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

Moving along, here’s Abi’s mom Vera. “You’re so thin,” she tells Abi. Abi’s mother is speaking in Portuguese and subtitles, so Probst asks Abi what is going on. “She’s confused with everything," Abi says generously, even though we didn’t see Vera say anything like that in the subtitles. I don’t understand how the other castaways could have a problem with her now they’ve seen her treat her mother like this.

Probst tries to psych out Malcolm by saying that’s all the loved ones there are. Like Malcolm's brother chose the flesh-pots of South-East Asia over him or something. Anyway, it’s Malcolm’s brother Miles. Malcolm boasts about how good he looks with his shirt off, and says he is taking Miles' head-band. Miles describes Malcolm as looking like a colonel on some ship in the 1700s, and talks about how they weren’t allowed to watch any television except Survivor.

Oh, that’s right. There’s a challenge! The loved ones each have to stand on a mat while the castaways throw muddy bags at them. The loved ones have to catch the bags and then throw them at a set of bamboo targets, which are just short lengths of thick bamboo standing on end. First loved one to knock down all five targets wins reward, which means that the loved one gets to go back with them and spend the afternoon and the night in their disgusting camp. Let’s see which loved one decides they’d rather not get that muddy.

It’s a boring challenge to recap and everyone seems to get the hang of it except Abi and her mother. Neither of them can throw very well, but both of them are good at telling the other to throw harder. Anyway, it’s a close finish with Malcolm/Miles, Michael/Michael Jr. and Carter/Bianca all down to one target. But Miles hits the last one and Malcolm wins reward! Miles jumps on Malcolm and flattens him.

But that’s not all, Probst tells Malcolm, who has mud all over his left side and looks like Two-Face. He can pick another loved one to come to camp. Malcolm gets Abi’s hopes up by saying his pick is “because of how much trouble they’ve been having” and says that Lisa’s brother Justice can come to camp so they can all laugh at his silly name.

“Ask for another," pushes Michael. What Malcolm asks for, Probst grants. He picks Michael Jr. I was surprised that he did not pick Brad, Denise’s husband, but I suppose (a) he needs to keep Lisa and Michael loyal, (b) an extra jury vote doesn’t hurt and (c) Denise is the one best able to rationalize it anyway. Malcolm interviews about his decision, saying that he only had a moment to think, and he had to reward Lisa and Malcolm for their vote the night before.

We learn a little more about the loved ones. Malcolm describes his brother, who turned 21 last month, as a knucklehead. “Him running his mouth could cost me,” says Malcolm in a moment I’m sure his brother will treasure. Also, that’s basically the last we’ll hear of Miles, which is disappointing. But thanks for setting up last week’s preview, Malcolm!

Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6       7