Last week on Survivor, Silas had really white teeth. Linda may have been spirited right out of Africa, but Oldskool got in a last hurrah: three votes against Silas. Meanwhile, Boran received the ultimate compliment from the editors: happy music.
We open with a shot of the fake full moon superimposed over African sky. Because nature can always be digitally improved upon. Samburu creeps back from Tribal Council. Playskool is pissed that Oldskool did not blindly follow its plan for world domination. Insert cackling here. Silas wants to know what Oldskool's logic was in voting for him as opposed to Lindsey as was mandated by Playskool. He says it's an earnest question, but his delivery suggest otherwise, like "logic" should be in quotes. As in, "What was your 'logic' in voting that way?" And about the quotes thing -- one of my biggest pet peeves -- what's with the obsessive and inaccurate use of quotation marks anyway? At my gym, there's a sign in the stall that reads: "FEED A FAMILY AT THANKSGIVING: 'COLLECTION BASKET AT FRONT DESK.'" Is this a so-called collection basket? Is there some sort of irony to its existence? Or maybe this is the food drive's motto? To make matters worse, the phrase in quotation marks was written in a different, flowery handwriting from the rest of the message. Finger quoting in text is apparently beyond the grasp of the average mind. In any case, Lindsey whines to Teresa, "You're punishing us because we wouldn't tell you." I can't even begin to understand why they thought Oldskool would so easily roll over and do whatever a bunch of whiney twenty-three-year-olds dictated. Teresa tries to explain that the three members of Oldskool decided to maintain their alliance until the end; in response, Lindsey gives her major hand. Silas cuts into this argument to enlighten the others once again by explaining what "the deal" is. He says, "It'll come out like this, and then they'll speak it." And if you build it, they will come. Really, what does that mean? I feel like I need a cryptographer to decode what these people are saying. Teresa tries to explain why, as "low men on the totem pole," Oldskool resented being told what to do by Playskool. Silas cuts Teresa off and agrees that Oldskool's act was a "power trip," but that's not at all what Teresa said. Teresa tries again to explain Oldskool's side and Silas concludes, "Okay, so it's revenge." This is really where Teresa should have walked away from this argument. It's the equivalent of fighting with a two-year-old over how best to ladle cupcake batter into the Easy-Bake Oven. Silas then decrees that revenge is okay and says, "You wanted to use the power over [sic] to screw us for the game. I understand that." During this discussion, Kimp looks bothered.
Finally, Brandon interrupts and insists that people not get emotional. He wants the discussion to continue in the morning when everyone is calmer. Brandon then says that had he been backed into the same corner as Oldskool, he wouldn't have listened to the Playskoolers either. Lindsey insists that Brandon wouldn't have screwed over his team, and then he concedes that he wouldn't have, but just said he would to make things easier for the night. Hee. Lindsey then acts all self-righteous and says, "I wouldn't have screwed my chances." But Oldskool was screwed anyway, so I don't understand her argument. Silas announces that the whole situation is funny: "Y'all talk about character and loyalty and honesty and all this stuff and it did prove right now that, you know, you guys are just full of crap." Why do the worst people always take the moral high ground? Frank tells us in a confessional that one of the three members of Oldskool was going to be eliminated, and "unfortunately, it was Linda." Not unfortunately for those of us at home, but that's beside the point. Frank continues that Samburu is still "a tribe divided," but that the youth need the support of Oldskool and are going about getting it the wrong way: "If they keep isolating us, we're gonna keep fighting." Rock on, Frank. Rock on, on your telephone pole. Teresa says in a confessional that Playskool keeps saying that Survivor is just a game, but they're the ones who are taking it personally. She says that getting to them made her feel good. Playskool sighs and shakes their heads and keeps singing another somebody done somebody wrong song. In a confessional, Silas assumes the persona of the cocky Danny Zuko (in the middle part of Grease, as opposed to the sweet beach-walk-taking Danny Zuko at the beginning, and the varsity-sweater-wearing Danny Zuko at the end) and tells us that Oldskool set him up. He's talking about himself in the third person here, which I've read is a sign of psychopathic tendencies. Excluding my grandmother, of course. He says Oldskool wasn't on Survivor to play a game, but was there for revenge. Would they need revenge if they weren't actually playing the game? Does he think Teresa, Frank and Linda entered Survivor with a vendetta to take down all young people? Lindsey is a constant tooth picker. She's not much of a grinner, though. Nor, I suspect, is she much of a lover or a sinner, and she doesn't play her music in the sun, although she did bring along the bongo drum. In any case, Silas then tells us that Oldskool's act of free will "shows the older group's maturity level." He doesn't say whether it's high or low. He then insists that it's "no big deal," but clearly, it is. Brandon tells us in a confessional that he's not used to being around such emotional people. He says that they need the remaining Oldskoolers, and that it's frustrating for him because the other Playskoolers are "livin' in the moment" and are oblivious to the fact that what they say and do has repercussions.
A bird soars overhead to signify the freedom, peace, love, joy and completeness that is the Boran tribe. Lex and Kelly check the mail and find a voodoo doll. Lex announces to the others that it's "probably the strangest mail [they've] ever gotten." Kelly says they need to put on their "thinking hats." Kelly needs to be teaching school. Or teaching cheers at a school. The clue insists that "three from [their] tribe will go on a quest," and they're supposed to decide who's "the best." The clue suggests that they vote or draw straws and that "the other three wait, but for what, we won't say."
We switch over to Samburu reading the same clue. Lindsey picks Frank to go, and Brandon picks Teresa. Playskool is being typically lazy here, lounging about and letting Oldskool do all the work, and it's going to turn out to bite them in the butts later on. Literally, in Lindsey's case.
At Boran, Tom asks who Ethan thinks should go, and Ethan names Lex, Tom, and Kelly. No one argues, so that's the final decision. As the members from each tribe head off, we see that Silas is Samburu's third representative.
In a big empty field, Peachy anxiously awaits his starring moment trying to decide whether he should play it overdramatic and suspenseful, or nonchalant and cool. He welcomes the six back to Day 13, and we find out they're at the "original drop point." Peachy tells them it will be an interesting day, because the game "is about to change again." He instructs them to hand over their buffs. I've never heard the term "buffs" used before, but they're throwing it all over the place this week on Survivor, clearly trying to dupe us into thinking a "buff" is something entirely different then a bandanna, and thus you should buy your very own "buff" for a whopping $18 at the CBS website. In any case, Peachy then pulls out of his sleeve -- or maybe out of his rucksack, but he has a really difficult time handling the rucksack because its buckles are different than on his stylish Kate Spade messenger bag -- six new buffs for them, except in the opposite tribe's colors. He announces that Tom, Lex, and Kelly are now members of Samburu, and that Silas, Frank, and Teresa are now members of Boran. At least he doesn't make them trade buffs with each other. The survivors look understandably shocked as they try to comprehend whether the switch is temporary or permanent. Silas says, "Smoked!" Peachy gives them maps to "their new home," and sends them on their ways. As Lex, Tom, and Kelly head off, Lex calls the other tribe "Samboohoo," and Kelly says, "How many times did I say, 'I'm glad I'm not on that team'?" Tom tells us in a confessional that he wanted to "bolt" when Peachy told them of the switch. He says, "If he'd given me the option: run all the way back to camp -- no water for two days -- or give me your buff, I'd still be tryin' to run."
A deer-like animal squats and poops. We all watched an animal poop on primetime television last Thursday night. I think this is like Disney putting S-E-X in The Little Mermaid: some disenchanted editor decided to sneak in a little poopage and see if anyone even noticed.
Back to the switch, Kelly says she'll try to "intervene" at the new camp. Does someone on Samburu have an addiction problem? Kelly clarifies that she intends to snoop in order to glean as much gossip as she possible. Tom comments that "Big Ears Kelly'll get it." Kelly says they'll use the switch as a good way to find out information and, most importantly, to determine who on Samburu has votes against him or her. They're now approaching the Samburu camp. From now on, when referring to the newly merged Samburu, they will be Sambutwo. When talking about the original tribe, they'll still be Samburu. Got it? Pre-re-divide: Samburu; post-re-divide: Sambutwo. I think it's pretty clever, myself. If Kelly is "Big Ears Kelly," then Lindsey is "Eagle Eyes Lindsey" as she watches the approach, ready to start whining about whatever information they bear. Lindsey greets the old Boran members, and Tom announces that it's "bad news." Lindsey tells us in a confessional that she was excited at first to see the others but that she panicked as the reality of Sambutwo set in. Lots of fake hugginess and disbelief ensues. Kimp think it's a joke. Lindsey tells the Tom, Lex and Kelly, "It's awesome!" Kimp doesn't say, "It rocks!"
At Boran, Ethan watches the Samburu members approach. He tells us in a confessional that when he saw Silas, Frank, and Teresa coming, he assumed they intended to steal Boran's flag or check out their living situation. Silas feels compelled to yell out all the names of the Boran members, but then he introduces himself to Ethan as if Ethan might not know his name: "I'm Boran. Silas." Poor Ethan hopefully says, "Are we switching homes?" Silas explains the situation, and then Ethan and Silas hug each other. Ethan tells us in a confessional that his stomach dropped when the tribal switch was revealed. He's upset because his two closest friends are now on the other team, and he'll have to start over at creating those bonds. Or he could just abide by the old bonds, but that would be too easy. Frank and Teresa head straight for Boran's huge water supply, and Clarence works the spigot for them. That water must taste really good to them, but sucks for Kelly, Tom, and Lex. Silas is amazed that Boran has a roof. In a confessional, he tells us he had a strong alliance, but ended up on Boran with the two most undesirable people from his former tribe. He announces to the group that "our minds right now are goin' crazy." The re-divided Boran tribe is hereby christened Boranew.
So we're now back at Sambutwo, and they're all talking over each other at once. It's bad like David Kelly, not good like last week'sBuffymusical. Lindsey's voice cuts through the din: she wants to know if Boran did a lot of lying around, because "there's a lot of laying [sic]" at Samburu. Lex tells us in a confessional that Boran had been very careful about choosing their strategies to arrange for their own well-being, and therefore he was "completely blown asunder" by the switch. Lex asks Playskool whether they have a lot of wood; they say they don't and start to make excuses about it. Lindsey wants to know whether Boran was struggling, too, and Lex responds, "You should see how much we got stored up." In a confessional, Lindsey calls the re-division an incredible kink in the loop, and says it threw everything off; all confidence went completely down the drain.
There's more talking amongst themselves. This time, Kelly's voice cuts through as she brags about having been to Zimbabwe and Hawaii. Tom tells us in a confessional that these are the cards he's been dealt, and he's "takin' it like a little man." A big little man. Grinning, he says, "I had to move it a little bit." We then learn how much work the former Boran members had to do at Sambutwo when they arrived. Lex is pissed because "it looked like a bunch of lazy people had been running the camp." We see a shot of Tom and Lex working while Lindsey braids her hair. Lex is also upset because Samburu hadn't been caring for their fire, and it's just a pile of ashes with no wood. Brandon lies that Samburu had completely exhausted their supply of firewood and proffers, "You're all welcome to look around." Lindsey then tries to boss the new Sambutwo members around by saying they're welcome to go looking for firewood after they all go together to the water hole. Look around they do, and a hearty stack of firewood is quickly piled up. Kelly tells us in a confessional that they worked really hard and that "to see people out [there] who just don't take it seriously , and to be stuck with them -- it's painful!" As the new tribe prepares to head off to the water hole, we see Lindsey warn Lex that it's "mushy." She says, "If you step in the wrong spot, you'll sink." In a confessional, Lex tells us it was obvious that "these people were napping all day" and "weren't doing squat." Here's where the pooping deer-like animal footage might have been used to some illustrative effect, but -- lucky for us -- it's not reused. Lex and Tom then discover at the water hole that Samburu had been, according to Tom "drinkin' outta the mudhole like an elephant." Hee. The other tribe members show up, and Lindsey says, "It's pretty harsh, huh?" But Lex and Tom aren't having it. Lindsey then makes excuses that it's even dirtier today. Then, she admits to doing laundry in the drinking water. Tom tells us that Samburu must have been waiting for a well or even a brand-new swimming pool to fall out of the sky. He says he's going to have to get out there and "pull the plow." I'd be happy to have Tom pull my plow. Did that sound sexual? Because he's strong! That's what I meant. Get your minds out of the mudhole.
At Boranew, Silas tells us, "I was on the good side; now I'm on the bad side." He says the game has twists, and it's like a thorn stuck in his side. That, by the way, is a simile and a semi-appropriate cliché all at once. Clarence tells Silas that he wanted to be on his tribe since the first day because of his strength. Silas says he wanted the same thing, but it's clearly bullshit. Clarence explains that on their arrival in Africa he thought, "Gimme him; we'd be straight!" Teresa and Kimj are bonding; Teresa explains the conflicts within Samburu and that she and Frank were in line to be voted off. In a confessional, Silas tells us that "this has, like, rejuvenated their life." Meanwhile, Teresa tells Kimj that she and Frank are alive in the game because of the new tribal division. Now Boranew is off together elephant-watching. Even Frank seems content. In a confessional he says he won't give up until he's six feet underground. It's night now, and Teresa and Frank are telling all of Boranew around the campfire about the bad shit that went down between Playskool and Oldskool while Silas skulks in the background. If I was Silas, I'd say I was watching my plans go up in smoke. But I'm not Silas, so I'm not saying that.
Kelly tells us that she's not really on the Samburu tribe -- she says "the red is just a red herring." In a confessional, she says that she, Lex, and Tom are still members of Boran. We then see Tom tell Lex, "We've inherited a castrated bull." He continues, "We've got a queer, and two girls with tighter than -- dang, they're hot." Okay, ew. I'm not 100% confident that's what he said after repeated listenings, but most likely my protective inner self was just repressing. Despite her "tight[ness]," Tom wants to vote off Lindsey because she's a "whiner." Lex says that he thinks Brandon has votes against him, and Tom seems doubtful. We then join Playskool, where Lindsey is telling Kimp and Brandon that she hates the game because she'll lose if anyone votes against her in the Tribal Council. It sounds like Lindsey must not like playing games at all -- she just likes winning them. Kimp tells us that Sambutwo is "out-manned drastically" and will lose any physical challenge. In a confessional, Kelly points out to us that neither she nor any of the former Boran/now Sambutwo tribe members have votes against them. She says that no matter who Playskool targets, she Lex and Tom will be safe as long as they pick someone from Samburu with votes. She tells us that Playskool talks too loudly, and admits to having eavesdropped on them. We're not privy to what she overheard. Kelly admits to liking Brandon best of her new tribemates, but then she correct herself and says she likes Kimp, too. Lindsey, however, is "really annoying."
We then see Lindsey make a desperate attempt for attention as she proclaims, "I got me a tick on my ass!" It's really on her hip, but its removal still entails her thrusting her butt in the face of all of her heterosexual male team members. Seriously, where are her bead buddies Kimp and Brandon during this medical emergency? Tom and Lex run over to help, but the others are nowhere to be found. Lex pours hot water on the tick and Lindsey makes a constipated face as she complains that the water is hot. Brandon makes an appearance and looks away. Tom tells us, "Lindsey had a tick on her butt and -- tell you the truth -- when a woman has a trouble with her butt, I tell her that was just what I was made for." He then adds, "It was one of the nicest jobs I've had to do here so far." I'm sorry, but hee. Really, hee. Lindsey commences with the squealing and the moaning while Lex pulls on the nasty bug which appears to enjoy Lindsey's butt as much as Tom does. I don't think the Survivor editors like Lindsey very much, because there are excessive and unflattering butt shots here. Finally, Lex manages to pull out the whole tick and Tom takes the opportunity to slap her on the ass. In a confessional, he calls the experience "a refreshing reward."
It's challenge time, and if the tribes got a clue, I missed it. Thank God. Peachy revels in "getting [his] first look" at the new tribes. He points out that there's not a lot of talking now on Boranew and Sambutwo, but there wasn't much talking before, either. He points out one big cage with forty goats in it. Twenty are wearing red and twenty are wearing gold. The goats in gold are stylin'. Even they know platinum is so over. The tribes must catch all of their appropriately colored goats and put them in a pen. Each tribe gets one goatkeeper; that person stays in the tribe's pen and works the gate to make sure the right goats get in, and keep the wrong goats out. The prize is a few chickens and one rooster. Peachy tells the S12 that the winning tribe might keep the livestock for eggs, but "on the other hand, they may attract predators at night." Brandon and Teresa are the gate keepers, and Brandon must be completely unathletically inclined -- he's always either sitting out the challenge, or assuming the least physical role. And last episode he got outrun by Tom.
It's chaos as the challenge ensues and the goats all desperately try to get away from these reprehensible people. Tom flaps his arms at the goat. You'd think he'd know how to handle them from his farm training, but maybe the eleven other people running around and shouting are a huge distraction. Kelly and Frank push on each other. After getting nothing accomplished, Silas picks up one of the goats, which seems much easier than the running and the flapping and the grabbing and the no progress. Clarence also picks up a goat, and then all the competitors all start picking up goats. Fun music plays. Because picking up goats is FUN! Brandon looks bored with gatekeeping. We see Ethan making a cute smiley face as he runs with a goat. It's like Dances with Wolves except it's Runs with Goats. I like Ethan despite his tendency toward the paranoia; I like him even more here because his expression acknowledges the ridiculousness of his current situation. As the race nears the end, it's very close. Kimj's even carrying a goat, but it's just a baby. Clarence ups the ante by picking up two goats at once. They're both smushed together and their limbs are all willy-nilly -- it looks very uncomfortable for them. Clarence yells for Teresa to open up the gate. I'm not sure what's going on there, but he's very upset about the gate. Boranew wins the challenge despite gate issues. Sambutwo is pissed off at themselves. Peachy makes like it will be difficult for the winning tribe to return to their camp with the poultry booty, and Kimj responds, "If we can carry these goats, we can carry those chickens." Just make sure it's a baby chicken.
Sambutwo walks back to camp all dejected, accompanied by a buzzard shot. It's Day 14, and Lindsey tells us that Frank is in "seventh heaven" because he gets to kill a chicken. I don't see Frank getting along very well with Ruthie and Annie Camden, but maybe the Colonel. Kimp tells us it was frustrating to be on a new team; she whines that Silas and Frank both blocked her way at points during the challenge. Then suddenly Lindsey is crying...again. To borrow a line from Buffy -- which really borrowed the line from my father -- it must be Tuesday. Lindsey is upset because there's "no stability" in their lives in Africa. She says they're hungry and tired and she's really stressed out and emotional because she's not ready to leave yet. She's "terrified" that she'll be voted off. We then watch Lindsey command her tribe to win immunity. She says they have no other option but to win. In a confessional, Brandon tells us that Lindsey wasn't thinking at all about strategy. He says she doesn't care that he and Kimp are trying very hard to prevent her from getting votes in the upcoming Tribal Council, and she's not helping. We see Brandon tell Kimp and Lindsey that he'll do his best to get all the votes. Look up Kimp in the dictionary, and you'll find this definition: "under the radar." Brandon tells us in a confessional that he's doing everything for his team, and the two girls are just about saving their own asses. He says they'll do anything he tells them to do because he's willing to draw votes. He then points out that Kimp needs to be a little bitchier so that Lindsey is not such an obvious choice. ["Which is funny because it's basically saying, 'Lindsey, you are a target because you are a heinous bitch.'" -- Wing Chun] In a confessional, Brandon tells us that all the girls do is "cry and whine and moan and bitch and complain all the time." He says, "It's a great thing that I'm gay because I could not stand to put up with a crying woman now." I think if they do a clips show, all the best quotes might come from this one episode.
At Boranew, Clarence asks Silas how many votes Lindsey has against her. Silas appears to consider whether honesty is the best policy or is such a lonely word, and ends up telling the truth -- that Lindsey has exactly four votes. Clarence then fesses up that he has exactly the same number of votes against him. How sweet, Clarence and Silas getting to be friends. Clarence concludes that based on the voting breaking down, "They'll try to get me." He says that he and Silas need to work together and create a good lead for Boranew. He wants to -- all together now -- "pick off the others one by one." Kimj says she doesn't trust Clarence. Talking to Teresa, she says that Clarence honestly thinks he's forming a bond with Silas. She whispers, "He's very foolish that way." That's my new favorite quote; I expect to work it into daily conversation. Kimj says that Clarence really believes the bullshit Silas is feeding to him. That's kind of sad -- Clarence all thinking he's made a friend and being used like a day-old can of beans. That, by the way, is a simile/cliché combination inspired by Silas. Kimj goes on to say that Clarence thinks it will be him and Silas until the end; she doesn't think he'll cast a vote against Silas. Ethan and Kimj talk now; they're considering throwing the challenge, but Ethan says he's an "athlete" and he's "never fixed anything" in his entire life. Teresa tells us in a confessional that she talked to Kimj and Ethan and decided that if they don't win the challenge, it will be okay. Ethan calls the Immunity Challenge a "win-win situation" because either they'll win, or they'll go to council and he'll vote off his "biggest threat."
Peachy shows off a big puzzle to the tribes as they arrive at challenge. He tells the winning tribe that they'll be "one step closer to the merger" if they win, which suggests that there is going to be a merger, or at least takes the fact of the merger out of the realm of "assumptions" Peachy explains that they'll be puzzling, and insists that there's one key element: "You must work together as a tribe." At first, this sounds like a rule, but really it's just a tip. We were trying to figure out who would judge if the tribes were really working together. They begin, and Silas is, of course, coaching Boranew. He tells Ethan to be "the center man." All the puzzle pieces are on sticks. It looks kind of violent to me -- a bunch of impaled puzzle pieces. But it also looks kind of cool when they're running with the puzzle-pieces-on-sticks, but maybe I'm just weird. Lindsey arrives at her team's puzzle with a piece and says, "Kelly, where does this go?" Kelly screams at her to just put it down and they'll deal with it later. Peachy looks wrought with anxiety. Silas is yelling at his team to "look at the colors! Look at the colors! Look at the colors!" Meanwhile, Kimj is looking everywhere but at the colors -- she isn't even pretending like she's trying to solve the puzzle. Instead, she just stands around while Silas bustles past her. Silas is totally the only one doing any work on Boranew; it's sad, but funny, too. Meanwhile, Sambutwo is busting their asses to win. It would have been nice if Clarence or Kimj or Ethan had tipped off Lex or Tom or Kelly, like, "Hey, don't go nuts or anything. We're throwing this one." Kimp on Sambutwo clutches her head, puzzled by the puzzle. Finally, Sambutwo is victorious and Silas keeps at Boranew's puzzle even after Peachy announces, "It's over, Boran." Peachy then decides to rub it in to Boranew and says, "You guys know what's coming , right?" to which they don't respond that they have absolutely no idea what's coming since the rules of the game keep changing. Peachy tells them they'll lose another member at the Immunity Council. Lindsey sticks her tongue down the Immunity Idol's throat. If he had a throat. Really, she's just kind of licking at it.
We're at Boranew on Day 15. Ethan tells us in a confessional that he and Silas "had it out" in the bushes. Silas tell Ethan that Frank stabbed everyone on Samburu in the back. Ethan tells us in a confessional, "Meanwhile in my head, I'm like, 'I like Frank!'" Silas is very flustered as he realizes that Ethan might not be swayed -- as all are -- by his magnetic personality and charisma and boy-wonder-ish good looks. He insists that Frank is the most manipulative of every one of the competitors. Ethan responds that he's not threatened by Frank after the merger, but that he is threatened by Clarence. He tells Silas, "I haven't wanted him here since Day 3." If this is all bullshit for Silas's benefit, Ethan's doing a bang-up job. Silas realizes he's fighting a losing battle and lies that he thinks he can get Frank to vote for Clarence. Actually, he's probably not lying. He probably earnestly believes he has some sort of authority over Frank. In a confessional, Frank then tells us that Ethan wants to get rid of Clarence, and that's fine by him.
Kimj tells us that Boran informed the members of Boranew of their "issues of trust with Clarence." She then says she thinks Silas has strong connections with his other tribe. In a conversation, Kimj tries to get Silas to own up to being in an alliance and he dances around the subject. He doesn't literally dance, but I would have enjoyed it if he did. Silas tells her, "More than anything, I just want to get to the merger." Which isn't totally giving himself away or anything. Kimj then calls Silas out and tells him he wants to get to the merge because of his Playskool alliance. He tries to shrug it off: "I came to win." In a confessional, Kimj tells us that Silas may be a nice guy in real life, but "in our tribe, I don't buy his shmooziness." I'd like Kimj a lot if she weren't so weak in the challenges. She could be the totally hot grandma in my spinning class at the gym. My husband calls the hot moms you see driving around in their little BMWs "Hey Mothers," as in "Hey Mother, Want Another?" Kimj is a "Hey Grandmother." In other words, she's cool for a grandma, but not quite cool enough for Survivor Africa.
We then see Silas, Ethan, and Clarence sitting around; Silas commands Ethan to go get firewood with him. If I were Clarence, I would have thought that was really sketchy. Unless I was Clarence and totally in on the Silas-duping, and then I would have been trying not to laugh. This is the same meeting Ethan mentioned minutes ago. I have no idea why we couldn't just see one or the other, or at least see them sequentially. Silas asks Ethan what Clarence thinks will happen in the Immunity Council, and Ethan answers that he told Clarence Kimj and Silas were plotting against him. How Shakespearean. Silas then says, "I think you're all against me now." Ethan dodgily laughs it off. Silas then confesses that he knows Frank and Teresa will vote against him. Ethan makes a confused face, turns into Woody Allen, and says, "You said they were with you this morning!" Silas then says, "You, me, and Clarence are gonna vote for Frank." He doesn't ask, request ,or even beg, but just assumes they will listen to him. Ethan insists that he doesn't know whether the group will go for voting against Frank. In a confessional, Silas tells us that either he or Clarence will get the vote. I liked the surprise of this episode, but I hate it when they do this; never once do we see a conversation about Silas getting voted off, and none of its orchestration -- when it was decided, who was in on it -- and that's often the most interesting part.
Boranew arrives at Tribal Council; Peachy is back to being typically peachy. He wears a big grin as he asks Ethan what his reaction was to the new tribal division. Ethan says he thought the Samburu members were coming to Boran camp to steal something, but then he noticed the buffs and didn't know what to think. Kimj says they didn't know at first whether the switch was a good or a bad thing. Silas says that with the switching of the buffs came a new game. Peachy then asks Frank whether his lot improved or was weakened by the switched tribes. Has Peachy even been watching the shows? Frank says Boranew is not only a better camp, but better people, too. Peachy calls Clarence "another young alpha male," and Clarence gets ready to defend himself until he realizes that's a compliment. Instead, he babbles that he's stronger with Silas around. Since we know Clarence votes against Silas later, that's crafty. He continues by saying that Silas has replaced Tom has his "tag-team partner." I think it's pretty cool that Tom, who is one of the oldest members of the whole S16, has also been one of the most physically formidable.
The voting begins. Clarence votes for Silas and says, "I love you, man, but I can't trust you." That's all we see. Well, actually we see lots of folding and inserting, but no names or comments.
Peachy bristles with excitement at the moment of the vote reading. He looks like he's about to explode with anticipation and then there will be peach jam everywhere! When Silas hears his name, he gets all jerky and looks around a lot; then it looks like he is going to cry. Silas keeps hearing his name, and then Clarence grins at him when it's clear who's leaving. Frank looks down and I give him points for not rubbing it in. Kimj is crying for some indeterminate reason. After Silas exits, Peachy says, "Well, there's been a lot of assumptions made by you guys so far in this game. One of them is that in two days, there'll be a merge." Burn!
Okay, the commercial with homely Hallie Eisenberg turning into the lovely Halle Berry? Not so nice, I think, to little Hallie.
week on Survivor, the great debate over the chicken or the egg continues.
Over the credits, we learn that Silas voted for Frank, and everyone else voted for Silas. Silas then clichés his way right out of Africa.