November 9, 2006: And Then There Were Four
Well, well, well. The show is getting interesting again. The
Mutiny on the Bounty theme added a much-needed jolt to the Cook Islands
Survivor. Jeff tossed out this new twist just before the reward challenge and, through the magic of editing, just after Jonathan and Candice chatted about breaking up their alliance of six. The offer? Mutiny. With ten seconds to decide, castaways could switch tribes. The only takers? Candice and Jonathan - thus leaving Aitu shorthanded with only four members to Raro's now eight.
Not only did this move piss Aitu off, but it also lit a fire under them. With half the numbers, Aitu went on to win both reward and immunity challenges, forcing Raro to tribal council. Aitu expressed its displeasure clearly by sending mutineer No. 1, Candice, to Exile Island. Jonathan worked his mojo as Raro's newest member by talking up Adam and doing all of the grunt work. While his new tribe relaxed to the sound of his working, Jonathan's former tribe bonded as if they had showered in Fixodent.
Yul, Becky, Ozzy and Sundra shared in a good cry and a group hug while ensconced in terry cloth bathrobes and dining on delectables. Methinks the pecking order that Aitu was working out last week has been turned on its ear. I loved how Sundra broke down in tears after winning the reward. The mutinous betrayal was a surprising move, and it was nice to see some real emotion on the show.
Nate had a million one-liners this week, though many of them had to do with poop. What surprised me most on Raro was the vote. Yet again, another Raro member did not see it coming. Brad was sent packing, and he didn't seem to mind. He's happy with making the jury and no longer having to sleep outdoors.
From a strategic standpoint, why are Rebecca, Jenny and Nate
not worried? Hello? You just got invaded by two members of the original Raro tribe; now the old gang is back together, and you are outnumbered. This should be interesting. I'm just waiting for that light bulb to go on. All I can say is Candice made a risky move by stepping out of Aitu, but it is working for her so far. She's playing both Adam and Jonathan just as Parvati has been playing Nate. Men - they're so easy. I expect Rebecca and Jenny to catch on to what's happening, but it may be too late to save themselves - unless, of course, there's a merge real soon.
Will Rebecca and Jenny be able to break into the Aitu four, or will they be completely on their own now? Are Yul and Becky still loyal to Candice and Jonathan, or did that alliance jump ship, too? Is Sundra now fully in Yul's alliance? Does Ozzy have a chance? So many questions! I'm excited again to see what's going to happen.
Let's talk about the challenges. That cannonball one was very clever, and it made everyone have to work together. Jonathan was walking farther and farther down the gangplank with every shot he missed; yet he's still in the game. Amazing. And you have to admire the guy for calling Jeff out on his over-active commentary. The barrel challenge looked uncomfortable and I'm sure those who rolled along inside have the bruises to prove it.
Though we viewers were spared the bruising ride, we do have the challenge of keeping up with a show that reinvents itself every three weeks. I'm a total sucker for the underdog, but that dog keeps changing. I've been rooting for Raro recently. But tonight I was all about Aitu, and they didn't let me down. I hope they can keep their momentum going next week when the show's theme will be
Master and Commander.
Kidding.
