New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Probst sighting! Jamie rejoins her tribe and then promptly sits out the challenge. Only six people can participate, Courtney and Leslie sit out for Fei Long. The challenge is one of strength. The teams will have to carry a very long Chinese puzzle log. They'll have to use it as a battering ram and bust down to wood walls set up in their path. Once through both walls, they'll have to rig the log onto a table, where they'll work a peg through a maze carved into the outside of the log. First tribe to get through the maze and ring the gong wins immunity.

Survivors ready? Dave and Eric break through first for Zhan Hu. But the strength of James and JR power Fei Long through the first wall. As both tribes work on their second walls, Dave is slowly becoming useless. He can hardly move the log anymore. As Fei Long busts through the second wall, Frosti switches out with Dave and helps bust Zhan Hu through the second wall. Amazingly enough, Fei Long doesn't have that much finished on the maze part of the challenge and Zhan Hu is able to catch up. As Fei Long hits a dead end, Zhan Hu takes the lead. Calmly and with no panic whatsoever, Fei Long keeps going and starts to pull away. As they get the log through the maze, James basically carries the log by himself to ring the gong and Fei Long wins immunity.

As we come back, it's time to play, "It's Anyone But Ashley". Wait a minute, didn't we play that last week? We get back to camp and Dave is feeling bad for letting the team down. He gathers everyone and apologizes for losing the challenge. He also thanks Frosti for stepping up and taking over for him. He then goes on to tell us that this hasn't been about one challenge though, it's about day in and day out over the first six days. Um, Dave. In case you weren't aware, this game actually IS about challenges. The team that wins them generally does better than the team that loses them. Your refusal to let your tribe eat has contributed to them being tired and weak in the challenges and your complete breakdown in the last challenge directly cost you a victory and earned you a trip to Tribal Council. But you keep talking the talk big guy...eventually, Frosti will cover your ass long enough to win a challenge. Dave tells us he's pretty sure that he's not going home. Ashley tells us that she knows Dave is voting for her. She breaks down her options to us. She can go to everyone and act like a crazy lady or she can save it for Tribal Council and try to calmly tell everyone what a mess Dave is. Um, Ashley. There's actually a third option. You can go around to people at camp and plead your case and try to sway them to your side. The way he talks to people and the way he killed you in the challenge is plenty of info to sway some folks to your side of the fence. You don't confront the whole tribe; you do it a piece at a time. Start with people you think are sympathetic...I'd suggest Sherea and Jamie. Or you could say nothing and wait 'til Tribal Council where you'll almost definitely seal your fate.

We join a conversation with Eric, Sherea and Jamie. They smartly determine that the conflict has to be removed. One way or another, they have to get rid of one of the people in the conflict. Jamie is torn on this one as Ashley is her friend, but Dave is such a hard worker. All I can say is Ashley better bring her A-game to Tribal; otherwise, she's done as dinner.

Continued:       1       2       3       4       5