Island Of The Idols Episode 1: Dude, Where's My Marooning?

Your first look at Lairo

Giant Rob and Sandra heads start the season off, like some sort of Planet Of The Apes-inspired fever dream, as the two legends set up camp and declare Survivor bootcamp "in session". The Lairo tribe arrive at their camp, skipping the traditional marooning, and Chelsea is not happy at the season title. They get to work and introduce themselves, and Elizabeth confesses to being an Olympian already, which I didn't expect. Missy tells her story of overcoming a brain tumor. Vokai find their buffs and wonder what the name of the season means. Janet knows she has to do something to avoid being an easy target, so makes fire.

Tom is impressed with Vince and Elaine, seeing them as the workers of the tribe, and talks about how in his experience, having a team isn't always about the strongest athletes.The rest of the tribe notice them off alone and make a majority of 7. Oh great, this is Manu all over again.

Clam attack

Jamal likes how Vokai is coming along, as Jason decides to look for an idol. Dan notices this and takes the opportunity to paint a target on him. Jack and Tommy have teamed up, and seem to be part of a larger majority of 6 also containing Molly, Dan, Kellee and Lauren. Noura tips Jason off that he might be in trouble and now he's freaked out.

Personal space invader

On Lairo, the girls have an agreement to stick together, encouraged by Missy. Maybe this will actually hold this time. The one problem is Elaine has already been named as somebody on the outs, and Missy lets her know so she can try to fix that. A new target emerges on Vokai, as Dan is being touchy-feely with some of the women, namely Molly and germaphobe Kellee. Kellee has a nice talk with him about it, where he vows to work on it. Elaine is making her whole tribe laugh...but that just makes Ronnie see her as a threat.

Jack with the hero move

The tribes finally get to meet Jeff at their first challenge, as Elaine jokes that they thought Jeff had quit. The challenge is to run through some obstacles, pull up some logs to drop a bridge, climb a huge ramp and then solve a puzzle. After tumbling down the first ramp, it's Dean vs Janet to grapple the logs...and Janet gets it first try, As Lairo start falling behind, Ronnie has to step in and get it. The tribes have to make a human pyramid to get up to the top, and Jack is the first one up. Dean is first up for Vokai and both throw ropes down to help others. Lairo get them up faster, with Jack going back down to help Noura at one point. It's now Chelsea, Vince and Dean against Molly, Noura and Jamal to solve the puzzle, which is to assemble several huts. Vokai get 2 at the same time Lairo get 1, and it just gets worse from there as somehow Lairo end up stuck with one piece left. Vokai blow them out of the water to win immunity. Before they leave, Lairo have to draw a name to send somebody to the Island of the Idols...and Elizabeth is the one chosen.

Learning from the best

Elizabeth arrives on the island not knowing what's in store for her, and she definitely did not expect to see Rob and Sandra. They ask how camp is going and Elizabeth says they don't have fire...so the two mentors agree to teach her. Sandra walks Elizabeth through it until she gets it. So now Rob makes her an offer: take him on, and if she wins, she gets an idol. If she loses, she loses her vote. She takes some time to think it over.

Misfit crew campaign for votes

Back at camp, Vince and Tom are talking about sending Ronnie home. Aaron and Ronnie try to rally votes for Elaine, which Vince doesn't want. Elaine knows her name is out there, but Tom assures her she is safe. We cut back to Elizabeth, and even though she knows better, the competitor in her takes over and she decides to go for it. Although Elizabeth gets a fire first, Rob's is much bigger and he easily gets through the rope to leave her in the dust. Now Elizabeth is feeling very sheepish, as Rob straight-up tells her she shouldn't have taken him on. Now she has to go back to camp with no vote, but not before picking a name out of a bag to determine the next person to go to Island of the Idols.

Elaine asks Aaron for a explanation of why she's being targeted, and agrees to a Vince vote to save herself. When Elizabeth arrives back, she decides not to tell them what the Island of the Idols is (which I suspect was producer-encouraged) and doesn't even tell them about losing her vote. Ironically both sides are campaigning to pull her over, not knowing she's of no use to them.

The watchers: Still as blunt as ever

We get down to tribal council, as Sandra and Rob watch too from a secret booth - Whaaat? Elaine's target is brought up and Karishma says "likability is a liability" (which gets Sandra's approval). Elaine thinks it's crazy to target jury threats this early, and thinks they should give her a chance and get rid of her later. Ronnie says they need to keep the tribe strong and lists a bunch of jobs he's done for some reason. Elaine and Vince both cry as the whole tribe talks about how hard it is. Sandra basically shits all over the pity party. That's why she's the Queen.

The vote ends up between Vince and Ronnie, and Ronnie is sent home with all but 2 votes in a total blindside. Wow, I wasn't exactly expecting much from Ronnie, but first boot? He somehow managed to do worse than Garrett Adelstein, who I imagine is a pretty happy man right now. Well, we've got some real characters left in this cast and the show did a great job of spotlighting basically all of them.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MISSY BYRD

Elaine's great and all, but Missy gets my vote for how she appeared to be driving strategy in a low-key way from behind the scenes. Her soft touch has been very effective and I wouldn't mind seeing the women dominate this season.

Island Of The Idols cast assessment

Don't let the returning mentors or weird twist distract you, this looks like a really strong cast and could be a great season. The first of the post-Spillman era, we've got a really fresh direction this season, with tons of fans, older players and more diversity than usual. Get excited! Presented from best chance to worst chance...

Jack Nichting, Graduate student [Vokai]
"Externally, I can easily be perceived as a laid back, longhaired, ditzy guy. In reality, I can be quite intellectual, intentional, and LOVE having serious, deep conversations with people."
I sense a new golden boy! Seems a risk to make him my winner pick when he could have a huge target on him, but I think he might be able to use his surfer boy persona to downplay it a bit. He compares himself to Devon and that's really what he should be aiming for. He clearly has more going on than challenges, he seems smart and social too..so, we'll see!

Molly Byman, Law student [Vokai]
"I am smart, strong, and not annoying. Discomfort and being dirty don't bother me. I can fit in anywhere and form relationships with anyone."
This season's resident quirky girl, Molly seems very likeable and smart and probably won't be regarded as a threat. However it sounds like she has the tenacity to be willing to make moves. She knows the game well and she's also a teacher which I think is a good job for making you empathetic, something you need out there. Strong Kellyn vibes, someone else I was very high on pre-season.

Jason Linden, Personal injury lawyer [Vokai]
"I will outwork my competition; I am an animal. I am resilient and hardworking. When I start something, I NEED to finish it."
Alright, get your Ross Geller jokes out of the way now! Jason comes off intelligent, mature and well-spoken. He'll probably be one of the main strategic players this season and I could see him doing very well, though it's definitely possible he might come off as too shady and turn people off. Especially if he tells them his real job, they're gonna get ambulance chaser vibes.

Tommy Sheehan, Teacher [Vokai]
"I am physical and can win challenges, but that won't win Survivor. What wins Survivor is the time spent opening up and connecting to people. When you have real connections with people they will keep you around longer."
Weirdly, Tommy is the person I keep forgetting about in this cast...but that's not a bad thing! Staying incognito is good. He seems to be a fan based on his players he's most like, so he should have some game in him, but I also think he'll be seen as the goofball of the cast and a good, loyal guy to have in your alliance.

Lauren Beck, Nanny [Vokai]
"My ability to connect with others is astronomical, I just love people! I have the physical and mental ability to see myself through to the very end. People tend to underestimate me which will definitely work in my favor. I plan to be the second black woman to win this game, hands down."
Lauren surprised me. She's extra but in a way that seems easy to like. She reminds me a lot of Ali, and I mean that as a good thing. Her bio had some hilarious lines (she's like Troyzan because they're both hot) and I noticed she was the only one to mention Sandra. She doesn't really seem like the type of personality that wins the show, but maybe this year will be different.

Chelsea Walker, Digital content creator [Lairo]
"I'm tenacious, a hard worker, and I don't take anything for granted. Applying to the show for so many years has made me stronger, and hungrier to win. I have something to prove, and I will win because I have the passion and desire to do so."
I'll be rooting for Chelsea above all else this season. She's hot, she's charming and she's a real deal superfan that's been trying to get on this show for ages. It's clear she wants this so bad and I hope it works out for her, but her main obstacle is going to be making sure she doesn't come in too hot and overplay.

Jamal Shipman, College administrator [Vokai]
"I've been intensely studying this game. I feel like I have a good handle on what to do in order to give myself the best shot at making it to the end with enough good will to get votes. People will be happy to write my name at the end."
Jamal is a real jack of all trades...athlete, singer, trumpet player. And he doesn't look like an Ivy League grad either. He's a big guy that will probably be a challenge asset, but he's not gonna be first priority at the merge over younger guys like Dean or Jack. On top of that, I just get likeable vibes from him.

Missy Byrd, Air Force Veteran [Lairo]
"Beyoncé wrote a song about surviving so I have to honor Queen B."
Yes, that really is the best quote from her that I could find. It's a shame her bio is so ridiculously short, because she actually seems pretty interesting. She has a lot of life experience from time in the military and being so well-travelled, so hopefully she can bring some of that to the game. She's gonna be a tough cookie, but as far as the social game goes, I have no idea what to expect. Probst mentioned her as a candidate for an all-girls alliance though.

Kellee Kim, MBA student [Vokai]
"My pain tolerance is high, and I love to make difficult things fun. With a pinch of luck and a good meat shield, I'll win."
I was prepared to have Kellee much higher, but then Probst hinted she might be inflexible and that seemed like a major red flag. I'd be happy to see her do well though. If she's as fun as she claims, that'll help her, and I'm sure she learned some translatable skills in business school. Her soccer background should give her some challenge ability too.

Dean Kowalski, Tech sales [Lairo]
"I strongly believe in my ability to get along with and be liked by a variety of different people. This will allow me to build strong, diverse alliances. Additionally, my athletic and puzzle abilities will make me a threat within challenges. My experience working in sales will fuel my persuasion within my alliances."
It's hard to back anyone that seems as cocky as him, but I could maybe see a universe where he perseveres and wins in spite of that. He has some things going for him: he's a strong challenge competitor, so he shouldn't be gone before the merge. His confidence could also make him a strong social player. And he's in sales, so maybe there's Chris Underwood upside here.

Elizabeth Biesel, Olympic medalist [Lairo]
"I'm physically, mentally, and socially strong. I can easily connect with people—my alliances will be strong and help carry me through the game. I can win individual Immunity due to my strength as an athlete. I'm a tough girl who will fight until the end."
Elizabeth is an incredibly accomplished person with a lot going for her and on paper could be a well-rounded player. But her biggest problem is how could you hear "Olympic swimmer" and not instantly think "huge threat"? On top of that, she also hasn't seen much of the show. But it's possible she can overcome this, and seemed very gung-ho for a girls thing on her pre-season interview.

Ronnie Bardah, Poker player [Lairo]
"I spend my life adapting to ever-changing environments. I grew up in a rough inner-city neighborhood and rose above and have been successful in one of the most competitive, cutthroat businesses on Earth. Poker is such a great challenge and competition and I want to always challenge myself to do better and better. There is no greater challenge in life than Survivor, I must conquer it."
Poker players don't have the best track record on the show for a profession that you'd think would make a good player. I'm not sure how much Ronnie knows about the show or if he just got offered it because he was a big name in the poker world. I guess it's not out of the question he could pick it up, but I see him playing the same way he plays cards: reckless and sloppy.

Noura Salman, Entrepeneur [Vokai]
"I'm multidimensional and not just one thing or person. I'm the nerd, jock, and model with brains, brawn, and beauty. Most importantly, I have the social skills needed to both win and influence people, and relentless drive to go after what I want."
Noura certainly has the pieces to be a good player: athletic, determined, adaptable. The question is, will she able to fit in with the tribe or will her energetic personality rub them the wrong way? Probst sounded unsure on her, which is not a good sign.

Dan Spilo, Talent manager [Vokai]
"I think I have the basic, if not superior, physicality to be useful to the Tribe. More importantly, I have an incredible ability to know what people need and to make them feel good, and to make myself critical in their success."
Dan is someone I could see being a villain. It might be hard for him to win because of that, but I don't want to rule it out as he does seem smart and like he's going to play hard. It seems like he thinks he'll be a challenge asset but I'll believe it when I see it.

Elaine Stott, Factory worker [Lairo]
"I think people will underestimate me. I think with my people skills and my ability to relate to different types of people, I will be able to befriend them or gain their trust. I would be overlooked because I wouldn't be a threat, but an ally."
The last two people in Elaine's archetype, Elizabeth and Lauren, both ended up being pleasant surprises, so I could definitely regret having her this low. I don't doubt that she's super fun to be around, which will help her. I just think a 40+ woman faces a lot of challenges, both at the beginning with they're worried about strength and at the end when they're trying to get respect for their game at FTC.

Aaron Meredith, Gym owner [Lairo]
"I have to come in with a STRONG social game because I will have a huge target on my back as a physical threat. I know how to work people, get people to know me, like me, and trust me."
I dunno, I just don't see it with Aaron. I'm not saying he's definitely going to be a douche, but he might be. He's also just undeniably fit and is gonna be a walking target after the merge, which is gonna take a huge amount of game sense he doesn't have to counteract.

Karishma Patel, Personal injury lawyer [Lairo]
"I feel like I was born to play this game. I've always craved challenges that help me learn more about myself, and I know deep down that I do have the physical, mental, and social skills to outlast, outwit, and outplay anyone."
The one camp shot I've seen of Karishma so far is her arguing. I hope that's not indicative of things to come. I would love the first Indian American contestant to do well as she seems like a badass independent woman with a strong, feisty personality, but that's exactly what could get her in trouble very early. So she shares a profession with Jason, could that be something they come together over if they ever meet?

Janet Carbin, Lifeguard [Vokai]
"I come off tough and stern... not true."
Another disappointingly short bio from someone who you'd think would have a lot to say, what gives? Probst is talking up Janet as one of their biggest characters this season and anybody who is a lifeguard at her age is guaranteed to be a badass. She seems mindful of not taking the role as the bossy one though. It's hard to overcome being the oldest player on your tribe, but she might just do it as she does have a skill others might not.

Tom Laidlaw, Former NHL player [Lairo]
"I know how to build an alliance and win challenges and then do whatever it takes to win."
So they said they were gonna cast Canadians this season, and the only one is an ex-hockey player that lives in New York? Huh. Anyway, it's cool to see a 60-year-old on the show but even an in-shape one is gonna have a tough time keeping up with the younger folks. His bio is very generic. One of the words he describes himself with is "stubborn", so...he's already on very thin ice. But maybe there's an alliance out there for him that needs a father figure.

Vince Moua, Admissions counselor [Lairo]
"I believe I can use my unassuming image and 209 vernacular to fool others into believing that I am not an immediate threat. However, I'd say I'm pretty crafty and will be able to use my smarts to create plans and execute votes that will eliminate anyone I feel is a threat to my game (if you're not with me, you're dead to me)."
I hate to put Vince last, because he seems like a nice guy and I'm sure he'll be fun while he's there, but I just get the sense that he's not gonna fit in at all. He's too weird and too different. And his bio answers are all over the place...he's apparently a shaman? But hey, I hope I'm wrong, as it's tough not to root for the underdog!

The ranking of Survivor seasons *updated with s38*

The most asterisk-riddled season yet, any good moments the season had were in spite of the twist, not because of it. Edge of Extinction was an airtime suck, the vets/rookies dynamic defined the whole show, too many advantages and a winner that goes against the very principle of the show. Mostly it's so low because the ending made it feel like everything before the finale was a waste of time.

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

Edge Of Extinction Episode 14: Comeback Kid

End of the road at last for the now-extinct

There's so much to get through tonight, we don't even have time for a full recap, we just go into the challenge. And this challenge is for the Edge of Extinction players to return to the game. They have to unwrap themselves from multiple ropes, then build a rope bridge and get balls through a table maze. Eric is first out of the fence section, with Aurora, Julia and Joe behind him. Ron and Wardog are going very slow, Reem and Aubry get stuck. Aurora gets through the rope bridge first, and it's her, Joe, Eric and Chris shooting for the win. Joe gets a chance to win it, but misses. Chris goes for it...and gets it. The losers from the challenge all get to tell their story one more time, as Reem recounts her darkest day, Joe wonders if he's let down the kids that look up to him, and Julia gets to mention losing her dad.

Back into the game after missing most of it, Chris tells them all he has to offer is information. Victoria doesn't buy the soft quit act he's doing. Chris gives Lauren some advice, telling her that Victoria is the next biggest jury threat after Rick and that she has to make a big move with the idol (which everyone knows about, thanks to Kelley).

Plug the gaps

The immunity challenge is to jump over obstacles, pick up a bag from a beam, unlock a puzzle and then solve it. Chris is the fastest out of the gate, but Victoria gets lucky on the combo and soon Chris is in last. Julie and Lauren make great progress on the puzzle, but Julie is having a tough time getting her last piece in. Chris starts helping Julie, which makes Rick mad. Julie wins immunity, and gets to choose two people to eat. She picks Chris, because he hasn't had a reward, and Lauren. Now Rick is mad again.

Julie discusses the vote over the meal, and says she is hoping Rick's idol is fake so she can vote him out. They want to split on Rick and Victoria. Gavin and Victoria start to get nervous the other three are working together, so approach Rick about possibly voting Chris. But Rick doesn't want to betray Chris a second time. Rick asks Chris if he got anything in his bag, and as a matter of fact, he got the same two-part idol Rick did. He hands a piece off to Rick and then also extracts a promise from Lauren that she will use her idol on him if Rick plays his.

At tribal council, Rick cries as the pressure of being on the bottom takes its toll. Victoria says she's not gonna rock the boat when there's an obvious target. After the vote, Rick plays his idol, so Lauren plays hers on Chris like she said she would. Victoria is sent home with two votes, so it went to waste. She wishes Gavin luck on the way out.

Rick watching Lauren take the bait

Rick is looking for his next idol, but also planting some fakes as well. He finds the real one just ahead of Chris and Julie, and then decides to give Chris his half back. Lauren, who is still mad at herself for wasting hers, goes looking with Julie. Julie finds the first fake and then Lauren finds the 2nd, as Rick laughs in the background.

The next immunity challenge is to get bags back from 5 different stations and use the pieces to solve a puzzle (a water version of the one Kelley Wentworth won in Cambodia). Gavin and Rick go for the same one, and Gavin wins it. Gavin is first to start on the puzzle, ahead of Chris. It soon ends up Gavin vs Rick and Rick manages to win.

Now that he doesn't even need his idol, Rick offers to use it on Gavin if he promises to take him to end....Gavin agrees, but knows he can't keep it. Julie, Gavin and Lauren all agree to vote Chris. Lauren starts to get worried that her idol could be a fake, so makes her case to Chris to vote for Julie as she won't be much use in a firemaking challenge. Chris and Rick decide which of the girls they're sending home and Rick says he thinks Lauren has played the better strategic game.

At tribal council, Chris says he needed to win. Lauren says it's frustrating Chris doesn't seem to trust her despite her playing the idol on him. Rick is annoyed everyone is still focused on him. Gavin points out he's done well in challenges so he's willing to take Rick on tomorrow. Now comes time to play the idols, and Julie and Lauren both play their fakes. Rick then plays the real one on Gavin, and Chris plays his real one too. The Chris votes are canceled and Lauren goes home. Man, huge misplay by Lauren that she held onto her idol that long and then threw it away one vote before she needed it.

No sudden movements

The final immunity challenge is to walk over a rocking beam, placing blocks on the end to spell out "final 3". Julie takes the early lead, but then drops. Chris is first to get all six, but takes his time going back. After what seems like an eternity, he gets over the line to win. Back at camp, he tells Gavin and Julie to both practice fire and whoever is better at it will be Rick's opponent. They both seem confident, but Chris hints at a bolder move.

At tribal council, Chris says again he needed to win. Julie and Gavin both say they're comfortable making fire, so Rick jokes that they should let both of them do it. Chris then shocks the jury by giving Julie the necklace and throwing himself into the showdown with Rick, to give the season the ending it deserves.

Breaking news: I'm out!

The match-up will take place in the voting booth due to wind. Both guys take a while to get going, as Wardog gives updates to Gavin and Julie who can't see. Chris gets something eventually, and Wardog declares "it's over". But then Rick does get a flame and might be back in it. Chris holds strong however, and knocks Rick out. Wow, this is really how it ends for him? I wasn't even really rooting for Rick but swapping a 4th boot for a 3rd boot feels like a real monkey's paw situation.

The most underwhelming final 3 in history enjoy the last breakfast. Julie thinks her relationships are what got her this far. Chris thinks that his game in just 3 days has been better than the 39 days of the other two. Gavin is hoping he can explain that he wasn't just a follower and that his social game gave him options.

Off to make a millionaire

David opens up final tribal council by asking them what their most important relationship was. Gavin says Victoria. Chris says Rick. Julie says Ron and Eric. Aubry gets Chris to talk about his social game on Edge of Extinction. Gavin talks about his social bonds, and Chris interrupts to call him a goat, which annoys Kelley. Julie admits to being emotional, but says she had a big part in Julia getting voted out. Rick and Wardog have a lot to say about this, saying the vote wouldn't have switched without them.

Jury getting grilled too

Chris defends his time out of the game by saying Julie didn't go to tribal until the merge. He says his biggest move was getting Lauren to use the idol on him, which she admits was stupid of her and she got played like a violin. Jeff asks who is undecided and a lot of hands go up. Aubry encourages them to keep fighting.

Rick asks why the others didn't look for idols and Gavin says he had the numbers. He also asks about the unfair advantage of getting information from Extinction. Gavin adds that Chris got a free idol too, and he at least played the full 39 days. Julia disputes this by saying the game evolved. Wardog says the theme isn't on trial...maybe it should be. Gavin raises his hand when Rick asks who never had their name written down.

For their closing statements, Gavin just talks about his family and not really his game. Chris says the odds were so stacked against him after coming back he had to make as many big moves as he could. Julie says not playing an aggressive game doesn't mean she's not worthy and thanks them for being respectful.

Back in the studio, Jeff reads the votes pretty quickly since there are a lot. We go back and forth between Gavin and Chris for what ultimately ends up being a 9-4 win for Chris. Well, my worst fears for this twist all came true! Very cool that it all came down to a table maze and basically nothing else mattered. I don't say this lightly, but this could be a shark jumping moment for the show. Now let's just put this entire chapter behind us.

STAR OF THE WEEK: CHRIS UNDERWOOD

To Chris' credit, he made good use of the tools at his disposal and did a lot when he was actually in the game. But the purist in me doesn't like that somebody who spent only 13 days in the actual game (less than Wendy) was able to win. I kinda think he has to be 38th on the winner rankings just by default.

Next time on Survivor: Island Of The Idols. The theme seems fairly unobtrusive and much less game-ruining than this season, at least. But my God, are they serious with those giant head statues!? Perhaps one of the show's most embarrassing moments.

Edge Of Extinction Episode 13: Keep On Running

Rick is telling everybody he got the idol from the Edge of Extinction, hoping they won't be looking at camp. Aurora is happy that she finally has an alliance. Rick wakes up in the middle of the night to get a headstart on idol hunting. Lauren is keeping an eye on him, as she doesn't believe him about where he got the idol, but obviously she doesn't do a good enough job because he finds his 2nd.

What a save!

The reward challenge is to throw a ball onto a track and catch it at the other end, then leave them balanced on a beam. Victoria pulls out a nice save early on, as does Aurora. Aurora gets hers over first, as Julie falls over on the obstacles. Gavin, Victoria and Aurora are all in it but Gavin wins. He decides to pick Victoria....and Lauren. Julie and Rick are both shocked Aurora was not picked, and are ready to exploit that rift.

Not invited

The chosen three fly over their camp in a helicopter and see Aurora lying there awkwardly. At the reward, they agree on Rick as their target and Julie as their backup...but Lauren feels good about her relationship with Julie and isn't on board with that. Victoria does damage control with Aurora immediately after coming back, insisting nothing has changed.

Self-love, time capsule style

On Extinction, they all get a letter they wrote to themselves before the game. Julia cries reading hers saying she rediscovered her purpose. Eric's and David's both offer reminders of what they have back home. Joe's gasses him up and Aubry's tells her she only needs validation from within. Reem's says she hopes she has more patience. Oh boy, looks like she needed to hear that!

Rick walks off into the jungle, and when everybody follows him, he decides to mess with them and play a little hide-and-seek. He already has the idol, but he's just doing this for fun.

Madman on the loose

The immunity challenge is to slide letters across a table, then carry them over balance beams using handles, then solve a puzzle. Aurora declares from the start word puzzles are not her strong suit. Lauren, Rick and Aurora all get their letters through first. Then they start transferring, and a few are dropping. Gavin goes with smaller stacks. Lauren is the first to transfer with Gavin, Aurora and Rick not far behind...Victoria then has to remind Jeff she's still in this too. Rick is first to start solving, but others soon catch him - Gavin needing an extra trip. "Tonight" seems to be the first word everyone gets. The first to complete it all is Rick though. Wow, he was already safe, and now he's sticking around til final 5.

Short-lived final 4

Julie goes off with Rick, sensing she's next on the chopping block. The other 4 affirm the plan, but Julie is holding out some hope Lauren might save her. Lauren would like to sit next to Julie in the end, so talks to Gavin about possibly getting him to vote out Aurora. Gavin wants to get Victoria's opinion, but Lauren is willing to do it with or without her.

At tribal council, Rick says there's a clear alliance of 4 and Aurora is even on the bottom of that. Aurora is still lazer-focused on Rick. Various people talk abut Rick's disappearing act. For his next trick, Rick pulls out the idol and threatens to play it on Julie. Lauren is prepared to believe him, but Gavin isn't sure and thinks he might keep it for himself. Rick argues he's hoping to make it 3-3 with the Extinction returnee coming back in, and says he's playing harder on his 2nd chance.

Rick hangs onto the idol, which I never doubted for a second. Aurora goes home 5-1, only her voting for Julie. Aurora is pissed they fell for an obvious bluff. I suspect they didn't and she was always going home...didn't stop Rick taking credit though.

Well, Aurora will probably only spend one night on Extinction as the return challenge is looming. How will the returnee shake up the game? And will the others finally succeed in getting Rick out?

STAR OF THE WEEK: LAUREN O'CONNELL

C'mon, I'm not giving it to Rick again. Lauren wanted to keep Julie around and that's what happened. She also has close connections with Victoria and Gavin. If Rick doesn't win out, my money's on her.

Edge Of Extinction Episode 12: Fake News

Julie explains to Rick why she voted Wardog out, but Rick is more pissed with Ron for lying to him again. Ron makes a ploy to keep Rick on his side by offering him the advantage menu...not telling him that it's expired. Rick appears to buy it.

A Survivor honeymoon

The loved ones reward is to scoop up water from the ocean and throw it to your partner for them to fill up a bucket...yay, they brought this one back! Jeff brings everybody their loved ones, starting with Rick's wife. Julie's husband, Lauren's dad, Ron's husband and Victoria's dad come out next, and Victoria's ice queen persona melts away. We also meet Aurora's brother and lastly, Gavin's wife, who he married 2 days before coming out, a fact that stuns the rest of the players. The challenge begins. Gavin is doing well at it, so are Lauren and Ron. Aurora and Rick have trouble tossing, with Rick just drenching his wife. Victoria gets exhausted on the running. Ron's partner Lloyd finds the last few drops needed to squeeze out a win. Now Ron gets to choose two people to join him, and he takes Julie and Gavin. Well, Victoria knows where she is on his totem pole now.

Gavin gets a tender moment with his wife, as Ron informs his husband that he's running the game. Knowing he's next to go, Rick goes looking for an idol, as Lauren encourages Aurora to check his bag. Rick comes back and catches her, but she has no shame about it, which just makes it more awkward for Rick than her.

Stop interrupting my grindin'

Rick goes back out for a second run and finds a clue that tells him it's in a tree above camp...but there's no way for him to get it with everyone around. At night, Rick makes his move and climbs up a tree which almost wakes some people up. He manages to make it up and get it undetected, then quips about how they searched his bag too soon. Great, looks like we have another Ben on our hands.

Love lifts us up where we belong

The immunity challenge is to stand on tiny footholds. Rick jokingly tries to make a deal immediately, and Ron is visibly having a tough time. Rick is down first...big relief for everyone else. But Ron is not far behind, and then Victoria joins him. Julie is out next and needs to be carried to the bench by Ron. Then Aurora drops...shocking as she was probably the favorite. It's Lauren vs Gavin now, which Gavin wins.

Everybody sits around back at camp, as Rick sees the writing on the wall. Julie and Ron tell Rick they're voting for Aurora, as Rick wonders whether the advantage is legit. Victoria, Lauren and Aurora team up to make their own plans, saying they should put their votes on Ron as a back-up. Aurora reveals she has an extra vote wants to give it to Gavin since he's the only one guaranteed to be able to use it in a tie. They're taking a big gamble that he's on their side though, since he does feel indebted to Ron after he gave him the family visit.

Plotting a plan B

At tribal council, Rick brings up the Aurora drama. Ron shoots down Jeff's roulette wheel analogy when talking about contingency plans, hoping he does know what's going on. Lauren says Ron's picks for the reward were very telling. Rick expresses his hope at being able to find a crack. Victoria says she doesn't want to sit next to Rick at the end, but Rick points out some of them are going to be wrong in their ideal final 3.

Villains revealed

Rick, Aurora and Ron are all on the chopping block as we see the votes cast. Rick pulls out the advantage to see if he can use it...but Jeff tells him it's a dud. Rick blasts Ron and Julie for trying to embarrass him - but then pulls out his real idol and plays it anyway. The fall guy ends up being Ron, which Rick wasn't part of, but is very happy to see. And it looks like the jury are too, especially Julia.

On Extinction. Ron gets a surprisingly good reception, with Aubry and Reem trying to comfort him. Well, Rick is still in the game but another power player is gone. Can Julie adapt without him? And how long will the Rick vs everyone storyline continue?

STAR OF THE WEEK: RICK DEVENS

Rick entered the week the number one target and he made it through. He has the whole jury rooting for him, and whilst his position hasn't changed much, he still has a chance as long as he's there.

Edge Of Extinction Episode 11: Goat Hunt

Lauren is sad to lose her "older sister" Kelley, on both a personal and a game level. She wants Rick out next. Gavin says he wanted to be included, and Wardog snaps on him. Ron repairs his relationship with Julie and tells her about the extra vote. Rick tells Wardog and Ron that they're the biggest threats left, so they need to stick together because no-one else is gonna take them to the end. They decide to target Aurora. Damn, seems like she's always on the bottom, no matter what she does.

Another stellar challenge performance from Wardog

The reward challenge is two teams of four. Two members will swim the keelhaul section to get rings, and the other two will be the tossers. It's Wardog/Lauren/Rick/Julie vs Ron/Aurora/Gavin/Victoria, playing for a trip to the mudpool. Wardog really botches the dive harder than I ever thought possible, and almost swims to the wrong platform, but still gets his ring back roughly the same time as Ron. Aurora smokes Lauren when it's their turn. On the tossing, Rick steps up to win for his team.

Joe comforts Kelley on Extinction, but Reem is happy she's out and lets her know she thinks it's her fault she got voted out. We get a close-up on Kelley's tears as she cries it out and talks about how she hopes this game will teach her to be more open.

No rice for you!

The four people from the losing team all agree Rick should be the next to go. Gavin is out for Wardog's blood but is happy to stick with the numbers for now (kinda proving Wardog right). Ron gives Aurora the advantage back in order to cement their bond, but now they're getting into an argument where he calls her a "rice Nazi". "I'm used to being around drama queens because I am one" says Aurora.

At the mudpool, Rick and Wardog are having fun rubbing mud all over eachother (but not in a homosexual way, that's for sure). According to Rick, the two girls aren't playing the game...but turns out he's wrong there, as they're strategizing together in the pool on the downlow. Julie considers Wardog the threat, but Lauren thinks it's Rick.

Not sure what's going on here

Rick Devens, challenge star

The immunity challenge is to jump across pyramid structures, move bags through a tube and solve a puzzle at the end. Finally, a non-balance challenge! Everyone gets over the pyramids, with Ron being the slowest. Aurora takes the lead going into the puzzle with Gavin behind her. Rick does well on the puzzle, as Aurora gets frustrated. However he stalls right at the end, and allows Aurora back into it. Rick figures it out and wins immunity again.

With Rick safe, most people's targets are switching to Wardog...but Ron isn't sure and heeds his warning that if he goes, the other threats will fall like dominoes. Wardog tries to get Julie to vote Aurora, and she wants to, but is annoyed that he didn't just do that last time. Lauren and Julie talk, as Lauren isn't sure she wants Wardog to go since she did have a good relationship with him before the betrayal. Aurora senses people not talking to her and considers playing her extra vote.

The peanut gallery have a lot to say

At tribal council, Gavin reveals him and Wardog haven't talked since the Kelley vote, which gets a reaction from Kelley on the jury. Wardog is called out as the ringleader behind that big move and he drags Ron under the bus with him. There's a lot of talk about how many threats are gone already and whether that will continue, but Aurora says not everyone is gonna agree who the threats are.

The vote is between Aurora and Wardog...this shouldn't really be a complicated decision, and it isn't, as Wardog gets snuffed. Rick was left on the outs again. And Kelley is loving that Lauren got revenge for her. Well, the so-called goats ended up calling the shots this round, which proves that maybe it's not a good thing to be the biggest threat at final 8.

STAR OF THE WEEK: LAUREN O'CONNELL

Great bounceback for Lauren, who may have lost her closest ally but still has a strong shot of getting to the end. Now she just needs to finish the job on Rick, which shouldn't be too hard.