Survivor South Pacific - November 30/11

On night 27 the Tetunas return to camp having sent Whitney to Redemption Island. Now all of the former Savaii members are gone save for lil 'ole Cochran. Far from feeling secure, Cochran tells us that the "family" can turn on him at any time and his job is to not be Sharon Tate in this Helter Skelter scenario*. The next morning Cochran shares more stories of his geeky childhood. While I'm sure he means them to be endearing, Sophie and I just find them annoying. Cochran then calls the group together and asks them to save him for one more tribal council. He suggests that they should do this because it is his birthday in three days and because they owe him one for his defection from Savaii. Sophie is still not swayed. She does not feel the least indebted to Cochran. Coach and Albert, however, do feel a little twinge of guilt and seem willing to give him his extra day. But all of this comes to a screeching halt when they are summoned to the duel at Redemption Island. Ozzie is taking on Dawn and Whitney. The winner gets to stay in the game while the two losers (or non-winners, to be politically correct) will join the jury. The challenge involves balancing dishes on a long wooden paddle. Each minute a new dish is added. Dawn spills her crockery first and becomes the third member of the jury. Whitney is next and becomes the fourth member of the jury. With Dawn and Whitney go Cheryl and Barb from the pool. Ozzie gets to stay in the game, on Redemption Island. He tells us Redemption Island is his home and there is no one who is more suited to living there. Cocky yes, but Ozzie has kind of earned the right to be cocky. Back at camp everyone is bustling about doing camp stuff. Edna is washing clothes and Cochran and Brendon are fishing. Albert is snug in the hammock mocking the worker bees. He tells us that Survivor is about strategy and he will leave the housework to the Martha Stewarts in the group. What Albert seems to have forgotten is that the social game is a big part of Survivor strategy. His tribe-mates are annoyed by his laziness and Rick refers to him as Prince Albert. When Brendon makes a comment about how hard everyone is working, Albert has a moment of guilt and leaps up to fish the laundry out of the pot of water on the fire. In the process he spills water and puts out the fire. Albert immediately drops a notch on the estimation of his tribe. Even Coach comments that Albert is used to having things done for him. Coach also sees the value of keeping Edna and Cochran with him. He takes Cochran to the beach before Tribal Council to do Tai Chi. After the exercise Cochran feels calmed and Coach is feeling like he owes Cochran something. The Immunity Challenge is divided into two parts. In the first part, contestants must try to throw sandbags onto crates. The first three to get sandbags on all of their crates will move on to part two. Here they must use a giant slingshot to shoot coconuts in an effort to knock over wooden targets. The first to get all three targets will win immunity and reward. Albert, Rick and Sophie all move on the the second round, but it is Albert who ultimately wins. He gets the immunity necklace but also wins a shower and a massage back at camp. He can pick one other person to also receive a massage. He chooses Coach, then asks if he can take anyone else. Dimples says no, so Albert asks if he can give his massage to someone else. Dimples agrees and Albert opts to give his massage to Cochran on the basis that Cochran has a birthday coming up. Cochran is pleased but wonders what is really behind Albert's generosity. Does Albert want to work together? Or is this just Albert's way of getting on the good side of the next jury member? Either way, Cochran enjoys his shower and his massage and reveals that his birthday was actually 6 months ago. After the spa date, Albert tells Cochran that things are not looking so good for him. Cochran tells Albert that Rick called him Prince Albert thereby raising Alberts princely dander. Cochran's next stop is Edna. Follower that she is, Edna agrees that Rick should go. Cochran then floats the idea to Coach. Coach is not so easily swayed but feels the need to give us a big shpiel about "the tide" with a few Shakespearean quotes thrown in for good measure. As it turns out Coach was not swayed. Cochran, the last surviving member of Savaii is voted off at Tribal Council and heads off to join Ozzie on Redemption Island. With Cochran goes our own Roberta. Will Cochran beat Ozzie in a David and Goliath moment? Stay tuned! Until next week, Outwit, Outplay, Outlast Pat (aka Christine I got nothin' Markoski)