Episode 5

“Pulling Your Own Weight”

“12 people left, who will be voted off next?” - Probst

PAGONG

The aftershock of Tribal Council leaves Pagong distraught.  Another member is gone, the camp is a mess, they lost 2 straight challenges, and Greg, the leader has an ear infection.  

Losing is bad enough but Pagong’s loss has cost them toiletries, spices, filet knife, and fishing gear.  Not having these tools and rewards effects morale big time and makes life at Pagong frustrating and bland.

TAGI

After winning back to back challenges the group is stronger and more determined.  Now with the alliances being set, Dirk and Sean’s fishing failure routine is becoming old and getting under Sue and Kelly’s skin.  Sue thinks that they should be looking in the woods for tapioca instead of wasting time on the South China Sea.  

We have seen Dirk feel the wrath of Sue and her displeasure with him and Sean before.   It becomes clear why they are not just appeasing her around camp.  Sue’s game is very black and white.  She is a grunt worker.  She comes to the game knowing that there is work to be done and either you are doing it or you are not.  This couldn’t be more opposite of Sean and especially Dirk.  

“The second I stop having fun, I’ll vote myself off the island.  I came here to have a great time, grow in my faith with my lord, and that’s the most important thing to me.” - Dirk

Dirk lays his cards on the table.  He, like most people if they had been given this life changing opportunity in 2000, is there to make the best of the situation.  Dirk wants to have a great experience.  Anyone can understand having that mindset.  It makes you think about how someone like Sue ever even applied to be on the show?  She seems like a person who wouldn’t want to be anywhere near this type of situation.  She isn’t there for the romanticized “experience” that Dirk refers to as he reads his bible in the hammock.  She is there to do what needs to be done.  She’s not there to find herself or connect with her lord.

“It’s funny to me that a guy would read the bible out here.  The only reason I’d bring a bible is if…I mean I’m religious too…If I needed toilet paper.” - Rudy

LOL. That about sums up how Rudy feels about Dirk.

REWARD CHALLENGE - Battle of Borneo

3 rounds. Blow Gun.  Sling shot.  Spear Tossing.  One person for each event.  Probst gives the tribes one of each to practice.  

At Tagi, Sean discovers his talent in blow gun shooting, Rich in the sling shooting, and Sue is the spear chucker.  

“I’m thinking the other team is gonna have a guy throwing the spear.  So if there is, there’s a good chance I can dog some guy on national TV.” - Sue

Sue is clearly motivated to prove something to herself.  My guess is that she likes challenging female stereotypes in society, hence her being a truck driver and hoping to embarrass a guy on national tv.  The smile on her face from that thought says a lot.

At Pagong, Jenna is locked in on blow gun, Gretchen on the sling shot, and Joel, with little confidence, will be spear tossing.

After two rounds, both tribes have acquired a basket of fruit.  The challenge all comes down to the spear throwing.  The closest to the target gets the fruit and a mystery food source.  Joel takes an early lead but Sue evens it up.  The music builds the suspense for Joel’s second toss, BULLSEYE!  Sue’s last toss isn’t close enough and Pagong gets off their losing streak.

MYSTERY FOOD SOURCE REWARD - live chickens 

“You guys gonna name these chickens?  What are their names?” (Probst)

“Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner” - Jenna

It’s a big win for Pagong.  They needed it.  A challenge win lands them 2 baskets of fruit, 3 chickens with possibility of eggs, and a boost in team morale.  Huge momentum swing.

Back at Tagi, they won’t be going hungry by losing out on the chickens.  Richard uses the spear and catches an eel, but it isn’t quite chicken.   This makes me wonder if there is somebody on the crew of the show that is aware of what is ok to eat and what isn’t.  There must be for legal reasons or maybe the potential death factor.

LEADERSHIP

Gretchen again makes it known that Greg is the leader and really good at it.  But, Greg has a different outlook on it.  

“I may be slipping into some sort of leadership position.  I’m attempting to avoid it.  I don’t want to be the leader of anything.” - Greg

This is the first person to make it known that being a leader isn’t a desirable role to be.  In this game the tribes benefit from direction and leadership, but that makes someone become an easy target.  Greg seems to understand that and is more interested in the experience, especially with his sleeping buddy, Colleen.

BOWEL MOVEMENTS AND WEIGHT LOSS

It isn’t until to the midway point of episode 5 that we hear the conversation turn to how the bathroom and bowel situation works on Survivor.  Sean provides insight 

“Knew today was gonna be a good day when I woke up.  I haven’t had a bowel movement in two weeks, this morning, had my first bowel movement.  Felt fantastic” - Sean

It is really hard to imagine not having a bowel movement in 2 weeks.  That’s crazy talk.  Most people get concerned after a day or two, but 2 weeks is at another frightening level.  The medical team must have checked him out or at least kept an eye on it.  Sean that is, not the other thing.

Coupled with Sean’s successful bowel movement is the growing concern of Dirk’s weight loss.  Everyone on the show is noticeably losing weight but his stands out to the tribe.  It is bound to happen.  They aren’t eating much to begin with and they only have so much food to go around.  I haven’t tried a Survivor diet of 39 days with only rice and the occasional piece of fish but I’m sure some super fan of the show has done it.  Maybe I’ll have to try it and see how much weight I lose.

The story continues at Tagi with where Sean and Dirk stand in the game.  

“Maybe I am on thin ice with this team.  I don’t know.  I feel like I’m pulling my weight.  I think the group sees that.  You know I’m just gonna find tapioca and I’m just gonna let it work itself out. - Dirk

Dirk and Sean find themselves at a disadvantage.  They find themselves having to prove to the tribe, really the alliance, of Kelly, Sue, and Rich, that they can “pull their own weight”.  It seems like from the viewer stand point that the ship has sailed for both Dirk and Sean’s long term future at Tagi and in the game.  The alliance is made up with strong minded people.  People like Sue are stubborn and difficult to change their thinking.  If you can get them on your side, you may be good, but if they have the numbers and have made a judgement on you, you’re as good as out.  You can find all the tapioca you want and board up the beach bowling alley, it won’t matter.

“Another unsuccessful hunt for me and you.  Maybe it’s you and me man, maybe we’re a bad team?” - Dirk

“Yeah but we’re a fun team.” - Sean

Pack your bags guys.  It doesn’t look good for you if Tagi lose the immunity challenge. 

TREE MAIL - Immunity Challenge

“1 to row, the rest to swim, make it fast and immunity you’ll win.” - Tree mail

Tagi has Kelly who is a white water rafting guide and Pagong has Gervase who can’t swim so they have to stick him in the rowing position.  

In all the uncertainty leading up to the immunity challenge, Greg breaks out into his finest broadway rendition of “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story.  Greg steals the scene and just nails it.  Again, proving his standing in the tribe.  The tribe loves it and they love Greg. 

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

For the immunity challenge the rower has to paddle out to and around a floating buoy and on the return trip to the beach, they will pick up the rest of the tribe members who are floating in the water.  Once a tribe member is picked up they can help paddle.  The challenge comes down to the rower.  Kelly vs. Gervase.  Advantage, Tagi.

“It’s showtime! So, I like the spotlight!” - Gervase

Surprisingly, in an unforeseen turn of events Gervase jumps out to an early lead and never looks back.  Gervase gains redemption and leads Pagong to a much needed victory.  Now he can be truly invincible tonight.

PRE TRIBAL COUNCIL

Kelly is feeling vulnerable because of her disappointing showing at the immunity challenge.  

Sean is worried.  “I suspect it might be Rudy.  That’s how I would probably cast my vote at this point”

“I’ve already built an alliance and we’re going to work through as best we can right to the end before the free for all.” - Richard

“Just walking to our death right here” - Dirk

Seems like the alliance is out on Dirk and Sean.  Rudy hasn’t been seen or talked about until Sean brought it up.  With the alliance targeting Dirk and Sean, and Dirk making it known about “pulling his weight” makes the viewer have to point toward Dirk.

TRIBAL COUNCIL

“Sean, your role her..” - Probst but Sean cuts him off and says “Very nebulous. I don’t know what I’m doing here.  After, 15, 16 days, I still haven’t found my niche.  I’m just here to have fun.  I’ll take it as far as I can.” - Sean

“Dirk, it seems like I’ve noticed you spending more time alone, how much of that time do you spend thinking about how effective you are in fitting into this group?” - Probst

Sean and Dirk really lay their cards out on the table.  They both are trying to pull their weight, earn their stripes, and be part of the tribe and the game.  From the viewer stand point it seems like they just keep falling short.  It isn’t surprising to hear Sean say that he hasn’t found his place within the tribe or that he is there to have fun, and hearing Dirk admit to his failures in fishing and tapioca hunting makes them primed for being voted off.  Even though they both are trying, sometimes it isn’t enough.

VOTING

Dirk - SUE “love ya but I just can’t stand the complaining”

Sean - RUDY “For the first time voting for Rudy but only because there’s an athletic competition coming up that we’re gonna have to win.  That’s the only reason I would cast a vote against him.  He’s a phenomenal person.”

Kelly - DIRK (no comment)

Even though Dirk and Sean were close to one another, they don’t have the ability or game savvy to put their votes together and try to sway a third person to gain power.  Instead, Dirk votes for Sue, and Sean votes for Rudy.  They again reveal their hand.  For Sean, he would have been best suited to vote for Dirk and go with the group to show his allegiance.  In 2000, Season 1, strategy like that was just not prevalent yet.  Ultimately, people like Sean and Dirk become ways for future players to learn from.

Votes - Dirk - 4, Sue - 1, Rudy - 1

PROBST’S CLOSING THOUGHT

“You can take your torches and head back to camp” - Probst

Nothing more to say.  Easy to see who would be voted off.  Probst knew it.  Tribe knew it.  Viewers knew it.  Later Dirk.

DIRK EXIT INTERVIEW

“Guess I want to start by just thanking the lord for this unbelievable blessing man.  This whole thing has just been one wild trip.  And he had 15 days planned for me on this island and I believe I kicked it as hard as I could.  Completely surprised me to be taken out this early and I thank the lord for that cause I know he has a plan for me.” - Dirk

I admire Dirk.  He knows that he has a bigger purpose and that being on Survivor is part of a plan that he believes the lord has paved for him.  People who have this outlook don’t let the highs be too high and the lows, like being voted off Survivor, ever from getting too low.  Dirk couldn’t do anything right on the island but my guess is that he may have been disappointed, but overall, he handled this low better than most people would have.

CATEGORIES AND AWARDS

1 - Biggest Move

Let’s give the nod to Joel.  He has been quiet overall through 5 episodes but makes a sizable splash at the reward challenge.  His second throw in the spear throwing hits the bullseye and flips the script for Pagong.  He gets the tribe a win, two baskets of fruit, 3 chickens, and avoids being “dogged” by Sue on national TV.  

2 - Biggest Mistake

Would be easy to point at Dirk or Sean for their failures at fishing and tapioca hunting, but let's go with Kelly and her failure at the immunity challenge.  She is supposed to be some expert at paddling with her career involving white water rafting.  She comes into the immunity challenge, not ready to take the leadership role of being the sole paddler, she underestimates Gervase, and then stinks it up and loses the challenge for Tagi.  You may have an alliance but you didn’t prove your strength in challenges Kelly.

3 - Challenge Corner

Battle of Borneo vs Ship Wreck’d.  Easy one this episode.  The reward challenge was far better.  I liked how the challenge brought host Jeff Probst into camp, gave the tribes the ability to figure out who was best for each weapon and then being able to practice each weapon.  It’s nice to see the tribes given a boost at camp with an activity to work together and figure out what works best.  

4 - Trending Up

Gervase.  He had screwed up 3 challenges.  He made a fool of himself at tribal council saying he felt invincible.  He was given the task of paddling the canoe in the immunity challenge because he couldn’t swim.  And, he rose to the occasion and helped Pagong win immunity.

5 - Trending Down

Sean.  He survives tribal council this time because Dirk brought less to the table, but Sean’s days are numbered.  He isn’t as funny or charismatic as Greg.  He is on the tribe with more matter of fact and what have you done for me lately personalities.  He can’t find a way to bring value to the tribe and he knows it.  

6 - Strategy Award

Tough one.  No major moves made in episode 5.  Pagong’s decision to put Gervase in the rowing position because of his swimming limitations paid off.  He helped earn some stripes, win the tribe immunity, and keep the momentum going in the favor of Pagong. 

7 - Best Screenshot

When you actually earn being invincible.  Way to seize being in the spotlight Gervase.

8 - Best Quote

“Maybe I am on thin ice with this team.  I don’t know.  I feel like I’m pulling my weight.  I think the group sees that.  You know I’m just gonna find tapioca and I’m just gonna let it work itself out. - Dirk

This quote sums up the direction of the episode.  At Tagi, the bottomline was how are you pulling your weight?  In the end, Dirk wasn’t.  He may have tried but it wasn’t enough.

9 - Who won the episode?

Lot of candidates.  Could have went in many directions, but owning the spotlight and earning invincibility for your tribe puts Gervase in a much different place in the game than a few episodes ago.  Plus, if nothing else, on national television, with everyone knowing his weaknesses, he rose to the occasion and got it done.  Not many can say they accomplished that.

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