By Survivor Guest Correspondent Cho
Have you had a rough Wednesday? If so, you aren’t alone, but luckily for us, it’s Survivor time!! Last episode was quite the doozy, so I don’t imagine tonight’s will be as exciting but here’s hoping the strategy is thick.
Too Long Didn’t Watch
In the previously on, it’s shown that it was Angela and Desiree who wanted Libby gone last episode instead of Chris. This might be important for tonight’s storyline. We get back after that epic tribal council and Libby is left feeling unsure why people are targeting her so much. She feels like she’s doing something wrong to be such a target at all of her previous tribal councils. Domenick on the other hand is relieved to have finally gotten rid of his nemesis yet is apprehensive about becoming a target in the coming days.
It’s Day 23, and Wendell decides it’s time to bunker down his alliance of 4 with Laurel, Domenick and Donathan. He senses Laurel’s hesitation, so he decides to reveal the truth about Domenick’s idol. Wendell then double downs on the pressure and reveals his own idol. While this should be good news, Laurel is frustrated that Dom and Wendell have so many advantages that they haven’t told her about. The body language between them is so cringey, because Laurel is definitely not happy.
The reward challenge is a classic sandbag launching competition, and they’re playing for MEXICAN FOOD! I need a taco and 4 margaritas right about now myself. What’s your favorite flavor? I’m a peach fan myself, and frozen of course. Sebastian is having some trouble shooting, and Donathan looks an absolutely mess struggling against the slingshot apparatus. Angela also fails miserably, so the purple team just starts sending their weakest players in order to let Wendell and Laurel to shoot for them. Wendell and Laurel take turns tearing through this challenge. We get Desiree screeching for orange to catch up. Wendell scores the winning shot, and Jenna is randomly selected to visit Ghost Island.
I’m excited to see Jenna at Ghost Island, because maybe it could give us a bit more insight on her game. She’s excited to get to the island in order to play for an advantage considering she’s been on the bottom so often. And just in Mololo fashion, she doesn’t get to play the game. She says: “what’s the point?” and I can’t help but feel the same exact way about Ghost Island.
After just a few worthless minutes on Ghost Island, we are shown the Survivor Tiki Taco Hut! The guacamole looks amazing! Wendell expresses how happy he is to have Laurel and Donathan on the reward so that they can strengthen their final 4 alliance with Domenick. Libby starts digging for reasons why she’s been targeted; and Angela and Chelsea say it’s because she’s so tight with Michael. I’m not sure this is the real reason, but Libby takes it to heart.
Michael lets us know how complicated the game might get now that there is no easy vote off in Chris. He decides to target Wendell and Domenick as a strong pair, and let’s Angela know his thoughts. Angela runs to Kellyn and Chelsea and spreads what Michael said, which is literally all it takes to make him a target. Angela is burying Michael right now, and I’m not sure why exactly. Michael chose the wrong person to trust with his information, because she wastes no time running to everyone. He’s a goner if he doesn’t win immunity.
Everyone walks into the challenge with these weirdly cute Chun-Li buns on their head! I bet Jenna and Sebastian were in charge of that hairdressing group! The immunity challenge is a gross food eating challenge. Competitors are randomly chosen in groups and move on to rounds if they beat the others. First round is fish eyeballs: Michael, Desiree and Laurel end up moving on. Angela, Sebastian and Domenick move forward. Wendell didn’t even try. Round 2 is beetle larva grub from Season 1 of Survivor. It is literally still crawling, and I can’t. Angela, Michael and Sebastian take no time chowing it down. Round 3 is a delicacy: a sea slug that sits on the ocean floor. Angela LITERALLY SWALLOWS ONE WHOLE! Her fucking gag reflex is nonexistent! Michael gets it first, but Angela is immediately next. Last round is the mother of pearl, and it looks disgusting. Angela is literally having so much fun with this, and people are cheering her on. Michael is gagging as Angela wins the immunity! Jenna refuses to kiss her considering what was all in her mouth the last 30 minutes. Haha
Angela is the sea slug slugger and feels really good about beating Michael up all throughout the episode. The Naviti girls plus Laurel and Donathan are talking about splitting the vote between Michael and Libby. Michael realizes that if Naviti is splitting the vote, they can take out anyone they want with Mololo sticking together. Laurel wonders if now is the time to pad her resume by making a blindside on one of her Naviti allies. Donathan’s gut is telling him that it’s better to vote a Naviti off instead. Libby believes Domenick at his word that she’s fine tonight, but it’s revealed that she’s obviously getting split votes between her and Michael.
Laurel and Donathan are in the middle, and we don’t know exactly which side they will go for. All of the targets for tonight’s tribal council have idols sans Libby, so we could see several of them flushed with her leaving. Wendell plans on using his idol if he needs to.
We get into tribal council, and there’s still a lot of time on the clock which means this could be messy. We see Chris on the jury, and he’s smoking hot! Angela is praised for her efforts in the challenge. They bring up the new final tribal format with how it’s more of a discussion and how it affects the game. Kellyn says it’s time to draw the lines in the sand between Mololo and Naviti. Throughout this entire tribal, I can’t help but stare at Michael, Wendell and Laurel’s expressions. They are key players tonight. Michael plays his hidden immunity idol for himself. “This is NOT just a stick anymore!” Jeff says as my mouth lay on the floor. Wendell doesn’t play his idol, and we’re left wondering which of him or Libby will leave. So many Michael votes are nulled. Wendell receives only one vote while Libby is voted out with 3.
Next Time On Survivor: Desiree decides she’s ready to vote a Naviti out. Laurel rats her out and causes chaos. Kellyn cries.
Cho’s Top Takeaways
Perception vs Reality
My biggest reaction to this episode was how frustrating it is to see my favorite players be disconnected due to their false perceptions when we, the viewer, knows the reality of their situations. I’m talking about Laurel and Wendell. Their relationship is one that I am rooting for. We see a confessional of Wendell express how much she means to him, yet we get doubts from Laurel in hers. It’s frustrating, because we know that Wendell is serious about taking Domenick, Laurel and Donathan to the end. This is pounded in our heads multiple times this episode, but because of the nature of the game, paranoia gets the best of Laurel. Obviously, Laurel didn’t follow through with betraying Wendell, but I don’t see a happy ending between the two of them. What are your thoughts on their relationship? Do you want them to succeed together or is it better for Laurel’s game to get rid of him?
The Sea Slug Slugger
I was perplexed by Angela’s sudden burst of excitement for the game! Were you? It’s hard to figure out where her true alliances lay. Obviously, she is close to the Naviti girls, but we haven’t quite figured out how much they actually value her as an ally. Angela throwing Michael under the bus didn’t sit well with me. Yes, I know it’s a personal bias due to CBS shoving Michael down our throats as the hero of the season, but still, it cut me deep. Am I just being rough on Angela? Ironically enough, her game as been exactly that of a sea slug: slow and hard to figure out her usefulness. I am hopeful that Angela’s tactics will actually change the landscape of her game and how others view her.
Playing In The Sandbox
We keep getting hints that lines will be drawn in the sand, but this was yet another vote where the majority just snowballed into a near unanimous vote. We know Donathan and Laurel decided to remain loyal to Wendell, so does this mean Jenna and Libby just fell in line or did they actually want Michael to leave? The latter wouldn’t make sense for their games. Also, Jenna knew of Michael’s idol. Why did she not work with him to figure out a counter strategy? Perplexing really. There must be deeper connections than what we are being shown to be the reason behind these simple votes.
That’s it for me tonight! I hope you all enjoy the recap. Definitely watch for my twitter account where I’ll be tweeting about Survivor and retweeting the castaways! Be sure to comment below with your thoughts on this episode.
Please No Spoilers In Comments
I need a refresher on who is original Naviti and who is Malolo. I’m getting really confused about that.
Malolo: Michael, Jenna, Laurel, Donathan and Libby.
Naviti: Everyone else.
It’s probably better to just remember who’s on Malolo since that’s a dwindling number anyway! lol
I was happy that Wendell wasn’t booted.
Laurel bugs me.
I wasn’t too worried about Wendell. Despite all the talk about him being a threat, his social game is so on point. Everyone absolutely loves him. If wendell ever leaves, it’ll be because he rubbed someone the wrong way or didn’t make them feel secure with him.
I actually love Laurel. She’s a thinker.
I was sweating the votes being read! I was worried for Wendel, i love him ❤️
I’m a huge fan of Wendell too right now. I think he has an excellent handle on the game right now. he’s so popular. The issue is that he’s becoming a bigger threat than Domenick due to his challenge prowess.
I am finally starting to differentiate the women on the cast. Still not enough to name them, but at least I am recognizing them more now!
I dont like this Ghost Island thing, they are just picking rocks to see who goes, so no strategy there, not everyone plays a game once they get there, and the “curses” seem silly, though I am sure that if you are there, and experiencing the island, it will be more intriguing.
I would have sat out for that food challenge, love Wendell. I may have made it through the first step but I know I would never go all the way. Did you see Angela with the green slime hanging down the corner of her mouth after the challenge? She is hard-core.
Omg tell me about it. The Ghost Island twist is a complete and utter bust! I feel bad for Jenna, because usually they kind of highlight the person who goes, but they really gave her a crappy edit. It’s not cool.
And I would have literally sat out of the challenge myself! Wendell had the right idea. Angela’s gag reflex… or lack there of… omg.
It is interesting to watch the relationship change between Wendell and Laurel. Wendell thinks he’s creating trust by sharing so much information while Laurel sees it as a betrayal that he didn’t share all of this information sooner.
Regarding Ghost Island, I will enjoy reading Probst’s comments after this season. I think it’s been a total bust and it adds no strategic value. They didn’t even show much of Jenna’s time there which makes it seem even more useless. Of course, I’m glad we didn’t have to watch her have a “crying moment” while there…. I fast forward through that shit….
Thanks for the recap Cho, I always enjoy your insights. BTW, margaritas…. I’m classic rocks/no salt kinda gal…. 🙂
LOL I literally said exactly what you said in the comment above this one! Even though the crying scenes are kind of sappy, I would love some consistency. The fact that Jenna didn’t get one kind of makes me feel scammed whenever everyone else got insight into their character.
Thank YOU for always commenting. It truly does make this process feel worth while for me. I love the engagement!!
ooooo you ARE a classic girl with your choice of margarita. Do you like daiquiris? Sometimes I love a good strawberry daiquiri.
Yes on the daiquiris… I like a miami vice…. half strawberry daiquiri and half pina colada. So delicious! 🙂
ooo I’ve never had or even heard of a Miami Vice, but that sounds absolutely amazing!!
Wow….I think Angela’s dating life is sure gonna pick up after that!
Wendall is so awesome, but I fear he is becoming WAY too much of a target.
Anyone would be a fool to take him to the end.
Thank God Michael used his stick!
YASS ZZZ!!! Angela definitely has skills, and I’m sure her eHarmony profile is BUZZING!
I love whenever Michael uses his stick!
I think Wendell definitely has an uphill battle at this point. He has the relationships to make it to the end, but he’s going to have to work over time at making people feel comfortable enough to keep him 3 more days every round.
I would prefer an eating challenge of say wings, pizza, sketti – Not sure what is more disturbing, them actually chowing down on the bugs & slugs or seeing the remnant of said creatures when they have to show Jeffrey they got it down. Fast forward is my friend.
I’m totally with Wendell: I would not have participated. There are just some things I couldn’t do. I love that you say “sketti”. Is that a regional thing? I’m from Ohio, but usually people from out of town say it like that.
Thank you for commenting Anita!!
I don’t like Angela – they should have gotten rid of her weeks ago when they had the chance. She’s as egotistical as Chris, but hides it better.
I agree Jrz just they way she was eating at the buffet bugged me ( no pun intended )
Wow so there are other people out there who were rubbed the wrong way by Angela? I feel like the editors were trying to show us a positive episode for her, but it totally backfired, because she’s against Michael.
She does think pretty highly of herself. But with those swallowing skills, can you blame her?! LOL
Hello Cho!!!
Thanks for the ongoing amazing recaps! I have finally got my ducks back in a row….My ins. paid me for my car and I bought another one. Now I can focus on more important things like Survivor. I am at work right now, I will be back later to give my thoughts on what happened last night.
TT-tonight is the Scandal finale, are you going to cover it????????
Oh hey Angel! Thank YOU for always being a part of the discussion here. I really appreciate it so much you have no idea. Are you excited about your new purchase? Hopefully it was a nice upgrade!
Excited to hear your thoughts later! <3
Sooooo…for me one of the things I think I and others underestimate is the level of paranoia that plagues Survivor as the game moves into this final phase. This is what I see happening to Laurel, she is questioning her alliance and is on the very tip of possibly betraying them 🙁
I think Wendall is awesome, but he needs to think through some of his moves a little more carefully, while he thought he was doing Laurel a solid by informing her about the idols, we see it had the exact opposite affect on her. One thing I saw was Donathan developing some game, thinking through things, observing. Dom is finally settling into the game, I think he will go far, at least somewhere in the top 5…. The trailers for next week look like a doozy…cannot wait!
I had a pretty nice care before, but went in a different direct model wise…I look “cool” now 🙂
I did not post last week, but saw your post that said something about Dom deserving Chris’s behavior towards him (I cant remember the whole quote) I do not completely agree. I do agree to some missteps by Dom but thought much of the “feud” was based in ego rather than common sense. Chris just could not get over ” it.” In any event, he is finally gone!!!
I totally agree with you. The paranoia is FIERCE out there. I think it’s something everyone on the couch tends to forget. That’s why if I had an idol, I would definitely never tell anyone, even my closest allies. Like Ben, not telling all of your secrets can be one of the most powerful tools in the game.
I’m so happy to hear about your new car purchase. I know that’s always a very exciting time!
I mean, I see where you’re coming from. I think Dom is 100% to blame for why things started off wrong, but you’re right that it was Chris’ ego that made things. But let’s not forget: Dom did overplay and lie about his idol days into the game. He was being untrustworthy. And yes, Dom is still not a loyal or trustworthy ally in the game. Everything Chris said about him is true. This doesn’t detract from Chris being the biggest douche this season, but I mean, I’m just saying! lol I’m happy he’s been put down and out of his misery, because he’s a horrible Survivor player.
Does anyone know what to do when ads cover 2/3 of the page I’m trying to read here and there is no close button to remove the ads?? So frustrating..
Hey Dancing Queen. First of all, thank you so much for commenting. While I don’t think I have the answer for, I’m sure TT can pop in and answer it eventually. I don’t tend to have this problem when viewing the page. When in doubt, I always simply restart my computer!! LOL Obviously, I’m technologically savvy.
It was weird when Jenna barely reacted when she unrolled the paper on GI, I would’ve dropped to my knees screaming NOOOOO!!
Laurel was acting weird, and I liked Doms candor about Chris leaving when they got back to camp.
I know in Tribal Council that someone goes home but I really love them! Jeff’s questions are so on spot sometimes that I’m surprised at the honest answers that are given.
Once again another A+ recap Cho!
Hey Liz! Thank you SO much for commenting. It really does mean a lot to me to see others adding to the discussion here. <3
Ok now on to your comment specifically! omg I know I would be super livid if I were Jenna. I think we didn't get that much of a reaction from Jenna, because she simply isn't that "reactive" of a person you know what I mean? I do think she was really bummed out though.
Mind expanding on your thoughts on Laurel? I also thought she was acting weird, but for all the right reasons. We as the viewer know she should trust Wendell, but it's a different story when you are out there and don't have the full picture. My hope is that Laurel and Wendell can come together and stick to the end.
Jeff is SUCH a shit-stirrer. He is so petty with his questions, I love it. That being said, it's surprising how honest they are at times. Sometimes, they are intentionally trying to bullshit each other to keep the facade up, and other times, they are talking way too much. lol
So with Laurel, she kind’ve fumbled when she heard Wendell’s info. Then she kicks ass in challenge, is she weak or strong?
Not to answer for Cho, but Laurel is super strong and doesn’t really know how locked in her final four is at least for now. Donathan is her pawn. But well before final four she knows she has to get rid of
Dom and Wendell. She’s plotting,
Maybe a bit of both? Her social game is weak but her physical game is strong!
Cho- once again great re-cap and thank you for the photo of Wendall, Michael and Sebastian. Abs for days!!!