In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.
It's two Tribal Councils for the price of one tonight, as the contestants head almost directly into a bowling immunity challenge that Shambo nearly wins until she chokes at the very end and hands it to Jaison. She's just happy that Dave Ball did not win it, and is ready to take Li'l Russell at his word that Dave Ball will be and he only voted John out last week to protect her. Monica decides to actually start playing this game and suggests to Li'l Russell that he does not want to bring Shambo to the end and should take advantage of the opportunity to get rid of her tonight. Li'l Russell appears to agree to do that, only for everyone to vote for Dave Ball instead and he is out. Then there's the immunity challenge, which is won by Brett who has also apparently realized that he's playing for a million dollars. Monica realizes she's in line to go and gets aggressive, trying to convince the others that Li'l Russell is sneaky and dangerous and they need to get rid of him before her. To Li'l Russell, she reveals that Jaison told her that he's actually a millionaire and that Jaison is planning to get rid of Li'l Russell on Day 36 when he is no longer able to play his idol. This sends Li'l Russell running around camp threatening people left and right while Mick and Jaison consider their options because it's pretty obvious that Li'l Russell is going to take Shambo and Natalie to the end and not either of them. At Tribal Council, Li'l Russell puts on a big show and wears his immunity idol around his neck while Monica awesomely says that he only got this far in the game because of those idols (and because the producers basically put them out in the open for Li'l Russell to find) and she's happy to be the only person thus far to ruffle his feathers. In the end, it's not enough, as Li'l Russell's alliance sticks with him and vote Monica out. And as ruffled as his feathers may have been, it wasn't enough to make him play his idol, either.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!On Night 30, Aiga return from Tribal Council. Shambo interviews that she's shocked that John went out. Li'l Russell swoops in immediately and says John was trying to get rid of Shambo and he knew that Shambo promised John she'd never vote him out, so he went ahead and got rid of John without telling Shambo because it was in her best interests to look like an idiot at Tribal Council. "Don't go crazy or nothin'," he warns her. She agrees not to, and Li'l Russell interviews that she believed everything he said and it's all good.
Apparently nothing cool happened on Day 31, because when we return from the commercial break it's suddenly Day 32. Jaison hangs out with Brett and Monica on the beach and they start talking strategy. Monica does a nice job here, saying that if Mick or Li'l Russell make it to the end then they'll probably win the million dollars. Jaison agrees and claims that he and Li'l Russell were both making "major decisions" behind the scenes but everyone thinks it's only been Li'l Russell. He wonders if that will hurt him in front of the jury, and Monica and Brett are happy to tell him that it would and he should do something about it, like vote Li'l Russell out. But Jaison's plan seems to be to wait until the last vote before the Final 3, at which point Li'l Russell won't be able to use his immunity idol. Which means that Jaison is basically pinning his hopes on Li'l Russell not winning the immunity challenge. Does Jaison really think that he could win an immunity challenge that Li'l Russell couldn't? Awesomely, Jaison tells Monica and Brett that Li'l Russell doesn't need the million dollar prize because he told Mick he's a millionaire. Monica's like: 8-O. And then: "hmmm!" Brett and his crazy hair interview that he's hoping the Foa Foa alliance is about to crack.
With that, it's time for the Reward Challenge. Oh, wait. "No reward challenge," Probst says as the tribe arrives. Instead, they're playing for immunity. Um, what? No. Unacceptable. If the immunity challenge is this early then that means 50 minutes of show will be pre-Tribal Council scheming. Ugh. Faces fall at the news, but Li'l Russell says he's happy to have an immunity challenge instead of a reward. Meanwhile, Jaison came to the challenge wearing the immunity necklace so obviously they knew something like this was going to happen. The Immunity Chant plays as Probst takes his sweet time removing the necklace from around Jaison's neck. Then he explains the challenge: it's time for Survivor bowling! Shambo is thrilled about this because she probably thinks she's awesome at bowling. Which means we can look forward to some serious bowling suckitude from her. The Survivor bowling alley only has two lanes, so each contestant will go head-to-head against someone else. Whoever knocks the most pins down moves on to the round.
First up are Natalie and Shambo. Natalie bowls first and gets a gutterball. Shambo rolls and gives a shoutout to all of her friends who play in bowling leagues. I have a feeling that's all of them. And they all have mullets, too. Amazingly, Shambo does not bowl a gutterball, but goes straight down the middle to knock over 9 pins! She is now officially better at challenges than Olympic gold medal winner Crystal from the Gabon season. Natalie's second ball doesn't knock down nine pins, and so she's eliminated and Shambo moves on without even getting a chance to go for the spare. up are Brett vs. Li'l Russell. Brett silently rolls a gutterball, while Li'l Russell gets four pins. Brett's second throw is also a gutterball, so Li'l Russell moves on. Jaison and Monica face off . In two throws, Jaison manages to knock down six pins. Monica only gets one. The final two are Mick and Dave Ball. Dave Ball's first throw is a strike, so he moves on. Li'l Russell and Shambo both appear nervous at the chance of a Dave Ball immunity win.
For the semi-finals we have Shambo against Li'l Russell and Dave Ball against Jaison. Shambo bowls first and once again goes right down the middle, although this time only gets five pins down. Li'l Russell's first bowl knocks down four pins. Shambo's second bowl gets nothing, giving Li'l Russell a chance to beat her with his second throw. But no, he also misses the pins. Hooray for Shambo in the finals! It's so hilariously fitting that the one challenge she would excel in on this show would be bowling. Then it's time for Jaison versus Dave Ball. They both knock down zero pins on their first try, but Jaison gets seven on his second. The pressure is on for Dave Ball, who gets another gutterball and thus has no chance at immunity. Shambo is very pleased, because she spends most of her time during immunity challenges focusing on how her sworn enemies do rather than how she does herself.
Shambo goes against Jaison for the championship. Both knock down zero pins on their first roll. Shambo gets no pins on her second throw as well, which means Jaison only has to knock down one pin to win immunity. In the end, he knocks down two pins and gets the prize. Shambo's bowling league friends will make fun of her for this, but she's still happy because Dave Ball didn't win so she's confident that means he's out . Even though she was just as confident about that last time and it didn't happen.
And now, according to the text on the screen, it's Day 31 as Aiga returns to camp. Um, what? Did we go back in time? I don't understand. Maybe now we'll get to see the reward challenge? And yet, everyone's acting like they just got back from the immunity challenge that won't happen until tomorrow. Either Samoa is the island from Lost or whoever's in charge of QCing the text on the screen fucked up. Anyway, Dave Ball is very sad because he's pretty sure he's going home tonight. But why focus on pathetic Galu when we can watch Natalie hang her yellow underwear on a branch to dry? Li'l Russell and Mick join her and Li'l Russell says Dave Ball is going home tonight and they're going to be in the Final Four. Mick nods and interviews that he's find with getting rid of Dave Ball because that's what Shambo wants and they want to keep her happy, especially after they went behind her back to get rid of John.
Monica sits down with Li'l Russell and asks him who's going home tonight. He tells her it's Dave Ball and there's nothing she can do about it. Monica says she doesn't think Dave Ball is that much of a threat. Yeah, Monica? You might want to stop making a case for not voting Dave Ball out tonight because if it's not him then it very well could be you. Monica interviews that she's trying to get into people's heads, then suggests to Li'l Russell that Shambo might be more of a threat in the end than Dave Ball because she works hard around camp and she was on Galu and that's who most of the jury will be. As opposed to Dave Ball, who also worked hard around camp and was also a member of Galu, albeit one that was not almost universally hated like Shambo? "She's always in the running for immunity," Monica manages to say with a straight face. Yeah, she's in the running. Until she trips and falls in a most comedic fashion. Monica says she's trying to "plant the seed" that Shambo should go . What's this? Could Monica be planting a Monica seed in the brain of Li'l Russell while he plants Li'l Russell seeds in the brains of everyone else? Interesting! Li'l Russell interviews that he's starting to think of keeping Dave Ball around because he'd be easy to beat at the end. As he says this, the editors insert a shot of Dave Ball picking his nose. That's mean, editors.
Li'l Russell talks to Dave Ball on the beach. He says he's trying to decide who to vote out tonight: Dave Ball or Shambo. Dave Ball says Brett and Monica would vote for Shambo. Yeah, duh. Li'l Russell says he can get Natalie to vote for Shambo, too. Which means they have five votes and the majority. Dave Ball says that sounds good to him while interviewing that he's not sure if he can trust Li'l Russell. I don't understand why he isn't going around trying to make a case to vote Li'l Russell out. Dave Ball interviews that he's not sure if he'll survive Tribal Council tonight but "miracles happen" and "the lord freaking provides." Ooooh, sorry, Dave Ball. The lord is busy personally opening the pearly gates for Shambo's chickens and talking to her through her dreams so he has no time to help you out.
Li'l Russell runs over to the campfire to talk to Mick and Shambo. Mick says Galu is "gunning" for Shambo now, and she says that's been the case since the beginning of this game so she's not bothered. "It's because I'm the Sham with the plan. It's hard to compete with me," she explains. Um, they cannot vote Shambo out tonight. Not when she's walking around spouting pieces of gold like "I'm the Sham with the plan." I need her to stay in as long as possible. She interviews that she's very much looking forward to Dave Ball going home tonight and believes Li'l Russell's word that that's what's going to happen. If not, she says, she and Li'l Russell "will be having a chat." I love how it doesn't appear to have entered her mind that if Dave Ball doesn't get voted out tonight, she will.
And then it's time for Tribal Council. Oh god, it's only minute 22. Please do not let this be 38 minutes of Tribal Council. No, no, no! I used to have to watch 38 minutes of Tribal Council when I worked on this show and my job was to transcribe them and I can't do it again. I swore I'd never do it again! Probst calls in the jury, and to his credit, new juror John is all smiles despite being voted out by everyone except oblivious Shambo. Probst talks to Jaison first, asking if his reasons to vote someone out on "Day 31" (um, or Day 32. Or Day 109. Or Day -. Who knows at this point?) are different than his reasons on Day 2. Well, yes, but that's because there aren't any racists left in the game now like there were in the beginning. Jaison says it's important to get rid of people who are strong mentally, physically, and/or strategically. Shambo just nods at this, knowing she is in no danger of being voted out by Jaison if what he just said is true. He adds that it's also important to go to the end with someone you can win against in front of the jury. Probst then asks Shambo about her reasons for voting people out, knowing that unlike Jaison's, they make no sense and thus will be entertaining for the folks at home. She says she's still all about getting rid of people she deems undeserving of the million dollar prize and then says that she didn't vote for John because she thought she had an alliance with him. Thus, she was more surprised than he was when he was voted out. That's probably true, but only because John was not gifted with psychic dreams from god telling him who would be voted out like Shambo was. Or, I guess we've now discovered, wasn't. "Great working of the jury, too, well done," Probst says. Oh, shut up, Probst. That's for the jury and Shambo's fellow contestants to decide. We don't need you calling things out. Especially since I think Shambo isn't sucking up to the jury at all because she doesn't have the forethought necessary to do so.
Probst asks Monica if it's important to vote out someone who is "unpredictable" and maybe can't be trusted, as if Monica has any choice at all at this point over who goes home . She agrees that an unpredictable tribemate is not a good thing, which only harms her own case since the Foa Foa alliance has been pretty predictable to each other while Galu ate itself. Probst asks Dave Ball how to stay in the game at this point. There is no way for Dave Ball to stay in the game at this point since there isn't a life-saving "hidden" immunity idol out in plain sight for him to stumble upon like Li'l Russell, but he answers anyway, saying that it's about making a case that you can be beaten in the Final Two or Three and thus are desirable to bring to the end. Probst tells Li'l Russell that Dave Ball's strategy is "very clear" and "potentially effective." Um, except for the part where almost the entire jury is a Galu member who would be much more apt to vote for Dave Ball than, say, Li'l Russell. Li'l Russell agrees that at this point, he wants to get rid of the people who are threats to winning at the end and ominous music plays as Li'l Russell's alliancemates (except Natalie, who hasn't been shown at all so far. Maybe she got sucked into that weird time warp?) make threatened faces even though Jaison just said that same thing and no one seemed to care.
With that, it's time to vote. Oh, there's a shot of Natalie! She's there after all. Shambo votes for Dave Ball, confidently saying "see you later" even though last time she was so sure he was going home, he didn't. Dave Ball votes for Shambo. Probst fetches the urn and asks if anyone wants to play his immunity idol. Li'l Russell does not, and the votes are read. There's Dave Ball's vote for Shambo, then Shambo's vote for Dave Ball. And then another vote for Dave Ball. And another. And one for "Danger Dave Ball," just to remind us all that even though Dave Ball was fairly entertaining this season, he's still a tool who wants us to think his nickname is "Danger Dave." I will remind you all that I know him personally, and it is not. Dave Ball gets a fifth vote to end his time in this game. Probst snuffs his torch and he turns around to say "good game, you guys," which is honestly good of him considering how pissed off he must be inside that Shambo managed to make it further in this game than he did. Probst says that the original members of Foa Foa now have the majority for the first time since Day 1 and that should tell everyone that you can never count yourself out of this game. Well, unless you're Monica or Brett. Then you're screwed. The Galu jury decide to fuck Brett over just a little bit more by cheering him on as he makes his way out of Tribal Council. "Stay strong," Laura whisper-yells to him. He just smiles and points at her, as he is incapable of speech. If anyone in the Foa Foa alliance heard or saw that, then surely they won't want to go up against him at the end.
Dave Ball gives his good-bye speech, which has been edited to kiss Li'l Russell's ass. I'm sure he said things not about Li'l Russell, but we don't get to hear them. I'm just happy that we aren't spending forty minutes at Tribal Council.
It's Day 32 at Aiga again. I can't wait for the surprise immunity challenge of bowling! The contestants wake up, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. Li'l Russell talks to his alliance about how Brett is "the biggest threat left in this game," which isn't saying much. He interviews that he wants to get rid of Brett . Mick, meanwhile, pulls Li'l Russell aside to talk about the Final Three or Two and how he's starting to have doubts that Li'l Russell is going to bring him along based on what he said last night. Li'l Russell says he was talking about getting rid of Brett, not Mick. Mick keeps going, saying he's feeling nervous about Li'l Russell, who says that makes him feel nervous. Li'l Russell interviews that Mick is "freaking out," which, if so, that was the calmest freak out I've ever seen. Now he's starting to worry that Mick will switch alliances to better his chances. Ha! That would require Mick to think for himself and then actually act on those thoughts. Mick can't even get a tan after walking around this island shirtless for 32 days.
Immunity challenge, part 2! The contestants arrive and Probst explains today's challenge. Each contestant must run out to the water, grab three bags, and run back to a see-saw where they must jump on one side so that the bag lifts into the air and lands in a basket that's pretty high up. You know, I always tried to do that to lift my brother high up in the air, like I saw on cartoons, but it never worked. And then by the time he was 4 and I was 6 he was heavier than me anyway. But don't think he was fat! I was just tiny. Anyway, the first person to get all three bags in his (and it will be a he, because this challenge like almost all challenges favors the physically strong and heavy) basket wins.
Probst calls go, and the contestants race out to the bags. Shambo manages to get her bag before Natalie, even though the process of retrieving the bag involves having to untie a knot. Mick, his ass a blur, gets his bag back first but does not get it in the basket on his first try, as we see in a Fail! insert shot. Probst says that the past 33 days (I guess the fact that they lived Day 32 twice adds up to 33 days?) have obviously had an effect on the contestants, who are all looking pretty weak. Brett is the first to get a bag in the basket, which he does silently. He's soon followed by Mick and Li'l Russell. And then, shockingly, by Shambo, who managed not to fall ass over teakettle in the process. Jaison, Monica, and Natalie have yet to come close to getting their first bags in the basket, because Monica and Natalie weigh 86 pounds combined and Jaison rarely puts his all into a challenge.
Brett returns with his second bag and immediately gets it in the basket. Mick is close behind. Jaison finally gets his first bag in the basket, but Mick and Brett are both on their way to getting their third bags so it's not going to do him much good. Miraculously, Natalie gets a bag in the basket even though the bags weigh more than she does. Probst takes great delight in pointing out that weak-ass Monica is the only contestant not to have at least one bag in her basket. Brett and Mick return with their third bags. Mick appears to be on Brett's heels in one shot, but a shot from a different angle shows that he's almost half the water course behind. Probst points out that Brett is sprinting back to the basket and Mick "better dig." Way to cheer for Foa Foa, Probst. Brett gets back to his basket but his first jump is short, giving Mick the chance to win. But he also misses, and Brett's second chance makes it in. "..." Brett says triumphantly. Jaison seems upset, but not as much as Monica. On their way out, Brett does not give a victory interview. Instead, Jaison says that Brett has now shown himself to be an immunity threat to the Foa Foa alliance. Apparently not that much, though, since the Product Placement Player of the Week does not list him as one of the three nominees. Instead, we have Jaison, Mick, and Shambo, all of three of whom did absolutely nothing.
Aiga is just returning to camp on what the text calls Day 33. I guess they walked through that time warp thing on their way back from the challenge? This is ridiculous. Can't they just admit that the hour-long episode they made where Dave Ball was voted out and there was a reward challenge was so boring that they pretended the reward challenge never happened and smooshed two episodes together? And then forgot to change the text on the screen? Or maybe there is a time warp. I like that idea better and would prefer to think there's a wormhole on Samoa than that the editors of a network show watched by millions can't be bothered to quality check their work because they apparently care so little about it. Also, the time warp explains Shambo, who came directly from the '80s. Anyway! Aiga walks into camp and everyone congratulates Brett despite the fact that he won yesterday. I guess they're just really good sports. "You didn't want to go home today, did ya?" Shambo says to Brett, always assuming that the person she wants to go home will be going home despite a great deal of evidence that proves otherwise. Monica, meanwhile, wrinkles her face and rolls her eyes.
Mick, Jaison, and Li'l Russell gather around the campfire for a quick meeting and Li'l Russell says tonight's vote is a "no brainer" and they don't even need to say the name of the person they're getting rid of tonight. But then he says it anyway, because he knows the producers want him to: "Monica." Monica interviews that Brett's immunity win means that she'll probably be going . She then closes her eyes and looks towards the sun to recharge as she promises she'll do everything she can to stay in the game. We then hear an unfamiliar voice over a shot of an exotic spider. Is the spider talking??? Oh, wait, no -- it's Brett. He's lying in the shelter with Monica and Mick and trying to place some doubt in Mick's mind that Li'l Russell will take him to the Final Three. Monica adds that she thinks Li'l Russell is planning to take Shambo and Natalie with him. Mick says this thought has entered his mind before (not like he's done anything about it) since you can't watch Li'l Russell sneak around and cut people down without realizing that he could do the same to you. Unless you're Shambo, in which case you're going to be shocked and saddened. Mick teases us in an interview that he's thought about getting rid of Li'l Russell, not like he's ever going to do it. Brett tells Mick that if he wants to blindside Li'l Russell out of this game, now is the time. And it is, because he'd have Brett, Monica, and hopefully Jaison's votes to Li'l Russell, Shambo, and Natalie's three. And if he engineered Li'l Russell's downfall then I think he'd be a contender to get jury votes in the end. Mick talks to Jaison about his doubts that Li'l Russell will bring them to the end. "I just don't want to be off-guard and not wary about things," he says. "..." says Jaison.
Monica talks to Li'l Russell about the Final Three and making sure that the people on the jury will vote for him. He's not interested in anything she has to say, saying his position is "the best in this game right now," which shows that he's not as good at this show as he thinks he is since your position is never "the best." The people in "the best" positions almost always find themselves in the worst. John thought he was in a great position, too. Monica says that Jaison is waiting until Day 36 when he can vote Li'l Russell out without having to worry about him playing an immunity idol. Jaison might be waiting a long time for Day 36. Then again, it might come tomorrow. Or perhaps it was yesterday. Hard to tell in this episode! Li'l Russell is suddenly much more interested in what Monica has to say. Monica continues that Li'l Russell shouldn't want to put Monica on the jury because she can "make or break" him. "I don't think so," Li'l Russell says. Oh really? "Natalie already told me that you make lots of money," Monica says; "not Natalie, but Jaison told me you're a multimillionaire already." Ha! Way to "accidentally" drag Natalie into this shit storm, Monica! Because we all know how easy it is to mistake Jaison and Natalie. "I'm voting based on need," Monica says. Meanwhile, is that Shambo hanging out behind them? Why is she letting Monica get away with this?
Li'l Russell heads down to the beach to yell at Natalie for betraying him and telling Monica about his financial situation. Meanwhile, why does she know about that? Didn't Li'l Russell only tell Mick? Apparently, everyone in his alliance knows because I'll bet he just couldn't keep it to himself just like he couldn't help but let everyone know about his immunity idol. When someone is so proud of himself that he has to brag to anyone and everyone about his accomplishments, it makes you think that that person hasn't accomplished much in his life and/or is full of shit. Oh, and is an idiot. Anyway, Natalie has no idea what he's talking about, of course, and denies everything. Li'l Russell troll-runs over to Brett and asks him how he knows that Li'l Russell is rich. Brett says Jaison told him. So Natalie is off the hook, although now she should have some doubts about Li'l Russell based on how quick he was to turn on and snap at her for something she didn't even do.
Finally, Li'l Russell sits down with Jaison. He's not as angry with him as he was with Natalie, because Jaison is a man and thus demands more respect. Jaison denies ever telling Monica any of that stuff and says she's just telling Li'l Russell this to stay in the game. Jaison interviews that he "might have" told Monica about Li'l Russell's financial status but he "honestly" doesn't remember. Bullshit. Anyway, now he's worried that Li'l Russell is coming after him. Not that he'll do anything about it. He has a meeting with Mick and Natalie, saying he thinks Li'l Russell will take Shambo to the Final Two over any of them. "Oh my word," Natalie says. Li'l Russell tells Shambo that he's pissed off now, and that's a good thing because it'll get him thinking. He's just trying to cover for the fact that a "stupid girl" like Monica got to him. "The little bitch needs to be sent home tonight," he says of her in an interview. But he's also aware that Jaison might be plotting against him as well. So he's bringing the idol with him to Tribal just in case.
They arrive at Tribal and Probst calls in the jury. Dave Ball has chosen to let his hair down for the occasion and shake his head sadly when Probst points out that he was voted out at the last Tribal, much to everyone's delight. Li'l Russell senses that someone else is getting camera time and puts a stop to that immediately, standing up to a great musical flourish and placing his immunity idol around his neck. Probst asks him what that's about. Li'l Russell says he just wants to look nice for Tribal so he decided to wear a necklace he found. Shambo says that this is a surprise to her because "everything he does is a surprise." Also, everything everyone else does. Monica, on the other hand, says this is not a surprise. Li'l Russell says that "some people" think having the idol puts a target on his back but he's going to show that it puts a target on the back of someone else or whatever.
Probst looks to Brett and says "things have really changed, haven't they?" Not really. Li'l Russell has an immunity idol. He's had one for almost the entire game. Everyone else knows about it. That's also been that way for most of the game. The only thing that's truly different is that Brett is actually speaking. He says that Li'l Russell apparently feels very comfortable about his place in this game, and with good reason. On the other hand, Brett says, it's when you feel comfortable in this game that you're the most vulnerable. As just about all of Galu has discovered. Probst asks Shambo what camp was like after today's (or yesterday's ... or tomorrow's) challenge. Shambo says it was "the worst day that we have had prior to a Tribal" while Monica grins triumphantly. Don't be too proud of yourself, there, Monica. This is also the first time Shambo's been awake and semi-aware before a Tribal. She continues that Li'l Russell's feathers were ruffled and it was "awesome!" Monica interrupts.
Li'l Russell says that Monica told him that if he votes her out tonight, she won't vote for him to get the million dollars and she'll tell everyone on the jury to do the same. Which, by the way, is why they should really sequester the jurors from each other. But that would take too much work so they don't. Li'l Russell says that when Monica says things like this, it only makes him want to vote her out more. Monica holds her own and says that Li'l Russell tries to push everyone's buttons but she's never seen his be pushed. But today, she did. And it was a joy for her to behold. She says she's proud of the fact that she put a "skin-tilla" (um, the "c" in scintilla is pronounced like an "s," not a "k," Monica) of doubt in the Foa Foa alliance's minds. And in some of their minds, a scintilla is all that will fit, so that is significant.
Probst tells Li'l Russell that it looks like the student has turned against the teacher or something. Way to give Li'l Russell credit for Monica's work there, Probst. I'm sure she wouldn't have done any of that without the influence of the great Li'l Russell, the only person to ever manipulate contestants in this game. Li'l Russell says it's too bad that Monica wasn't on a tribe with him at the beginning because they would have made for a "dangerous" team. Except for the part where he would have immediately decided that even though she's a "stupid dumbass little girl," she's somehow a threat to him and so would have gotten her voted out as soon as possible. "If she would've played that hard this entire game, she would be the one in charge right now," he says. "Or I could be going home earlier," Monica points out. "I've been playing hard this entire game and I'm still here," Li'l Russell says. "Because of idols," Monica spits back. HA! Li'l Russell maintains that finding and using idols is part of "playing hard." Not when they're like right in front of you and easy to find because the producers either couldn't be bothered to hide them well or wanted them to be found by a player they wanted to stay in the game as long as possible. Probst asks Li'l Russell if he's concerned that Monica has pointed the finger at him. Li'l Russell claims he isn't, but he's wearing an immunity idol around his neck, so whatever. Probst asks Mick how he feels about Monica's shit-stirring. Mick just says that he's aware of the fact that only one person can win a million dollars and who you take to the end is important. Probst says it's time to find out if Monica's scrambling paid off.
Li'l Russell votes for Monica, calling her a "stupid, stupid little girl" with a "bad strategy." Well, let's be honest -- there's nothing Monica could have done that wouldn't have ended with Li'l Russell saying that exact same thing. Monica votes for Li'l Russell. Probst returns with the urn and asks if anyone would like to remove the immunity idol from around his neck and play it. Li'l Russell stays put. I'm not surprised -- if he was going to play that idol then he wouldn't have shown it off like that. Monica gets the first vote. Li'l Russell gets the second, but is not worried because it was obviously written by Monica. Monica gets a second vote. Li'l Russell does, too. "Awesome," Dave Ball whispers. Yes, it would be awesome if Li'l Russell were voted out of this game with the immunity idol around his neck. That would be incredible. Unfortunately, his fellow contestants are short-sighted morons so Monica gets a third vote. And then a fourth, which means she's out. Jaison smiles and Mick nods at this. I guess they're figuring they have a better chance against Li'l Russell at the end than someone from Galu. That's fine for them, I guess, but it sure does make for a boring season for the rest of us.