Watching Survivor

-:30 Howdy folks! It’s time to set up the post for our as it happens recap for tonight’s episode! Have you gotten your Pool Party Picks in yet? If not, skedaddle over there - you’ve only got until show time to do so! As always, Bobby rocks my socks for streaming from the east coast! What do you think will happen tonight? Who’s going home? Can’t wait to see it play out!

:00 Previously on Survivor…. Recap time, folks! 15 are left, who will be voted out tonight?

:02 We start off over at Malakal after Tribal council, as they talk about the vote, and how Shocked Erik was - he says he felt shafted, and they’re tough as nails, you can’t trust the Favorites at all, and if this game is about lying, he might have to do some of that.

:03 Credits and commercial

:07 At Malakal, the girls are in the water, and ask Cirie to go play with them as Chet and Tracey talk. She says they were needed, and she tells us it’s driving her batty not being in control. She tells Chet she didn’t come so far in the game to roll over. They talk to Jason about how vicious they are, and tells him the only thing they can do is get one of them to vote with them so they’re in control.

:08 Tracy says she feels the shift, and Ami goes and gets with her and gives her a pep talk, telling her not to get down, because that gets her out first. She points out she wasn’t part of the original alliance and says maybe she needs to play a little differently - baby steps right now.

:09 Over at Airai, Jonathan says that his knee is feeling better, but slower then he wants too. James says losing Jonathan would be a big blow to the team, and hopefully he’s alright, he doesn’t want to lose the motivator.

Fan vs. favorites is over in Eliza’s mind, and she wants to work with them to get rid of Parvati and James before the merge.

:11 Reward Challenge already! Everyone is shocked to see Joel was voted out, time for the challenge. on the go, swim out to get the bundle of sticks, rope and planks. You have 10 minutes to build a blockade in the other tribe’s tunnel, then break through your blockade - first tribe with all of the players through wins. Reward gets two native Micronesian’s to go to the camp and learn how to improve camp life.

:12 Natalie is sitting out, and it’s time to get started. For reward, GO!

They’re off, running to the platform - Ozzy is there first, Jason is right behind, Ozzy and Erik are tossing the bundles, Jonathan stays on the beach to keep his knee dry, everyone is headed back with bundles. Penner is limping to grab the bundles, and drag them back, and takes a huge fall- he calls out I’m OK!

Malakal has everything and starts building, Airai right behind them, as they have 10 minutes to use all the materials to block the other teams tunnel. A lot of quite strategy going on in the tribes as they tie and shove and work to blockade. When time is up, Jeff says to switch sides and they go to tear the blockade down that the other team just created.

Airai having a bit more trouble, Ozzy is already making the way through the tunnel with Ozzy in the lead. Cirie is behind him, Jason is first for Airai with Eliza right behind as they break their way through - only have to open enough space to get through. Lots of cakks - Airai suddenly gets through and Malakal is finding behind, Penner is dragging himself through - AIRAI WINS REWARD!

Airai sends Chet to exile island, and sends Jason to join him. They’ll be back for immunity challenge. Malakal heads back, as Airai hears that back at their camp the native Micronesians will show up, and ask them every question you can think of. Before he can go though, Penner has to see Medical about his knee.

:17 The Medic with the cute accent talks about the fact that he needs surgical washout, there is no quick fix. She recommends he gets hospital treatment, it’s moving into his lymphnodes - if the infection gets to his blood stream it’s potentially fatal. He doesn’t want to quit. She recommends that he leave now. It’s tearing him up, he knows, and Jeff says ok, let’s go, we have to go to the hospital. Penner says “I had this game too. I saw the daylight.” There’s tears all around as he says goodbye.

Kathy is a mess, and says he was a pillar of strength, and she hates to see him go, she knew him for three days, but what she knew she loved. He says to have fun, and he’ll see them. Jeff offers to help him into the boat, Penner says he has it, they shake, and He takes off with “I was kicking ass in this game. I don’t want to leave, but I don’t want to lose my leg.

:20 Commercial.

:23 We’re back, at Airai where Jonathan says he needed Jonathan because these girls drive him crazy. He’s not so persuasive and they are. Things are not in his favorite right now. They’re visitors show up, and they great them all and Joe and Edwin introduce themselves. They brought fishing line and net, vegetables and fruits, and a paring knife. They show them how to set up the bait for Coconut Crab, and show them how to fish. Tracy asks if they need shoes and Joe says “It’s up to you. is your feet!”

They all go out fishing, with the line, and they are amazed with how quickly Joe catches a fish. Parvati says it’s the best reward ever because now they can fish. Parvati catches a fish and James “There ya go, baby!”

Back at Malakal, Amanda points out how she feels that the challenge was 4 vs 4 in their own tribe. They need to get rid of Tracey and Chet. Amanda says it’s the 3rd challenge in a row that they loss, and they don’t work together as a team, and the fans need to step it up. Cirie says it’s getting on her nerves that they have to play the game and teach it too. They don’t want to teach. Ami tells us she wants to give them a chance though.

:27 She goes to talk to the other side, and talk about Cirie and voting her out. She has a cute smile, you want to trust her, and Ami says that she has the same uneasy feeling. She says she’s conflicted, she doesn’t trust Cirie. She feels it coming again. She and Tracey tlak to Erik and she says take care of me - I’m sticking my neck out for you guys.

Cirie wonders if Jason finds the idol. Ozzy says he wants Jason to find the fake one, and he thinks he might actually try to play it. On Exile, Chet and Jason say they think Ozzy probably already has it. Chet tells us he has a piece of coral stuck in his foot, and he’s relaxing because he doesn’t want it to get any worse, his health is more important.

Jason says he’s going to keep looking, even if Chet thinks Ozzy has the idol aready, he’s going to look and see what happens. He finds all the clues, and finds the fake idol under the rock. He opens the wrapping, and looks at it. He says “Well, I guess this is it… it’s not much, but it’s a carving of a piece of wood with a little guy on it. it’s incredible, it means Ozzy doesn’t have it, I do, this is really good for me. Sweet!”

:31 Hahahah! Commercial!

:35 Were back at Airai where they show them the crabs on the coconut traps they set. They cook fish soup and Alexis says it’s handdowns the best meal ever. They had like 25 different kinds of fish, and the vegetables, and they drink.

:36 The next day, it’s Immunity Challenge time! They Discover that Jonathan had to be evacuated, and are rejoined by Chet and Jason before the challenge. Jeff catches them all up, and lets them know about his injury and they decided it was too risky if the infection spread. They preformed surgery and he’s doing fine. Tribes are even 7-7.

Chet, Jason, did you look for the idol? Jason says that he came to the conclusion that Ozzy has the Hidden Immunity Idol. Jeff says interesting play. Ozzy says he doesn’t know if Jason isn’t good with clues or someone’s found it - we’ll find out.

This challenge - they’ll use stepping poles to transfer tribe members to a platform, then swim to another, first tribe with all members on the top deck wins Immunity.

:38 They all hit the water, and collide as they switch lanes. Untying the stepping poles, Eliza and Parvati for Airai, Tracy and Ami for Malakal, as they transfer them. Airai doesn’t use two poles, James carrying the pole, the rest of the tribe keeping it steady. Jeff says not the way it was designed or the way we thought it would go, but it works! Can Parvati keep her balance. Malakal using both poles. Airai ALMOST WORKED - but had to go back with Parvati but she fell off the last second as Malakal makes steady progress. Malakal is slow, very slow.

Parvati’s across - everyone to the platform for Airai! They take off, and Malakal is still working on their first member as Airai climbs, Cirie is losing it, Tracy is across, they race back to get to aimy.

Everyone on Airai hanging on to James as they try to get 7 people on a platform built for 5! AIRAI WINS IMMUNITY! (James DOMINATED this challenge! THAT’S mah BOY!) Creative thinking made it an easy win for them!

Malakal, tribal council tonight - have the afternoon to think about it - back to camp.

:43 Commercial

:46 We’re back, day 17 on Malakal. They’re shocked that Jonathan was taking out of the game, and worried about how bad it was. Chet needs the fishhook, and he wants to open the wound and get the puss out. Chet says he’s a mess and he’s ready to go. Ozzie gives him a hug, and tells us they lost again, and Chet says please do me a favor and vote me out. Ozzy’s like ok we will - was there any question anyways?

:47 Erik says Chet is injured and done, and he says it’d be more honorable to get out one of the bigger threats - Ozzy and Cirie. If they vote Ozzy out tonight, it would be amazing. Tracy says she’ll be screwed if he doesn’t get there and vote with them, before he gives up. Chet says he wants to be voted off, he can’t think straight, that’s all he’s asking. Erik says it’d be the craziest play ever if he helps them get Ozzy out because he might have the idol. Ami says she’ll have to deal with Ozzy at some point anyway, and she’ll vote with them if they convince Chet. Erik says he and Tracy would be grateful - he could use his last dying breath to do something incredible.

Chet says they committed day one to do whatever they could - he wants to take the hit tonight, he’s thinking about it but to be honest he doesn’t know what he’s going to do.

:50 Tribal Council.

Jeff goes to Cirie of course - was there much discussion about Penner’s exit and how rough the game is - it sucks, she says, to go out that way. Ozzy says he was the last person he’d see go out that way. Erik, Jason made a comment saying I’ve been there, I’ve been around, Ozzy has the idol. Erik says it put thoughts in his head, and he wouldn’t put it past Ozzy having the idol. Cirie says he doesn’t take anything at face value, Jason could have it himself and throw us off his track. Ozzy says everyone knows who’s going home - and if it’s him, he’ll get naked and jump off the pier. Let’s be honest, Chet goes home tonight, and if everyone votes him to stay, he doesn’t want to be there.

Chet says in every tribal council, there’s the obvious and it never turns out that way, and there’s always some uncertainty. Amanda says she never feels comfortable, because you never can be certain in this game. Time to vote!

:54 Time to tally the votes. No one plays the Idol.

They are: Chet, Chet, Chet, Chet - he’s voted out, that’s 4, that’s enough. He leaves with a “good luck, guys.” Good news, you’ve lasted 17 days, bad news is you’re down to 6. Got to start winning. goodnight!

Next time on Survivor: PLEASE NOTE! SPECIAL DAY AND TIME! Next week will be WEDNESDAY at 8pm EST - followed by Big Brother at 9pm! The fans at Malakal struggle to stay in the game, while the Airai tribe struggles to stay in the game.