Can you feel the family love?
But first--you know the drill. Two weeks ago I commented on Tom possibly being a target because he got the biggest "paycheck" of any of the remaining players. Belinda and Dan each wrote in asking how much Survivor contestants get besides $1 million for first and $100,000 for second. The answer: I don't know. But
this person might. So if those numbers are right, Tom's fourth place finish in Africa didn't set him up for life, but he got more than I'm sure he makes selling goats.
Random fact from last week: With Alicia leaving, each of the six remaining Survivors comes from a different season. Only S6 isn't represented. In fact, the Amazon hasn't had an alumnus present since Rob C. got the boot in Episode 4.
And now we can begin. It's Day 31 and Rupert isn't happy no one helps him clean fish. To prove a point he only prepares one and starts cooking it for himself. Jenna gets mad at him for not bringing food for everyone. Shii Ann tells him he deserves all the fish he wants since he catches them. Kiss that butt. "Shii Devil has some tricks up her sleeve," she tells us.

Bad Rupert.
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The Reward Challenge is the loved-one event, starring Amber's mom, Rob's brother Mike, Shii Ann's mom (weepy time), Tom's son "Bucky Bo" (Is Tom wearing Alicia's hat?), Jenna's brother (Jai?), and Rupert's wife Laura. Lot's of heavy breathing ensues and Jeff has to say, "Whoa, Rupert, whoa!"
Just like before it's the Gross Food Challenge™ with the loved ones eating the gross. There's an overnight stay for your guest at stake. You know if it was the other way around, Rupert would eat barbed wire for a night with his wife right now.
A fish head is the first item on the menu and Amber's mom comes in last. She has to say goodbye without any more hugs. Jeff's so mean.
The flying cockroach sends Shii Ann's mom home. Next, Rob's fafaru returns. They have to eat it without any hands just like the original and Laura gags. Mike gets his down to eliminate Rupert's wife. The FCC breathes a sigh of relief.
The three guys are left to attempt a tarantula. Jenna's brother tries to wash his down with the glass of water and is disqualified! He tries to claim no one said you couldn't use water but Jeff's not buying it. Never argue with the Probst.
Only a live super-grub with pinchers separates Tom and Rob from their loved one. Bo swallows his whole and wins! He and his dad do a dance. They'll be spending the night at an upgraded Camp Chapera. As a bonus, Tom gets to pick one other person to join them with their loved one. Jenna pushes for Rupert--yikes--but Tom picks Rob. No chicks allowed at this party.
They get dropped off on the beach and find pizza and a bucket of beer waiting for them. Look out. Tom's happy to see his son but, "I wished it had been his mother or my neighbor's sister." He adds he didn't pick Rupert because of how he went crazy when he saw his wife. "They was slobbers hanging down in his beard!"

How gross is your love?
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Rob asks Tom what the others are probably doing and he comically runs down the list ending with "Shii Ann's trying to make an alliance with a bush 'cause she's tried everybody else." The big man's on a roll.
Many beers later, the guests are singing on the swing. It's a frat party gone horribly wrong.
The two pairs separate and Tom tells his boy the key to him wining is Rob sticking with him. Rob on the other hand says his main alliance is with Amber. Mike tells Rob not to bank on Amber's loyalty, but Rob says she won't turn on him. Rob says he doesn't trust Tom though.
Back at the main camp the next day, Rupert takes Bo spear fishing. The new guy loses the tip of one of the spears. "Bo's a bigger dumbass than his dad," Rob says.
Now it's Day 33 and Tom is wearing Alicia's hat. Finder's keepers, right? At the Challenge he also has his feather back.
The game consists of two buckets, one on each end of a see-saw device. They'll build a fire in one and then pour water in the other to raise the fire up to light a fuse. The kicker is the water bucket has a hole in it.
Rupert is first with fire, followed by Tom, then Rob. Rob easily fills his bucket with water and up goes his fire. Rob wins ag--WAIT! His fire has gone out and the fuse doesn't light! Tom and Rupert's fires went out too so everyone's even again.
Rob gets down to one match, and he can't light anything! The wind blows out his final flame and he's out. Amber also stinks and she's done. Then Rupert flames out! For shame.

Rob's chances sprung a leak.
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Jenna also burns her last match and just like that it's down to Tom and, guess who, Shii Ann. Tom has fire again and starts for the water. They try to make it look like Shii Ann has a chance but she never gets off the ground before Tom wins. Do that dance!
Shii Ann now goes to work on saving her butt. She talks to Tom about voting off Jenna and he's all for it. Rupert also seems interested. Now she tries Amber.
Jenna has no use for Shii Ann. "She opens her mouth and I feel like putting a gun in mine." Don't tease us like that.
Shii Ann is now talking to the Robfather. "I know a lot of things about this tribe," she says, "and it's all going to come out tonight at Tribal."
The reckoning hour is nigh and Jeff asks Jenna who's been working. She says Rupert and Tom mainly. Amber also helps, but Rob not so much. Rob says he's tried to fish, he's just not as good as Rupert.
Rupert says paranoia is breaking the tribe apart. Jenna interrupts him and says Rupert is the most paranoid. Rupert tells about Jenna's fish incident. Amber sides with Rupert. Shii Ann calls out Jenna for causing the fight by monitoring what everyone eats.
Shii Ann just lets it all out. She says there are two "power pairs" in the group: Rupert and Jenna, and Rob and Amber. She wonders why one couple hasn't approached Tom and her about attacking the other one. She then says her vote tonight will be for the person she thinks is playing the best. That means she knows she's leaving.
Jeff asks Tom if he wants to give up Immunity and he says, "That's the ignorest thing that's been said here tonight."

Fear this?
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Time to vote and the only suspense is whom Shii Ann voted for. We see her hold up…Amber! "You are the mastermind right now. So from one she-devil to another, this is the vote I'm casting tonight." Very interesting.
The tally goes: Shii Ann, Shii Ann, Amber (she blushes), Shii Ann and Shii Ann. I have to give the Extended Chapera members credit. They stuck together and ensured one of them will win it.
Next time on…Survivor: Rupert talks about Rob catching him plotting. He then accuses Tom about Tom wanting to vote off Rob. Great, does my dream alliance finally happen, only to have them blow it?
Back to Shii Ann's comments: Can Amber actually win? She's a strong candidate to make the final, but how would she beat Rob before the jury? Everyone's going to think she just rode his coattails (note the sex appeal vote from last week). She has to somehow prove to them there's a strategy behind the bikini.
As far as the other three, if they don't band together to knock off Rob or Amber right now, they're done. It's simple math. Tom, Rupert and Jenna can guarantee they make the final three and have virtually an equal shot from there. It makes no sense to count on any sort of alliance with an obvious couple. Rob's powers of persuasion will get a serious test Thursday.
We're about to witness genius…or the ignorest thing ever.
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