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‘Survivor’ Castaway Jeff: ‘I Assaulted Zeke That Night, Outting Someone Is Assault’

April 13, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: There are two stories that are going to come out of last night. Zeke has been outted as transgender and now he has to go about his life with that information known to the public. I feel like that story is being told. Zeke himself penned a piece for The Hollywood Reporter. The other is about a guy who supports the LGBT community who made a mistake that could harm the LGBT community. What’s it been like to live with what happened for so long?
Jeff Varner: It’s been ten months of hell. I have dug through all kinds of stuff. A couple of different therapists. Been involved with many different LGBT groups. I’m heading in a direction that I can’t wait to tell you about as we go forward, but this morning is not about me. This morning is about Zeke and transgender people and what I have done. And I am profoundly and profusely sorry. I have no excuses. I can’t sit here and make one. I made a massive mistake. I own it 1000%. I know that I hurt Zeke. I know that I hurt those who love him. I know that when we’re in pain and we’re in fear, we’re dangerous and we do the wrong things and we say the wrong things.

Holmes: Have you spoken with Zeke since that night?
Varner: We’ve spoken several times over the last few months. He continues to forgive me. He just an amazing human. I’m amazed at that forgiveness. But, I also know that watching that had to have been doubly traumatic as it was for me. And it’s put him in a different place. I think he’s calling me a bigot today. He’s calling me full of hate today. That is the opposite of who I am. I respect him. I deserve it. If he wants to take swings at me, I’m the one to hand him the bat. I give him every inch of every room to react how he needs to react. I respect him for that. I deserve it. And I’m sure that it’s frustrating for the transgender community that I’m the one out here talking about this today. We need trans voices. I hate that we don’t have more trans voices out here talking about this situation. We’ve got to stop separating and dividing. Trans people are humans and we need to elevate their dignity and their voices and lift them up. We shouldn’t reduce them to things that objectify them and dehumanize them. They are not deceitful people, they’re just trying to live their truth…safely…

Note: At this point, Jeff starts to get very emotional.

Varner: I’m sorry.
Holmes: It’s OK.
Varner: They’re just trying to thrive, you know? And I’m just sick of the fact that I am part of what some people will use as a tool to further do this to them. It’s horrible. I assaulted Zeke that night, outting someone is assault. It robs them of so much. It stigmatizes them and it shames them. It forces them back in and that’s the opposite of what needs to happen. I’m devastated. I will forever be sorry and do…I’ll talk to you in the future about what I’m doing and where I’m headed…but today I just want to make sure that this is all about Zeke.

Holmes: I had some advance notice of what was going to happen last night. And I felt sick watching the lead up. But in the end, it felt like it was headed in a positive direction. Zeke said that his “Survivor” experience has made him strong enough to deal with this. The tribe supported him. He forgave you. Do you know why Zeke is feeling differently today?
Varner: This was us then and we’ve grown and moved past it. I’m not sure what caused him to shift his gear, but it’s OK. I support him. I don’t know that Zeke and I will ever be friends, but it’s important for me to have him know how much I care about him and people like him. I’ll spend the rest of my life doing whatever I can to make this right, because it’s wrong. It’s not in my character. It’s a game and nobody can truly understand what we’re going through. What that “Survivor” brain does to us. At the risk of sounding like I’m making excuses, because I’m not. There are no excuses. I don’t know where he is today or where his head is, I can only read what he’s writing. He’s wrong on a bunch of levels about who I am as a person. I knew Zeke for five days. We spoke probably an hour and a half total. He doesn’t know me. I hope that he one day will. I’ve heard from so many transgender people today who understand and are inviting me to be a part of their effort. I’m so grateful for that. I just love Zeke, I’m so profoundly sorry.

Holmes: It seems like all parties involved are dedicated to turning this into a vehicle for good. For bringing transgender issues to the forefront. And I know you don’t want to talk about you, but you’re a human being. The “Survivor” community reaches out to me. And yeah, there’s a lot of “(expletive deleted) Jeff Varner.” But, there’s also a lot of “How is Jeff today. I hope he’s alright.” You’ve been living with this for months. Now that it’s finally out there, does that help you move on now that you can more openly support these issues?
Varner: Yeah…I’m not ashamed to tell you that coming out of this I had thoughts of suicide. What I’d done is horrible. But when Zeke reached out to me and we were able to talk, that’s when I felt like the healing began. We both feel like we’re both victims on some level for many different reasons. Not being able to talk about it has been tough. Last night was an end in a lot of ways and a beginning in a lot of ways. There is a relief that it’s out there and I can start making amends publicly and start trying to help people. I forgot what you asked me. I’m a wreck. (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs) You got there.

Holmes: There was some confusion about how you knew Zeke was transgender. When we spoke in the pre-game interview, you said that you had noticed things about his physique that had led you to believe that he was transgender. Was there ever a point where Zeke opened up to you or was this based on your pre-game observations?
Varner: Not directly. He talked about all kinds of things that led me indirectly, not only that he was OK and out, I believed he was out. I had no idea that Zeke had not come out. Everything led to that. I don’t want to talk about how I knew, because in respect to Zeke, I don’t think that’s the right direction to go. When I said that out loud at Tribal, I was not 100% certain.

Holmes: Sarah is an example of someone who didn’t have much experience with the transgender community. She met a guy she liked and when she found out his story, it opened her eyes. Hopefully there are a lot of Sarahs in the audience.
Varner: I want to thank Sarah for that. That went a long way. Out of everyone who was at Tribal, she’s the one I’ve heard from the most. She’s been so supportive. She explained to me how this moment and preparing her family to watch it has changed their perception. She went out of her way to make me understand that no matter what Zeke and I are going through, this has been a positive thing for her family, it has to be for others. Ultimately, that is where this will go, but right now what’s important to me is that Zeke is safe and healthy and that he hears me when I say I am profoundly sorry. I didn’t come after him with malice. It wasn’t intended to be a commentary. I hate that the deception theme was there because it’s such a massive stigma that trans people deal with. People think they’re deceiving and dangerous and they’re not. These people are strong and courageous. All of these bathroom bills are horrible. They’re not about whether trans people can use the bathroom. They’re about whether trans people have the right to exist in public. There are so many people, especially here in North Carolina, our hateful General Assembly is trying to erase trans people from our society. I really want to do everything I can to stop that crap. I hope that this opens up the door for Zeke and I to do some great stuff.

Holmes: I know you don’t have to do exit press. I’d imagine this is the second worst day of your life. But I think you’re doing the right thing by using this platform to further transgender awareness.
Varner: I hope that any press that anybody puts out there is pro-trans and anti-outting. We’re both trying to make this a positive thing.

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

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 6 Recap: Zeke the Guy Who Plays ‘Survivor’

April 12, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Debbie won a date with a sitcom writer, Tai’s idol bag got a lot tighter, and the Queen went out while proving she’s a fighter.

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

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Mana Tribe (wearing orangey-red)
Aubry, 30
Brad, 47
Cirie, 45
Hali, 26
Michaela, 25
Sierra, 29
Troyzan, 54

The Nuku Tribe (wearing blue)
Andrea, 27
Debbie, 51
Jeff, 50
Ozzy, 34
Sarah, 32
Tai, 52
Zeke, 28

We kick things off after Tribal where Debbie is telling everyone how terrible Exile was. C’mon, Cochran’s a good guy.

Ozzy admits that Tai scared the crap out of him. Tai still thinks it was a solid move to target Ozzy, but he confesses that he’s “terrible at Tribal.” I love you, Tai. But you’ll get no arguments from me on that one.

Meanwhile Varner wants to punch everyone in the “throat bone.” I haven’t seen a “Survivor” rulebook lately, but I’d imagine there’s a passage that forbids that sort of activity. Zeke apologizes for deceiving Jeff. He understands, but says he would have voted for Sandra if they had wanted him to.

After they make peace, Zeke tells Varner that he wants to take him to the end. They hug it out.

Immunity Challenge Time: Teams will retrieve a key from a pole that is wound up in some ropes. They’ll then create a ladder and use the key to unlock a bag of balls. They’ll then carry the balls through a cargo net. Finally, they’ll have to teeter-totter the balls into five different targets. The first tribe to get all five of the balls into the correct bins will win ten pizzas and various fixings.

Nuku jumps out to a pretty sizable lead during the ropes portion. In fact, Mana never really makes it competitive.

Ozzy works his teeter-totter magic to bring home the win for Nuku.

Back at Mana Beach, Hali does the math and points out that ten pizzas are more than a pizza a person. She’s not wrong.

Sierra, Aubry, and Cirie start to commiserate about how stressful and emotionally taxing the game is. This strikes a chord with Brad who didn’t appreciate how hard it was for Monica to make it as far as she did in “Blood vs. Water.” He breaks down in tears.

Is it dusty in here?

Both Aubry and Cirie approach Brad at different times to thank him for being so open with them. Aubry even calls him the most genuine person she’s met out there. Wait, she met me out there!

So, it looks like Brad finally has his numbers advantage with that duo, Sierra, and Troyzan.

Over at the Nuku Pizzaria, everyone dives into the reward.

Later on, Jeff starts making moves to get rid of Ozzy. He approaches Sarah with a plan to get rid of the alpha males in the game. She doesn’t commit either way.

Immunity Challenge Time: Four members of each tribe will swim to a raft and then pull it to a series of stations. At each station, they’ll have to dive down and release buoys with letters on them. Once all of the letters have been retrieved, the other three members of the tribe will have to spell out a word. The first tribe to figure out the 13-letter word will win immunity.

The Survivor are ready…and they go. Nuku again jumps out to a lead thanks to Ozzy’s diving prowess. Culpepper, in particular, has trouble releasing the buoys.

Nuku is the first tribe to the puzzle portion and they have a huuuge head start. Mana eventually catches up and both teams are struggling to figure out the word.

Eventually, Hali comes up with “Metamorphosis” to win it for Mana.

Quick Aside: I wonder how long that puzzle took, because it looks like everyone’s hair is dry.

Varner knows he’s in trouble, but he’s going to do everything he can to keep from going home.

Back at camp, Jeff tells everyone that he knows he’s on the chopping block. He just asks for one-on-one time with everyone to plead his case. That’s unique.

While Jeff and Ozzy head off, Sarah makes the case that they should probably get rid of Ozzy soon. Zeke says he likes Varner a lot, but their best bet is to keep Ozzy around for a while.

Zeke admits to us that he wants to use Ozzy as a shield.

Varner pitches getting rid of Ozzy to Zeke and he shuts that train of thought down quickly. Varner takes this to mean that Zeke has plans for Ozzy.

Varner takes this information to Andrea and Sarah and Sarah seems pretty ticked off about it.

Then, Varner hints that there’s something about Zeke that nobody knows. He also promises to raise “mortal hell” if he has to.

That night at Tribal Council, Varner says that he did his best to not be the next to go home, but all of his conversations have led him to believe that his time is up.

This makes Debbie nervous because she’s not used to people being certain at Tribal Council.

Varner then claims that they aren’t six strong because some people have agreed to vote for Ozzy if he could get more numbers. Varner then outs an alliance between Ozzy and Zeke. He proposes for the others to target Ozzy. Debbie seems into it.

Jeff then claims that there is another level to the deception around camp. When Probst asks him to enlighten them, Varner asks Zeke why he hasn’t told anyone that he’s transgender.

This is followed by a long pause and then an explosion.

Zeke looks like he’s been punched in the stomach. Tai, Debbie, and Andrea all yell at Varner that it’s not his place to out Zeke.

Varner claims that it was to show that Zeke is being deceptive.

Tai is yelling…Andrea is crying…hell, I’m crying…and Zeke just looks like his world is never going to be the same.

Varner, who is an advocate for transgender rights, claims that he would never say or do anything to hurt anyone, but he’s fighting for his life.

Tai argues that outing someone who hasn’t outted themselves is hurtful. Andrea and Debbie agree.

Zeke finally speaks and says the he hasn’t shared that secret with anyone during his two seasons on the show.

Varner tries to explain that his intention was to prove that Zeke has the ability to deceive. Probst calls that a leap of logic.

Varner, realizing that this strategy has backfired spectacularly, apologizes to Zeke.

Ozzy thinks Varner should be ashamed of what he’s willing to do to get ahead. A defeated Varner admits that he is ashamed of himself.

Probst asks if there is a line Varner won’t cross to get ahead. Varner says he now knows that he has made the wrong choice and he feels horrible.

Varner goes on to say that he thought Zeke was out and loud about it, which Sarah immediately disagrees with because nobody on the tribe knew.

Then Probst points out that you can’t say that Zeke is deceptive and then say that he was out and proud.

Ugh…all of this is making my stomach hurt. Will someone please give Zeke a million hugs for me?

Tai eventually comes around and thinks that Varner sincerely feels bad about it. Andrea agrees.

Varner assumed that everyone in Zeke’s life knew and he was only keeping it from the members of the tribe.

Zeke’s family and friends do know that he’s transgender, but he doesn’t tell everyone in his life. And, he didn’t want to be Zeke the transgender “Survivor” player, he just wanted to be Zeke the “Survivor” player. He’s not happy with how he was outted, but he is prepared to talk about it.

Zeke then points out that “Survivor” has made him a stronger person and that strength will help him deal with whatever’s next.

Varner seems mortified about what he’s done, but Sarah isn’t ready to move on yet. She feels like it was a malicious attack. She then goes on to say that she doesn’t have many LGBT people in her life and that Zeke simply kicks ass. She wants to come away with the million dollars, but it’s worth more to her that she got to know Zeke.

Zeke laughs and says he shouldn’t be a role model, but he hopes that people seeing him play the game will help them.

Finally, Probst asks if there’s any doubt of who’s going home. Everyone agrees that it’s Varner. They don’t even bother voting.

Varner says that he’s ready to go. He and Zeke hug, then Probst snuffs his torch.

The seventh person eliminated from “Survivor: Game Changers” is…Varner.

Verdict: We don’t all watch “Survivor” the same way. I thought Jonny Fairplay lying about his grandmother’s death was brilliant. You might have thought it was horrible. I thought Dreamz accepting Yau-Man’s car reward and then going back on the deal was reprehensible. You might have thought it was a clever move.

We all have our idea of what this show is supposed to be. But at the end of the day, they throw these people out there, give them rules and twists, and say “Reward the person you think deserves to win.”

With all societies, there’s a line of what’s acceptable and what isn’t. What’s gameplay and what isn’t. What’s entertaining and what isn’t. And we all probably draw that line in different places.

I think it’s safe to say that Jeff Varner crossed everyone’s line tonight.

By outing Zeke as transgender, he has put his real-life happiness and safety at risk.

But, I’m sure Jeff Varner knows this. I’m not close friends with Jeff, but knowing what I know about him, he was probably caught up in the intensity of a game and simply didn’t think things through. I think it is reasonable for him to think that Zeke was open during “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” (which hadn’t aired yet).

I’d imagine Jeff feels horrible. I’m sure he’s been beating himself up over this and dreading this day since that Tribal Council was filmed.

But, if Zeke can find it in himself to forgive Jeff, then the “Survivor” community should too.

This is a low point in “Survivor” history. There’s no debating that. But when I look back at it, I’ll choose to remember Zeke’s inspiring strength, his tribe’s unconditional support, and Jeff’s maturity in owning his mistake.

Now go be nice to everyone.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Jeff in spot fourteen. I had him in spot thirteen. The current score is now Team Adam 64, Team Gordon 64.

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

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Power Rankings Round 5: Long-Live-the-Queen Edition

April 11, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

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 Michaela is voted out this episode, Adam will receive eleven points and Gordon will receive eight points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Game Changers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Adam Klein had Sandra in spot twelve. I had her in spot fifteen. The current score is now Team Adam 50, Team Gordon 51.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research

Adam’s Score = 50

Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein

Gordon’s Score = 51

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Troyzan: As the merge nears, I am going to not only evaluate who is likely to go home in this episode, but also what the edit is telling us about who are key players to watch out for post-merge.

Troyzan’s idol keeps him on the top of my list, but more important is what happened in the last episode. While we had a great ‘swan song’ exit episode for Queen Sandra over on Nuku, literally the only piece of content we got from Mana was the budding alliance of Troyzan and Brad. According to the producers and editors, that is the only storyline that was important enough to follow on that tribe. Also, in the preview and in the commercial, all of the strategic content is focused on Mana. No one has been named as a potential target on Nuku, so my bet is on all of Nuku remaining safe into the merge.

 1. Troyzan: Ah…Tavua…we hardly knew ya. (Sorry about that.) And thumbs up to Troyzan for managing to weather that storm with his idol in his pocket. Add that to the fact that he won’t be the main target if New-New-Mana goes to Tribal and you have any easy pick for the top of this list.
2. Brad: The Troyzan/Brad scene was seriously hitting us over the head with the fact that they want to work with each other. They both had multiple confessionals about it. Why? This is a pair that matters. With original Nuku in the vast majority, Brad seems like he’s in a great position to slaughter Sandra’s army and run all the way to the finish line. 2. Zeke: Queenslayer! I am bummed that Tony, Malcolm, and Sandra are gone. But, kudos to Zeke for getting rid of one of the most dangerous players in the history of the game. That being said, I’m not sure if he can continue to play the happy-go-lucky super fan card anymore.
3. Sierra: It’s clear that Sierra is in just as good with Troy and Brad as either of them are with each other, but this story isn’t been told from her perspective, as the Troy/Brad scene indicates. With only 4 confessionals so far in 6 episodes (despite having the legacy advantage and getting an idol played on her), Sierra is a supporting character for Brad as far as the edit is concerned. 3. Brad: Bro, you want to be my bro, bro?  Fist bump.
4. Andrea: Andrea jumps up massively in my rankings after the last episode. The only hint at her exit was from Troyzan, and now that they are separated, my fears of Troyzan idoling her out have been (at least for the moment) put on hold. She also finds herself solidly in the majority on Nuku and no one has any reason to come after her. However, like Sierra, Andrea has had only 4 confessionals, less than anyone else, and doesn’t appear to be a key character in the story of the season. 4. Sierra: Looks like we’re in for another round of the Sierra and Brad Show. My question is; who would you rather sit next to at the end? The loud guy who has a history of rubbing people the wrong way or the subtle woman who has the doesn’t-actually-do-anything reputation?
5. Sarah: “Silent assassin.” “Playing this game like a criminal.” “I know how to lie to these people.” Now she’s “irate.” So far, Sarah has been allowed by the edit to talk a big game, without us actually having the chance to see it. They have been teasing us for weeks that Sarah’s big move is coming – could this finally be the week? Possibly. But until we see something big from Sarah, she should be safe. 5. Andrea: Tai bringing up Ozzy’s name at Tribal is not something Ozzy is going to forget anytime soon. That’s good for you. If your alliance does split, you’ll get to decide which way to go.
6. Debbie: Debbie lucked into an advantage, safety from Tribal Council, a chance to work through her game with a former winner, a feast, a break from the stress of the game, and finally a tribe filled with her former tribe mates with bigger fish to fry. Debbie is supposed to be great at balance, but it sure seems like she’s either the ultimate champion or the ultimate victim. This week, the scales tip in her favor. 6. Sarah: I feel like you are just itching to do something right now and there is no need. You’ve got a case of Tony-itis. You have a super-clear path to the merge. Just keep your social game up and wait for your chance to make the move that gets you to the end with the people you want.
7. Zeke: Zeke was given editorial credit for playing Sandra and Varner and taking out the best player in the history of the game. That’s no small feat. This was exactly the kind of episode that Zeke needed in order to have a shot at the title, but it also puts his neck out as a bigger target moving forward. If Varner is going to blame anyone for Sandra’s exit, it’s probably Zeke. Still, it seems that Ozzy is a bigger alternative target according to the preview, so he should be able to make the merge. 7. Debbie: An all-expenses-paid dinner date with Cochran? Instead of “Exile” they should have just called it “Heaven.” Seriously though, John is right. (I’ve known him long enough to call him “John.”) You need to mend that fence with Culpepper ASAP. That whole affair was ugly and may have soured that entire tribe against you.
8. Tai: I have seen so much hate on Tai’s gameplay this season, but the results speak for themselves. The man has survived three Tribal Councils, found three idols, played one successfully, and solidified a solid alliance with Brad, Sierra, and Debbie. He got heat for his actions at the last tribal, but he had good reasons to be worried, and correctly felt like his former tribe mates were throwing his name around. At home most of us were thinking Tai needed to play an idol, but he knew better. His tribe does seem to suspect that he has an idol, so they will be hesitant to go after him until they can split the votes. Long term, I am worried about the perception of Tai from both the players and the audience. I know what that’s like. But my game (and my edit) showed that a player like Tai, who looks paranoid on the edit but is actually playing a solid game, can benefit from low expectations. 8. Michaela: I just have a hunch that the Old-Nuku, New-One-Worlds-Apart alliance is going to pick Michaela over Aubry or Cirie.
9. Cirie: Cirie is a huge question mark moving forward for me. She hasn’t had to go to Tribal Council yet, so it would be helpful to know what she’s thinking, but we didn’t get her take on her new tribe. Not a great sign. While she hasn’t received enough focus to make a Cirie win a real possibility, I think her potential swing position on this tribe will allow her to at least make the jury. But with fewer and fewer original Mana left in the game, Cirie will be forced back into a dynamic of mostly original Nuku, which left her feeling on the outs early on.  9. Hali: I do not care how much you deny it; I think you and Sierra are still a thing. Fortunately for you, the people she’s currently working with need numbers.
10. Hali: According to secret scenes, Hali did a decent job of at least giving her previous Mana tribe some indication that she might stick with them, although the relationship is tenuous at best. Brad described it as “cat and mouse” and although he didn’t love that this was the case, he called Hali his “number 2” when first looking at the new Mana. Hali herself says she’s in good with both her original Mana members as well as Brad and Sierra, so she should be able to play both sides long enough to last until the merge. 10. Tai: People with thirty idols should be on the top of this list, Tai! I’m sorry, but you’re game is too erratic. I wouldn’t be surprised if you traded those idols for a handful of magic beans.
11. Michaela: We have no idea who would have been on the chopping block from the edit had Mana lost, but my guess is that it may have been Michaela, in order to weaken Sandra. Now that Sandra is out, Michaela’s threat level diminishes somewhat. At the same time, there seem to be fewer and fewer people around that are connected to Michaela, so she is going to need to move quickly to create new and strong relationships when the merge hits. 11. Ozzy: Aligning with Tai is like carrying a coffee cup that is filled to the brim. You know it’s a bad idea, but you convince yourself that if you’re slow and steady enough you can make it work. At this point, Ozzy should be scared to death of how close he came to getting burned last week.
12. Aubry: Poor Aubry just cannot seem to find her footing in these tribes. She could not keep the peace between Tony and Sandra at original Mana, was kept in the dark by her original tribe mates when they voted out JT, and now seems to be on a tribe where no one needs her vote. I’m sure she would be happy to flip on Mana, but Brad and Sierra seem to be more likely to use the votes of others, like Troyzan, Hali, and/or Cirie. If Mana does go to tribal council, I don’t see anyone going to bat to save Aubry just before the merge. 12. Aubry: Aubry needed that tribe swap the most. There was no way Michaela, Varner, and Sandra were going to turn on each other at that point. But now, you’ve got Brad and Troyzan as an alliance with Sierra…and possibly Hali. It seems like a mess. Maybe there will be a third swap…
13. Ozzy: There are a couple ways Ozzy could end up going home. One way is that Varner could join the others in targeting Tai, and Tai could idol out Ozzy, but that seems unlikely because they seem to suspect that Tai has an idol and would be very wary of targeting him. The other possibility is that Sarah could flip to Varner with Tai and someone else (Zeke has expressed interest in working with Varner and Sarah can be seen talking to Andrea in the preview), finally making the Big Move(™) that has been teased for weeks. The previews could also just be a red herring, as Ozzy seems pretty well insulated on Nuku, but regardless, there is no question that the target on his back is getting bigger and bigger as the merge approaches. 13. Varner: Whatever went down at last week’s Tribal was bad news for Varner. Tai was comfortable enough to not play one of his thirty idols. Which means, Varner is the low man on the totem pole. His best bet is to encourage another Debbie meltdown.
14. Varner: This game has been all about numbers: original Mana vs. original Nuku, and I don’t see that changing right before the merge. No one on original Nuku seems to want to strike first blood, so they just continue to cripple original Mana. Varner’s only real hope is that others want to take out Ozzy before he reaches the merge and can start taking down individual immunities. 14. Cirie: Has Cirie had a solid alliance yet? It’s hard to know seeing as she’s never been to Tribal Council. She was safe at Tavua because Ozzy needed her. But, I don’t think anyone needs her right now. She’s better hope for more challenge puzzle miracles.


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

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Sandra: “Grabbing That Wrong Buff Is What Killed My Game”

April 6, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: I need you to help me out, Sandra.
Sandra Diaz-Twine: Oh no, what?
Holmes: I’m not dealing with this well.
Diaz-Twine: Don’t tell me you’re doing worse than me!
Holmes: In order to cope with this, my mind went back to day four. And I’m dreaming about this scenario where Tony doesn’t freak out and you, him, Aubry, and Malcolm manage to dominate the game and get to the end. How would that have worked?
Diaz-Twine: That wouldn’t have worked, Gordon! Here’s the issue with that alliance, when Tony grabbed me and offered me that alliance he had already been working with Aubry. He says, “The only way the winners can get to the end is if we’re all together. And now that Ciera’s gone it’s going to be me, you, Aubry and I still have to talk to Caleb and Malcolm.” So, I go to Caleb and I go to Malcolm and I tell them that Tony is going to invite them into this five-person alliance. When that happens, can you let me know? The day comes and goes and Tony in his interview said he spoke to those guys. He never approached them about an alliance with me, him, and Aubry. So, that was a little suspicious to me. He’s trying to send my vote in a different direction. I wasn’t going to have an alliance with Caleb, he isn’t someone I wanted to play with. And Malcolm was my number one, so he didn’t have a reason to lie to me about Tony coming up to him. In the episode where we vote for Tony, I asked Hali, because I was worried that he got five people together without me. I swear that when push comes to shove, that five-person alliance would never come together.
Holmes: Well, now I have nothing.
Diaz-Twine: (Laughs)

Holmes: What happened at Tribal last night? It seemed like Tai was about to flip, but then he ended up where he started.
Diaz-Twine: I offered Ozzy the same type of alliance I offered Malcolm. “Ozzy, I’ll protect you after the merge. You’re a physical threat. But you have to help me get to the merge. I’ll vote the way you want me to vote. Just keep me in the game. These people are all smiling in your face, but after the merge they’re all going to come after you.” So, I thought we were cool. When we go into Tribal, Tai kept grabbing at his pocket like maybe he had an idol. I felt that it was supposed to be Tai, but Ozzy got spooked because Tai was saying Ozzy’s name out loud. He wasn’t being quiet about it. And if Tai had played his idol, Ozzy would have went home. So, that’s how all of that went down. It was very confusing. I didn’t know 100% that there were coming after me. But, I felt it. My conversation was Ozzy was enough to keep me in the game longer. And I’d talked to Sarah too. It just didn’t pan out for me.

Holmes: In past seasons, it’s been under-the-radar Sandra, anyone-but-me Sandra. We did not see this in “Game Changers.” You came out swinging. Was the plan that if you were too subtle, people would notice and get rid of you? Or was the big play to make yourself more of a shield?
Diaz-Twine: I didn’t have a choice but to take control of everything that was going to happen to me. I knew they were going to come after me. Before the game started, the stares, the looks. No eye contact. Not that they were afraid of me, but there was no way I was going to be able to hide behind anybody. I had to get my foot in the door and work my magic. I had to get in front of it. I had to make relationships with everybody. Some people think I’m mean on TV, but I do take the time to sit and talk to everyone on an individual basis. With the exception of Aubry or even Caleb. I didn’t say too much to them. I really try to have the numbers. I let them know about me personally. I’m really a very nice person. I needed people to have my back, what I called “The Queen’s Army.”

Holmes: If before the season started, you and I sat down and talked about the tribe swaps, and the forty idols, and the legacy advantages, and the Exile advantages, would you think it’d be hard for a player who makes big moves to succeed with the game being switched up so frequently?
Diaz-Twine: There’s potential for anyone to go home. It’s not like it just hurts me as the biggest threat. It can hurt anybody. We’ve already proven on “Heroes vs. Villains” that a big target can go far. Even a winner can go really far. The twists and the turns, that’s really what can get someone. I 1000% feel that me picking the wrong buff is why I went home. If I’d gone to Exile there was so much I could’ve done. If I’d gone to Mana I would have had Troyzan and Hali and Michaela and even Aubry. But grabbing that wrong buff is what killed my game. All the twists and turns and swaps, the fans love that stuff.

Holmes: Word association time. Let’s start with Malcolm.
Diaz-Twine: Brilliant.
Holmes: Aubry?
Diaz-Twine: She’s good. She’s scary.
Holmes: Michaela?
Diaz-Twine: Sweet.
Holmes: JT?
Diaz-Twine: Pompous.
Holmes: Tony?
Diaz-Twine: Crazy.
Holmes: Hali?
Diaz-Twine: Genuine.
Holmes: Andrea?
Diaz-Twine: I didn’t have much interaction with her.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Diaz-Twine: He’s such a great person. Awesome.
Holmes: Ciera?
Diaz-Twine: I got to know her really well in Vietnam. Knowledgeable. Ciera is one-of-a-kind.
Holmes: Ozzy?
Diaz-Twine: Unaware.
Holmes: Sarah?
Diaz-Twine: Tough.
Holmes: Caleb?
Diaz-Twine: Dreamy…meaning he’s always dreaming about something else. He’s not dreamy in my eyes.
Holmes: Zeke?
Diaz-Twine: He’s your friend in your face, but he’s very calculating.
Holmes: Tai?
Diaz-Twine: Gosh…I can’t understand him half the time. I hate to be like, “Huh? What’d you say?” He’s misunderstood. He has trouble communicating.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Varner.
Diaz-Twine: That’s my heart right there. I love him to death. He can do no wrong in my eyes.

Holmes: Before the game we talked about how a loss can affect your legacy. I’m of the belief that getting as far as you did is a win. How do you feel about it?
Diaz-Twine: Although I did get voted off, which I expected. I still feel very successful. I like how it went down. I easily could have been the first person voted out. I am very happy. I don’t feel like my legacy is tarnished. I’m still the only two-time winner. I’m not like some of these winners where it took a second time out to win or a third or a fourth. I think I’m untouchable when it comes to the winners. I feel like my game is solid and people didn’t get to see what I was doing in “Pearl Islands” or “Heroes vs. Villains” because there were bigger characters out there. I’m not a player? Think again. I watch “Survivor” and I evolve with “Survivor.” I learn something from every season. I said I’d be gracious when I was voted out, because I was trying to do what they did to me. They got me and I have no hard feelings about it.
Holmes: And now that you don’t have that perfect record, people will be less intimidated by you when you play a fourth time.
Diaz-Twine: (Laughs) You think I’ll play a fourth time! I don’t know if I want to see an all-winners season. Then there’s a chance for the queen to be dethroned. But at the end of the day, I did it first.
Holmes: Hey, I learned one things from this season and that is “Queens stays Queen.”
Diaz-Twine: (Laughs) I love it! Isn’t that awesome?

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

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 5 Recap: Idol Wave

April 5, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Troyzan and Sarah formed a team, Debbie was bested by a balance beam, and JT fell for Sandra’s sugar scheme.

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

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Mana Tribe (wearing orangey-red)
Brad, 47
Debbie, 51
Hali, 26
Sierra, 29
Tai, 52

The Nuku Tribe (wearing blue)
Aubry, 30
Jeff, 50
Michaela, 25
Sandra, 41

The Tavua Tribe (wearing green)
Andrea, 27
Cirie, 45
Ozzy, 34
Sarah, 32
Troyzan, 54
Zeke, 28

We kick things off after Tribal where poor Aubry’s head is just spinning. She asks Sandra why they kept her over JT and Sandra admits that it was revenge for Malcolm. Again, I approve of anyone who is made to pay for the lack of Malcolm on my TV.

Later that night, Tai sneaks out to try to find his second idol. He douses the well with water and finds the tribe’s symbol. He digs…and is rewarded! Way to be, Tai. I have to ask though; wouldn’t the logo show up if it rained? I guess people wouldn’t know to dig there.

The next day, Probst shakes the game up for the 112th time by demanding that the tribes drop their buffs.

So, it looks like we’re going to two tribes. Is Tavua the second tribe that never went to Tribal? (I don’t think Tandang ever went during “Survivor: Philippines.”)

New buffs are handed out. Some people get orange, some people get blue, and Debbie gets nothing.

Probst informs her that she’ll be heading to Exile Island and joining the next tribe that goes to Tribal Council.

Alright, let’s look at these new tribes; Mana has Troyzan, Michaela, Sierra, Hali, Cirie, Aubry, and Brad. While Nuku has Ozzy, Sandra, Jeff, Tai, Andrea, Sarah, and Zeke.

Right off the bat, this looks bad for Sandra, Jeff, and Michaela.

Although, it is adorable that there’s already a gay clique of Tai, Jeff, and Zeke on New New Nuku. I want a royalty if they use the term “gay-lliance.”

At the Reimagined Mana, Brad and Troyzan bond over the fact that they’re both dudes. They also have that “One World” connection.

Meanwhile at Nuku 3.0, they don’t show us Tai’s reaction to being short a few chickens. That’s probably for the best.

Sandra and Varner aren’t psyched to be on the bottom of their new tribe, but Sandra is confident she can figure it out. She also says this clever little thing about “The queen stays queen.” That’s cute. She should make that her thing.

In other news, Zeke, Andrea, Sarah, and Ozzy are rightfully scared to death of Sandra. They decide to tell her that they’re targeting Tai.

Later on, Tai decides to try his wet-the-well technique at Nuku. Sure enough, it totally works. Two idols in one episode!

Next up, we meet up with Debbie on her way to Exile. She is not psyched about it until she learns that Exile is a luxury ship that is full of food. Game Changer!

As she’s lounging in a hammock, she is joined by none other than “Survivor: Caramoan” champion John Cochran! Sooooo random.

Apparently, he’s there to be a sounding board for her. This is actually a really good reward. You often hear about how having an objective third party to talk to is a big help. That happens with the loved ones visit a bunch.

Quick Aside: Cochran’s lower-third says “Caramoan.” I’m sure he’d rather that than “South Pacific.”

Debbie tells Cochran that she doesn’t have any reservations about anyone. So that whole Brad blow-up…that’s not a concern?

True to form, Cochran worries that she’s not being paranoid enough.

She admits to calling Culpepper a “wanker.” After which, Cochran smartly advises her to mend fences.

Before he leaves, he presents her with a game advantage. She’s given the choice between a fake idol crafting kit, an extra vote, and an advantage in a team immunity challenge. She decides on the extra vote.

Back at Nuku, Zeke and Jeff bond while relaxing on the beach. Jeff admits that he’s freaked out because he’s never made a jury before. Zeke likes Jeff a lot, but knows that he has to convince Jeff that Tai is their next target.

Jeff shares this info with Sandra, but she doesn’t seem to buy it.

Immunity Challenge Time: The tribes will race through the water while collecting heavy puzzle pieces. They’ll put the pieces in a sled and then drag them to the finish line. The first tribe to complete the puzzle wins immunity.

Quick Note: I messed around with a handheld version of this puzzle at challenge headquarters. It took me forever to get it right.

The Survivor are ready…and they go.

Mana gains an early lead during the monkey bar portion and maintains it until they reach the finish line.

Sierra, Cirie, and Aubry are the puzzle team for Mana. While Zeke, Ozzy, and…wait…Mana finished it?!

Mana wins immunity!

Another Quick Aside: Are you kidding me?! It took me forever!

Back at camp, Jeff seems confident that Tai is going home. But, Sandra’s spidey-senses are freaking out.

She approaches Zeke, Sarah, Andrea, and Ozzy with the idea of separating the remaining Kaoh Rong players. And her pitch is good. Maybe too good as Ozzy and Sarah realize that they’re falling for it.

Meanwhile, Tai is getting nervous because he isn’t being included in conversations.

Tai approaches Ozzy and Jeff to make sure they’re all still targeting Sandra. Oh Tai…

Jeff immediately takes this information to Sandra. She plans to act like she’s going home, but she’s going to go for Tai full blast.

Although…who did they tell Jeff they were telling Tai they were voting for? Surely it was Jeff or Sandra.

That night at Tribal, Sarah, Ozzy, Zeke, and Andrea have to get fire. Probst does not let them know that it represents their life. Then how will they know, Jeff?!

Ozzy admits that every day he thinks of another big name to get rid of.

Sandra knows he’s referring to her. She even says she thinks her number is finally up. She claims that nobody is talking strategy with her.

Tai isn’t sure that Sandra is going home because he made a big move by taking Malcolm out.

Sarah says that she’s heard a few names. This concerns Tai because the only name he’s heard is Sandra.

Then all hell breaks loose.

Tai whispers a name to Sandra, then Jeff. He eventually tells everyone that he’s targeting Ozzy.

Now everyone is whispering. What a mess.

In all of this, Tai hilariously tells us how loyal he is.

Voting Time: Sandra votes for Tai and the rest are secret.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…nobody does.

We’ve got two votes for Tai, three votes for Sandra, and the sixth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” is…Sandra.

BOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Verdict: BOOOOOOO!!!

Sigh…it would have been nice to see what Tony, Sandra, and Malcolm could’ve done in a traditional season instead of this twisty mess.

Blargh.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Sandra in spot twelve. I had her in spot fifteen. The current score is now Team Adam 50, Team Gordon 51.

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

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‘Survivor’ Castaway JT: “It Was Sandra’s Way or the Highway”

March 31, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

 

Gordon Holmes: I’m sure you’ve gotten this a lot, but why didn’t you bring the idol to Tribal?
JT Thomas: I actually found it not long before Tribal. After going through “Heroes vs. Villains” being caught finding the idol, I knew I had to get it off my person. I only had my jeans and underwear, I ran up to this place we called “Lookout Mountain” that was a really hard-to-get-to spot. I knew the idol would be safe there. I buried it and came back down, but most of the rest of the afternoon before Tribal was spent with all of us talking. It was Aubry, myself, Jeff, and Sandra. And they did a good job of selling it. And Michaela was chilling out like she does all the time. To me it made no sense at all. And I knew if I went back it would be obvious and I’d have to explain where I was going. So, I really wish I had took it. And I didn’t wish I had it until right before the vote. I’m not sure I would’ve played it. It just made no sense to vote me out over Michaela at this point except for payback or revenge. That’s something you wouldn’t expect out of Sandra being the seasoned player that she is.

Holmes: One of the questions I get from everybody is; why are people letting Sandra run the show? Is she that good of a shield?
Thomas: Sandra is definitely leading the show on the tribe I was on. Varner’s on board to do whatever Sandra says. He wants a free ticket to the merge. And I don’t know Sandra personally, but I have played with her before. And she’s really playing out of character. She’s up on her high horse. It was obvious at camp that it was Sandra’s way or the highway. And I told her that I’d do whatever I could do to help them at the merge. The other option is Michaela who has no connections and nothing to offer. It just made all the sense in the world to stick with me.

Holmes: Did you find out about Sandra’s sugar stunt as you were leaving Tribal or did you find out last night?
Thomas: I didn’t know until last night. (Laughs) And then it made perfect sense. And Sandra kept instigating it and I never knew why. I guessed she just liked to hear me and Michaela go at it. Actually, it was her stirring it up more to prove that I was safe. That’s a lot of work to make a horrible move in my opinion. We were fixing to merge with people I’ve been camping with already. Who are they going to turn to for leniency? The former Mana tribe is going to be picked off like sitting ducks.

Holmes: The Tribal where Malcolm was voted out; did you mean tell them Sierra in the hopes that they’d idol Sandra out? Or, did you slip up and just mean to tell Brad that he was safe?
Thomas: I was hoping Sandra was going home, so I couldn’t own up to it at the time. And that’s only if they had an idol. I wasn’t sure. And if they didn’t, there was nothing I could do about it. That’s the reason why I still voted for Sierra. I didn’t want to out myself for no reason. And if they did have an idol, “I give you this knowledge, Brad. Your end of the deal is to vote out Sandra.” It was that simple. I had Malcolm and Aubry on-board with me. The only way they’d vote with me was if we had numbers. I had to get one person off of that tribe. It was a chance for me to get numbers.
Holmes: What was Malcolm’s reaction after you were voted out?
Thomas: My reaction was, “Dude, I hate it. I’m so sorry.” But he knows he was the last person I wanted to see go home. He played so hard. We were both upset about it. We hugged. I trusted the wrong person in Brad. I shot myself in the foot. And Malcolm and I together were probably the two toughest to beat at challenges.

Holmes: The original Nuku tribe never went to Tribal Council, so we don’t really know the dynamics. What was life like there? Who was on the outs?
Thomas: I went from the top of the best spot in the house, to the worst after the swap. I don’t want to say I was running the show, but I was definitely among those who were in charge. The most solid in-game alliance was Sarah, myself, Brad, and Ozzy. We were a tight four. Debbie and Tai were in that six, and then there was Zeke and Sierra. We had a good alliance, plenty of food, a nice home, and a pick-off order.
Holmes: Was that pick-off order Cirie first and then Andrea?
Thomas: Yeah, that’s correct. It wasn’t always that way. I wanted to work with Cirie. Everyone’s expecting us to have our differences. Immediately I went to Cirie and said, “We can work together and nobody will ever see it coming. We can take it to the end, you and I. I owe you one.” I didn’t get a good vibe at all. I felt like it was me or her. And Ozzy felt the same way. It’s not what I came into the game wanting to do, but I felt like I’d better get rid of Cirie. Then, Andrea actually told Cirie that I was gunning for her. Sarah let me know about it.

Holmes: Word association time. Let’s start with Zeke.
Thomas: Very intelligent. Strong competitor. A huge threat.
Holmes: Culpepper?
Thomas: Physical threat. Very untrustworthy.
Holmes: Sarah?
Thomas: Great person. Strong ally.
Holmes: Cirie?
Thomas: Huge threat in the game. Great person.
Holmes: Ozzy?
Thomas: Solid guy. Dependable.
Holmes: Tai?
Thomas: Good guy, but can’t hold his words.
Holmes: Andrea?
Thomas: Sneaky.
Holmes: Malcolm?
Thomas: Solid. Genuine, good athletic guy.
Holmes: Sandra?
Thomas: Great person, but on her high horse.
Holmes: Varner?
Thomas: Lacks self-confidence.
Holmes: Debbie?
Thomas: (Laughs) Very smart. Doesn’t fit in socially…socially awkward.
Holmes: Sierra?
Thomas: Sweet girl but a pawn in this game.
Holmes: Aubry?
Thomas: Very smart. Great person. Strong ally.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Michaela.
Thomas: Chip on her shoulder. Very immature. A lot to learn.

Holmes: One of the big moments from last night was the Debbie/Brad Culpepper explosion. And the thing that stuck with me is she kept saying how Hali took longer to do the balancing portion. Do you remember their part of the challenge? What didn’t we see?
Thomas: I have to say, to Debbie’s point, it was a really hard challenge. It’d take the whole episode to show the whole thing. The bow part was really hard. I was the third person on my tribe to try it. Aubry tried it, then Varner. Maybe Michaela even tried it. And it took me a while to do it. It did take Debbie a long time on the handle part, but it took Hali just as long on the bow. But, the bow, in my opinion was harder. I get where Debbie is coming from, it did take Hali a long time. But, it took all of us a long time. So, it didn’t make Hali look so bad.

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

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 4 Recap: Unbalanced?

March 29, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: Malcolm was voted out and apparently I’m contractually obligated to continue writing about this heartbreaking show.

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

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Mana Tribe (wearing orangey-red)
Brad, 47
Debbie, 51
Hali, 26
Sierra, 29
Tai, 52

The Nuku Tribe (wearing blue)
Aubry, 30
JT, 31
Jeff, 50
Michaela, 25
Sandra, 41

The Tavua Tribe (wearing green)
Andrea, 27
Cirie, 45
Ozzy, 34
Sarah, 32
Troyzan, 54
Zeke, 28

We kick things off at Nuku Beach where JT’s got some ‘splainin’ to do. He swears up and down that he didn’t tip Mana off. I guess they can’t prove it until 6 months later.

Sandra knows she can’t prove anything, but she wants revenge. She doesn’t mention if she’s still the queen. Probably safe to assume she is.

The next morning, JT goes on an idol hunt. And…he’s successful. He finds a clue that is very similar to the one Tai found. When everyone is away from camp, he has a chance to retrieve it. Well done, JT. But how are you going to get it to Russell?

Reward Challenge Time: The tribes will use a grappling hook to retrieve a bow. They’ll then dig up a bag with a ball. One player will balance the ball on the bow and walk over a balancing beam. They’ll then do the same with a handle. Once both balls are at the end, one member from each team will have to complete a slide puzzle. The first tribe to complete the puzzle will win peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with all the fixins. The second place tribe receives sandwiches that are fixin’less.

Before the challenge, Andrea’s reaction to seeing a Malcolm-less Nuka would put Eliza Orlins to shame.

During the pre-challenge strategy talk, Debbie talks about how good she is at balancing. Brad, because he’s a logical person, thinks this means she should do one of the balance portions.

Troyzan will sit out for Tavua.

We start off and things are pretty even until Debbie gets to the balance beam portion. It…is…a…trainwreck. She just can’t do it.

As she struggles, Zeke picks up the win for Tavua and Sandra takes second place for Nuku.

Before we head off to commercial, Debbie lets us know that they lost because Brad is a dictator who tells people what to do.

FLASHBACK: Debbie telling everyone she has a really good sense of balance.

Wait, is this what she’s so upset over?

Later on, we learn that that’s exactly what she’s upset over. Debbie immediately tells the other four that they can give her clothing to Hali after they vote her out.

It’s so weird and abrupt that Brad honestly asks if she’s acting.

Debbie tells us that Brad has a total lack of respect for her. She even tells Hali that he has his head so far up her (tush) that his eyeballs are sticking out of her mouth. Well, that’s graphic.

Then, she says that Hali took ten minutes to do the balance beam while she zipped across it. Which…is…not…at…all…what…happened. At first, I wondered if this was an editing trick, but Tai backs it up saying Hali was way better with the agility.

I guess it’s alright though, because Debbie tells us she doesn’t explode in anger.

CUT TO: Debbie screaming in Brad’s face as he tries to apologize.

Quick Aside: I’ve been doing this gig since Gabon.  In my experience, either Brad is a jerk and they aren’t showing it because they want us to like him. Or, Debbie is reading into things. Either way…yikes.

Later at Tavua, Sarah starts talking to Troyzan. She tells him that she’s willing to work with him. He’s happy about this, but he doesn’t trust her enough to tell her about his idol.

At Nuku, Michaela requests a cup of coffee that is seven drops of coffee and a scoop of sugar. This infuriates JT because he doesn’t like the rate at which Michaela is consuming the sugar. Or he’s some kind of coffee purist.

Sandra sees this as an opportunity to rile everyone up and eats the rest of the sugar. Varner, knowing that JT and Michaela are the only ones who consume the sugar, finds this hilarious. I agree.

Sure enough, JT sees an empty sugar jar and flips out.

Back at Mana, Tai decides to get away from his crazy camp and go on an idol hunt. He finds an idol clue that seems to be hinting at the water source. But, he doesn’t have time to follow up on it.

Immunity Challenge Time: The tribes will race up and over a wall. They’ll then roll a wooden cube to a post and retrieve a key. They’ll use the key to open a chest full of beanbags. From there, they have to carry all of the beanbags over a balance beam. When all of the bags are transported, they’ll use a slingshot to launch them at targets. The first two tribes to hit all five of their targets will win immunity.

Cirie will sit out for Tavua.

Before the challenge, Brad proposes that Tai should do the balance beam portion. Debbie does not approve. Then…it…gets…ugly. Once again she claims that it took Hali way longer to complete the previous balance beam portion. After some bickering, she decides that she doesn’t want to do the balance beam.

The Survivors are ready…and they go.

Debbie is the first one over the wall and makes a point of making sure that everyone knows it. Man, people who brag about their challenge prowess are annoying. #nineinarow

Mana is the first tribe to get to the chest, but their lead is tiny.

Tai and Hali are the balance beam team for Mana. Andrea and Ozzy go for Tavua, and Varner and Michaela go for Nuku.

Tai wipes out at one point and Debbie lets him have it, saying that she’s glad they didn’t pick the gymnast for this challenge.

Quick Aside: Is it possible that Debbie and Brad cooked up a fake feud so they can work opposite sides after the merge?

Tavua is the first tribe to get to the slingshot portion. Mana and Nuku eventually catch up.

Sierra hits the first two targets quickly, then Brad takes out the rest. Mana wins immunity.

Ozzy and JT battle back and forth with Ozzy eventually taking the win for Tavua.

Back at camp, Aubry and JT want to target Michaela. It seems like Varner and Sandra are on-board as well.

Later on, Sandra tells us that she wants to get vengeance for Malcolm. I can dig that. She plans to get Michaela and Varner on her side and send JT home.

That night at Tribal, Sandra claims to not know who leaked Sierra’s name to Tai.

Michaela is annoyed because JT thinks he’s running the show.

JT says he’s never been so excited to be at Tribal Council because he can’t wait to get rid of Michaela.

Sandra claims they’re going to keep the strongest player in the game and with HIM they’re going to move forward.

JT is tired of babysitting. He doesn’t think Michaela does anything around the camp.

Michaela begs to differ, pointing out several occasions where she’s done things.

Aubry tried to work with Michaela, but she’s tired of it.

JT wraps it up by saying that some people aren’t game changers, they’re just taking up space.

Voting Time: JT votes for Michaela, Michaela votes for JT, Aubry votes for Michaela, Sandra votes for JT, and the rest are secret.

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol…and nobody does.

We’ve got one vote for Michaela, one vote for JT, one vote for Michaela, one vote for JT, and the fifth person voted out of “Survivor: Game Changers” is…JT.

…and his idol.

On the way out, Michaela tells JT to tell Malcolm that he sent him out of the game. A defeated JT says he will.

And finally, Sandra admits to being the sugar thief. I’m not sure that was smart, but it was funny.

Verdict: Sandra has been to the first five Tribals and hasn’t received a single vote. (Edit: Oops…four of the first five.) That’s amazing. Also, there’s only one winner left in the game.

The Debbie thing? That’s just hard to watch.

That said, I’m ready to see Tavua take a trip to Tribal.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had JT in spot fifteen. I had him in spot sixteen. The current score is now Team Adam 38, Team Gordon 36.

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

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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 3: Won’t-You-Fly-Freberg-Yeah Edition

March 28, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

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 Michaela is voted out this episode, Adam will receive three points and Gordon will receive seven points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Game Changers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Adam had Malcolm in spot five, while Gordon him in spot four. The current score is now Team Adam 23, Team Gordon 20.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.

Donate to the #LiveLikeSusie Memorial Fund for Lung Cancer Research

Adam’s Score = 23

Any questions for Adam? Drop him a line on Twitter: @AdamScottKlein

Gordon’s Score = 20

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Sierra: Took a big hit last week with Malcolm, but I was right in thinking that the unknown twist could mess everything up. Malcolm never would have gone home if his own tribe voted, and my rankings this week are taking into account that last week was an anomaly. I anticipate that the tribes will go back to their previous status quo for the most part. Sierra is in a very comfortable position with a strong alliance on Mana, and is the only person in her alliance not being yelled at by Debbie in the preview. Safe. 1. Troyzan: Welp…I’d like to thank Malcolm for making it so I’ll never look at Troyzan the same way. Add an idol to that and it’s clear that some guys have all the luck.
2. Troyzan: Even in secret scenes, Tavua players are still talking about Troyzan like he’s an easy vote. They clearly have no idea he has an idol, so I imagine they are going to clearly telegraph to Troyzan if he does end up needing to play it. He could also share it to create some new allies. 2. Tai: I don’t think it was worth burning an idol to keep someone safe so early in the game. But, between Hali being on the outs and this odd Debbie/Brad blowup, nobody is going to be targeting you. Except for me. Because you took Malcolm from me. You are lucky that they don’t give random middle-aged journalists a jury vote. Because I swear, on everything that I believe in, that I would never, EVER vote for you. From this day until the day the Sun above burns out…that’s how long I can hold a grudge. From now on, every time I sink my teeth into a chicken sandwich or a buffalo wing, I’ll consider that a tiny measure of revenge for what you did to me. Consider me the opposite of Sia.
3. Michaela: Malcolm talked about how he wanted Michaela gone next from Nuku in exit press, but he made it sound like he was never going to get his way on that. And now, with Malcolm gone, Michaela seems even safer than before. 3. Sierra: Boy, did you dodge a close one last week. If JT doesn’t spill the beans, Tai has a one-in-five shot at making the right call. And with those odds, he might not have done it at all.
4. Brad: The Brad, Sierra, Debbie, Tai quad sure seems like the strongest alliance in the game. But what is going on with Debbie in the preview?! Even if Debbie turns on Brad (or vice versa) she doesn’t have the numbers to send him home. 4. Zeke: How much is Zeke loving life right now? His tribe is dominating, he’s not a target, and he can listen to Cirie and Ozzy tell classic “Survivor” stories.
5. Varner: With JT in hot water, Sandra a perpetual target, and Aubry still without a strong foothold within Nuku, Varner should be relatively low on the kill list. His consistently underwhelming challenge performance is the only thing that could get him into trouble. 5. Sarah: Jefferson Starship once told a differently spelled Sara that “no time is a good time for goodbye.” This is a lie. There will come a time where you need to say goodbye to this classic Nuku alliance. The question is, “When?”
6. Zeke: In a secret scene, Cirie worried that a big fan like Zeke might want to live up to the ‘Game Changer’ title and take her out down the line. That could be a reason for her to gun for Zeke, but for now he seems to be in a really good position on Tavua. (Side note: Zeke also talked about not giving a “rat’s-patootie” about winning reward challenges, and as someone who didn’t get a food reward until day 26, I can confirm that neither food nor coffee wins you the game.) 6. Varner: Ah…Jeff. You coughed up a huge lead in the challenge that sent Nuku to the nightmare Tribal. But, there are much bigger fish to fry right now.
7. Sandra: Queen Sandra still has a massive target on her back, but I still have faith in her relationships on Nuku to carry her through. JT just doesn’t have the numbers to get rid of her. Only way she goes out, I think, is if JT finds and plays an idol. 7. Michaela: Is Michaela clicking with anyone out there? That’s going to cost her later in the game, but right now she should be OK. Especially in a tribe that just lost one of their best challenge performers.
8. Cirie: What happened to Cirie vs. Ozzy? Are they beyond that now? Cirie seems well integrated on Tavua but I have to imagine that at some point the story with Ozzy will lead us somewhere. 8. Brad: After last week’s miracle, I’d imagine your alliance would be clicking on all cylinders. But, Debbie’s mega-freakout has me a little concerned. What could you have possible done in-between Tribals to upset someone so much?
9. Ozzy: The closer we get to the merge, the more likely Ozzy will be to go home. I still think it’s too soon, though, and both Cirie and Ozzy will keep their knives in their pockets for the time being.  9. Cirie: Of everyone at Tavua, Cirie seems like the most likely to reach out to Troyzan. That could land her in trouble…but she’s also reaching out to a guy with an idol.
10. Tai: TAI!!! What an idol find and play. How much can one guy do to prove his loyalty? He voted out his buddy that wasn’t in the alliance, and now he saved an alliance member with his idol. He should be rock solid now with Brad, Sierra, and Debbie, but Debbie going off on him is clearly concerning. 10. Debbie: Your blow-up in the trailer was so big and dramatic. Is it a ploy to throw someone off another plan? And if so, why continue it during an interview? Something doesn’t add up.
11. Sarah: Sarah said she was the “silent assassin” in the premiere and now in the preview she says she’s “playing this game like a criminal.” We’ve seen the silent, so it seems like now is the time for the assassin. This episode will either be her epic flameout or her coming out party, and I would guess the latter. Could she align with Troyzan to turn on one of her own? 11. Sandra: You’re never, ever safe. Ever.
12. Aubry: It seems like Aubry is always surviving by the skin of her teeth, but has yet to ever be target #1. She needs to hang on a little longer until her situation changes, but as long as Sandra is on her tribe she won’t be safe. 12. Ozzy: I don’t think you’re going home this week, but I wouldn’t put it past Troyzan to make you the victim of an idol play. I also wouldn’t put a preemptive strike past Cirie. 
13. Debbie: I actually have no idea what Debbie’s freak out could possibly be about. Tai’s idol play? No, she knew about the idol. The Malcolm vote? No, she was in on that. Could she stumble upon the others finding an idol and not telling her? Or are they turning on her to save Hali for some reason, and she finds out? That all seems pretty implausible but whatever it is, it’s likely to put her in hot water. 13. Aubry: I didn’t know Aubry and Sandra weren’t getting along until my Malcolm exit interview. If Sandra wants to keep the tribe strong, Aubry could be in for a long night.
14. Andrea: We didn’t see much of Tavua, so the best I can go on is that if they lose, they vote for Troyzan and he idols out Andrea, since she’s the only one he has negatively referenced. Sarah’s preview confessional is telling, though, that there could be a major switch up. 14. Andrea: We don’t get to spend much time with Tavua, so Andrea is still my pick for the most likely to get idoled out.
15. JT: I would not want to be poor JT coming back to camp after that Tribal Council. He lost his only potential ally and his whole tribe blames him for Malcolm’s elimination. He better win immunity or find an idol, because I don’t see a path out of this otherwise. 15. Hali: If you were Sierra, would you protect your Dirty 30 sister who kinda tried to throw your alliance under the bus or the gardener who just coughed up an idol to keep you safe?
16. Hali: Hali was clearly uncomfortable with the status quo as they headed to a vote, and was vocal against Brad at tribal council, even plotting with Nuku to vote him out. You would think she would be a clear target if they lose, given how much loyalty the other four have shown to each other. Could be it that simple? I’m thinking that yes, it could be, and Debbie’s explosion is momentary and a red herring. 16. JT: Remember when you gave an idol to Russell Hantz? I don’t think that was a stupid move, it was a big gamble. Remember when you told Brad who to play an idol for? Yeah, that was probably a stupid move.


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

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Malcolm: “JT Was Trying to Screw Us, 100%”

March 23, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Malcolm Freberg: I love/hate you right now.
Gordon Holmes: You love/hate me?! What did I do?
Freberg: You picked me to win, you jackaloon!
Holmes: YOU TOLD ME TO!
Freberg: I need the adults in my life to save me from myself sometimes, you should have known better.
Holmes: Let me paint a picture for you; a sweaty me in the jungles of Fiji and you with your gorgeous mane of hair saying, “Oh no, we’re going to do this together. Pick me to win and we’re gonna take this whole thing.” My only crime is believing in you.
Freberg: You’re not allowed to put blame on me today. I’m very tender and fragile and I just want to be spooned. So really, you can’t be mean to me today.
Holmes: We’re all hurting today.

Holmes: Alright, I stayed up last night coming up with the perfect opening question when I really just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. But, I’m a professional, so here’s what I came up with; what the (expletive deleted), man?
Freberg: (Laughs) I’m feeling the exact same way. Months and months later, I’m going to try to help you out and explain what happened, but there’s going to be some guesswork involved.

Holmes: JT goes up to Brad and says you’re targeting Sierra. Do you think he was screwing you guys or was he trying to trick them?
Freberg: JT was trying to screw us 100%. He goes over there and says, “They’re voting for Sierra.” And he didn’t do that for idol purposes. I don’t know if JT knew about their idol. But, he was trying to tell Brad he was safe because that was JT’s closest ally at the time. And, he wanted them to vote for Sandra. I think had JT felt that it was going to go that way, if he felt the other tribe was going to listen to him, he would’ve voted for Sandra instead of Sierra. The biggest thing that wasn’t really shown was JT freaking out before the vote because he got the feeling that they weren’t going to vote for Sandra.
Holmes: Do you think there was a point where he told them to vote for Sandra?
Freberg: Oh yeah, absolutely. Didn’t they show that?
Holmes: I don’t think so, it’s a blur.
Freberg: He absolutely told them to vote for Sandra. I think three-quarters of the way through Tribal, and they only showed half a dozen of those huddles, but there were at least twenty. We were standing up and moving around. And at one point he looked terrified. I think he knew they weren’t going to go for Sandra, but he didn’t want to tell us what had happened.

Holmes: Was the plan always to vote for Sierra?
Freberg: Yeah, it seemed pretty straight forward. It was six on five. Our thought was that she’d never find an idol. I love her in real life, we’re friends outside the show. She’s a rodeo girl, but she hates getting her fingernails dirty on “Survivor.” The consensus was that’d she’d be the last person to find an idol. And the idea that someone would hand it off, like Tai did, didn’t cross our minds. It was a huge move so early in the game. You’d have to be 100% sure to give up your own safety in a blind, pre-merge vote. Obviously JT made it a lot easier on them. And even if he flips, we could probably pull in Hali.

Holmes: Hali told Sandra to vote for Brad. The way it worked out, it would’ve saved you. Do you think this was a plan of hers to get rid of him while allowing her to vote for you and look like she had stuck to tribal lines?
Freberg: I like Hali. But, I can’t explain her thinking. She had a habit of saying things at Tribal that don’t make the most sense. With Hali though, we wanted to keep her safe. There was a feeling that the game was going to keep going along the original tribe lines. We couldn’t know that she was in such a terrible spot. We didn’t know what went on with the Caleb vote. So, we were trying to keep her safe. And we didn’t think we needed her vote because we thought JT was with us 100%.

Holmes: The original concept of the show was; you’re a community and every three days you’re going to vote someone off. Before anyone had ever thought of an alliance, you’d imagine someone would be voted off because they weren’t helping around camp or they weren’t getting along with everyone. You were voted off by a different community. Twists are twists and it’s weird to say something is unfair, but was last night unfair?
Freberg: Obviously I feel that way because I’m talking to you after a couple of episodes. (Laughs) It crossed my mind at the time. It doesn’t feel quite right. I think that the social aspect is the best part of my game. So, not even having a chance to talk or play with these other people before Tribal is sort of…well…it’s a first. It’s not like any vote before. At first I thought it was unfair to the other tribe. We were so confident going into that Tribal. I felt bad for the new Mana. And if a twist goes bad for you, you’re going to hate it. If they ever do it again you’re going to hear me screaming on Twitter. From a game perspective I’m a super traditionalist. Put one idol out there and do straight votes with no twists and I’m the happiest guy. But, it’s hard for me to knock it as a fan, because it was great TV. And whenever it’s something like that that’s so talked about, that’s why we get to do this seventeen years later. You can’t be mad at it.
Holmes: Oh, I can be mad at it.

Holmes: It looked like you and JT were targeting Sandra. How serious were you about that? Because she’s looking like the shield of shields at this point.
Freberg: JT and I got really close. Half an hour after the swap me and JT were bromancing hard on the beach. I was cheating on you.
Holmes: Yeah, how hard was this bromancing?
Freberg: (Laughs) You’d be sitting at the camp staring at us, twiddling your thumbs. So, we were tight. And my old tribe encouraged it because we needed to bring people to our side. But, Aubry and Sandra are feuding hard. Every time it comes up for discussion Sandra doesn’t like Aubry and Aubry doesn’t like Sandra. When JT starting throwing around the name Sandra, I was like “Sure, whatever.” But everyone’s name comes up. I couldn’t tell you who would’ve gone home if we’d gone to Tribal alone. I wanted Michaela gone, to be honest with you. And if it was a regular Tribal Council, Varner might’ve been in trouble because he blew a huge lead in that challenge. It was much worse than it looked.

Holmes: Sierra and Hali are acting like they’re not Dirty 30 buddies. Do you buy it?
Freberg: Yes and no. Me and Hali were on good terms on the first tribe. The game is playing out so divided along the tribe lines. It was just us vs. them. So, to see Sierra say what she said about Hali at Caleb’s Tribal Council, it’s like, “Holy (expletive deleted), Sierra.” It wasn’t surprising in the context of the way the game was playing.

Holmes: Was there any chance to look for the Nuku idol?
Freberg: Yeah, besides JT stranding us on the raft. Where we were like, “Good move, JT. This is hysterical. You’re toast if we go to Tribal.” After that, we had a group hunt before the last Tribal. We went out looking for it as a team. We were digging, and we came up empty. Early on I didn’t look much because it seemed like the game was moving so slow. Playing too hard put a target on people. I just sat on my hands and it was driving me crazy.

Holmes: I’m going to blow your mind. I want to try a word association exercise.
Freberg: What’s that?!
Holmes: I know. It’s this crazy new thing I’m trying. Let’s start with Tony.
Freberg: Thoroughbred.
Holmes: Sandra?
Freberg: Honey pot.
Holmes: Hali?
Freberg: Loca.
Holmes: Aubry?
Freberg: That’s my girl.
Holmes: Caleb?
Freberg: Donkey Mode Cow-Weenie.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Freberg: Biggest penis I’ve ever seen on a man.
Holmes: Oh.
Freberg: Fun fact.
Holmes: Varner?
Freberg: Sassy pants.
Holmes: Michaela?
Freberg: Abi-Maria.
Holmes: Oh…I was going to ask why you were targeting her. Nevermind. Classic Ciera?
Freberg: (Laughs) My twin.
Holmes: Let’s finish with JT.
Freberg: Son-of-a-bitch, bastard idiot.
Holmes: (Laughs) Subtle. Actually, let’s do a few more since you were at a Tribal with them. Sierra?
Freberg: Giant.
Holmes: Tai?
Freberg: Manipulated.
Holmes: Debbie?
Freberg: What the (expletive deleted)?
Holmes: And Brad?
Freberg: Impressive.

Holmes: My heart and soul are bruised…but I think they will heal.
Freberg: (Laughs)
Holmes: You are the wind beneath my wings. You are sunshine on a cloudy day.
Freberg: (Laughs)
Holmes: (Expletive deleted) (Expletive deleted)
Freberg: I feel the same way. It’s going to be hard to do the rest of my interviews with this erection I just sprouted.
Holmes: (Laughs)
Freberg: (Laughs)
Holmes: Sprouted?
Freberg: And that’s how we end interviews.
Holmes: And scene.

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

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 3 Recap: Two Tribes, One Vote

March 22, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Last Week: A goat was spared because of its mother, Sierra disowned her Dirty 30 sister, and Tai voted out his Big Brother.

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

Alright, let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Mana Tribe (wearing orangey-red)
Brad, 47
Debbie, 51
Hali, 26
Sierra, 29
Tai, 52

The Nuku Tribe (wearing blue)
Aubry, 30
JT, 31
Jeff, 50
Malcolm, 29
Michaela, 25
Sandra, 41

The Tavua Tribe (wearing green)
Andrea, 27
Cirie, 45
Ozzy, 34
Sarah, 32
Troyzan, 54
Zeke, 28

The fun kicks off back at Mana Beach after Tribal Council. Tai is bummed that he had to vote out his buddy, but he did it for the good of his game. And, he got a bag of magic beans out of it. So, it was a pretty sound decision.

The next morning, Hali and Debbie agree that Tai should go home next. However, Debbie was just joshing, because she wants to keep things classic Nuku strong.

Reward Challenge Time: One player will race through an obstacle course while balancing a ball on a pole.  Once they have all the balls to the end, another tribe member will use sandbags to knock over pegs. The first tribe to knock over all their pegs will win comfort for their face in the form of chocolate and coffee. The second place tribe will win a thermos of ice coffee.

Quick Aside: “Survivor” production has amazing ice coffee. No joke.

JT and Malcolm will participate for Nuku, Ozzy and Troyzan will play for Tavua, Tai and Culpepper will suit up for Mana.

Another Quick Aside: Why a challenge for just two players at this stage?

Ozzy is the first one through the ball-balancing portion, but JT is right behind him.

Malcolm and Troyzan battle it out with Malcolm taking a lead. Tai finally makes it through the course and now Culpepper gets to join the fray.

Malcolm wins first place for Nuku. Culpepper and Troyzan go toe-to-toe with Brad amazingly pulling off the come-from-behind win.

Culpepper Bandwagon…Woo Woo!

Man, that was intense for a thermos of coffee.

Oooo…as we head to commercial, Cirie lets us know that Troyzan’s performance did not help his standing in the tribe. Well, yeah.

Back at Tavua Beach, Ozzy isn’t too heartbroken about losing, because it makes his fishing skills more valuable. He says he doesn’t mean to toot his own horn, but then he goes right on tooting it.

Ozzy proves his talent by bringing back a giant stingray. Nobody on Tavua seems to care if the stingray is a mother or not.

Meanwhile at Nuku, Sandra tells us that she’s the queen and nobody knows it. Dude, you say “Queen stays Queen” every three minutes. I think people might have figured it out.

CUT TO: Malcolm and JT talking about how dangerous Sandra is.

JT and Malcolm agree to work together and tip each off if either of their names is mentioned.

Immunity Challenge Time: One player from each tribe will stand on a tower and be a caller. They’ll direct their tribemates, who are blindfolded and tethered in pairs, through an obstacle course. The duos will have to retrieve three balls. Once all three balls are attained, the players can remove their blindfolds and maneuver the balls through a table maze. The first tribe to get all three balls to the end will win immunity. The other two tribes will go to Tribal Council.

Sandra will sit for Nuku while Troyzan will sit for Tavua.

Brad, Jeff, and Cirie are our callers. Oh, and all of the obstacles are at groin height. Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer is the devil.

Nuku is the first tribe to get all of their balls. They have a huge lead. Mana and Tavua eventually join them.

JT sinks the first ball, then Ozzy gets one.

Malcolm hits Nuku’s second one, Sarah gets Tavua’s second.

Varner…just…struggles…with the third one.

Culpepper gets Mana’s first, while Andrea gets Tavua’s third. Tavua wins immunity.

Wow…Varner blew a huge lead. He actually wept when it was all over.

Before Jeff sends the tribes off, he tells them that both tribes will vote out one person. Oh man…

Oh man…

These are not even tribes.

Back at Nuku, JT is psyched because his tribe clearly has a numbers advantage. The others realize that he is the most likely person to flip, seeing that he was a member of classic Nuku. But, he assures them that he’s solid.

JT and Malcolm wonder who Mana will target and agree that it will probably be Sandra. This makes JT contemplate voting for Sandra to help them along. Oh man, JT. Stick with the plan, buddy.

At Mana, Hali realizes that she doesn’t necessarily have to be on the bottom anymore. Brad tries to convince her that the bonds she’s forged on New Mana are stronger than the ones she had on Old Mana, but I’m not sure why exactly he believes that.

Everyone wants to vote for Sandra because they think that’s how JT will vote. However, Sierra wishes they could get rid of Malcolm.

Tai, however, has another plan. He goes out looking for an idol…and finds a clue. Huh…and it’s not at a challenge. It’s buried between four trees.

Note: Probst did say they’d use all kinds of methods for hiding the idol this season.

Sure enough, Tai finds it. He shares it with the tribe and earns a kiss from Sierra. Totally worth it.

That night at Tribal, JT finally gets to light his torch. That fire represents his life.

Malcolm admits that their time at camp was crazy because there were so many different angles to cover.

Brad calls it a “Mexican Standoff” because you’ve got two sides with their guns pointed at each other. But, they don’t know if there are traitors on either side.

Sandra assures him that all of their guns are pointed at Mana.

Debbie points out that JT used to be really close with them at Old Nuku.

JT thinks it’d be a shot in the dark for him to end up in the right place.

Sandra admits that she isn’t worried because she knows she isn’t going home.

Debbie wants to know if JT or Hali is going to flip. Brad even says Hali will be public enemy number one if she votes against them.

JT says he’s got to do what he’s got to do to stay alive.

Hali raises her hand and tells everyone that they should be focusing on physical threats.

Sandra takes this to mean that they want Culpepper gone.

Now everyone is whispering to each other.

Finally, JT approaches Brad and says, “I love you, brother. But they’re voting Sierra out.”

THEN Hali approaches Sandra and says, “You have to do Brad. It’s better for us. I promise.”

Everyone is wandering around whispering to each other. Both tribes split into huddles. Probst is loving it.

They finally settle down. That was insane. Jeff asks if they’re ready to vote and Hali tells him that she’s not ready. Sandra tells her that they’re good and they’re ready.

What the what?

Voting Time: No votes are shown.

During the voting, Michaela wondered why Hali didn’t tell them about an idol. Sandra assures her that none of them have an idol.

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

And…he plays it for Sierra!

Alright, we’ve got six votes for Sierra, three votes for Malcolm…and the fourth person eliminated from “Survivor: Game Changers” is…Malcolm.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Verdict: That…was…a wild one. Too much going on to unpack during the brief period where it happened. Did JT betray his tribe? He told Culpepper they were targeting Sierra. Or, was he trying to misdirect them? Did Hali betray her tribe by telling them to vote for Brad? She could’ve voted for Malcolm knowing he’d be safe if Tai played the idol for Sierra and she wouldn’t have been in trouble because she voted the way she was supposed to.

And, was Malcolm targeted because they assumed an idols played would be played for Sandra?

Either way, that was intense.

Power Rankings Results: Adam Klein had Malcolm in spot five. I had him in spot four. The current score is now Team Adam 23, Team Gordon 20.

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

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Posted in RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Episode 3 Recap: Two Tribes, One Vote

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