Logan Saunders recaps episode 4 of Survivor: Ghost Island ahead of episode 5.
SURVIVOR: GHOST ISLAND EPISODE 4
YOUR POSITION IS SO LOW LOW THAT YOUR DOUBLE IMMUNITY BLUFF IS A NO GO FO SHO SHO
NAVITI
CHRIS
WENDELL
DOMENICK
ANGELA
DONATHAN
JAMES
LAUREL
LIBBY
MALOLO
BRENDAN
MICHAEL
STEPHANIE
JENNA
CHELSEA
DESIREE
BRADLEY
KELLYN
SEBASTIAN
Previously on Survivor: After a switch, the old Naviti alliance had an advantage on the Malolo tribe and Bradley was getting cocky. The Naviti tribe was facing Tribal Council, and with Chris at Ghost Island, Domenick, Morgan, and Wendell were ready to vote out one of their own due to the fact six days is not enough to solidify meaningful tribal unity. But the Malolo Four saw an opportunity to take out a major threat.
Seventeen are left, and Chelsea has yet to record a confessional; who will reverse the curse tonight?
NIGHT 9
Domenick asked what the hell happened. He congratulates everyone on the move and asks if they can discuss it. Donathan, Libby, and James decline the offer.
Wendell apologizes to Angela for trying to eliminate her.
ANGELA: A wolf is still a wolf when you take off your shep’s clothing.
Domenick takes Wendell aside to laugh about how they have made enemies with everybody including Angela and Chris permanently against them.
DOMENICK: A complete and utter disaster.
That about sums it up.
Dom reveals to Wendell that he has a real idol. . .soon to be two once the Legacy Idol is known in the morning.
Wendell is ready to work, bro. He’s ready to work and make something happen. Work work work.
DAY 7
Angela scratches a seventh marking in the tree and James has done squats. Domenick finds something buried deep in his bag.
DOMENICK: I must really reverse these curses.
Four rounds in a row of the line ‘reverse the curse’ being used. It’s the new ‘Power Couple’ drinking game from HHH.
DAY 8
REWARD CHALLENGE #2
Kellyn is visibly upset that Morgan has been eliminated. Chris’ eight pack returns to see Morgan is gone.
For today’s challenge, they will race out to retrieve a ring and race back to their flagpole while the other tribe tries to stop you any way they can. The first person to have one hand on the ring and one hand on the flapole scores a point for their tribe. First to three wins reward (but probably five points or best two-out-of-threes due to TV time constraints).
They are playing for a taste of home in the form of peanut butter, jelly, and ice cold milk.
FUN FACT: I do not eat peanut butter, jelly, or drink milk at home. So no, it’s just a taste of a bunch of random shit.
Chelsea gets her moment of the spotlight as she is sitting out of the Michaela Topless Challenge. I guess a woman is bound to sit out when this challenge is synonymous with a topless female Survivor contestant.
Somebody will go to Ghost Island from the losing tribe and be back in time for the immunity challenge.
FIRST MATCH-UP
CHRIS AND WENDELL VS. MICHAEL AND BRENDAN
Chris is the only one to swim out to the pole. He has the ring while Michael tries to chase. Chris tosses the ring to Wendell; Wendell grabs it and tosses it back to Chris. Wendell is held by Brendan and Michael as nobody can catch Chris. Chris scores.
NAVITI: 1 MALOLO: 0
SECOND MATCH-UP
LAUREL AND ANGELA VS. JENNA AND KELLYN
Laurel has the ring. Kellyn, Angela, and Jenna all have a hand on it. Laurel tries to power through Kellyn’s resistance to grab the pole, but Jenna is pulling everyone towards the Malolo pole. Angela activates Tiger Beast mode as she scores the point and has an odd hug with Laurel.
THIRD MATCH-UP
DOMENICK AND JAMES VS. SEBASTIAN AND BRADLEY
Sebastian has the ring, obviously. He throws it to Bradley who gets tied up by James. Sebastian tries to casually swim by and grab it, but it ain’t happening as James roars. Everone has a hand on it as Bradley and Sebastian both pull everyone to the orange pole.
NAVITI: 2 MALOLO: 1
FOURTH MATCH-UP
LAUREL AND LIBBY VS. STEPHANIE JOHNSON AND DESIREE
Yeah, Stephanie Johnson is going to crush Libby.
Laurel and Stephanie swim out to the ring. Laurel is pulling everyone until Desiree attempts to suffocate Laurel. Libby tries to reach with her petite arms to the pole but gives up on it. Desiree is using her whole body to shift momentum but Libby somehow recovers and scores the final point. Naviti wins reward!
NAVITI: 3 MALOLO: 1
Domenick says they’ll go consensus which is to go to rocks for everyone on the opposite tribe.
KELLYN: My biggest Survivor fear.
Picking a rock? It’s like Shahla & Nabeela’s fear of wooden popsicle sticks in TAR Canada 2.
PROBST: Really? The Survivor gods may be listening and you may be going.
**ROCK REVEAL**
Yep, Kellyn is going to Ghost Island. Instantaneous. Her blue bikini vanishes. She feels she is meant to go to Ghost Island.
GHOST ISLAND
DAY 10
Kellyn’s biggest fear wasn’t the rock–it’s actually being alone on an island.
GAME ON. FOLLOW THE FIRE.
Hooray, we finally get a game.
KELLYN: Walking into the fire. Not the greatest feeling.
Ask Skupin.
The game is to wager your next vote for a 50/50 shot at the next Survivor relic. The 5-4 voting advantage is too big for Kellyn to give up. She sure loves her old Naviti kin.
Kellyn talks about her “big freakin’ year” that she discussed pre-season mixed in with some tears.
NAVITI
DAY 10
Chris pulls Angela aside to get the lowdown on the previous Tribal Council. He immediately proposes they flip to the Malolo Four and split the vote between Domenick and Wendell at the next vote.
CHRIS: I like you, I like you, and I like myself.
Classic Chris.
LAUREL: I want to quit playing under the radar and want that to change. I don’t want to have that next to my name.
It’s day ten, Laurel. Why are you trying to play so hard right now?
Laurel leaks the current plans to Domenick, and they talk about going after Chris instead. Simultaneously, Donathan and Wendell are having the same discussion to go after Chris too.
In other news, all tribal lines are officially dead. Can somebody inform the nine players on new Malolo of this new development?
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE #4
DAY 12
Kellyn has rejoined Malolo without any sort of announcement.
For today’s challenge, they’ll climb over and into a bamboo cage in the water. They’ll dive down and untie a barrier in order to drag a heavy chest to shore. They’ll use a track on an elevated surface to transport the chest. Once done, they’ll open the chest to find five balls. All five balls must land on the ledge of an arch above them. FIrst tribe to land all five balls securely wins immunity.
Survivor: Caramoan for two-thirds of the challenge combined with a three-tribe challenge from Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X. It’s where Laura from Caramoan sucked at swimming so much that she got voted out.
Desiree is sitting out.
Survivors ready. . .Go!
Everyone swims out to the cage. You only get to start entering the cage until all eight of your tribemates are there.
PROBST: Chelsea is there. Go Malolo!
Two out of the last three challenges has involved Probst criticizing Chelsea’s performance, and the third being one where Chelsea sat out. Man, this is brutal.
Chris can’t open the door barrier for Naviti while Malolo has made it to shore with their chest. It has to be a solid five-minute lead as they have their chest on the track. Jenna’s bikini is blurred. They use a grappling hook to pull the centerpiece of track. Sebastian does it on his first try.
Naviti eventually gets on the track. They struggle with settling their chest into the track.
Malolo has opened the chest of balls as Wendell is useless with the grappling hook to snag the centerpiece.
Sebastian and Brendan are shooting balls. Sebastian has landed three balls.
Chris hooks the centerpiece. Wendell grabs Chris around the waist to help him reel in the centerpiece of the track.
CHRIS: C’mon! You’ve gotta help me! You guys…Someone’s gotta pull!
It’s funnier to see Chris and Wendell pull the rope alone. After hesitating, the other six finally grab the rope to help pull.
Brendan tries to land the fourth ball but ends up knocking down the third ball in the process. Now the lead is only two balls.
James roars as Naviti opens the chest. Chris and Wendell are frantically throwing up balls.
Brendan has the fourth ball as Chris gets the first. Sebastian keeps trying and trying as Chris and Wendell put two more up. They cancel another two out as Wendell knocks it off.
Chris gets a third then a fourth. Now it’s 4-4. It is intense. On and off. On and off.
Brendan takes over the final ball and barely misses as Chris has the final ball. THE ENTIRE TRIBE TACKLES CHRIS TO THE GROUND IN THE BIGGEST SURVIVOR DOGPILE I HAVE EVER SEEN!
Probst uses this as yet another lesson that you never give up on Survivor. Kellyn is very happy she didn’t play for the advantage at Ghost Island as she vows old Naviti will stick together as a group of five on new Malolo.
MALOLO
DAY 12
BRENDAN: We crushed ’em for nine-tenths of the challenge…It confirmed what I know about this group which is we are better than they are. We just didn’t close it out today.
Would you say you’re one of the best tribes ever, Brendan? Sounds like your buddy Jacob after a loss.
BRADLEY: I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face because we have the power tonight. I’m trying to play like a Boston Rob or Kim Spradlin…someone who is in power and is in control and just need to keep the ducks in a row.
Stephanie pitches Bradley that she wants to stay. Bradley essentially responds with that he couldn’t give less of a f–k about the single mom lipstick Iron Man athlete. Stephanie writes the word ‘Hope’ into the sand.
It should be noted that Hope from Caramoan had more confessionals than Chelsea at this point in the season.
Kellyn, Brad, Chelsea, Sebastian, and Desiree strategize and holy crap Chelsea speaks. She wants to go for one of the guys because if old Malolo has an idol then they will play it for who they think old Naviti would target.
Desiree wants to vote Brendan but Brad disagrees because he is docile and a poor leader.
BRAD: He’s like a dad who gives terrible pep talks…Michael is a strong guy and they won’t see it coming. Thinking about every single detail is what will make me a great lawyer. It’s what I do.
Sebastian is casually playing with his hair as everyone else is making decisions.
SEBASTIAN: Michael and Brendan are like helpless penguins on a tropical island and that scares me because I am a big boy too, but for now I am gonna go with the flow because the Malolo can go no further low than the Malolo low.
Did anyone else read this confessional in the floRida tone of voice?
Michael and Brendan talk about their paranoia and worry about how to play the idol. They talk about it with Stephanie and Jenna to preserve their trust. Michael informs them it is now a twenty-five percent chance but wants to enhance it by pulling the idol out in the middle of Tribal Council to use it as a tool to flip Sebastian or Chelsea to eliminate Bradley.
Michael really doesn’t act like a lot of eighteen-year-olds you expect would on Survivor, including Will Wahl. This isn’t about building a resume–it’s just keeping your team together long term and not lose a crucial soldier in the army.
MICHAEL: The biggest mistake in Survivor history was James not playing his two idols.
The biggest mistake was actually letting Mel White play a couple years ago in that season which was never allowed to air on American television. I can’t believe he found a way to die during a challenge by day four!
TRIBAL COUNCIL #4
(GONZALEZ)-(JACOB)-(MORGAN)
X
(BRADLEY)-(BRENDAN)-(CHELSEA)-(DESIREE)-(JENNA)-(KELLYN)-(iMICHAELi)-(SEBASTIAN)-(STEPHANIE)
Look at those fiery eyeballs.
Torches are dipped into the fire by Naviti. Everyone has attended TC except Chris.
For the second TC in a row, we hear about old Naviti old numbers. Desiree knows the whole situation was awkward. Stephanie points the finger at Bradley for holding the alliance together.
BRADLEY: I have been sensing irritation all day. . .I have been talking to them all day like a babysitter.
Oh man. This guy is killing me.
Michael says Chelsea and Sebastian are at the bottom of the five. Brendan piles onto this thought, specifically with Sebastian. Bradley responds the alliance of five likes each other and enjoys working together.
KELLYN: We know they’re going to throw spit at the wall but it’s not gonna stick right now. We’re not dumb. It’s a us versus them mentality.
Desiree talks about it being simple while Michael pulls an idol out saying it’s not simple.
MICHAEL: James has been cursed for eleven years. Now it’s my responsibility to reverse the curse. This has double power to save two people tonight. Double immunity. I’m playing it for two of the four of us. We’re all going to vote for Bradley. Feel free to join us.
I am getting very Three Amigo flashbacks. There is a scapegoat established. Michael and Kellyn are in their war of words as Sebastian plays with his tongue and Chelsea sits silently. Why isn’t a single question directed towards Chelsea???
Michael is very well-spoken as he doesn’t want Chelsea or Sebastian to regret making the move. It’s now time to vote.
Stephanie votes Bradley.
STEPHANIE: I have never heard a grown man whine and complain as much as you.
Should we call him the whingleader?
SEBASTIAN (voting unknown): I don’t know what just happened.
More like you don’t know what is -going- to happen.
MICHAEL (to BRENDAN): I think it’s Stephanie.
BRENDAN: . . .
Probst comes back with the votes.
Michael walks up to the podium.
MICHAEL: I am going to play this guy for me and Brendan. . .actually, I’m here to play it for Steph.
(BRENDAN swallows.)
PROBST: OK.
FIRST VOTE: BRADLEY
SECOND VOTE: BRADLEY
THIRD VOTE: BRADLEY
FOURTH VOTE: BRADLEY
FIFTH VOTE: BRENDAN
SIXTH VOTE: BRENDON
SEVENTH VOTE: BRENDEN ———->
EIGHTH VOTE: BRENDAN
LAST VOTE: BRENDAN
Michael rubs Brendan’s shoulder. Brendan tells his buddies to keep pressin’ and they’ll find a way…or just hold off until the next swap in ten minutes.
Bradley gets his way as Brendan is out. Chelsea correctly read that Malolo would overthink it and protect one of the women in their alliance. Oh well. It’s tough to play an idol correctly given everyone is aware of all of the different ways somebody can target a player on your tribe.
Next Time on Survivor: Building strong bonds and fostering trust, keep your head above water.
Brendan is disappointed that he was gone early after applying for sixteen years. It’s a classic case of being swap screwed. Nobody ever thought this would be the scenario under which Brendan would go home.
I don’t know what it is about the fourth episode in Survivor, but this is the fourth season in a row where an idol has been played at the fourth Tribal Council.
Because Ashley’s face wasn’t there to read (or a 50/50 coin flip rather than a 25/25/25/25) it didn’t prove to be effective.
After a swap where the original members opt to stick together, voting strategy with an idol in play has been used at every angle that it’s just a matter of rolling the dice unless somebody in the majority has a really obvious tell like it’s a game of Punchout for the NES. Is Bradley gonna raise his eyebrows when you say a name? Will Desiree wink? Will Sebastian’s hair start rolling up and down?
Go for who you think is least likely to have an idol played on them.
Go for who you think is the glue of the alliance of four.
Go for who you think is the least threatening.
Go for who is the most likable in the game.
Go for who is the strongest.
If you’re Michael, you just have to sigh and roll the dice–hoping for the best.
If New Naviti had made it clear that old Naviti as a whole is done, perhaps Chelsea or Sebastian would have flipped. Or maybe they just like their five because they all got along in the first six days anyway, and don’t give a damn where old Naviti is at when the merge hits.
That is the most surprising thing about the season thus far. The original tribes were together for only six days, but old tribal lines stuck together for everyone except old Naviti on the new Naviti tribe. Next round will already mean that the new tribes have been together longer than the old tribes. New Naviti is the closest to embracing their new tribal identity while new Malolo couldn’t be further away.
Neither challenge was particularly unique this week as many elements from Millennials vs. Gen X was seen. Wendell grabbing Chris’ waist to pull the rope while nobody else helps will always crack me up. The reward challenge was relatively stale to watch, by the way.
Laurel, Donathan, Wendell, and Domenick seem to be the new dominant alliance of Naviti. I am curious to see how long this crew can stay together.
New Malolo is interesting. Chelsea and Sebastian seem like very loyal people. I can’t see them budging. However, if James’ second idol is buried at camp, I definitely see Stephanie digging it up. Bradley should be going home within the next couple episodes somehow, and an idol’ing would be the most satisfying way for the general audience.
Naviti winning tribal immunity guarantees Domenick is safe for a while. Two idols to play within the next four rounds means we are seeing him for a while.
One guy we won’t be seeing is Brendan. If Brendan had got on Survivor sixteen years ago, he would definitely be the type of player to make it to the end. Sadly, a discussion as to the best course of action to dodge the idol resulted in Brendan not being able to dodge the vote. Other than landing the final ball in the immunity challenge, there is nothing else he could have done.
And what’s with people being voted out shortly after saying they are on the best tribe ever? Especially when the tribe has now lost every challenge except the first reward and the third immunity challenge?
Lastly, all twenty players have now recorded a confessional. Chelsea reversed the curse of those who almost always go home if they don’t get a confessional until episode four. Probst is really burying her which points to her going very soon as well.
I expect Chris to be eliminated from Naviti as well as Bradley and Chelsea from Malolo. Then we hit the merge.
Now watch that prediction be wrong.
P.S. I would’ve made a relevant BBCAN 6 joke by now…but BBCAN 5 was a bad enough season that I just couldn’t bring myself to watching more than ten minutes of the first episode of the new season. Sorry guys. We need to stop using returnees in new franchises that still have extremely close-knit alumni. :/
