Episode Report Card Sara M: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Idol hands
By Sara M | Season 18 | Episode 7 | Aired on 04.02.2009
Beans are cooking at Jalapeño as well, but since J.T.'s cooking them and he isn't an asshole, everyone is enjoying his bean lunch. I love how the editors never miss a chance to show how everyone can do everything better than Douche. J.T. interviews that he hopes his tribe likes him and that, as a country boy, he has a hard time being mean to anyone. He hopes both that he can get through this game without having to lie to anyone and that his tribemates are being as honest with him as he's been with them. Um ... has J.T. seen this show before? That never happens.
Stephen sits next to Taj on the hammock. She says she wants to tell J.T. that she has the idol for some stupid reason. Stephen doesn't think this is a good idea because he's the only person on this show who's playing any kind of mental game with the possible exception of Brendan. He asks Taj what telling J.T. about the idol will accomplish. Taj thinks it'll prove to J.T. that she trusts him. Stephen thinks it'll make J.T. wary of her. Is it possible for J.T. to even be wary? Taj interviews that after J.T. voted for Spencer over her, she knew he was in her and Stephen's corner. She wants to show J.T. that she's in his as well. Stephen interviews that he wants Taj to keep the idol quiet because then he'll still have a crucial role as the point person between Taj and J.T. If J.T. and Taj connect, then Stephen's role in their alliance becomes much less essential. Wow, I think Stephen is playing this game really intelligently. Low-key intelligently, too. Like, he just says things that are smart and observant and make a lot of sense without bragging about how awesome he is like so-called "master strategists" on this show usually do. Taj interviews that her true loyalties lie with her four-person Exile alliance. She only wants to get J.T. on her side to help ensure that she makes it to the merge. On the hammock, Stephen worries that Taj will tell J.T. about the Exile alliance, and Taj makes it clear that she will not. With that, she asks Stephen if he's sure that he doesn't want to "bring J.T. in." "I'm not sure at all!" Stephen says, conveniently leaving the decision to Taj while still convincing her to do what's best for him.
Reward challenge time! Sierra is still looking pissed about the beans as Tempura enters the playing field. They seem surprised to see Spencer gone from Jalapeño. Erinn looks happy, but I think that's just her automatic reaction to finding out that someone who isn't her has been voted out of the game. Probst explains the challenge: there are two big wooden frames for each team. Tribes will get five minutes to build a barricade out of logs and rope inside the other team's frame. Then they'll have ten minutes to throw ceramic pigs (why ceramic pigs? Was there a fire sale on piggy banks at the Tokingteens Big Lots! or something?) through those frames and to each other in a line. If a pig is dropped or shatters by hitting the barricade and letting out a tremendous glass breaking sound effect, it will not count. The team that passes the most pigs through the course when time runs out wins a barbecue lunch at a beautiful waterfall. Even better, it doesn't appear to be sponsored by anyone except Mother Nature. They also get to send a member of the losing tribe to Exile, who in turn gets to choose a member of the winning team to join him or her and miss out on the reward. With that, Tempura sits out Erinn and the challenge begins.