Watching Survivor

Borneo: Episode 04. Original Airdates: Summer, 2000.

We open up this episode right after Tribal Council, where Stacy was voted off. At the Pagong Tribe in the middle of a tropical storm, it is completely miserable. Even the next morning, Colleen is “Not a happy camper!” Although she did say it with a smile. Ramona claims it is the worst night of her entire life. Sand Fleas are making it even more miserable, and Gretchen is bemoaning the placement of the shelter that she fought about from the beginning and tried to get them to tidy up camp. Joel wants to take over, but doesn’t know what Gretchen has learned in Air Force survival camp and such. Now that BB is gone, they can move their shelter without too much argument.

Greg is relaxed, and sort of insane, using the Coconut Shell for a telephone. It keeps him ‘in touch with the greater spirit.’ It’s amusing and annoying all at once. Gretchen says he’s the leader, and manipulating the group in his own way. Someone says “Hit Greg in the head!”

At Tagi, Sue is always working, working, working, and folks wish she’d relax, and perhaps get over her obsession with tapioca. While she’s working her butt off, Dr. Sean decides to build himself a bowling alley. Sue’s disgusted and tired of people who don’t do anything and declares Dr. Sean is the next to go.

Time for Tree Mail - and Jeff’s VO explanation of the challenge. Each tribe will built an SOS signal on their beach, and a plane will fly overhead, and judge who’s is the most creative. The winner will get a crate of supplies dropped to them. Both tribes get to peek and see what creature comforts they are competing for - obviously donated by Target (Prominent Logo Display, anyone?) they are playing for towels, hammocks, pillows, towels, soap and TP, and the like. And Jenna and Dirk can request one additional item. Jenna requests a spice rack, and Dirk asks for a fillet knife. They are given two clues, and told not to open it till they get back at camp.

At Pagong, Gretchen is like “A bonfire.” But everyone else wants to add stuff and make it creative, and they’re talking NAKED and SEX SELLS and Gretchen isn’t buying it.

At Tagi, they talk wet wood and smoke, a big fire, and Dr. Sean and Richard admits there’s quite a conflict of ideas between Dirk and Sue as she makes fun of his swagger. Colleen says Condoms! If they had enough, they’d could do something funny. Richard suggests that Styrofoam floats to point toward the beach. There’s a lot of negativity, and Dr. Sean keeps interrupting and being the negative force. Richard says he knows what he’d do at home, but here, he’s got a plan that’ll benefit him, that’s a little sneaky… He’s going to handle it by beginning to build his alliances that would assure his moving into the next round.

Pagong is still rebuilding the shelter, and planning their SOS. Ramona is not pulling her weight and everyone notices it. She’s talking about quitting and makes it worse every chance she gets. Gervase tried to talk to her, but didn’t get anywhere. Cue the solo sunset shot! (Foreshadow much?)

Tagi - day eleven, sunrise… They’re all working together to make their SOS the most creative. At Pagong, Ramona starts to try and help and pull her weight as they too work at getting their SOS ready. Greg makes a call on his coconut phone, and we see the plane take off. Jeff and his dimples talks about the challenge, and that it’s winner takes all.

Tagi’s message is “tagi is groggy” written in the sand, and they’ve got their yellow rain slickers on, and have made a starfish of movement that catches the eye plus the arrow in the water pointing at the beach.

Pagong Tribe runs around like crazy people, flying their flag, and they’re message is a giant smily face.

Jeff makes another pass, and the crate is dropped… to… Tagi! The addition of the moving bodies in concert, in bright yellow made it more eye catching, Tagi wins reward!

Richard is in love with the fillet knife, and straps it onto his calf, where he says “That’s where you’ll find it, always strapped to my thigh… um ok.

Colleen and Gretchen admit that they didn’t expect them to win anyway, and Ramona is depressed again.

At Tagi, alliances are beginning to form, with Sue and Kelly talking about voting the same way, and Sue says she’ll go with that, and with Richard. And they all agree on the Dr. Sean being a pain issue. Richard’s amused because he didn’t really have to work too hard to do it. They bring it to Rudy, but he says he don’t believe in that, so won’t do it. He doesn’t wanna talk over his vote and have to go with a majority.

Ramona is feeling more a part of the group, and is working with Pagong, redeeming herself in at least Gervace’s eyes. They appreciate her work ethic now, but say her attitude is still not right, and think it may be too little too late.

Immunity Challenge!
Day 12

At Asmara beach, the challenge is a relay. There are five legs in the relay. A swim and dive for a bottle that contains a map. Second leg, run across the bridge to the boat and hand off the map. Third leg boat race, head for shore and hand the bottle off. The fourth leg is the jungle, following the map to find a key. The fifth leg, two members of the tribe have to locate the buried treasure chest. First tribe with the chest back on their map and the key inside wins Immunity.

Sean and Colleen take off on the swim for the boeys. Sean makes it first, and Tagi takes a big lead, already across the bridge and into the boat before Dirk has his message handed off. They have problems getting the map out, which gives Pagong time to catch up. Tagi holds onto the lead, as Richard and Rudy start digging for the buried treasure. Gervace (Pagong) has problems with the sprint, and finding the key, while the girls can’t seem to find the treasure chest for them either.

That treasure is buried DEEP… Dr. Sean comes back with they Key and encourages Rudy and Richard to dig harder, faster. Gervase returns with the key for Pagong but it’s too little too late, Rudy has the chest and is back on the map, where Dr. Sean puts the key in the lock and Tagi wins Immunity!

Tribal Council!
We get Jeff’s update on who may get voted off - Ramona who got three votes last time, Gervase because of his weak performances in several challenges, or someone no one expects…

Pagong arrives painted with mud from their Mud Volcano, bangs the gong, and it is time for TC to begin. (Hurray! the Conch Shell is no where in sight…) Ramona doesn’t know who she’s voting for, because “Nobody totally sucks.” and says it’d be easier if they hated someone, instead of everyone liking each other. Jeff asks who feels confident that they’ll make it without a problem, and Gervase raises his hand. Jeff calls him on it because of his weak performances, and says it says a lot about him.

Jeff then asks if anyone wants to own up to feeling completely vunerable… and Gervase raises his hand again, in the middle of laughter. “I think I may have just played myself out with the last question, so I’m feeling quite vulnerable right now.”

And the votes are:
Ramona, Jenna, Colleen, Colleen, Ramona, Ramona, Ramona.

The tribe has spoken, and Ramona makes her way across the bridge and away.

Next time on Survivor:
Sue’s still bitching about them wasting time and annoying the tribe.
Colleen and Dirk are buddy buddy and say it’s all about sex.

I think this episode is when the show started to really hit it’s stride. They ditched some of the campier things (the conch shell holding to speak at Tribal Council) and the challenges were the best so far. Jeff didn’t do quite as much monolog-ing and re-explaining parts of the game, and left more time to get to know the Survivors and their personalities and how alliances are starting to shake down. It’s getting good - I wonder what happens next! (grin!)

Survivor, Survivor: Borneo, Immunity, CBS, Jeff Probst, Reality TV, rewind