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The members of the Blue team decide they need a new strategy, but they really stuff it up by trying one that involves putting the planks on the ground, and Probst has to send them back to the beginning of their section. Then, they decide their only option is that everyone has to stand on a barrel and roll it with their feet as though they've had years of lumberjack training. That goes about as well as you’d expect, and Red wins.

On the winners mat, Probst notes how subdued the victors are. Tyler says that they’re worn out, and Dan says that he feels for the losing team, especially Rodney, who has been on no rewards so far and happens to be in control of the alliance that Dan wants to get further into. Probst suggests that Dan can give up his spot, and Dan finally shuts up about something. Carolyn interviews about how great it is to go on a reward with Dan, so she can ram home there should be no flipping back to Mike. Flippers never win!

The despondent reward losers get back to their beach and decide to kill a chicken. For all the personality clashes that have happened this season, this is the second time that challenge losers have decided to eat a chicken as their consolation prize, and the winners have seemed cool with it, or at least we haven't seen any fights about it. Small mercies.

It’s also time for complaining interviews. Mike complains that they get back to camp, and he has to do all of the work. Rodney complains about how he’s never been on reward and how nasty his nails are - especially with his birthday coming up! Rodney claims that for his sanity, he needs some “Rodney time." Sounds like that would help everyone’s sanity.

While Mike is off doing the work, Sierra and Rodney are preparing the fire. Sierra takes the opportunity to argue that Tyler is going to win this game if Rodney does not take him out. Rodney says he’ll get Tyler out but he wants him out at six, not eight. He says he doesn’t trust Shirin. Sierra, who interviews that she would prefer to use Shirin’s vote to get rid of Tyler, tries to convince Rodney that Shirin is the perfect person to take to the end as no one would vote for her. No one except the three people currently on the jury who smile and wave at Shirin and dislike all the other castaways.

In interview, Rodney protests that Tyler’s not a threat. Rodney sees himself as the biggest threat, because he has ‘the numbers, the relationships, the personalities on my side.” Of course, that’s exactly why he should not be so blasé about the threat from Tyler. But I understand why he wants to get his alliance to the final six and then “Rodney works his magic.” Fracturing the alliance now would turn the game upside down and change up his plan. At this point, it’s better for Rodney to let someone try to make a move and then stomp on them.

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