Kaoh Rong Episode 2: Game Suicide

Alecia promises her tribe an improved effort as Scot asks "now do you trust us?" Well, the answer is not really, and nor should it be otherwise, given that they were talking shit about her pretty excessively all through tribal council. Jenny and Alecia try to start a fire, but are only able to produce an "embryo"...another classic Alecia-ism.

So close yet so far

The Beauty tribe go fishing and leave Tai behind at camp. Tai goes back into idol-hunting mode, and thinks he finds it at the base of a tree. After reading the note, it turns out he needs a key to open a box...and it's at the top of a really tall tree. Tai gives it a good go, and even cuts open his feet, but he can't quite reach it and has to retreat. Bummer.

Pyromaniac Neal starts a fire with the matches they won, and Liz is eager to get some water boiled. Debbie considers herself the water expert as that was one of her many jobs, and starts bragging about her immune system. Peter talks about how someone as annoying as Debbie is someone you want to keep around as long as possible, whilst she continues to make a spectacle of herself by waving palm fronds.

Tai is trying a new strategy following his unsuccessful idol mission: using his charm to stick around. He begins by flirting with Caleb. And despite them disagreeing on many things, like whether or not to kill a bee, Caleb is enjoying the company of such a unique individual. They even almost share a kiss.

Joe accidentally spills the Brains tribe's kerosene, making starting a fire impossible. Liz is upset about this, but Joe is pretty pissed at Liz for being a know-it-all, and rants about the useless contraptions she's invented. Liz takes a moment to herself where she cries, as she badly needs water.

Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink

Blondie beats the cavemen at their own game

Brawn can't get fire either, even with flint. Alecia decides to keep at it, and despite the men scoffing at her, she finally gets a spark after 5 hours whilst they're lying on their asses. Jason helps stop it go out just in time to grab partial credit. Now they can cook a chicken and are up and running.

Basically Jesus

The immunity challenge is to carry a log down river and through an obstacle course, then to use a slingshot to fire a ball into two targets. Caleb leads the way and is first to reach the log, as Jason gets there for Brawn also. Debbie is cheerleading again, this time from the sidelines. It looks like they need it as Brains fall pretty far behind carrying the log and look lethargic when they arrive the obstacle course. Beauty have the lead going into the slingshot, and Caleb hits a target first. Peter and then Scot tie it up, leaving this as anyone's game. Caleb nets Beauty a win, with Peter edging out Scot to second. Brawn are going back to tribal council.

Even though Alecia had nothing to do with the challenge loss, Jason and Scot are still talking about her as their cut-and-dry easy boot, with Jason even comparing the girl to an ostrich. Jenny starts to get annoyed with Jason's constant shit-talking, and considers changing up the plan. Offering Alecia a lifeline, Jenny tells her the girls need to get out some of the muscle while they can. But just when things look set for girl power to take over, Jenny backtracks on the move when she decides she doesn't want to alienate Scot, and Cydney seems turned off by her indecision.

Oh captain, my captain

At tribal council, Alecia says she thinks she's proved herself now, which Jason is still snickering at. Jenny talks about how plans were up in the air after the challenge, which gets a concerned reaction from Scot. As Jenny tries to explain herself, she ends up arguing with Alecia over who started the girls alliance. Jason finds it strange that anyone would admit to almost going back on their alliance, as Jenny tearfully pleads for their original 4 to stick together...even standing up on her seat.

After the votes are read, Jenny is somehow sent home, as Alecia grins at having miraculously dodged a bullet. Wow, what a crazy turn of events. I'm pretty sure Jenny walked into tribal council completely safe and talked herself into getting the boot. Just goes to show how fragile your position in the game can be sometimes.

STAR OF THE WEEK: ALECIA HOLDEN

It's easy to mock the mental giant, but she achieved an impressive redemption this episode that she didn't get enough credit for. I doubt anyone expected her to be the one to start fire, and she also proved she had game when she got in on Jenny's plan and then cut her when she saw which way the wind was blowing. Can she keep it up? Based on what I just watched, anything's possible!

Kaoh Rong Episode 1: The Bloodbath Begins

We start with the contestants on a boat (where Nick is practically hanging off the edge), as Jeff promises us the toughest 39 days in the show's history. They're already sitting in their tribes, so they all know exactly what to do when Jeff rings the bell and tells them to start grabbing stuff. A mad scramble ensues, where Caleb takes a heroic dive into the water to grab a chicken Nick lost. Tai is doing his part to save the birds too, as an animal lover.  As they row away on their rafts, Debbie is already bossing people around.

The Presidential entourage

The Brawn tribe arrive on their beach, and Alecia is already sticking out as the weakest link. Her resume isn't exactly as impressive as the bodybuilder or the basketball player. Debbie makes herself a target on Brains (is anybody shocked?) by rattling off her long list of jobs/skills, but then not being able to produce fire when it counts.

We check in with the Beauty tribe now, and the girls are already getting along swimmingly. The guys...not so much. Caleb isn't really sure why Tai is on the Beauty tribe, though his inner beauty is certainly shining through. He's a such a gentle soul, he even feels bad for the tree Caleb is chopping up.

Shit happens: When you gotta go, you gotta go

Brawn are hauling rocks as Jason feels a sunburn. He's also not impressed with the lack of effort "blondie" is putting in. Damn, he hasn't even learned her name. Alecia is slated as the first target as Scot tells him he wants to work with him and Jenny. But truthfully, Jason just wants alliances with everyone, shaking hands with Cydney as well. Cydney makes some more deals of her own, as her and Darnell decide to align.

The cowboy's cover is blown

The Beauty tribe's chickens have escaped and Nick has to recapture them. Tai comes up with a system to tie them together, in order to prevent them from fleeing. Anna talks to Julia about how much she likes Tai and that he could potentially be their 4th vote. That would quite a twist, if the girls ended up taking over the game. Caleb's past has also come out as Julia has rumbled him for being on Big Brother. It probably won't have much of an impact on his game though, as anyone who watched him knows that he's a loyal player.

Neal and Liz are becoming annoyed by Debbie, and form an alliance with Peter and Aubry that excludes the tribe elders. On Beauty, Tai is also making himself stand out, by blatantly searching for the idol and ripping out trees. Huh, I guess his love of foliage only extends so far. When he is caught by Nick and Anna, he decides not to even bother denying what he was doing. Now he's gone from potentially in the in-crowd to potential first target.

Caught green-handed

Aubry is getting beaten down by the heat and ends up having a bit of a mental breakdown. Debbie consoles her as she cries, and she seems particularly worried about having given off a bad impression. Justifiably so it seems, as Liz claims to be a lot more wary of her than she was before.

Sorry to bug you

At night, Jenny gets a bug in her ear that is causing her immense pain and discomfort. It continues into the next day, and her tribe are worried she might not even be able to play in the challenge. Scot gets a good look at it and is able to pull it out, as Cydney stands by yelling "ewwww" - I'm sure that was a great help. Jenny feels herself again now, and is ready to kick ass for her tribe.

Battle of the boats

For the immunity challenge, the tribes have to pull up paddles and use them to take their boat to shore. Once there, they have to put wheels on the boat and drag it. Then they must choose between a puzzle and a balance contest. Aubry steps up and takes the diver role - really? When she's just had a meltdown? The challenge begins and Michele's diving gives Beauty a lead, whereas Darnell loses his tribe's goggles almost immediately. Jenny is forced to take over, but it's tough without the mask. Aubry and Tai both do a solid job and Beauty have an early lead with Brains in second. Jason finally gets the last paddle after being left in the dust, but they're able to catch up when the other two tribes struggle with the boat. All three tribes opt for the puzzle: Liz and Aubry for Brains, Jenny and Alecia for Brawn, Julia and Anna for Beauty. Scot switches out for Alecia when she struggles. Brains win the challenge and the race for second place comes down to one last piece...Beauty narrowly edge it out. Brawn are going to the first tribal.

Post-challenge, Darnell and Alecia both apologize for their mistakes. Scot sees Darnell's blunder as the biggest and wants him out but Alecia is doing everything she can to make him reconsider...talking too much, getting paranoid and even implying she has the idol when he asks about it. Cydney would still rather Darnell stay, and is gonna do everything she can at tribal council to push for Alecia to get the boot.

Scot might be doing this a lot

Jason pulls no punches at tribal, saying he's generally happy with the tribe he got but openly names the two weakest links. Darnell makes no excuses but says that at least he tried, although Scot is pissed at him for taking the role over someone who would've done it correctly. Alecia makes her case that's she a mental giant, to which Cydney reacts with bemusement. Probst asks Darnell about his struggles back home, and the postal worker turns on the tears. This gets through to his tribe, particularly Jenny, who are now considering switching the vote.

We get to the vote, and Alecia even proves herself incompetent at that, failing to take the cap off the pen before writing. It ends up being a 3-3 tie, just to make them suffer a bit more. On the revote, the pendulum swings towards Darnell, and he ends up getting snuffed. Damn, I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone attract as much disdain as Alecia this early and survive ...though I'm kinda rooting for her now, since the rest of the tribe are being such assholes to her. How long she can hang on is up for debate, however.

STAR OF THE WEEK: AUBRY BRACCO

Aubry made an awesome turnaround from her day 2 breakdown to go out and take a commanding role in the challenge and pull out a win. This is a season where everybody is gonna have to show strength, and Aubry has done that.

Kaoh Rong cast assessment

Kaoh Rong follows the old adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" by borrowing the brains vs brawn vs beauty theme that made Cagayan such a success. But whilst the theme might not be original, the cast definitely is. Gardeners, bounty hunters, ice cream moguls...they found people from all walks of life.

CHANLOH - THE BRAINS TRIBE

Aubry Bracco

Aubry immediately struck me as the Sophie type, but watching her interview, she might actually have more in common with Shirin. She's also hoping to prove she's more than just booksmart and use her quirkiness to endear the other castaways to her (I guess in a way Shirin failed to do). Does she have enough life experience though? She lists managing a company's Facebook page as if it's something impressive.

Joe Del Campo

Don't expect this badass 72-year-old former FBI agent to be the Rudy-like curmudgeon...he actually appears to be a super nice guy. His interview wasn't as interesting as his life story, but I think Joe actually has an outside shot to do well. He shouldn't be targeted early like most older people, just because he looks to be in good shape.

Liz Markham

A quantitative strategist with really good grades, Liz prides herself on being smart. But she's also super pretty and looks relatively athletic too. She might just be the most well-rounded player in the cast and if she's able to slip under the radar the way she wants, I'm very high on her chances.

Peter Baggenstos

This handsome guy is an ER Doctor, and his interview was surprisingly funny and articulate...particularly when he talked about how he hates being compared to Obama. I don't know if I really saw winner potential though...his comment about having an ego was a minor red flag.

Debbie Wanner

The very idea of a "female Coach" is enough to perk any Survivor fan's interest, and Debbie looks like she's going to be a larger-than-life character. From her huge laundry list of jobs to that tiger bathing suit, everything about her stands out. Weirdos rarely go that far though, and I'm still too devastated by Vince's early boot to get truly invested in her.

Neal Gottlieb

Neal gets the award for most long-winded bio, that's for sure. But he seems to have done a lot with his life, being a successful businessman and world traveler. As a fan of show, he should have a good handle on the strategy side, and he's also apparently in better shape than he looks too.

TOTANG - THE BRAWN TRIBE

Scot Pollard

Can Scot stop the trend of former athletes going early? He comes off very funny and likeable, but that didn't save Cliff Robinson. I didn't get the sense he knows the game very well, so I don't think this "caveman" is a contender.

Cydney Gillon

I may have jumped the gun calling Debbie the crazy of the season - Cyd talks in detail about her alter egos that are gonna "fuck shit up". It's also concerning how she lists Tony as a player she admires for his loyalty. Uhhh...

Kyle Jason

Kyle might just have the coolest job a contestant has ever had on this show - he's a motherfuckin' bounty hunter. As soon as he said Russell Hantz was "the only person who has played the game the way you should", I immediately wrote off his chances of winning, but he could end up being an entertaining antagonist.

Jennifer Lanzetti

Tough girl Jennifer has an undeniable intensity towards her, but I'm curious to see how she mixes with others. If she's too blunt, she could find herself rubbing people up the wrong way.

Darnell Hamilton

Darnell claims that the cutthroat world of being a postal worker is all the experience he needs to do well on Survivor. No, seriously. By his own admission, Darnell is dumb as rocks, but is hoping to get by on his street smarts. I found his video quite funny and endearing, so I hope he does well, even if I can't really see it.

Alecia Holden

Ah yes, the blonde girl that isn't Julia. Despite having an extremely tenuous connection to the Brawn tribe (her dad owned a boxing ring), Alecia has the personality and appearance of a bubbly sorority girl that she totally claims she isn't. Still, there's nothing wrong with that, and I'll give her a chance.

GONDOL - THE BEAUTY TRIBE

Michele Fitzgerald

If I had to pick a favorite person from this cast, it would be Jersey girl Michele. She says she's a big fan of the show, but it didn't stop her picking Parvati as the player she's most like. I can see her going far and I'd love for her to win, but to do that she needs to make sure people take her seriously from the start.

Caleb Reynolds

Caleb (aka "Beastmode Cowboy") becomes the second Big Brother crossover player, but don't expect him to be anywhere near as competent as Hayden. Caleb was known for his outrageous lies, one-sided crushes and constant showboating rather than his strategic prowess. His delusions and narcissm should provide comedy gold, though.

Anna Khait

The most interesting thing about Anna's interview is that she said she's willing to flirt with girls. Oh, and she's a poker player. I definitely don't think she'll be boring though...she could even turn out to be the unexpected trainwreck.

Nick Maiorano

Well, this guy is definitely trying to be a villain, calling himself "terribly manipulative". Can he pull it off? I'm not so sure, I think he comes off a lot more transparent that he realizes and is heading for an early exit.

Julia Sokolowski

Oh look, a young blonde girl who is out to prove there's more to her than being a young blonde girl. We haven't seen that since...Kaoh Rong. It's nice that she's a fan (all three Beauty girls are, surprisingly) but how much damage can she really do fresh out of high school? The last contestant to compare themselves to Natalie Tenerelli in a positive way was Morgan, so...yeah.

Tai Trang

Yau-Man's gay cousin. Tai is instantly fun and loveable and I'll eat my hat if he isn't a massive fan favorite. But like Debbie, I just don't see how he can survive those first few tribal councils if his tribe loses...he sticks out like a sore thumb.

Official winner pick: Liz

The ranking of Survivor seasons *updated with s31*

The game was definitely played at a higher level in Cambodia than perhaps it's ever been played before. Production also upped their game, pulling numerous twists (from multiple swaps to idols in challenges to vote stealers) that kept even the most game-savvy veterans on their toes. In some ways, the season was almost too complex to keep up with at times, and I didn't like how so many recent players made the endgame, but there were certainly enough big moments and characters to make it a top-tier season.

1. Pearl Islands
2. Cook Islands
3. Heroes Vs Villains
4. Micronesia
5. China
6. Cagayan
7. Vanuatu
8. Nicaragua
9. Philippines
10. Cambodia
11. Palau
12. Caramoan
13. Blood Vs Water
14. Worlds Apart
15. Samoa
16. Tocantins
17. All Stars
18. Exile Island
19. Guatemala
20. Gabon
21. San Juan Del Sur
22. Amazon
23. One World
24. Fiji
25. South Pacific
26. Redemption Island
27. Australia
28. Borneo
29. Africa
30. Marquesas
31. Thailand

Cambodia Episode 14: Rewriting History

Who will be the one to get their second chance dream?

Jeff introduces the final episode, promising that it'll be "historic". Not surprising that this cluster-expletive season would have another trick up its sleeve. We have six players left, and all feel like genuine threats to win the game...Jeremy and Kelley have both made big moves, Tasha survived the hell on Angkor, Spencer has mixed strategic maneuvering with personal growth, and both Keith and Kimmi have played strong social games.

Keith is bitching after tribal that he wanted to sit next to Abi at the end, but Spencer just says he's proving they made the right decision to vote her out. It looks like Spencer, Jeremy, Tasha and Kimmi have this on lock, but Kimmi is willing to make a move. She tells Kelley that she'll make her alliance split the vote and then vote out Jeremy or Spencer. Don't sleep on this girl, she's playing the game.

The challenge is to build a staircase out of puzzle planks. Oof, I remember this one being absolutely brutal. The contestants start off pacing themselves, with Spencer tentatively in the lead. Jeremy has the most energy climbing up stairs but is making costly mistakes. Spencer and Kelley tackle the puzzle first, but everyone else is pretty close behind. Kimmi and Keith bring up the rear with Keith using his last plank as a crutch. Spencer pulls out another puzzle win, and secures his spot in the final 5.

Gamer Kimmi emerges

Kimmi talks with Keith at the well to confirm their plan, and she's bursting with excitement, saying they won't expect it. But Spencer and Tasha have noticed her absence, and get even more suspicious when Kelley disappears too. They tell Kimmi they're on board with the vote split, but once she leaves, Spencer says they can't trust her and have to vote together. Jeremy is pretty skeptical that Kimmi has flipped, and decides to let her know people have doubts, but she just turns on the waterworks and it's back to business.

At tribal council, even Kelley and Keith are playing up that it's 4 vs 2 but Spencer throws it out there that him, Tasha and Jeremy are gonna vote together. He whispers to Kelley that it's not her, but she's not sure if she believes it. Kimmi sees her plan has failed and is visibly frustrated.

Double the fun for the idol holders

After the vote, Kelley decides to err on the side of caution and play her idol. Jeremy then plays his idol too. Three votes for Jeremy are read out, as well as three for Kelley - for the first time ever, we have no valid votes at a tribal council. Nuts! They cut to Stephen on the jury several times, who seems to be having a great time watching.

Jeff is now ordering them to revote for either Tasha, Keith or Kimmi and gives them a little discussion time first. Jeremy asks who voted for him (as if it wasn't obvious) and then chastises Kimmi for daring to flip. The vote comes back 3-3 again, and we are deadlocked between Kimmi and Tasha. Jeff then says it's up to the other players to come up with a unanimous decision, and if they can't...Keith will be out by default. Whew, this is a lot to keep track of. Keith is willing to fall on his sword and let Kimmi have it since she's a mom, but Kelley tells him he needs to stay. Therefore, Kimmi ends up going home...and what an epic ending it was.

After tribal, Kelley is trying to hide her disappointment that Kimmi is gone. At least it wasn't her, but nothing has really changed in her situation. The must-win immunity challenge involves taking on a tricky obstacle course complete with nets, before finishing off a cog puzzle. Jeremy is in the lead collecting the bags, whilst Spencer is behind. His strategy to go for the hard ones first means he eventually catches up though. But for once, Spencer stumbles on the puzzle...and its between Kelley and Keith, the two people who need it most. Kelley wins immunity, and Keith is a little sad because this might have sealed his fate.

Keith's obliviousness continues

Even though it won't be their preferred choice of boot, it looks like Tasha, Spencer and Jeremy are staying solid to target Keith. Kelley tries to save Keith's bacon by giving him a fake idol, hoping they'll be paranoid enough to turn on eachother. Jeremy seems the most worried and after a hilarious scene of him trying and failing to get Keith's attention, he mouths at him to vote for Spencer. Keith and Kelley run with this, since it's all they've got.

At tribal council, Tasha confirms nothing has changed since the last vote and that Keith is the obvious boot. Kelley plays into this too, acting flippant, like her vote doesn't matter. Keith lays subtle hints about maybe having a trick up his sleeve, but did he do enough to get the votes off him? No idols (fake or otherwise) are played, and it comes down to the last vote between Keith and Spencer. Keith ends up going home, and you can hear the disappointment of the jury. Wow, I guess he would've won? He gives us one last "golly" on the way out. What a sweetheart.

Wentwasted

The final immunity challenge is to catch balls as they come out of a metal track. It looks tough with one ball, but adding a second makes it even harder. Jeff urges them not to get distracted by the sound...though I'm sure the sound of his commentary was even more irritating. The step up to 4 balls is too much for Kelley and she can't hide her disappointment. With Tasha out next, it's down to Spencer and Jeremy. Jeremy gets the win and is overwhelmed with emotion. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Kelley is crying too, because she knows she's done.

Spencer and Tasha are acting like they're locked in for final three, but both feel at Jeremy's mercy. Spencer is pretty much encouraging Kelley to vote for him, even saying he thinks he can win. Kelley takes his advice and tries to convince Jeremy that Spencer is a good speaker. Jeremy definitely takes this on board, because he doesn't want to take the wrong person to the end and blow it.

The debate turns feisty at tribal council, with Kelley declaring she's voting for Spencer. Spencer goes one step further, saying not only does he think Kelley will win, but he'll personally make sure it happens. Tasha just shuts up, since nobody's talking about her.

Kelley votes Spencer, saying it's the last time she'll write his name down. Oh snap, she mad. Kelley gets voted out but damn, this finale removed any doubt that she was the breakout star of the season for me. I'm so happy she got to do so much badass shit.

A heavyweight final 3 clash

The final three get their meal and get to see themselves in a mirror, to their horror. Tasha is so happy she cries, as this season has been hard as hell. Spencer is happy too but for him, the job isn't over. Jeremy talks about needing to bring it home for Val and the kids.

At final tribal council, Savage is the first to speak. He calls Spencer out for his arrogance at the last tribal and Jeremy for his treatment of Kimmi. Stephen lets Tasha make a case for why she's a strong independent woman and not Jeremy's puppet. Spencer explains to Ciera how he had to backstab a lot because he had no relationships going into the merge. Keith makes Spencer and Jeremy argue for eachother for his vote.

Abi stands up and reads from her notes to ask a question that isn't even that complicated...what was their subtle move of the game? Tasha says connecting with Spencer, Spencer says shifting distrust onto Joe, and Jeremy says looking for idols...is that subtle? Kimmi has beef with both Spencer, for being a bully, and Jeremy, for replacing her in the alliance with Spencer. Tasha proves Joe wrong that she didn't really do anything by saying she was the driving force behind getting him out. Kelly Wiglesworth decides to give a throwback to Borneo and asks the final three to pick a number. Wow, amazing. Even more amazing is the picks...Jeremy, Tasha and Spencer pick 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The odds would heavily favour Spencer here.

That's a wrap, bitches!

Kass only has words for Spencer, saying she thinks his game was a lot like Chaos Kass, who he famously said had zero chance of winning. Spencer explains he's changed a lot since then, and that he's still going to ask for her vote. Kelley is the last to speak, looking drop-dead gorgeous in her red dress, and sums up the season by asking them to explain what their second chance story was. Tasha says it was maintaining relationships. Spencer says it was trying to improve his people skills. Jeremy talks about his family and finally reveals that he's having a son. Mic drop! The jury go to vote, and you can see it on Spencer's face that he feels he's just lost. We don't see any votes and Jeff carries them off, though not on a jet ski like Kass was hoping.

We cut back to LA to see the final three again. Spencer's wearing a hoodie, giving up any pretense he has a shot. Of course, Jeremy wins, but it's by how much that's the shock - all 10 votes, a record blowout. As expected, he makes a beeline for his wife after the reveal and hands the cheque straight over to Val.

STAR OF THE WEEK: JEREMY COLLINS

Jeremy played the exact game he needed to play to get the win. He kept himself surrounded by shields to hide as long as possible, and even found people who were willing to let him get to the end, despite being labeled as a threat. He was strong both strategically and socially, and dropping the son card at the perfect time finished it off.

Reunion notes:

• Lots of love for Kelley - I loved seeing that, obviously. Maybe a third time is on the cards.
• Not sure why Keith is getting grief for not playing the fake idol. What would that even have accomplished?
• I'm sure Probst slobbering over Joe was meant as a joke, but it would've been funnier if it wasn't so close to the truth.
• I feel a little bad for Spencer that he can't even watch his season without regretting taking out Jeremy.
• Very revealing preview for Kaoh Rong - the return of the brains/brawn/beauty twist, several contestants shown by name, and even hints at multiple medevacs. It's enough to get me intrigued, at least.

Cambodia Episode 13: Only The Strong Survive

Kelley is excited that other people will get a chance at winning some immunities now without Joe hogging them. Keith doesn't mind seeing him gone either, he just wishes someone had told him about it, because now Tasha has him in her crosshairs. Jeremy and Spencer are both concerned about the girls teaming up and need to make sure Tasha and Kimmi are with them.

Disaster for Jeremy

The reward challenge is the one where you have to unspool rope, build a bridge and then knock down blocks. The winner will get another trip to a temple. Keith and Spencer get their rope out first and make their bridge. Jeremy gets over too but doesn't have enough rope, and destroys his bridge going back to untangle it. Keith starts knocking his blocks down, and is able to win this challenge for a second time. Asked to pick companions, he chooses Kelley, as she chose him for the last reward. He also picks Spencer but his explanation for that is long-winded and confusing, claiming there's no real logic to it. I can believe that. Tasha seems disappointed, not because she wasn't picked, but because Keith appeared to forget her name at one point. He seemed to remember it at the last tribal.

Keith is the name on everyone's lips back at camp, with two challenge wins in a row making him the new golden boy and obvious next target. Jeremy is a little nervous, because it tips the gender imbalance even further. At the temple, we see Spencer, Keith and Kelley getting a blessing from monks. As with any reward at this point, the topic of making a final three alliance comes up. Spencer thinks they can pull Abi back in to give them 4, and then take out Tasha next.

Bless you!

Tasha asks Abi if she can talk to Jeremy alone, and that seems to get Abi riled up. Having finally reached her limit, Tasha switches her target from Keith to Abi, thinking she's too much of a liability to have around. Jeremy is good with this, since it's one less girl in the game.

Surround without the drown

The immunity challenge is to make it over an obstacle course in the water, retrieve a key and then come back to try and solve the unused 5-piece puzzle from the opening challenge of Worlds Apart. Everyone runs into the water, with Jeremy and Spencer taking an early lead. Spencer is the faster runner/swimmer, but also falls multiple times, giving Jeremy the edge. Tasha takes a long time grabbing her key. When it comes to the puzzle section, Spencer figures it out pretty quickly - like, within seconds - and wins immunity. Meanwhile, Tasha is still in the water and starts calling for help. The medical team pull her out and she lies on the platform for a while but they find nothing wrong with her...it must've been shock more than anything. Kimmi and Abi hold hands, Jeremy and Keith hold a shirt around Tasha, and for one moment, they're all a happy family. Too bad someone's going home tonight.

When all else fails, play the "deserving" card

The plan is still to vote for Tasha, and Keith is threatening to hunt down anyone who doesn't stick to that plan. Tasha tries to get Spencer back on board with booting Abi though, saying it would be a disgrace to let her make the end and a disservice to the fans that voted them in. Whatever Tasha, we voted Abi in too. Spencer goes into tribal stuck between two alliances: the strong, rational players and his army of goats.

Keith's a straight shooter

"We" is the buzzword at tribal council, with everyone alluding to having a group but not revealing who is in them. Keith expresses confidence his plan will work though. And the vote shows us there are at least three different plans in place when Abi, Tasha and Keith all get votes. Abi gets voted out (ironically on the one time she felt safe), and I'm not entirely sure why. Looks like she brought it on herself by trying to go rogue and get rid of Keith? That's what happens when you try to make too much mischief.

This season is now one episode from the end...wow, hasn't it seemed like an eternity? The likes of Shirin and Vytas are already distant memories at this point. We still have three boots left until we can crown a winner, but it's all gonna happen in an action-packed finale next Wednesday.

STAR OF THE WEEK: TASHA FOX

Tasha saved herself and managed to get rid of a troublesome Abi. If she had to get self-righteous to do it, hey, whatever works. Now she has as good a chance as any to make the end.

Cambodia Episode 12: Breaking Point

Jeremy is nervous about where he stands in the game now, but Spencer is trying to maintain a relationship with him. Kimmi talks to Kelley and is ready to start making some moves...first they want Joe out, and then they're gonna lock down a girls alliance.

Officially a loved one now

At the next challenge, Probst brings out the loved ones after faking them out for no reason. First up is the return of Val, who immediately re-energizes Jeremy and lets him know they're having a boy. We also see familiar faces Dale Wentworth and Vera Gomes, who you may remember from Philippines. Spencer gets an opportunity to tell his girlfriend he loves her, for the first time. Joe gets to see his dad come out, which was apparently his big Survivor dream. Kimmi's dad and Tasha's cousin round out the guests.

Now we have a challenge to run, which is to pull up a rope to unearth several bags, then unscrew a post to get another bag, walk across a balance beam and use the blocks from the bags to spell out a word. Joe throws his ropes over Keith, but it's actually Kimmi who gets her bags out the fastest. Keith overtakes her on the beam, and Kimmi ends up being the last one to cross. Abi thinks she has the word, but she's wrong and Kelley ends up beating her anyway, getting a big cheer from Dale. Now getting to choose who takes loved ones back to camp, she picks Keith, Abi, Kimmi and Joe.

What friends are for

Joe shares a moment with his dad back at camp, who opens up about how much his son means to him for the first time. Spencer is a little heartbroken to not have his loved one, but at least it gets him back in game mode. He tells Jeremy and Tasha that just because he voted out Stephen doesn't mean he's turned his back on them, and proposes they go to the final 3. Great news for Tasha, because now she has two options - this one and the all-women alliance. They discuss their next target, and it's Joe, who has only added to his resume now that he's got through a vote without immunity.

The immunity challenge is to keep a statue balancing on top of a platform, with the pole getting longer and longer as the challenge goes on. One woman and one man will each get a necklace, and the women's odds are cut in half when Kimmi and Abi drop out early. Tasha is out next, and Kelley wins the first necklace. Spencer and Jeremy are next, leaving it between Joe and Keith. Both of them recover from huge setbacks, with the tension mounting. The challenge ends abruptly when Joe collapses and they have to get the medical team in. The Doc's diagnosis is that he just ran out of energy and that he's already looking better after lying down. Jeff sends them all back to camp saying this is a perfect example of what he wanted out of a second chance season. Damn, it was obvious they all wanted Joe to lose, but not like this.

Joe reaches his limits

The girls are gaining ground

As Joe recovers back at camp, Abi compares the challenge to a Brazil vs Germany soccer game...surprised she has fond memories of that matchup! Kelley lets Abi know that Kimmi is down for an all-girl thing and that their fortunes are looking up. Joe tells Jeremy he's targeting Abi, because everyone wants to take her to the end and getting her out frees up a spot. Tasha tells Jeremy and Spencer that the other girls are planning a girls alliance (so now she's the rat?) and that gets them both scared. Spencer notes that it would be easier for Tasha to beat Abi and Kimmi than him and Jeremy. But if they want to keep Joe, they'd need Tasha's vote, and they're not even sure it's the right move anyway.

At tribal council Joe is a little teary-eyed as he recounts his collapse. Kelley however admits that the game is still on, and you can't show too much compassion for something like that. Abi and Joe both think they're on the chopping block, as Joe tries to argue that if they take him out, the other threats will be next. Spencer agrees with the notion that having a goat is no good if they don't actually help your chances of getting to the end. Abi implies that Joe is the bad apple of the tribe. Hmm, I'm sure many would say that about her.

This has been a long time coming for Kelley

Abi votes for Joe and tells him to get a haircut. Spencer calls his vote a winning or losing vote, but we don't see what it is.The votes come back, and Joe was the only vote for Abi, with Keith randomly voting for Tasha and everyone else voting him out. He made it further than last time, but there was still no way they were gonna let him touch the end. He just does not know how to not give 100%.

So what now? Does the women's alliance take over? I'm sure Jeremy and Spencer will regret this vote if they do. Tasha could hold the key to how the endgame shapes up.

STAR OF THE WEEK: KELLEY WENTWORTH

Won two challenges, got out her biggest threat, positioned herself well and still has an idol? Kelley is in the ascendancy right now. But perhaps her biggest acheivement is spending time with her dad without him ruining her game.