The wheeling and dealing doesn't stop on this weeks episode. Everybody is trying to make an alliance with everybody. Denise tries to set up a final four with her Skupin, Penner and Malcolm. Skupin, who wants to go to the end with Lisa, doesn't commit and says they should wait until six and then fight it out. Soon afterwards he's trying to make a final four with Malcolm, Denise and Lisa. Lisa says she trust Penner and Carter more though. Translation: I think Penner will be easier to beat the Malcolm or Denise. Penner however doesn't want to commit to an alliance with them. Then of course there is the scrambling that takes place after the immunity challenge, but more on that later. Confused yet?
At the reward challenge they are once again split up into teams. The red team is Malcolm, Pete, Abi, and Carter. The Yellow team is Skupin, Penner, Denise, and Lisa. There are three rings with drums for each team in each ring. The object is for one team member from each team to race between the rings and get all three of their drums facing up at the same time. The red team takes an early lead until Abi forgets it's a competition and flips over both drums. Fortunately for them Skupin must still be smarting from that coconut Abi deflected to his head last episode, because he does the same thing! Red team wins and gets to enjoy a day at a spa.
Guess what happens when they get back? Abi is unable to keep her mouth shut about how great it was. She lounges around in front of people complaining about her bursting stomach. Denise comments on Abi's lack of social graces just a few feet away from her. Abi overhears and declares that she's going on strike against cooking. Denise is like "good to know". Despite all her flaws you have to admire Abi's feistiness. Even being in a near hopeless situation isn't enough to difuse the Brazilian firecracker. This girl gives all new meaning to the word stubborn.
The only thing that can turn this game around is if Pete or Abi can win immunity. Given the fact that the reward refueled them they do have pretty good odds. Of course Malcolm and Carter also have full bellies.
The challenge consist of three rounds of navigating bouey's through a series of ropes. Unfortunately the drama ends very quickly when Pete and Abi are eliminated during the first round. Carter ends up beating Denise and Skupin in the final round.
Well, the editors have done a pretty good job of throwing us off of the show's outcomes, both for the season and individual episodes. This week, however, they really have their work cut out for them. The power alliance decides to split their votes against Abi and Pete. Abi and Pete realize this, so they decide to target Malcolm. First they try to sway Lisa. No go. Then they go to Carter. Not interested. Next they try Penner who they've tried so hard to get out. Penner bluntly tells Abi it's not gonna happen and while she played a good game she's not gonna win this time. Knowing they have no chance with Denise they go to their last option, which is Skupin. He's the first one who doesn't completely blow them off. Unfortunately they've done so much scrambling that Malcolm catches wind of their plan. This really decreases their chances of success since whoever flips will not only have to face the wrath of their alliance if it works but they will also have to pray that Malcolm doesn't use his idol.
Abi is the star of this weeks tribal. As soon as the jury comes in she starts catcalling to Artis. Then she takes a lot of heat from Jeff and the tribe. In particular, Denise, who tries on several occasions to teach Abi the error of his ways but Abi interrupts her continuously until Denise gives up. Abi shocks Probst by revealing her ignorance of not being liked. She tries to defend herself by saying English is not her first language and she's not completely familiar with the ways of our culture. Probst is sympathetic but other then Pete he's the only one.
Speaking of Pete, he ends up digging himself deeper in his grave when he announces his intention to take out Malcolm. Pete has played a pretty good game up until this point but this error in judgement shows his need to brush up on Survivor 101. If you're gonna blindside someone with an idol, don't announce it at tribal! You're just making it that much harder for someone to flip over to your side.
In the end Abi is reduced to tears, much to RC's delight, Malcolm doesn't use his idol, Abi does use hers, and Pete finally goes home. Abi was such a mess I half expected her to give her idol to Pete. At least she's not a quitter. She obviously intends to go down swinging.
When they leave Abi says goodbye to the jury. Isn't there a rule about not addressing the jury? Anyway, RC and Jeff just roll their eyes at her disingenuous gesture. She then starts to leave without her torch. In an obvious effort to win her jury vote Lisa hands Abi her torch, to which Abi humbly thanks her.
I have to say I actually feel a little bad for Abi. The truth is that it is very hard to learn a foreign language and in a game that has a strong emphasis on communication skills she has been at big disadvantage from the beginning. I've been trying to learn Spanish for over five years now and still can't speak it half as well as Abi can speak English. I'm not saying that she's not a complete psycho bitch, however like most psycho bitches I'm sure she doesn't see herself that way and probably doesn't mean to be so annoying. I think there is something to the fact that she comes from a different culture. Hopefully this experience will soften her up a bit, which is another great thing about the Survivor experience.
NEXT WEEK ON SURVIVOR! Will Abi continue to break down as the game continues to humble her? Or will she pull a rabbit out of her hat and shake the game up again?
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