Surviving One World, Episode 8: Someone’s Getting Played

Jay says it’s not that he doesn’t trust Kim and the other women, but he doesn’t feel a good vibe. To me, that says, “I don’t trust you.” Mike tells us that while Jay is nervous, he knows his alliance is sticking together. Oh, poor, naïve Mike. He even talks about how he’ll enjoy blindsiding Christina. As long as it doesn’t happen to you, it’s great. “I could say that now and have my tribe blindside me, but I just don’t see that happening.” Foreshadowing? Or red herring?

If it’s up to Kim, it’s foreshadowing. The plan still seems to be to get rid of Mike, but she knows things will be different after this vote. However, they are debating – they know it’s a huge move but they have a numbers advantage right now and they don’t want to give it up.

We’ll find out soon, because it’s Tribal Council time. They arrive and a smiling Jonas walks in as the first juror. Probst gets right into it as he asks who is genuinely worried that they may be the target tonight. Nobody raises their hand, which Probst finds “amazing.”

Does Tarzan get a kick out the fact that nobody thinks they’re in danger, but we know for a fact someone will soon be gone? He says it means someone in the game has been “very good at deceiving.” Camera cut to Kim.

If Troyzan was blindsided tonight, would it blow him away? Yes – he didn’t even bring his bags. Kim says likewise. Chelsea, Christina – both same. Mike would be completely surprised.

Why is everybody so confident? Kim says there are people who think they’re part of an alliance but who aren’t. They all had first alliances and then new relationships developed. You have to keep your options open but know when to stick with a plan.

Chelsea notes that you want to be aligned with more than two groups so you can stay with the majority. Alicia says they really don’t know who is on which side – it may take a couple more Tribal Councils.

Is there any talk that it might still be men vs. women? Christina says there probably is, but there is also the question of new Salani and new Manono alliances.

Tarzan says they are all playing Probst because they know how important the night is. (Huh?) The allegiances that were set before arriving at Tribal Council were firm – they really aren’t as wishy-washy as they sound. But if they reveal too much, it’ll ruin the whole thing. “So the game is afoot” and they should remain ambiguous. Gee, Tarzan, thanks for that lesson in Tribal Council strategy. I’m sure nobody else has ever thought of it. Everyone laughs as Tarzan concludes that Probst is the one being played. I actually think he might be joking there – it’s hard to tell.

Probst notes that this is a million-dollar game and somebody’s going to be leaving, but everybody is in a good mood and laughing at Tarzan. Kat says his “rantics” are just so Tarzan-like. When you get Tarzaned, you don’t know if you should be mad or laughing. Probst wonders if he got Tarzaned and Kat says he did.

Getting back to the strategy, Mike says there are at least two alliances but you don’t know for sure who is with which group. Everybody talks. But whatever anybody might say, when he talks, he’s being truthful.

It’s almost time to vote, but first Probst says that while Tarzan may have suggested Probst was being played, he’s pretty sure it’s one of them who is being played. Let’s find out who!

We see no votes. I’m guessing Mike is gone, if only because the promos have led us to believe it would be a big blindside and, while voting out Mike doesn’t really qualify, voting out Christina would be even less of one.

No immunity idol is played, so Probst reads the votes: Christina, Christina, Tarzan (huh?), Tarzan (double-huh?), Mike, Mike, Mike (he looks confused), Mike (he looks mad), and Mike. Jonas mouths “wow” from the jury box. Mike is speechless as he gets his torch snuffed and walks away.

Probst notes that they all came in completely confident they wouldn’t be leaving, yet three of them received votes. If that doesn’t shake some confidence, nothing will. Then he sends them back to camp to mull it over.

In his final words, Mike tells us that he knew that at some point, it would get to guys vs. girls. Unfortunately, it started tonight. He came out of the gates too hot and he’s been backpedaling ever since. He talked individually to each of the women and thought he was fine. Apparently, though, “you can’t trust anybody.” Welcome to Survivor, Mike.

The two votes against Tarzan were by Alicia and Christina. At first I was pretty sure the only reason for those the two votes was just in case Mike had the hidden immunity idol. But since the votes came from those two, I’m not so sure – it wouldn’t surprise me to find out Kim put them up to it just to keep them in the dark.

Next week, the women are in control – even Tarzan realizes it. But the men fight back as Troyzan and Jay try to pull together a “switcheroo.” Yeah, we’ll see…

In the meantime, be sure to check back here at Reality News Online for new Survivor articles every weekday (usually two or three!), including my interview with Michael tomorrow. See you then!

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