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by Caroline Roberts Published: April 7, 2006
The immunity idol is burning a hole in Terry's pocket, and he is literally bursting with the secret. Instead of saving it for later, Terry wants to use it right this minute, just for the sheer pleasure of annoying the members of the old Casaya. Even though the tribes have merged into the Gitanos, complete with a new flag painted by Bruce (who else?), the members of the old Casaya refuse to break their alliance. After last season's Survivor merge, the flip-flopping was rampant, but these cast members seem to understand the concept of loyalty. What they'll do after they pick off the old La Mina isn't clear, but they won't give in. At the last Tribal Council, when Austin admitted that he faked weakness during the Immunity Challenge in order to stay, the members of the old Casaya were just shocked - shocked! - that someone besides themselves might have a strategy. Aras sneers that the members of La Mina are "slimy and hard to get out!" Apparently Aras thinks the only person in Panama who can have a strategy is himself. Reward Challenge - Put the Nut in the Coconut The treemail announces that the reward challenge will involve boats and includes the mysterious message, "In political battles, you'll always deal with nuts." Is this a direct insult to Shane? Yet again, the producers have created a needlessly complicated challenge having to do with loading up a boat with coconuts, rowing it out, and then dragging the coconuts back up the beach. The members of the Gitano tribe are divided into three teams, each one of which includes an interesting mix of old La Mina and old Casaya. Team One: Shane, Terry, Austin (Casaya, La Mina, La Mina) Team Two: Danielle, Courtney, Cirie (all La Mina - and screwed) Team Three: Aras, Bruce, Sally (Casaya, Casaya, La Mina) The real strategy of the game is to throw enough coconuts into your opponents boat so it is harder for them to row. The team that escapes the coconuts can reach shore first and win a luxuriant breakfast in bed, featuring bacon, eggs, and mimosas. Jeff Probst stresses the mimosas. Is it just me, or has the show been plying the players with liquor even more than in past seasons? When the game starts, Aras turns into Mr. Bossy Britches and tells the all-female, all-Casaya team to load down Shane, Terry, and Austin's boat. Teams Two and Three proceed to gang up on the majority La Mina boat. But they're dealing with Terry and Austin, and neither man is a slouch when it comes to physical challenges. Plus, Aras essentially screws members of his own tribe out of a breakfast, which will no doubt haunt him later on. This reward challenge isn't about Casaya - it is about Aras' belly. Aras needn't have bothered. The extra load doesn't slow down Terry and Austin, and the all-female team, who really can't handle its coconuts, winds up loading down their own boat because the other two boats have already taken off. Aras' tummy wins, and Bruce and Sally are along for the ride. As a bonus, the winning team gets to pick one person from each team to go to Exile Island. Aras takes the reins and sends Austin of La Mina and Danielle from his own team to the island. Austin is an easy call because he's next to be voted out, but Danielle seems to be a random pick, and anyone from the old Casaya will have a grudge against Aras. Why is it that Aras trusts Danielle so much? Those Pastries Look Soggy The next day, a boat picks up Aras, Bruce, and Sally for their reward. They can't wait for food, but the rain is pummeling Panama, and their "breakfast in bed" is outdoors. All they have to protect them against the rain is a canopy. Not eating in days tends to lower ones standards. Even if the pastries were rained on, the contestants will eat. Bruce describes everything in loving detail, "I thought it was a meal fit for royalty!" Bruce has such a sincere, peaceful voice, and I could listen to him describing food all day long. When they return to camp, the other contestants get to suffer through the tried-and-true torture of hearing about the breakfast feast, only Sally makes it much worse by inviting everyone to pat her large tummy and feel how much she's eaten. Cirie is clicking and downloading Sally's gloating for later. Terry Lets the Genie Out of the Bottle While others are feasting and complaining, Terry is still pumping the old Casaya for information. All his attempts have been futile, but he thinks he's hit paydirt with Shane. Shane says that after the old Casaya pick off all the La Mina, the rest of the Casaya will dump Danielle and Bruce. Terry has his big "ah-ha!" moment, and he thinks he can turn Danielle, who has been shivering her buns off on Exile Island, and Bruce, who everyone thinks is vulnerable to a flip, to his side by offering a little Immunity Idol protection. But did Shane lie to Terry? Is that the real order of the Casaya Final Four? Is this a red herring? Could it be? Is Shane smarter than I thought he was? Terry decides to cut loose and tells Sally that he has the idol. Sally says she "just about pooped" her pants, which is one thing we don't need to see on reality television, especially after the famed Surreal Life skidmark. But will people think Ol' Terry is crying wolf? In Pursuit of the Immunity Bib - Or, There's Nothing to See Here! Yes, the Immunity Necklace is really and Immunity Bib, and it makes the wearer look like a big baby. This week is a trademark Survivor obstacle course that eliminates competitors with each round. This season's theme is "digging through sand." Each player must dig under a fence, solve a brain teaser, climb up a sand hill, climb a rope bridge ... wait ... I'm getting tired .. and race through a bamboo hut tunnel. While digging under the fence, Danielle, who is wearing an already skimpy bikini top, makes a false move and shows off her own hidden immunity idol. The naughty nip slip is blurred out for the easily offended. Now, CBS could have edited out the entire moment, but no, no, no. CBS had to holler, "Hey! Hey! We're not pulling a Janet Jackson! No, no, no! If there's a gratuitous boobie, we will blur it out so you can imagine what it's like under there! There's nothing to see here! SO BE SURE TO LOOK IN CASE THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!" Just to make sure we didn't miss it, Jeff Probst yells, "Danielle's falling out of it!" Thanks, Jeff. In this brutal challenge, Austin, after suffering through rain on Exile Island (hey, at least he had Danielle), performs admirably, and Sally comes in second (musta been the pastries), but Terry wins the Immunity Bib yet again. With a somersault. Whatever he took before going to Panama, I want some. Tribal Council - Aras Gets Uppity Terry decides it's time to gamble with an admirable strategy. He reveals to both Bruce and Danielle that a) he has the idol and b) the other members of their alliance don't think so highly of them. Danielle seems like a safe bet, as she is annoyed that Aras sent her to exile. (Was it because of the rain or because of Austin?) Austin and Sally are thrilled that Terry has the idol and hope that he'll pass it along to one of them. Fat chance. In hopes of flattery, Austin tells Terry, "Have I told you how big of a stud you are?" Terry already knows he's a stud, Austin! It seems that Terry might not need to do much convincing because Aras is acting like an absolute donkey toward the women of his team. He wants to get rid of Sally - which isn't a bad idea since she's getting stronger in the challenges and also possesses the sneakiness similar to Danni from last season. But the women want Austin gone. This shouldn't be a huge deal because if they stick to their alliance, both of them are going to go eventually. But Aras wants to assert his manhood or something like that. At this point, it seems that Shane really did lead Terry on - If Aras keeps this behavior up, he'll be the first to go, not Danielle or Bruce. For once, there's genuine tension when Gitanos heads to Tribal Council. Will Danielle and Bruce flip and teach Aras a special lesson? Or will they put up with him a little while longer and pluck him off later? Danielle and Bruce decide to put up with it, and they vote for Austin. And, even though Austin worshipped Terry's studliness, Terry wasn't about to give up his idol. Plus, he seems to like stirring the pot. Sent Packing Austin Next week: Shane has a "chafing issue," which means Cirie will wish she never told anyone she was a trained nurse. |
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