Survivor: HHH - Episode 3 Recap
My Kisses Are Very Private
By Jim Van Nest
October 17, 2017
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Previews have promised us a deeper dive into the love story that is Cole and Jessica while highlighting a deeper divide on the Hustler Tribe as Patrick's antics, already on Lauren's nerves, reach a breaking point and an all-out verbal brawl might just ensue. Let's not waste any time and get right to the show.
We begin the episode at Hustler Beach the next morning and we're having a fashion show. Everyone is trying on Simone's clothes that were left behind. Ali and Lauren head to the beach and the guys decide that Lauren is the next on the chopping block. Meanwhile, Lauren knows she's on the outs as she has trouble feeling included with the group. She's very different than everyone else so they're just not jiving. Devon joins the ladies and they discuss the issues with Patrick. Ali tells us that Patrick just runs his mouth too much and doesn't really understand the social game. She's starting to wonder if he's really the person she wants to move forward with.
We come back from break to check in on the Heroes. Chrissy and Ben are patting each other on the back about how they're running things. They're trying to see who the next target will be. Ben likes Ashley so he's trying to decide between JP and Alan. We spend the next couple minutes watching Alan try to open a coconut. I get a little worried about this season when so much time can be spent dealing with opening a coconut. Isn't there SOME other thing we could be seeing? But, I digress. JP's out catching fish and Ashley is digging it. Apparently, the way to her heart is through her stomach. So, she is fully on board with dumping Alan at the first chance. Ashley and Ben discuss the good and bad of both guys, but she is pulling more for JP than Ben would like to hear, so he's now questioning Ashley too.
As we head to Healer Beach for the first time, the triumphant music of the winners plays. Joe is loving life right now. He says that everyone is on board with Mike as the first boot. He is worried about Cole and his budding romance with Jessica though. And whaddaya know, there are Cole and Jessica out fishing. Jessica tells us that she moves very slowly in the world of romance, so slow in fact, that at 30, she's still a virgin. But she is very intrigued at the thought of Cole thinking about her. And Cole is definitely thinking about her. So much that he feels compelled to tell her that Joe has the idol. She loves that news so much that she actually...wait for it...kisses his cheek. *Gasp* But, like the episode title says, her kisses are very private.
The sun rises on Day 8 and we're back hanging out with the Hustlers. Everything's coming up Patrick this episode as we watch him leisurely walk out of camp to go idol searching. Ryan sees him looking and everyone in camp know that's what he's doing. Not a good look for Patrick, but like Ali keeps saying, dude doesn't get the social dynamics of the game. Ali pulls him aside and tries to explain to him he can't keep doing what he's doing. She wants to work with him, but he's not making it easy. He feels that to stop doing what he's doing will make him not be himself, which could cause him some issues getting along with the group.
Back at Healer Beach, Joe isn't really digging the meal/cooking situation. It would seem that the potatoes, among other things, aren't being cooked enough for him. So, naturally, instead of cooking them more, or giving them to some other hungry member of the tribe, he throws the undone pieces into the jungle or on the ground. I'm not one of those people that feel that every cast member should be a super duper fan, but I do feel like they should have at least basic knowledge of the game. And pitching food while 5 hungry people watch you do it - that's just horrible form. This act has worn a little thin with Cole and he thinks he wants to use Joe's idol against him. He takes his idea to Jessica, blindside Joe with an idol in his pocket. She is totally down for this plan.
So, Cole approaches Roark and lets her in on the idol secret and the plan to oust Joe, should the Healers lose. As he tells her this, Jessica is about to lose it. He did not tell her he was going to move forward with this. She feels that they should have discussed this before Cole started "word vomiting" all over camp. Desi comes into the conversation as well, which makes it even worse. Jessica is very angry about this, because she's worried someone will tell Joe about the plan. She tells us that she's not sure it's the best strategy at this point and that she's disappointed in Cole. Personally, I'm not sure it's the idol/plan reveal that has her upset as much as the fact that Cole is now sharing secrets with the other cute girls on the tribe. Sure, it's partially game related, but I feel pretty confident, it's also partially jealously. The hazards of a show-mance on Survivor.
We come back from break to our first Probst Sighting!!! Today's challenge is a team-oriented obstacle course - meaning obstacles will take teamwork to get past - followed by a bean bag throw and block stack. Pretty simple, actually. The reward with this challenge is 4 chickens to the winning tribe and a dozen eggs to the 2nd place tribe. Healers have to sit someone out and it will be Mike. As with most of these challenges, the obstacle course is pretty irrelevant to the actual outcome of the challenge. It's fun, but means very little. The challenge becomes interesting at the sand bag toss. Ben, Cole and Patrick all start out throwing bags for their respective tribes. After a bit, JP subs in for Ben. Joe subs in for Cole and it's pretty well neck and neck and neck. The Hustlers start trying to get Patrick to sub out, but he's not having it. JP and Joe each clear all their blocks and begin stacking. Meanwhile, Patrick is still throwing for the Hustlers and is showing obvious signs of fatigue.
The Heroes and Healers are mostly done with their stacks when Patrick finally gets the last block down. And it's the Healers completing their stack first. But wait - they're missing a block, so they do NOT win. This gives the Heroes the chance they needed to win this challenge. The Healers find their missing block and it's now a race with the Hustlers. And, as you would expect, the Healers get that final block up there and the Hustler tribe is headed back to Tribal Council again. As we head to break, Lauren tells us how she's played softball for 25 years and she wants to make sure the tribe holds him accountable for this loss.
We return to Hustler Beach for a nice game of "It's Anyone But Patrick." Patrick tells us that he let the team down on the challenge. He tries to apologize to the tribe and Lauren isn't having it. Everyone else tries to make him feel better. In an absolute horrible game move, Lauren decides to head down to the water and leave the rest of the tribe to talk about voting her out. Patrick knows he has the guys and Ali on his side, so he decides to try to smooth things over with Lauren and make her feel at ease. I think his plan was to make her feel better, like maybe it wouldn't be her tonight. And to his credit, that's the road he goes down. He suggests that she might not be the one going home. But all he can do is grin at her; he offers no plan, nothing. All he did was make Lauren even more resolved to stay. She takes it to Ali and all she can do is shake her head and join in the chorus of "Patrick's an idiot." Lauren pleads he case to Ryan, like a bull in a China shop, by telling him that he's the oddball and she's the old lady. Um, if you want to work with someone, you probably don't want to call him "the oddball." Ryan and Devon pow-wow over what to do. Ryan wants to vote Lauren and keep the guys in the game, but Devon isn't feeling it. He trusts Lauren at the merge more than Patrick. As they get ready for Tribal, Lauren tells us that she will not go home without a fight tonight.
Jeff begins Tribal Council with Lauren. He asks her when they stop talking about how well they get along and own the fact that they're just not working. Lauren throws Patrick right under the bus for the loss of the challenge and the fact that he showed no teamwork by refusing to switch out. To his credit, Patrick does admit his fault and understands what Lauren is saying. Ali says that she's not sure this one challenge is what the vote should be based on. Lauren hammers some more on the fact that he's not a team player. She says that he's a good idol hunter and that's all he does. There is a bit of levity when Probst tries to compare this to a relationship in counseling to Ryan. Ryan's response, "I've never been in a relationship. Do you know somebody?" Ultimately, though, we go back to Lauren just pounding on Patrick and everyone else suggesting that they need to look forward to the merge and who will make them more strong and loyal. Patrick does admit that what Lauren and Ali are saying are legit and he wants to learn from it and grow from it. The question is did Lauren do enough to save herself? Let's find out. It's time to vote.
We see Lauren's vote for Patrick saying, "I hate it for you, but you're aggravating". We see Patrick's vote for Lauren saying, "I'm sorry Lauren, but you have to go." There are no idols to be played and Jeff is tallying the votes. First vote: Patrick. Second vote: Lauren. Patrick is still all smiles through these first 2 votes. Vote 3: Patrick. Uh oh - the smile is gone. Vote 4: Patrick. And now, so is Patrick. He is absolutely stunned to be the vote tonight. He 100% KNEW that it couldn't possibly be him tonight. As he heads over to Jeff with his torch, he says, "You guys are awful." He is so pissed. I haven't seen this much anger at a vote since Jay Starett took out Michaela in Millennials vs Gen X. When I see something like this, it lets me know that this tribe absolutely made the right decision. He is too emotional and too all over the place to be a useful ally moving forward. Lauren may not be the best in challenges, but she will stick with her people and now that they've shown her some loyalty, I would think she's down for the Hustler alliance all the way. But wait...
Next time on Survivor: Those 3 words that can strike fear into a Survivor's heart or offer a new life in the game to someone who's on the outs: "Drop. Your. Buffs." The first swap of the season is coming next week. You don't want to miss it, kids. Til then, take care!!