More Whatnot

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

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

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

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

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

Post Tribal Shenanigans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At Ghost Island

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

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

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

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

School’s In Session

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

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

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

DTF…Donathan to Flip?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weird situation though. Wendell must be zonked.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

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

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

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

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

Tribal Time

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

Ooo…

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

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

Burnnnnn…

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

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

Voting Time Part Deux: No votes are shown.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

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

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

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

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

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

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

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

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

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

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

Post Tribal Shenanigans

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

And uh…that’s it.

Reward Challenge Time

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

Cue: “Loved Ones” music

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At Ghost Island

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

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

Family and Feasting

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

Kell Hath No Fury

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pre-Tribal Politicking

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

Tribal Time

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

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

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

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

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

Do somethinggggggg…

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

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

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

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

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

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

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

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

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Gordon Holmes: A vote for Laurel would have bought you another round. That’s gotta be heartbreaking.
Michael Yerger: It’s hard. Hindsight is 20/20. It sucks knowing I was so close. I was pretty confident going into it that we were going to get a blindside on Wendell. But, me and Kellyn didn’t know how close Wendell and Laurel were. It was hard. I wish I knew. But, me, Laurel, and Kellyn, the plan was to blindside Wendell.
Holmes: Honestly, the whole, “Hey, I have an idol, but I’m not going to show it to you.” It blows my mind that that worked on Kellyn. Why do you think she bought it?
Yerger: I really think it was because I’d talked to Donathan about it. I knew what the idol was. I knew which season it was from. I seemed to know everything about it. It gave me ammunition to use in that lie. On the beach I was able to say it’s the super idol from Kaoh Rong and blah blah blah. She didn’t question it. And she knew I’d been looking for idols out there when I could. So, I don’t think it was hard to her believe. But, Dom was an idol guy out there too, so he wised up pretty quickly. I reached out to Donathan to see if he’d let me use the idol to help me, so that sucked that he was a little bit selfish in that way.
Holmes: So Kellyn never asked to see the idol?
Yerger: She never once asked me to see the idol. She just trusted me, which is hard because with that James idol back on Malolo beach, I stretched the power and she fell for that.

Holmes: We know now that Laurel and Donathan are close with Domenick and Wendell. Did you know that was going on when you were out there?
Yerger: I knew they were getting pulled in different directions. They had always been in the middle between the alliance I was in and the Naviti alliances. I knew that was going on. They really tricked us well, saying they were working as ambassadors and getting information. They’d say they knew they couldn’t win if they got to the end with them. Maybe when they said that they were keeping their options open. So, I credit them for that.

Holmes: I feel like you’ve got this Dom/Wendell alliance that is packing a few idols. And the deeper into the game we get, the harder they are going to be to eliminate. Why aren’t people rising up to take them out?
Yerger: (Laughs) Dude! It beats me! I can’t figure out why people aren’t ready to do it! When you have numbers, you have to make those moves. You’ve got to get out a big dog and build your resume. I don’t know if it was out of fear or they were worried about blowing up their game. It’s playing safe to a certain extent. I’ve got to trust that they thought they were doing what was best for their game. And thank God for Des. She was the only one willing to make a move. She saw the trajectory the game was going. And then Laurel has to be a loudmouth and leak it. There are so many of those things where we had an opportunity to blindside one of those guys. It doesn’t make any sense, it’s very frustrating.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Brendan.
Yerger: Heroic. The dude’s a leader. I love the guy.
Holmes: Laurel?
Yerger: Scaredy cat. Pitiful.
Holmes: Bradley?
Yerger: Level headed. Arrogant at times.
Holmes: Chris?
Yerger: Animated.
Holmes: Donathan?
Yerger: Selfish.
Holmes: Gonzalez?
Yerger: Intimidating.
Holmes: Desiree?
Yerger: Risky. She was willing to do it with us. Ballsy.
Holmes: Domenick?
Yerger: Strategic.
Holmes: Jacob?
Yerger: Giddy. He was so excited to play.
Holmes: Libby?
Yerger: Oh man…princess…charming.
Holmes: Kellyn?
Yerger: High-strung and empathetic.
Holmes: Stephanie?
Yerger: Persuasive. She was incredible.
Holmes: Jenna?
Yerger: Chill, laid-back, I love the girl.
Holmes: James?
Yerger: Analyitcal, stoic.
Holmes: Wendell?
Yerger: Smooth. Very charismatic.
Holmes: Sea Bass?
Yerger: Love the dude, but I’d say clueless.
Holmes: Angela?
Yerger: Aimless. I don’t think she had a reason for anything that she did.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Chelsea.
Yerger: She was very under-the-radar. She was never super outspoken. Like a spy.

Holmes: Angela made a big show of throwing you under the bus, but you were already under there…setting up camp. What was your take on that?
Yerger: I was under the bus already. I was not in a great position. But, that definitely made things worse because I was not on Wendell’s radar at that time. So, for her to blow that up was not a good thing. At that time Wendell and Dom saw me as an advantage to keep me around as a meat shield. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why she did it, because she could have worked with us to pull off a blindside.

Holmes: There needs to be a “Survivor” stat for how long people manage to stick around after they become the #1 target. Like instead of a pitcher’s ERA you have an EAT – Episodes After Targeting. If there were, yours would probably be very impressive. Is that something you’re proud of?
Yerger: I really am. I wish somethings were different. I wish I had the power and could make some bigger moves. But, I’m proud of what I did.

Holmes: What was the reaction from your Malolo buddies when they learned your real age?
Yerger: It didn’t change a thing with me and Jenna. Same with Libby, that was in our Ponderosa. But, I didn’t make it a priority to tell anybody else. I didn’t want it to be a factor in our relationships. When the game was over, people started finding out through the grapevine and the reactions were pretty damn funny. Dom and Brendan and Kellyn especially. They were baffled.
Holmes: Were they like, “I was wondering why Michael kept asking me to buy him beer.”
Yerger: (Laughs) Not quite. But, they had some red flags. But I felt the worst about Kellyn. We got really close out there and we had some big talks and I didn’t like lying on a deep, personal level like that.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Gordon Holmes: So, you’ve got that weird tribe of five and they told you they were voting for Donathan and they told him they were voting for you. I’m trying to understand why Donathan was trying to save you because they didn’t show much of a relationship there. And him not playing the idol for you seems like it’d just upset you as you were heading to the jury.
Jenna Bowman: My thought process was; here I am, we have a small tribe so maybe I can take control. Naviti still has the numbers but it’s the three Navitis that are the least strategic and on the bottom. I approached them and they were still Naviti strong, so it didn’t work. The next thing was, I’m close to Sebastian. He said, “I want you to see your dad tomorrow. Let’s vote for Donathan.” I said, “Perfect.” In my mind, I want Donathan to think it’s me so he won’t play his idol. Then, Donathan says he’d be willing to play his idol for me if I voted for Sebastian. We didn’t have a relationship, so it felt like a trap. It was really strange. I told him I’d do it. It’d be a Plan B for him to play the idol on me. And obviously that did not work.
Holmes: I just can’t get into his thought process.
Bowman: I think he was trying to make a move. I think he wanted something on his resume. So, if he was noble and played it for an old Malolo alliance and got a Naviti that it’d be this amazing thing. I don’t know. I have no idea what his thought process was. That plan didn’t work out because I didn’t take it too seriously.

Holmes: At Tribal you wanted to get to the vote quickly, which to me meant you thought either Donathan was going home or he was going to protect you. What was behind that move?
Bowman: I was hoping either one would work. I thought that acting like it was for sure me that Donathan would realize it wasn’t him and he’d feel bad for me. It was just an awkward Tribal. None of them wanted to talk, so I was like, “Time to vote.” I wanted to keep our plans on lock.

Holmes: At that point in the game, Laurel and Donathan have a bond with Wendell and Domenick. Is that something you had a hunch about?
Bowman: Everyone knew Laurel and Wendell were close. But I don’t think we knew that those four were an actual group. Donathan was always close with Naviti, that’s why we never trusted him. He was always hanging out with Angela or Chelsea. For Donathan, I never knew he was in that alliance.

Holmes: Chris said that while you were out there, there wasn’t any hint that you and Sebastian were forming a relationship. However, it seems like that has happened outside of the game. I want to read you a quick excerpt from our pre-game interview…
Bowman: (Laughs)
Holmes: This is what you had to say about Sebastian, “Future husband. Move to Fiji, raise our kids like little Fijians.”
Bowman: (Laughs) It’s the weirdest thing. Everyone flies over together, we sat next to each other on the plane. You’re not allowed to talk to each other, but the chemistry…it somehow started there. Then at Ponderosa. We were on separate tribes when we started, but after the swap, he said, “If we weren’t in this game we’d be dating. I think you’re amazing.” He opened the gates with that. But after that, he wouldn’t talk strategy with me. We’d hold hands at night, but that was it. We were never viewed as power couple. And once I got voted out by him I was pretty salty. And when we got home everything changed.
Holmes: What’s the conversation like last night when you have to watch your boyfriend vote you out of “Survivor”?
Bowman: Last night I started a text with “You lied to me.” And we are officially in our first fight right now. We had to go from reliving him voting me out to watching Michael and my Ponderosa video with…there are some scenes in there that are a little racy. So, we’re dealing with that right now.
Holmes: Oh goodness.

Holmes: When someone gets voted out of “Survivor,” it’s very emotional. Medical is there to look at you immediately. But you had to go right to the jury. Were you able to focus on Tribal or were you still in shock?
Bowman: It was such a strange moment, I had no time to process it. I had to watch the people who just betrayed me walk out of Tribal. It was very hard. You’re going from playing to the jury so quick, I think I was able to move on because I had to.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Chelsea.
Bowman: Nothing, just regular.
Holmes: Brendan?
Bowman: DILF, still.
Holmes: Laurel?
Bowman: Impressive.
Holmes: Libby?
Bowman: Angelic.
Holmes: Michael?
Bowman: Talented.
Holmes: James?
Bowman: Level-headed.
Holmes: Bradley?
Bowman: There are two versions of Bradley…I’ll say calculated.
Holmes: Desiree?
Bowman: A cool bad ass.
Holmes: Gonzalez?
Bowman: Spicy.
Holmes: Chris?
Bowman: (Laughs) Character.
Holmes: Domenick?
Bowman: Loud and obnoxious.
Holmes: Jacob?
Bowman: I don’t really know him. Weird and goofy.
Holmes: Kellyn?
Bowman: Mama bear…personable.
Holmes: Wendell?
Bowman: He’s smooth.
Holmes: Stephanie?
Bowman: Queen.
Holmes: Angela?
Bowman: No comment.
Holmes: Donathan?
Bowman: Spirited and gay.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Sea Bass.
Bowman: Hot.

Holmes: Why did we get a no-comment for Angela? What was your relationship like with her?
Bowman: It just wasn’t there. Her and Chelsea…they’re just kind of there. Wet blankets.

Holmes: We didn’t get to see much of you, which is unfortunate. Was there anything that happened that you wish we’d seen?
Bowman: There are no specific moves. When you don’t have the numbers and you don’t have options…we’re on the bottom. There was a reason I made it this far. I was scrappy and did my best to maintain relationships. I wanted to play this game. I can be very controlling and manipulative, but I wasn’t allowed to. I was constantly shut down. There was this wall up. It was frustrating.

Holmes: I hope you and Sebastian are able to clear all of this up, because I definitely want to hang out with you guys in Fiji.
Bowman: (Laughs) We’re still having the wedding there for sure. You’ll have to come out.
Holmes: Deal. It is not hard to get me to Fiji.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

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

Last Week: Donathan received a gift from Tai, Kellyn desperately wanted to target a guy, and Desiree was the one to say, “Goodbye.”

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

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

The Lavita Tribe (wearing black)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Chelsea, 24 – EMT/Professional Cheerleader
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Jenna, 23 – Advertising Account Executive
Kellyn, 31 – Career Counselor
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Michael, 18 – Real Estate Agent
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

Post-Tribal Shenanigans

Domenick gives Laurel a big hug for tipping him off about the whole Desiree thing. This makes Laurel feel great, saying that for the first time she feels like she has some real protection in the game.

CUT TO: Kellyn saying she still doesn’t want to work with Laurel. What’s the rule about making definitive statements about feeling safe on this show?

The next morning, Wendell and Domenick both vow to not stab each other in the back and then turn around and tell us that they’re fully prepared to slit each other’s throats.

A Real Fake Idol

With Michael’s idol out of play, Domenick goes on a little idol hunt. He ends up finding the fake idol that David tricked Jay into playing in “Millennials vs. Gen-X.” However, it’s still a fake idol. I guess it didn’t have enough time to gather power like the (expletive deleted) stick did.

Domenick decides to rehide the idol and hopes that someone else finds it and uses it.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will have to use a handle to hold a ball up in the air. The last person with their ball in play will win immunity.

The Twist: The tribe will be split in two, so there will be two individual immunity challenges at the same time. Both of the new tribes will vote someone out at Tribal. Also, the last person standing out of both tribes will determine which tribe goes to Tribal last.

Whew…

So…this season didn’t have enough twists?

The New Tribes: We’ve got Michael, Kellyn, Laurel, Domenick, and Wendell on one tribe and Donathan, Sea Bass, Angela, Jenna, and Chelsea on the other.

Result: Domenick and Chelsea both won individual immunity. Domenick was the last person standing, so his group will go to Tribal second.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

Michael realizes his number is up, so he asks Donathan if he can use his idol for a little bit to fool everyone. Yeah…Donathan isn’t going to fall for that one. Not a bad idea though.

So, instead Michael just tells Kellyn that he has an idol…and she totally buys it.

Domenick tries to talk some sense into her, telling her that he’d show it to her if he had one. But, she sticks to her guns.

Yikes, between trusting Desiree last week and believing Michael this week, Kellyn’s having a rough run. If I were Domenick, I’d tell her that my magic unicorn will keep her safe.

Urgh…so Kellyn decides to use her regular vote and her extra vote to go after Laurel.

Laurel gets wind of this (the regular vote, not the extra vote) and wants to target Kellyn.

Seriously?! All of this over a make-believe idol? Not even a fake idol, mind you. And they all know there are already three idols out there.

In other news, it seems like a pretty clear vote from the other crew with Jenna being the target.

Buuut…Donathan tells her he’ll save her with his idol. Wait…why exactly?

And then Jenna repays his kindness by telling us that he’s an “idiot.”

This makes no sense.

Tribal Time

Jenna immediately admits that she’s in trouble and she’s ready to vote. She must be very confident that they’re voting for Donathan or Donathan is going to give her that idol.

And, they vote. Shortest Tribal ever.

Voting Time: Jenna votes for Donathan…and that’s the only vote shown.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…Donathan does…for himself.

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

So…what was the point of all that idol talk? All it did was upset a future jury member.

Also, Jenna immediately takes her seat with the jury. Stinkiest jury member evar.

Tribal Time Part Deux

Wendell immediately says that a former Malolo is going home, but Kellyn isn’t so sure because Michael is “The Idol King.”

Probst asks if all eyes are on Michael to see if he has an idol and Kellyn admits that all eyes are on him because he’s handsome. Rawr…

In the middle of this Dom and Wendell start whispering to each other.

Laurel is worried that this conversation means that they’re switching from Michael to her.

Voting Time Part Deux: Laurel votes for Kellyn, Kellyn uses her extra vote against a mystery person, and the rest of the votes aren’t shown.

Quick Aside: It’d be cool if Kellyn just scratched out the last “A” in Michaela and that counted as a “Michael” vote.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Kellyn, one vote for Wendell, one vote for Laurel, one vote for Michael, one vote for Michael, and the final vote is for…Laurel.

It’s a tie.

Also…if Michael had voted for Laurel he’d be safe. So…his crazy plan almost worked.

Voting Time Part Trois: No votes are shown.

JPro tallies and returns yet again. We’ve got one vote for Michael, and the twelfth person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the fifth member of the jury is…Michael.

Verdict: Jenna wasn’t going to win and Michael was a dead man walking, so it’s nice to get rid of them in one episode. Hopefully we’re finally gonna build up to the end game.

	Domenick – You were once again able to figure out what was going on. It’s a shame Kellyn doesn’t listen to you.
	Laurel – Kellyn just opened the door for you to get rid of her. Step right through.
	Kellyn – Domenick has tried to point you in the right direction twice. It’s clear that your instincts need some fine tuning. Donathan – Idol wasted, juror annoyed…not a good episode for you, buddy.
	Wendell, Angela, Chelsea, and Sebastian – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

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

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