Survivor Nicaragua - Episode 10 - Wood Chests to protect the fire... really?

First off whose bright idea was it to put the three wooden chests so close to the fire?  The intention was good, but the implementation was dumb.  This is not the first time in Survivor history that a camp has been partially burned down during a fire.  If memory serves correctly, it happened during Survivor Amazon.

Brenda had the game in her hand and still could not survive this episode.  The person who she tried to please, was one of the original two that started talking about taking her out.  Holly is playing this game and comes off smelling like roses because it was made to look like NaOnka was the orchestrator of this, but Holly and Jane were the driving force.

The reward challenge was interesting and the blue team certainly had it going from the get go.  What I wonder is could all five of them fit on one piece of wood at the same time?  If so, could they have just left all the barrels and just kept sliding the wood up to the front?  Either way, it certainly seemed that Chase was the mastermind behind winning that challenge.

Once on the reward, which was pretty freaking cool if you ask me, we saw something that I never thought I would see in this game.  NaOnka and Fabio working together.  From the previews of next week, it appears to be short lived, but I was surprised.  

Back at camp, after the fire and the blue team returned, Chase is running around like an idiot.  Personally, I would have split the votes between Brenda and Chase, especially since Chase realized that Brenda was going and voted for her.  The split would have made sure one of two threats went home.  Brenda, by taking a power player out of the game (which of course happened anyway) and Chase, a loose cannon that could hurt you down the line, especially since he is not on your side.  To me Sash could be dealt with later.  But it appeared that Purple Kelly and Brenda are the only two that didn't vote for Brenda.

The immunity challenge was rough and I am super impressed with Jane's performance.  Even with Chase trying to talk her out of the challenge, Jeff immediately chimed in and said not to give up on the challenge.  

The previews show that NaOnka once again does something she shouldn't have done and Fabio saying he wants her gone, but in reality anyone that wants her gone is not playing the game.  There is absolutely no way she can win this game and is the perfect person to take to the final 3. It appears that the alliances are Jane, Holly, NaOnka, Benry and Dan with Fabio and probably now Sash on board. Chase and Purple Kelly are on the outs.  If I'm in charge, I say you make it seem like NaOnka is going and you blindside Sash to get him and his idol out of the game or make him think you are gunning after him and flush the idol, only to vote out Chase.  Kelly is really not too much of a threat, so she can go whenever.  Whomever goes to the final should make sure that Dan and NaOnka are sitting next to them and they will guarantee themselves the million dollars.  

So another great episode this week and I can't wait until next week.  It will be weird not watching Survivor on Thanksgiving night, but it is always possible they may do a recrap episode.  While the recap episodes have improved over the years, they are still crap. 

So until next week... the Tribe has spoken!

Survivor Nicaragua - Episode 9 - Dumb and Dumber

Marty or Jane... who would you have picked?  But before we get to that, let's look at the rest of the episode.


Personally Jane's tirade about Marty was getting on my last nerve.  Marty is playing the game and doing it fairly well and not being all emotional about it.  The swap really screwed him in this game, because I think he would be in a much better place had it not happened, assuming the original Espada tribe didn't continue to lose.   But we can only deal with reality and that is what we will do.


Another great reward challenge.  I loved the busting through things and thought it was ironic that it was men vs. women.  Chase chose to align himself with the women, because he is essentially one.  He isn't playing this game very well at all and that may make him a prime candidate to bring to the finals, along with NaOnka.  I don't see anyone giving him the money.  The men end up winning the challenge and Jane's proclamation that she will beat Marty in a physical challenge is proven wrong.  She showed her age and really struggled toward the end of that challenge.


I personally thought Marty's plan was a great plan, the only problem was that NaOnka didn't go for it, which means she knew that they were gunning for Jane and didn't need to play her idol.  Neither Marty nor Jane are someone you want to go to the finals with, so it is right to want to get both of them out of there.


In the immunity challenge, it came down to Marty and Brenda and I think that Marty lost his train of thought when the little conversation happened before the last reveal, and I think that is what cost him.  So Sash and Brenda decided that they would reject Marty's plan, but the bad think is they didn't inform some of the people, so that may come back to bite them.  What that also does is make Jane that much more paranoid and may start running off at the mouth on someone else.


Once again the scramble before Tribal Council showed that Chase is horrible at this game and what is worse is he is betraying his own personal values in the process.  Sash and Brenda are controlling this game and I really think there is a great possibility that Jane is going home next. (I hope the preview isn't that she collapses or something, because the way they edited it, it certainly seems serious). I hope that she goes home by being voted out and not for some other reason.  That goes the same for anyone else.


This leads us to Tribal Council where NaOnka was being NaOnka, the same person she has been for 27 years.  I'm sure her parents love her, but I don't see how they can be proud of how she acts and her attitude.  As much as I can't stand her, I fully expect her to be in the final 3, with the only possibility of her being voted out earlier would be by a mistake.  I hate to wish this, but I really hope she doesn't procreate, because that is one gene that doesn't need to be passed along.


So the previews have got me wondering, but we'll have to wait until next week to see what happens, so until then... the Tribe has spoken.

Survivor Nicaragua - Episode 8 - Boo Hoo, they left me the smallest tortilla!

The merge has come and Marty is still in trouble, but once again manages to survive.  Alina was a threat and while she said she was a pawn and not a power player, she was indeed a power player.  She may have played a pawn for a little while, had she not been voted out, but I don't think it would have lasted.


Seems like things are going to fall apart next week for Brenda and Sash, but that could just be editing.  This week Sash convinces everyone to keep Marty so he doesn't have to go back on his word and that is smart.  He also is smart to bring NaOnka to the end, as she will not win this game.  I said last week she is another Russell, but she is not, other than she also has no social game.  Now who should Sash bring with him and Na, seems to me Alina would have been a decent choice, but since she was trying hard, she may have beat him, so my guess would be Dan.  If he is smart he will take Dan and Na to the end.  No one will vote for Na because she is crazy and Dan has too much money and no one really likes him anyway.


Jane is also not playing with her head.  She wants Marty gone, which is fine, but she doesn't see the whole picture.  Being narrow minded in Survivor will come back to bite you.  You have to analyze your best move and do it.  In this case, Sash did what was best for his game by convincing the others that Alina was the one to let go, but I don't think that was the right play.  I actually think that Marty would have been the best choice.  I know I just said Jane wasn't playing smart, but she was targeting the correct person.  Marty's plea at the end was pathetic and his comments at Tribal Council certainly didn't win him any votes.  


Marty's hope is to get Fabio, Dan and a couple others and shake things up.  Sash's plan seems good at this point, but the previews seem to indicate otherwise.  Chase is a huge wild card and I'm not so sure I'd trust him at this point.  It seems like he goes with his heart, not his mind.


At the immunity challenge, Jane showed she is a threat and I think she needs to be watched.  As Marty did point out, she has the perfect sad story and depending on who the jury is, it may be enough to get her the money.  I would get rid of her soon.  I noticed everyone seemed to be pulling the handles away from the bar, I wonder if it would have been easier to push in instead.  


So Marty lives another day and we'll have to wait until next week to see if he survives again.  So until then... the Tribe has spoken.