PUZZLE ME THIS

Since there's no Survivor for three damn weeks, relish in this post, people. You won't see one for nearly a month. Freakin' NCAACP basketball! CBS knows reality shows, I'll tell ya that much. Between this one and The Amazing Race... A little drama during this show and for the first time, someone begging to be sent to Exile Island.

When we last left our trusted Survivors they were just kicking Bobby out for no other reason then Danielle rallying the troops because she didn't like him drinking the wine. Cry me a river Fun Bags. Anyway, when they get back to camp and try to go to sleep, Shane starts running his mouth that they made the wrong decision voting for Bobby, that it should have been Bruce. Wouldn't have been as bad if Bruce hadn't been laying right there with them. Shane's had it with his tribe and wants out of the alliance. He says he can't do that because he swore on his son. Apparently if they "give" his son's name back, that will make the pact null and void. Look, if he's just gonna make sh** up as he goes, what's the point, really. Of course Cirie is listening to all of this, having a great time because the more the alliance has problems, the less likely it'll be they vote her off. The next morning Cirie and Danielle download Courtney on everything she missed while sleeping on the beach the night before. They think it's a good idea to release him from the promise cause then they'll vote his ass out. When Shane approaches a little later they release him from the alliance, much to everyone's relief.

Over at La Mina, Sally feels the exclusion from the boys' club. She's worried she'll be the next to go if they lose at the Immunity Challenge. Of course everyone is hungry and still not blaming her for losing the damn spear. She comments about not thinking the all-man's club will last. Well der, someone's got to get voted out eventually. She must be the rocket scientist. Nick and Dan decide to go not catch any fish and Dan finally reveals his secret, that he's an astronaut. Then he tells them he shot JFK. Nick, and eventually Austin, are impressed and excited to know a real life astronaut. Later they get Tyra Mail, I mean tree mail, and learn the next challenge will be both for Immunity and Reward. Terry realizes they have to win this, to be five on five strong when they merge. If not, Sally's the next to go.

It's a puzzle, hurry the frak up

When they get to the Reward/Immunity Challenge, Jeff goes into the long winded explanation of what they're doing. Basically out in a field are four large puzzle pieces. Three team members must, one at a time, run out and untie the big pieces. Once it's untied they have to run back with it. Once all four pieces are at the mat, two other tribe members have to put together the puzzle with the pieces. Similar to the skull pyramid a few weeks before, there's only one way these pieces will fit. Jeff then tells everyone what they're playing for. Hula hoops looks like, hula hoops and soccer balls. Like they have the strength to play anymore games. Actually, the games are for the kids in a nearby village. The winning tribe will take the presents and give them to the children and join in a barbeque with food, drinks, and some much needed human interaction. Everyone's excited. Then Jeff tells them that the losing team will lose someone to Exile Island. The good thing is, that person won't be voted out at the next Tribal Council. Umm, I wonder who it's going to be.

These are three guys I wouldn't mind being stuck on a deserted island with

The challenge starts and La Mina takes a quick lead, having strongmen Austin, Nick and Terry untie and carry the pieces. They have all of their pieces and start assembling the puzzle way before Casaya does. Shane and Aras are having no trouble carrying the pieces but big boobed Danielle is having lots of trouble. To her credit she pushes through it and finishes. Dan and Sally realize they just need to get one piece in. Once that's in the other three will be easy. Unfortunately they can't even get that and as soon as Bruce and Cirie get it, they quickly put the last piece in, securing victory. La Mina is devastated and quite frankly, so am I. Casaya plays a good game and sends Sally to Exile Island, free from being voted out which she definitely would have been that night.

I'll let the picture speak for itself

On Exile Island, Sally's extremely happy to be safe. She does a little digging (in the correct place) for the Immunity Idol, but since Terry already found it, she doesn't have much luck. She comments about it being exciting to think there's an Immunity Idol out there and I laugh to myself because she'll never find it.

Just 'cause

Casaya arrives at the village and starts partying with the locals. There’s enough food there to cause them great stomach pains later, but they eat it all with great delight. I’m concerned about how they must smell to these clean villagers but I’m sure Mark Burnett’s paying them enough not to care. Shane’s so happy to have a full (and bloated) stomach that he even apologizes to Danielle for going off on her. Cirie doesn’t like this too much because she doesn’t want the alliance to ally themselves again. She talks about it being a double edged sword because in a way she didn’t want to win the challenge, so that Shane could go home. The thought hits me, Sally was the one “helping” put the puzzle together for La Mina. Hmm, interesting. Shane’s eyes bulge out when he sees a man walking around with a cigarette. He tells us at home that he’d give anything for a cigarette, his shirt, his pants, that son he keeps making promises on. The man’s nice enough to give him one and he sucks it down, all the while saying how bad nicotine is. He looks like a crack addict.

Aw, look, he supports Lance Armstrong's cancer foundation

Over at La Mina, the tough decision has to be made about who to send home. Everyone’s a hard worker, but unfortunately, it was the screw up of Dan earlier with the puzzle that cost them Immunity/Reward. Because Terry’s an upstanding guy, he goes to Dan and tells him that he’s going. Dan takes it like a man and understands why they’re making that choice, although he’d like to stay. I agree with the guys though, not really another viable person to kick off besides Sally. At Tribal Council the editors try to work with what they’ve got and make it seem like a hard decision, leaving the remote possibility that Terry may vote for one of the younger guys. It doesn’t happen and Dan gets voted off.