OK, let’s backtrack and do a quick shout out to last week’s bootee, Coby Archa for this most excellent quote in his Advocate.com interview
OK, now on to this week’s circus…
Just checking in.
The previews say whoever loses a certain challenge will be sent to live by themselves on another island, and it looks like some sort of endurance challenge, laying underwater and holding onto bars with just their face above the surface. I think Janu will be first out. She seems very weak physically, at this point.
But… in the previews, it shows a person in shadow sitting alone (with the VO saying the loser will be banished), and it’s very obviously Tom. I think Tom could last forever in that thing it shows them doing. I seriously doubt the Promo Monkeys (thanks, rockle!) would show us the loser so blatently like that, so it’s gotta be a red herring.
First, I “borrowed” Promo Monkeys from somewhere else, but I don’t remember where (maybe TWoP? - or else Dave Barry, from whom I steal most of my best material). However, I will still gladly take the credit for introducing it here. 
Now then, about that challenge … I think you are absolutely right. It must be a red herring. Right? Unless, if it is Tom, then he was thinking about what I said last week: that he might as well “throw” a few challenges while he still has the numbers to keep himself alive, so that Future Members of the Jury don’t start hatin’ because Tom is such an Immunity Machine.
Or am I deranged because I am so in lurve with Dolphin Boy?
Is acmebraintrust down? I’m jonesing for some spoilers. Does anyone here have any? (Box them, of course)
I didn’t look that hard at the previews ('cause I couldn’t take my attention away from my mac & cheese during Amazing Race this week), but what I did see definitely looked like Tom. It also looked like a shot from the Koror beach.
If it’s an endurance challenge, Janu certainly doesn’t have much left in her. But if it’s breath-holding, who knows? She may have great lungs. Exiling Janu might be the cruelest thing ever done in Survivor history–she can barely stand up, let alone fend for herself.
Are they sending the loser to Ulong’s beach? At least there’s a pre-made shelter.
And just because I haven’t mentioned him yet, I love Ian.
You want spoilers? I gotcher spoilers, baby!
It’ll come as no surprise that it’s Janu tonight. The “exile” is supposed to only last one night, though. I’ve got spoilers up to the final two, if you’re interested (along with an alternate theory that’s just starting to be floated).
I don’t think he’d throw an IC. The promos say the winner gets immunity and the first one to quit or get out is exiled.
So, how does everyone feel about Ian? Any one here like him?
Doesn’t he just get cuter every week? 
Oh, from what I hear, he’s a brat. Leave him to me. I’ll give him a spanking.
singular1: I am interested in the alternate theory. (I’ve heard some of the rumors re: F2.) Please email me.
I’m predicting the exile is only for the time between reward challenge and immunity challenge, and hence not nearly as big a deal as it’s being made out to be.
I gotta say…this episode was some compelling television!
Stephanie’s speech at tribal counsel was pretty interesting. I think she’s feeling a bit worn down emotionally. I know some people are probably going to think she was being whiny and trying to play the poor me card but I don’t think that’s it. I think she was very frustrated and let her emotions get the best of her.
Best. Tribal. Council. EVER.
I’ll admit, Stephenie completely made me tear up. I just can’t watch someone genuinely cry like that.
Peachy totally talked Janu into quitting.
If Janu hadn’t quit, I’m betting Stephenie would’ve gone postal and taken out Tom, Ian, and Gregg. And they’d have deserved it.
Word! Best season of Survivor ever too.
I am trying to decide how I feel about Stephenie tonight. On the one hand, she is such a tough cookie, and I really want to like her. I would like for her to do well. On the other hand, I think that maybe she needs to get a grip, just a little. I don’t doubt her commitment to the game one bit. Problem is? Talk like that gets your ass booted ASAP. And when you tear up and break down in the face of pressure like that, it almost makes it easier to write your name on that paper. They’d be doing it for “her own good.” PTSD is not becoming.
So, Stephenie had better win immunity next week, or she is out of there, I think. She has not shown herself to be a master strategist – or even an apprentice, really. Not much of an advance thinker, that one. And while the women currently outnumber the men, 4-3, you know that at least one of the remaining women (hello, Katie!) (also, Jenn!) is a coattail-riding succubus who will try to follow the Immunity Machines to the Final 2. The only way a women vs. men strategy will work is if one of the women wins immunity next.
Or, perhaps I am crazy. I will say this: big ups to Ian, for calling Janu out at TC while remaining so terribly diplomatic about it. “Hey, if you want to lay down your torch, that option is always open to you … we’re not going to force you to stay.” Which, he totally meant the opposite: “Put up, or shut up.” Tee hee. Cute, and resolute! I like that in a Reality TV Boyfriend.
Sorry, I don’t see that. As far as she knew, she was going to get booted that night…and she would have been. She had literally nothing to lose.
Maybe. Maybe not. She didn’t have a lot of faith in her alliance with Tom, Ian, and Katie, did she? That certainly didn’t help things. But, then again, I have always said I have an excellent view from here in the cheap seats.
Go Janu! She was right that half of her team were being phony. Katie and Ian were total jerks and very snarky when she dropped out the challenge. It’s possible they were getting even because she ate their dessert, but they didn’t have to be that rude. I’m glad Jeff called them on it too.
I’m also glad Janu didn’t break down when she went to the other island. She looked liberated from the emotional war her tribe mates were waging on her.
I love it when people have the courage to stand up for their beliefs or follow their heart. Janu finally followed her heart-- possibly making the biggest power play of the game.
Yeah but Ian lied to her face and she called him on it and he had nothing. Her only choice was to create drama at tribal counsel. I, too, worry that one of the girls will stab her in the back next week if things go down the way they’ve been portrayed on the previews.
I agree that her breakdown shows weakness to the other tribe members. It could have ultimately have been a mistake but I think if she hadn’t done that, Janu would have sat there and been safe and would have been completely shocked again.
I don’t think the tribe set out to hate Janu, I think she brought it upon herself. If you are in Survivor and all you intend to do is lay in a hammock while everyone else works you are going to become extremely unpopular.