Survivor: Thailand, Episode 11 MVP: Home Is Where the Heart Is

Sometimes I get so angry when I just know who the next to go will be. However, I had a good reason to believe that Jake would not be the one voted out this week – but sure enough he was. Many people said that Jake was on the outs from the beginning and all the scheming he was doing was really not going to help him. I disagree. Jake tried so hard to find a loophole in the old Chuay Gahn tribe. Even though he was not able to find one, he did manage to get people thinking. For one, he did make Helen realize that she was not as secure as she may have thought. He also stirred it up a bit by making Ted realize that people may be out to get him. Jake may have been voted out this episode but he did a heck of a job playing the game. Was Jake the MVP this week? I don’t think so. The only reason is that even though he played well this week, someone else was just a little more on their game.

The second Helen saw her husband and the reaction of how excited she got showed me that she was going to win the reward challenge. Even though she was not the one who had to do the task, it was quite funny just watching her order her husband to eat everything that Jeff put on his plate. It went from, “oh honey, you can do it,” to, “JUST SWALLOW IT!!” Just like Helen said, having that taste from home really helped her in the game. She was able to strategize and ask her husband what he thought she should do. It also helped in the fact that seeing someone from home raised her morale and gave her the strength to want to play the game again. I can agree with Helen when she said after awhile it just gets to the point where the game gets to you. I mean, who would want to be contemplating where everyone stands in the game? Watching people go off and wonder if they are talking about you. Questioning who you can trust and wondering if they trust you the same way. Just to have someone there that you know from home and that you can talk to is enough to revitalize almost anyone. I was glad that Brian’s wife did not win the challenge. I don’t even think I could have taken 24 hours of her, let alone watch her trying to survive off the land. Helen’s husband seemed to enjoy the experience but it was funny to see how shocked he was that Helen was not complaining. She was definitely an MVP this episode.

I am however a little concerned on where Helen stands when it comes to Brian. At one point, Helen told her husband that it was going to be the two of them until the end. Honestly, I don’t see that happening. It is getting to the point that Brian has too many bonds. He is getting himself into the same situation that Clay is when he tells everyone that they are going to be in the final four. That may not even be so bad because there is a big difference when it comes to being in the final two and the final four. Helen needs to realize that even if she does go to the final two with Brian, she is not guaranteed a win. I must admit though, Helen showed some smarts when it came time to asking Brian if they should vote off Clay. Her objective now should be to get Brian to turn on the other guys and make sure that his deal with her is solid. That is the only way she can be sure he will be true to her. All I am going to say is that she better not stab Jan in the back or there may be trouble. Not in the sense of the game but I would not look highly upon her. For her quick thinking this week and her new appreciation for the game I do think Helen deserves to be an MVP. Of all the people left in the game she is one of the two who are thinking about where this thing is going to end up. The other is Brian. However, there are times I think that Brian may be overthinking. If he does pull out the win though it will be very clean and very well put together. He will be one of the best strategists to grace the game since Richard Hatch.

We also have an honorable mention this week. In the words of fellow RealityNewsOnline writer, C. Brian Devinney, “It’s all about Jake’s wife,” and indeed it is. Jake’s wife ate pretty all of the disgusting insects to try and be with Jake. I know that if my mom was in the same situation she would have taken a look at the spoonful of ants, said, “I love you,” and had been on her way. Jake’s wife went far beyond what I thought she would do. She tore apart those grubs, and even ate the tarantula! She definitely deserves some credit. Actually, she finished the scorpion too but just not in time and could not keep it down. She deserves an honorable mention though for the courage to keep going. I know it made Jake realize how much he loved her and how much she loved him as well.

Well, where do we go from here? I sure wish I knew. What I do know is that I am saying a nightly prayer that Jan wins immunity next week. I fear that if she does not win it, then she is the next to go. If that is the way it goes down, then I will be extremely bitter. I think our MVP, Helen, is safe for the time being. She has positioned herself well with Brian, Jan, and even Ted. I highly doubt that she will be the next to go. I’m banking on Clay for next and for Helen to come through as the MVP again. Who knows, maybe Magilla will return from out of the woodwork and become the MVP! We’ll just have to wait and see.

Phil Kural is a junior at Temple University, and can be reached at pkural@astro.temple.edu with any MVP suggestions.

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