Survivor Blood vs. Water: What Is Going On?!

Clearly, I have no business writing this blog because my intuitions were way off for this latest episode of Survivor. Wish I was wrong about other, more important things in my life… Murphy’s Law was bound to come into play, I guess, since I was talking up Ciera so much in my last post. When I’m wrong about an event or person, I’m usually wrong in a completely ironic way and how more ironic can we get in this week’s episode of Survivor Blood vs. Water? (And, yes, I’m a writer and a poet so I know what the definition of “irony” is and that Alanis Morrisette song… It’s actually good luck if it rains on your wedding day, or so I’ve heard).

First of all, Ciera votes out her mom in an attempt to show the boys in her alliance that she’s loyal, and Tyson sees it that way, but only thismuch because what actually happens is that instead of proving her loyalty, Ciera becomes Tyson’s target. This is partially her fault for trying to shove the votes towards Katie in the last episode; if Ciera hadn’t worked, even a little bit, to save her mom, Tyson may not have felt so threatened by her. Funny Side Note: When Laura joined Tina and Vytas on Redemption Island, I flashed back to the scene in Back to the Future 2 when Marty McFly walks into his future home and his future daughter says “Mom, mom is that you?”. lol

At the duel, Laura wins and goes on the defense when she sees Vytas looking at her puzzle, then takes the offensive position and starts helping Tina with hers. This is a great move by Laura because at this point, she would much rather Tina be around for the next duel instead of Vytas. Some people have called this cheating and to those people I say – Come on! Technically, you can call it cheating, but in the game of Survivor, it’s called “out-witting”. I didn’t hear Jeff say that the players couldn’t look at another player’s puzzle or help each other solve it – did anyone hear him say that? A duel (or thruel) is not an individual immunity challenge and while you can call it cheating, you have to admit it was the smart thing for her to do to increase her chances of returning to the game because between Tina and Vytas who is the bigger threat?

In what should have been a photo finish, Vytas loses the duel by mere seconds and bids a fond adieu to his cast mates, (“Namaste, bitches” is the new “Aloha”), before he joins his brother in Ponderosa. Laura gives the clue to the hidden immunity idol to her daughter and what does Ciera do? Throws it in the damn fire! I’ve been going back and forth about whether or not this was smart. Some people think there is a second hidden immunity idol, but is there? From what I can gather from last week’s episode, Katie’s clue lead her to the same spot where Tyson found a hidden immunity idol. Wouldn’t this supposed second idol have been planted at the opposing tribe’s camp before the tribes were merged? Would the producers have it moved to another location at the merged tribe camp and if so, why did the clue lead Katie to the snake branch tree? I don’t think there is a second idol, but what do I know? I’ve been wrong before! So was it a smart move? Yes and no. No, because players of Survivor should never pass on the chance to gain an advantage in the game. Yes, because it helps back up the lie she told Katie about having it already – why would she need a clue if she has it - and it helps her seem less threatening and more loyal to the boys.

After the duel, the editors get to work setting up the mirrors and smoke machines so they can pull the ol’ “bait and switch”. Tyson is focused on Katie now. Hayden is talking to us and Caleb about targeting Tyson and Caleb approaches Katie about it, which leads us to a “DR” with Katie and she says what my brother points out is a perfect explanation of what it is like to play the social game of Survivor. --- Katie: “… I feel like one of these hermit crabs that walk along the beach and have to transition from home to home… you don’t have a shell and it’s terrifying because there’s predators…”

Hayden and Caleb then have a conversation with Ciera about targeting Tyson. Ciera thinks it’s all Caleb’s idea and skitters across the sand in an attempt to secure the shell she thinks she has on her back to tattle to Tyson. Tyson then goes to Gervase and they turn their attention towards Caleb and Hayden. The next day, Ciera invites Tyson to walk to the post office with her and for what I think is the first time, at least at the merged camp, and we get to see a little bit of Tree Mail. Then Hayden talks to Katie who thinks everything is up in the air at this point and she’s totally right! I had to watch the episode six times to follow everything that happened, and I think I still missed some things!

This brings us to the immunity challenge and after explaining it, Jeff hands out the black and white rocks to see who wants to eat and who wants to play. Not surprisingly, Tyson and Gervase decide they feel secure enough to eat, and surprisingly, so does Ciera. I will never understand what goes through these players’ minds when they decide to show the rest of the tribe how secure they are in their positions by choosing food over a chance at immunity. I just don’t get it! Even if you know you don’t have much of a chance to win that necklace, you should still fight for it so people don’t resent you for eating. And what was up with Jeff’s British accent?! lol --- Jeff: “Perform for me! Show me blood! Bring me some more meat!” --- I’ve never seen him act so silly while hosting Survivor and I loved it. I want more British Jeff Probst being funny!

So Monica wins immunity, again, and the scrambling begins. Hayden and Caleb throw Ciera under the bus, letting Tyson know that she was down with their plan to take him out and the Cupcake King decides that Teen Mom should be the next target. Tyson also lets us know that he thinks he should play the immunity idol, just to be on the safe side, then has a little chat with Gervase. They don’t know who is lying and who is telling the truth and we go into tribal council without one clue as to who the real target is and whose torch is going to be snuffed. At least, the first time I watched this episode I had no idea who would be kicked to Redemption, but now upon several viewings, the editors make it very clear that Caleb would be jaunting off to join Tina and Laura at the end of the show.

And I just have to say… I like Tyson. I know a lot of people don’t, and I get it, but you have to admit… Tyson is hilarious.

Okay. I kind of strayed away from the whole “irony” thing I was focusing on at the beginning of this post, but it's time to wrap it up... So I can put that focus back onto flirting with Judd from Big Brother 15 on Twitter. ;) Be excellent to each other and J-U-Double D Party-Daugherty on, dudes!