Episode Report Card Sara M: A+ | 4 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT WHAT
By Sara M | Season 16 | Episode 13 | Aired on 05.08.2008
Fourth question: on which season was a castaway evacuated after falling into a fire? EVERYONE should know this, but most especially "Fans" Natalie and Erik. That was, like, famous and stuff. And yet, only Cirie, Parvati and Erik get it right. You guys, I'm beginning to suspect that Natalie isn't much of a "Fan" at all, and that maybe -- just maybe! -- this show gets most of its cast from a weekend trip to the Saddle Ranch on the Sunset Strip. Possibly even to the other Saddle Ranch on the Universal Citywalk, which is where you'll get the real dregs. Probst points out that Erik was all of fourteen years old when that episode aired, and is clearly a "superfan."
Fifth question: during which season of Survivor were castaways first separated into four tribes? Cirie knows this one, as it was the season she first appeared on. Erik and Natalie know it, too. It's the Panama Exile Island season. And they were separated four ways for all of one episode. With four points, Erik is the winner, and he is thrilled. "Survivor!" he cheers. Natalie smiles, too, sure that she will be heading to Exile Island to claim her idol. Probst asks Erik who he's sending to Exile Island, and Natalie's smile just gets bigger. It was tough losing Alexis last night, for sure, but today is a new day and things are looking up for Natalie! Oh, snap -- Erik chooses Parvati. Natalie deflates. Probst asks Erik who he's taking with him on the reward, and Natalie still looks hopeful. Okay, so maybe she won't get the idol, but after a good night's sleep and food and a massage, she'll be rested and ready to kick ass at the immunity challenge. Oh, snap again! Erik says he gave his word to Amanda that he'd take her and he's going to keep it. Amanda runs over to Erik and thanks him for keeping his word and says he's totally redeemed himself while Natalie shoots Cirie a "can you believe that asshole?" look. They're sent back to camp while Erik and Amanda are sent to the helicopter.
Natalie and Cirie return to camp. "Well, that was a doozy," is all Natalie can say. Cirie doesn't say anything. She just lets Natalie talk and vent. And she does. She's upset and stunned that Erik didn't send her to Exile Island and can't imagine why he sent Parvati instead. I can't either -- it seems pretty obvious to me that it's Natalie and Erik vs. Amanda, Parvati, and Cirie. If I were Erik, I'd be asking to go to Exile Island instead of reward. Natalie tells us that she was happy when Erik won the reward challenge because he promised he'd either send her to Exile or take her on the reward with him. I didn't hear the part where he promised her a spot on the reward, but it really doesn't matter. Because he ended up giving Natalie neither of those things. And she can't, for the life of her, figure out why. I'd be confused too, if I were her. After all, Erik said that Amanda was his biggest threat and he wanted her gone next. Cirie just feeds the fire, saying that Erik is a "weasel" and promised Natalie and Amanda the same thing when he knew he wouldn't be able to deliver for one of them. Cirie doesn't think that Erik would take the person he wants to vote out on a reward with him, and says so while cocking an eyebrow in a most devious fashion. She then tells us that she enjoyed screwing with Natalie's head and what were they thinking with this interview spot? Cirie is, like, perched in a tree and the camera is almost totally under her and there are leaves partially obscuring the shot. And I don't even think she's in focus! Booo! Okay, I will give them one point for giving Cirie the low-angle shot that visually reinforces her all-powerful supreme beingness. Back on the beach with Natalie, Cirie continues that perhaps Erik is trying some kind of new strategy that Cirie has never heard of, where you feed and "take care of" the person you want to vote out next. Cirie is having a blast with this, and she tells us back in her treehouse that this is her only consolation over not getting reward today. "If it looks like a rat and smells like a rat..." Natalie starts. "Give it cheese!" Cirie finishes. And just to make them feel even worse, the helicopter flies by with Erik hanging outside of it to wave to the girls and blow them kisses. Natalie appears to wave back, but she's probably trying to fan some wind in Erik's direction in the hopes that it'll knock him out of the helicopter.