First, the e-letter carrier delivers this from Kevin: "I can't believe that Rob was allowed to manipulate the voting strategies of the other team! That is completely unfair, and Rob has got to go."

It was certainly an interesting moment. Jeff quickly shooed Lex away but you can't blame him for preventing it since no one's ever tried this before. And I don't blame Rob for trying because, well, no one's ever tried this before. It certainly changed the game for Amber and Jerri, but will it have an even bigger impact? I guess we'll have to read on.

Day 25 at New Chapera and Lex confirms that he thinks Rob will be good to his word after the merge. Cut to said Bostonian mourning for Amber's assumed departure. Tom says he's seen this before. "It's like when a calf's sucking its mommy's titty and you ween that calf, it bawls." I can't believe Tom has now gotten away with saying "titty" twice.

Rob makes a back-up alliance with Alicia. They promise they'll never vote against each other.

It's time for the Reward Challenge and out walks…Ambuh! Rob wipes away another tear. I hope his buddies make him suffer for life.

There's still no merge but this is an individual Challenge. It's the underwater version of musical chairs. The winner gets a night at a resort with his or her choice of two companions. In the first round the nine of them dive for seven pots. Shii Ann and Jenna come up empty and are eliminated. In the next round, Tom steals Amber's pot and she and Kathy are out. Tom tries another steal in round three but Rob holds on so Tom and Alicia sit out.

Rupert was great with the crate…

Lex, Rob and Rupert make the final and the first one to get a heavy sunken crate onto shore wins. While Rob runs along the ocean floor, Lex dumbly tries to lift the crate up out of the water. Rupert leads and Rob's ugly faces aren't enough to catch up. Blackbeard wins Reward! He picks Amber because she was gone and Jenna because they've been together the whole time.

A helicopter picks them up and Rupert says, "I'm in Heaven with two goddesses." The girls are giddy over the beauty products at the resort including makeup. They all get massages and have dinner. Rupert gushes again, "I wanted to kiss and hug 'em all over!" Careful there, married guy.

Rupert and Jenna toast to their strong alliance with Rob and Tom. Amber is quiet because of her promises to Lex and Kathy. Which side did she lie to?

The next day the leftover players get mail calling them back to the beach. Tom greets the host with, "Hey, how's it going, Jeffrobodean?" I have no clue either.

Yesterday's winners get dropped off from the chopper and Jeff mentions they're now on old Saboga beach. This is where they'll stay because the merge is finally here. Blue buffs for everyone. They'll have to build a new shelter but they get two fishing spears and a tarp.

Commercial break: I can't believe Big Brother's still on the air.

The ladies try to think of the new tribe name and end up with "Chaboga Mogo." Bah.

…and his work won him a new skirt.

Lex says he's happy that the game has now truly begun. He quickly approaches Rob about their deal. Rob laughs as he tells us, "You guys didn't really believe that, did you? C'mon!"

Rob and Ambuh talk and he's sporting a buff bandana, Donnie Wahlberg-style. Rob wants Lex out next but his girl suggests either Jenna or Rupert first. Amber is afraid the two of them will be targeted because they're juggling so many promises.

The next day is the first individual Immunity Challenge and the winner gets a wind-chime-looking necklace. Actually, there are TWO chimes because each gender will have a winner.

The first part is holding your breath underwater to get the two sets of finalists. Amber and Kathy outlast the other women while Rupert is the first one out for the men! A surprising loss for Neptune. Tom is next to give up so Lex and Rob will do battle again.

Ladies first, and the game is a race along a submerged horizontal ladder, releasing ten buoys on the way. Jeff says go and they're tied after four buoys. Amber gets the next two as Kathy tires. But then Amber runs out of gas and Kathy rattles off one, two, three, FOUR straight! It's 8-6 and Amber has nothing left. Kathy is Immune!

Man time. Both knock off five buoys on one breath. Lex pulls ahead 7-6. Then it's 8-6, and 9-7! Lex is at the final one…but he can't get it! He comes up for air. He fails again!! Another breath for Lex. Rob keeps going…and WINS!!! Major turn of events. Did Lex just drown his chances?

Back at camp Lex talks to Kathy about how they haven't been made to feel welcome after the merge. He calls choosing Amber over Jerri a "potentially game-ending blunder." That would assume he had game to begin with.

"Oh yeah, I'm with you guys."

Here's the moment of the episode: Rob goes to Lex and Kathy to say they're voting out Lex! The vote is obvious, but can you believe Rob pulled a Lex on Lex?

Mr. Tattoo is livid. He says he saved Amber not out of strategy but as "a brother coming to a brother" for help. Lex says he had his game figured out and would've had the advantage with Jerri still there. Rob says he knows Lex would've gone after Tom as the swing vote.

Lex continues to play the friend card. Am I the only one who finds this curious? Apparently not, as Ephraim writes in and talks about "Lex's 'we're good friends but it's business' rationale while telling Ethan he is going to go. As much as I am disliking Boston Rob, he's playing it to win and he didn't play much different than Lex did in this instance." He played it exactly like Lex, right down to the verbally delivered execution order. Pretty funny stuff if you ask me.

Back to the action and Kathy breaks down like a distraught mother. I keep forgetting she and Rob are from the same season. So much for the people-from-the-same-show-will-stick-together angle. Kathy says she doesn't want to stay any more and will give Lex her Immunity. Hmmm…

At Tribal Council we learn the jury will be the standard seven, so this is the final group. Lex cracks a wry smile at that information. One way or another he'll have his final say.

They all say the day was very hard and Rob says they really need sun tomorrow. Right on cue it starts raining. Rob later announces to all, but he's looking at Lex, that he still wants to be friends after the game. Did they actually hang out a lot before this?

Jeff asks Rob if he wants to give up Immunity and he quickly says no. Kathy on the other hand pauses…and also says no! Lex is stunned again. Pardon me….

HAHAHAHAHAHA. That was great.

Lex votes for Amber and Rob votes for Lex. "Hopefully we can get over this, man," he says. Kathy votes for Amber because of her lies to them.

Lex and his friends.

The tally goes Amber, Amber, then five straight Lexes. Kathy cries. It's a little late for that. Money talks, huh?

Next time on…Survivor: Get out the Kleenex it's the glimpse-of-home episode. Kathy and Shii Ann also talk to Tom about turning on Jenna.

In his final words Lex says he's now rooting for Tom. Uh, whom did Tom vote for just then? There's a reason Jeff only read two votes for Amber.

I'm sorry, but Lex is full of it. Choosing Amber wasn't a strategic move? He said himself he thought he could hold it over Rob's head later in the game. All his friend talk is completely hollow. Friendship means nothing when he's voting out Colby, or Ethan, or even Jerri, but when Rob votes him out, Lex is suddenly the patron saint of loyalty. Get over yourself.

Survivor isn't a morality play. It's a 24-hour-a-day chess match with a healthy dose of greed thrown in. It you can't handle that, you should just stay home and play your drums.

Rock on.

Email us! Survivor@DangFun.com
Back to the Survivor 8 Index
Dang Fun Home