Survivor Phillipines -- An In-Zane Strategy

First off, I can only hope people watching Survivor on my local CBS affiliate called the knuckleheads up and gave them what-for for what they did during the airing of the show. What did they do? Right in the middle of the immunity challenge they cut away to show commercials. They didn't return to the show until the immunity challenge was pretty much over. Then when the real commercial break happened, they replayed the stupid commercials they had played when they had cut away from the immunity challenge.

Anyway, the new edition of Survivor debuted featuring three returning players who had to leave the show for medical reasons and two celebrities hoping to keep their real identities from the other castaways. There is no Redemption Island this session, so when you're gone you are gone. The teams were also already split up into three tribes. There is thankfully no old vs. young or men vs. women. The tribes seem pretty evenly divided. This actually looks like it's going to an interesting edition.

The teams were divided into red, blue and yellow and the show gave them a name, opposed to the castaways thinking up their own name for their tribe.

The blue team is names Masting and the following castaways are on it:

Angie

Zane

Denise

Roxy

Malcolm

Russell

The red team is named Kalabaw and the members of that team are:

Jonathan

Dana

Dawson

Carter

Katie

Jeff

And the yellow team is named Tandang and the members of their team are:

Michael

Abi-Maria

RC

Artis

Lisa

Peter

The two former celebrities that hope no one will recognize them are Lisa who played Blair on the Facts of Life and I can't honestly believe she wanted to come on this show. And Jeff who is a former major league baseball player.

The three former Survivor contestants are: Russell who passed out and had to be removed from the game. Jonathan who got a bad infection. And Michael who burned himself.

Jeff tells all the players on the ship they have 60 seconds to grab what they can of supplies then untie their raft and abandon the ship so their adventure can begin. Lisa's hope to go unrecognized turns out to be a vain hope as Michael recognizes her right off, but doesn't tell anyone else he knows who she is. Somehow as Jeff is cutting the Red Team's raft free he falls with it and hurts his knee, but he tries to hide how bad he injured himself for fear it'll put a giant target on his back.

I have to say Russell of the Blue Team is one crazy and delusional dude. He proclaimed to viewers and fellow castaways alike he didn't want to be leader, but no sooner was those words out of his mouth and he was barking orders to everyone and setting himself up as leader of his tribe. In the process he manages to turn off all his fellow teammates.

Malcolm is able to start a fire. Because Russell was able to help, he seemed to be taking credit for it. Malcolm says that since Russell wants to be leader so badly let him.

The Red Team make it to the beach and Jonathan says this is so much fun and moving for him to be able to play the game, again. His fellow castaways don't, unfortunately for him, feel the same about him being there. They have a little powwow and declare they don't want a veteran to win. He had his chance and now it's their turn. They'll learn all they can from him and then they'll give him the boot.

At the Yellow Team's camp Michael is happy about the team he's on. He plans to take his cues on how to play from his fellow castaways. RC decides to make an insta-alliance with fellow castaway Abi-Maria. She also brings Michael and Pete into the alliance. So of the three returning castaways, Michael seems to be in the best position in the game.

Over at the Red Team's camp, Dana says both she and Jeff are from the south and hopes they can bond over that, while Dawson realizes who Jeff is, but decides to sit on that information until she can use it to her advantage.

Back at the Yellow Team's camp, Lisa is trying to make friends with RC and Abi. Lisa reveals to the viewers that she lost all the money she made from the Facts Of Life. She wants to find out who she is and what she's capable of doing.

RC doesn't trust Lisa and badmouths her to the rest of the castaways. Michael thinks it could win Lisa some points if she played the celebrity card. He confronts her about who she is, but she feels revealing her former child stardom will hurt her more than help her. Michael doesn't want Lisa to go home, but says he'll have to go with the flow.

Over at the Blue Team's camp Zane goes from one castaway to another making alliances with them and in short order they all find out about it. Due in large part because he basically tells them what he's done. Zane thinks it'll be up to him who gets sent home if they go to tribal council. In a way, Zane turns out to be right, but not in the way he meant it. Malcolm tells Denise what Zane did and they make an alliance. Malcolm says he doesn't want to be in Russell's shadow.

Back at Team Yellow no shelter or fire has been built. RC is also becoming about Michael's injuries. He cut his finger, head and foot; and then it's wash, rinse and repeat. The man should really not be let near sharp objects.

Over at Team Red Katie doesn't like the shady things going on with Jonathan. She doesn't like him looking for the immunity idol and doesn't feel like he's one of the family. Considering they already had a meeting where they were planning to get rid of Jonathan, I think anything he does will be used against him. As for Jonathan, he finds a clue to where the immunity idol is hidden.

Meanwhile, at the Blue Team campsite, while making rice Russell finds a clue to where the immunity idol is hidden. Zane is watching Russell from the water and says he doesn't trust him. It doesn't help when Russell lies that he's looking for the immunity idol. Zane says he wants Russell gone.

Finally, it's time for the immunity challenge. Two teams will get immunity and rewards, while the losing team will get tribal council. In this challenge the tribes will break into groups of two. One group will climb up a cargo net to release paddles for their canoe. The next two will take the canoe out to the water to retrieve a chest full of puzzle pieces. And the final two will put the puzzle together.

Russell still playing leader decides who gets divided in what groups and because of his it bites his team in the backside. Zane can't keep up with Russell and is being dragged by Russell to keep up with him. Angie, who told Russell she's not good with puzzles, is put on putting the puzzle together and the team loses. The Red Team wins a fire making kit and the Yellow Team gets flint.

Russell is giving some speech to his tribe when Zane cuts him off to enact his In-Zane Strategy: Part Two. Zane basically throws himself under the bus, saying he should be sent home because he couldn't keep up with Russell. To the viewers he reveals he's playing a game of chess and wants to see how his fellow players will react to his move.

Angie is annoyed that Russell acts like he isn't their leader when he acts like he is and he won't listen to what they say. She wants him to go home instead of Zane and tries to give Zane a pep talk to get him to stay. Malcolm also tries to get Zane to stay, but at the same time feels if he's weak then he needs to go so he doesn't prove a detriment to them.

Per usual, Jeff tries to stir up some tribal trouble at tribal council. He asks the tribe how they feel having a vet on their team. Zane gives some strange analogy that Russell is like an onion. Basically, you should suck all the knowledge he possesses out of him before he makes you cry. Russell owns to falling into old traps and acting like a dictator. Angie says Russell told her if they lose the challenge it'll be her fault.

Then it's time to vote. Zane gets what he claimed he wanted and is voted out. This was one strategy you shouldn't try, because like Zane, it'll get you a quick ticket home.