Episode Report Card Kim: B+ | 72 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Caleb's Big Move
By Kim | Season 27 | Episode 4 | Aired on 10.09.2013
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.Brad's got a new strategy for Tadhana -- keep around those who have a loved one on the other tribe, so that they can merge and be powerful. And Caleb is the only one left who doesn't have a loved one on the other team.
At the Redemption truel, Candice says she was sad to see John join her on Redemption Island, since she wanted someone that she hated to show up so that she and Marissa could work together to beat that person. She mentions Brad as someone she hates and Monica goes after her, saying that Brad wasn't the only one who voted for John to leave. Candice gets fired up, but John calmly says that Brad called the shots on every vote and his tribe might think about knocking the king off his throne.
And then they finally get to the truel, which involves threading a key along a rope, unlocking a bag and putting together a complicated puzzle. John wins, leaving Candice and Marissa to fight for second place. Marissa falls apart emotionally and Candice calmly takes advantage, sweeping into second place. Marissa goes home. John (upon Candice's advice) gives the clue to the Idol to Monica and Monica tosses it in the fire. Although Brad doesn't help by repeating, "Walk it down and put it in the fire" when that's what she was going to do anyway.
Tyson's shoulder still hurts, but he admits that he's also milking it to get out of working at camp. He and Gervase also sneak off into the jungle and steal coconuts without telling their tribemates, and almost get busted.
The Immunity Challenge involves rowing out around a flag and then rowing back as team members jump off and untie crates anchored to the bottom and pulling those crates into the boat. Tadhana leads in the water, but after getting the last crate, their boat tips and some crates fall out, which allows Galang to take the lead. Then they have to build a staircase out of the crates, which Tadhana finishes seconds before Galang. The final phase is finishing a puzzle that will release a key. Laura M and Tyson compete for Galang, while Ciera and Vytas compete for Tadhana. Laura M and Tyson finish their puzzle first and Tyson unlocks the padlock and raises their flag, so Galang wins yet again.
After the challenge, Brad goes to the girls and says that they should vote out Caleb. Then he joins up with the guys and they all agree to vote out Ciera because she was useless in the challenge again. It's a really short strategic section, which must mean that Tribal will be a doozy.
And it kind of is. Brad admits that it would be great to get rid of someone who doesn't have a loved one on the other tribe, if only so he doesn’t have to take shit at the Redemption Island truel. Caleb realizes that he's in Brad's sights, so he just comes right out and says that he knows Brad was campaigning against him today, and he's going to write Brad's name down. He invites the two women to join him and tells the guys to do whatever. Vytas can't believe Caleb is really doing this. Brad promises he's not writing Caleb's name down, but Caleb says that doesn't change his vote. No one else commits, but it would be great if they got rid of Brad, wouldn't it?
The vote ends up being a tie, with Caleb and the girls voting for Brad and all of the other dudes voting for Ciera. That means they have to revote, with Brad and Ciera abstaining. Will Hayden and/or Vytas switch their votes? Hayden starts and stops his vote-writing like three times, undecided on his best move. Hayden did vote for Ciera, but everyone else voted for Brad (ooh, Vytas, you sneaky devil) so now he has to go to Redemption Island with John and Candice, who hate him. Ouch. Brad assures everyone that he's not mad at them as he leaves, already plotting his return. That was a great game move, but these guys are screwed at challenges now. They had better pray for a merge soon.
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Want more? The full recap starts right below!John shows up at Redemption Island and is greeted by Candice and Marissa. Candice thinks John was too trusting of people, and while she loves that trait in him, it was his downfall in the game.
Meanwhile, back at Tadhana, they are all happy with their "epic blindside." Brad takes full credit for it, claiming that he reeled John in from day one and earned his trust. Brad interviews that in any other season their alliance of five guys would have stayed strong until the end. He adds that his main reason for getting rid of John was because he doesn't have a loved one in the regular game, and Brad is hoping that after the merge, the couples can bond together and form a super-alliance. That sounds great, except what if your loved one has an alliance with someone who's partnered with someone on the outs? For example, Monica is aligned with Tina, but Brad's not aligned with Katie. What then? Rock paper scissors? Brad makes an edited version of that speech to the others, which makes Caleb realize that he's in trouble, since Brad now wants to get rid of people without a loved one in the game.
Redemption Island Truel. The two tribes enter first and sit in the bleachers. Then Candice, Marissa and John walk in. Candice flips Brad the bird as she walks by him. When Probst asks, Candice says that she was upset that John showed up on Redemption Island last night, and that she and Marissa were hoping it would be someone they could hate and team up against, like Brad. And then, weirdly, credits. That was a strange spot to go to a break on, but I guess they're hoping people will come back after the commercials to see how Brad responds?
Brad just stares at Candice and doesn't say anything. Probst wonders what Monica thinks about everyone hating her husband. Monica points out that all of the votes were nearly unanimous, so she doesn't see why Brad is taking the heat. Candice pipes up that Brad is shushing the women on his tribe and not letting them have a say. On the one hand, he probably is. But on the other hand, why do they need Brad's permission? Why didn't one of them try to make a counter alliance? Brad, Monica and Candice all start yelling and John finally pipes up and says that Brad never hushed him, but all of the elimination votes were Brad's ideas and he's shady. Brad admits that John made a bad decision in trusting him.
Probst has heard enough; it's time for the truel. They have to pull a key along a rope, unlock a bag and then solve a puzzle. Marissa and John get their puzzle bags free first, with Candice not far behind. The puzzle is long blocks that form a cube. John assembles his in place and Marissa tries to do the same. Candice tries to match up the smaller pieces to make longer pieces first, and then assemble them. Which strategy will prove best? Probst notes that Candice is always calm, "unless she's yelling at Culpepper." I would have loved if she'd said, "Brad or Monica? Because there are two Culpeppers here, Jeff." Instead she just says, "You cut my baby, I cut you." Look, I get that Candice has emerged as a badass, but she could maybe take it down a notch. It also annoys me when Probst makes editorial commentary during challenges. Play-by-play is fine, but I feel like his editorial comments may affect the outcome if he gets in someone's head.