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The show begins, as usual, with an explanation of how the show works, which we all know by now. But I did want to share one bit of information that solved a nagging problem for me: when there are two recruits left, they do a grueling, forty-eight-hour physical challenge. Then, there is a final vote to determine the ultimate winner. So I was wondering, "Why do the physical challenge at all if the vote determines the winner?" It turns out (according to the official site) that the recruits get points for the challenge and points for the vote, and the combined points determine the winner. Yeah, they could have explained that a little better.
Last week: Yaney became the "unlikely" squad leader. Lauder thought about his dead wife, and it gave him strength. Coddington swelled up like a balloon. Yaney led the squad to success, but then Yaney was punished for losing a harness. Everyone thought Wolf was responsible, but video footage showed that Moretty was actually at fault. The recruits never found that out. In the end, Lauder was dismissed, and took Hutak with him because he doesn't like "pushy women." I hope that his dead wife, looking down from heaven, rolled her eyes with the rest of us at that one.
Day Seventeen. 6:00 AM. Wake Up. DI Francisco says, "We ready, Moretti? It rhymes, doesn't it?" Hey, at 6:00 AM, anything is amusing. DI Francisco wakes the gentlemen while DI Taylor wakes the ladies. The men count off: Wolf and Yaney are one and two, and then waaaaaay down at the other end of the barracks, Jackson and Moretti are three and four. DI Francisco notes that their numbers have dwindled. Over in the women's barracks, we see that Coddington is not there.
6:30 AM. Coddington at Medic. So that's where she went! The remaining women (Whitlow, Moretty, and Brown) are visiting her and discussing voting strategy. Whitlow says that they can still take out Wolf with five votes. I guess they assume that Yaney will vote with them. Moretty doesn't like this idea, because she thinks that Wolf will pull her. Coddington points out that she might get medically discharged, so they could vote for Wolf without worrying about who he would pull, since he wouldn't get to pull anyone. The women give her the old, "Aw, we hope that doesn't happen! Hugs!" In actuality, you know that they are secretly poisoning her drinking water so that she does get medically discharged. In an interview, Whitlow says that Coddington's being medically discharged and voting Wolf out would be their "best case scenario." Moretty reiterates that if Coddington gets discharged, they will vote for Wolf. Yeah, we got that. Back at the medic, the women put their hands in for a group cheer. In an interview, Moretty says that she feels conniving, and she's "not this kind of person, but it's a game!" That it is. The women leave the medic.
7:30 AM. Jackson Elected Squad Leader. We don't actually see the election process, but the recruits are jogging down a trail and Jackson is wearing the red t-shirt. In an interview, Jackson says that one of the reasons he came was that he wanted to buy his girlfriend an engagement ring, but they had to use the money to buy an apartment in New York City. Damn, that must have been one expensive ring he had his eye on. Anyway, if he wins, he'll use the money to buy her a ring. Hope he wasn't planning on its being a surprise. As the recruits do exercises, DI McSweeney tells us that Jackson is a great recruit, but that he might be "a little too confident, a little bit too cocky." In an interview, Jackson says that he already has leadership and discipline "out in the world," so he's not there to learn those things. He wants to challenge himself, because he hasn't been challenged in his life so far. I think I liked him better when he was there to win the money.
10:30 AM. Morning Physical Training. Lots of sweating and grunting.
11:35 AM. They're still at it. The thing that would suck the most is that they get all sweaty, and then have to lie in the sand, and the sand sticks to them. Okay, maybe that wouldn't be the worst part, but it would suck. In an interview, Wolf says that everyone is "at the cracking point," and "it's just a matter of time before someone blows up."
12:05 PM. Moretty and Brown do exercises under DI McSweeney's instructions. He gives them instructions too quickly for them to follow. In an interview, Moretty says that she felt like it was never-ending. DI McSweeney says that if Moretty keeps rolling her eyes at him, they'll do this all day. In an interview, DI McSweeney says that Moretty is always rolling her eyes, and "you can read her like a book -- when she's mad, when she's glad." DI McSweeney says that he can keep ordering her to exercises all day, as long as she keeps making faces. Moretty starts screaming that she's not making faces. DI McSweeney runs right over to Moretty and gets all up in her grill, yelling at her to shut her face. Moretty keeps screaming, "This recruit is not making faces!" Does she understand that she will not win this argument? She must have flipped her lid. DI Rosenbum hears the commotion and comes over to join in the fracas. Moretty yells out, "Stop spitting on me!" Heh. This inflames the drill instructors, and they continue to scream right in Moretty's face. She screams, "Stop! Spitting! On! Me!" DI Rosenbum says, "You had better think about it, Moretty. You'd better think about it right now! Don't even think about it." I don't know, that cracked me up for some reason. Moretty finally calms down, and DI McSweeney orders her to do more push-ups.