Episode Report Card Kim: B | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Flushing Idols
By Kim | Season 25 | Episode 7 | Aired on 10.31.2012
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.The tribes get mail explaining that they're merging at a new location. Malcolm manages to bring his Immunity Idol, and Denise reveals in an interview that she'd like to go back to her original alliance with Malcolm. Once they arrive on their new beach, they get a ton of fruit, cheese, and bread along with wine. The new tribal name is DanGrayne.
While hanging everyone's clothes out to dry, Lisa discovers Malcolm's Hidden Immunity Idol. Malcolm talks to her about it and reveals that he has a preexisting alliance with Denise, and Lisa can join them. Lisa agrees warily.
Penner reveals to Lisa that he recognizes her and they bond, and he bonds with Skupin too. Meanwhile, Jeff Kent and Malcolm talk strategy with Pete and Artis. They are all pretty sure Penner has an Idol and don't know how to get rid of him. They decide to split the vote between Penner and RC, and if Penner plays his Idol, they've flushed it out and they get rid of RC. If he doesn't, on the revote, they all vote for Penner and get rid of him. It's a great plan, but as with most plans on this show, it sounds a little too perfect, especially for one that requires eight people to all vote as directed.
The first individual Immunity Challenge involves keeping a heavy bucket aloft by holding a handlebar with a rope wound around it. There are actually two Immunity necklaces up for grabs: one for men and one for women. Denise wins for the women. It comes down to Jeff Kent and Carter for the men and they talk about one of them dropping out, but neither one wants to be the quitter at first. Eventually, Jeff Kent drops out and Carter wins immunity.
Skupin gets worried about his safety and makes a deal with Jeff Kent, basically pledging his loyalty to the former Kalabaw. Jeff Kent agrees, as long as Skupin agrees to work with them to get Penner out. When it comes down to it, Jeff Kent tells Carter that he's worried about jumping ship and joining up with Pete and his crew, since they'll always be at the bottom of that alliance.
At Tribal Council, Abi Maria actually doesn't sound AS crazy as she possibly could for once, but she and RC have it out over the hidden clue that Pete planted in RC's bag. Every possibility of flipping is brought up and discussed. After voting, Penner plays his Idol. It's a good thing he did, since he got five votes and would have been eliminated. Instead, it's RC. It's really just a shame that RC made a quick alliance with Abi Maria on day one – if she hadn't, none of the craziness might have happened and she might not have been targeted.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Kalabaw returns from voting out Katie. Penner notes that they need to give Denise a break from going to Tribal Councils, and Denise interviews that she's just glad to still be in the game and wonders if she's cursed or something. It is quite remarkable that she's been to every single Tribal Council so far and has barely gotten any votes. Penner comments that he was surprised that Katie wrote down his name and wonders what that was about, and Jeff Kent says that Katie was just mad at Penner for some reason.
Jeff Kent interviews that he was really close to voting Penner out, but he decided not to at the last minute; they are just two guys taking shots at one another and Jeff Kent hopes he can get Penner out first. Meanwhile, Penner totally thinks that he and Jeff Kent has an alliance; it's probably stupid of him, but he has never said (that we've seen) that he wants Jeff out. Jeff Kent has built up this imaginary duel between the two of them in his mind. We'll see if that will bite Penner in the ass or what. Penner vows in his interview to keep his eyes and ears open as they move forward, since he's been reminded that other people lie in this game. Uh... yeah. You'd think he'd remember that by now -- his THIRD try at this game.
Tandang. Day 17. Skupin tells the group gathered around the fire that, in a few hours, they will be on a level playing field because this is the point on his season when he fell in the fire. Someone jokes that he needs to stay away from the fire and Malcolm jokes that Skupin barely made it this far anyway. And when you look at Skupin, he is TORE UP. He's got cuts all over his face, his shoulders and abdomen are abraded (is that from the last challenge with the balls? Why is no one else all torn up?). He is a serious mess. Anyway, he claims that the future is all unclaimed territory for him, which doesn't make a ton of sense because I think he has an advantage just playing the game at all, because he knew what it was like to be out in the elements and miss family etc.
Artis spots a giant outrigger boat in the ocean and remarks that they need one of those. The tribe notices that the boat is getting closer and finally figures out that it's coming onto their beach. Abi and RC get a note from a guy on the boat that tells them that the tribes are merging, and the boat will take them to their new beach. But first, they have ten minutes to gather whatever they think they need for their new tribe. They all scream and run back to their shelter to start packing. They grab personal belongings as well as tarps, food and cooking supplies. Malcolm runs into the forest to dig up his Idol, which he wraps in a pair of shorts and stuffs into his bag. I can't believe he managed that without anyone seeing him. Then they wave goodbye to their beach and hop in the outrigger.