Episode Report Card Sara M: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Judas
By Sara M | Season 22 | Episode 2 | Aired on 02.23.2011
Phillip asks Rob who he's voting for tonight. Matt is standing right there (not like Rob would be stupid enough to clue him in on the plan against Matt anyway), and Rob says he doesn't know yet. Phillip just asks him to let him know and walks away. Matt tells Rob that Phillip is screwed: "he doesn't have a single play. He has nowhere to go." Matt has made the biggest Survivor mistake you can make: assuming you know everything that's going on in this game.
Rob gets a chance to speak to Phillip alone while the rest of his alliance watch and think Rob is doing what's best for them, because they are all stupid. Matt interviews that Rob impresses him every day, and it's "unbelievable" how well he can talk to people and play this game. He realizes this, but he doesn't realize that Rob's talents could just as easily be used against him as he thinks they're being used for him. Rob pulls Phillip aside and talks about vague plans and wheels being in motion before claiming that he doesn't know who they're voting for tonight yet, just that it won't be Phillip. Rob says that all Phillip has to do to stay safe is to keep his shit together at Tribal and not "go off on a tirade" like he did last time. Rob interviews that his plan is to wait until the absolute last possible moment before telling Phillip who to vote for, because Phillip is crazy and therefore can't be trusted with any information. Rob tells Phillip that he won't tell him who to vote for until it's time to vote, at which point Rob will put his hand on the shoulder of the person he wants Phillip to vote for. In the meantime, Rob says, Phillip should walk around camp acting like he's expecting to be sent going to Redemption Island tonight. "You're a smart guy," Rob says, so good at buttering people up and telling them what he thinks they want to hear. "You're an actor, bro," Rob says, which probably isn't too far from the truth. Phillip is from Los Angeles and I have hard time believing this show would cast someone truly insane, so my guess is that this whole Former Federal Agent? thing is just an act. Phillip seals their deal with a hug. Rob interviews that if Phillip votes the way Rob tells him to, then he'll know he can trust Phillip and Phillip may have a shot at joining his alliance.
We're supposed to believe that some kind of coral snake is hanging out on the stairs as the contestants make their way to Tribal Council. Probst begins by addressing Kristina and how she did not play the idol at the last Tribal. Kristina says she "had a feeling" that she didn't need to play it and it was a tough and risky decision that ultimately paid off for her. Probst has had enough talking to women and turns to Phillip, who decides to show off his shoulder tattoos. On his left shoulder, he has a picture of a gorilla. On the right, a lion. Shockingly, Phillip has strong feelings about these animals and how he resembles them. Because he's totally ripping off Coach and his love of dragons. Phillip says if you do something to the country he loves, he will show you his crappy gorilla tattoo. Probst nods along with this. Phillip continues that if you try to attack his family, who are either so embarrassed right now or love him more than ever, he will show you his similarly crappy lion tattoo. Probst asks what the lion or gorilla do when they screw up. Phillip doesn't really get what Probst is alluding to and just starts reciting stuff he saw on Animal Planet, that the lion never screws up and the gorilla either beats his opponents down or is the one who is beaten. He then admits that he did lose today and must "suffer the consequences." Probst asks Rob if the loss was all Phillip's fault or if everyone on the team should shoulder some of the blame. Of course, Rob knows that Phillip is TV gold and Probst loves him, so he won't say anything bad about Phillip. He says they win or lose as a team, but he can understand how Phillip feels because he is also a competitor.