Survivor: Island of the Idols

Episode 2: YOLO, Let's Play

By Kim Hollis & David Mumpower

October 9, 2019

How dare she be pretty and nice.

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Previously on Survivor, Boston Rob and Sandra returned! Some other players showed up, too, but we haven’t really bothered to learn their names yet. Some poker player got himself voted out when he got all twitchy about wanting the “nice” player eliminated. And he was never heard from again. We watch pro poker and we’d never heard of him, anyway.

After Tribal Council, Vince decides that he wants to be the next person voted off. He’s one of those people who throws a tantrum when they get a single vote, and such behavior is oftentimes the quickest way out of the game. For his part, Aaron assures his Lairo tribemates that he wasn’t that close to Ronnie (*that’s* the poker guy’s name), but his body language says he’s on his guard.

Elaine tells the team that they’re still a tribe and that they’ll need to work together so that they don’t return to Tribal Council (and she’s right). The women all figure that they’re in control of the tribe at this point. Aaron doesn’t trust any of them. “Their day will come,” he warns.

Over at Vokai, Noura is doing her best Vince impression. She vents and vents and vents. It gets so bad that one person walks away, and the one person trying to agree with her to shut her up realizes that that tactic is a loser as well.

As Molly summarizes, “In Survivor, you need to bite your tongue, and Noura doesn’t.”

What follows is a montage of Noura not biting her tongue. Jason tries to settle her down, and she sort of acknowledges that she should chill out, but then laughs maniacally. She tries to suggest a Revenge of the Nerds strategy to Jason, because she clearly has an issue with Molly’s, um, prettiness? We’re collapsing under the weight of her projections.

Dear Survivor Producers: Someone ranting like a lunatic makes for bad television.

Lairo is discovering that building fire isn’t that easy. Aaron tries to get it going, but has no luck. So, Chelsea steps in and has it going within two minutes. Aaron and Tom both feel the pain in their male ego, and she brags about the awesomeness of the girls’ alliance.

She takes it a little further by finding a hidden Immunity Idol, and even manages to keep it hidden from the other members of her tribe. The women do seem dominant.

Noura leads Yoga calisthenics over at Vokai, which seems pretty stupid since it’s only exhausting the tribe for the upcoming challenge.

A boat arrives with a note telling Kellee that she must go to the Island of the Idols immediately. She’s completely freaked out and rightfully so, since it may paint a target on her back. When she encounters Rob and Sandra, her shock and awe are visible on her face. She does notice in the “Oath of the Idols” that she will have a chance to test her knowledge, which is exciting.

What follows is a quiz session, where Rob and Sandra relentlessly question her about her personal life as well as giving her some tidbits about her own.

“Everything that happens on Island of the Idols is a test,” says Rob. Kellee is super overwhelmed by all the words thrown at her, and Rob informs her that her lesson started happening the instant she walked on the beach. It’s all about listening and forming bonds.

Kellee will have a chance to gain an advantage by proving how well she was listening to them. If she gets four out of five questions about all the trivial details they told her correct, she can win an immunity idol good for the next two Tribal Councils. If not, she loses her vote.

When she hesitates and says she’s not sure, Rob sweetens the deal. She only has to get *three* correct and the idol is good for three councils.

Question the first - what branch of the military does Sandra’s husband serve in? She gets it correct - the Army.

Question two - how many daughters does Sandra have? Two is the correct answer, and Kellee gets it right.

The third question is for her to name one of Sandra’s four Pomeranians. She gets one name - Papa - correct. Kellee wins an Idol good for the next three Tribal Councils! She also draws a name for the next person who will visit the Island of the Idols.

When she gets back to camp, she bursts into tears and starts crying. She tells them about the giant statue (omitting the small detail that they represent Rob and Sandra), and she invites them to look through her bag. She has hidden the idol in her hair, which is pretty clever. None of them detect her ruse.

PROBST! Feels like forever since we’ve seen you, buddy.




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Today’s Immunity Challenge is NOT a physical challenge followed by a puzzle. It’s instead a physical challenge followed by targeting balls in a pachinko style board. They start by swimming to a buoy, which marks a ladder at the bottom of the ocean. Contestants will need to untie the ladder to release it.

Both teams are even at the beginning, but Vokai struggles with the current and getting their ladder to a place where they retrieve a bag of balls. Then, Lairo drops their bag in the water and has to go back to search from it.

Vokai sends Molly up on a ladder, but can’t hold her up. When they try a second time, she falls again. It’s a pretty heavy ladder, and she’s just barely able to reach the bag.

On the shore, the teams have to put their ladder on a track prior to starting the ball game. Lairo has a slight advantage and goes to an early 2-1 lead. Suddenly, Jamal manages to tie the game, but then Lairo lands their final ball. They go home with Immunity and a reward of spices.

After the challenge, Vokai teacher Tommy says that he believes the entire tribe is united in wanting to vote out Noura or Jason. We’re also on board with them voting out Noura. Do it!

Once Vokai arrives back at camp, Noura instantly turns on Jason, saying that she’ll do whatever the majority asks her to. The majority decides to split the vote between Noura and Jason. Ruh-roh.

Molly argues for Noura, saying that the “Yoga” teacher is erratic. Jamal and Jack are aligned with her.

So… Kellee, Janet, and Lauren meet up and talk about Molly’s ability to charm everyone, especially the men, They figure that makes her mighty dangerous, and therefore a good selection for tonight’s Tribal Council vote. Lauren chats with Jason and Noura to let them know about the plan, which Noura promptly takes credit for somehow.

Poor Tommy finds out that Molly is the target, and he’s freaking out because he’s closely aligned with Jamal and Jack. He talks with Kellee about the precariousness of going off the plan, mainly because he really wants to be at the lunch table with the perceived “cool kids” Jamal and Jack. He doesn’t want to lose that alliance. He’s kind of in the middle here, which could be a tough spot no matter how tonight’s vote goes.

At Tribal Council, Jason whines about the fact that he’s been a pariah because he went and looked for an idol. Kellee counters by saying that Jason didn’t quite understand the dynamic of the group in the beginning, misunderstanding the intent of what everyone wanted to do.

Noura talks about her inability to fit in, and that she’s a successful entrepreneur because she takes her own path. Molly’s discomfort and dislike are apparent. We agree with the look on her face.

Jamal cockily addresses Jason, telling him that he’s playing from the bottom. It comes off super condescending.

With the first Tribal Council for Vokai, they send Molly home. Obviously, it’s a HUGE shock for her, Jack, and Jamal, who were all under the impression that they were “splitting the vote.” All of a sudden, Jamal realizes that HE is playing from the bottom. Whoopsie.

Boston Rob and Sandra, sitting in the background, are thoroughly impressed. Probst says stupid cliched stuff. The episode ends. Noura still “survives.”


     


 
 

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