Survivorfest - week 10!

Sierra finally outlasts her welcome!



Back from council, Coach reflected on recent events: "I was commanding my troops, as I was born to do...that's why I'm the Dragonslayer." Then JT and Stephen turned the game on its head by blindsiding Tyson.



Despite what was clearly a surprise and a disappointment to Debbie and Coach, they slobbered all over JT and Stephen.



Stephen remarked that he was leery about being told how brilliant he was and would have preferred a big old fight to clear the air. I'm starting to get a sneaking feeling that Stephen might just be the guy to beat in this game...



The reward challenge was a quiz regarding the remaining members of the tribe. They all answered a series of questions and would compare their results to that of the group. Those who had the results of the majority would be allowed to chop at the rope of a competitor.



Each person had three sections to their rope before a hammer would fall, smashing a ceramic doll that resembled the player. Coach's doll, predictably, had a larger-than-normal head.



Who was not playing the game up to their potential? The majority said Coach...including Coach. Anyone who didn't see that coming hasn't been paying attention. He's the kind of guy who thinks even his weaknesses are greater than most people's strengths.



Who would squander the million dollars if the won the game? Helio Castroneves! Just kidding. That was the majority answer to that question on a previous season of Dancing With the Stars: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/helios-tax-indictment-has-nascar-ties/

The majority answered Sierra. Again...what in the world did she do to piss all these people off?



Sierra's third rope was chopped and she took a seat on the bench.



Who would never survive on their own? Debbie.



With that Coach went out, followed by Debbie.



Who would you trust with your life? JT, unanimously. Surprising, after last week. I think Tyson would beg to differ.



Erinn was out, then JT. So much for the value of being trustworthy.



Stephen turned to Taj at this point, flashed a gang sign at her and said "It's on!". He couldn't be any whiter if he was a ghost.



Who would be most likely to stab you in the back? Sierra. Again, what?



Who would you least like to see win the game? Stephen won by choosing Sierra. Taj lost and had selected Coach.



Stephen won the reward challenge.



He chose to send Erinn to Exile. Again, worried that another idol might make its way out he didn't want Sierra to get it.



Stephen took Taj and JT with him on reward, which was a home cooked meal with a Brazilian family. Unfortunately it was the vacation home of former major league pitcher Ugueth Urbina. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,261984,00.html



Just kidding. That's the plot of next season's Survivor. Instead of going home, cast-offs will be hacked with machetes and doused with gasoline. I can't wait.



After a large meal with the family, the three went to, and I'm certainly going to spell this wrong, Fervedora Springs. I believe Fervedora is Portuguese for "septic pool".



At Exile, Erinn and her Prada-frame glasses had little success with making a fire. Then it rained anyway. Cold, wet, lonely night on Exile. Sounds like a Michael Jackson's honeymoon.



Back at camp, Sierra is approached by Coach and Debbie to reunite the Timbera tribe to take back control of the game. At least that was my take on the conversation. As we were about to find out, there's several sides to every story.



Sierra wasn't so sure she wanted to align with the losers of last night's blindside, so she avoided any commitment.



Debbie was a little rattled: "My brain is running right now." I'm not sure what got it started.



She turned to ask Sierra: "Sierra, you would go with whatever Coach says, right?"

Sierra: "ummm, I'm not so sure."

Debbie: "What!?! I thought you said you'd be loyal!"

Sierra: "That was before you wrote my name down! You guys are in trouble...you only have two people in your alliance."

Debbie: "You don't know who we have! Those facts are in your brain!" Yes, she actually said that.



I thought this was hilarious as it was almost the exact opposite of the conversation those two had the previous episode.



Coach made sure to hook up with JT to try to get his commitment on how the final four would play out.



Coach even went so far as to say that it was Sierra's idea to try to reunite Timbera. Naturally he was above such dishonesty. I didn't think it was possible, but his nose actually grew three inches.



He went so far as to say that the very thought of crossing JT and Stephen made him sick to his stomach. I swear I could hear violin music in the background.



Sierra told Stephen her side of the story, which had a little different spin than Coach's.



Stephen cracks me up: "Ultimately we'll need to betray Coach and Debbie. To do that we need to get them on our side." And he seems like such a nice boy.



The immunity challenge was to throw a grappling hook to pull in three bags from a distance. The first three to retrieve all their bags would move on to a "ball in a maze board" challenge for immunity.



It seems like it's the rainy season in Brazil and there was plenty of lighting to boot. I wonder how worried they were to be slinging around metal grappling hooks. I suspect CBS' lawyers were all squirming and rechecking the paperwork they had the players sign.



Coach and JT finished ahead of the others, and Debbie edged out Stephen, who was delayed by a knot in his rope.



Coach was practically giddy to have not been eliminated at this point. Definitely new ground being broken here when Coach starts being competitive in individual challenges.



Coach won the ball in a maze challenge due to three factors: concentration, total focus, honesty and integrity. Wait that's four.



We did get to hear another victory cry as Coach dropped his ball into the winning hole: "You better believe it, baby! Dragonslayer!!"



And I'm not even making that up.



Back at camp he actually asked JT if he'd heard him yell "Dragonslayer!!" He had. I strongly suspect that, if they can stomach Coach for a couple more days, then they will try to drag him along to the end. I can't see anyone intentionally giving him a million dollars.



Coach then proceeded to explain to everyone why he won that challenge. In detail. Talked it to death.



Sierra took the opportunity to try to clear up the air about who said what to whom earlier.



My interpretation of the confrontation:



Coach threw Debbie under the bus. Sierra called Coach a liar. Coach claimed he was beyond reproach. Debbie broke down and cried.



Debbie: "I'm a 46-year old professional woman, arguing with a 23-year old! I don't even remember what I said [to her]!" I think that's an interesting way of saying, "yeah, I lied".



At council, Probst asked about the in-fighting.



Coach was still appalled that anyone would doubt him: "I live by two things: honesty, integrity and bravery." In all fairness, he might have written it as honesty/integrity.



Taj enjoyed the drama show since she hadn't gotten to watch any soap operas lately. And she wasn't on the spot.



Sierra was voted out in a close one, with Debbie sweating it out.

It seemed like the reasoning for getting rid of Sierra was that she was causing too much trouble at camp. All the more reason for keeping her, I think. She definitely provided a smoke-screen for Erinn and Taj. And I think Coach might be even more of a target now.

Still, for a gal that everyone wanted to vote off as soon as they got off the bus, she did very well for herself.



See you next week on...Survivor!