Episode Report Card Sara M: A+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Third Time's A Charm
By Sara M | Season 16 | Episode 12 | Aired on 05.01.2008
But she can't right now, as Alexis is talking to Erik. He wants Amanda out too, since she'd do really well in the Final Three. Alexis also points out that Amanda is a big challenge threat. They should take her out now while they have the chance. "Luckily, she doesn't have the idol," Erik says. Alexis agrees. It doesn't even occur to them that Amanda could still somehow have the idol.
Amanda walks past the idol burial site on her way to talk to Erik. Stupidly deciding to go with honesty and not even entertain the thought of, like, trying to make a play with Amanda and Parvati, Erik says he's going to vote for either her or Parvati tonight. Amanda points out that she "helped" keep him in the game when he needed it. Well, not really. Amanda just didn't trust Ami. It's not like she was trying to do Erik any favors or that he owes her anything. Although it kind of sucks that he was so grateful to Ozzy for that vote and not Amanda. Erik says Amanda's the toughest person left in challenges besides him, and he knows that the only way he's staying in the game is to win challenges because it's not like he's going to try using, like, strategy or anything like that. Amanda says she kept Erik around even though he was a threat. "That's what bother me, Erik," Amanda says, which I'm sure will win him over because who doesn't love a guilt trip? "I guess it's over," Amanda says, asking Erik to at least be honest about who he's voting for tonight. He says he's voting for her. Amanda (wisely, I think) decides against telling him about idol.
Erik brings a freshly-plucked chicken to Cirie and asks her if she's "on board" with voting for Amanda while Alexis watches. I love how Erik seems completely unaware of the fact that they'd all be voting for him tonight if he hadn't won immunity. Now is the time to make a move, not go along with the crowd, Erik. Cirie doesn't hestitate to agree to vote for Amanda. She tells us that she doesn't want to see Amanda go but knows that this is the right move strategically because she doesn't think she or Parvati could beat Amanda in the Final Three. "It's the game, you know? The game must go on," Cirie says. So she talks to Amanda and tells her that the other girls and Erik are voting for Amanda out tonight. Amanda suggests that Cirie vote with her and Parvati, but Cirie doesn't see the point in creating a tie, because then it'll be down to picking colored rocks and Cirie might get sent home. Or Cirie and Erik could vote with Parvati and Amanda instead of Alexis and Natalie. But they won't because they don't want to face Amanda at the end, and that's the bottom line. Amanda asks Cirie for the truth; are they voting for her? Cirie hesitates, then admits that yes, they are. "Thanks for being honest," Amanda pouts. She then asks Cirie for her word that, if things were different, Cirie would stick with her and Parvati. Cirie says she definitely would and wanted the three of them to make it to the end. Not enough to do anything about it, although Amanda doesn't point that out.