Survivor Redemption Island - May 11/11

Its night 33. Considering this was the last episode before the season finale we seem to have a lot of bodies still hanging around. During the finale they're going to be dropping like bugs in a Raid commercial.

Generally Ometepe is upbeat. Ashley, in particular is very pleased with the blindside on Andrea. "I love blindsides", says she. Ashley and Natalie are now the last girls standing. Ashley thinks they are tight but Natalie is more inclined to side with Rob. She tells Rob that Ashley assumes she and Natalie will be sticking together. This makes Ashley Rob's next target.

Meanwhile Andrea makes her way into camp at Redemption Island where she joins Matt, Mike and Ralph. If she expected a warm welcome she is wrong. Matt is cool because she voted for him and Mike and Ralph remember their cool treatment by Ometepe after the merge. When Andrea asks if there is room for four on the bed, Ralph tells her to sleep on the ground. Its payback, Ralph tells us.

Andrea doesn't have long to wait for her first Redemption Island duel. They are to slide a handle to the end of a maze, then use the handle to smash a tile and retrieve a bag of puzzle pieces. The first three to finish their puzzle get to fight another day. The fourth will join the jury. Ralph takes an early lead on the maze but falls apart on the puzzle. When the dust settles Ralph and our own Grace are primping for the jury.

Everyone at the main camp is hungry and tired. There is a discussion about how the remaining rice should be rationed. Phillip goes off on another of his tirades, telling the girls that they need fewer calories than Grant and so should eat less. Needless to say this isn't what they want to hear, at least not from Phillip, and the fight is on. Rob says that Phillip is pathetic and crazy but he is more concerned with the increasing tightness between Natalie and Ashley. Rob promises to take Natalie to the end if she votes for Ashley. Ashley suggests that Grant should go. Rob feeds Grant this little bit of information which ensures that Grant will also vote for Ashley. The plan is in place and Rob is firmly in control until the immunity challenge. This involves retrieving bags of puzzle pieces by hooking up fishhooks, then using them to retrieve bags of puzzle pieces. The puzzle is a suspended fish skeleton and the puzzle pieces are the bones of the fish. The entire challenge must be done with one hand tied behind the back. Sadly for Rob and his plan, Ashley wins this challenge winning both immunity and reward. The reward is to have a waiter deliver a meal to camp. Of course the meal if for two people and Ashley picks Natalie to join her. Now I presume there is some kind of rule that they can't share the food. If not this was possibly the single biggest act of cruelty in Survivor history. The two girls gorge themselves until they are sick while the others sit nearby. There is a ton of food left but there is no mention of sharing it with the others. It just sits there while the flies crawl over it.

Now that Ashley is out of the mix, Rob decides to turn on Grant. He tells us that Grant is a genuine friend and voting him out will break Rob's heart... but he is not there for friendship. So Rob busies himself telling Phillip, Natalie and Ashley to vote for Grant and telling Grant to vote for Natalie. "It's exhausing" he tells us. "I have to do all the dirty work because everyone else is too stupid". Just before Tribal Council it looks as though Rob may have a change of heart. Natalie and Ashley are just too darn close. Tribal Council is only eventful in that Phillip keeps his mouth closed. When the votes are counted it is Grant who is heading to Redemption Island with Pam from the pool. Grant's parting comment to the group? "See you shortly, guys".

And that brings us to the season finale on Sunday May 15. Those who remain are:

On Redemption Island
Matt - Rick and Pat
Mike - Cheryl
Andrea - Roberta and Lorelee
Grant - Pam

In the main camp
Natalie - Lisa
Rob - Lynn
Ashley - Jack
Phillip - Donna

Barb, Grace, Georgia and Lisa (who all picked Mike) Pat (who picked Grant), Donna (who picked Boston Rob) and Rick (who picked Ashley)are all still in the running for the Survivor Buff.

See you on Sunday for the finale. Until then...

Outwit, Outplay, Outlast
Pat (aka Matt again I live to fight another day Elrod)