‘Survivor’ recap: Don’t need no hateration

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More battle lines were drawn this week on ‘Survivor: Nicaragua,’ but, unfortunately, I think the most damaging ones were between this season’s castaways and the viewers.

I’m starting to think that maybe CBS and I just aren’t feeling each other this year in the reality department. I didn’t care for too many of the most recent “Big Brother” house guests, and I’m finding it hard to root for many people in the current ‘Survivor.’ And like the past ‘Big Brother,’ the show seems to be filled both with people employing ridonkulous strategies and others who are putting on too much of a show with their crazy.

But last week’s insane tribal council was entertaining, and even though the outrageous Shannon is gone, we still have cray-cray NaOnka. The La Flor tribe returns to camp (sans Shannon and his homophobic comments) and feels more united now, but Na is right in saying ‘we’ve been divided.’ Before you know it, the tribe’s laughing at Fabio again and Na is glowering. ‘His hair got on my nerves!’ Sigh. Straight-up hating. You know if someone said something about her hair, she’d go off.

Interestingly enough, we learn Fabio is playing dumb and likable as his strategy, which makes me like him a little more. He’s playing dumb, yet isn’t annoying anyone besides Na. I don’t know what to say about Jill over in Espada. Not only did she just about hand over the immunity idol to Marty last week, now she’s telling him to tell the rest of the tribe. So that it makes him look loyal and builds the team up? Um, what? I’m glad Tyrone knows the deal –- only one person can claim the idol.

Marty knows this too, so of course he’s happy to see his tribe propping him up after his bold move. As Yve and a few others seem to grow more enamored with Coach Jimmy, Marty is enjoying some of Na’s haterade, talking about the coach like Na does Fabio (although Marty is probably receiving the least hair love in this pair). Although Espada’s alliances don’t seem to be too set in stone, with Tyrone seeming like the most vocal outsider, sides are clear in La Flor. Na, Chase, Brenda, Sash and Kelly Purple are a team against the others, mainly Alina and Kelly B. -– whose disability Na sure does dig at when she has the chance.

In this week’s challenge, Benry has a chance to make up for his performance last week in almost the exact same way. The tribes had to find, roll and assemble 10 barrels before one player tossed a bean bag onto each for a prize of a garden kit and a fruit basket. La Flor didn’t use the Medallion of Power this go-around, which was a good move. Host Jeff Probst called out Espada and Dan specifically for moving slow this episode, but in the end, it came back down to one player from each tribe tossing something onto something else. Once again it was Benry versus Tyrone, but this time Ty choked. Thing is, he could’ve let someone else try, as Jimmy T. was bursting at the seams to. But it was a while before he did, and by then Benry was ahead after a short bit of play from Chase.

La Flor wins, they get the medallion back and the prize, in which lies another immunity idol clue. Kelly B. and Na both see it, so when they put the food down back at camp, there’s a brief brawl for it before Na walks away with the piece of paper. ‘Don’t think I’m going to be nice to you because you have one leg. I’m not gone be nice to you, you got to be kidding. My name is NaOnka, not fool.’ Double sigh.

Meanwhile, tensions are rising at Espada over Jimmy T. feeling like Coach Jimmy didn’t let him come off the bench during the challenge (really?). Marty campaigns hard to get Coach out, and of course Jill says, ‘Whatever you say.’ (!) Marty thinks he’s the smartest guy alive heading into tribal council, thinking Coach is going to be blindsided. If anything, Coach gave the tribe the go-ahead to let him go when he was the only one to say he thought he was weak. Given that, even Coach’s strongest supporters voted him out, with an 8-1 tally –- Coach voted for the obviously weak and hardly-able-to-walk Dan. But in his post-vote speech, Coach said he had fun but ‘was miserable the whole time.’ Ah well, guess he really was just in it for the game.

What did you guys think of the episode? Who are the players you love and the ones you hate? I like the easy-going Jane more than the goofy Fabio, but still don’t care for the only real game players so far, Marty and Brenda. If you like Na, well, enjoy more of her swell teachings here.

-- Anthony Williams
twitter.com/anthonyw_ent

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