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

Previously on Survivor, everyone wanted to vote out Jon, especially Natalie. What is strange about the previous statement is that Jon would be gone be now if Natalie had not told him to play his immunity idol. To Natalie, revenge is a dish best served never.

Jon was fortunate enough to win immunity in the most recent episode, which forced the group to split their votes between Keith and Alec. The younger, more gullible gentleman was sent packing, and the average IQ of the tribe immediately went up considerably.

Also putting a crimp in Natalie’s plan to vote out Jon is the fact that he found another hidden immunity idol while at Exile Island. Presumably, she’ll tell him to play that one when she’s trying to vote him out. At this point, we have no idea what Natalie is doing. Then again, neither does she. Thanks for casting the twins this year, Survivor producers! Were the Harlem Globetrotters not available or what?

Natalie’s chaotic behavior is the subject of the opening segment. She, Missy and Baylor voted for Alec instead of Keith, who had been the designated target. Natalie feigns ignorance, claiming that no one spoke to her beforehand, saying that she got confused. The expression on Jaclyn’s face tells us that she has deduced that Natalie is a lying liar who lies. Meanwhile, Jon still has no idea that Natalie hates him and feels guilty that they didn’t talk more prior to the vote.

“Alec was just obsessed with Jon for no reason, you know?” – Natalie, not cursed with any sort of self-awareness.

Keith is surprised to hear that Natalie saved him from elimination. He is even more surprised to hear that he is in an alliance with her, Missy and Baylor. Keith, we’re gonna go out on a limb and say that you shouldn’t trust them. If you do, Survivor is going to be in Worst Winner Ever territory – and remember that Coach and Tyson have both won.

We’re saved from the nonsense by a Probst sighting. Today’s Reward Challenge splits the Survivors into teams that are determined by draw. It’s Jon, Missy and Keith versus Natalie, Baylor and Jaclyn. They are all tethered together. First, they have to climb through some hay and then climb over several hurdles. Next, they gather a bucket and fill it with water before going to a giant teeter-totter, which is a very rough ride. Then they have to fill a bigger bucket of water until it has enough water to open a gate.

This challenge is really complex.

The three girls get out to an early lead, and maintain it when Missy comes down really hard off the teeter-totter, injuring her ankle. Their group moves pretty slowly from this point on.

As is so often the case, the challenge ends with a puzzle. Natalie, Baylor and Jaclyn have a sizeable lead, but they don’t work particularly well together. Jon, Missy and Keith are a well-oiled team when it comes to puzzle construction, and they overcome a pretty sizable deficit to win the challenge.

Continued:       1       2       3