Survivor: China: October 2007 Archives

What did you think about last night's Survivor? I thought it was really good - except for the competitions.

The reward challenge was lame. Find eight boards to decode a Confucian phrase? Whatev. I thought it was stupid how the boards were all strapped to the walls in plain sight. You know, it's not like they should really have to work for their reward or anything.

The immunity challenge was almost as lame. Chicken hearts and eels? Even the thousand year-old egg (which are usually only around 100 days old BTW). How simple. I will admit though that I don't think I could have eaten the baby turtles or the chicken fetus. Feathers in my mouth and down my throat? No thank you. But couldn't they have found grosser foods? What about live squid or some shots of lizard liquor? Go ahead and Google it if you must.

I did love how Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Amanda and Todd) went about getting the hidden immunity idol down. It was even funnier when The Snowman went over to unknowingly help them. I was laughing my ass off. James' eye roll at the whole thing was the cherry on top though. Great editing by the producers there.

Of course, the best part of the entire show was Sherea getting the boot. I couldn't believe she actually had the audacity to say in her parting words that she was the strong one in her tribe. Yeah, OK. You just keep believing that Sherea.

It was like a breath of stale air when Courtney handed some of that backbone out that we've been staring at all season at tribal council. She'd better watch her back (and who couldn't) now with Todd though because he might consider throwing her skinny ass off The Great Wall sooner rather than later. And did you hear her bring up Luke Perry when Jean-Robert was talking about how he's the bad boy in the tribe? That was hilarious!!! Whodathunk we'd hear that name in a Survivor episode? Not me.

Next week doesn't look so good for my man James. It seems Jaime and Eric get to the hidden immunity idol before he does. I guess we'll find out how in the world that could have happened. And the big thing about next week's show? The merge. It's about time.

Ni hao!

Was it just me or was Courtney looking extremely emaciated on last night's episode of Survivor? I'm really beginning to worry about her. I couldn't stop staring at her bones every single time she was shown onscreen. It's no wonder she didn't like JR raising his voice at her - she's likely to fall right over from the vibrations in his voice.

Day 10 began with Courtney and JR at the Fei Long camp in a tiff and with Sherea and Dave at the Zhan Hu camp getting into a full-blown argument. Zhan Hu's rice had gone moldy and Sherea was trying to pull the good parts of the rice out. Of course, Dave had to open his big mouth about it. After their yelling match, Sherea stirred the pot herself by taking Dave's shells (he'd been saving them to take home to his mother) and going off to throw them away after Dave told her not to. In the end, the shells were saved and Sherea came off looking like a bigger ass than Dave.

After both teams receive tree mail saying it was important for them to stick together so that they might eat the next day, they trekked over to the tribal council temple for a reward challenge that night. A very cool reward challenge. Using graduated sets of giant chopsticks two members from each team must carry a fireball across the course and drop it into a chute where it will then roll into a wok and ignite fireworks. The reward? A fisherman and his family will come to the winning team's camp to teach them how to fish, bring spices and vegetables for them, and help them make a meal. Oh, and they also get to kidnap someone.

Fei Long won the reward and they decided to kidnap Dave. The next morning (day 11), Dave said he felt like he was on vacation and was on a spy mission for himself and nobody else. Dave went off to open the scroll that Jeffypop had given him and decided that Todd is the person he could trust the most on Fei Long. Dave gave Todd the clue! Todd said he'd return the favor later if he was kidnapped. Todd had better find the immunity idol with all of the clues he now has.

Over at Zhan Hu, they're all laying around talking about how Dave seemed a little too happy to be kidnapped. Sherea was especially glad they took Dave because now she can lay around and do nothing without fear of being called out. It didn't stop her fellow tribe members to talk about how lazy she was behind her back though.

The fishing family arrives over at Fei Long and can you believe it? JR can speak Mandarin Chinese! The others were jealous that he could communicate with the family but what could they do? Aaron and Denise got to go off with the fisherman and they learned how to fish using birds. The birds' necks were tied tightly so that they couldn't swallow the fish that they dove into the water to catch. After catching them, they'd come back into the boat and spit the fish back out. Very cool. Using that catch, dinner was made at camp and everybody loved it.

The immunity challenge was a simple variation on an old competition. Competitors had to dress in traditional Chinese armor and try to smash vases across from them but the team of two across from them would be trying to block their throws. Each side had three shots and whichever team broke the most vases in three rounds would win immunity. What was up with those weird slow motion edits when a vase was about to be broken? Fei long wins immunity!

It's Day 12 and we know what's going to happen on this day. Now back at Zhan Hu, Dave thought it felt strange to be 'home'. It's going to be between Dave and Sherea leaving at tribal council. Their reasoning? Dave works hard but is annoying. Sherea is nice but lazy.

At tribal council, the tribe thinks they did just fine without Dave while he was over at Fei Long. Sherea defends her laziness by saying how she conserves her energy for the challenges. Whatever. It's time to vote and none of them were shown to us. That's never a good thing for somebody. First vote is for Dave. Second vote is for Sherea. Third vote is for Dave. Fourth vote is for Dave. Now why didn't Jeff stop right there because it was obvious that Dave would be going home. The fifth and final vote is for Dave. Adios Dave!

Next week, Jaime and Eric explore new territory (he's a virgin). A twist turns the game on its head.

Hmmmm, I wonder what the twist is and if it's even a good one. Eric's a virgin? OK. Todd is in the catbird set I tell ya. Having all of the clues and not finding the immunity idol would be beyond stupendously stupid on his part. I like him though and hopes he finds it.

What are your thoughts on last night's show?

Ni hao!

It's Night 6 at the Fei Long camp and they're trying to sleep. Unfortunately for them, JR is snoring and tossing and turning and snuggling and hogging the bed made of bamboo. The girls are creeped out by his snuggling and trying to avoid sleeping next to him. I would be too!

Day 7 starts with a fight over meat from a single crab at Fei Long and another hissy fit from Dave at at Zhan Hu. Thank goodness it's time for the reward challenge. I'm really tired of hearing about Dave's fireplace.

The reward challenge is another really physical one. Three-on-three combat while on little boats connected by a couple of walkways. Men versus women. To win a point for your team, you have to push the other team into the water. The first team to receive three points wins comfort - kerosene, a lantern, rope, pillows, a blanket, and a big tarp. First round was women versus women and Zhan Hu scored their first point easily. The next round was men versus men and Fei Long received their first point. It went on exactly like that until the fifth round where once again the women from Zhan Hu prevailed. Finally, Zhan Hu wins its first challenge. Because they won, they also get to kidnap a member from Fei Long and settle on Leslie. Jeffypoo gives Leslie her scroll to open in private once at Zhan Hu's camp.

At ZH's camp, Leslie tells them she's happy and thinks their team has good morale. Leslie gives up some basic gossip about Fei Long while they're bathing and swimming a little bit later. Over at Fei Long, James and JR are off talking about who they want to go next and doing a little bashing of Sister Christian and the anorexic stick girl. In other words, they're talking about Leslie and Courtney. But, they don't realize that Todd and Courtney are overhearing every word they're saying. JR really should have kept his mouth shut when it came to saying he wanted to win a million dollars and some ass (from Courtney). Courtney, you should go build a bed for the females and stay away from JR. haha

At Zhan Hu, Leslie opens the tube given to her by Jeff. She decides to return the favor and give the clue to Jaime. Both of them say they feel they can trust the other. Jaime receives the same clue that Leslie received last week and also receives a second clue as to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol. "Waste no more time searching the ground, towards the heaven for what will be found." Jaime thinks it's something right in front of her face (and it is) but can't figure it out yet.

Immunity is up for grabs! Each team will have four choppers and two puzzle builders. The choppers each have to cut through a wooden beam to reveal a rope that then has to be chopped which will in turn drop wooden discs to be used in the puzzle building part of the competition. Fei Long decides to put Courtney in the #1 chopping position and was it a big mistake or what? Zhan Hu finished all of their chopping and started working on their puzzle by the time Courtney finished her chopping. But then, what could you expect? She only weighs about 50 pounds and could only get a chop in every minute or so it seemed. Finally, Courtney finished and the other choppers of Fei Long made quick work to get to the puzzle part. It wasn't enough though and Zhan Hu won their first immunity challenge. Fei Long will be going to tribal council for the first time this season.

Back at camp Fei Long, Courtney's hands are hurt and she says her shoulder is too. JR thinks common sense should prevail and one of the weakest women should go home (Courtney or Leslie). Leslie tells the group that she told the other team that Aaron was their leader (LOL) and also tells them about how she told them more about their tribe. The others are kinda upset about that and Aaron says he can't trust her. Meanwhile, Amanda and Todd want JR to go home and try to convince Aaron of that but Aaron doesn't want JR gone just yet. It's between JR and Leslie it seems.

At tribal council, JR tells Jeff that Courtney and Leslie are the weakest on their tribe. Courtney said she's sick of them talking about how weak she is. JR says they're playing for a million dollars and feelings will get hurt. Leslie then talks about how good the morale is on the other team and how they play with heart and her tribe doesn't. Leslie, I don't think you should have said that.

Alas, Leslie is voted out by a vote of 5-2 with the other two votes being for JR. Jeff tells the remaining Fei Long members that it seems like they need to have more fun and better utilize each person's strengths. Wise words Jeffypoo.

Next week, Courtney and JR get into it. Sherea blows her cool with Dave. And both tribes get a lesson in the art of war.

Leslie says she's proud of herself. She knew that she would be there as long as God wanted her to be. She had a great time and would do it all over again.

What did y'all think about Leslie going home this week? Does anybody else think Dave and JR could be long lost brothers? Do you hope Jaime finds the hidden immunity idol?