Sleeping With the Enemy

Previously on Survivor, ambassadors from each tribe decided at which camp the tribes would live together. Live together. Got it? It's important later. Shii Devil liked Chuay Gahn's beach better, and conveniently Helen did, too, so Chuay Gahn it was, where Shii Devil began "workin' a deal" with the members of the opposite tribe to vote Penny out. Peachy gleefully revealed at the Immunity Challenge that he had chosen his words carefully (and after four seasons of saying the word "merge," he must have been at least a little scared he'd drop the "m" bomb) because the tribes were doing just that: living together. There'd been no actual merge, and the S10 would still compete as tribes for immunity. Chuay Gahn won, so potential Sook Jai traitor Shii Devil found herself "in the hot seat." After a valiant attempt to stick around, during which she called Penny "manipoolative," she was voted out anyway.

It's Night 21, and we see a full moon and trees. Ted tells the other members of Chuay Gahn that he's not going to sleep until Sook Jai returns from Tribal Council. Brian also wants to see "what's up" because they're "comin' back to [Chuay Gahn's] house --""-- after we spanked 'em," concludes Ted. He can't wait to ask the other tribe why they voted off their latest bootee, and eagerly awaits their answer. Clay is amazed by the tension in the other tribe, and the others agree. Brian -- who can't remember Shii Devil's name, calling her "Soo Yee" and "Sin Jun" instead -- says that Sook Jai wasn't thinking if they voted her out (whatever her name) because she's "more damage" than Erin. She's also "more drama," but he doesn't say that. Ted thinks Shii Devil's ejection will demonstrate an "emotional decision" on behalf of Sook Jai, which Brian thinks is a mistake.

We join Sook Jai as they stumble back from the challenge in the dark. Penny confides to us that she thought Shii Devil had succeeded in plotting against her, and that Penny had said her goodbyes. She whispers, "The joke's on her as far as I'm concerned. I'm still here and she's not." Penny is really quite gracious. If "gracious" means "an obnoxious sore winner." She tells us in an interview that she couldn't have been happier to hear that the challenge was tribe against tribe because she knew she was still safe with Sook Jai. Back within the Sook Jai huddle, Penny insists that they're still strong and need to stay true to each other because they may be competing against the other tribe in the future. She thanks them for keeping her around, but they seem fairly indifferent to her professions of gratitude and love. In an interview, Ken explains that Penny is doing damage control, and that he would, too, if he were in her position. She needs to undo the damage that's been done and move forward from there. I hope that by "forward," he means back home to Plano.

Back at camp, Chuay Gahn can't believe how late Sook Jai is coming back from the Council. They cooked food for the returning tribe, which is more than they deserve. They all congratulate each other before Clay asks, "Who'd we lose?" When Sook Jai reveals that Shii Devil is gone, he responds, "I kinda figured." Maybe because she's not there? Ted asks why they chose Shii Devil, and Ken plainly answers that she "threatened" them. He says, "She seems to claim that you guys have a deal with her that if we got rid of her [sic], you guys were gonna pick us off one by one." Clay and Ted act amazed by this, but maybe because Ken so completely shitmouthed the explanation. Clay disbelievingly says, "She what? She what?" so Ken begins explaining it all over again, but we don't get a chance to hear whether he gets it right this time. Ted tells us in an interview that Sook Jai was correct in its accusation: Chuay Gahn, with Shii Devil's vote, would indeed have voted Penny off. Clay is still playing the dunce -- not that he has to work very hard at it -- by insisting that it's a "hell of a strategy." Jake points out that it backfired, and Clay responds that Shii Devil's claim was "kind of stupid to say." Brian tells us in an interview that although the other tribe knew what was going on with Shii Devil, they acted surprised. He and the other members of Chuay Gahn were all like "okay, uh huh, whatever." Clay points out that the tribes had a lot invested in the night's vote, and Ken agrees, but says it's the nature of the game. Clay narrates that they're not yet one tribe, and as far as he knows, they're "doin' what [they] did today again tomorrow and the day and the day." Ken responds that no matter what, they're all in the jury.

As the tribe settles down for the night, Brian voice-overs that whenever he looks at Sook Jai, he "see[s] enemy." He says he can put the rivalry aside "just all of a sudden -- great, one happy family. I love you guys. Hello!" There's a big difference between "I love you" and "hello." Well, maybe not to a porn star. Brian tells us he's feeling out the members of Sook Jai, and that they'll have to win his trust. He has some professional experience -- and I don't mean in the used-car business -- at "feeling out" other people. As the camera pans over the sleeping S9 -- including a creepily wide-eyed Clay -- Brian insists again that it's a weird feeling to be sleeping with the enemy. Sleeping with strangers for pay? No problem. But the enemy?

On the morning of Day 22, Ted ponders the ocean while two monkeys converse nearby. I wish I could hear what they're saying; I'm sure I could understand it as well as I grasp a conversation between Clay and Jan. Penny smirkily approaches and asks if he's still talking to his family. He responds, "Every morning! Every morning, every morning! Every morning!" So I'm thinking Ted talks to his family...uh, every morning? Not that Penny gets the point. She asks, "Are you still doin' it?" She says she'll let him stay there until he's done, and Ted insists that it's okay for her to stop by any time. She would love to join his workout later, so he says he'll let her know when it's time. He then tries to scare her off with the threat of yoga, but she exclaims, "I'll do it with ya! No problem!" She struts off and the camera stays on Ted for about seven seconds before his eyes roll back in his head. Hee.

Thus follows the Penny Works It Unsuccessfully segment of this week's show. She's moved on to Clay, as she flirtily tells him she most misses waking up to her morning cup of coffee. Clay says he misses that "kick in the head," and it's too bad Robb's not around anymore, because I'm sure he'd be glad to help out with that. Ted tells us in an interview that Penny is "superbly, overly nice," and that it doesn't feel genuine. He says, "It feels...it feels fake," thus missing a chance to use the word "disingenuous" correctly. Penny moves on to Jan, and falsely thanks her for the night's fire and soup. She scrubs at some dirt at Jan's nose, but it won't come off -- that dead baby bat residue is some sticky stuff! Penny then -- despite the fact that they're standing two feet from the ocean -- spits on her finger and rubs some more. I guess she thinks shared saliva will more appropriately demonstrate their solidarity. In an interview, Jan tells us that Penny uses her sweetness and cuteness to her advantage. She adds, "And why not? It's part of her tools. It's part of the package."

As the some members of the S9 bathe, Clay wants to know whether he or Penny talks funnier. He says "like or laaaake" as an example. Jan laughs, but Penny is humorless about ither accent as she is about everything. She's glad not to have the worst southern accent among the group, and Clay snidely says, "Right." She says the real contest is between Clay and Jan, and the others hoot at the comment. It's now Clay's turn to join Jan and Ted in pointing out Penny's fakeness. He says she's a cute, sweet "little girl" who thinks she can use her looks and her "little talent" to get whatever she wants out of men. Erin pours water down the front of Penny's bathing suit and dabs at her chest for no apparent reason while Clay lecherously looks on. He tells us, "Well, I'm forty-six. She ain't getting' shit from this one." He says that every time Penny tries to kiss up to one of the Chuay Gahn men, they exchange a glance and think, "Yeah. There's a little bit more o' that butter that's not workin'." I think Clay's a bigger fan of Erin's "butter," if you know what I mean.

As we see Ted and Jake playing a game of HORSE with a basket from the ball-launching challenge, Ken voice-overs that both sides have a strategic reason to get along with the other because "things change real quick." And if the now-minority members of Sook Jai hadn't wised up to that yet, they'd be even dumber than I thought they were. And that would be quite a feat. Helen attempts to share some of Mike Skupin's spotlight by hacking at a coconut dangerously close to her fingers. She tells us that they're "off-center" in making predictions, and that she's finally had to accept the fact that she can't anticipate what's coming. Instead, she's going to "be Australian" and "do that 'no worries, mate' thing." As long as she doesn't do the accent again, it's fine with me. The tribe slurps up noodles, and Jake says he's ready to kill another chicken. Since he earned it, he says, he "can damn sure kill it." Jan calls it "Chicken Snappin' 101," which is surprisingly cavalier for a woman who weeps over embryonic bat carcasses. Ken is distributing bananas among the group, and offers up to Jake a "really soft one." Brian tells us that although they're all hanging out and it looks "peachy," he can still feel the phoniness. It doesn't look anything like Peachy to me, though. Peachy's much, much shorter. Brian further explains, "I can feel it. I can smense...I can sense it. I can smell it." Hee. "Smense."