CANOE -- JAM! Television - TV Shows - Survivor 7 : Pearl Islands: Episode Four: Burton gets the big boot

It appears this season's edition of 'Survivor' has more twists in it than a bag of pretzels. The Pearl Islands players were blindsided by yet another surprise on last night's episode when host Jeff Probst revealed that the winner of the Immunity Challenge would "capture" a member of the opposing tribe for a limited time. The decimated Morgan Tribe picked a great time to win their first challenge of the series and took off with Drake powerhouse Rupert "Blackbeard" following their Immunity Challenge victory. However, Rupe will only stay with Morgan until after the next Reward Challenge then head back home debunking Internet rumours that the switch was for good.

Who won't be coming back though is Burton Roberts, the 31-year-old marketing executive from California. An aside, ever notice how many of these reality show contestants come from Arnie's state? Curious ain't it? Enough of that. Mindful of the expected merging of the tribes and fed up with the immature antics of the Dynamic Duo (Burton and Shawn), Drake ousted Burton when a tanked Jon ('Jonnie Fairplay') Dalton stabbed him in the back at Tribal Council and sided with Sandra, Trish and Christa instead of the alliance of Burton, Shawn and Michelle. In a surprising move, Burton's own Dynamic Duo partner Shawn saw the writing on the wall and voted for Burton too. That being said, Burton slit his own throat though when he suggested Drake throw the Immunity Challenge so they could dump Christa. Drake did but Burton was the one put on the chopping block.

The remaining Survivors at the start of the broadcast were:

Drake Tribe
1. RUPERT BONEHAM: Troubled Teens Mentor.
2. SHAWN COHEN: Advertising Sales.
3. JON DALTON: Art Consultant.
4. SANDRA DIAZ-TWINE: Office Assistant.
5. TRISH DUNN: Sales Executive.
6. CHRISTA HASTIE: Computer Programmer.
7. BARTON ROBERTS: Marketing Executive.
8. MICHELLE TESAURO: Student

Morgan Tribe
1. TIJUANA BRADLEY: Pharmaceutical Sales.
2. DARRAH JOHNSON: Mortician.
3. RYAN OPRAY: Electrician.
4. ANDREW SAVAGE: Attorney.
5. OSTEN TAYLOR: Equity Trade Manager.

Morgan Tribal Happenings (Day 10)

Whose bright idea was it to build the hovel near the shore again? Seeing that the tide is coming in and that surprise...surprise...their make-shift sand dike isn't holding up, Morgan scrambles to shore things up. Things at Morgan are so pitiful Ryan-O can only laugh about it. Lord Andrew pontificates on the beach. Morale amongst his plebes is low. With Lill taking up residence at the Loser Lodge, 'Dr. Death' Darrah and Tijuana have to get off their butts and start shouldering their share of the load. Lord Andrew: "It's us against everything." He ain't kidding. The local wildlife are out to pick Morgan's remains clean too. Crabs and fire ants are invading the camp. Gnawing on tree bark, seaweed, rice and beans just isn't cutting it for Lord Andrew any more. His tribe needs fish...badly. Well, there is that great big body of water near camp, your highness.

Drake Tribal Happenings (Day Ten)

Where is the love? Not at Drake. Shamefully tapping out against Sandra last week, Jon inadvertently finds a new sparring partner in Burton. Actually doing some work for a change, Jon ruins the effort by bitching and complaining the entire time. Burton calls Jon out. They trade verbal barbs while everyone else takes in the spectacle. Slinking away again, Jon offers one parting shot "A little help would be appreciated," he says sarcastically. Trish is more befuddled than usual. There is a strange vibe at Drake. People are starting to get on each other's nerves. Sandra rips on the Dynamic Duo. She is sick of them taking credit for all the work that is done. She refrains from calling them "asses" though. Christa tells us she doesn't get along with the Dynamic Duo at all. It is about time they started voting out the annoying people. Shawn says Christa is really starting to get on his nerves.

Rupert "Blackbeard" is becoming the butt of the Dynamic Duo's jokes...literally. As "Blackbeard" bends over and exposes a little more than he would like to, Shawn points and jokes that everyone should say no to crack. "Blackbeard" playfully grabs at Shawn saying he should snap his neck like a chicken. Unfortunately for us, he doesn't. Beavis and Butthead are working on Rupe's last nerve. "Those jackasses always gotta pick on me," he groans. Enjoying a boost in screen time, Trish chimes in that Shawn, Burton and Michelle are alienating themselves.

Reward Challenge

Each tribe has a 16 piece puzzle. Eight pieces are in the sand. Eight are in the water. The tribes send out one person at a time to retrieve a piece. First tribe to collect all 16 pieces and solve their puzzle wins.

Reward

An "old fashioned" manual sewing machine and some fabrics. Winners can loot one item from the opposing tribes' camp. A piece of their treasure map.

Result

'Dr. Death' Darrah slips on the diving mask and is about to rush into the water but Tijuana races ahead of her. A look of displeasure and annoyance creeps across Darrah's face. Knowing full well that he sinks like a stone, 'Master of the Universe' Osten elects to go for a piece in the water rather than digging one up on the beach. Dumbass. Barely treading water, Osten panics and calls out for help. Probst offers Osten words of encouragement as Osten flails about. Probst advises Osten to grab one of the ropes separating the two courses and hang on for dear life. At last, Probst signals for someone to rescue Osten. Ryan and Andrew rush to Osten's aid and bring him back to shore. In the meantime, the challenge keeps on going.

Winners: Drake.

Drake Tribal Happenings

Rupert "Blackbeard" wants something to cover his "ass". What is this edition's preoccupation with "asses"? Hmmm. Once Christa has "fitted" Blackbeard, to everyone's surprise, he begins sewing his new skirt. Burton mocks Rupe. "Look at this guy. Sexy. Sexy. I have some pants that need mending too," he quips. Christa wishes Beavis and Butthead would just shut up. "Blackbeard" models his new threads. He feels more comfortable than ever before.

With the third piece of the map, Drake set about to find their treasure. Jon says he has dreamed more about the treasure chest than the women in Playboy. We severely doubt that but anyway...After much bungling and conversations focused on a tree, Michelle and Burton find the site. Rupert and Burton start digging like mad but can't lift the chest out. Drake decides just to open the chest and carry out the items. A foul stench emits from the chest as they open it. Much of the treasure has mold growing on it. The blankets are particularly bad. There is some candles, booze, candy, sugar, honey and coffee beans. Burton thinks the find is fantastic. Something is better than nothing. Jon views it as a "ghetto Christmas". He describes the treasure as hoping for a Hulk doll for Christmas and finding it is his sister's Ken doll painted green. What a grinch.

Morgan Tribal Happenings

Morgan awaits the arrival of the Drake looter. The ever optimistic Osten says that if Drake takes their last cooking pot, they can't boil water and are done for. Trish arrives to plunder the camp. She claims to have pleaded with Drake not to take anything this time around but they brought the hammer down on that suggestion. Trish filches their lantern. 'Dr. Death' scoffs. The lantern is messed up and probably won't work. Sod them.

While the pilfering is going on, Lord Andrew and Ryan get themselves lost while seeking the perfect fishing cove. When they run out of water, they fill their canteen with coconut milk. They do find another shoreline but the waves are just as choppy.

Drake Tribal Happenings

Burton can't sleep and is amazed to find that Rupert is awake too. Even though he has ridiculed "Blackbeard" at every opportunity, Burton decides to talk strategy with Rupe. Duh! Burton insists that he and "Blackbeard" are screwed at the merge. He suggests losing a challenge so they can control the game and dump Christa. To Burton's face Rupe agrees with the notion but to us he says that he felt like smacking Burton for being so disloyal. Burton asks "Blackbeard" to keep their conversation private. We set our stop watches to count down the seconds before Rupe rats on Beavis.

Drake Tribal Happenings (Day 12)

This year's America's Sweetheart - Michelle - confirms that Burton has discussed his plans with the other alliances members and that Christa is the target. Thanks for the newflash, Barbie. At the shoreline, Rupert reveals his entire conversation with Burton to Christa and Trish. He insists that Burton wants to make the game..guys versus girls. Burton obviously has Panama confused with The Amazon. Rupert thinks the idea of throwing a challenge is completely stupid...but...if that's what they want him to do...he will oblige.

Immunity Challenge

Numerous connecting, floating platforms. The idea is to make it from one end to the other. If opposing Survivors meet, they have to square off and try to shove each other off. First one to hit the water has to restart. All the Survivors start at once. First team to have all their members make it across wins. Probst has a piece of paper which he says are the instructions for a special reward to the victorious tribe. He will reveal that later.

Reward

Immunity from Tribal Council and a special reward.

Result

Drake sits out Rupert, Trish and Burton. Probst makes the decision an issue asking Drake why they would sit out their strongest players in such a physical challenge. Drake claims it is just their rotation. Morgan wins and Probst announces that they can choose one member of Drake to come live with them. That person will participate in the next Reward Challenge as a member of Morgan, will share in the reward and then head back to Drake. Morgan selects Rupert "Blackbeard".

Winners: Morgan.

Drake Pre-Tribal Council Happenings

Paranoid Christa finds it "scary" that Rupert is over at Morgan. She is nervous about what he might divulge about Drake's tribal politics. Sucking down some booze, Jon delights some of Drake with his impression of wrestling legend Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Freak out! Freak out! Shawn wonders if Burton sank his own ship with his scheme to throw the challenge. Trish and Christa ask Jon if he knows who the Dynamic Duo are gunning for. He claims it is Michelle. Christa discloses that Jon has been letting the others know about the Dynamic Duo's plans the whole time. Jon is "stoked" for the first Tribal Council. I think the word he was really looking for was..."tanked". Cut to him doing a bad impression of wrestling icon "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. "Ric Flair is voted off the island. Whoooo!," he gibbers. Someone slap a sleeper hold on this guy, please. Jon confirms to us that he is playing several alliances against each other and that he feels great being the supposed "puppet master". Jon then strips down and jumps into the water naked for no apparent reason at all.

Tribal Council

Probst welcomes Drake to their first ever Tribal Council. Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. Fire represents life and all that crap. Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. Probst immediately goes after Jon. He asks him how life is going in the Drake Tribe. Jon sheepishly answers..."Awesome. Awesome. Awesome." Probst: "Are you loaded?". Jon admits that he is. Probst moves on. Michelle states that the tribe is friendly and everyone is good pals. Probst presses home the rotation excuse at the Immunity Challenge. Christa says that it is only fair because being on 'Survivor' is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Everyone has to have a fair chance. Burton thinks it is great to win so much but it is frustrating because there is no control of the game itself if you don't have to go to Tribal Council. Probst returns to Jon. He wants to know what Jon's decision will be based on tonight. Jon answers astrological signs. Probst wonders if that is fair or respectful to the other tribemates. "Maybe. Maybe not," answers Jon.

Christa votes for Burton. He is the biggest threat after the merge. Burton writes down Christa's name. It is a purely strategic decision. When don't see who Jon votes for but he utters wrestler Booker T's catch phrase..."Can you dig that sucka?" One wonders if Jon has ANY lines that are truly his own.

Final Voting

Tribal Council Victim: BURTON ROBERTS.

Parting Comments

"So, I've got to say I'm disappointed beyond what words could explain. But being a strategic player and knowing the threat that I posed to every individual in my tribe, I probably would have done what the majority ended up doing. It's going to be a lot harder without me. Challenges are not going to be guaranteed as they were when I was involved. So good luck to those left, and I'll see you on the other side." -- BURTON ROBERTS.

Powell's Thoughts:

On the next 'Survivor', a voting betrayal is exposed at Drake. With Rupert at Morgan, Drake worries. Trish: "My concern with Rupert is that he is giving away too much information about us and not realizing it." And things are looking up for Morgan. We see Rupert teaching Morgan how to fish. Ryan: "The smartest thing this tribe ever did was get a hold of Rupert."

Well, what can I say? My picks were wrong this week but you gotta go against the grain on occasion. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Now that we understand how the tribal politics are working at Drake, it will be easier to predict the game. The most fascinating thing not really explained about this episode is why Shawn turned on Burton. Methinks that Shawn and Jon could have a secret alliance that nobody really knows about. There are not many rumours about Shawn spiraling around so you gotta wonder about him. Jon is looking to play the game much like Rob Cesternino did last year but something tells me he won't be as successful. More times than not, the opposing sides discover one person is playing both sides against the middle and boot that person for being untrustworthy. Michelle has some fences to mend if she wants to stick around. That's if people find out how she voted. Next episode is entitled "Everybody's hero". Could it be that it is Rupert's time to pack his bags for the Loser Lodge? If Drake discovers how Rupert aided Morgan he could be sunk. Fearful of a merger, Drake appears to be singling out the athletic competitors. Is Jon bucking for a WWE job or what? Not much originality there.