Episode 6 - “Udder Revenge”

“11 castaways remain.  Who will be voted off tonight?” - Jeff Probst

Day 16 - Probst introduces the merger.

“This week’s episode finds the impending merger on everyone’s mind” - Probst to viewer.  The merger is a well known entity for even the non Survivor fanatic.  Everyone knows how the game works, but what about in 2000?  

I imagine that people tuning in at the time loved this twist in the game.  I imagine every water cooler and cigarette break was filled with chit chat on how Tagi and Pagong would coexist as one tribe.  Would the Tagi alliance hold strong?  Will Greg’s leadership transfer over to a merged tribe? And, how would the game of Survivor function now that there is only one tribe?  People, I’m sure, were loving this must see TV!

The most riveting part of the merger is how different the tribes are.  Pagong is loose and Tagi is strict.  Pagong has mud pit vacations and Tagi has work hours.  The tribes know that they are merging and thus are preparing mentally and strategically as best they can.  Pagong will be feasting on their chickens the next 3 days and Tagi, in a role reversal, gave themselves the day off at the beach.

Going into a merge the easy strategy to predict is that the tribes will continue to vote down tribal lines.  The trouble lies in Tagi’s camp.  At this point, they are down one player 6-5.  Translation, if the merge happened now then Tagi would be outnumbered.  Pagong could vote them off one by one before having to attack each other.  This sets the stage for this episode’s, all important, immunity challenge.  Will Tagi tie it up or will Pagong stretch its lead?

EATING THE CHICKENS

“I think mentally the chicken was more important then it was physically” - Gretchen

The familiar taste, the protein intake, and the team building activity of preparing the chickens from wood crate to hollowed coconut bowl was a smart strategy for Pagong mentally in the game going into a merge.  

NAKED RICHARD AND TAGI’S STRATEGIZING INTO THE MERGER

Richard makes it quite clear just how comfortable he is at Tagi camp.  Richard fishes naked, swims naked, sits around the fire naked, and does his camera confessionals naked.  Is it strategy?  Is it just who he is?  Richard has made it clear from the get go that he is always keeping the bigger picture in mind and perhaps him being naked is another part of his game.

The alliance at Tagi also has gone on record to include a 4th, Rudy.  

“I finally went along with this alliance and if I didn’t I’d be out of here probably the next vote or the after.” - Rudy

Rudy is who he is.  He is straight forward, black and white.  He doesn’t agree with Richard’s lifestyle and tells him but he knows they have to work together, so he does.  He knows that the alliance is his way of creating certainty and loyalty in the game, two traits that any former Navy Seal would relish the opportunity to have, so he goes with the voting alliance.  

Rudy likes leadership and since day 1 felt the tribe needed leadership.  He knew that Richard had those qualities and thus their relationship grew over 16 days.  Rudy’s actions, mentality, and feelings on there being a leader to follow has worked out great for him.  He had seen his name at the first two tribal councils and avoided elimination and since allying with Rich, Sue, and Kelly, he hasn’t seen his name again.  But, Rudy’s destiny in the long term may not be in his hands.  Richard has other ideas.

“I’ve been trying to support keeping Rudy from day 1.  I want to bring him along to the next round, where, he won’t care much, and probably will get voted off before…uh…winning.” - Richard.  Notice how Richard doesn’t say to keep Rudy around because he will get voted off before me.  No.  Richard makes it clear again that his goal is to win.  A leader understands the end game and the end game for Rich is him winning and Rudy helping him get there.  

“I don’t think somebody’s in control of our group in particular.  I think, I’m in control of, who’s being voted off.  And I think that is all that matter to me.” - Richard.  At this point, based on what the viewer has seen, Richard is playing chess. and the rest of them are the pieces on the board.

“Girls are the stupidest thing on the planet next to cows” - Gervase

C’mon Gervase.  Do you enjoy shooting yourself in the foot?  You admit to not doing cooking, fishing, helping around camp, and yet, you haven’t seen your name written down at tribal council.  Charm can get you so far in the game.  If you’re not careful, the women will put your name down and you will lose that spotlight of national television that you love so much.

REWARD CHALLENGE

A can of food shows up at both tribes.  With their standards significantly lowered and their stomachs empty, upon opening the can the tribes discover the can isn’t stewed tomatoes or chili, it’s dog food.  Jenna and Gretchen are quick to fry it up and chow down, but don’t get too much further.  Thankfully.

In an abandoned barrack there are 2 can openers, 2 pocket knives, and 2 army helmets.  One at a time, a tribe member will enter the barrack to find one of the items.  The first tribe to find all 6, wins an array of MREs, canned food, and even some chocolate.  WINNER - Pagong

The takeaway from the reward challenge is Richard makes his first mistake in the game.  He retrieves a duplicate pocket knife and as a result gives Pagong a reward victory.  No midnight snack for Tagi.  This mistake makes you think about what the repercussions will be for Richard.  It hurts for sure, but having the alliance will soften the blow for this snafu. 

PAGONG UPDATES MERGER STRATEGY

The strategy talk going into the immunity challenge ramps up at Pagong.  Everyone in the group agrees to stick together after the merge and vote out Tagi one by one, except Gretchen.  Gretchen not showing her hand would normally be the talk of the group, but instead, Joel’s shortcomings begin to sprout.  We see Jenna, Gretchen, and Colleen disclose that Joel is full of unfavorable opinions toward the women.  We learn that women, in Joel’s eyes, are NOT at the same level of capability as men.

“I’m totally square with everything across the board, whatever anybody thinks.  Umm, but no I am definitely not, a chauvinist. (eye roll)” - Joel.  

I’m no genius but admitting on national TV that you feel that the women in your tribe are not as capable as the men is not a smart move.  It’s also not a brilliant idea when half the people in the tribe are women.  He may not think they are capable of cooking rice, making fire, or helping around camp, but that won’t matter if they all write his name down at tribal council.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Snake Island Obstacle Course 

If Tagi loses they enter the merger outnumbered 6-4, but if Pagong loses, it will be even.  Only 4 members of the tribe are participating.  Gervase and Colleen for Pagong, and Rudy for Tagi are sitting out.  Not sure who has the advantage but I would lean toward the team not having to send a 72 year old to climb walls, swing on ropes, and crawl under a rope. 

At the Blown Bridge section of the challenge each tribe is given 4 boards of different lengths.  The object is to use the boards to move the tribe members across elevated pylons to the other side.  Tagi gets out of this part of the course ahead and never looks back.  In an exciting, neck and neck race, Tagi is victorious.  Tribal council awaits for Pagong.  

The win is gigantic for each of the members of Tagi.  Now, they ensure themselves an even playing field headed into a merger.  A loss would have all but sealed their fate in the next round, but instead they live to fight another day.

DON’T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS

If losing the immunity challenge weren’t bad enough, the last supper before merger was interrupted by an unsuspecting thief, a monitor lizard.  The last remaining chicken was half eaten and all mangled.  Does that stop Pagong from eating it?  Nope.  Leave it to Survivor to remind the viewers at home too never count your chickens until they’ve been eaten, by humans!

CHOPPING BLOCK

Joel and Gervase - The women have made it clear that the chauvinist attitudes (Joel more than Gervase) have worn out their welcome.  Even if it was bearable, in the game of Survivor anything can be used and will be used against you at tribal council.

TRIBAL COUNCIL

“it's no big secret about the comments that were made regarding women to an animal” - Probst to Joel.  

There is a silence for a second before the group reacts playfully to Probst’s comment.  But, as a viewer you know for sure that it will be either Joel or Gervase being voted off.  Ultimately, the Pagong tribe has been very close with a little conflict since BB was voted off in episode two, however a harsh reality is that somebody has to be the one voted off.  A chauvinist comment or agreement with that type of comment, even meant to be playful can be reason enough to write someone's name down.

VOTING

Joel - JENNA “just..uh, had to vote

Gretchen - JOEL “I picked Joel for two reasons, both small ones.  He seems a bit condescending to women and it makes it difficult to work with, and two, he seems to have the most money of anybody…so.. I think he needs to win less.” - Gretchen.

Gervase - JENNA “there's no good reason why ”

Jenna - JOEL “It’s time…moooooo, just a step above a cow.”

VOTES - Joel - 4, Jenna - 2

PROBST CLOSING THOUGHT

“The rest of you guys, whole new ballgame tomorrow.  2 tribes will merge into one.”

The cliffhanger really sets an exciting stage for the show moving forward into this next phase.  Things will change.

JOEL EXIT INTERVIEW

“I think maybe the girls on the team, maybe, had a little inferiority complex that they took some of these remarks wrong.  That is my main regret, I’m gonna leave here and got 4 people who think I’m a chauvinist.” - Joel

I think Jenna said it best, it was time.  On a tribe without any real tension or villains to blame a couple comments here and there can add up to a vote cast against you.  Gretchen admitted too that her two reasons for voting were small and sometimes a small reason is all you need.  Pagong never had any unified voting strategy and often times, like in this vote, people like Gervase or Joel himself didn’t even have a real reason to cast a vote for someone.  

CATEGORIES AND AWARDS

1 - Biggest Move

Let’s give this one to Mark Burnett and the show creators.  For the inaugural season you have to keep in mind that the producers/planners or whoever was in that room mapping out the show didn’t know 100% if the whole concept would work including the idea of merging the tribes.  The decision to merge the tribes was perfect.  It comes at the perfect time.  It’s like baby bear’s porridge not too early and not too late in the game.  It’s just right.  

2 - Biggest Mistake

In this episode Joel claims that he isn’t a chauvinist and that he sees women as being as capable as men, but it’s easy to read between the lines on Joel.  He does feel that way.  Joel seconding Gervase’s foot-in-his-mouth moment comparing women to cows is coupled with each of the female tribe members’ confessionals confirm our suspicion of Joel and how he really feels.  But, the dead give away to the viewer that Joel was communicating his chauvinist ways to the tribe was the eye roll.  (see best screenshot)

3 - Challenge Corner

Abandoned barrack search vs. the Snake Island Obstacle Course.  Easy win for the obstacle course.  The show turned a sandbar into a military obstacle course.  I mean c’mon, how cool is that?  It makes you think about how the crew behind the scenes actually creates these challenges on location.  Materials, tools, accessories, you name it, every detail counts to make it not just a true “challenge” for the tribes, but also a quality TV competition for the viewer to watch.  This challenge didn’t disappoint.  The race was packed with suspense as Tagi won a crucial victory to even the tribes up at 5 going into the merger.

4 - Trending Up

Rudy.  He got to see some American Special Forces deliver the immunity challenge, he ended up not having to compete in the obstacle course at 72, and he confirmed being part of the now 4-way alliance with Rich, Sue, and Kelly.  Not bad for a guy who was almost voted out first.

5 - Trending Down

Gervase.  He seems to like shooting himself in the foot.  The comments comparing women to cows, though he was apologetic, just put him on the wrong type of radar with his tribe.  On top of that, he doesn’t seem to have a real strategy to the game other than using his charm.  He isn’t cooking, he isn’t fishing, and he doesn’t have a reason to vote someone off when the time comes at tribal council.  He needs to have some more clarity or else he won’t last on his charm alone after the merger.

6 - Strategy Corner

Sitting Rudy out of the immunity challenge was a huge move for Tagi.  We love Rudy and clearly the powers at Tagi value him in the tribe and the bigger game, but electing to sit his 72 year old self out for this challenge saved valuable seconds undoubtedly.   Could have been the difference between winning and losing.  

7 - Best Screenshot

When you are totally full of it and you can’t hide it.

8 - Best Quote

“I don’t think somebody’s in control of our group in particular.  I think, I’m in control of, who’s being voted off.  And I think that is all that matter to me.” - Richard

Like I said earlier, Richard is playing chess and the rest are the pawns.  The show can have its fun with the chickens, the chauvinist comments, and challenges, but at the end of the day this game is called Survivor and there can only be one.  At this point, Richard is the guy whose strategy and focus is most clear.

9 - Who won the episode?

Colleen, Jenna, and Gretchen.  These 3 take the crown for episode 6 for their narration of the Joel and Gervase chauvinist misstep and exposing them.  The women come across as strong players who recognize the power they have in the game when they merge their ideas and act as a united front.  We will see if this lesson serves them well going forward in the game.

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to outlike, outcomment, and outshare the rest.  I appreciate the support.

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