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https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/24/survivor-jeff-probst-island-of-the-idols-season-39-episode-5/

Survivor host Jeff Probst did not know of Dean and Kellee connection

By Dalton Ross October 24, 2019 at 12:01 AM EDT

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why no visit to Island of the Idols this episode, and did Rob and Sandra get lonely out there with no guests?
JEFF PROBST: It's a great question and one I think might be helpful to fans in understanding why some episodes might only have one challenge, or why one episode might not spend as much time on a tribe switch, things like that. Forgive me if this is too much detail. It really comes down to basic math. We have approximately 42 minutes each week. That's it. This is different from the vast majority of shows that are on streaming services and do not have time limit restrictions. On those shows, one episode could be 42 minutes and the next one could be 61. It doesn't matter. In our case, we simply cannot go longer because our show must finish by 9 p..m. so the next CBS show can start.

With that in mind, you start to assign a certain amount of time to the fixed elements that are in each episode: immunity challenges, Tribal Council, and this season we also have Island of the Idols, which has basically taken the place of a reward challenge. With those three elements alone, you have accounted for half of the show. The rest of the time is allocated to the reality that plays out on the beaches, which is really the heart of the show. So, when you throw in a tribe switch, you have to allow time not only for the actual switch, but also the new reality back at camp. And in this case, we also had a huge kickass Applebee's reward. So, something had to go.

In this case, we gave Sandra and Rob a break! Truthfully, I know they missed us, but we just couldn't fit anymore into the show. And I want to be really clear, we wish we could include everything — two challenges, reality, switches, Island of the Idols, Tribal Council, longer confessional, all of it! We would love to let our episodes fluctuate depending on what is happening in the game, but that's not how it works. Our job is to make the creative decisions about each episode and hope the fans trust us that we have a plan. We continue to be grateful for our loyal viewers who seem to trust us, even when they might disagree with some of our decisions!

Dean mentioned that Kellee goes to business school with his longtime girlfriend. Were you all aware of that connection before they got out on the island, or did you all learn it once they joined up on the same tribe?
We had no idea about their connection. When we are in the casting phase of the show, we do extensive background checks, psychological profiles, thorough medical tests, and lots and lots of time just spent talking with each player about their life. I'm very impressed with the information we uncover. But occasionally an overlapping social connection happens and it's on the players to figure out how to navigate it within the game. In this case, it appears that Dean and Kellee are trying to exploit it as an opportunity. But anytime you pair up, it can work against you, as it did last week with Dean's other alliance member, Chelsea.

While Karishma may have questioned your commentary that she was holding back her team in the challenge, that certainly appeared to be the case in both competitions this episode. Yet her tribe decided to keep her anyway, opting to take out Tom, who I assume they believed was more likely to flip back to his old Lairo friends at the merge. What do you make of that decision, as well as the performance of your very first Canadian?
Nice job sneaking multiple questions within the same paragraph! The first thing I have to say is that we really like having Karishma on the show. We really enjoyed her in casting and knew she would add a compelling layer to the season. But when a challenge is happening, I have zero filters to what I say about any of the players. If I perceive someone being a workhorse, I'll say as much. Conversely, if I perceive someone to be hurting the tribe, I'll point that out as well. It doesn't mean I'm right and it doesn't account for things I might not know, like a tribe wanting to throw a challenge, or an individual player who might not have eaten for several days and simply has no energy. And most significantly of all, it does not give any weight to the truth that not every player can do every single thing required in a season of Survivor.

Survivor strips you bare. There is nowhere to hide. If you suck at swimming and a swimming challenge comes up, most likely you are going to suck at the challenge. That's when you can count on the annoying part of my Survivor personality to point it out. I am the audience and I try to remain objective. The most fascinating part for me personally is that I am not like that in my regular life. I'm much more optimistic and encouraging.. Survivor is its own thing.

As for why they kept Karishma, that is one of the most interesting layers to the show… tribe strength vs. alliance strength. Sometimes they line up, sometimes they don't. And you saw that play out when they decided to keep Karishma and vote out Tom. Tom was a tribe member who worked hard at camp, gave 100 percent in challenges, and appeared to be a loyal alliance member. It's a great example of why this game is so difficult to play, let alone win. You have to see the game from so many different points of view, you have to source out as much information as you can, you have to determine what is true and what isn't, who has power and who doesn't, who is valuable as an alliance member and who is a future threat, who might have an idol… the list is long.

That's why you must… play the first time as though you're playing for the second… you must… play to win… and you must… accept that 19 of the 20 will not win and odds are you are one of the 19. If you can get yourself to that place emotionally, where you will do anything to win, knowing the odds are stacked against you, it will free you up to do what is required for the person who ultimately does win.

Okay, sir. Tease us up for next week, and tease us up good!
This season is proving once again as a reminder that Survivor is always of the moment. When you put a group of people together on an island and force them to work together while voting each other out, amazing things happen. Next week we have a beautiful exchange between two players that impacts both of them in a significant way, and I think it will resonate with a lot of viewers.

Watch an exclusive deleted scene from the episode above. Also make sure to read our exit interview with Tom as well as our full episode recap, and for more Survivor scoop, follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/24/survivor-jeff-probst-island-of-the-idols-season-39-episode-5/

Survivor host Jeff Probst did not know of Dean and Kellee connection

By Dalton Ross October 24, 2019 at 12:01 AM EDT

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why no visit to Island of the Idols this episode, and did Rob and Sandra get lonely out there with no guests?
JEFF PROBST: It's a great question and one I think might be helpful to fans in understanding why some episodes might only have one challenge, or why one episode might not spend as much time on a tribe switch, things like that. Forgive me if this is too much detail. It really comes down to basic math. We have approximately 42 minutes each week. That's it. This is different from the vast majority of shows that are on streaming services and do not have time limit restrictions. On those shows, one episode could be 42 minutes and the next one could be 61. It doesn't matter. In our case, we simply cannot go longer because our show must finish by 9 p..m. so the next CBS show can start.

With that in mind, you start to assign a certain amount of time to the fixed elements that are in each episode: immunity challenges, Tribal Council, and this season we also have Island of the Idols, which has basically taken the place of a reward challenge. With those three elements alone, you have accounted for half of the show. The rest of the time is allocated to the reality that plays out on the beaches, which is really the heart of the show. So, when you throw in a tribe switch, you have to allow time not only for the actual switch, but also the new reality back at camp. And in this case, we also had a huge kickass Applebee's reward. So, something had to go.

In this case, we gave Sandra and Rob a break! Truthfully, I know they missed us, but we just couldn't fit anymore into the show. And I want to be really clear, we wish we could include everything — two challenges, reality, switches, Island of the Idols, Tribal Council, longer confessional, all of it! We would love to let our episodes fluctuate depending on what is happening in the game, but that's not how it works. Our job is to make the creative decisions about each episode and hope the fans trust us that we have a plan. We continue to be grateful for our loyal viewers who seem to trust us, even when they might disagree with some of our decisions!

Dean mentioned that Kellee goes to business school with his longtime girlfriend. Were you all aware of that connection before they got out on the island, or did you all learn it once they joined up on the same tribe?
We had no idea about their connection. When we are in the casting phase of the show, we do extensive background checks, psychological profiles, thorough medical tests, and lots and lots of time just spent talking with each player about their life. I'm very impressed with the information we uncover. But occasionally an overlapping social connection happens and it's on the players to figure out how to navigate it within the game. In this case, it appears that Dean and Kellee are trying to exploit it as an opportunity. But anytime you pair up, it can work against you, as it did last week with Dean's other alliance member, Chelsea.

While Karishma may have questioned your commentary that she was holding back her team in the challenge, that certainly appeared to be the case in both competitions this episode. Yet her tribe decided to keep her anyway, opting to take out Tom, who I assume they believed was more likely to flip back to his old Lairo friends at the merge. What do you make of that decision, as well as the performance of your very first Canadian?
Nice job sneaking multiple questions within the same paragraph! The first thing I have to say is that we really like having Karishma on the show. We really enjoyed her in casting and knew she would add a compelling layer to the season. But when a challenge is happening, I have zero filters to what I say about any of the players. If I perceive someone being a workhorse, I'll say as much. Conversely, if I perceive someone to be hurting the tribe, I'll point that out as well. It doesn't mean I'm right and it doesn't account for things I might not know, like a tribe wanting to throw a challenge, or an individual player who might not have eaten for several days and simply has no energy. And most significantly of all, it does not give any weight to the truth that not every player can do every single thing required in a season of Survivor.

Survivor strips you bare. There is nowhere to hide. If you suck at swimming and a swimming challenge comes up, most likely you are going to suck at the challenge. That's when you can count on the annoying part of my Survivor personality to point it out. I am the audience and I try to remain objective. The most fascinating part for me personally is that I am not like that in my regular life. I'm much more optimistic and encouraging.. Survivor is its own thing.

As for why they kept Karishma, that is one of the most interesting layers to the show… tribe strength vs. alliance strength. Sometimes they line up, sometimes they don't. And you saw that play out when they decided to keep Karishma and vote out Tom. Tom was a tribe member who worked hard at camp, gave 100 percent in challenges, and appeared to be a loyal alliance member. It's a great example of why this game is so difficult to play, let alone win. You have to see the game from so many different points of view, you have to source out as much information as you can, you have to determine what is true and what isn't, who has power and who doesn't, who is valuable as an alliance member and who is a future threat, who might have an idol… the list is long.

That's why you must… play the first time as though you're playing for the second… you must… play to win… and you must… accept that 19 of the 20 will not win and odds are you are one of the 19. If you can get yourself to that place emotionally, where you will do anything to win, knowing the odds are stacked against you, it will free you up to do what is required for the person who ultimately does win.

Okay, sir. Tease us up for next week, and tease us up good!
This season is proving once again as a reminder that Survivor is always of the moment. When you put a group of people together on an island and force them to work together while voting each other out, amazing things happen. Next week we have a beautiful exchange between two players that impacts both of them in a significant way, and I think it will resonate with a lot of viewers.

Watch an exclusive deleted scene from the episode above. Also make sure to read our exit interview with Tom as well as our full episode recap, and for more Survivor scoop, follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/24/survivor-tom-laidlow-island-of-the-idols-interview/
Tom Laidlow says Karishma was not bullied on Survivor

By Dalton Ross October 24, 2019 at 10:47 AM EDT

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why are you talking to me? Did your new tribemates just fear you would ditch them for your original alliance?
TOM LAIDLAW: I wasn't totally sure why they got rid of me at all until I watched the show last night. And in some strange way, I was kind of proud of the reason they got rid of me because I really went out there wanting to play the game a certain way. I wanted to form an alliance and be real loyal to that alliance knowing at some point as the game goes along you've got to take care of yourself. So I formed an alliance actually with Aaron, Missy, Elizabeth, and Elaine. And the tribe swap did not work out too well for me and it ended up those four went over to the other tribe. So when they voted me out, I think they felt like that I was going to remain loyal to my alliance.

I think at one point Jeff even asked me there if I would ever blink and I said "No, that's just not going to happen." So I see why they did it. I understand it. My theory all along was that we wanted to win challenges, which wasn't happening, and that therefore the fingers should point to Karishma in my mind, but she didn't go. But like I said, I love playing the way I played. I was proud of the way it played and if I got voted off for the way I played then that's just the way the game plays.

So your thinking was that you wanted at the merge to probably hook back up with that original alliance if you were all still there?
Yeah, but after watching the show, I wonder if they would have felt the same way I did. Everybody played the game hard right off the start. It was game-play right as soon as we got on the island. They didn't have to have loyalty to me. That's the way I wanted to play the game. I don't know if that's the same way they wanted to play. I think particularly with Elaine, it would've worked, and probably Elizabeth too. And Aaron and I got pretty close too, but he's playing the game hard. That's the one thing that probably surprised me the most, the amount I enjoyed the actual game-play. Like Elaine and I put together the blindside to get Ronnie out at the start. So I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed that part of the game.

Did you get a sense you were in trouble when you got to Tribal Council, or did you think Karishma was going home?
In my mind, it should have been Karishma, but I wasn't confident that I wasn't going to be heading home. I felt like it was one of the three of us. Was I a threat? Did I have a big personality that people would want out? I didn't know what their thought process was. So I felt that it was one of the three of us for sure. In fact, I remember sitting there as we were voting and while we're waiting, and for the first time in the game, I grabbed my bag to get ready to go. I really wanted to say to myself, "Okay, what do you want to stay here if it's you as you walk away?" So I didn't think it would be me, but I didn't think it wasn't gonna be me either.

You spent 11 seasons in the NHL playing for the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings. How does Survivor compare from both a physical standpoint and an overall competition standpoint?
I turned 61 when I was out there, but my health and my conditioning is a really big part of my life. So I felt like I was really prepared for that. In fact, I went out of my way to put on a little extra weight going out on the show, figuring, okay, I'm going there to win, which was going to be out there for 39 days. So I really felt like physically I was fine. The game of Survivor is a different game than where you're going man on man in the NHL. You're banging in the body so there's the risk of injury and pain all that stuff. That helped me going on Survivor, my experience from dealing with pain and fatigue and all those kinds of things. I felt fine physically.

The mental part, again, I feel fine, but when you do get done with the game you do realize the pressure you've been under, because you were really playing the game 24-7. People are getting up in the middle of the night, it's raining, they sit by the fire and they talk strategy. You don't want to just be sitting by the camp all day, you want to participate, you'll get firewood and walk with people and talk about stuff and get to know people — especially after the tribe swap, getting to know the new Lairo tribe. So you're constantly going, and you're constantly mentally on guard, right? Like, "What are people saying?" And trying to figure out what's happening. It is just a different level of toughness. But it was good. It was a real challenge. And that's what I'm looking for. It was a blast.

You were the very first Canadian to appear on the show. Did you feel any extra pressure or pride or anything over that fact?
I didn't think about it as much until I finally got out there and it dawned on me that yeah. Canadians are proud people, and I grew up in Canada and I grew up playing hockey in Canada and you're raised a certain way. And I really felt like I really wanted to play the game that same way that I was raised. There's a joke that if you ever got to a four-way stop with four cars in Canada, nobody ever moved. Because Canadians are so polite and nice to each other. They go, "No, you go, you go." So I kept wanting to play that loyal, respectful kind of game.

But you're also taught in Canada, especially as you grow up as a hockey player, that you play to win. And if that means you have to — it sounds kind of crude — but if you have to break somebody's arm, to do it. That's what you do. So you play a respectful game where you respect the coaches, teammates, referees and all that stuff. But you play to win. And that's the way I wanted to play out this. So I think that the Canadian upbringing really came out when I played the game.

Karishma said she was bullied on the original Lairo tribe. Do you agree with that or not?
No, I don't at all. We voted Vince out when we were pretty sure he had the idol in his pocket, but we intentionally went after Karishma to make Vince believe that that's who we are going to vote out. He believed they were going to vote me out. I did not know that at the time, but we wanted to convince him that it wasn't going to be him and that worked. So we had to kind of be tough on Karishma at that point. But you know, I think, Karishma — and I don't blame her for this at all — I think her play was that she wanted to have that perception that she was kinda on the outs. It was poor Karishma all the time, even when she cut her hand.

She made that into a bigger issue than I thought I would be. And I felt bad for her, don't get me wrong, I took that she cut her hand, but I think it became a bigger issue and that she wanted it to become a bigger issue. It seemed like her agenda was to make it into the poor Karishma show. She played the way she wanted to play, but she would sit at camp and just not participate in anything we were doing. And then she complained that she wasn't part of the group. So that was her game strategy. I'm assuming that that's the way she wanted to be perceived so I don't think she was bullied at all. I think everybody in our tribe, we really got along fine. I mean, obviously, there's the gameplay, there's stuff going on behind the scenes. But I really thought that everybody pulled together around camp trying to build camp and even challenges, although we didn't do well. I think everybody was really trying to pull together.

Who was your ride or die out there? I'm assuming it was Elaine.
Yes, she was. We came together right away. I grew up on a farm and she's got a farm, so there's that connection there. And she used to have dogs. But it wasn't just me that she was connected with. She had a connection with the girls. I felt like I was also getting close to Aaron and Dean in particular. But yeah, we really hit it off. It started there when Ronnie and Aaron wanted to vote her out. It was important to me at that point to show her that I'm going to fight for you. I'm not gonna let that happen. That's how we did it. We let Aaron and Ronnie believe that we're trying to get Vince out and then we got Ronnie taken out. That was important for me. I wanted her to see that I'm gonna battle with her and that I was her alliance and the rest of them would come along.

So when and how did you finally find out that Boston Rob and Sandra were out there? Did they tell you after you were eliminated?
Yeah, exactly. You know, I was so determined after watching the show all the time that this is the way I wanted to play. So I was always saying to myself, what would I have done if I had gotten to go [to Island of the Idols], because I didn't want to be disrespectful. Obviously, I'd have taken the advice they gave me, but I didn't want to change my game either. It was important to me going in and knowing this is the way I'm going to play and that people are gonna try to play mind games with you and get you to do stuff you don't want to do and vote a certain way. And it was really important to me that no, I'm going to play the game the way I want to play. And if you go down swinging, that's what happens. So it would have been interesting to see how I would have handled that whole situation.

You seem happy with how you played. So if you could go back and change anything about your game, would you?
I would have looked for idols more. I was more of the opinion than when they said there was the Island of the Idols and that people were going to this other island, that was the only place that there were idols. I did look a little bit, but if I was to do it again… Like, I remember Ben the Marine that won. I really liked his game because he just wouldn't quit looking for idols. That's the one where I wish I wouldn't have convinced myself so much that that was the only place that idols were.

What surprised you most watching the show back this season?
Well, of course, every time your name comes up with people who you think you formed an alliance with. Like, Chelsea and I got along fine, but when I saw that she threw my name up there, that hurt my feelings. I didn't know that was happening. I think Missy was playing a stronger game that I realized she was. The Tribal Council where Chelsea was voted off, that was a coming out party for Missy a little bit. She got a lot more vocal in front of everybody, but as I watch this show, she should probably did a lot more behind the scenes than I realized she was doing. She played a hard game.

Check out an exclusive deleted scene from the episode above. Also make sure to read our weekly Q&A with Jeff Probst as well as our full episode recap. And for more Survivor scoop, follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

Related content:

https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/24/survivor-tom-laidlow-island-of-the-idols-interview/
Tom Laidlow says Karishma was not bullied on Survivor

By Dalton Ross October 24, 2019 at 10:47 AM EDT

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why are you talking to me? Did your new tribemates just fear you would ditch them for your original alliance?
TOM LAIDLAW: I wasn't totally sure why they got rid of me at all until I watched the show last night. And in some strange way, I was kind of proud of the reason they got rid of me because I really went out there wanting to play the game a certain way. I wanted to form an alliance and be real loyal to that alliance knowing at some point as the game goes along you've got to take care of yourself. So I formed an alliance actually with Aaron, Missy, Elizabeth, and Elaine. And the tribe swap did not work out too well for me and it ended up those four went over to the other tribe. So when they voted me out, I think they felt like that I was going to remain loyal to my alliance.

I think at one point Jeff even asked me there if I would ever blink and I said "No, that's just not going to happen." So I see why they did it. I understand it. My theory all along was that we wanted to win challenges, which wasn't happening, and that therefore the fingers should point to Karishma in my mind, but she didn't go. But like I said, I love playing the way I played. I was proud of the way it played and if I got voted off for the way I played then that's just the way the game plays.

So your thinking was that you wanted at the merge to probably hook back up with that original alliance if you were all still there?
Yeah, but after watching the show, I wonder if they would have felt the same way I did. Everybody played the game hard right off the start. It was game-play right as soon as we got on the island. They didn't have to have loyalty to me. That's the way I wanted to play the game. I don't know if that's the same way they wanted to play. I think particularly with Elaine, it would've worked, and probably Elizabeth too. And Aaron and I got pretty close too, but he's playing the game hard. That's the one thing that probably surprised me the most, the amount I enjoyed the actual game-play. Like Elaine and I put together the blindside to get Ronnie out at the start. So I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed that part of the game.

Did you get a sense you were in trouble when you got to Tribal Council, or did you think Karishma was going home?
In my mind, it should have been Karishma, but I wasn't confident that I wasn't going to be heading home. I felt like it was one of the three of us. Was I a threat? Did I have a big personality that people would want out? I didn't know what their thought process was. So I felt that it was one of the three of us for sure. In fact, I remember sitting there as we were voting and while we're waiting, and for the first time in the game, I grabbed my bag to get ready to go. I really wanted to say to myself, "Okay, what do you want to stay here if it's you as you walk away?" So I didn't think it would be me, but I didn't think it wasn't gonna be me either.

You spent 11 seasons in the NHL playing for the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings. How does Survivor compare from both a physical standpoint and an overall competition standpoint?
I turned 61 when I was out there, but my health and my conditioning is a really big part of my life. So I felt like I was really prepared for that. In fact, I went out of my way to put on a little extra weight going out on the show, figuring, okay, I'm going there to win, which was going to be out there for 39 days. So I really felt like physically I was fine. The game of Survivor is a different game than where you're going man on man in the NHL. You're banging in the body so there's the risk of injury and pain all that stuff. That helped me going on Survivor, my experience from dealing with pain and fatigue and all those kinds of things. I felt fine physically.

The mental part, again, I feel fine, but when you do get done with the game you do realize the pressure you've been under, because you were really playing the game 24-7. People are getting up in the middle of the night, it's raining, they sit by the fire and they talk strategy. You don't want to just be sitting by the camp all day, you want to participate, you'll get firewood and walk with people and talk about stuff and get to know people — especially after the tribe swap, getting to know the new Lairo tribe. So you're constantly going, and you're constantly mentally on guard, right? Like, "What are people saying?" And trying to figure out what's happening. It is just a different level of toughness. But it was good. It was a real challenge. And that's what I'm looking for. It was a blast.

You were the very first Canadian to appear on the show. Did you feel any extra pressure or pride or anything over that fact?
I didn't think about it as much until I finally got out there and it dawned on me that yeah. Canadians are proud people, and I grew up in Canada and I grew up playing hockey in Canada and you're raised a certain way. And I really felt like I really wanted to play the game that same way that I was raised. There's a joke that if you ever got to a four-way stop with four cars in Canada, nobody ever moved. Because Canadians are so polite and nice to each other. They go, "No, you go, you go." So I kept wanting to play that loyal, respectful kind of game.

But you're also taught in Canada, especially as you grow up as a hockey player, that you play to win. And if that means you have to — it sounds kind of crude — but if you have to break somebody's arm, to do it. That's what you do. So you play a respectful game where you respect the coaches, teammates, referees and all that stuff. But you play to win. And that's the way I wanted to play out this. So I think that the Canadian upbringing really came out when I played the game.

Karishma said she was bullied on the original Lairo tribe. Do you agree with that or not?
No, I don't at all. We voted Vince out when we were pretty sure he had the idol in his pocket, but we intentionally went after Karishma to make Vince believe that that's who we are going to vote out. He believed they were going to vote me out. I did not know that at the time, but we wanted to convince him that it wasn't going to be him and that worked. So we had to kind of be tough on Karishma at that point. But you know, I think, Karishma — and I don't blame her for this at all — I think her play was that she wanted to have that perception that she was kinda on the outs. It was poor Karishma all the time, even when she cut her hand.

She made that into a bigger issue than I thought I would be. And I felt bad for her, don't get me wrong, I took that she cut her hand, but I think it became a bigger issue and that she wanted it to become a bigger issue. It seemed like her agenda was to make it into the poor Karishma show. She played the way she wanted to play, but she would sit at camp and just not participate in anything we were doing. And then she complained that she wasn't part of the group. So that was her game strategy. I'm assuming that that's the way she wanted to be perceived so I don't think she was bullied at all. I think everybody in our tribe, we really got along fine. I mean, obviously, there's the gameplay, there's stuff going on behind the scenes. But I really thought that everybody pulled together around camp trying to build camp and even challenges, although we didn't do well. I think everybody was really trying to pull together.

Who was your ride or die out there? I'm assuming it was Elaine.
Yes, she was. We came together right away. I grew up on a farm and she's got a farm, so there's that connection there. And she used to have dogs. But it wasn't just me that she was connected with. She had a connection with the girls. I felt like I was also getting close to Aaron and Dean in particular. But yeah, we really hit it off. It started there when Ronnie and Aaron wanted to vote her out. It was important to me at that point to show her that I'm going to fight for you. I'm not gonna let that happen. That's how we did it. We let Aaron and Ronnie believe that we're trying to get Vince out and then we got Ronnie taken out. That was important for me. I wanted her to see that I'm gonna battle with her and that I was her alliance and the rest of them would come along.

So when and how did you finally find out that Boston Rob and Sandra were out there? Did they tell you after you were eliminated?
Yeah, exactly. You know, I was so determined after watching the show all the time that this is the way I wanted to play. So I was always saying to myself, what would I have done if I had gotten to go [to Island of the Idols], because I didn't want to be disrespectful. Obviously, I'd have taken the advice they gave me, but I didn't want to change my game either. It was important to me going in and knowing this is the way I'm going to play and that people are gonna try to play mind games with you and get you to do stuff you don't want to do and vote a certain way. And it was really important to me that no, I'm going to play the game the way I want to play. And if you go down swinging, that's what happens. So it would have been interesting to see how I would have handled that whole situation.

You seem happy with how you played. So if you could go back and change anything about your game, would you?
I would have looked for idols more. I was more of the opinion than when they said there was the Island of the Idols and that people were going to this other island, that was the only place that there were idols. I did look a little bit, but if I was to do it again… Like, I remember Ben the Marine that won. I really liked his game because he just wouldn't quit looking for idols. That's the one where I wish I wouldn't have convinced myself so much that that was the only place that idols were.

What surprised you most watching the show back this season?
Well, of course, every time your name comes up with people who you think you formed an alliance with. Like, Chelsea and I got along fine, but when I saw that she threw my name up there, that hurt my feelings. I didn't know that was happening. I think Missy was playing a stronger game that I realized she was. The Tribal Council where Chelsea was voted off, that was a coming out party for Missy a little bit. She got a lot more vocal in front of everybody, but as I watch this show, she should probably did a lot more behind the scenes than I realized she was doing. She played a hard game.

Check out an exclusive deleted scene from the episode above. Also make sure to read our weekly Q&A with Jeff Probst as well as our full episode recap. And for more Survivor scoop, follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

Related content:

Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Feast on this

By Dalton Ross October 23, 2019 at 09:00 PM EDT

We're going to get to the big tribe swap. We will discuss the decision to oust Tom instead of Karishma. We'll get into not one, but two awesome challenges. We will hit on all of that. But before we do, a quick announcement: Times are tough in the publishing world. No surprise there. Whether it is print or digital journalism, companies have to evolve and find new revenue streams to stay afloat or risk extinction.

That's why I'm happy to announce that we have found an official sponsor for Entertainment Weekly's Survivor recaps that will ensure that we can continue to bring you the absolute best Survivor coverage around, as we have been doing for close to 20 years now. As for the sponsorship itself, I honestly don't even think you'll notice it as I can assure you it will be seamless and practically invisible.

So without further ado, let's get right into this week's episode… just as soon as I share a few words about Applebee's Shrimp 'n Parmesan Sirloin. Ever go out to eat and find yourself faced with the ultimate dilemma: reef or beef? Surf or turf? Splash or Meadow? Now, at Applebee's, you don't have to choose! That's because Applebee's Shrimp 'n Parmesan Sirloin gives you the best of both worlds: a juicy 8 oz. USDA Select top sirloin topped with sautéed shrimp and a lemon butter Parmesan sauce. Why have a heart attack at home when you can have one in a spacious Applebee's booth? Applebee's! Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood.

So anyway, we begin the morning after Chelsea was ousted by the Lairo tribe, leaving Dean as dazed and confused as a Led Zeppelin song. This causes the contestant to morph into his super alter-ego: Detective Dean Kowalski! But before this private dick who's a sex machine to all the chicks can start interrogating suspects, the gumshoe has another mission — to uncover the secret to making the Chef Bulgarelli's Stuffed Rigatoni and Tomato Meat Sauce dish at Applebee's so positively delicious..

Look, it doesn't take a detective to tell you that it all starts with ricotta and romano cheese-stuffed rigatoni tossed in a savory tomato-basil ground beef sauce with bruschetta tomatoes. But Applebee's then kicks it up a notch by topping that already scrumptious delight with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and baking it until a light golden brown. Served with a signature breadstick brushed with a buttery blend of garlic and parsley, it's the ultimate feast for the ultimate pasta lover. Applebee's! Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood.

After solving that culinary mystery, Dean starts questioning everyone on his tribe about who was responsible for taking out Chelsea. "I assume it was your shot," he tells Missy, who insists that "nobody ordered a hit" (even though we see the flashback of her coming up with the idea). But Missy believes that Dean should shut his trap instead of biting the hand that feeds him.

Speaking of biting things, have you tried Applebee's Whiskey Bacon Burger? This isn't your grandma's bacon burger, ladies and gentlemen. Because this all-beef patty is not only topped with two slices of pepper jack cheese, crispy onions, two strips of applewood-smoked bacon as well as lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles on a brioche bun, but it also contains Applebee's famous Fireball® whiskey-infused steak sauce. Next time, why not kick your next meal off with a little kick? Applebee's! Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood.

Okay, okay…I get it. The new product placement deal I struck may be infringing just slightly on the quality of my recapping skills, so as much as it pains me to say so, I shall hereby refrain from espousing the joys of the Neighborhood Nachos Chicken. Nor shall you hear me wax poetic over the Double Crunch Shrimp. And I certainly will not stoop so low as to promote the chain restaurant's mouth-watering Brew Pub Pretzels & Beer Cheese Dip. Because I have integrity, dammit! If you sell out, then get the hell out!

But due to Mark Burnett's love of product placement — he once called me back after an interview about his show The Restaurant to brag even more about all the corporate deals he had struck — Jeff Probst had no choice but to stand there and sound like he wanted to have sexual intercourse with pretty much every single item on the Applebee's menu. "Loaded, sizzling fajitas, smothered in hot queso," the host cooed. I don't know how you have sex with queso, but Probst apparently has found a way.

I actually love these segments for the unintentional comedy they provide. The only thing better than watching Jeff Probst shill for a corporate sponsor is watching contestants do it. I've always said that a guaranteed way to score more camera time on the show is to swallow your pride and give a 5 star Tripadvisor review for whatever lame product/restaurant/movie they stick you with on a reward, with my all-time favorite being Coach's glowing review of Adam Sandler's cross-dressing twin "comedy" Jack and Jill during Survivor: South Pacific. And I quote… "Jack and Jill. Loved it. Adam Sandler — personally, I'm a fan. It was funny, but at the same time, there was a message and that message was, hey, family comes first."

Okay, so not exactly Roger Ebert, but still, what a savvy, veteran move by the three-time player. Producers were no doubt contractually obligated to air a complimentary reaction from a contestant, so Coach scored himself a little extra air-time with that masterful take. Which brings us to the winner of 2019's Contractually Obligated Glowing Contestant Review of the Season. It was a close one. Tommy Sheehan came on strong late — not only going on and on unnecessarily about the "Shark Bowl," but actually toasting Applebee's and essentially calling the meal the best moment of his entire life. APPLEBEE'S!!!

But no, the winner of the Contractually Obligated Glowing Contestant Review of the Season is… Karishma! I know, a bit of shocker considering Karishma has not come close to winning anything all season, but how could anyone else compete with this gem of a comment: "I love Applebee's. Applebee's is by far my favorite, like, sit down restaurant." Wait, not your favorite chain restaurant, but your "favorite, like, sit down restaurant"? You mean, any sit-down restaurant? You would rather scarf down Double Crunch Bone-In Wings and something called "Fiesta Lime Chicken" at Applebee's than dine at the chicest eateries in your city of Houston? Applebee's over Xochi? Applebee's over BCN Taste & Tradition? Applebee's over La Table Houston?

That all seems dubious, but I love it. The same I way I love how junior Survivor crew members were likely forced to don Applebee's uniforms and act as servers to complete the advertisement. The entire thing was amazing. As amazing as the Blue Ribbon Brownie? Who's to say! Alright, let's chime in on a few other things from this latest episode.

Swap Till You Drop
The tribes were ordered to drop their buffs and re-pick new ones to form two new tribes. Here's what we ended up with:

NEW VOKAI
Tommy
Lauren
Dan
Jason
Missy
Elaine
Elizabeth
Aaron

NEW LAIRO
Jamal
Jack
Janet
Noura
Kellee
Tom
Karishma
Dean

That meant the new Vokai was an even 4-4 split from the old tribes, while the new Lairo had a 5-3 advantage for former Vokai members. Nobody got completely screwed in this new set-up. I mean, I guess Tom did because he got voted out, but it's not like we had a 7-1 situation, or the Vokai majority suddenly became a new tribe minority. Honestly, the swap was a bit uneventful in that way, but also interesting to see how the new dynamic would shake out.

We got our first look at the new tribe dynamics in the reward challenge. It was a recent classic in which players have their feet tied together and arms bound at the side and must slither through obstacles on the sand and race to finish a fire puzzle. This competition always offers a solid gold reaction shot, with Lauren stepping up to the plate to deliver her plea of "I CAN'T MOVE!" (Runner-up acknowledgment to Noura for imploring Applebee's-loving Karishma to "Stay straight. C'mon girl, let's go!"

The new Vokai dominated the challenge, and received what Jeff Probst described as "a once in a lifetime reward on Survivor!" I mean, I would have taken the car, curse and all, but okay, I guess loaded sizzling fajitas can count as once in a lifetime if you say so.

Not Laying Low on Lairo
Outnumbered by former Vokai, Karishma, Tom, and Dean jumped into trying to forge connections with their new overlords. Karishma immediately approached Kellee and told her she wanted to flip on her former tribemates and work with them. She also claimed to have been bullied by her former tribe, which is interesting in and of itself. Bullying is a word that gets thrown around a lot on reality television shows. Sometimes accurately, sometimes not. Even with the tribe not appearing to be attentive when Karishma cut herself, and even with Missy's comment at Tribal Council that Karishma was getting lapped when it came to competitions, nothing I have seen on the show qualifies as straight-up bullying. Not liking? Sure. Bullying, though?

Of course, there is so much we have not seen on the show. Is it possible Karishma was being bullied in situations that did not make it to air? Absolutely. I definitely look forward to asking both Karishma and some of her original Lairo tribemates about the bullying accusations to find out exactly what was going on there. Was there ugly behavior that we did not see, or was the bullying simply not getting along? Inquiring minds want to know.

Regardless, Karishma has given us some great moments talking about her life outside the game. The scene a few weeks ago when she spoke about the difficulty of not being covered up out on the island showed a cultural perspective we don't see enough of on the show, and I loved the segment this week where she talked about arranged marriages. I loved it because this was a conversation that wide swaths of Americans have never heard or been privy too. And the rawness and openness with which Karishma discussed it was riveting.

Not only did Karishma talk about being a burden and shame to her family because she would not initially get married, but then she went deeper. Much deeper. For her to admit on national television that she has been questioning her choice to marry and that she and her husband are "like roommates" was a pretty startling admission. Even for a gamebot like me, these moments were extremely powerful and show that real human drama can occur out there, even when it has nothing to do with the game itself.

With that said, let's get back to the game! While Karishma was ready to sell out Tom and Dean, they were busy doing the same thing to her. Tom emphasized to Janet how bad Karishma was in challenges, while Dean forged a connection with a connection from back home, which brings up many questions. Questions like: Did Dean and Kellee know before the game that she went to business school with his longtime girlfriend or did they just figure it out once they started talking after the tribe swap? And how close are Kellee and this girlfriend? And how close are Kellee and Dean? And did they ever meet up at an Applebee's for a Shark Bowl?

Of course, the chief question is whether producers knew about the Dean and Kellee connection. And, if so, when they knew it. I asked Jeff Probst exactly that and you'll have to check out our weekly Q&A to see his answer.

#OrangeDeathAlert
Question: With all the ways to get injured on Survivor, can you imagine any stupider way to hurt yourself and have to be pulled from the game than needlessly wrestling at camp? That's what was going through my mind as I watched Elaine and Missy tussle for kicks. I guess this was supposed to come off as silly and fun, but it seriously stressed me out in a why-would-they-be-this-careless-and-dumb kind of way? Or maybe it just stressed me out because I was on the losing end of any and every wrestling match I was peer-pressured into over the course of my life. Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.

Also of note was Aaron and Missy already completely abandoning the rest of their former tribemates, even though they were deadlocked 4-4. All Missy's talk all season about a female alliance seems to be poppycock as she appeared ready not only to toss poor Elaine and Elizabeth out of the car but then run them over as well. Judging by my raw exit interview with Chelsea last week, the women's alliance was never really a thing anyway, and we're seeing again here that Aaron is Missy's true ride or die. The duo agreed they don't want to go to rocks and that "orange is dead," which they hopefully will not repeat anywhere near Jeff Probst's hat designer.

There's no doubt Missy is playing the game and playing it hard. I love that. But one lingering question does nag at me: Is she playing it well?

Waterworld
Yes, John Kirhoffer! Yes! Keep at it with these awesome water challenges. Don't you dare stop. Don't even think about it. And if you do think about it, think about something else instead. Something like, I don't know, trying to figure out the difference between Applebee's Chicken Tenders Basket and Applebee's Chicken Tenders Platter. But keep the damn water challenges!

This week's was another doozy and a variation on the second immunity challenge from Ghost Island (which I was lucky enough to test drive when I was out on location). I loved the gorgeous location. I loved watching people swim, I loved watching them leap (or dive, in the case of Elaine and Dan!) off a giant ladder, and I loved watching people dive to release buoys. A new wrinkle was added with having to maneuver the buoys across a set of balance beams, and that was cool as well. Anyway, Vokai won (even though Dean made it close at the end).

Like many of you, I wish Survivor would go back to visiting different countries, but the consolation prize is that Fiji allows the show to do amazing challenges like this that most other locations do not.

Island Sitting Idle
With the tribe swap and the reward challenge, there was no time for Rob and Sandra outside of their weird Tribal Council hot box appearance. I can only assume they spent 72 straight hours staring at their giant statues.

Take Off, Eh?
There was literally a zero percent chance I would let the first Canadian Survivor contestant get voted out without busting out a Bob & Doug McKenzie reference as the other members of Lairo made like Brewmeister Smith and tried to take out the wily Canuck. But all the former Lairo were in trouble. Tom, because they feared he would flip back at the merge. Karishma, because she was weak in challenges. And Dean, because Kellee did not want to become the next Chelsea (perhaps because that would be supes awkward when she returned to business school with Dean's girlfriend).

Tribal Council provided some snappy back and forth between Dean and Janet (who said Dean never bothered to speak to her) and Karishma and Tom (who claimed she knew who was behind the hit on Chelsea). It also apparently provided some side-splitting comedy, as evidenced by Noura's uncontrollable guffawing. Why was she breaking into fits of laughter in such a dramatic setting? Who is she, the freakin' Joker? Maybe she was just happy because she realized nobody would notice her missing the vote with the majority going on Tom (meaning all eight votes did not need to be read).

So, yeah, Tom was driven into the boards, which is my lame attempt to equate what just happened into hockey terms. Being driven into the board sucks. So does being voted out of Survivor. I realize now it was a stretch to make that comparison, but it's over and done with at this point. Much like Tom. Was it the right call for Lairo? Tough to say. Karishma is a definite liability in challenges, but I also totally get where they are coming from in trying to take out loyal Lairo numbers. And if they lose again, they can drop Karishma then.

In any event, Tom is done, but we are most decidedly not. We've got an exclusive deleted scene from the episode waiting for you above, as well as our weekly Q&A with Hostmaster General Jeff Probst. My exit interview with Tom is now is now live, and you can also hear that bad boy on EW Live (SiriusXM, channel 109) from 2-4 p.m. ET. And for more Survivor scoop sent right to you, check me on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

But now it's your turn. Did Lairo make the right choice in booting Tom over Karishma? Did you miss Island of the Idols? And do you love or loathe the product placement on the show? Hit the message boards to weigh in and I'll be back next week with another scoop of the crispy!

Related content:
•Survivor host Jeff Probst weighs in on Noura's terrible lie
•Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Noura's big (and really bad) lie
•Why do men keep winning Survivor?

Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Feast on this

By Dalton Ross October 23, 2019 at 09:00 PM EDT

We're going to get to the big tribe swap. We will discuss the decision to oust Tom instead of Karishma. We'll get into not one, but two awesome challenges. We will hit on all of that. But before we do, a quick announcement: Times are tough in the publishing world. No surprise there. Whether it is print or digital journalism, companies have to evolve and find new revenue streams to stay afloat or risk extinction.

That's why I'm happy to announce that we have found an official sponsor for Entertainment Weekly's Survivor recaps that will ensure that we can continue to bring you the absolute best Survivor coverage around, as we have been doing for close to 20 years now. As for the sponsorship itself, I honestly don't even think you'll notice it as I can assure you it will be seamless and practically invisible.

So without further ado, let's get right into this week's episode… just as soon as I share a few words about Applebee's Shrimp 'n Parmesan Sirloin. Ever go out to eat and find yourself faced with the ultimate dilemma: reef or beef? Surf or turf? Splash or Meadow? Now, at Applebee's, you don't have to choose! That's because Applebee's Shrimp 'n Parmesan Sirloin gives you the best of both worlds: a juicy 8 oz. USDA Select top sirloin topped with sautéed shrimp and a lemon butter Parmesan sauce. Why have a heart attack at home when you can have one in a spacious Applebee's booth? Applebee's! Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood.

So anyway, we begin the morning after Chelsea was ousted by the Lairo tribe, leaving Dean as dazed and confused as a Led Zeppelin song. This causes the contestant to morph into his super alter-ego: Detective Dean Kowalski! But before this private dick who's a sex machine to all the chicks can start interrogating suspects, the gumshoe has another mission — to uncover the secret to making the Chef Bulgarelli's Stuffed Rigatoni and Tomato Meat Sauce dish at Applebee's so positively delicious..

Look, it doesn't take a detective to tell you that it all starts with ricotta and romano cheese-stuffed rigatoni tossed in a savory tomato-basil ground beef sauce with bruschetta tomatoes. But Applebee's then kicks it up a notch by topping that already scrumptious delight with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and baking it until a light golden brown. Served with a signature breadstick brushed with a buttery blend of garlic and parsley, it's the ultimate feast for the ultimate pasta lover. Applebee's! Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood.

After solving that culinary mystery, Dean starts questioning everyone on his tribe about who was responsible for taking out Chelsea. "I assume it was your shot," he tells Missy, who insists that "nobody ordered a hit" (even though we see the flashback of her coming up with the idea). But Missy believes that Dean should shut his trap instead of biting the hand that feeds him.

Speaking of biting things, have you tried Applebee's Whiskey Bacon Burger? This isn't your grandma's bacon burger, ladies and gentlemen. Because this all-beef patty is not only topped with two slices of pepper jack cheese, crispy onions, two strips of applewood-smoked bacon as well as lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles on a brioche bun, but it also contains Applebee's famous Fireball® whiskey-infused steak sauce. Next time, why not kick your next meal off with a little kick? Applebee's! Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood.

Okay, okay…I get it. The new product placement deal I struck may be infringing just slightly on the quality of my recapping skills, so as much as it pains me to say so, I shall hereby refrain from espousing the joys of the Neighborhood Nachos Chicken. Nor shall you hear me wax poetic over the Double Crunch Shrimp. And I certainly will not stoop so low as to promote the chain restaurant's mouth-watering Brew Pub Pretzels & Beer Cheese Dip. Because I have integrity, dammit! If you sell out, then get the hell out!

But due to Mark Burnett's love of product placement — he once called me back after an interview about his show The Restaurant to brag even more about all the corporate deals he had struck — Jeff Probst had no choice but to stand there and sound like he wanted to have sexual intercourse with pretty much every single item on the Applebee's menu. "Loaded, sizzling fajitas, smothered in hot queso," the host cooed. I don't know how you have sex with queso, but Probst apparently has found a way.

I actually love these segments for the unintentional comedy they provide. The only thing better than watching Jeff Probst shill for a corporate sponsor is watching contestants do it. I've always said that a guaranteed way to score more camera time on the show is to swallow your pride and give a 5 star Tripadvisor review for whatever lame product/restaurant/movie they stick you with on a reward, with my all-time favorite being Coach's glowing review of Adam Sandler's cross-dressing twin "comedy" Jack and Jill during Survivor: South Pacific. And I quote… "Jack and Jill. Loved it. Adam Sandler — personally, I'm a fan. It was funny, but at the same time, there was a message and that message was, hey, family comes first."

Okay, so not exactly Roger Ebert, but still, what a savvy, veteran move by the three-time player. Producers were no doubt contractually obligated to air a complimentary reaction from a contestant, so Coach scored himself a little extra air-time with that masterful take. Which brings us to the winner of 2019's Contractually Obligated Glowing Contestant Review of the Season. It was a close one. Tommy Sheehan came on strong late — not only going on and on unnecessarily about the "Shark Bowl," but actually toasting Applebee's and essentially calling the meal the best moment of his entire life. APPLEBEE'S!!!

But no, the winner of the Contractually Obligated Glowing Contestant Review of the Season is… Karishma! I know, a bit of shocker considering Karishma has not come close to winning anything all season, but how could anyone else compete with this gem of a comment: "I love Applebee's. Applebee's is by far my favorite, like, sit down restaurant." Wait, not your favorite chain restaurant, but your "favorite, like, sit down restaurant"? You mean, any sit-down restaurant? You would rather scarf down Double Crunch Bone-In Wings and something called "Fiesta Lime Chicken" at Applebee's than dine at the chicest eateries in your city of Houston? Applebee's over Xochi? Applebee's over BCN Taste & Tradition? Applebee's over La Table Houston?

That all seems dubious, but I love it. The same I way I love how junior Survivor crew members were likely forced to don Applebee's uniforms and act as servers to complete the advertisement. The entire thing was amazing. As amazing as the Blue Ribbon Brownie? Who's to say! Alright, let's chime in on a few other things from this latest episode.

Swap Till You Drop
The tribes were ordered to drop their buffs and re-pick new ones to form two new tribes. Here's what we ended up with:

NEW VOKAI
Tommy
Lauren
Dan
Jason
Missy
Elaine
Elizabeth
Aaron

NEW LAIRO
Jamal
Jack
Janet
Noura
Kellee
Tom
Karishma
Dean

That meant the new Vokai was an even 4-4 split from the old tribes, while the new Lairo had a 5-3 advantage for former Vokai members. Nobody got completely screwed in this new set-up. I mean, I guess Tom did because he got voted out, but it's not like we had a 7-1 situation, or the Vokai majority suddenly became a new tribe minority. Honestly, the swap was a bit uneventful in that way, but also interesting to see how the new dynamic would shake out.

We got our first look at the new tribe dynamics in the reward challenge. It was a recent classic in which players have their feet tied together and arms bound at the side and must slither through obstacles on the sand and race to finish a fire puzzle. This competition always offers a solid gold reaction shot, with Lauren stepping up to the plate to deliver her plea of "I CAN'T MOVE!" (Runner-up acknowledgment to Noura for imploring Applebee's-loving Karishma to "Stay straight. C'mon girl, let's go!"

The new Vokai dominated the challenge, and received what Jeff Probst described as "a once in a lifetime reward on Survivor!" I mean, I would have taken the car, curse and all, but okay, I guess loaded sizzling fajitas can count as once in a lifetime if you say so.

Not Laying Low on Lairo
Outnumbered by former Vokai, Karishma, Tom, and Dean jumped into trying to forge connections with their new overlords. Karishma immediately approached Kellee and told her she wanted to flip on her former tribemates and work with them. She also claimed to have been bullied by her former tribe, which is interesting in and of itself. Bullying is a word that gets thrown around a lot on reality television shows. Sometimes accurately, sometimes not. Even with the tribe not appearing to be attentive when Karishma cut herself, and even with Missy's comment at Tribal Council that Karishma was getting lapped when it came to competitions, nothing I have seen on the show qualifies as straight-up bullying. Not liking? Sure. Bullying, though?

Of course, there is so much we have not seen on the show. Is it possible Karishma was being bullied in situations that did not make it to air? Absolutely. I definitely look forward to asking both Karishma and some of her original Lairo tribemates about the bullying accusations to find out exactly what was going on there. Was there ugly behavior that we did not see, or was the bullying simply not getting along? Inquiring minds want to know.

Regardless, Karishma has given us some great moments talking about her life outside the game. The scene a few weeks ago when she spoke about the difficulty of not being covered up out on the island showed a cultural perspective we don't see enough of on the show, and I loved the segment this week where she talked about arranged marriages. I loved it because this was a conversation that wide swaths of Americans have never heard or been privy too. And the rawness and openness with which Karishma discussed it was riveting.

Not only did Karishma talk about being a burden and shame to her family because she would not initially get married, but then she went deeper. Much deeper. For her to admit on national television that she has been questioning her choice to marry and that she and her husband are "like roommates" was a pretty startling admission. Even for a gamebot like me, these moments were extremely powerful and show that real human drama can occur out there, even when it has nothing to do with the game itself.

With that said, let's get back to the game! While Karishma was ready to sell out Tom and Dean, they were busy doing the same thing to her. Tom emphasized to Janet how bad Karishma was in challenges, while Dean forged a connection with a connection from back home, which brings up many questions. Questions like: Did Dean and Kellee know before the game that she went to business school with his longtime girlfriend or did they just figure it out once they started talking after the tribe swap? And how close are Kellee and this girlfriend? And how close are Kellee and Dean? And did they ever meet up at an Applebee's for a Shark Bowl?

Of course, the chief question is whether producers knew about the Dean and Kellee connection. And, if so, when they knew it. I asked Jeff Probst exactly that and you'll have to check out our weekly Q&A to see his answer.

#OrangeDeathAlert
Question: With all the ways to get injured on Survivor, can you imagine any stupider way to hurt yourself and have to be pulled from the game than needlessly wrestling at camp? That's what was going through my mind as I watched Elaine and Missy tussle for kicks. I guess this was supposed to come off as silly and fun, but it seriously stressed me out in a why-would-they-be-this-careless-and-dumb kind of way? Or maybe it just stressed me out because I was on the losing end of any and every wrestling match I was peer-pressured into over the course of my life. Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.

Also of note was Aaron and Missy already completely abandoning the rest of their former tribemates, even though they were deadlocked 4-4. All Missy's talk all season about a female alliance seems to be poppycock as she appeared ready not only to toss poor Elaine and Elizabeth out of the car but then run them over as well. Judging by my raw exit interview with Chelsea last week, the women's alliance was never really a thing anyway, and we're seeing again here that Aaron is Missy's true ride or die. The duo agreed they don't want to go to rocks and that "orange is dead," which they hopefully will not repeat anywhere near Jeff Probst's hat designer.

There's no doubt Missy is playing the game and playing it hard. I love that. But one lingering question does nag at me: Is she playing it well?

Waterworld
Yes, John Kirhoffer! Yes! Keep at it with these awesome water challenges. Don't you dare stop. Don't even think about it. And if you do think about it, think about something else instead. Something like, I don't know, trying to figure out the difference between Applebee's Chicken Tenders Basket and Applebee's Chicken Tenders Platter. But keep the damn water challenges!

This week's was another doozy and a variation on the second immunity challenge from Ghost Island (which I was lucky enough to test drive when I was out on location). I loved the gorgeous location. I loved watching people swim, I loved watching them leap (or dive, in the case of Elaine and Dan!) off a giant ladder, and I loved watching people dive to release buoys. A new wrinkle was added with having to maneuver the buoys across a set of balance beams, and that was cool as well. Anyway, Vokai won (even though Dean made it close at the end).

Like many of you, I wish Survivor would go back to visiting different countries, but the consolation prize is that Fiji allows the show to do amazing challenges like this that most other locations do not.

Island Sitting Idle
With the tribe swap and the reward challenge, there was no time for Rob and Sandra outside of their weird Tribal Council hot box appearance. I can only assume they spent 72 straight hours staring at their giant statues.

Take Off, Eh?
There was literally a zero percent chance I would let the first Canadian Survivor contestant get voted out without busting out a Bob & Doug McKenzie reference as the other members of Lairo made like Brewmeister Smith and tried to take out the wily Canuck. But all the former Lairo were in trouble. Tom, because they feared he would flip back at the merge. Karishma, because she was weak in challenges. And Dean, because Kellee did not want to become the next Chelsea (perhaps because that would be supes awkward when she returned to business school with Dean's girlfriend).

Tribal Council provided some snappy back and forth between Dean and Janet (who said Dean never bothered to speak to her) and Karishma and Tom (who claimed she knew who was behind the hit on Chelsea). It also apparently provided some side-splitting comedy, as evidenced by Noura's uncontrollable guffawing. Why was she breaking into fits of laughter in such a dramatic setting? Who is she, the freakin' Joker? Maybe she was just happy because she realized nobody would notice her missing the vote with the majority going on Tom (meaning all eight votes did not need to be read).

So, yeah, Tom was driven into the boards, which is my lame attempt to equate what just happened into hockey terms. Being driven into the board sucks. So does being voted out of Survivor. I realize now it was a stretch to make that comparison, but it's over and done with at this point. Much like Tom. Was it the right call for Lairo? Tough to say. Karishma is a definite liability in challenges, but I also totally get where they are coming from in trying to take out loyal Lairo numbers. And if they lose again, they can drop Karishma then.

In any event, Tom is done, but we are most decidedly not. We've got an exclusive deleted scene from the episode waiting for you above, as well as our weekly Q&A with Hostmaster General Jeff Probst. My exit interview with Tom is now is now live, and you can also hear that bad boy on EW Live (SiriusXM, channel 109) from 2-4 p.m. ET. And for more Survivor scoop sent right to you, check me on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

But now it's your turn. Did Lairo make the right choice in booting Tom over Karishma? Did you miss Island of the Idols? And do you love or loathe the product placement on the show? Hit the message boards to weigh in and I'll be back next week with another scoop of the crispy!

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•Survivor host Jeff Probst weighs in on Noura's terrible lie
•Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Noura's big (and really bad) lie
•Why do men keep winning Survivor?