Season 2, Episode 8 - Friends?

“9 Survivors remain, who will be voted out tonight?” - Probst

Day 22 - BARRAMUNDI TRIBE

““After the last Tribal Council, I just felt like we had been outwitted by Ogakor. Kucha’s tribe could be picked off very easily.” - Rodger”

The game has changed. Ogakor, once seemingly on their last legs, now finds themselves in the power position. Mike’s evacuation, Tina’s decision to give Keith the win, adds up to a mega Ogakor advantage within the new Barramundi tribe on Day 22.

When comparing the merge of season 2 to season 1, Kucha and Ogakor were a lot closer than the gap between Tagi and Pagong. Tagi was way ahead of Pagong, so much so that Pagong didn’t even have a united vote at the first Rattana Tribal Council. Kucha, at least, voted together for Colby, but like Rodger said, had been outwitted at the Immunity Challenge and thus, Jeff was voted out based on the knowledge of him having previous Tribal Council votes.

Now that Ogakor has this advantage the question becomes, “Can Kucha swing an Ogakor vote to vote for one of their own?” and “How do you keep yourself in the game?”. If you are from Kucha, you find yourself in the Pagong problem. You are outnumbered. You can be picked off 1 by 1 by 1. The only 100% way to stay in the game is to win every individual immunity (not practical, but possible) or find another strategy to keep yourself in the game.

Rodger is going to try providing food via fishing and Alicia is taking the “I’m going to be on the jury approach”.

Hulu.

“I want the good guys to win” - Tina

Tina and Keith have an alliance and a strong relationship. They know that they have the numbers. They know that all they have to do is vote off each Kucha member and they will guarantee the final 5. But, the edit of the show brings back the memory of Jerri and her ability to be a wild card and unlike Tina and Keith. Jerri wanted to get rid of Tina and Keith. In short, Jerri is part of the majority but is definitely number 5 of 5 in the Ogakor tribe.

Jerri introduces her aggressive personality as Elisabeth and Alicia try to cook rice. Elisabeth sees the crack in Ogakor. “If you want to keep playing this game you need to get a little more ruthless" - Elisabeth. It’s nice to see the merge and shift in power cause a ripple effect. People are forced to scheme, take charge, and make things happen. It’s time for Kucha to take charge and turn the crack in the Ogakor alliance into a canyon.

Elisabeth sees that Jerri is the most unlikeable member of Barramundi. She shows her competitiveness when she decides to go to Tina and Keith to get the dirt on Jerri and talk about getting rid of her. Now, as much as Tina may dislike Jerri, the question that will come up is simple, “Does the majority change their strategy from picking off Kucha 1 by 1?” I just don’t see it. I think Ogakor votes off another Kucha to get a +2 advantage 5-3 and then votes off one of their own, and that would be Jerri.

REWARD CHALLENGE - Boomerang Toss

Closest to the center wins. Reward is a three course meal of delicious foods.

Really good editing for this challenge. Love the camera following the boomerang’s flight. Love the Aboriginal drum beating in the background. Love cuts back to the tribe members faces tracking the flight pattern of the boomerang.

It comes down to Amber. She has to beat the mark set by Jerri. Probst has to measure but Jerri is the winner. Jerri has to pick someone to join her. She tries to deflect the decision but in the end she chooses Amber. They sit down to a beautiful meal despite the dirt under their fingers.

Back at camp, Jerri becomes the topic of conversation. Keith mentions that he has cooked for 2 presidents and has never been stressed until he had to cook rice around Jerri. While that is happening, Jerri and Amber are discussing the game too. They mention how Tina has changed and that they need to talk to Colby about it.

“Have you ever considered, maybe, leading Tina and Keith to believe that you want them in final three?” - Jerri. In this moment, Jerri is making herself vulnerable to Colby as she has done before. Then, Colby lies to Jerri. He tells Jerri that Tina and Keith assume that Colby is with them, but that he isn’t. Now, you may be asking yourself, “Why would he lie to her?” Well here is your answer…

““Jerri doesn’t deserve to win this thing, if for no other reason, simply because of the way she has treated the people around her. And that was the biggest decision when I had to choose between carrying my plans out with either Amber and Jerri or Keith and Tina. I didn’t like the fact that I had to lie but because I was lying to Jerri, I didn’t lose sleep over it.” - Colby”

Hulu.

BOOM! Big time players make big time moves. Colby was the swing vote in Ogakor once and he has remained in that power position again. He determines who goes and who stays when it comes to the Ogakor 5. With Ogakor in the power position over Kucha within Barramundi 5-4 and Colby in the power position between Tina and Keith and Amber and Jerri, Colby finds himself in the top position of the game right now.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Square Challenge

Ropes and poles. Making squares with ropes and dropping a disk with your name on it in the completed square. Amber lands the first square, followed by Nick. Colby gets a mini run dropping 2 disks and sets up Jerri for a run of 6. Next, Keith his the jackpot with 15, 16, 17. Amber gets up to 10 and then sets Tina up for a run 14, 15, 16, but falls one short. The math end the challenge. Keith wins immunity again!

PRE-TRIBAL COUNCIL

The rain comes down on the Barramundi Tribe as they prepare for Tribal Council. Elisabeth thinks that Jerri is next and Tina will swing the votes. Alicia is braced for herself or Nick to go and that Ogakor will keep the number advantage.

TRIBAL COUNCIL

Hulu.

“What was the reaction last night, Amber, when you and Jerri came back with little bellies from a nice meal?” - Probst.

Amber talks about the weirdness and guilt associated with returning to a tribe after having a full meal reward while the rest of the tribe has rice back at camp. I can’t help but feel that there is no easy way to handle the situation Amber had to when returning to camp after a meal reward. Do you make a joke? Do you try to distract everyone somehow? It makes me think about that feeling you have a night after you have one too many in college and you hear everyone in the living room that was there and they are reliving the night before and you just don’t want to walk out and face the music.

“So what was it like for you guys not having two people around? Different Alicia?” - Probst

Alicia comments on it being “interesting” and “quiet” and “we already knew we were having rice ha ha ha” but what Alicia is really saying is it was great to not have Jerri around. Jerri is the loud one, the disruptive one, and the stress creator in the tribe. Since we are at Tribal Council and I am apart of the minority numbers in the game I think either me or Nick are going home but I really think Jerri should be next.

Tonight’s vote is a big one. The person voted out tonight becomes the first member of the jury and the first vote for the million bucks.

Voting

Elisabeth - JERRI

“Tonight I’m voting for Jerri, just feel it’s her time to go and she gets really cranky when she’s hungry and it’s bumming me out a little.”

Hulu.

Well, Elisabeth is leading the charge in trying to widen the crack in the Ogakor tribe. Lot of credit to her this episode. She is proving she is a player. Don’t think her efforts will come to fruition though.

Amber - ALICIA

“My vote’s for Alicia, and girl you’re strong inside and out…This is a respect vote and I’m going to miss you a lot.”

Alicia is definitely a threat in the challenges, the politics, and she is a strong personality. I like Ogakor targeting her first and getting rid of her. Nick doesn’t seem to bring much to the table, Rodger catches fish but isn’t a challenge threat, and then there is Elisabeth who isn’t as threatening as Alicia in different phases of the game. Alicia seems like the logical vote for the Ogakor tribe who can cherry pick whoever they want out of the game.

Rodger - JERRI

“Nice kid, but way too loud, way too loud!”

Jerri - ALICIA

Hulu.

“Not only do you intimidate the hell out of the women out here but also the men. They are scared to death of you.”

Well we know how this one is going to go now don’t we.

VOTES

Alicia - 5, Jerri - 4

Hulu.

ALICIA EXIT INTERVIEW

“Now I get to sit on the jury and watch everything that happens.”

I guess you can be proud to make it to the merge and to be on the jury, but it has to suck to be first. Do you get to have a say in the game, yes. Does that matter? Yes. You get more air time, you get a vote, you get your final tribal question and ability to talk to the final 2. Perhaps, the biggest win for the first member of the jury is you hold the title of “Biggest Threat from the Outnumbered Tribe”. The season 1 winner of this newly thought of award was Greg. He, like Alicia, the Season 2 winner, were major threats to the tribe with the numbers. As a result, you get voted out first and at least get to say that even though your tribe was outnumbered, you were considered the biggest threat and thus had to be out first and first on the jury.

AWARDS

1 - Biggest Move

Congrats to Colby. His lie to Jerri makes her feel like she is in a comfortable position, yet the one who really is in a comfortable position is Colby. Colby is in the majority (Ogakor) and the majority within the majority (Tina, Keith, and Colby). Well played cowboy!

2 - Biggest Mistake

Alicia. I know that it is season 2. I know that it is still very much a social experiment. I know the game is very predictable. But, getting to know Alicia over 8 episodes and seeing her fangs come out at Kimmi way back when, I can’t help but feel like she should have tried harder to blow it up. Call out Jerri. Call out Ogakor. Expose people. Do something other than think that you or Nick are going to go tonight.

3 - Challenge Corner

Boomerang vs. Rope Squares

Easy one. The boomerang challenge has the cultural significance. Even though everyone had a chance, it was a little more of a chance and not a math/numbers game.

4 - Trending Up

I like Elisabeth’s chances of getting further than we think. She may be the last Kucha member left because she is super likeable, attractive, and sweet. But, what I really liked was her trying to expose the crack in Ogakor aka Jerri. Nice to see someone’s back against the wall and they at least try to do something about it.

5 - Trending Down

Jerri. She may be in the tribe with the numbers advantage 5-3, but she is definitely number 5. She is a villain and people don’t enjoy being around her. Also, she got all of Kucha’s votes and thus we know those votes will keep coming. Ogakor can even vote Jerri out before voting out the rest of Kucha and still keep the numbers advantage.

6 - Hatch Award

Colby wins gold here lying to Jerri and not “losing sleep over it”. Silver goes to Elisabeth for spotting the crack in Ogakor and trying to expose it. Let's round it out with a bronze medal to Rodger for taking up the Richard Hatch method of trying to fish his way further into the game.

7 - Best Screenshot

Keith loving a Jerri-less meal at Barramundi. Hulu.

When cooking rice on Survivor is more stressful than cooking for 2 presidents.

8 - Best Quote

“Jerri doesn’t deserve to win this thing, if for no other reason, simply because of the way she has treated the people around her.” - Colby

Usually people like a villain. Deep down they want to keep them around and are rooting for them on some level because they are likeable enough. (ex: Tony Soprano, Walter White) But, Jerri, NOPE.

9 - Who won the episode?
Want to give it to Elisabeth for stepping up but Colby’s power move takes the cake and the episode. He is the strongest player in the game and in the strongest position. In episode 8, he flexed both of those muscles for all to see.

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