Survivor
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Its also best that we all forget about (gulp) race wars.
We hear so much about community.
They must have used the word at least 20 times.
It comes up at the challenges, it comes up in the confessionals, it comes up at tribal.
Community, community, community.
The irony is that Jeffs central premise about this show at least in the new era is flawed.
This played out in this episode because we sure dont see a lot of community building.
In fact, we dont even see most of the players.
What we see is challenges, side quests, and people looking for and finding hidden immunity idols.
They sure skimped out on the bonding for a show that is supposedly about community.
After watching Jeff do his Chevy Chase impersonation, the three teams go for their first challenge.
The one tribe that finishes first gets their pot and machete.
Luckily for Andy, our failed stoner, its an actual pot, not a euphemism for weed.
Also luckily for Andy, his team Gata (in yellow) wins.
Jeff tells the two remaining teams that they each have to send a player on a journey.
(Cue Dont Stop Believin!)
They go off on a boat and arrive at a beach with a huge, locked chest.
Theyre told that inside are the camp supplies for one other team.
They each have to find three keys hidden in the jungle using only pictures of their surroundings.
There is only one final key and whoever gets to it first wins the supplies.
Im not sure this is an improvement over the sweat or savvy challenges weve seen in the new era.
At least those groups can work together and form bonds.
It gives us something that might come into play later at tribal council.
Its what my community needs, she says.
To his credit he wasnt even looking for it.
Like last year, these beware advantages make players do a bunch of tasks.
First, he has to dig up a box with a huge lock on it.
Theres a scroll telling him to go to a rock face and find the key.
Too excited, Gabe gets to this task in the middle of the day with everyone walking around.
TK sees him do it and finds the key.
In this scenario, Gabe has smoked the pot.
TK does not buy this story for a second.
Gabe takes the key and opens the box.
Inside it, he finds another box that is also locked and an idol.
So many boxes and so many locks.
Does someone have a chastity belt fetish?
I imagine that there is another box inside that box and another and another.
(If he did, could he just keep the idols?)
It doesnt break, but it does alert the whole tribe that somethings up.
Does this guy have no chill?
Is the pot all gone?
You already alerted everyone to what you were up to.
The tasks didnt seem to bethathard.
Go for broke and get the one that will last you.
I already kinda hate Gabe.
He then squandered all the smarts with what comes next.
He had to wet some driftwood on the path to find out where the key is.
They decide to go look for him to double-check he hasnt found anything.
The problem is the log told him that the key is at the bottom of the well.
Dude, how are you gonna play this off?
Even if no one sees you, youre going to go back to camp from the jungle soaking wet.
What are you gonna say?
There was a single-man-sized hurricane in the jungle and he got stuck in it?
Rome had the right idea and went and ruined it.
Over at the yellow camp, Andy is paranoid and he didnt even smoke the pot.
This tells us that Gata will lose at the immunity competition.
Didnt they test this challenge?
If they did and those boats tipped over, is it the teams fault or the challenges fault?
That question is non-rhetorical and I am expecting an answer.
The drama is not the competition though, its Andy.
As Gata is solidifying its loss, he lies down on the sidelines.
Jeff asks him if hes just chillin or if he needs medical attention.
I gave it everything I had, Jeff, Andy says, which is not answering the question.
Medical is called and they are trying to cool Andy down.
He is overheated and muttering to Jeff about how hes going to be sent home.
When hes finally up and walking and all the contestants are assembled, Jeff asks him how hes doing.
Im on the bottom, he says.
I saw it when I cracked a coconut and they didnt cheer for me.
They cheered for Jon, and they dont like me, I dont think.
He also says, Im a strategist.
Are we sure about this?
What is the strategy?
To slay everyone else with second-hand embarrassment so that he is the only person left?
What is up with this guy?
Is he Bhanu two point oh no you didnt?
The Jon were talking about isJon Lovett, the gay speechwriter turned host ofPod Save America.
This was a stupid move because Jon, while not strong, could have been a good ally.
He seemed smart, good with people, and possibly able to convince others to do what he wants.
Instead, they kept Andy, who cant be trusted to put on a pair of elastic-waisted pants correctly.
