So long....

.....Brandon. They said that this episode would be something you have never seen before. Well, truer words have never been spoken before. This was hands down one for the record books and one that will be talked about by Survivor fans for years to come and will definitely be a key topic of discussion during the Survivor Reunion at the conclusion of this season. First, I have to point out that I can't stand Brandon. I hated him the first time around and I couldn't stand him this time around. Having said that, I totally get why he snapped. As fun as it is to watching "Agent" Phil run his mouth the last time he was on the show and so far this season, he is a very condescending person. I've had my own run-ins with people just like Phil. I've even worked with a few and it has never been pretty.

I just can't stand these types of people and having to work with them is draining. But to be stuck on an Island, with no place to go and having to constantly deal with this other person, there was only one outcome and that was Brandon's meltdown. Personally, I would have **** long before that. I sit at home in the comfort of my Lazy-Boy chair, eating food, heater on, feet propped up as I watch the show and whenever Phil starts talking I start getting agitated and want to throw something. I don't approve with how Brandon handled things and put the Tribe in the middle of this sh*tstorm by dumping out their food. But I understand why he did what he did.

I did like that Brandon calling out Phil about the fact that Boston Rob carried him and that Phil doesn't possess any skills when it comes to the game of Survivor, which he doesn't. Now watch, Phil is gonna win the whole damn thing and make me look foolish for doubting him.

So long...

...Matt. Who? I didn't even know that was his name. I just referred to him as 'the guy with the ponytail beard'. This season has been weird for sure. I've never watched a season where I didn't know any of the players names and right now if you were to ask me to name just one person's name that is a Fan, I wouldn't be able to do so. With the twist this episode mixing up both Tribes, maybe I will learn a couple of names now. Probably not. This episode compared to last week was a bit of a letdown.

So long....

....Julia. Didn't learn her name till she was voted out and therein lies what's at fault with this season. None of the fans are interesting enough to learn and know more about. They are dull. And it's not just the Fans either. The bulk of the "Favorites" are just as boring and this season is slowly going down the crapper. Even Agent Phil, as good as he is for TV viewing, he is irritating as hell and I can't stand listening to him talk about how "awesome" he is. He sucks in every phase of the game. Those that do the selection process for the game are going to need to reevaluate what is a "Favorite" on the show for future All Star Editions because they really dropped the ball on this season.

So long...

...Corrine. Bummer. It wasn't that I was pulling for her to win it all. I wasn't. It's just that she was nice to look at every week. She wasn't annoying as well. Well, not annoying most of the time anyway. Certainly not on the level some of the other players are. But voting her off was absolutely the right move to make because it squashed an impending mutiny that would have decimated the current alliance. Knocking her off also "locks" Sherri as a vote they can count on down the road because she would be grateful to still be in the game. Well, that's the mindset that Phil and the rest are counting on. Sherri is going to have to step it up and not play scared and not fall prey to "just being grateful to still be in the game". Grab it and run with it.

Anyway, fantastic episode and infinitely better than last weeks. Why? The merge baby! Having them all together changes the dynamic and it takes the focus off of a certain annoying player (Phil). At least for the time being. Props to Cochran. He OWNED the food eating challenge. It wasn't even a contest. He was inhaling everything!!! I've missed the food challenges on the show. It went AWOL for a long long time. No idea why they decided to get away from that. It was one of the best parts about the show in its infancy. So glad they brought it back. Hopefully it's back full time from here on out with each new season of Survivor.

So long...

....Michael. Meh. It was the scared move to make in voting him off only because they couldn't come to an agreement in taking out one of the 3 bigger threat players. I loved that Michael flipped them all off as he was walking away from Tribal. I'm surprised more players don't do that. I know I would. One of the biggest moves I've ever seen happened during Tribal Council and that was Malcolm actually convincing Reynolds to give up his immunity to him. A) Malcolm is able to save his own Hidden Immunity Idol for later and B) we just how dumb Reynolds is. Who gives up an Idol? In the end, the move didn't affect the outcome since it was Michael that went home, but it will have a lasting effect throughout the remainder of the game.

Phil, as annoying and stupid as he appears to be, may in fact have a method to his madness. His rambling is what prompted Reynolds to use his Hidden Immunity Idol. So, I can't count Phil out of the game and he may in fact make it to the Final 3. Still remains to be seen if anyone would in fact vote for him to win it all. As for Dawn, the cracks and starting to widen with her and based on next week's preview, she is full-on meltdown mode....just like last time. Once again, I'm sure it has to do with the fact that no one votes the way she wants to vote. And since she was dead set on getting Malcolm off during this Tribal Council and he didn't get one vote is going to send Dawn off the deep end.

Loved that Brenda won the challenge. She was a rock and never once panic'd when the water was over her head. I would have been freaking out no doubt.

So long....

....Phil. Thank God!!!! I can't remember who said it, but he is in fact 'all talk and no action'. I wasn't surprised at all that he chose to sit out the immunity challenge because he has a "fear of being in the water". Yeah, right. No one believes your bullsh*t story that you kept telling people. You just didn't want anyone to come out and say that you're chicken sh*t. Anyway, I'm very curious to see how camp will be. Will the're be harmony now that he is gone, or will there be chaos as every one tries to assume control of the Tribe? Whatever happens, next week should be great. Loved the Tribal Council. It was epic that both Malcolm and Eddie played the Hidden Immunity Idols, both courtesy of Malcolm. The writing was on the wall who would get the boot. Hahahaha.

As for Dawn, I felt very bad for her. Meltdown after meltdown. I wasn't expecting her first meltdown to be the result of losing her retainer and that if she didn't find it, she would in fact walk off the show. Kinda shortsighted because her reason for that threat is that she didn't want anyone to know she wore a retainer. Um, if that's your motivation, maybe you shouldn't tell the cameraman just that. Now the WHOLE world knows.

So long....


....Maclcolm. As soon as it was a 3-way tie during Tribal Council between Mal, Reynolds and Andrea, I knew it would be Mal that would be going home. He is the biggest threat and there is no way anyone would or could pass up on the opportunity to take him out while they can. It sucks that he is gone as I had him pegged to make it to the final 3 with a serious shot at winning it all. Well, with him gone, I seriously think that Cochran can make a run for it and win it. But a lot of luck will have to come into play for him at the immunity challenge because he's not going to win on strength, that's for sure. He's gonna have to step up his game and start manipulating the hell out of the rest of the tribe.

So long....

....Reynolds and Andrea. There was no surprise at all when Reynolds gets the boot so it's not worth talking about. Andrea on the other hand had me on the edge of my seat. Great editing by the shows editor to keep me guessing to the very end as to who would be going home. Brenda or Andrea? I guess I should have seen it coming when Andrea kept talking about a 'Blindside' happening and that she would orchestrate Brenda being the one to go. It's fitting in how it all eventually played out as it did. I will miss seeing Andrea. She never annoyed me as most players do and she is so gorgeous. Hubba hubba.