Survivor – Recap & Review – You Mangled My Nets

photo: cbs

Survivor
You Mangled My Nets

Original Air Date: May 4, 2011

Ryan O – Two Cents Senior Reviewer
ryano@thetwocentscorp.com

The low down

Finally, for the first time in a LONG time, the outcome of Tribal Council is in doubt. Not a lot of doubt, but some. Plus, it’s family visit time and that’s always interesting. It also gives presents one player with a difficult choice. Most interesting is Phillip telling us in no uncertain terms that he’s being annoying and crazy on purpose as a strategy to get to the end. Well, he’s pulling it off so far. Instead of the “flying under the radar” strategy, you could call it, “sitting on the radar” strategy.

Pre-Challenge

It’s a big Zapatera reunion at Redemption Island with Ralph, Steve, and Mike. They realize there will be a Zapatera majority on the jury, so if one of them makes it to the end, they feel confident about winning.

Just back from Tribal Council, Andrea solo-views that she’s excited to be done with dumping Zapatera.

Natalie is crying. She tells people they’re hormone tears. She tells everyone she’s “having a moment.” Rob solo-views that he has to comfort her because he wants to take her to the end. The next day, she tells us in a solo-view she got emotional because they have to start voting out their own.

Day 31. It’s family message time with cell phone videos. Not just those on the beach get them, the people on Redemption Island get videos, too.

Redemption Island Duel!

Matt, Mike, Ralph, and Steve facing off. The challenge is a ball toss to break tiles. The winner of the duel gets to spend time with their loved one. The first three to break their tiles stay on Redemption Island and the loser is out.

After three rounds, it’s Mike 3, Matt and Ralph with 2, and Steve with 1.

Mike wins with the next toss. The other three all miss their next toss. Matt and Ralph hit on the next one. Steve misses. Matt hits and then Ralph hits. They’re in and Steve is going home.

Steve tosses his buff on the way out. Everyone claps except for Phillip.

Mike’s mom walks out of the jungle. Jeff gives Mike the choice of spending time with his mom or letting Matt and Ralph spend time with their loved ones, who then appear out of the jungle. He also has the option of giving everyone in Zapatera the chance to spend time with their loved ones and their loved ones show up.

Mike says he was reading the Bible that day and something something make friends out of enemies and do the most good. He’s going to let all of Zapatera spend time with their loved ones. Mike’s mom says she’s isn’t surprised. It’s who her son is.

Post-Duel

Ralph is disappointed that Mike didn’t choose to spend time with his mom. Matt and Ralph say the way they were treated by Zapatera, there’s no way they would’ve done that for them.

Matt solo-views that it wasn’t a game decision or a strategic decision. It was just the right thing to do. Earning votes would be just a bonus.

Back at camp, the loved ones are enjoying being the Survivors. Andrea’s dad can’t believe how good her hair looks and says she’s been wasting money on shampoo all these years.

Natalie’s mom tells her she’s been praying for God to take care of her.

Phillip tells his sister that it’s a social game and he’s prepared to go crazy if he has to since it’s what has worked for him thus far. Blech.

Rob is talking game strategy with his sister who could not appear to be less interested. Hilarious. I wonder if that’s how the holidays are with his family. He says each of the remaining players think they’re going to the end with Rob. He just has to have them not talk to each other but he knows they won’t. We’ve seen very little indication that any of them have the initiative to talk to each other.

Rob solo-views that Andrea has to be the next to go since she’s the best strategic player left in the game.

Immunity Challenge! Immunity! Back up for grabs! No Reward!

There’s a lot of boards (looks like 18) with holes in them to places on step up a tall flight of stairs. Each board only goes in one spot. They have to be untied, brought to the staircase, and then put on the right stair. You can only place the next board up the staircase. You bring the wrong one, you can’t place it higher up the stairs, you have to go back down and get the next board.

Grant, Rob, Andrea, and Ashley are about even. Phillip and Natalie are falling behind. Ashley falls behind but the other three are staying even.

Andrea makes a mistake and falls a little bit behind. Rob is close to winning but he’s really tired. Grant is going up the stairs quickly as is Andrea. Rob manages to get the last step in place and wins.

Rob has leg cramps and needs help standing up. He seems shaky on his feet but he’s apparently okay.

Post-Challenge

Rob explains that winning the challenge is good because it means he isn’t going home and that he can vote whomever he wants. The tribe says they’re set with voting for Andrea. Later, Andrea asks everyone if they’re voting for Phillip and people say yes.

But, Phillip is up to his old routine of annoying everyone around him. He solo-views that he needs to remind people he’s annoying to help with his strategy of being taken to the end because everyone thinks they can beat him. He says he has an argument that he thinks can beat Rob.

Rob and Grant are talking. Rob says there’s been something about Phillip that he hasn’t trusted since Day 1. Rob solo-views that there’s a chance that Phillip might be playing him.

Tribal Council

Andrea says she feels safe although you can never be certain. Natalie says it’s a totally different experience at Tribal Council as compared to dumping Ometepe.

Probst mentions Phillip saying he was the sixth person in a six-person alliance. Then, Probst asks about his performance in the challenge. Phillip says that challenge wasn’t for him but there will be one where he will shine.

Probst asks Andrea if being competitive in challenges is negative. She says they need to keep the tribe so they can beat whoever comes back from Redemption Island. A fair point.

None of them feels insecure.

Voting!

Andrea, Phillip, Andrea, (she already knows), Andrea, Andrea. She’s out.

She looks a little pissed. It’s the second time she’s been blind-sided by them (the first being when Matt was voted out the first time).

Bubbling Under

Well, Andrea vs. Matt, obviously. How will that reunion go? Rob and the rest of the tribe. Will he be able to convince everyone else to vote for Grant next instead of Phillip?

What do you expect to happen in the coming weeks? Let’s hear your Two Cents!