Survivor: Ghost Island is finally here! Season 36 of the show, which is once again filmed in the beautiful Mamanuca Islands in Fiji, has a clever theme.
Players may be sent to a separate island where they will be confronted with the "ghosts" of mistakes from past seasons. The island has the real advantages and idols from previous castaway adventures, which is cool. Will Survivor: Ghost Island live up to the hype? Let's find out!
Survivors, Ready!
In "Can You Reverse the Curse?" the contestants arrive by boat and are greeted by Jeff Probst on a beach. Probst freaks out the newbies by explaining that they will have to "reverse the curse" of previous players' bad decisions. And the players are already getting a taste of crucial decision-making as Probst tells the two tribes to each select a player.
The Malolo Tribe (orange buff) choose Brendan, who is a physical education teacher. The Naviti Tribe (purple buff) elect Chris, who is a male model. Now Brendan and Chris must select a tribe member to participate in a physical challenge, and another to complete the puzzle portion. Michael, a real estate agent, is representing Malolo in the physical part, and financial consultant Laurel is going to work on the puzzle. For Naviti, Sebastian, who is a fishing guide, will handle the physical portion, and student Desiree will tackle the puzzle.
Reward Challenge
This challenge involves racing through a series of obstacles to obtain three sets of keys. The puzzle player will then unlock their puzzle pieces and get to work. Probst continues to mentally torture the players by showing them what is waiting for them back at camp: a cooking pot, a machete, a fishing kit and a very small portion of rice. Probst even proclaims that this is the least amount of rice ever given on any season of Survivor. But the winning tribe gets the spoils: a kit with tools and rope for making a shelter, 20 fresh eggs and flint. Not too sha bby, right?
The losing tribe will also lose their fishing kit, but there is a twist -- if the leader thinks that their puzzle solver will not finish before a sand timer runs out, they can overturn the board, admit defeat and keep their fishing kit.
Sebastian is back first for Naviti (purple buff), but it is so hot that it looks likes both contestants are about to faint. Chris pulls the lever (literally) while Desiree is working on the puzzle, and Naviti forfeits the tool kit, eggs, and flint. Chris of Naviti defends his decision to end the challenge, but one of his tribemates, Domenick, admits that they should have selected different people. Ouch! With that, both tribes ge t maps to their new camps.
Malolo Tribe (orange buff)
As the gang starts chatting, Michael lies right away and tells everyone that he is 23-years-old, but he is only eighteen years of age. Stephanie Gonzalez, who grew up in Puerto Rico, isn't fazed by the bugs and weather. She also decides that everyone should call her Gonzalez. Donathan, who lives in Kentucky and is a caregiver, is probably the most excited member of the tribe. He also laments that "he can't find a man in eastern Kentucky." He finds a friend in Laurel.
Jacob, a music teacher, loses his shoes to the ocean when the tide pulls them out. Jacob decides to "go exploring" when talks turns to finding an idol. I think that is a bad decision this early in the game. The tribe agrees that Jacob should not have gone searching for an idol. When he returns, the rest of the tribe goes out in search of food. Jacob decides to pour what little rice they have into his own dirty sock so that he can look for an idol or clue. (I am horrified! That is gross!)
Naviti Tribe (purple buff)
The tribe takes the time to introduce themselves to each other. Wendell is a furniture designer, and Kellyn is a career counselor. She is also starting out on a journey of self-discovery after her recent divorce. Domenick, who is a construction supervisor, starts ordering people around and telling them how to make the shelter. He also christe ns poor Sebastian with the nickname "Sea Bass." Domenick is also embracing change as he lost a great deal of weight and started to party less for the sake of his children.
Chris and Sebastian are both originally from Florida, and they make a pact to bring each other to the merge. (I smell a bromance!) This duo also decides that Domenick needs to go because of his crazy personality and his criticism of Chris.
Wendell was in law school but gave it up to be a furniture designer. Wendell feels good energy from Domenick and thinks that they might be a good team. Sebastian tells Wendell that he thinks that Domenick should be sent home first, and Wendell decides to share this inf ormation with Domenick. Domenick knows right away that Chris is the one who wants him on the chopping block.
Immunity Challenge
For this challenge, the tribe members must run across a bridge of netting and get bags of rope. They must pull a sled filled with large puzzle pieces to a platform and then compl ete a cube puzzle. The Naviti tribe is also playing for flint. One player from the losing tribe will be sent to Ghost Island. The Malolo tribe loses some pieces from their heavy sled. This challenge is exhausting and sometimes hard to watch.
Naviti finishes first and clinches immunity. Jacob speaks for the Malolo tribe and asserts that they are "still one of the best tribes of all time." Probst calls him on his over-confidence, but he doesn't take it back.
Naviti has a big decision to make -- they must choose a player from Malolo to go to Ghost Island. Whichever player chosen cannot be voted out at tribal council. Naviti chooses Jacob, and he is thrilled that they fell for his evil plan. He wants to be sent to Ghost Island. Manolo is sad to see him go, because they planned on voting him out at tribal council.
Ghost Island
Jacob is taken by boat to the infamous Ghost Island. The island is a little creepy and has relics of past seasons all over the place. The accommodations leave a little something to be desired -- the torch snuffers from all the previous seasons are hanging from the ceiling of the hut. Jacob loves it. There is a sign that says to smash an urn. He does and finds a tiny scroll that reads, "Game on. Follow the fire."
Jacob follows a row of torches to a clearing where a game is set up. He can wager his next vote and try to win a secret advantage. There are three bamboo shoots on a table. The middle one has a lock on it. Jaco b must choose one of the other two and hopefully find a key. He chooses one and claims the key.
So what is in the bamboo shoot? It is the actual original Legacy Advantage that Sierra found in Game Changers. This advantage grants immunity, but it can only be used when there are either 13 people or six people left in the game. Sadly, this advantage is powerless, but Jacob can restore its power by willing it to a member of the Naviti Tribe. What an amazing twist! Jacob decides to give it to Morgan.
He decides to tell his tribemates that he found an idol, so he uses some beads from tree mail and some shells to make a fake one. J acob is staying mum about the Legacy Advantage.
Malolo Tribe (orange buff)
Donathan tries to persuade his tribemates to vote out Gonzalez because she stole his ideas during the puzzle challenge. Gonzalez then puts a target on Donathan's back by pointing out how weak he is. Stephanie, a yoga instructor who is sp orting a funky neon-striped outfit, wants to review the pros and cons of both contestants. Stephanie would like to eliminate Gonzalez because she is more of a threat.
Tribal Council
It is time for the first warm, fireside chat with Probst this season. Gonzalez tells Jeff that Jacob "is special," and the tribe concurs with her assessment because Jacob went idol-hunting right away. The tribe debates whether physical strength is the mos t important asset. Gonzalez gets up and starts going to certain members of the tribe and whispering. No one interacts with Donathan.
The Vote
Gonzalez is the first person voted out of Survivor: Ghost Island. I must say that I am surprised.
Naviti Tribe (purple buff)
Domenick is awake at night and starts trying to find idols. He miraculously finds one in a tree. The next morning, he reads it. It is the immunity idol that Andrea was voted out with in season 26. Morgan finds an exciting surprise in her bag -- the Legacy Advantage from Jacob.
Dome nick hopes to diffuse any tension with Chris, and Domenick denies finding an idol when Chris questions him. Domenick decides to make a fake idol with a rope and shell, and put it with the parchment that came with his real idol. Domenick digs up the fake idol to earn Chris' trust, and Domenick believes that his ruse has worked. Chris thinks that something is fishy about the whole scenario.
Malolo Tribe (orange buff)
The contestants ar e dining on sea slugs when shoeless Jacob returns. He spins a tale about his adventures, and he shows off his fake idol. No one is impressed, and he states that he is playing it at the next tribal council. His fellow tribemates ask to see the scroll that was with it, and Jacobs says that he forgot it. Brendan and the rest of the tribe discusses how it is a fake idol, and that they need to get Jacob out.
Immunity and Reward Challenge
This challenge consists of racing through an obstacle course in the water, and then freeing two sets of buoys from an underwater cage. Eight marked buoys must be shot into a basket by other tribe members.
Probst delights the contestants when he shows off the hammock, chairs, pillows and blankets that the winning tribe will receive. Once again, the tribe that wins will send a member of the losing tribe to Ghost Island.
The Purple Team (Naviti) is off to a fast start. James from the Orange Team (Manolo) can't swim underwater to the cage, and Donathan states that he cannot do it either. The rest of the tribe begs Donathan to try, and he finally releases the underw ater buoys. Probst praises Donathan as a hero for Manolo.
Desiree sinks the final basket for the Naviti Tribe, and they win the comfort items, as well as immunity. The newest resident of Ghost Island is Donathan. Jacob is disappointed that he cannot go again.
Ghost Island
Donatha n checks out his new digs, and he is nervous about being there all alone with the ghosts. He sees the urn and smashes it. He removes a scroll that says, "Nope. Not today. No game for you." Poor Donathan! Donathan feels good about what he was able to do for his tribe in the challenge and can feel that he is gaining more self-confidence.
Malolo Tribe (orange buff)
James, who is a business analyst, tells his tribe mates that it is his responsibility that they lost. James' performance isn't enough to distract from Jacob and his homemade dummy idol. The tribe considers throwing some votes to James and some to Jacob in case he does have a real idol.
They want to make Jacob feel comfortable so that he won't try to play his idol. Stephanie flirts with Jacob to try and find out if his idol is real. They talk game strategy, and she lulls him into believing that he is safe. So, he spills that the idol is not real and that he obtained the Legacy Advantage and gave it to Morgan. (Remember the theme of bad decisions for this season?)
Stephanie tells Jenna that she wants to work with Jacob because he is loyal and that they should target stronger players like Michael. Jenna will do whatev er Stephanie wants because they are so close.
Tribal Council
It is time to do some soul-searching with Probst and cut someone loose. James admits that he feels guilty for failing his team. Jacob expresses how welcome his tribe made him when he returned from Ghost Island, but he also acknowledges his paranoia. Brendan and Michael both admit to being a little nervous.
The Vote
Jacob is the second person voted out of Survivor: Ghost Island.
What do you think of season 36 so far? Who is emerging as front-runners? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
(Image courtesy of CBS)
![[Reality-TV-Fanatics] Amazing Race’ Season 32 Postponed: Update On 2020 Episodes](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sgKDg2KbpX_9NK_8hQktIEWS8mL6pXQO3zu2776Mz8jlPIXmIPN0vfLOjLeG96Kmzp9lguI4nTHntZ9kN2jF8bxLOEaAvkeXPqCFR30nfKzDTRzYTAK-pev3nWRxBn_Av4Bg=w72-h72-p-k-no-nu)
![[Reality-TV-Fanatics] The ugly story of Shaun White's sexual-harassment lawsuit and trying to reconcile it with his Olympic gold](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sy0jUXXFbAJnZtUed4wmS7KzwvmY3ypNkMfay4xULuvWyPoNMNqctpmZj0pU0w9sKL9RIS54i8T232LrBUNs8klKC3Z4bD0tJDUWLJesSmNaGqaN4Jw82OzAu5KyWyUvkqrbZq40ULj3cUww7PaXsa_5_9dd1ZwWK9sEoRI7_Aayvs-rVzG-5jd42t-rG5wmX18rmn2zK8oLgze0qq9MlfdFf-WaZh-jXdhUE1c1qLYIfTEVNGQG0_8GJebusWi-ZVXjRvEDrzg_5GPqu4dXZYG6qNOd1PAMa89IDkWDhYDxi_WpCBZHbdspMRwt1I1HCjJ-ltQWv_1SpjYCRL56_D2GHktIEX5vfn5fJ1c-i3t-C7V52n0ksxqfnv=w72-h72-p-k-no-nu)
![[BigBrother_Survivor] The Bachelorette Recap 07/08/19: Season 15 Episode 8 “Hometown Dates”](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uScGba17_a5yptL5jzC061uZPibwUH801vGnlGE_LmQxBki-PFvjlbz2mR3iUDm6-vcldjtx9l-A1p3UlbVu1nVoQ4MSdqBbSKFye4K8B06IveJhRK5ItYZFfdvx-_WvUSdObosNbdXjoHR4b8ZB118lo=w72-h72-p-k-no-nu)
![Re: [Reality-TV-Fanatics] What's on your DVR for tonight?, Wednesday, 23 January 2019](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uDXHUCXfbVq7cfqz1Mn5W57IxYEP1An2syOVgqAYvxRmpJLyTEC085S4-GOo3HVw4FmYlSJ7UJoZVnjugNHRjVhh9Cje5Loao087XFprg5oltnslozl0olgtZrVssF2AHBzjxeAHaFCllhBXU=w72-h72-p-k-no-nu)
![[BigBrother_Survivor] Fox “Reviewing” Claims Of Sexual Harassment Against ‘The Four’ Judge Charlie Walk – Update](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sEcaR9CuCmX5O25a7EZLX06ROl6NOr_Uh3EV-v5uxYPLK8OiL3wWkVNp1BpFYBd9HInRP1Rcs9-7uJlbBCYWKjguvrIbrAZRRBMk1D4X3H6uLhZhBw-pP-rXBPdmSyj4skrOYOFn4UKAgLnndeCDkMk1OXYFLxNw-IXOyXCc4WTZPMNA=w72-h72-p-k-no-nu)
No comments:
Post a Comment