Redemption Island Episode 11: Deer In The Headlights

Steve apologises to Phillip. Phillip doesn't think it was genuine and would like to see Steve go next. As we all know, the feeling is mutual. But Phillip is staying around if Rob has anything to do with it. "He's under my protection" he says.

Phillip has a premonition that he's going to find his shorts. And you know what? He does, which is actually pretty impressive. He can't wait to see Julie at the next duel wearing them.

Matt hits his lowest point

On Redemption Island, Julie and Mike notice Matt is at breaking point. He's sitting by himself, and crying in confessionals. When he arrives at the arena, he admits to Jeff that he's ready to go home. He's still going to try, though. The duel is shuffleboard. Mike scores with his first two shots to take the lead, then Matt scores next. Julie and Matt both score again, before Matt wraps it up with the 3rd and final point. It's now between Julie and Mike. Julie gets another puck in the end zone but knocks her old one out. Mike scores and saves himself, Julie goes home. She displays a mixture of emotions as she leaves - she's disappointed she didn't win the money because of her financial problems, but Matt's story has inspired her to find a church and get involved.

Andrea would be happy to work with Matt again if he came back, but some of his glances to her at the duel makes her think he might not be so happy. She tells the group she feels guilty for the state he's in and Rob tries to make her feel better. Grant tells Rob that Andrea is the first one he wants out when it gets down to the six of them.

Is Andrea on the chop block?

Ralph fights for survival

The immunity challenge involves staying on a log. Grant and Rob is the first matchup, which Grant wins. "I love you, Rob" he pines. Then Ashley defeats Andrea, and Ralph beats Steve. Phillip beats Natalie, which was somewhat of a surprise, and the remaining four get new match-ups. Grant beats Ashley, and Ralph beats Phillip to force an Ometepe vs Zapatera final. Ralph gives him a good match, but Grant wins immunity, and the reward of a cake. He gets to pick two people to eat with, so of course he picks Rob. His next pick was smart, though - Andrea. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Natalie seemed to be in a sulk about the choice though. Jeff tosses Steve a mystery package, promising a twist at tribal council.

Ashley speculates on the upcoming twist

Rob thinks Ralph is a bigger threat than Steve, who appears to be out of the game. This makes him think maybe it might be a good time to get rid of Andrea, one spot early. If the package involves a second boot, he tells the girls to vote for Andrea.

Steve approaches Natalie and Ashley, and tells them if they vote for Rob they can shake the game up and take control. They don't even entertain that idea for a moment. But when Rob hears about it, he starts thinking maybe Steve isn't down and out yet. Change of plan: Andrea might be spared.

At tribal council, Andrea reveals that he has confidence in her alliance. D'oh! Ralph and Steve both say they think it will be Ralph tonight. Grant and Phillip reveal they don't buy Steve is as defeated as he claims. Steve brings up Lex from All-Stars and how ruthless Rob was then. I love callbacks to Survivor history!

Ralph does indeed get the boot, despite Steve making a final push for Rob's boot. He almost forgets his torch as he leaves, too. Steve opens the package and it reveals there will indeed be another immunity challenge straight away and that someone will be joining Ralph.

Keep the faith, Andrea

The challenge is a memory game. The Jurors, Julie and David, are rooting for Steve. Phillip and Natalie go out first. Grant and Andrea are next. Steve is still in contention with just three people left, but gets the next one wrong and Rob wins immunity. Andrea goes up to vote for Steve and says "go Ometepe!" But will the alliance hold? Turns out it does, Steve goes home, and Andrea survives, with no idea how close she came to being blindsided.

So, now the old Ometepe are down to the final six and must eat eachother. Will it get nasty? Is Andrea doomed? And what's the term for a 4-way duel, a Quadruel?

STAR OF THE WEEK: GRANT MATTOS

Another challenge won, but more importantly, he's now clearly the only one of Rob's underlings thinking ahead to the endgame. Whether his strategy of sticking with Rob will be a winning one, only time will tell. I predict probably not.

Redemption Island Episode 10: Rice And Race

Now I'm starting to feel bad for Matt. He wants out of the game but isn't quitting because Jesus wasn't a quitter. His mind is blown when David turns up on Redemption Island. The three of them start debating the possibilities of what comes next - and the correct word for a three-way duel. A truel?

Anyway, Steve has had a change of heart and wants to stay. Good for him. Phillip, who we now know is a Buddhist, continues meditating. But now he's upset that the Zapateras have much more rice than the Ometepes, on account of there being less of them. Julie is able to take 7 scoops of rice a day. Phillip, dubbed the rice police by Rob, decides to take some whilst Julie and Steve are collecting tree mail.

Mike's looking to stay on Redemption Island for a while

They all attend the duel, and Jeff reveals only one person will be leaving at the end of the challenge. Seems a bit pointless to have a three-way challenge, then. Rob does not like hearing that the loser will still make the jury. Having Matt there could be very damaging for him. The challenge is to build a tower of cards. Mike gets off to the early lead, with David starting the slowest. One card away from victory, Mike moves carefully, to avoid knocking down his whole stack. He stands his lone tile on the edge, and wins the challenge. Matt isn't far behind. David loses, and is visibly upset at having to leave the game.

Steve's condescending point at Phillip. Love it!

When the tribe get back from the challenge, Andrea notices their rice has maggots in it. They dump the rice out on a blanket and throw away the container and the bad rice. Andrea asks if they can put it in Steve's pot. He refuses. This makes Phillip very irate and pulls the race card when Steve calls him crazy. Andrea tries to calm him down but is told to shut up. Steve salutes Phillip when he goes on another speech about his service to the country. The N word is thrown around a lot. Grant provides the only levity, saying "it's like watching divorce court". Why can't they show this side of his personality more often?

Ashley hits the deck

The immunity challenge involves making puzzles, but first there was a very fun bit where the contestants have to spin around to unscrew the wheel, causing dizziness. Andrea took the lead, but the first person to finish stage one was Rob. Julie was next, with Ralph and Andrea third and fourth. Two spots left. Steve surprisingly pulls it out, and Grant manages to just pip Phillip to the post. "God, I suck" says Ashley. Stage 2, and it's between Rob, Steve and Andrea. Rob manages to win immunity, with Steve surprisingly just seconds away. A really good effort by the old man, after sitting out the last one.

Zapatera are hoping to get a few people to vote off Phillip tonight. Julie hides Phillip's shorts. This makes Phillip mad again, and he sharpens the machete in his underwear very menacingly. Rob has enough numbers to take out Phillip or any of the Zapateras. "Nobody should have this much power, but I'm very grateful that I do" he comments.

Ashley is "over Phil"

A tribal council turned therapy session begins when Phillip uses his secret agent senses to deduce that it was Steve who took his shorts. Great work, Columbo! The racial accusations are brought up, and Jeff has to play mediator. Phillip did a better job of explaining himself, but I still thought Jeff gave his nonsense far too much credence. Steve barely got a chance to defend himself, not that he should have anything to answer for. I actually felt bad for the guy. Phillip drama is usually fun, but this one was just awkward.

Julie owns up

At the end of the counselling session, a ceasefire is reached, and Julie admits she took the shorts. Phillip, knowing he could've talked himself out of it says if it's him tonight he will accept his fate. The votes come in and it's Julie's time to go to Redemption Island. Didn't see that coming. "I guess you'll never find those shorts" she says.

A very ugly episode draws to a close, with Phillip and Steve both still around. Let's hope for some more peaceful times next week.

STAR OF THE WEEK: STEVE WRIGHT

I actually never thought I would ever give Steve an award, but he kept a cool head when he came under fire from Phillip and actually handled him pretty well. A much improved challenge performance was also noted.

Redemption Island Episode 9: The Rob Zombies

Matt arrives home, clearly embarrassed at his own stupidity. Mike and David discuss the move that Rob made, saying it was like a hit out of a mob movie. Julie feels sorry for Matt, thinking it was cold-blooded.

Rob's not even letting them go to the bathroom now?

Ashley struggles to understand Ralph asking if he's on the chopping block. He tells her he'd rather vote for her than Boston Rob if she gets to the top three. Rob comes up with a "buddy system", so that nobody talks to anybody alone. Geez, what a control freak. Don Mariano is trying to encourage the segregation between the two groups. Natalie tattles on Ashley about what Ralph said. Because of that, Rob decides that Ashley is not going to make the final three. "And it's because of you. You have to tell me everything" he says.

Chief Sheppard, the enlighted one

Phillip turns up at the immunity challenge with a feather. He says he asked for a sign and out of nowhere, the feather appeared. Right. The challenge has three phases, and it's knockout. The first phase is to dig up a club and smash a tile. The first six through are Grant, Rob, Ralph, Mike, David and Julie. On the water spitting part, the three that advance are Grant, Mike and David...Rob just missing out. Now onto the puzzle. Surely master puzzlemaker David has this in the bag? No, he's actually a distant third. Grant wins immunity. Probably the first of many.

Mike and David dig by the flagpole, wondering if an immunity idol is under it. Phillip sees it and runs over, with Rob soon to follow. There isn't one, but Mike thinks it's funny to fuck with them, so keeps implying he has it. The council of Ometepe debate who to vote off, and there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus.

"Phil, you are one odd duck"

Zapatera spend tribal council taking potshots at Phillip, and say they think he's on the bottom of the alliance. Phillip preaches love for his new family, claiming he loves being on the bottom. He also reveals his Native American roots, regaling another tall story about how his grandfather came to him during meditation and gave him good luck. Julie brings up Matt, who "thought he was your family too". Ralph hopes for a feather of his own, but according to Phillip "it takes courage and determination and knowing when to hold your tongue to get a feather". Anyway, the Zaps vote for Phillip, and the rest vote for Mike. Mike heads to Redemption Island to face Matt.

Back at camp, Rob hugs Phillip and whispers in his ear that he's not at the bottom, he's at the top. Rob reveals his ideal final three, and that's him, Phillip and Natalie. Phillip gives his first indication that he's putting on an act. Ralph tries to talk to Phillip and convince him Rob is gonna win the game despite David urging him to be careful, but Phillip isn't budging at all.

The remaining ten arrive at the next challenge - but first, they must decide if they will eat or compete! Only two people sit out, and that's Phillip...and Steve, what the hell? The guy has given up. So the eight competing hang over the pool by the rail, knowing if they fall, they lose immunity. Rob loses his hat, and starts struggling, before becoming the first one to drop. Phillip and David get into a bit of a slanging match. Now having to use their legs only, Julie soon drops. Grant and Ralph are next. The three little girls are left to hold the fort against David. When David drops, Andrea asks for it to be given to her.

Girl power!

Ralph finds a whole bunch of fish in his net. Rob assesses the haul, and says they're

dead, so they shouldn't eat them. But really, it's just about not wanting his tribe to have

An Ometepe with an independent thought? GASP!

any social contact with the enemy. So Ralph and his friends sit in their shelter and eat the fish, with Rob's group obediently ignoring them. Grant wanders over for a piece, which does not please Rob. "I'm my own man, I make my own decisions" Grant says. I wish he'd show more of that side, as Rob is (now literally) leading him by the hand.

If it wasn't established at the challenge, Steve is a useless lump, who only wants to sleep. He's an old man and he's showing it. Rob says voting him off would be a "mercy killing". Continuing the mafia analogy again.

At tribal council, Phillip gives another hilarious breakdown of his Stealth alliance. Ralph has a go at him for sitting out. I'm loving the Phillip/Ralph rivalry, long may it continue. Julie brings up how much control Rob has, saying "it's not even a tribe, it's a cult!". David shows a sense of humor when he writes down Rob's name four times and says "counts as 4 votes". But it's to no avail, as he becomes the next person sent to Redemption Island, to face Matt and Mike.

The vote-off seemed like a formality, but it can't be long before somebody listens to Julie and makes a move. Rob is starting to show signs of arrogance, and pride always comes before a fall.

STAR OF THE WEEK: PHILLIP SHEPPARD

Every time it seems like his shit is getting old, he comes up with something new and equally hilarious. What's great is that he now seems to have the best chance of anyone of getting to the final three. If it's all a con, it's the best con ever.

Redemption Island Episode 8: Fool Me Once...

Steve comments on how Sarita took it like a champ. They're now hoping to even the score at the next challenge. Sarita tells Matt which Zapateras are worth aligning with, and gives Mike in particular a glowing review. Matt starts contemplating the chance to flip.

After getting the news that everybody will be attending the duel, the tribes assume a merge is coming. Mike is looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Boston Rob. Phillip is now once again best friends with Rob. Let's see how long that will last.

Winner takes it all: Matt and Sarita in a contest of sheer willpower

Matt is worried that the cut on his foot will impede him in the duel, so he hopes it's not an endurance challenge. The competitors arrive at the arena with a full house and Jeff tells them the winner of the duel goes back into the game. He then reveals...it's an endurance challenge, and Matt winces. The pair have to brace themselves with their arms against two walls, and stand on small footholds. First to drop goes home. Matt has to fight through the pain, getting a Samurai story from Phillip for inspiration. Just when it starts getting really intense, Sarita drops.

So that's it, Matt is back in the game. Not the news that Zapatera or Rob wanted to hear, but it really is fitting that the Jesus kid gets resurrected. Jeff tells everyone to drop their buffs, they're merged. The twelve remaining contestants all take their black buffs and leave the arena.

Last supper: The merged tribe feast as one happy family

So they arrive at their new camp to find a feast waiting for them. Rob comes up with the new tribe name - "Murlonio". He claims it means something to do with the sea, but it's actually an inside joke between him and Amber.

So, the gang start working on the new shelter. Fun fact: This is the first time since Australia (season 2) that they've started anew instead of just moving into the better camp. Matt asks Grant what happened with his vote-off, and Grant tells him they were paranoid about him joining up with Kristina.

Mike wants to make a ballsy move and approach Matt and Andrea to swap sides. He's even willing to give up members of his own tribe to make it happen. It makes sense for him to flip, but will he do it this early in the game?

Andrea is excited at the prospect of being bad

First night in the new (unfinished) shelter. The Zapatera side is leaky, leaving everyone wet. The Ometepe side keeps everyone dry. Like they needed to rub their superiority in any more. Matt and Andrea spend the night reconnecting like lost loves, and Matt says he wants to turn on his old tribe down the road. Andrea has no problem with that.

Mike reads a passage in Matt's bible. This is a smart way to increase his rapport with him. Rob sees it and he doesn't like it, and for that, Mike is his first target if he doesn't win immunity.

The first individual immunity challenge involves balancing balls on a plate. One wrong move, and it's over. Phillip struggles, but the first person out is Julie. Ashley and David are the next out on two balls, followed by Andrea and Grant on three balls. Challenge expert Matt then loses his balls (foreshadowing?), causing Boston Rob to throw his plate down straight after him. Hmmm. Phillip drops out, leaving Natalie and the three Zapatera guys. Ralph and Steve fumble, but Mike is refusing to budge at all. A fly lands on Mike's ball and we see his first sign of movement. Natalie wins the challenge. Who'd have thought it? Well, the challenge was built for someone small and light.

Natalie shakes her booty as she shows off her new necklace

Mike asks Ralph for the idol as he thinks he might be in the crosshairs. He thinks targeting Rob might be too obvious, so goes for his right-hand man Grant instead. Matt meanwhile has decided he is too moral to flip...so tells Rob all about the plan he had to blindside him! No! What are you doing? Rightfully, this causes Rob to distrust him, so starts planning his return to Redemption Island. Rob's alliance are a little reluctant to vote Matt out again, but they go with it as they know he is playing both sides. Even Andrea agrees to it, as she was upset at how Matt implicated her in the double-cross. Mike sends Matt a note promising him final 3 if he votes for Grant. Will he do it?

David gives credit where credit is due

At tribal council, David admits he threw the challenge, causing Phillip to rant about how his tribe will never not try. Ralph plays his idol on Mike. Julie thinks they're doomed when Matt's vote comes back for Steve, but then the Matt votes pile up and Matt realises he's just been duped again. Torch snuffed, Matt ends the episode where he began.

A cruel move that couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, but it's no less than he deserves. He played the game with a dangerous level of naivety, and this time even his main ally cut him loose. But the one thing he is good at...is challenges. He got a second chance and blew it, his third chance starts here.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MIKE CHIESL

Up until the last 10 minutes, Matt was an absolute lock for this award...that quickly went down the drain. No, Mike is the star this week. He made bold moves and extended the olive branch, and could have won immunity if not for that damn fly. His plan was smart, and it's not his fault Matt wasn't.