Survivor Week 13 Discussion and Recap *Updated*

It’s the last Wednesday of this season of Survivor. It’s been amazing how great this season has been. The last few seasons have been slow and the majority of the casts seemed to be there more to be on TV. It started feeling more like Big Brother with the people just looking for their 15 minutes.

This season the cast actually seems to want to play the game and win the season. The majority of the players are working to actually win rather then accept their place in the game and let it happen.

I am expecting Abi to go home tonight but I think there is a reasonable chance Denise may be sent home. It will come down to who wins the immunity. I can’t see Malcolm/Denise working with Abi to take out Skupin or Lisa.

I’m excited to see what happens. Look for my recap later tonight.

Recap

Back at camp and the She-Devil is still alive. Abi thanks everyone for saving her and keeping her in the game.  I actually think she believes that her bluff convinced them to vote out Carter.

The remaining castaways lament voting out Carter who was such a nice guy.  Lisa says again that she wants to go to the end with someone she can beat rather than someone who deserves to be there. This makes Malcolm realize that Lisa is more dangerous then he originally thought.

Abi keeps trying to play that she has a hidden idol but Malcolm is quick to point out that she was so relieved to still be in the game that if she had the idol she would have played it. Abi points out that there is no way Malcolm is going home since he will play his hidden idol so if Denise loses the immunity she needs to go home to break up the Malcolm/Denise power team.

While Malcolm, Denise, and Skupin are away Abi tries to convince Lisa that the other three are in a three person alliance and she is on the bottom. Wisely Lisa doesn’t believe her but knows that she needs to keep Abi close in case she needs her for the game plan. Lisa says she will keep Abi close until she knows what her right move will be.

With that said it is time for the reward challenge. Each castaway must race up and over a ramp and into the water to get a bundle of rings and race back. Once they collect both bundles they must throw the rings to land one of five rings on each peg.  The winner will be taken for helicopter ride and land and board a boat with a feast of pizza and soda. Also there will be whale shark watching. The winner will also get to choose two people to go with them.

Skupin and Malcolm are the early leaders followed by Denise. Skupin is the first to start throwing. Skupin is up 4-2 on Malcolm as the others start throwing. Malcolm catches up and after a miss up Malcolm Skupin wins the reward. He takes Malcolm since Malcolm let his son spend time on the island. His second choice was Lisa which is clearly based on the fact that they have been together from the beginning. Abi is clearly upset and comments that clearly her vote means nothing to Skupin.  I feel bad for Denise. The thought of spending an afternoon alone with Abi seems horrible to me.

Back at camp Abi is still upset that she wasn’t chosen and she feels she is the swing vote. Denise says she will just get through the afternoon and make it as tolerable as possible.  Again I feel really sorry for her.

On the boat Skupin is experiencing a sugar high since he doesn’t eat sugar in his regular life. Malcolm says he is actually fun to be around. They get to actually go into the water with the whale sharks which seems like such an amazing experience. Skupin continues his clumsiness and gets head butted by a whale shark.

Malcolm plays smart by trying to nail down a final three with Skupin and Lisa. Malcolm feels he will have a harder time beating her in the end. The nail down a final three deal but Lisa has her doubts but can’t bring up these concerns to Skupin. Lisa says she will make the deal but she will make other deals if it fits her game better. For his part Skupin likes the deal since Malcolm is the most dangerous player left and the most likely one to win immunity so it makes since to align with him. This makes no sense to me. Why would you be happy about going to the final three with the strongest player?

Back at camp Denise was bite by something and she is experiencing a sharp burning stinging on her neck. She has some fang makes and may be having an allergic reaction. She is trying to tell herself to suck it up since she only has three days left.

Everyone takes the time to pray over her to feel better. Abi sitting in on this actually pisses me off because it seems so fake. I know some of it is the editing but it just bothers me when someone is so fake.

Now we are off to immunity. Jeff points out that on one side you want to feel empathy toward Denise but on the other hand you are still playing the game. Abi agrees with him.

For the challenge they must use planks to cross a rope bridge and collect puzzle pieces. They must then put the puzzle together and use a ball to go through the maze to the goal. Winner is in the final four.

Malcolm is in the lead but falls off. Skupin, Denise, Lisa, and Abi are starting the maze as Malcolm falls behind on the bridge. Denise has a lead as Malcolm makes his away across. Denise is close but something is off. Skupin, Abi, and Lisa are falling behind as Malcolm is making a comeback and completes his maze to win immunity.

Jeff points out that Malcolm has Immunity and still has an idol that can only be played tonight.

Skupin should not be let near a fire as it pops and makes him jump back. Abi wants to get Skupin and Lisa to work with her to vote out Denise.  Abi tells Skupin that going to the end with Malcolm or Denise would be a game ender.

Skupin tells Lisa that Abi offered a final three deal.  Lisa is really excited about this as it is actually the wiser choice. Denise asks Malcolm if he would give her his idol and he says if he thought it was needed but doesn’t think it is needed.

Lisa says that she wants to go with Abi but is worried what happens if Malcolm wins. She thinks she needs Denise to try to beat Malcolm.

We go to Tribal and Lisa says Abi played the game and made some good arguments. Jeff points out that Abi is unlikable and Abi agrees that she is the best person to go to the end with. Both Lisa and Malcolm say that at this point you need to think about who you can beat in the end. Denise points out that it was some luck that Abi never had to go to tribal while on Tandang which makes Lisa argue that it was skill and not luck that Tandang always one which Denise agrees with. Lisa missed the point of the comment that the game would have been different if Tandang lost some challenges especially with how bad Abi was at the challenges and the fact that she never participated.

Abi brings up the argument that no one will beat Denise or Malcolm in the end.  Jeff tries to het Skupin’s reaction and before he can talk she calls him an idiot and a moron.  She says that he thinks she is going to win a million dollars and there is no way. Lisa says that it makes sense to take someone like Abi because they just keep talking and pissing people off. Abi argues that this is the only decision for Lisa and Skupin because she is the only one they can beat.  Abi says she cares because she just wants to make it to final three.

Jeff gets Malcolm to show that a strategy like that has worked to win a million dollars which is a great think to point out. Abi is not going to go down without a fight and could still win a million dollars. Abi admits that she is a loud mouth and that is how she is playing Survivor. She says that she is there to win million dollars and Denise is there to make friends. Denise says she is there to win the million. With that it is time to vote.

Abi votes for Denise and Denise votes for Abi. Malcolm decides to keep his idol. I think part of him was hoping Denise would go home sending his biggest competitor for the win.

In a 4-1 vote Abi is send home. It is down to two original Tandang vs. Two original Matsing. They dance and celebrate as they head back to camp.

Finally we are rid of Abi. She was good for TV but I didn’t want her making the final three and she would have if she stayed. I am actually excited to see the Ponderosa videos this week.

As for the final I will be Live Blogging starting at 8:30pm as long as it isn’t delayed by the football game. I will also be Live Blogging the Live Reunion show where the winner will be announced and we will find out about the next season of Survivor.  I’m really excited for the finale because I can make an argument for any of the four to win the game even if some of the arguments are a stretch.  See you Sunday.