Episode 10: Jaime's Turn

Jaime's Turn
or Paranoia Will Destroy Ya
official title: Eating and Sleeping with the Enemy

Summary: Half of the Survivors win a luxury night away from camp while the rest have to deal with Jaime's paranoia some more. Rafe wins Immunity and it looks like it will be either Gary or Jaime who will be voted off at Tribal Council. To Judd's surprise, Jaime is voted off.

After the recap of last week's episode, at night after last week's Tribal Council Jaime's paranoia is getting on the others' nerves. Jaime tries to stir Cindy up against Gary (it didn't work), he accuses Gary of lying (everyone backs up Gary).

Reward Challenge
Competition: Race through mud and obstacles.
Reward: Helicopter ride to a night of luxury.

This is a relay race through mud and over or under obstacles with the object being to fill up a large container with corn. The Survivors are divided into two teams and will be tied to another on their team.

The teams:
Jaime-Rafe and Cindy-Lydia
versus
Gary-Judd and Stephenie-Danni

Jaime-Rafe got an early lead but Gary-Judd and Stephenie-Danni ultimately won Reward.

Stephenie is happy, she says the this is the best possible group of four she could be with. They enjoy the usual good food and drink. Gary makes his pitch: this game should be the best of the best (strength, *grunt, grunt*). He doesn't want a weakling to slip by and win this. He mentions Lydia and Cindy - if anyone is in the final two with either of them, who do you think will win? They also get a special treat: videos from home.

Meanwhile back at camp, Jaime is being paranoid with poor Rafe again. Jaime wants a promise from Rafe to be in the final 3 with them and Judd. Rafe says he can't promise that just yet, - yada yada yada - yes, the final 6 is definite. Rafe in private tells us that he's is real tired of dealing with Jaime and he's done trying to figure out his strategy.

When the Reward winners get back Judd tells us the only one he was worried about was Jaime. Judd tries to reassure the paranoid one.

Immunity Challenge
Competition: Rope Race

Each Survivor is attached to a rope at the waist. The rope is very long and it twisted around obstacles. The Survivors have to work their way through it and the first four move on to stage two.

Rafe, Jaime, Stephenie and Cindy move on to stage two. Gary lead most of the way but Cindy just beat him for the fourth spot.

The second stage had some height to it. Cindy was close to winning Immunitty but Rafe just beat her.

Scheming is Free
Rafe says that this is his third win or so (plus several second place finishes) and he's afraid he may be making himself a target. Gary said he gave it his best shot, but seems resigned to his fate. Judd says it's Gary tonight, but Jaime isn't really sure. Jaime works Rafe over a game of mancala. In confessional Rafe says he's told Jaime like seven times today not to worry or be nervous.

Lydia, Stephenie and Rafe are talking about voting off Jaime. Stephenie says that it all comes down to Lydia, Jaime will go if she wants him to. Lydia says she's been with Jaime since the beginning so it would be hard to vote for him.

So it looks like it will be either Gary or Jaime, who will be voted off . . .

Xhakum at Tribal Council
Jury watches: Bobby Jon
(paraphrased, not word for word)

Jeff Probst: Stephenie how was the Reward?
Stephenie: It was great, a nice bonding moment.
Jeff Probst: And you Danni?
Danni: I agree, it was nice to get to know some of the others.
Jeff Probst: Judd what do you think of Gary?
Judd: Gary is an amazing person, he's a man's man.
Jeff Probst: Would you have trouble voting for him?
Judd: It would be hard to vote for him , but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Jeff Probst: Jaime is there anyone left that you wouldn't miss?
Jaime: No, everyone is super.
Jeff Probst: Gary how's the game mentally?
Gary: I just try and maintain a positive attitude and take each day as it comes.

Time to Vote:
The Survivors are shown two votes for Gary but Jaime gets five votes. So Jaime is voted off! Judd has a look on his face like "Oh, my God!" (he was shown voting for Gary.)
Jaime stands up and yells "Blind-sided, now that's how you vote someone out!"

Jeff Probst's Final Thought
Jaime just gave you the best advice, information and whether you choose to share it or not is crucial in this game.

Jaime's final words:
It hurts to leave and have Lydia vote against me . . . she didn't even warn me . . . it's hard to see good people go bad, but that's the game . . .

Alliances
Why wasn't Judd in on voting Jaime off? Does this mean Judd is next? Maybe Stephenie isn't as close to him as she's said.

Heroes and Villains
I'm glad Jaime is gone. I'm still rooting for Danni but she's got a long, hard road ahead of her if she's going to win this thing.

Won Reward: Judd, Stephenie, Gary, Danni
Won Immunity: Rafe
Voted Off: Jaime

Episode 10: As It Airs

As It Airs
Nov. 17, 8:00 pm ET GMT -5 hours
Survivor Guatemala, Episode 10
title: Eating and Sleeping with the Enemy

This post will be updated as Survivor airs tonight.
Some people just can't wait to know what happens on Survivor. If you're one of those people then this post is for you. Note: you may need to hit the refresh/reload button on your browser to see the updates.

First Interview: Gary.

Reward Challenge
Type of Challenge: muddy obstical course in pairs. Stephenie, Danni, Gary, Judd won reward.
Reward: luxury night away from camp.

Immunity Challenge
Type of Challenge: Rope obstical course. Rafe won Immunity.

Tribal Council
First Questioned: Stephenie. Jaime was voted off.

Check back later tonight
for my usual, full length review / recap.

Fantasy Picks and Commentary

Survivor Fantasy League Picks
If the Axis of Evil (aka Magical 6) votes off Jaime as many people are predicting then I think it will be a mistake for them - so I hope they do it.

Why do I think it would be a mistake? After this Tribal Council they will be down to 7 Survivors which means 4 votes are needed for voting someone off. Gary and Danni can then go to Cindy and Lydia, who are at the bottom of the Axis of Evil, and guarantee them a spot in the final four.

Of course Jaime's paranoia may be jeopardizing the Axis of Evil who feel they have no choice but to vote him off. However a better way of handling it for them would be for Stephenie, Rafe and Judd to go to Jaime and say to him "I understand you're worried at the moment, we want to be in the final 4 with you. You pick the next person to go: Cindy, Lydia, Gary or Danni." I think something like this would reduce his paranoia.

For what is worth, here are my picks for Survivor Fantasy League.

Rafe, Climbs Ruins.
Danni, Climbs Ruins.
Judd, Climbs Ruins.
Stephenie, Climbs Ruins.

Note: the Survivor Slackers are still in second place in the Private Tribes Leaderboard.

Next Update: Tonight as the show airs and my review afterwards.
(I'm on the East coast, Survivor airs at 8:00 pm ET, GMT -5 hrs.)

Preview Episode 10

title: Eating and Sleeping with the Enemy
CBS, 8:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005
Episode #1110.

from the Survivor web site:
In a down-and-dirty struggle for Reward in the mud, a team is let down by the failure of one member.

One tribemate's incessant paranoia drives another to the breaking point.

Some feel vulnerable, and some feel sure of who should go, leading to an unpredictable Tribal Council. Will the strong survive, or will the weak slide by?

from Yahoo TV:
One contestant's inability to perform at the Reward Challenge blows it for the whole team; the 11th castaway is voted off in a tense and unpredictable Tribal Council.

Commentary, Predictions and Possible Spoilers
Signs seems to indicate that Jaime is the next one to be voted off. The title hints that Gary and Danni have a decent episode. The Reward challenge looks like a muddy obstacle course with the Rerward being a helicopter ride to a night of luxury (possible sleep away Bonus Points in Survivor Fantasy?). Speculation is that Judd and Lydia don't do well in the Reward challenge. The Immunity challenge involves ropes and spinning (again).

Next Update: Thursday (around noon ET), my Survivor Fantasy Picks.

Survivor Live: Bobby Jon

Survivor Live: Bobby Jon
Hosts: DaltonRoss and Ethan Zohn from Survivor Africa. Mystery caller: Rob Cesterino, Survivor Amazon.

On Being Voted Off
He really didn't see it coming [how many have said that?]. Gary pulled the old quarterback sneak on him.

The Others
Gary - respects him for persevering and finding the Immunity Idol. Jaime - believes he was sincere in giving up food at the Reward challenge, it will play on people on the jury; they've made up and moved on. Judd - he was kind of surprised he picked him for dinner, they never really talked about the game much. Blake - didn't want to lie to him, but it's part of the game. Stephenie - in control. Margaret - if not for her he would have gone into a seizure when dehydrated. Jeff Probst - people think they can handle him but they're usually wrong.

The Challenges
Reward challenges are almost always a no-win situation. His favorite was the Wagon race challenge (where he smoked Jaime).

Rob's Comments
He really appreciates Judd and likened him to Tony Soprano. Enough of Stephenie already, it seems she's running things but then complains all the time.

What's Next for Bobby Jon
He's still in Los Angeles working on a career, but he may move back to Alabama.