Caramoan Episode 5: The Meltdown

The Fans are optimistic that they can turn things around, even though Sherri still admits she didn't want to vote out Laura. Michael is glad Reynold wasted his idol, because he didn't want him to have it.

Brandon talks about his family back home and how he feels selfish for leaving them. He then volunteers to be voted out at the next tribal council. He also apologises for his plans of sabotage, as the rest of the tribe nervously play down the fact they dodged a bullet. Corinne wants him out. The next day however, Brandon's feeling differently and takes back his quit, claiming we're going to see an "intense" Brandon. Exciting.

Michael tries to hold on

The challenge is to toss coconuts into the other tribe's net, and the last net holder standing wins reward for their tribe. Phillip and Brandon hold the nets for Bikal, Michael and Matt are holding for Gota. Phillip's tactics of yelling every time someone throws a coconut to put them off and make them miss seem to be working. Brandon is the first one to drop out of the challenge. Matt follows afterwards. It's between Phillip and Michael, and Michael drops out giving the Favorites the win.

Reynold scores a second!

Back at camp, Sherri is mad that the fans are still losing and that nothing has changed despite everyone claiming it would. They all go out on an idol hunt, but the man who finds it is the one no-one wanted...Reynold again. This time, he doesn't want it to get outed, although he does tell Eddie about it.


So as the Favorites sit down to eat a meal prepared by Brandon, he starts to get a little irked by Phillip bragging that he was the one who won the challenge. They then get into an argument over the tiniest thing, like what to do with the shelter. Brandon has always hated Phillip, and doesn't think he can hold back anymore, because Phillip's controlling nature when explaining himself is just pissing him off even more.

Urge to kill...rising

The Fans are feeling pretty low. Matt's feet are so waterlogged they look like "a dead person's feet". Michael is depressed that they're failing on all levels of Survivor. The other tribe are kicking their ass, and now so are the elements.

Brandon getting stir crazy

The Favorites aren't happy either, though. Phillip wants to throw the next immunity challenge because Brandon is going nutso and he's not comfortable around him. Brandon finds out about it from Andrea, and confronts Phillip, who nervously tries to explain to him that he can't trust him anymore. Brandon snaps and pours the rice out to the rest of the tribe's horror, yelling that he's finally given them a reason to vote him out. The Favorites don't think they can play with Brandon anymore, but Dawn knows you should never give immunity away.

The two tribes turn up to the challenge. Reynold talks about how he thinks the Favorites must be having a good old time at their camp due to the winning streak. Erik sadly shakes his head, as this couldn't be further from the truth. Brandon steps off his mat and talks about how he's giving the Fans a chance to get back into the game. They act confused, and then when Corinne announces the Favorites are forfeiting the challenge, the confusion turns to shock.

It starts getting really heated when Brandon goes off on Phillip, throwing all sorts of insults at him, so Probst has to separate him from the rest of them. Jeff tries to get him to explain himself, and Brandon says he swore when he came out here to play again he'd never let himself get walked over like he did on South Pacific. Phillip gets a chance to respond and he says he has no idea where this is coming from. Andrea is crying because she doesn't like the meanness. Phillip and Brandon exchange more words, and

He sure knows how to make an exit

Probst has to massage Brandon to calm him down. Dawn is really stressed out and doesn't want to be here because of how awkward it is. Probst brings up the Russell connection, and Brandon talks about how he's proud that Hantzes speak their minds. Phillip starts to lose his cool and really enrages Brandon when he brings up Brandon's kids.


So, Erik hands over the idol to Julia and the Fans are officially safe. Reynold wants a victory salute. Jeff decides to hold tribal council right there. Brandon verbally and loudly votes for Phillip. Everybody else on the tribe votes for Brandon. Brandon is out of the game and walks off behind the challenge structure, but not before giving Phillip one last shot, calling him a bitch. The Favorites breathe a huge sigh of relief and depart the challenge arena to go back to camp, as do the Fans.

And thus closes one of the most extraordinary chapters in Survivor history. I've never seen anything so enthralling and uncomfortable in equal measure. Brandon is definitely better off out of the game, his tribe are definitely better off without him, and the Fans are just happy none of them are going home. So at the end of the day, everyone got what they wanted.

STAR OF THE WEEK: BRANDON HANTZ

This whole episode was about Brandon. His hot-headedness and rice-throwing exploits may not have made him a "star" in the traditional way, but if his goal was to make a scene for the cameras and go out on his own terms, then he definitely succeeded.