Survivor Live: Brooke

Survivor Live: Brooke
Hosts: Dalton Ross and Jenna Morasca
Mystery Caller: Ami from Survivor Vanuatu

Brooke is a genuine, down to earth woman and I wish she stayed longer on Survivor Guatemala so we could get to know her better.

On Being Voted Off
The new Nakum members (Stephenie, Jaime, Rafe and Lydia) didn't see how strong and athletic she really is. Brooke doesn't really blame them there just wasn't much time between the switch and Tribal Council.

Here Comes the Judd
What was Judd thinking? He was in a group of four [old Nakum] and now he's last in a group of five with the new Nakum members. Brooke said that she didn't see for herself the first time Judd talked with Stephenie and Jaime but Margaret told her about it. So why did he betray them? She thinks Judd just thinks [if you could call it that] in the very short-term and doesn't really consider the consequences to what he does. Brooke went on to say a lot of them [meaning the original Nakum women, I assume] didn't trust him; they didn't like his uncaring reaction to Blake being sick. She called Judd a "phony" and said he was always on the "outskirts" of the group. Judd did come alive for the challenges but she described him as a "bull in a china shop" at the competitions. Judd may have sensed their feelings resulting in his quick and easy betrayal of them.

Stephenie
Brooke doesn't really like Stephenie, she's not really sure Stephenie ever learned her name. Stephenie doesn't seem to work well with others (Jenna adds: especially with other strong women). The final dart at Stephenie: she's a little self absorbed.

The Others
Lydia is very energetic, especially at challenges, and does a lot of work around camp. Brooke says she really bonded and had an alliance with Danni. Brooke didn't go in the water because Cindy, the zookeeper, didn't. CBS told them that if they have to run away from a crocodile to run in a zig-zag. [See, you can learn something from TV.]

Challenges
Brooke's favorite challenge was the Basketball challenge, she didn't really do well but it was fun. The two that she feels she did well on were: 1. the Rope Web, she kind of surprised herself that she didn't fall off (like Rafe) and managed to get one of the more difficult bags; 2. Eleven Mile Jungle Hike, she led the way along with Jim and they didn't get lost (her contribution was edited out of the broadcast).

Best Camp?
Nakum supposedly won the better camp after the 11 mile hike. Brooke disagrees, Nakum have a longer way to go to get water than Yaxha does. Also Nakum's beach is like quick sand so they cannot hangout by the water.

Ami - Mystery Caller
Ami likes Stephenie but says Danni is gaining on her fast. Ami also said that she would have liked to have seen more of Brooke, but she doesn't like Gary (he's a bad liar) and Margaret. She rhetorically asked why Danni and Margaret are so thin (Ami gained 20 pounds before going on Survivor). Ami doesn't think Judd will be on the bottom of the Stephenie/Jaime alliance - Lydia will be on the bottom. What's Ami doing now? She's done some traveling and work for Venus swim-wear. Ami's bio at Survivor web site .

What's Next for Brooke
Brooke plans to spend a lot of time studying for the bar, which she plans on taking in February. Then she intends to look for a job in the legal field. [What, no lame attempts to exploit her good looks? How refreshing.]

Note: next week co-host Jenna Morasca will be away so there will be a mystery co-host with Dalton Ross.

Episode 4: Brooke Says Good-bye

Brooke Says Good-bye
official title: To Betray or Not to Betray

Summary: the Reward Challenge is just a cover for switching some tribe members. Nakum lose a close Immunity Challenge and vote off Brooke, thereby leaving Survivor Guatemala with no cute women.

After the recap of last week's episode, Cindy (first interview), Margaret, Judd and Brandon are complaining about the heat and mosquitos. Over at Yaxha it doesn't seem like the heat is bothering them as they hangout by the water catching minnows with a bucket. Rafe jokingly says they are a "finely tuned fishing machine." Then crikey! (in your best Jeff Corwin voice, spelling?) There's one gigantic crocodile out in the lake.

The Switching of Tribes
Under guise of a Reward Challenge the tribes are shuffled. Jeff Probst starts by saying that it is Day 9 and there will be a little challenge to see where they stand with their fellow Survivors. A little quiz is started.

Question 1: Who in your tribe is in most need of nourishment?
Yaxha votes for Jaime, Nakum votes for Danni. Jeff gives each of them an apple.

Question 2: Who in your tribe is the smelliest?
Yaxha votes for Gary, Nakum votes for Bobby Jon. Jeff lets each of them shower.

Question 3: Who in your tribe are in most need of a picnic? Vote for one man and one woman.
Yaxha votes for Gary and Amy, Nakum votes for Judd and Margaret. Jeff gives the four of them a huge, well stocked picnic basket and they go to the top of a Maya pyramid to enjoy it.

Question 4: Who in your tribe has the most tribe pride?
Yaxha votes for Brian, Nakum votes for Cindy.

Jeff announces the shuffling of tribe members. Brian and Cindy will stay in their tribes, as will the four off on a picnic. The others switch tribes (Nakum have an extra person so there's a drawing of lots and Brooke also stays with Nakum).

The new tribes look like this:
Yaxha: Gary, Brian, Amy, Brandon, Danni, Bobby Jon, Blake.
Nakum: Cindy, Margaret, Judd, Jaime, Rafe, Stephenie, Lydia, Brooke.

Meanwhile at the picnic, Gary once again has to deny that he was a quarterback in the NFL. The others don't look like they are believing him. Amy tells us in private that if Gary really is a millionaire and lying she will freakin' kill him. The picnickers are surprised to find out about the switch when they return to their tribes.

Scheming
Brian, ever the smart Ivy League student, does the math and correctly figures he's on the short side of a 4 to 3 vote. Brandon, Bobby Jon and Blake set the order of removal: Amy first, then Brian and lastly Gary. They end by saying they will tell Danni of their decision. Amy tells us that she feels vulnerable and that she's trying to hide her sprained ankle from the new Yaxha members (I don't think it's working).

Over at the new Nakum, votes would appear to be even (4 Nakum and 4 former Yaxha). Judd likes his new tribe. He makes fast friends with Stephenie and Jaime. He also sees himself as the big man in the tribe (Jaime and Rafe aren't that strong physically). The three of them plot to vote off Brooke if they go to Tribal Council. Stephenie seems certain Rafe (her pawn?) and Lydia will go along with them.

Immunity Challenge
Competition: row boat out into lake to collect 3 bags of Maya throwing clubs, return to beach and use the clubs to break 3 tiles. The first tribe to break the tiles wins Immunity.
Sits Out: Lydia

Nakum take an early lead on the lake and get back to the beach with their bags first, although Yaxha aren't that far behind. Brian and Stephenie start throwing clubs at the tiles. Stephenie gets hers, but Brian gives up without braking one. Judd struggles as Danni and Blake each break a tile to put Yaxha in the lead. Judd breaks a tile and Jaime takes over for Nakum. However Brandon nails the third and final tile for Yaxha. Yaxha win Immunity!

More Scheming
Rafe says it's 4 versus 4 but hopefully they can swing one of the others - it looks like Judd will go along with them (Rafe, Stephenie, Jaime, Lydia). Brooke, Cindy and Margaret are targeting Lydia but aren't sure Judd will go along with them.

Nakum at Tribal Council
(paraphrased by me, not word for word)
Jeff Probst: Stephenie you have been to so many Tribal Councils do you feel like a bad luck charm?
Stephenie: I've wondered that too, I hope I'm not.
Jeff Probst: Margaret how is the new group dynamic working out?
Margaret: There has not been much pairing off although I did notice Judd with Stephenie and Jaime.
Jeff Probst: Judd did you know you were being watched?
Judd: Hey, it was nothing really. I was just being social "Hi, my name is Judd," that sort of thing.
Jeff Probst: Lydia you've been to a few TCs as well, how confident are you tonight?
Lydia: I feel vulnerable, I don't know if the others know my strengths yet.
Jeff Probst: Brooke are you worried?
Brooke: Yes, strength seems to be a big deal and I'm not that strong.
Jeff Probst: Judd in your profession (NYC doorman) you deal with a lot of different types of people, does that help you here?
Judd: Yes, I think it's very important. I know very quickly if I connect with people or not.

Time to Vote:
Lydia gets 3 votes and Brooke gets 5 votes. It seems Judd was the swing vote and betrayed his old Nakum tribe mates for his new Nakum tribe mates.

Jeff Probst's Final Thought
As tribal lines and personal loyalties shift it becomes harder to trust.

Brooke's final words include "I was only here 11 days but I did so much" and she wished the original Nakum women well.

Alliances
In Yaxha it's Gary, Brian, Amy versus Brandon, Danni, Bobby Jon, Blake. Over at Nakum it's Cindy and Margaret versus Judd, Jaime, Rafe, Stephenie, Lydia.

Heroes and Villains
Props to Judd for making a bold move although it could come back to haunt him. I'm cheering for Cindy but I don't really care for Margaret - she just seems clueless to me. Having Gary and Danni in the same tribe should be interesting. No one is believing his lie, will she confront him herself?

Won Reward: No real reward challenge; switch-up of the tribes instead. Although Gary, Amy, Judd and Margaret got to go on a picnic on top of a Maya pyramid.

Won Immunity: Yaxha

Voted Off: Brooke
(5 votes to 3)

Preview Episode 4

title: To Betray or Not to Betray
CBS, 8:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, 2005
Episode #1104.

from the Survivor web site:
In an unexpected twist, members of the two tribes are shuffled.

While one Survivor dangles his feet in the crocodile-infested waters, something nibbles on his toes.

A very close Immunity Challenge leads into a tense Tribal Council that could end with a tie or a major betrayal.

from Yahoo TV:
The two tribes are switched around; one castaway gets a big scare when something nibbles on his toes as he dangles them in crocodile-infested waters; a very close Immunity Challenge leads to a tense Tribal Council.

Predictions
Once again spoilers are non-existent on the web. Furthermore knowing the tribes are switched up makes things even harder. Without a switch I'd say Nakum goes to Tribal Council because you would need an even number of Survivors to live up to the title To Betray or Not to Betray.

So that leaves the Athletes Alliance (Gary, Stephenie, Amy) and the Three Amigos (Brandon, Judd, Bobby Jon) for betrayal. I'd say the most likely to be voted off are Gary, Bobby Jon and Blake (a friend of the Amigos).

I'm getting Gary off of my Fantasy Team, but I'm not sure who I'll replace him with.

(This post will be updated if any news and/or rumors come to light before the show airs tonight.)

Survivor Instinct

Survivor Instinct
Second Thoughts and Sudden Thoughts About Survivor

The Athletic Alliance
According to Brianna, it looks like Gary, Stephenie and Amy have formed an alliance (I have dubbed this alliance the Athletic Alliance). It's an alliance based solely on athletic ability. Gary was a quarterback in the NFL and Amy was also a professional football player. Athletically Stephenie is probably one of the strongest women players ever on Survivor. So this alliance should do well, right? No.

To state the obvious once again, Survivor is about interpersonal relationships not athletic ability. No matter how athletic or physically strong a person or alliance is he/she/they must deal with the voting of the others. Yes I know Colby won a string of Individual Immunities (way back on Survivor Australia) but he didn't win the one million dollars - Tina did and she was not very athletic at all.

Furthermore not all challenges are athletic or physical in nature. Puzzle solving skills are also tested, memory too. Interpersonal skills are also needed sometimes, like when there's a quiz challenge - "Which Survivor has a sister-in-law who lives in Tucson?" - that type of thing.

Lastly the Athletic Alliance won't work because it is an obvious one. The others should b able to sniff it out without much problem. A small alliance of 2 or 3 people without much in common has a better chance of succeeding (like Brian and Lydia).

I'll Toot My Own Horn
The first two people voted off of Survivor Guatemala, Jim and Morgan, were at the bottom of my pre-season handicapping list. Also Brianna was close to the bottom. See for yourself: Handicapping the Survivors .

Any Jim Fans Out There?
A Canadian radio station once again is interviewing Survivors after they're voted off. Jim's interview is posted online: Jim Radio Interview . I haven't checked for Morgan or Brianna but look for them on the Morning Show's (BJ and Shannon) page at 96x Edmonton's Hit Radio Station .

Tomorrow Morning: Episode 4 preview.