Logan Saunders recaps episode 12 of Survivor South Africa: Philippines ahead of episode 13.
SURVIVOR SOUTH AFRICA: PHILIPPINES Episode 12: “KAPEEKAY ISLAND AND BIO-STRATH ISLAND”
Previously on Survivor SA: Tensions at camp were running high as Toni and PK scrambled within the majority alliance. But the alliance already had their next target lined up. Palesa won the reward challenge and her victory led to a lifeline in the form of a hidden immunity idol. She picked Tom to join her on the reward and had one request. Tom did not reveal the alliance’s plan and Palesa was blindsided at Tribal Council.
Seven are left; who will be voted out tonight?
AROO
NIGHT 29
PK: Guys what in the hell happened tonight?
Nothing, sadly. Nothing.
JEANNE: Because we knew Palesa didn’t have an idol and she gets close to winning challenges.
Man. Palesa’s idol may go down as the most secretive idol in Survivor history. No one knew it went home with her in her pocket.
Werner says tonight’s Tribal Council taught him nothing new. Toni is laying down in the shelter frustrated. It’s like she is on Freud’s couch.
TONI: Every time you guys have told me to do something, I have freakin’ done it. The only people lying around here have been all of you guys. . .I am with the liar around here.
Werner expects Toni to crack the alliance.
WERNER: Those days to break through the walls have expired.
Werner is coming off beyond confident in confessionals now. He expects his alliance to never ever break. Dude thinks he is coasting like Ned Flanders in church–couldn’t be more relaxed.
Full intro time.
ANNALIZE
JEANNE
KATINKA
PK
TOM
TONI
WERNER
We desperately need a hero to win out this episode.
Toni and Werner sit with their eight eyes at the fire. Toni tells Werner she will write down PK’s name down “because I said it’s what I’m gonna do.” Werner yawns and looks bored.
TONI: I played with the wrong people. Especially Werner. . .I chose the wrong bed.
That realization came about four rounds too late. That’s the beauty of Survivor. Hindsight is 20/20 Barbara Walters.
Toni’s plan is to get herself, PK, Annalize, and Jeanne to take control of the game.
NOTE: I absolutely adore Toni, but her awareness of how tight NuLuzon are has gone over her head. Jeanne, Werner, Annalize, and Katinka may be a rare tribe in the 3-tribe format to go all the way to the end together.
WERNER: The only concern I have is breaking [Toni’s] heart. . .I can’t see her breaking my game. An idol does nothing.
True. 3-2-2 split negates an idol no matter what.
Annalize and Werner talk about Jeanne’s superior public speaking skills at Tribal Council. Werner is paranoid. Annalize talks Werner off the ledge from wanting to boot Jeanne. Annalize points out that Jeanne hasn’t made too many friends.
I honestly can’t think of a scene where Jeanne has interacted with Vusi, Palesa, or Chane. In fact, she repeatedly yelled at them at Tribal Council for refusing to befriend Tom.
Werner and Tom are talking on the beach. Werner tells him his concerns about Jeanne being a “gamer” and would like to eliminate Jeanne at five. Tom proposes to Final Three.
TOM: Do you want to go to Final Three?
WERNER: Final Three.
TOM: With me?
WERNER: With you. And Katinka.
TOM: I now want you to tell me you’ll go to Final Three with me and Katinka.
WERNER: I will go to the Final Three with you and Katinka.
TOM (confessional): I like the way he plays. He does play with a bit of integrity.
Much like Survivor NZ with Matt, I expect a colossal downfall for Werner.
Toni reads Tess’ Mailbox–it’s for reward AND immunity. She is pissed off because it is not enough time to connect with people to overthrow Werner. She now knows how Kathy Vavrick O’Brien felt during the single-day boot of Survivor: All Stars.
DAY 30
INDIVIDUAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE #4
Each person will cross a series of balance beams then collect their own individual stack of blocks with pictures of them and carry them back to the start. They must memorize the stacking sequence. First person to do so wins immunity.
Given there are just nine blocks, I presume this challenge will be done within 15-20 minutes. The course isn’t that long.
Person who wins this challenge will be treated to a restaurant experience. SHOW ME POTATO SALAD! Cocktails and steaks. No Steers though so I assume that shit ain’t flame-grilled. Is it even worth it?
Survivors ready. . .Go!
It’s a virtual seven-way tie as everyone is collecting three to four blocks. Werner struggles with the see-saw. So is PK.
Werner already transported all nine blocks. Katinka is second in what I presume is a couple minutes lead. Toni eventually brings back her remaining five blocks.
PK has only transported two of his nine blocks.
Werner calls for Nico! Only one wrong block is shown on screen.
NICO: Some of your blocks are the wrong way around. They have to be exactly the same!
That makes it a little tougher.
Werner is confused and runs to the other end. Tom quickly puts his nine blocks together.
TOM: TOM!
He called his own name instead of Nico. Hilarious. Nico comes over and TOM WINS IMMUNITY!
Toni. Katinka. Werner. Tom. Not Palesa.
Werner was so close to going from cruise control to DO WHATEVER THE HELL HE WANTS.
NICO: You also win reward.
TOM: Do I get to choose somebody to go with me?
NICO: Are you pre-empting this? Are you the host or me?
TOM: There’s so much power to it that I overstep my boundary when wearing this.
I love it when Survivor breaks the fourth wall. Anything that isn’t a team-based reward automatically involves choosing someone to join you on reward. The only person who probably doesn’t know this is Tess or Katinka.
Tom takes a knee like Silas.
TOM: Jeanne, you stood up for me in front of an entire nation. Would you like to join me for dinner?
JEANNE: Yes. Just get off your knees bro.
NICO: Thought it was a marriage proposal.
JEANNE: I was scared.
TOM: It was close.
That would’ve made the episode memorable. Perhaps PK is an ordained minister? Or are child marriages involving a 13 and a half year old boy also illegal?
Tom can pick another person. He chooses Werner who gets mocked for incorrectly rotating the eagle symbol.
Nico tells Tom to pic two people to go to Exile Island.
JEANNE: Exile Island?! When did we get one of those?!
As long as it’s not a yacht John Cochran. I hear that’s the real punishment for impromptu Exile Islands.
Annalize and Toni are chosen to go to Exile Island. PK and Katinka have no choice but to head back to camp in an uneventful manner.
REWARD ISLAND
DAY 30
Yes, it is the actual graphic they use.
Tom sits Jeanne and Werner in their seats. Jeanne describes a food reward as a bucket list item which is fitting because there are actual buckets of food.
Werner says this is the perfect opportunity to align his game to the end.
Werner is sober. Tom and Jeanne? Not so much. Werner fully intends to
JEANNE: Gin and juice!
Laid back
With her mind on 5th place
And 5th place on her mind
Tom fears PK finding an idol and sent him back to camp with Katinka. Werner and Jeanne agree that was smart. They talk about the mystery of Exile Island, and want Annalize to keep an eye on Toni.
JEANNE: The worst thing that could happen on Exile Island is that Annalize gets tired of Toni that she stabs Toni in the face.
Toni will be medically evacuated and Annalize will be arrested. Perhaps the unexpected eliminations will trigger a guaranteed Final Two scenario!
EXILE ISLAND
DAY 30
There is buried treasure that will give them an advantage in the game and something that will give them stamina and energy.
After a lengthy search up a rocky mountain they find a balcony with beautiful fruits and BIO-STRATH.
ANNALIZE: Bio-Strath which was from a reward before and was really amazing. . .we thought we died and had gone to Heaven.
TONI: Seafood. Forget about the freakin thing we are looking for now! We have fruit and Bio-Strath too! I will drink the whole bottle with the way I am feeling!
Jesus Christ. If it’s not Steers, it’s Bio-Strath. And vice versa.
As they eat an orange laced with Bio-Strath, they contemplate where and what the advantage could be.
Toni finds the brown treasure box underneath the balcony. Not much of a search. It gives each of them a pointless EXTRA VOTE at Tribal Council. Yeah, it is a pointless reward.
TONI: It makes us two become three.
Annalize talks Toni into not using the reward because seven is too many to make a difference.
AROO
DAY 30
PK tells Katinka he shook his head at Tom when he was looking at him as a choice for Exile Island.
Apparently PK and Katinka get along since day one. They start dancing and bumping butts. I was not expecting that.
PK: It’s the perfect opportunity to get into this girl’s head and heart.
Let the games of manipulation to finally make the post-merge exciting commence!
REWARD ISLAND
DAY 30
JEANNE (drunk to TOM): So for me the only reason I can’t promise you four is because I have already promised other people four. . .and I know how much your word means.
Never. Drink. Gin and Juice on Survivor.
In a sober confessional, Jeanne reiterates this.
JEANNE (confessional): Werner and I never promised him anything but Final Five. . .I know he is looking at the jury and knows he won’t be getting a million Rand.
JEANNE (drunk to TOM): I can promise you a single one isn’t giving you a single vote. . .Not a single vote. Ha. What a way to piss off the jury!
Jeanne refers to herself as Werner’s Mafia wife. I just. . .I just can’t picture Jeanne as Diane Keaton. It’s a gigantic leap for me to make.
KAPEEKAY ISLAND
DAY 30
Again, this is the real title that was used.
PK talks to Katinka openly about taking Tom to the Final Three with Werner. He congratulates Katinka on having a solid game plan. Katinka presses PK on making sure she has his vote on day 39.
Katinka tells PK that Werner is the only person who knows about this plan. PK is happy to hear all of this information. PK is willing to make a deal where he writes down whatever name Katinka wants tonight then eliminate Jeanne after that.
Or what about eliminating Jeanne tonight?
PK rats out Toni for trying to get new numbers together to overthrow the alliance.
PK: Hook, line, and sinker. I’ve caught myself a fish.
Dude. You haven’t even been to Tribal Council yet.
EXILE ISLAND
DAY 30
Toni celebrates in a confessional about being in a threesome. WHAT IS GOING ON AT EXILE ISLAND?!
Toni assumes the people on reward are going to eliminate PK. Annalize plays along.
ANNALIZE (confessional): I think they’re voting for Toni. . .she’s got too many plans and fingers and I lose halfway through. . .I think I’ll vote PK tonight just to get her vote then she can go next time.
Toni tells Annalize she’ll have the advantage in her hat and if she goes home she’ll leave her hat at camp for Annalize to take it. It’s the Legacy Pointless Extra Vote.
Annalize hopes everyone else will vote against Toni then she can vote PK and snag the extra vote.
REWARD ISLAND
DAY 30
They see a Tree Mail at the reward. There is initial paranoia about it being an idol clue but realize it expires at five anyway.
Werner reads they go straight to Tribal Council from reward.
TOM: It’s quite a relief.
WENER: . . .
JEANNE: It’s so lovely! I get to sit in this comfy chair. I’m going to drink the rest of this gin. I’m going into Tribal lit.
TOM: Trashed!
WERNER: . . .
JEANNE: Ha!
They decide PK should be voted out tonight. After PK it will be Toni. All three are down.
JEANNE: Let’s go write somebody’s name down!
Now let’s see if their votes will be legible after the abundance of gin.
TRIBAL COUNCIL #12
(SEAMUS)-(NEIL)-(STACEY)-(ACE)-(MURISCHA)-(MATTHEW’S ANUS)-(TEVIN)-(JOSIE)
(VUSI)-(CHANE)-(PALESA)
X
(ANNALIZE)-(JEANNE)-(KATINKA)-(PK)-(*TOM*)-(vTONIv)-(iWERNERi)
Katinka mouths the word “Toni” as everyone walks in. She has chosen her target. The Queenpin.
Jury walks in.
NICO: And Palesa.
(PALESA glares at TOM and his talisman.)
TOM: So. Doesn’t look impressed.
Palesa is like the Georges St. Pierre of the jury. Not impressed. . .by his performance.
Jeanne whispers to Werner that the girls are voting Toni. Jeanne whispers this to Tom too.
This twist is doing the exact opposite of what producers wanted–instead of shaking things up, it is forcing everyone to play it safe.
PK: Katinka didn’t spill the beans.
KATINKA: I only burned some beans while cooking them but didn’t spill them.
I’m surprised Toni didn’t mock Katinka for this.
Nico wants to know about the “girls’ afternoon away”. Toni said the fish in the ocean were looking at her funny.
JEANNE: What did you smoke on the island?
Yes, instead of idols we had a big bag o’ weed–the best reward yet!
Nico asks everyone about their level of paranoia when people can strategize without anyone else being able to witness it. He wants to keep stirring it up.
Tom doesn’t feel confident and is working harder than ever before. He compares it to “crocodiling”.
NICO: Toni, are you worried about The Others?
It’s like a freakin’ horror flick. Are we about to have a zombie invasion or Wildlings.
Right before we vote, we get a lecture from Nico.
NICO: Here’s the thing: Every single person sitting here can be at the Final Tribal Council. . .at some point you’re going to have to fight tooth and nail for it. You’re not going to coast your way to the end. It doesn’t work that way. . .if you make a mistake, there’s no turning back.
Production is -desperate- for the alliance of five to break up sooner rather than later.
We vote. No votes are shown sadly. No extra vote is used. Nico retrieves the urn without tallying them beforehand.
Would anybody like to play an idol? Nope. Werner remains stoic.
.
.
.
FIRST VOTE: (PK)
SECOND VOTE: (PK)
THIRD VOTE: (T<3NI)
FOURTH VOTE: (TONI)
2-2.
FIFTH VOTE: (TONI)
NEXT VOTE: (TONI LEGEND)
TONI: Guys, don’t trust Werner. He’s all promised you something. Snake.
Toni’s extra vote remains under her seat.
TONI: PK and Annalize, love you guys.
And away she goes.
NICO: You are not playing as polite as you claim.
Annalize retrieves the extra vote.
Next Time on Survivor SA: Tom and PK open a can of whoop ass.
TONI: I feel like I’m the only person who has been playing the game the past few days.
Sadly she needed to really start playing just before it to make anything happen before it was too late.
*
Production was desperate for a shake-up. Single day boot. Sequester the seven players between three different locations. Throw in a Pointless Extra Vote.
What production didn’t factor in is that twists like this typically make everyone too scared “to play” and retract by making the safest move possible. This meant Toni had to go home tonight in case PK found an idol at KaPeekay Island.
*
This episode had a weak challenge and saw various clusters of people create very close bonds. We also saw the demise of Jeanne’s game as she is waaaaay too comfortable. You know someone is too comfortable when they are front-stabbing their own alliance member two eliminations in advance. It is very much a “I believe Neleh and Paschal are rooting for my own success” moment. No way can Jeanne make Final Three when her own desired boot order is made public.
Seeing Katinka bond with a possible future juror really boosts her chances of winning. Annalize did the same thing. The end of the season could really come down to a battle between Annalize and Katinka.
Something tells me PK will go home next, Jeanne will go at five, and Werner will go at four. I think what would make the second half of Survivor South Africa worthwhile if Tom wins at the end of the game. When you factor in that Tom was supposed to go home about six different times pre-merge, found himself in a majority where they said “by the way you are going home in 5th place you cool with that, bro?” then work his way into a F3 spot with a consistent method of game-play may be enough to receive respect from the jury.
Yes, Chane, Vusi, and Palesa hate him NOW but Werner, Jeanne, and Katinka may frustrate them so damn much that by day 39 the pendulum could swing in the other direction.
