Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 2: Jungle Love

Fire won't save your life

Five days in, Gen X are still unable to get fire until David of all people steps in. Paul outlines the pecking order, with David next to go. David manages to look for the idol under the pretense of fetching rocks for the camp, and finds an oddly-marked coconut he figures must be it. David cracks it open and now he has an idol. Ok, now he has some options.

Young love blossoms at the Millennials camp as Figgy and Taylor flirt, and Michaela even overhears them kissing in the night. She outs it the next morning, much to Taylor's embarrassment. Figgy doesn't foresee it being a problem but people are already talking about it, and Jay is annoyed that his buddy is blowing his chance at a million dollars trying to get laid.

Ken catches an octopus to provide for his tribe. But whilst the survival part comes natural to him he's unexpectedly finding the social game hard. Ken and David bond about both being on the bottom, and wonder what they can do to break Paul's hold on the tribe. David trusts Ken enough to tell him about the idol.

The claws are out

Michaela is not a fan of Figgy and how obvious she's being with her flirting, but trying to keep that under wraps is pretty hard for her too. Eventually, the passive-aggressive jabs turn into a full-on bitch fight which you have to imagine is putting a target on both of them. I'm team Michaela though - she's hilarious.

As Ken talks to CeCe about how he wants Paul gone, we see Paul keel over from heatstroke. His tribe keep him company whilst Probst and the doctor arrive, and Dr Joe suspects it might be a heart attack. Sunday is hopeful that Paul will pull through, and he eventually gets the OK. David admits part of him was glad Paul almost got pulled, and intends to use it as strategy to get him out.

Finish him

Ken puts a ring on it

The immunity challenge takes place on the water, and before we start, the Millennials have to awkwardly swim the idol back to Jeff...why couldn't they have done that on land? The challenge is to swim out, climb up a platform to grab a key, then dive down to get rings and toss them onto posts. Chris gets a key slightly ahead of Michelle, and Paul manages to hold his own against Will. Sunday also does it quickly, but David is reeeally slow. Gen X lose more time when CeCe can't get a ring. On the throwing section, it's Jay vs CeCe, and CeCe is able to give Gen X a lead. Ken subs in to finish it off, showing that the old people are still able to put up a fight.

Mari, Zeke, Hannah and Michaela all want Figgy out, and decide to let Jay know about the vote too. Jay tells Michelle and she is not okay with it, saying they have to do something to save her. Jay encourages Figgy and Michaela to mend their rift, and also tells Michaela that Zeke will come after her next once Figgy is gone. I suspect that's a lie, but it gets her thinking. Michelle also tries to get Will on board, but he's less enthusiastic. They go into tribal with Michelle knowing her job is not done.

Superfan Adam can barely hide his glee at being at tribal council, even though he knows they have to vote somebody out. Mari says this game is a lot more personal than the games she's used to. Zeke says he feels like his best self out here, but Michaela thinks the island brings out negative qualities too. As Michaela and Figgy throw down, Michelle tries to get Hannah to vote out Mari. Hannah is reluctant and asks for an explanation, but Michelle just promises to explain later. Hannah rambles when Jeff finally addresses her but most people aren't suspicious of the whispering, with Mari saying they're probably talking about puppies or butts.

Hurry up, Hannah!

As we vote, Figgy is hoping Michaela will come through for her. Hannah sits at the voting booth, unsure what to do, and stays there so long Probst even comes up to check on her. The votes are read, and it ends up being game over for Mari. Whoa, crazy blindside. I thought Mari was in a good position, and this episode certainly didn't explain why she left.

Well, look at that...just when we thought the cool kids had no game, they actually manage to pull something off. Time will tell whether keeping the obvious pair in the game bites them in the ass, if the Michaela/Figgy truce can last, and what Zeke and Adam will do next.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MICHELLE SCHUBERT

There's a lot more to this bible-reading beauty than meets the eye. She definitely turned things around for her alliance, getting the votes she needed to keep Figgy in the game. Her quiet charm could be a deadly force in this game, so don't underestimate her.

Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 1: Storm's A-Coming

The stage is set for what Jeff Probst is calling a "culture war"...two different generations going to head-to-head. In the red corner, we have Taylor, the Peter Pan boy who never wants to grow up, and Mari, the girl who turned her passion into her career. In the purple corner, there's Chris, who doles out some wisdom for the youngsters: "if you've never been knocked down, you don't know how to get up and fight."

Michaela the reaction queen

The tribes are divided, and the youngest Millennial Will blows people's minds when he tells them he's still in high school. Elder statesman Paul is the first to take shots, saying his generation had to earn what they got, which CeCe backs up. Adam promises to prove them wrong by winning the first immunity.

The tribes go head-to-head right away when they are told to grab supplies and there are certain tables where they have to choose between items. Bret takes pots, the Millennials choose a chicken, and Jessica finds a mysterious envelope on the floor.

The Millennials get to camp, and Taylor is already eyeing a bromance with Jay, along with a romance with maybe Figgy or Michelle. Zeke ends up being the surprising naysayer on this tribe, saying he doesn't really relate to his fellow youngsters.

Ken takes charge of the Gen X tribe immediately, because he lived "off the grid" for a while. Jessica gets to inspect her envelope and it's something called a "legacy advantage", which will only come into play on day 36. If she's voted out, she has to pass it on, but she doesn't anticipate that being a problem.

Biggest fish out of water since Cochran

On the Millennial tribe, Hannah seems nervous that she's not fitting in and worries she'll be an easy first boot. David is having the same problem on Gen X, as he's not being much help in the shelter-building and is already coming off paranoid by accusing Ken of having an idol. Poor guy. Could be worse though, he could be yelling at people like Rachel.

The Vanua tribe sign falls down, but the Millennials don't care, and are more concerned about going for a swim. Soon, it gets dark, and they realized they haven't finished their shelter. They hastily try to get something done, but it's hardly a masterpiece. Oh boy, more fuel for the anti-Millennial sentiment.

The No Worries tribe

Mother Nature is a bitch

Both tribes wake up after a rough night, and are even given a tarp in treemail. The Millennials try to use it to get their camp in better condition, but before they can make much progress, Jeff appears out of nowhere. Jeff lets them know the weather is getting worse and the storm is now a cyclone, meaning everyone will have to be evacuated. The two tribes pack their things and get onto boats, as Adam points out that this is unprecedented.

Gen X return to their camp the next day to find it mostly smashed by a fallen tree. Ken gives David an insect to help him come out of his shell a bit more. Feeling he's in trouble, David goes for a walk to look for the idol...which Bret and Jessica see, and don't like.

Zeke gets Vanua up and running

Zeke takes over and leads the shelter rebuilding for the Millennials, despite having no experience. He even manages to make fire. Figgy, Taylor and Jay have decided to call their alliance the triforce. Hannah is leading the resistance by recruiting Mari to her side and saying this is turning into pretty people vs the misfits. Here we go, Caramoan redux?

I'd smash that

Both tribes say goodbye to their tarps right before the immunity challenge, which involves making choices: crawl through netting and tackle a balance beam, or make both easier at the cost of adding more pieces to the final puzzle. Both tribes clash under the first obstacle, with Chris getting sandwiched between Taylor and Jay. Gen X take the first shortcut whilst the smaller Millennials crawl through. Both tribes then take the shortcut on the balance beam. David and Rachel take on the puzzle for Gen X, whilst Figgy and Michelle handle it for the Millennials. The Gen X'ers swap out for Sunday and Jessica, but it makes no difference, as Figgy is really flying through it. Millennials claim their first win, just as predicted.

David pleads his case

After the challenge, Bret is annoyed Rachel said she could do the puzzle and then didn't deliver. Whilst Jessica wants her out, there is a strong rumour that David has an idol complicating matters. Jessica asks him point blank, but he denies it. The majority of Gen X have decided to split the vote and leave Ken, David, Rachel and CeCe in the dark...that's awful risky, what if they all get together?

At tribal council, Probst comments on Jessica's infected eyes, which do look quite rough. He then calls David's name and he winces. His tribe find it funny that he's scared of everything, and most of them even admit they've also got paranoid. Rachel thinks it might be her, because she's "up front". David having the idol is brought up again but he says he's going to prove his loyalty with this vote.

Votes come out for Rachel, David...and CeCe and Sunday too. The vote appears split between CeCe and Rachel in the end, with Rachel being the one who ends up going home. Dammit, they voted out the hottest girl first. Alright, so the Gen X'ers are down one. Now it's up to these old folk to get back into it and teach these kids a lesson.

STAR OF THE WEEK: JESSICA LEWIS

Everyone thought she'd be boring, but then she snatched up the first advantage of the game and managed to get herself a spot in the majority alliance. She could be the threat that no-one sees coming.

Millennials Vs Gen X cast assessment

Adam Klein
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 25
Occupation: Homeless shelter manager

Adam strikes me as a very sharp and mature person for his age. "I was voted biggest nerd in high school, but also life of the party" he says, meaning he should get along with all types. He does charity work too, so he seems like a genuinely good guy. His video also covers his mom's cancer, which he says gives him extra motivation. He ticks all the right boxes.

Rachel Ako
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 37
Occupation: Recruiting director

Well damn, Rachel is just as hot as any of the Millennial girls. She oozes sex appeal and confidence, but also could turn out to be a little bitchy, since she mentioned she was already getting annoyed by one of her castmates. That outspokenness could make her an early target.

Michelle Schubert
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 28
Occupation: Missionary

Michelle is very into her God talk, with a bible analogy for every situation (although she mentioned she used to be rebellious, so maybe it wasn't always that way). She's nice and likeable, so she could probably coast under-the-radar for a while. She's also very pretty and is not above flirting, and I think she looks innocent enough for it not to be transparent.

Chris Hammons
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 38
Occupation: Lawyer

I kinda got asshole vibes from Chris. He says he's always been a leader and pretty much admits he's gonna be bossy. He's definitely going to try and run the show on Takali, which might play better with the guys than the girls. He's lucky the tribe divisions are what they are because I don't see him getting along with the younger people at all. I love that multiple people think he's a football player.

Taylor Stocker
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 24
Occupation: Ski instructor

On the outside, free spirit Taylor certainly seems to have all he needs to be the next golden boy: young, athletic, good-looking. But reading his bio and watching his video, he might be closer to the vapid surfer bro. The dude does a backflip off a log...showboating like that is a major turn-off in this game. He's going to be marked as a threat after the merge, if not before then.

Sunday Burquest
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 45
Occupation: Youth pastor

Initially seems like the classic crazy lady first boot but she doesn't seem stupid and she does work with kids which is one advantage. Who knows, maybe she'll be surprisingly competent like Lisa Whelchel (who she compares herself to), but as a cancer survivor, I'd bet on Sunday having a thicker skin.

Mari Takahashi
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 31
Occupation: Video gamer

I think Mari is adorable and I'd love for her to do well, but I'm not convinced video gaming is a translatable skill to this game. I'm sure she'll have a handle on the strategy side, but gamers aren't really known for their social skills, and that's what's really important. Much like Liz last season, I feel she could be out disappointingly early.

Bret LaBelle
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 42
Occupation: Police officer

Bret didn't really stand out to me initially, but when I watched his video, I saw he has a dry sense of humour that I like. Of course, every cop from now on will be compared to Tony, but there's only one Tony. I don't expect Bret to be quite as aggressive, although being able to spot lies is a skill that could come in handy.

Zeke Smith
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 28
Occupation: Comedian

Zeke's a funny guy, and I imagine he's smart as well to have such a quick wit. He might come off buffoonish, but that's all part of the plan. I think people will like him. He's a fan who knows the game and insists that he's a lot more outdoorsy than he looks. I have high hopes for Zeke, and he's my top winner pick at the moment.

Jessica Lewis
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 37
Occupation: Assistant district attorney

Jessica comes from a farming background, has a bunch of tattoos and is now an attorney...none of that makes sense to me, but does make someone that I assumed would be a boring contestant a lot more interesting. She comes off quiet and unassuming. I don't know if she'll win, but I don't see any reason to vote her out early.

Hannah Shapiro
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 24
Occupation: Barista

Hannah leaps off the screen like a ball of energy. Yes, she's awkward, but she embraces it so it's endearing. She definitely reminds me of Aubry and that's not a bad thing at all. I could even see her do one better and winning this thing.

Paul Wachter
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 52
Occupation: Boat mechanic/musician

Grizzled badass Paul claims to be a big teddy bear at heart, but I'm not seeing it at all. He keeps going on about participation awards, so he'll probably really hate the Millennials. Odds are he'll be an abrasive early boot, but hopefully he provides some entertainment before he leaves.

Jay Starrett
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 27
Occupation: Real estate agent

His real name is Justin, but he goes by Jay for unknown reasons. His bio lists Woo and Russell as the contestants he's most like...how does that combo work, exactly? His video left me a little unconvinced too. He calls himself charming without really demonstrating it, then tries to say he's humble despite also talking about his looks, and adds the word "bro" a few too many times.

Lucy Huang
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 42
Occupation: Dietician

Lucy used to be a bodybuilder, so she's gonna be a valuable asset for Takali in challenges. She describes herself as stubborn and controlling, which could be a problem if she gets into a power struggle right away. I'm uncertain on Lucy. I don't know if she can do well, but I wouldn't be opposed to it.

Jessica Figueroa
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 23
Occupation: Bartender

Jessica, who goes by "Figgy", seems cute and energetic, but that could easily translate into irritating. She also plans to be "an open book", which is another red flag. I want to root for her, but I'm pretty sure she has no idea what she's doing. I don't have her down as an early boot but I'd be very shocked if she won.

Ken McNickle
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 33
Occupation: Model

First off, it's insane that he's on a different tribe from Mari when he's only 2 years older than her...guess that shows how loose the theme is. Ken has the good looks that will surely make the women gravitate towards him, but he's probably going to end up a jury threat, especially with the story of him being a single dad. I'm trying to place his accent, but with no luck.

Will Wahl
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 18
Occupation: Student

This is the teenager, eh? His voice really threw me for a loop. Will hopes his age will lead to him being underestimated since "they won't think I'm a contender to win this game"...but, he's planning on playing hard and betraying people. He notes that a lot of people don't like the idea of young people playing and plans to prove them wrong. Guess we'll see if he's the real deal or completely out of his depth.

Ciandre Taylor
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 39
Occupation: Insurance adjuster

Ciandre could be a fun presence this season, especially if her "multiple personalities" come into play. As for how she'll fare in the game. it's a pretty big question mark for me as I didn't really get a good read on her. She says being in insurance has taught her how to read people, but I'm not seeing the correlation.

Michaela Bradshaw
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 25
Occupation: Vacation club sales

Michaela seems level-headed and smart, but I didn't see much personality from her. Paying off her student loans already is ridiculously impressive, though. I think Michaela could be the silent assassin you never see coming. Her big ambitions and sales skills could see her gamebot her way through this game.

David Wright
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 42
Occupation: Writer

I had high hopes for David, but reading his bio, he calls himself nervous and paranoid...those are really bad qualities to have in the game. In his video, he talks solely about how insecure he's been his whole life and how terrible he is at camping. Still, I can't help but pull for him. Perhaps his puzzle skills will be enough to save him, but I won't hold my breath.

The ranking of Survivor seasons *updated with s32*

This season came out of nowhere to be a surprise hit. A memorable cast, lots of exciting tribal councils and brutal conditions made it very compelling to watch. However, whilst I consider myself a Michele fan, the season didn't fully work as the story of her win.

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

Kaoh Rong Episode 14: Ruling The Roost

Four tough cookies have made it to the finale of the most punishing season ever. Let's go through them...there's Michele, whose best asset has been her loyalty, but there's nobody left loyal to her. Aubry has faced many setbacks, but is ready to fight to the end. Cydney has had a major hand in a lot of votes, but is now precariously positioned in the middle. Lastly, Tai has had an internal battle between his heart and brain all season...can he choose the right one?

We start back at camp, and Tai knows he has to be careful now that his idol is useless. Aubry, annoyed that Jeff keeps taking her allies, wants to keep Tai close. She thinks sticking with Cydney is now her best bet, since Michele has no blood on her hands. Michele knows she's in a tight spot and expects to be screwed if she doesn't win immunity.

The reward challenge is to crawl through a net, slide tiles down a table, transfer them on a machete over a balance beam and then find the odd tiles out to open a combination lock. Up for grabs is another meal, like the one that took out Joe...hmm, maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea to win this. Tai is the first through the net, whilst Cydney is one of the last, but her prowess on the sliding section makes up a lot of time. Cydney and Michele both start dropping tiles whilst on the balance beam, with only Aubry getting them across effectively. Aubry however can't get the combination to work, until she corrects the tiles she was using. Tai and Cydney both make an attempt, but Aubry wins the reward. Getting to pick a dining partner, she opts for Cydney, hoping to turn her against Michele.

Cydney and Aubry are back to being buddies, and both are confident that one of them will be able to win the next challenge. Michele takes the chance to continue the work she'd been putting in with Tai, hinting that they might want to consider getting Aubry out. Shockingly, Tai is considering it.

Build em up, knock em down

The immunity challenge is to get a key from the water to unlock a ladder, then race back into the water to get a ball on the rope to pull down another ladder, then back into the water again to get puzzle pieces for a three-tiered puzzle. Aubry gets her ladders first and is comfortably ahead of the other three. The puzzle is a different story, and Aubry does not fair well. Tai and Michele build the fastest, and Michele pulls away on the final tier to win herself a spot in the final three.

Even though Michele is safe, she is feeling the pressure of needing to pick the right person to go to the end with. Aubry and Tai still want to stick together, which would mean voting against Cydney. Michele is confident she can get Tai to vote out Aubry, pointing out that she's a good talker that could work a jury. Neither Aubry or Cydney feel confident that Tai is voting on their side, leaving tribal up in the air.

At tribal council, Tai is even less reassuring when he claims alliances are out the door now. Aubry says whoever is voted out could have a lot of influence on deciding the winner of the game. Cydney mentions they have to consider who the threats are at this stage, with Aubry saying she thinks it's "comical" that she's considered one.

They walked through the fire together

The votes are read, and Tai pulls through on saving Aubry after all, tying the vote up 2-2. I kinda didn't see that coming. A fire tiebreaker commences, where Cydney is furiously attacking her flint to no avail. Aubry gets a fire burning first and just when it looks like she's won, it blows off to the side. Cydney still has no luck though and Aubry is able to go again, burning herself but winning the challenge. The two women share an emotional hug at the end. and it doesn't get any easier when Cydney mentions needing the money for her mom.

Michele tells Tai she thinks he just handed Aubry the million dollars, as the three of them debate whether there's going to be another challenge or not. Their question is answered when Michele picks up a treemail the next day. Aubry tries to find out where Tai stands with her and he gives a non-committal answer about the game being individual now - that's not good.

Tai's stack is even shakier than his gameplay

When they get to the challenge, Jeff shocks them by telling them they are not playing for immunity and are the final three. Instead, it's a reward, and a very important one - the power to vote out a member of the jury. All they have to do is stack balls on top of eachother using a pole whilst standing on a wobbly beam...the challenge they could've done in episode 1 but all chose not to. All three face an early collapse, but when they get settled, Michele is in the lead, who finds managing the platform harder than the stack. It's a close one though, as Michele and Aubry are putting their sixth balls down around the same time. Aubry's stack falls, Michele's doesn't. Michele wins again!

Upon receiving this game-changing power, Michele's initial instinct is the same as mine: vote out Joe, since he's the most loyal Aubry vote. Tai makes the point however that Joe is unlikely to slander her name at final tribal, whereas a slick talker like Neal might. Michele tells Aubry that she's thinking of picking one of her allies, and Aubry tries to sway her to going for Scot or Jason instead. It's a decision not to be taken lightly, and Michele is well aware that making a bad one could make her look stupid.

Parting shots

The jury turn up to tribal council and quickly notice nobody is wearing a necklace. Michele then lets them know it's them in the hotseat this time. Michele talks through her process, as Jeff wonders why she would trust the opinions of her two opponents. He then ridicules her again by saying he doesn't think it's that complicated of a choice, and Michele says she wants to get rid of a persuasive speaker...causing Scot to think it's him. Michele makes her vote, and Neal sees his name written down for the first time. He departs by calling Michele weak and saying she doesn't have a chance at winning, which I guess just proves she made the right choice. Removed from the game, removed from the jury...I feel for Neal. Can't really blame him for being a little salty.

No junk in the trunk

Aubry is of course disappointed to see one of her likely votes go, but she's happy to still be in it and will fight hard to get the rest of the votes. Tai thinks his big move of voting Scot out could be key to his chances. but recognizes that Scot will likely feel betrayed by him.

The final three arrive at their final tribal council, with special guest Mark also making an appearance. Nick warns them that they'll be facing animosity and tells them the quality they will need to display in order to have a chance - intelligence for Michele, awareness for Tai and confidence for Aubry. Debbie accuses Tai of having multiple personalities, but he denies being a flip-flopper...not a good start for him. She also reminds Aubry about how she helped her with her day 1 panic attack and wonders if Aubry would've done the same for her. Aubry claims that she would have and only betrayed her in the game because they were diverging down different paths.

Julia starts out cold to Michele, calling her the weak link of the Beauty tribe and a passenger for most of the game...but then says she was proud of her for voting her out and that's the point she started coming into her own. She tells Tai he had the opposite problem: he started strong, but fizzled after the merge. Tai denies this in his response, once again seemingly missing the point. Joe tries to get Aubry and Tai to make a case against eachother, which Aubry does by saying Tai needed her for most of the game.

Jason wants Tai to explain why he turned on him, and he says he was scared of his bond with Scot and seeing two strong men talk about men stuff. He also asks Michele how she got into the majority alliance, and she disputes the idea that it was luck. Cydney thanks Michele for sticking by her on the last vote and asks Aubry why she voted her out, who says she was a threat who had made the same moves she had. Scot blasts Tai for wasting his advantage and his idol, and tells Michele that she got stronger as the game went on whereas the other two got weaker.

The REAL Survivor

Probst lets the final three have the last word, where Aubry talks about how she played her heart out. Tai says he believes in kindness and recites a Vietnamese proverb...cute, but not likely to win over votes. Michele knocks it out of the park as she talks about how she overcame the stereotypes that come with being labeled a "Beauty girl" and believed in herself when no-one else did. We only see two votes cast and they're the most obvious ones...Julia for Michele, and Joe for Aubry. With their business concluded, Tai's last act is to let Mark roam free.

Jeff starts reading the votes back in the US. 2 votes Aubry, 5 votes Michele is the final total giving the pretty bartender a victory. Her family seem surprised and I think a lot of fans were too...drinks are on her, I guess?

STAR OF THE WEEK: MICHELE FITZGERALD

Michele's win might seem like a head-scratcher to a lot of fans, but she built up a lot of momentum towards the end and played the cards she was dealt well. Never underestimate the power of being likeable, and Michele was able to justify herself enough to make the jury want to give it to her.


Reunion notes:

• Was it me or does Jeff not really seem like the biggest fan of Michele? Probably because she disproved his narrative that you have to make BIG MOVES to win the game!
• Sia hijacking the reunion to randomly give money to Tai was weird, to say the least. I wonder how Keith felt when he heard he missed out on a check.
• Jesus Christ, Probst will take any excuse to mention Cochran.
• Caleb being the only pre-juror to speak...doubt anybody was shocked at that.
• The next season is Survivor: Millennials vs Gen X. Garbage title, but the theme should be fine, and there's a few faces in the promo already catching my eye.

Kaoh Rong Episode 13: Getting It Done At 71

Joe explains to a shocked Tai that the group felt very strongly about sending Jason home, as Michele rehashes the arguments she had with him at tribal. Tai thinks Aubry pulled a fast one on him, and tries to understand what happened. He seems slightly offended at the characterization of him being bossy - now he's rethinking his allegiances and is unsure of where to go now.

The waiting game

The reward challenge is to race into the jungle to get sandbags, then throw them into holes. They all head out, with Cydney making it back first. Cydney and Aubry both score one as the first barrage of shots rain down. Joe is the last to get back and doesn't land any. With the next lot, Cydney gets 2, and Aubry gets three. Aubry is able to get up to four before running out of bags. Joe gets 3, but everybody else is out of bags and has to wait for him to go back and get his last one. With his last two shots, Joe hits the two hardest targets, marking an amazing win. He gets to choose two people and his first one is Aubry. Aubry then picks the next one for him: Cydney.

Where's the beef?

At the reward, Joe gets refueled by filling himself up with steak. He tells the girls he wants this to be the final three, selling it to Aubry by saying him and Cydney are no threat. But Aubry has a different idea of who the threats are, and thinks she needs to get out Cydney and go with Tai instead.

Tai and Michele are back at camp, which has the potential to be very awkward. But the two of them decide to talk it out since they both feel they're in a bad position. Tai offers Michele some spa treatment of her own, and gives her a great Tai massage (pun intended). The discussion of working together also comes up, since it's not something people would expect.

Screw them, we'll have our own reward

Cyd plays both sides

Aubry gets back to camp and realizes she needs to smooth things over with Tai since if he's playing emotionally, he could blow up her game. She gives him a strong reassurance that he's in her final three, and he ends up breaking down in tears because of the stress of the game. Cydney however watches Tai and Aubry walk back and is now a little suspicious. She decides to talk with Michele and make sure they're still on the same page. Huh, maybe Michele isn't quite as dead as she thought.

Joe is having bladder problems, stemming from eating too much meat on the reward. He gets a visit from the medic who gives him some medicine, but it doesn't have much effect and his pain is getting worse. Later that night the medic comes back and decides

Joe's body breaking down

to take Joe from the game rather than risk him having kidney problems. Joe isn't shocked at all, and tells Jeff about how it's time for him to go and he's now eager for his next adventure. It can't have been easy for Joe to keep up with the kids...crazy how the one time he wins a challenge, it costs him.


Well, that's medevac number 3 - a new record. Joe's departure changes the game a lot since there was no sign of him being voted out at all. Michele looks to be the biggest beneficiary, but it'll mean nothing if she doesn't close the deal. Aubry was probably hit the hardest, but still has the opportunity to recover.

STAR OF THE WEEK: TAI TRANG

Whilst this was an emotional send-off episode for Joe, I also liked that we saw the re-emergence of gamer Tai. It's been a compelling emotional journey for the gardener and now he's got to stay strong to be able to close it out.

Kaoh Rong Episode 12: Tai'd Down

They come back to camp with Mark the chicken on the hammock...he's the boss now. Tai tells Jason that he's so persuasive he almost played his idol. Jason then immediately starts using that persuasion to tell Michele and Cydney that Tai and Aubry will be hard to beat, so they'd be better off siding with him. Tai gets Aubry and Joe together and tells them he has an extra vote and that he wants to play it in order to ensure they get the majority.

Fowl play: Mark might have the best social game left

Tai finds a big grub and feeds it to Mark, who scoffs it up in one bite. Jason bitches to Joe that no-one is playing the game, but he doesn't seem that sympathetic. Jason's doing what he can to be seen as a good person to be taken to the end - but will it be enough?

Tipping the scales

The reward challenge involves making it out to a circular maze in the water and then getting the ball to the middle as a team. It's Joe, Aubry and Cydney against Tai, Michele and Jason. Joe and Jason are the first to dive and Jason leaves Joe in the dust. In fact, blue team get Michele over as well in the time it takes Joe to finish. Once all team members are in place, Jason confidently directs for blue, whilst yellow struggle. They only get one ball in before blue get all three and win a trip to the animal shelter.

Joe organizes a firewood collection back at camp, and Cydney starts to get annoyed with the old man's bossiness. On reward, the others get to see an elephant, which seems very interested in Tai. Jason really enjoys playing with the animals as a monkey jumps on his back. Tai has now gone from targeting Jason to targeting Michele.

A real monkey on his back

Someboddy kant spel

The immunity challenge involves stacking blocks on top of eachother to spell a word, whilst holding onto the rope that keeps the table from falling over - a harder version of the challenge Jon Misch won, basically. It's actually Joe that gets off to the best start (who would've thought?) whilst Cydney goes very slowly. Joe falls, which puts Michele in the lead...but then she drops too, as do Aubry and Tai. After Jason drops, Cydney is now in the lead as the only person that hasn't. Joe is facing a different setback - putting up the wrong letter multiple times. Michele, Aubry and Tai all lose their stack again, meaning it's down to Jason and Cydney. Jason outpaces Cydney in the placing of his last block...but then it falls on the way back, and slow Cydney caps off a perfect win.

Ready for a fight

Tai is in the water with his alliance and decides to throw out booting Michele before she comes over. Tai then tells Jason to vote for her too, but he'd rather vote for Joe. Joe and Cydney both say how they'd rather vote out Jason and don't like how Tai tried to dictate the vote. Cydney lets Michele know that Tai is gunning for her but that she's fighting to save her, which lets Michele know she might have to fight for herself at tribal. Aubry has a big decision to make at tribal too, as she feels pulled in two directions.

At tribal council, Jeff comments on how the immunity challenge felt a lot like the game - constantly changing. Michele gets her shots in on Tai early, saying he must feel comfortable having two idols. Cydney also claims that Tai wasn't letting her voice be heard. Tai then reveals there's a smaller group within the big group, as Michele appeals for them not to trust him since he's flipped on every alliance he's had. Tai says that to be honest he doesn't even know why Michele got brought into the alliance in the first place. Jason is getting excited, but he's not laying back just yet...he could still be going home!

After the votes are cast, Tai tells Jeff he wants to play his advantage and goes back up to cast a second vote. Jeff reads Tai's two votes for Michele, and then two for Jason. The next vote is...Joe? Dammit Jason. But it doesn't matter as the rest of the votes are for him as well, leaving Tai pretty confused. Damn, this extra vote is now 0/3 in getting out a target.

Well, I'd say it's now time for the group to start turning on eachother, but it seems they're already ahead of the curve on that. Tai still has the idol but his social standing has taken a huge hit. Now him and Michele can go at it again for a second round.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MICHELE FITZGERALD

She put Tai on blast during tribal and completely obliterated him. Nobody can say she's boring now. I don't know why they were so eager to keep her though...and I bet she makes them regret it.