Survivor Redemption Island - Week 10 - Phillip Short Circuits

I have got to say that I love Phillip as a character on this show and hope Rob does keep him until the end.  If I was on the island, unless I was Rob, I would not feel that way and I would want him gone ASAP, because he would drive me nuts.  On the other hand, if you know you will be in the Final 3, Phillip is definitely someone you want sitting next to you because he will not receive any votes.


On Redemption Island, Matt is having a tough time and from the previews it continues next week.  While it is painful to watch someone go through the struggle, as a fellow Christian I am so proud of how he is turning to his faith to pull him through.  The question is, can he make it through to the end and return a 3rd time into the game.  Depending on when the person returns from RI, will depend if he has a legitimate shot at winning the game, assuming he is the one that comes back in.


The duel or triuel as it was dubbed, was a classic Survivor challenge and while David had a great strategy to build a strong base, he spent just a little too much time building it and he couldn't catch back up.  Mike's house of cards was in a very precarious place, but he was smart about it and was able to pull out the win, finishing first.  Matt quickly followed and David was close, but still a foot or so away from advancing.  For David, it is the end of his game and now he transitions to the jury.


Back at camp, we see Zapatera feasting (if you can call 7 1/2 shell scoops of rice feasting) and Ometepe getting 2.  Then Ometepe's rice gets moldy and has maggots in it.  While Phillips suggestion was a logical suggestion, I'm thinking why would Zapatera agree to it when Ometepe has treated them with disdain and like second class citizens.  That is Rob's doing there and had they let them all sleep together, etc, then the suggestion may have been better received.  Phillip accuses Steve of calling him crazy as a racial insult and he goes balistic.  I loved Rob and Grant's reaction to the exchange.


At the immunity challenge, I'm guessing that they had to spin themselves around the disc instead of just using your hands to unscrew it.  Maybe it was hard enough to unscrew that they had to or maybe it was just the rules.  Although Rob was not the first to get his disc unscrewed, he was the first one to complete the puzzle.  In the second half of the challenge, it was very close and Rob barely won with Steve and Andrea right on his tail. 


Back at camp, Julie takes a page from the person whom her tribe threw a challenge to get rid of, and hid Phillip's shorts.  It was a childish move, but funny at the same time.  


Tribal Council was great and this is why Jeff Probst is the best reality show host.  The way he got the information out and correctly surmised what was going on and had everyone agreeing, even Phillip and Steve is quite amazing.  Obviously there was probably a lot we didn't see, but I was most impressed.  Julie confesses to stealing Phillips shorts, which I would have found if funny if no one came forward and I wonder if she would have been voted out if she hadn't admitted to it.


What I see that Rob should do is vote Grant out, as I've said before, because he will have a great chance of beating Matt and Mike and probably wouldn't be too pissed about being voted out, but then again he may be.  Also if the person on RI comes back and is automatically in the final 3, then that is a bad plan, because Grant probably could beat Rob.  So then the next person Rob should vote off would probably be Andrea, like the previews indicate may happen.  I'm guessing it won't, but we'll see.  The tricky part is anyone that comes back in and gets to the final 3 has a potential to win, but what Rob doesn't seem to be thinking about is that if all he votes off is Zapatera, then it very well could be one of them that comes back and with most of the jury being Zapatera, they will get the votes.  Unless everyone votes like I think you should vote and that is who played the best game, regardless if your feelings were hurt, but in reality the jury doesn't vote that way... most of the time.


So next week we'll see if Matt can hang on or if he will just not try in the challenge and go to the jury.  I hope he tries hard and I'm rooting for him to return a 3rd time.  At this point, I will only really be happy with a Rob or Matt win, because I don't think anyone else has played a great game.  I hope the person on RI comes back at Final 5, because I don't think it is fair for them to come back and be guaranteed final 3.


Anyway, that's what I think about this episode.  It was great and I can't wait until next week's.  So until then... the Tribe has spoken!