Survivor Results: Week 8

This week featured a combined reward-immunity challenge in which two members of each tribe took turns running back and forth across a series of obstacles requiring balance. This was essentially the entire challenge, although they pretended that two other members of each tribe were involved, these teammates ineffectually swinging bags of what seemed like styrofoam peanuts at the runners, trying to knock them off of their courses.

Erik, who looks and sounds more like a Muppet every week, did his damnedest to win the challenge, but he and Ami were aced out by Jason and Amanda, mostly because of the chest-cracking injury we saw in the previews.

There was plenty of intrigue and plotting at both tribal camps this week, with Airai's Parvati putting some strategic irons in the fire. If we're to believe what she said to Alexis, she has no problem whatsoever cutting James loose and moving into an all-female final four.

Meanwhile, back at Malakal, Ami got tangled up in a weirdly emotional bid to make Cirie, Amanda, and Ozzy trust her after Erik blew the whistle on her earlier efforts to build an anti-Ozzy movement among the fans. Ami managed to smooth things over with Cirie and Amanda while Ozzy was on exile island (where he delightedly discovered that his fake immunity idol had been found). But when Ozzy returned, Erik accosted him literally before his feet were on dry land, and begged him to punish Ami for trying to build an alliance with, uh, Erik.

Ozzy's physical prowess is not in question, but he once again showed his willingness to let his personal urges overcome his strategic thinking. He asked Erik the right question-- "Why should I save you when I think you'll rejoin your former Airai teammates?" But he didn't blink when Erik gave the exact wrong response "Yeah, but how do you know Ami won't do the same?"

Faced with a choice between booting Ami, who was tearfully pledging her undying loyalty, and Erik, who pretty much admitted he was a free agent, Ozzy decided to lobby on Erik's behalf. At his behest, Cirie and Amanda turned on Ami and she became the 11th-place finisher.

Incidentally, the previews let us know that a merge is coming next week, and also featured the funniest exchange we've seen yet this season:
Eliza, eyes bugging out: That is NOT the immunity idol
Jason: Why would you say that?
Eliza: Because IT'S JUST A STICK!

I look forward to seeing that in context. Ami's ouster made for a sad day in the Hetling-Hongoltz household, as is reflected in...


This Week's Standings:

1st: Dawn: 275 (-13)
2nd: Kim: 245 (-26)
3rd: Matt: 242 (-26)
4th: Carl: 241 (-17)
5th: Paul: 219 (-9)

Dawn, Kim, and I each got four points for correctly predicting that Airai would win immunity.

Dawn went from a small lead to a large lead at the top of the pool. Her second set of picks had Ami lasting until third place, which hurt her, but she was only one off on her original set of picks. Combine that with another correct immunity pick, and you have me saying it: Death to Dawn! Oh yeah, I went there.

Kim maintained her second place status, but just barely, losing a big twenty six points by losing her number one pick in the first set of picks, AND her number one pick in her second set of picks. What a maroonie! I can't believe anyone would be so dumb as to have Ami coming in first in both sets of picks. Oh, wait...

I lost twenty six points too, because I had (ahem) Ami as my number one pick in my first set of picks, and my number one pick in my second set of picks. Embarrassing.

Carl had a great week, relatively speaking. He didn't technically climb out of fourth place in the standings, but he did move into a virtual tie with Kim and I. All three of us are far behind Dawn, so we're essentially going to be battling for second place next week and hoping that Dawn takes a tumble.

Shockingly, "Mr. Random Picks" Paul had the best week of anyone in the pool, losing a relatively slim 9 points. He's still firmly in last place, but look at it this way: he's closer to Kim in second place than Kim is to Dawn in first place, so if there's hope for any of us, there's hope for him.

Next week we presumably shift to individual immunity, so send in your pick for the individual you think will win immunity.

Good luck everyone!