In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.
Things are looking grim for Sash now that Naonka and the other Kelly are suddenly gone, until the other six people left in the game realize that he's the crucial swing vote and work to court him. Unfortunately, the other six people left in the game are also stupid and charm-free, so while Chase brings Holly and Jane on an overnight luxury reward even though he promised one of those spots to Sash, Jud, Dan and Ben are unable to convince Sash to join up with them in the 24 hours they have alone with him. When Chase and Holly return to camp, they convince Sash to ally with them again by promising that he will be in the Final Three with them instead of Jane. Ben senses that something is wrong and goes all dirt squirrel on everyone, acting like Chase is his best friend and ally and agreeing to vote Jud out in exchange for Chase's loyalty. Jud, on the other hand, is told that his alliance is voting for Holly. Neither Jud nor Ben win immunity, so Sash, Chase, Jane and Holly get to take their pick of who to vote out. They wisely choose Ben, much to his surprise.
Discuss this episode in our forums, see the best moments of last season, and see what our vlogger thinks Survivor: Manhattan will be like below!
What are people saying about your favorite shows and stars right now? Find out with Talk Without Pity, the social media site for real TV fans. See Tweets and Facebook comments in real time and add your own -- all without leaving TWoP. Join the conversation now!
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Hey! They gave the other Kelly a mention in the previously on segment! And then talked about how screwed Sash is now that she and NaOnka quit, even though I really don't think he is. He just went from the biggest target with Brenda being voted out and everyone knowing he has an idol to the crucial swing vote both alliances have to win over. So I think he's sitting kinda pretty right now.
The Final Seven return to camp. It's raining, and Holly's pissed that they had to go to Tribal because of the quitters, only for it to start raining and them to get drenched instead of being in their semi-waterproof shelter. Yeah, that does kind of suck. Meanwhile, the sole remaining chicken appears to have quit the game of laying eggs, so they decide to name her Kelly-Nay. As for Sash, he says that winning this game is going to be only slightly more difficult than he thought.
Hey! You too can win the Be On Survivor contest sponsored by Sears! Just look at how well their past winner, Jimmy T., did!
The day, Sash calls the menfolk (except Dan) together to inform them that he's going to play his idol at the Tribal no matter what just to get the target off his back and hopefully get into an alliance. Which means, essentially, that his vote is up for grabs. So, do with that what you will, he tells them. This seems smart on Sash's part, but he's telling this stuff to Chase, Jud, and Ben, who are either stupid, not interested in playing this game right now, or both stupid and a douchebag, respectively, so I don't think it's going to do much for Sash. Chase talks to Sash alone and says they should both go with "the women." Sash says if they do that, then it should be a Final Three of Holly, Chase, and Sash, as Jane will surely beat them. Chase nods. Sash asks if Chase will still take him to the end if Jane manages to immunity her way into the finals, and Chase says absolutely. In fact, Chase says, Sash and Holly are due to be taken on some "sick rewards," as Chase seems confident he's going to win them and get to choose who to take with him. They agree that Holly should be first in line, since she gave up her reward last week, and then Sash is . They shake hands on this, so you know it's not going to happen like that. It never, ever does. I don't know why people promise reward trips in this game. They never seem to be able to follow through on it, and it always leads to trouble.
Suddenly, it's the day and time for a reward challenge. This time, it's a challenge medley obstacle course. First, contestants must crawl through the mud to a pile of hay and look for a ball they must bounce off a shield and into a barrel. The first four to do this move on to the round, where they use a stick to maneuver a key ring through a metal coil, get the key, and unlock a chest with four sandbags inside. They must then throw the sandbags onto yet another barrel. The first two to do this go to the final round, where they dig in the sand to find three rope rings and then toss those rings onto a peg board. The first to do that wins the overnight luxury stay, with food, showers, and beds.
Probst calls go, and the first round begins. Chase, Jud, and Ben get through the mud first, but all three miss on their first throw. Chase makes his second, and then Jane appears and lands her first toss to make it into the round with him. Ben makes his second throw, while Jud misses his, giving Holly a chance to land her first toss and advance. Yeah, Holly! CHALLENGE MONSTER! Also Jane. Alas, the second round is not kind to the shorter women, it seems, as they have trouble maneuver the stick to get the key off the coil overhead. Chase and Ben have their keys off and sandbags on the barrels before Jane and Holly even get their keys off the coil. With that, it's time for the final round. Too bad there's no Jill and Holly in it too dominate this time. Instead, we have Chase, who has his rings uncovered and on the peg board before Ben even finishes digging.
Probst proclaims a still mud-caked Chase the winner, and he asks Probst if he wants to hug him. "No," Probst says, although he had to think about it first. He tells Chase he gets to bring two people with him on the reward. Sash grins. Chase's first pick is, of course, Holly. I guess giving up that movie reward wasn't such a bad idea after all. This reward is much better. And for the second person, as Sash smiles expectantly and Ben basically stands there begging like he has any shot at this, Chase picks ... Jane. What!? Oh, Chase. Sash is not a happy camper. Probst sends him back to camp with the entire other alliance, and Sash interviews that Chase's decision to take Jane over him was pretty freaking stupid. Yes, it was. But I think Chase just couldn't resist being a Southern gentleman and feeding his women. Chivalry > strategy for Chase. He'd make for a great boyfriend, but a lousy Survivor ally.
Four muddy losers return to camp and immediately set about plotting. Jud happily says Chase picked "the two least strategic people" to go with him on his reward. Sash waits until he's in an interview to say that Chase's decision was "one of the dumbest moves in the game so far" because it leaves swing vote Sash back at camp with the other alliance. He talks to the guys and says he realizes that he's the fourth man in either alliance and that they should spend today thinking about how to get rid of Chase, Holly, and Jane. Ben, Dan, and Jud think this sounds like a fine plan. But Sash isn't done, as he says that only three people will make it to the Final Tribal Council and, obviously, he wants to be one of them. And there's no way in hell he's winning the immunity challenge to get there, either. Dan cuts to the chase, asking Sash if he's trying to say that he'll side with the other alliance. Sash stammers that he just wants to know their "game plan." Dan claims that they change their game plan every day. Ha! That's cute that Dan thinks they have a game plan. They obviously don't, since they're being pretty clear that they don't want anything to do with Sash and don't like the questions he's asking. Well, there goes their golden opportunity to get Sash in their alliance. Dan says that they tried to get Sash back in with their alliance and he talked a good game, but no one trusts him. Dan seems especially annoyed with Sash for turning on Marty. So while Dan doesn't trust Sash, he does know math and that if Sash sides with Chase and the women, their alliance is screwed. So he has to trust him. He just doesn't, apparently, have to make any effort to win him over.
Chase and his women sit down to some watermelon and alcohol. Then they explore the tiki hut they'll be staying in, which Jane is very excited about. Apparently she's always wanted to spend a night in one but never thought to go down to Big Lots and spend like $15 on some tacky tiki décor and make one herself. Also, what's with a tiki hut in Nicaragua? Did they forget they weren't on a small island in the South Pacific this season? The three get a look at themselves in the mirror for the first time in 30 days, and Holly gets all excited about Chase's beard and Jane's emaciated figure, as apparently Holly couldn't see those things for herself already. "I'm like a rack of bones," Jane says. Yes. And yet, she keeps walking around in a bikini every chance she gets. Then it's time for an outdoor shower. Chase and two women in the shower? Could get kinky! Also, I hope that shower has hot water. I'd be so pissed off if my reward shower was some cold outdoor affair. Oh, and since it's an outdoor shower, Holly basically has to get naked in front of everyone in order to enjoy it. Boy, the producers must have really expected some of the young ladies to still be in the running when they planned this reward.
All cleaned up, Holly is still thinking strategically, and interviews that when Chase picked her and Jane instead of Sash to go on the reward, her heart sank. Chase agrees. As Jane showers, he pulls Holly aside and admits that he "really screwed up" by picking her. "You did," Holly says. Chase says she should have whispered Sash's name to him, then immediately apologizes and says this isn't her fault. Yeah, Chase? Maybe you learn how to make decisions under pressure and stop freezing up. Ridiculous. Also, I love how Chase is still filthy because obviously, even though he won the reward, he insisted that the women enjoy the shower first. That's the same thinking that put Jane there instead of Sash. Chase realizes that Sash is probably back at camp conspiring with the other three guys against them all. Holly says she thinks they'll vote out Jane, then Chase and then her. Probably true. Chase interviews that he's been "a little flighty" this whole game and that could come back to haunt him. It would have come back to haunt him a long time ago if the people in this game had any sense of strategy. But most of them do not, so here he still is. He says he'll just have to hope they can keep Sash on their side when they go back to camp tomorrow. For now, though, they're going to get massages.
While Sash swims, Jud talks to Ben about him and says they have to make Sash think that their alliance is his only option. "He knows what's good for him," Ben says. He interviews that there's no way Sash would want to go to the Final Three with Jane, so the only smart decision he can make is to stick with Ben's alliance. Well, yeah, unless Chase and Holly aren't going to take Jane to the end with them or can make a convincing argument to Sash that they won't. With that, Ben kills Kelly-Nay the chicken for dinner. Getting more screentime than usual, which is suspiciously similar to what happens to contestants in the same episode they're voted out of, Ben interviews that he can't fully trust that Sash will stick with him, Jud, and Dan because he thinks Sash is closer to Chase, Holly, and Jane and "he's been shifty this whole game." But didn't he just say that Sash's only smart choice would be to side with Ben's alliance? Anyway, I have no idea what or if Ben is thinking.
The day, Jane sobs over what's left of Kelly-Nay the chicken. "They didn't have to eat her," she says. Wait, WHAT? Wasn't she the one saying just last week that she was all about killing a chicken for food when someone other than her won a reward? She says there's enough rice here to not have to kill a chicken, like rice and chicken are the same thing and provide the same nutrients and nourishment. "I did love that chicken," Jane sighs, leaving Kelly-Nay's grave marked with a small cross and a heart made out of seashells. Whoa, Jane. You are quickly veering into Shambo territory with this. Meanwhile, the shells she used to make the heart used to belong to hermit crabs that she ate and no one is crying for them or making them little memorials. Anyway, with that, Kelly-Nay just got more screentime and importance to this game than the actual Kelly and was infinitely more pleasant to watch than the real NaOnka. While the four guys are off doing who knows what, Holly talks to Chase and Jane about their situation. She says she doesn't trust Sash and they have to realize that he was with the other alliance all day and all night and he's with them right now, too. Chase says they have to make Sash think they trust him and that he and Holly will take him to the Final Three and not Jane. Wow, that's ... some really good thinking from Chase. Did Brenda give him that idea before she left?
The men return. Sash greets Holly and Jane with a "look at these fresh-looking ladies!" a hug, and a smile. Why, it's almost like he's not fuming over them getting to go on the reward and not him. Actually, he really wasn't that angry. He thought it was stupid from a game-playing standpoint, but didn't seem to get very bent out of shape and offended on a personal level. It would be nice to see some emotion from Sash before this season is over. Ben interviews that he's nervous about his own position in the game because he's such a big physical threat. Ben seems to have forgotten that he's lost immunity to Jane. Twice. Okay, that first time he actually lost to Jud, but Jane outlasted him, too. So it still counts. He asks Chase if the women brought his name up about going home , and Chase says they didn't. Ben asks if Chase is totally committed to sticking with the women, and Chase says he isn't because he'd never win against Jane. He says he'd even vote her out tonight if they got the chance, and Ben is all for that, saying he wants to play this game with Chase and will vote for anyone "as long as it's not me." Yes, Ben, that physical threat, is going to use the Sandra Strategy. He says he'll even vote Jud out if that's what Chase wants. Chase doesn't believe Ben for a second, and claims he hasn't been able to trust him this whole game. Um, except for that Tribal Council when he said he trusted Brenda and Ben the most.
And then it's time for Chase to do his damage control. "I'm really sorry I didn't take you yesterday, man," he tells Sash, who says he understands why Chase picked Holly, but was "a little nervous" when he picked Jane. Chase doesn't really explain why he picked her and not Sash, just says he "very much regretted" not taking him. Sash says the guys did try to talk to him, but he knows he gave Chase his word. Yeah, and Chase gave Sash his word that he'd take him on a reward. Sash just says he wants to make sure that Chase isn't going to bring Jane to the Final Three. Chase says no way, and he's "absolutely" trying to go to the end with Sash and Holly. Sash asks him to swear to that on his mother and, of course, his dead dad, referring to him as Chase's "wonderful father" in such a sleazy manner. Chase immediately says he won't swear on his dad about anything. Sash quickly pulls that back and asks Chase if he'll bring him to the Final Three or Two. Chase says yes, and then Holly runs up to ruin everyone's good time.
She asks what's up, and we get a recap of the story so far and an added bonus of Chase telling them that Ben claimed he wants to vote Jud out . Sash says there's no way that's true. Chase agrees, and says he wants Ben to go . Sash nods, but Holly apparently said before that she's not sure if Ben or Jud is more of an immunity threat. Ah, this is why it's good for Jud that he appeared to be holding back in some of those immunity challenges while Ben screamed and tried his damnedest to win every single one. It may save him from being voted out tonight. Ben tells his alliance that Sash is talking to Chase and Holly right now. So now they think Sash is back in with them and they're screwed again. Ben says he's hoping that his really good relationship with Chase and Holly that Chase and Holly don't seem to be aware of will save him and maybe even get him a new alliance. Yes, because everyone wants to team up with the physical threat.
So, while Jud and Dan nap and don't care about this game or winning it, Ben walks over to Chase, Holly, and Sash. Holly says they want to vote Jud out, as per Ben and Chase's earlier conversation. Ben says he's fine with that -- he just wants to stay in the game and make it through one more Tribal. Sash says he'll vote Jud out since he has to go at some point. Ben says they just have to make sure Jud doesn't win immunity. If he does, though, Ben would like to suggest Jane as the person to go. Chase, Sash, and Holly claim to be on board with this.
Day 32 arrives. Probst explains the challenge: each contestant is attached to a rope that has been wound around a rail. They must unwrap the rope until they have enough length to reach a bag of gold coins. The first three players to do this move on to the final round, in which they must solve a puzzle. First person to do this wins immunity. Probst calls go, and everyone except Dan is off like a shot. Jane throws herself up and over the rail and gives the camera man an eyeful of crotch. The first person to attempt to reach his bag is Jud, who makes it easily with plenty of rope to spare. Sash and Ben make their attempt at the same time , but they're both short by quite a bit. Wow, how fast must Jud have been if everyone else is this far behind him? Jane makes an attempt, but is also short. Ben and Sash try again, and this time, both have enough rope to make it to the final round.
Probst calls go, and the three guys untie their bags to reveal ten stacks of "gold coins" that must be fitted together with three stacks already on the board to make one solid rectangle of gold coins. Probst says this will test whatever is left of their minds after 32 days out here, and says that he himself is not good at these kinds of puzzles, like any of us care or believe in Probst's fake humility anyway. Jane sits back and cheers for everyone equally, which seems to annoy Jud, who lets out a quiet "shut up." I prefer to think he's talking to Probst, though. Ben says he has no idea how to solve this thing. Jud looks over at Sash's table (which he shouldn't be able to do but apparently the challenge people didn't feel like putting walls in between the contestants) for clues. Jud starts getting his puzzle together, but Sash ultimately gets his first. Probst puts his immunity necklace on in front of Jud and Ben, who look really pissed off.
The Final Seven return to camp. Sash says he's feeling pretty good right now, since he has individual immunity, an immunity idol, and he's in the majority alliance. So he thinks he's back in total control of the game and a sure shot to win the million dollars. He claims that he was "sandbagging" the other challenges and not giving his all unlike Ben and Jud, who gave 110% in every challenge. Not so much Jud, I think. Also, not so much Sash. I think he was giving his all, and just doesn't have much all to give. Jud tells Sash that he got an "uneasy feeling" this morning and asks him to let him know if he's going to be voted out tonight. Sash says absolutely, then skeleton-walks away. Jud interviews that he thinks Sash is closer to him than anyone else in the tribe and will tell him if his name comes up. Just because Sash has a crush on you doesn't mean he's going to try to save you, Jud. He's not Chase. He says he thinks it's important that he keep sitting back and staying cool.
Chase and Sash call Dan over and propose voting Jud out tonight. They all claim they agree with this. Sash says that he and Chase are stringing Dan, Jud, and Ben along to think someone else is being voted out so they have no idea what's going on until Sash decides to clue them in. Or not. Dan asks Chase who to tell Jud to vote for. Chase says Jane, but Ben doesn't think Jud will believe them and that Holly would be a better choice. Sash and Chase are like, "yeah. Whatever," and Ben says he feels bad about having to lie to and betray Jud but as long as he's not going home tonight, it's what he has to do. Ben has to be going home tonight, right? He's gotten way more camera time today than all the other episodes combined.
Ben tells Jud that Sash agreed to vote for Holly. Jud seems confused that they aren't voting Jane off first, but is also fine with voting Holly out. So, apparently, Ben was wrong and Jud would have been cool with voting Jane out first after all. Jud interviews that he was nervous before, but now he's pretty sure things are okay and Holly is going home tonight and he'll be in the majority alliance. As the symbolic yellow snake slithers up and tree and towards what appears to be the camera man's face, Sash tells Jane that he wants to play the last seven days with her because she's like a "second mom" to him. Jane says the best thing that happened to her in this game was being picked to go to La Flor. "I have your back," he tells her, so sincerely. Why does he do this? He can't possibly mean it, and I don't know that it's something he needs to do to get further in the game. In fact, it will only work against him if he makes it to the end and Jane doesn't, because she's going to hold it against him. Oh, and then talk about how everyone in North Carolina is going to kill him for his treachery in her jury speech. Like, a lot. And then I'll have to listen to it. Jane interviews that she's buying everything that Sash is selling, and it's going to be either Ben or Jud going tonight.
For tonight's Tribal Council, we will have a very special Prost shout-out to NaOnka and the other Kelly, calling them "our two quitters," as they file in. Yeah, NaOnka and the other Kelly don't seem to mind that too much. Probst then reminds us that they quit at the last Tribal Council, and then that's it. What a public shaming. NaOnka is positively beaming in embarrassment. Probst asks Chase why he totally blew a "strategic opportunity" in choosing his reward partners. Chase says he is worried that it will work against him, since he made two people happy and therefore left four people pissed off. Probst asks Chase if, as someone so "young" and "fit" (you sure you didn't want to hug him after he won that reward challenge, Probst?) he could be a target and an immunity threat. Chase shrugs that he might be a threat, but he has yet to win an individual immunity challenge. And then he makes sure to mention that Jud and Ben are physical threats, too.
Probst asks Ben the same question, and Ben says he's "extremely concerned" and it "concerns [him] a little bit, for sure." You guys, I think Ben might be concerned. Probst asks Jane if she sees a hot young man like Jud as a threat to win immunity. Seriously, Probst? Jane, who has beaten Jud for immunity multiple times? You're going to ask her? Jane says that Jud is definitely stronger and faster than her, albeit stupid. Or at least, that's what he wants people to think. I have no idea if Jud is stupid or not anymore. I really don't. Probst asks Jud what he can do to keep that hot young man target off his back that really only Probst seems to be obsessing over right now. Jud says he tries to be friendly to everyone at camp and show that he's an open and honest guy. And he has to trust his alliance, even though Ben is in it. Probst asks Ben if he's "confident" that the vote will work in his favor tonight. Ben says he is. So I guess he's not that concerned after all. Or maybe he just likes to repeat everything Probst says during Tribal Council because he's that boring.
Sash, meanwhile, tells us that having immunity is great and people want to talk to you when you have it. Well, yeah. And when you're the swing vote. Jud says he saw people approaching Sash and trying to win over his vote, but he "wasn't worried." Of course, Holly is concerned about this because she's always in a state of panic. She says she feels "sorry" for Jud if he's not worried about tonight and says you have to talk to people and know what's going on in this game. Sometimes. Sometimes no. We'll see if Jud knows the right time to talk and the right time to sit back. Probst states the ridiculously obvious that tonight's vote be good for one alliance and bad for the other, then sends them off to vote.
We don't see how anyone votes this time. Probst returns with the urn. The first vote is for Holly, who shits herself. Then one for Jud, who smiles and figures he's going to be leaving now. There's a second for Jud. "What the hell?" wonders Marty. But wait! Here's a vote for Ben. With that, Jud just shakes his head and smiles ruefully. He knows that the following just happened: he voted for Holly. The other alliance either voted for him or Ben, and since he knows he didn't turn on Ben, then those two votes for him must have come from Dan and Ben. And the other alliance then voted for Ben. Sure enough, three more votes come Ben's way. All that talking he did put him right out of the game, while Jud's be cool approach, while boring, probably carried him through one more Tribal. The other alliance chose the seemingly trustworthy and chill Jud over scheming backstabber Ben. He walks through the graveyard with one last "unbelievable." I'm happy enough to see him go; so to his departure, I say WOOHOOHOOO!
And in his good-bye speech (which is almost entirely drowned by the background music, as usual. Way to mix, music people), Ben refers to himself in the third person. Just in case you had any doubt that he was a tool.
You can read more from Sara Morrison at L.A.me, follow her on Twitter, or you can email her at saramorrison@gmail.com.