Survivor Philippines Episode 5 - Two is the magic number

Back at the Matsing camp Denise and Malcolm talk about a possible tribal swap (or splitting of them to each other tribe) and how cold it is. Then the next day they realize this may be their last day at camp and decided to look for the idol.  They looked everywhere but figured it out.  Malcolm ended up finding it.

At the reward challenge, the Matsing tribe was split and Malcolm went to Tandang and Denise went to Kalabaw.  The challenge was one of balance, skill and timing and the tribes exchanged wins until Tandang pulled it out 5-3.  Mike Skupin had the best play as he threw his idol in the air and went for Penner's and got it and Penner's hit the ground first.  It was a smart move.  After the challenge they show Penner saying he likes Denise but would rather have had Malcolm, as they may have had the cookies now.  It shall be interesting to see how well Malcolm and Denise do being split on different tribes.  Malcolm does stand a better chance at the moment, because of his idol.

Back at the Tandang camp almost everyone loved Malcolm.  RC was the only disappointed one and that was just because she saw Malcolm and Pete talking and she knew that wasn't good for her.  Pete talks to Malcolm in private and says him and Abby have the idol and that now they can get rid of Skupin without fear.  Malcolm likened himself to the star football star from the other team that everyone wants to get to know.  That made him feel good.  It looks good for him, at the moment.

At Kalabaw, Denise said that she was happy to be on the tribe and Katie was glad they got Denise so the women's alliance can hopefully have 4 and she won't listen to the guys.  So this could be good for her too.

Now Kalabaw has a challenge in the fact that Dana is sick.  Her stomach hurts, fever and can't keep anything down.  Jeff Probst and the medical team show up.  Medical says with more fluids she may be ok and they give her at least 12 hours.  Now it is up to her if she can continue.  She decides she is too sick and she gets pulled from the game.  Katie is mad because Dana was one of her biggest allies.

At the Immunity challenge, Tandang led the whole way but Kalabaw came from behind and almost won.  Katie really slowed Kalabaw down in the first two parts of the challenge.  Tandang's win gives them a two person advantage since Kalabaw is going to TC.  Skupin once again showed he does good and Malcolm did well.  The tribe worked very well together untying the ropes and doing the puzzle.

Back at camp Kalabaw discusses who should go.  Katie apologizes for her poor performance and Dawson says they just need to get past that.  Denise is safe because she is stronger than both Katie and Dawson.  Laying around camp, Dawson starts to talk sports, just to get under Jeff's skin.  It works and he pushes for her to go.  She probably should have kept her mouth shut, but it still may not have saved her.

At TC Probst asks why Denise should stay and asks Kent what this vote is based on.  It was pretty clear that Denise was not going and it was between Katie and Dawson.  Dawson gets all the votes except the one she cast for Denise.  Denise was obviously a Jeff Probst fan because she gave him a hug after he snuffed her torch.  In her confessional she says should could have outed Kent, but said maybe he could win the game.  If he does then she said he owes her big time.

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So going forward we see at the next challenge someone gets personal in the challenge and it is either Penner or Kent.  Since we haven't seen anything like that from Penner before, my guess is it may be kent.  You see Artis saying he doesn't want any of that and Jeff Probst says he is pretty sure they are in uncharted waters.  My guess is it was a bad move and it will affect that person's game, but who really knows in this game.

So Tandang looks good, with Pete, Abby, Artis, Malcolm and Lisa in a solid alliance.  Skupin thinks he is still in that alliance with Pete, RC and Abby, but that is obviously not the case.  RC is on the outs with pretty much everyone. Malcolm seems good, but he could be the first to go once they get rid of Skupin and RC (if that happens).  They are working well together in challenges and that can only help them out.  We'll see if they can keep their lead or if Kalabaw will win the next couple immunities and tie it up.

Kalabaw looks good for the most part, with Katie being the obvious weak link and definitely the next to go unless whomever does the "personal" thing during the challenge has that held against them and they go.  Again I'm thinking it is Kent, but it could be Carter too.  We'll have to see.

There are 12 people left in the game.  Assuming there is a final 3, which has been the norm lately, there will be a jury of 7 or 9.  If it is 9, then the next person voted out is the first member of the jury.  If that is the case, I can see a merge happening in the next 2 or 3 episodes.  Here is how I'm hoping it turns out.  I'd like to see Tandang keep their winning streak, especially in the immunity challenges and I would like to see kalabaw go to TC again.  Before the merge though I think Tandang should go to TC once and it is pretty obvious that RC will probably be the first to go, but Pete may decide Skupin should go.  I hope it is RC.  Her story has been told and I really do want to see Mike go far.  My guess is the merge will happen in two episodes (not next week but the week after).  I really want to see Malcolm and Denise get back together and I want to see Pete go down.  I have nothing against Pete, but he is the most cocky at the moment and I always like to see the cocky players get it handed to them.

Of course they could do a final 2, which always has only 7 jury members so that may push the merge back an episode or two.  Fun season so far and I think this season will really take off once the merge happens.  So until next week... the Tribe has spoken!