Episode Report Card Kim: B- | 40 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Odd Man Out?
By Kim | Season 27 | Episode 7 | Aired on 10.30.2013
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.Kat is very emotional about getting voted out, and at the Redemption Island Truel, she makes Hayden hug her as soon as she walks in. Hayden says their relationship is more important than the game and Probst sounds surprised, like every other person wouldn't say the same thing. He challenges Hayden to take Kat's spot, like how desperate are the producers for someone to take them up on that twist after it turned out SO GREAT for Rupert? Kat is amenable to a switch because she doesn't think she can win the truel, but Hayden thankfully talks her into letting him stay because she has no chance at winning and he does. He doesn't exactly say that, but it's true.
The challenge involves untying knots to release a machete, and then using the machete to chop a rope which will release a bag of puzzle pieces. Then they have to assemble a puzzle. John finishes his first. Kat struggles at first, but actually works her way back into it. Laura looks at John's finished puzzle, which Kat thinks is cheating (it's not). Kat lets the heat and pressure get to her, I think, and just stumbles about halfway through and can't get any more pieces in. So Kat's done. John gives the clue to Monica, who burns it.
Back at camp, Aras leaves to meditate and Tyson takes the opportunity to point out to his tribemates that Aras keeps talking about Vytas, and will put Vytas ahead of any of them. Meanwhile, Vytas is working it hard over at Galang but the women realize that they need to vote him off if they go to Tribal Council.
The Immunity Challenge is different. The tribes are bound together at the angles and have to navigate a ropes course while stopping at intersections to untie bags. The intersections allow a trailing Galang to delay Tadhana so that they get to the final segment at the same time. Tina for Galang and Tyson for Tadhana have to use the pieces from the bags to assemble bolos and then toss them at a rack, trying to land three. It's close, but Tyson pulls it off for his tribe.
After the challenge, Tadhana pigs out on picnic food, while Laura B. immediately tells Vytas that they're voting him out while the rest of her tribe is like, "WTF?" Ugh, Laura B. You are the second worst after your husband. Her tribe is taken aback and doesn't like that she made that decision on her own, and Vytas talks to them about keeping him and voting out Laura B. Even though it seems like a terrible idea for their long-term gameplay, they vote out Laura B. and I can't say I'm sad to see her go.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Just after being voted out, Kat interviews that Monica and Laura B. were both feeling on the outs in their tribe, so they decided they couldn't trust Kat. Interesting that Laura B. was involved; I don't think we saw her so much as speak about voting for Kat. Anyway, Kat tells Laura M. and John that Monica is an overstrategizer, Laura B. is a "social fucking witch" (?), Tina is a million-dollar winner and Katie is a tagalong. I think Kat still doesn't understand why she got voted out, and who is to blame (Vytas). Kat vows to do whatever it takes to make it back into the game and then worries aloud that Hayden will dump her because she didn't make the merge. If he would do that, does she really want to be with him? Like should she date someone who predicated his relationship feelings on her success on a reality show?
The next morning, Kat sits on the beach alone and cries. She's just now figuring out that she didn't do a great job playing the game. She still doesn't know that there was a huge alliance on her tribe, and she wasn't on it, right? Anyway, she's also worried that she brought shame to Hayden, and that he won't like her anymore. I know she's young, but she's not twelve, right? She should be more embarrassed about her behavior right now than being voted out.
Everyone heads to the Redemption Island truel. When Kat enters, she begs Hayden to give her a hug, which he does. I can't read Hayden's face, though. Is he mad that her tribemates voted her out? Sad for Kat, who is crying? Tough to say. Probst asks Kat where this emotion is coming from, and Kat says she's worried that she disappointed Hayden by getting voted out. Look, the odds were hugely in favor of at least one of you getting voted out before the finals. You had a good run! Hayden says that, obviously, this doesn't change his feelings for Kat, and their relationship comes ahead of everything, including the game. Probst sounds surprised, like is there anyone there who would say that the game was more important than their relationship?
Probst uses that admission as a lever to try to get someone, anyone to take the producers up on their stupid "switch places" twist. I can almost understand doing it when Rupert did, but to do it now? And give up your spot in your tribe? Unless you are about 99% sure that you will be the next one voted out, it makes absolutely no sense. Probst tries to push the, "You said you loved her!" angle. Kat, because she's dumb, looks hopeful that Hayden will actually take her spot.