Wow. I thought LJ was a fool to not play the idol, but he must’ve had some better insight into the switch. Big blind side. But LJ is certainly one of the most likable players this season, so good to see him staying.
I have mixed feelings about the semi-merge in cases like this. It throws a completely random game changer into the mix, so that it’s no longer about Outplay Outsmart Outlast, but “Be Lucky”.
I was positive LJ was gone when he didn’t play the idol. I thought Tony’s last comment (“This is where we’ll see if we move forward as a team, or step back and move in a different direction with another team.”) was a fake-out to get LJ not to play his idol.
Now in retrospect, I realize that Tony had no idea that LJ has an idol, so that really was Tony confirming to his new alliance to write Cliff’s name down.
Excellent blindside. I love being surprised by them.
Sad to see Cliff go. Loved his game when he was with the Pistons. Don’t like Tony (not that I’m supposed to) but still think he showed his hand too soon. Disappointed in the Beauties; keep the hotties around! Why does everyone this season want to vote off strong players while still doing team challenges? Why didn’t they have Tasha hold onto the pole in the third round? Puzzle log = sweet! Check out CBS.com for Busty Girl’s assessment of her place in the new tribe. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, lady.
Sorry for the stream of consciousness there. Late.
On the contrary, this season has been remarkably unusual in that the none of the hotties have been voted off yet. Most seasons there are maybe two hot chicks and it’s a miracle if either of them make it to the third episode.
Ah for the days of Parvati and Hot Amanda…
Did not like the reward challenge other than the gratuitous T&A. I just don’t think violent challenges are appropriate. Too much risk for people getting hurt.
Plus who didn’t think Cliff’s team was going to win?
The Brains tribe have gone from the outhouse to the penthouse. The 3 beauties just self destructed and sold each other out. I wondering if the Brains musing about the final three at the beginning of the episode was a bit of foreshadowing? (I have not read any spoilers)
And from the previews it looks like:
Medusa (Lindsey?) has a melt down after arguing/fighting with the Cougar from Boston
I like Lindsey a lot more than I did at the start, and Trish less. It’s probably a vain hope but I hope that somehow the alliances in that tribe get tossed up.
I wish they’d done a better job of mixing up the buffs on the tray – seems like the new tribes were divided damn close to the order they picked buffs. How could two of the tribes remained so intact otherwise?
'Twill be interesting to see what happens with the brains now, though.
Sheer luck. The buffs were arrayed in a tray so that the survivors could choose any they wished.
There is no such thing as gratuitous T&A.
The Hot Girls just might be a factor again. Yea!
After some of the previous seasons, I’m quite sure there were very strict rules in place to control the violence.
Theoretically, but I watched the first three (Brains) picks, and they picked up three adjacent buffs.
Sure, but they could have picked from anywhere in the box, and several did. Still random, even if the producers laid the buffs out in a pattern, which I’m sure they did. Makes for better TV.
I just rewatched that section and Cass and to a greater extent Tasha dug below the first level of buffs for ones on the bottom of the bowl.
Okay. Guess I was wrong.
Can we discuss the moon landing now? 
Only if thats where the Malaysia airplane landed.
I don’t like Trish. On the other hand, I can’t STAND Lindsey. So I’m okay with Lindsey going next, even if it’s at the instigation of Trish.
I was surprised as anyone by LJ surviving TC without playing his idol, but that’s pretty much because the editors left something on the cutting room floor to trick the viewers – which is not how the show should be edited, IMHO. No how, no way does he not play the Immunity Idol given the comments made during tribal council, no matter how much assurance Trish gave him beforehand. He had to have known something more.
I liked Cliff and am disappointed to see him go… but I really like LJ, so happy with the outcome.
FWIW, I bumped into Cliff at an NBA event back when he was an All Star with the Trailblazers… and he came off as something of a self-entitled ass. But struck me as a pretty good dude on the Survivor. Nice to see age/maturity perhaps transforming someone.
Sure, send me the video 