Here's some advice for all those future 'Survivor' contestants out there. Actually, anyone with an I.Q. above that of bag of rusted hammers should already know this having watched eight (Count them...eight!) seasons of the CBS reality series. Until the merge, you play as a team and you do everything you can to keep said team as strong as possible. The whole point of the first phase is to make the other team boot as many of their members as possible. Therefore, even if the tribes get switched up, you must give the others the impression that you are totally dedicated to your new tribe.
The 'Survivor' game is all about being patient and making the right move at the right time. Obviously that concept was lost on Bob Barker's biggest fan - Travis 'Bubba' Sampson. If the tribes are swapped, you don't try to communicate with your former alliance members right in front of your new tribe. That's just game suicide. For pulling off that bonehead move, there must be a special place for Travis in the 'Survivor' Hall of Shame. What do you expect though from a guy who learned to swim weeks before leaving to be on the series? Even kindly old Bob Barker who has rescued many a stray animal wouldn't hesitate to beat Bubba over the head with a Plinko chip for being an utter moron if he could.
The Survivors at the start of the broadcast were:
Lopevi Tribe
1. Chad Crittenden: Teacher. 2. Chris Daugherty: Highway construction. 3. Rory Freeman: Housing Case Manager. 4. John Kenney: Mechanical bull operator, model. 5. Lea "Sarge" Masters: Drill Sergeant. 6. Travis "Bubba" Sampson: Loss prevention.
Yasur Tribe
1. Julie Berry: Youth mentor. 2. Ami Cusack: Coffee server, model. 3. Lisa Keiffer: Real estate manager. 4. Scout Cloud Lee: Rancher. 5. Eliza Orlins: Pre-law student. 6. Leann Slaby: Research assistant. 7. Twila Tanner: Highway repair.
Lopevi Tribal Happenings (Day 11)
You know that you're surrounded by buffoons when your tribe has nothing better to do but argue about the sleeping arrangements. Chad is ticked Bubba won't give up the primo spot in front of the fire. Chad tattles on Bubba to Sarge. Sarge suggests everyone rotate around each night so that everyone eventually has to deal with smoke being blown their way. They have to be team players, growls Sarge. Travis sulks. He ain't going to sleep near the fire any more, so there. Sarge won't tolerate any bellyaching.
Travis is tired of hanging around with the Lopevi men. He is getting lonely.
Two island natives pull up in a canoe. Rory is excited to have the opportunity to interact with the island folk. The natives try to convey a message to Lopevi. Lopevi has no freaking idea what they are saying. Finally, one of the natives utters the phrase "One chief". Not sure what is about to happen, Lopevi has no qualms about electing Sarge. Sarge is given a sacred staff and a necklace. The natives paddle off as Sarge stands stock-still waiting for Ewoks to carry him away to his throne or something.
Yasur Tribal Happenings (Day 11)
The mysterious natives arrive at Yasur. Scout is selected as their chief. Ami: Scout is the oldest and the wisest of us all. Scout is handed a staff and necklace too. Scout shouts "Have a good day!" as the natives paddle off.
Leann the Invisible Woman gets some airtime right out of the box this week. The producers have no choice but to though because as Stealth Leann babbles about the tribes possibly being juggled, an earthquake rumbles on through.
Stealth Leann as she is shaken right out of the frame: Holy sh-t!
Yasur and Lopevi freak out between stock shots of volcanoes erupting.
Lisa tells Stealth Leann that she thought the ground was going to open up. Stealth Leann: I could do without that.
Reward Challenge
Host Jeff Probst quizzes both tribes about the quake for about 30 seconds then it is back to business. The players are told to drop their buffs. Chiefs Scout and Sarge are informed that one of them will divide the tribes and then the other will be allowed to select which tribe they want to join. Sarge wins a Rock, Paper and Scissors game. He decides he would rather pick than divide. Alternating between men and women, Scout chooses the new Yasur and Lopevi Tribes. Sarge elects to remain with the Lopevi Tribe. Scout heads to the new Yasur.
The new tribes are...
Lopevi Tribe
1. Julie Berry: Youth mentor. 2. Chad Crittenden: Teacher. 3. Chris Daugherty: Highway construction. 4. Twila Tanner: Highway repair. 5. John Kenney: Mechanical bull operator, model. 6. Lea "Sarge" Masters: Drill Sergeant.
Yasur Tribe
1. Ami Cusack: Coffee server, model. 2. Lisa Keiffer: Real estate manager. 3. Eliza Orlins: Pre-law student. 4. Leann Slaby: Research assistant. 5. Scout Cloud Lee: Rancher. 6. Rory Freeman: Housing Case Manager. 7. Travis "Bubba" Sampson: Loss prevention.
The challenge itself consists of the Survivors diving down deep into the water and retrieving as many tied up markers as they can. The tribe with the most at the end of the ten minute time limit wins reward. Travis sits out.
Reward
Chips and beer at a waterfall.
Result
Chris drops one of the markers early on. As time limit draws to a close, Chris captures a marker while Ami comes up empty.
Winners: Lopevi.
Lopevi Tribal Happenings (Day 11)
A product placement moment as Lopevi downs beer and chips. After eating tree bark and ticks, Sarge says the chips taste like gold. He is happy to have some new faces around.
Twila is happier than a pig in feces. She fits in with men better than women any way. She makes a connection with Chris when she discovers he is a construction worker too.
Sitting with a beer in her hand, Julie says she has a buzz...and not from the beer either. It was the whole swapping deal. Julie is worried that she and Twila are the only women on the tribe but she hopes they can bond with the men somehow.
John is thrilled. With the Lopevi Elders Alliance busted up he is sure he has a better chance at winning now. He believes Lopevi has a big time advantage over Yasur.
Yasur Tribal Happenings (Day 11)
Eliza: Yasur doesn't feel too bad about the loss because they are excited to have new members. Travis is as nervous as a prostitute in church. His words not mine.
Rory and Travis assume their roles as grunts and start lifting trees and such for the ladies. Wow. If Sarge could see Rory now, eh?
Lisa tells Ami she would like to show the guys how to properly crack open a coconut. The notion ticks Ami off. Ami to Lisa: I don't think we should show them our secrets. Lisa doesn't see the problem. Ami snoots: If you want to teach them then teach them.
Ami is irritated the bond amongst the women might be disappearing already. Yasur is five women strong and she is sticking with the ladies. Rory and Travis will have to prove themselves or they are taking the Walk of Shame. Ouch! I wonder how Ami can stand up straight with that chip on her shoulder? Hmmmmm.
Immunity Challenge
As the tribes stand beside one another, Travis tells Chris to think about the merge. Yasur appears stunned by Travis' move.
In teams of two, the players dash into the jungle, untie parts of an outrigger canoe and bring them back to the beach. Once all the pieces have been recovered, the tribes must assemble their outriggers. Two tribe members will then paddle to a flag and retrieve it. Scout sits out.
Reward
Immunity from Tribal Council.
Result
Rory has serious trouble undoing the knots and puts his team behind. Chad and John take the outrigger out into the water for Lopevi. Travis and Ami trail far behind with their lethargic paddling. At the end of the challenge, Probst comments on Rory's failure at the knots and says Ami, Bubba's paddling was the worst he has ever seen.
Winners: Lopevi.
Yasur Pre-Tribal Council Happenings (Day 12)
Rory is convinced that he and Bubba are doomed. Their heads are on the block and he is going to assume the worst.
Ami to Travis about their paddling: We looked like idiots.
Though she is not the least bit upset about possibly Pagonging the men on her tribe, Ami is disgusted that Travis betrayed Yasur by communicating with Chris before the Immunity Challenge. Would Michael Jordan reveal his teams' playbook to the other team? Hell, no. Surprise. Surprise. Ami doesn't consider Bubba to be a part of Yasur.
Bubba knows he shouldn't have opened his big mouth. He got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Alone with Ami, Bubba asks her to warn him if he is being voted out. He just doesn't want to be blindsided. Ami tells Bubba to "check with the boss". We assume she means Scout.
Scout, Ami, Eliza, Lisa and Leann ponder Bubba's fate. Eliza doesn't think it would be a smart move if the women boot the men. They might need their strength for challenges. Lisa: What? We should kick one of us off?
Before heading off to Tribal Council, Rory and Travis say a prayer and share a hug.
Lopevi Tribal Council Happenings
Lisa tells Probst, the women have tried to make the men feel welcome. She likes having two men around. Leann hasn't made the switch. It is still men versus women in her mind. Ami expresses her displeasure at Travis chatting with Chris. Bubba admits he gambled. He wanted to push for the men to outnumber the women at the merge. Ami tells Travis he wasn't the guy the women were going to vote off at first. Rory sports an amused smile. Rory knew if Yasur didn't win Immunity, either himself or Travis were getting the boot. Ami is a little upset at having to vote either Travis or Rory off but at least no women are leaving the tribe. Travis states that he isn't a good swimmer but he tried hard during the challenge. He is a team player and will prove it. Rory offers to go down with the ship. If the women outsmart him...so be it. Scout states she selected Rory and Travis because she really wanted to play the game with them. It ain't over until the fat lady sings.
Rory picks Bubba. He is in an awkward situation. Bubba writes down Rory's name. Ami picks Bubba. She is sorry but he should know why.
Final Voting
1. Ami Cusack: Travis. 2. Lisa Keiffer: Travis. 3. Eliza Orlins: Travis. 4. Leann Slaby: Travis. 5. Scout Cloud Lee: Travis. 6. Rory Freeman: Travis. 7. Travis "Bubba" Sampson: Rory.
Tribal Council Victim:
Travis "Bubba" Sampson.
Parting Comments
"I had a great time playing. I got into trouble throwing a little signal. I think the Yankees are going to give me a job working first base so I can send signals. It shocked me how personal you become with people when you are with them for that long. One thing I learned, the important thing is what you have in life and that is my family." -- Travis "Bubba" Sampson.
On the next 'Survivor': Television. Rory makes a daring move. Rory talking to the women: "I won't continue to slave around camp if I don't have a shot at making it through Tribal Council." Rory: "My speech was so cheesy, I couldn't even believe I was saying it." The clothes come off at Lopevi. Julie is shown sunbathing in the nude. Chad: "I think the co-ed thing is working really well for our tribe."
On the next 'Survivor': Internet.
"Feeling vulnerable, one castaway gives an impassioned, persuasive speech in hopes of breaking the tribe's alliances. In a piglet-herding Reward Challenge, could one tribe's chance of winning be hurt by a member's fear of handling pigs? Things get very relaxed at one camp, where one castaway decides to do some nude sunbathing, and a walk to gather food fuels an alliance. Conflicted over how to vote in the upcoming Tribal Council, one castaway prays for a sign to guide the decision. POOF! The sign appears. "
Powell's Thoughts:
Bubba's boot a bit of a shocker? Sure enough but based on his editing, he was definitely leaving some time soon. There were too many comments about him being fed up with the situation at Lopevi.
Methinks that John isn't as safe as he thinks he might be. I would suspect that the Elders probably don't trust him after everything that has happened. They still have the numbers even if they ditch him. Getting naked might work for or against Julie. Twila will probably be none too pleased about the behaviour and she will be closer to the men than Julie.
If you believe the rumours, Rory makes it to the merge. If so, how the heck does he do it? It could be that Yasur for some reason decides to ditch Lisa instead of him and the tribes merge sooner than expected. The way things are shaping up, I would assume that the gender alliances break completely apart following the merge. In his pre-series comments Probst said he was shocked at how strong partnerships crumbled later on in the game. It seems likely that Scout and Chad will form a close bond and that Eliza might be the one who stabs the women in the back.
