Survivor: Philippines - Finale Part 1

Million Dollar Question

By Ben Willoughby

December 17, 2012

I can't believe I lost to Blair from The Facts of Life.

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Anyway, they put all the plaques on a bamboo hut and set it on fire.

Probst sighting! Probst takes the immunity idol back from Malcolm, and for the last time it is back up for grabs.

The immunity challenge is a balancing/concentration one. Each castaway holds two wooden handles, with a piece of wood in between. Balanced on a small groove carved into the wood is a metal ball. If the ball drops, the castaway is out. To make it more difficult, the castaways have to keep adding more wood every five minutes. So not only you have to maintain balance, but also pressure.

Probst tells Malcolm to read out his “advantage.” “And he doesn’t need it,” says Michael. Malcolm knuckles Michael on the head. Anyway, Malcolm’s advantage is that he gets a second chance. If he drops the ball, he can put it back on and keep going.

The first stage is pretty boring, and everyone makes it through. Everyone adds two lengths of wood, and Probst blabs on. Shortly into the second stage, Malcolm drops his ball. But don’t worry, he has a second shot! Everyone else can put down what they are holding and take a break, while Malcolm gets re-set. And we resume.

“Everyone solid except Malcolm,” goes the Probst commentary. “Flirting with disaster.” “Another amazing recovery.” Malcolm’s hands are quivering the whole time, and his ball finally drops again. Probst sends him to the bench and rubs it in – even with his advantage, Malcolm was “still the first person out of this challenge.”




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Denise is next out, and it’s the end of the second stage. Lisa and Michael add two more lengths of wood, and make it through the third stage. They add another two lengths of wood and Probst steps up the mind-eff commentary “don’t think about anything, nothing, nothing, nothing, except this. This is it right here. This little piece of wood is all you should be thinking about blah blah blah.” Anyway, eventually Lisa’s ball can’t keep balance and Michael wins final immunity.

Michael is “safe tonight” and then according to Probst has “gone as far as he can go.” Probst is absolutely right.

They all go back to camp. Malcolm interviews that he needed to win, but whenever “I get nervous, around a girl or anything,” his hands start to shake. Hey Malcolm’s poker buddies – there’s Malcolm’s tell. Now Malcolm has to rely on Lisa and Michael.

Lisa congratulates Michael: “You beat him.” “Right when we needed it,” confirms Michael. In interview, Michael says “it wasn’t even close” and this is where I start to worry that Michael’s ego is stroked to the point where he thinks he can out-argue Malcolm in front of the jury. Doesn’t he realize that telling a story and balancing a ball are two different skill-sets? Also, the Declaration of Independence is still safe.

Malcolm interviews that it’s the first time in a while that he hasn’t been calling the shots. He’s hoping that it doesn’t matter, but notes cautiously that people are playing for a million dollars. Cue snake footage. Malcolm is talking with Lisa and Michael about how Denise will be asking them to vote for him. “Should we all just play along? asks Lisa. “No!” is Malcolm’s amused response, before he realizes what Lisa means. Malcolm doesn’t care what they tell Denise, so long as they are writing her name down.


Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6       7

     


 
 

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