block.	12. Joe: You’re never safe, Joe. I still say you’re done the first time you lose an individual immunity challenge.

13. Spencer: Dude got lucky. If he didn’t catch that fish he was probably going home. Guys like him talk too much. He just needs to chill and do good at challenges and he’ll probably be fine.	13. Kelly: I don’t think we’ve seen any more footage of Kelly since Borneo.	13. Keith: Maybe this is mean, but Keith strikes me as the Ta Keon most likely to have a medical emergency.

14. Woo: He’s not doing that much so he could be going home.	14. Abi-Maria: She has to be next out on her tribe. She got so lucky last week. But this week, I don’t think the cards will be in her favor.	14. Woo: Tasha has got to realize that she can’t control Abi for another 20+ days. And, seeing that her buddy Spencer is safe means she has some options. Keep Woo for “challenge strength” even if it’s really to maintain your sanity.

15. Abi-Maria: Abi. You have to chill out. You can’t make every story about you. Ummm…you have another person’s (expletive deleted) body part inside you? You have to get over your drama. BTW Monica was right – you can’t just take all of the clams. They don’t just reappear the next day. (Disclaimer: I work on boats so I know about the ocean.)	15. Kass: Kass.	15. Abi-Maria: The more time Savage and Tasha spend around Woo and Abi-Maria, the more they’re probably going to gravitate toward him.