Survivor Week 6: The Play-By-Play (SPOILER!!)

March 6, 2001

by j

This was the episode I think that really hooked everyone in…the last episode before the tribes merge and the showing of the promised 'accident.' The show started with Kucha coming back after last week's tribal council, and they were caught in a nasty torrential downpour. (Hey, they needed the shower, I'm sure! -Ed.) They commented that they were in for a long cold night because most of them had worn their sleeping clothes to the council. After a long night, Mike talked about his awesome experience and how he hoped that he would last another 16 days.

Meanwhile, at Ogakor, Jerri started ranting about chocolate and how it was a substitute for sex. She shared a fantasy about wanting to have sex with a man covered in chocolate. This woman will be in Playboy faster than you can say Survivor 3, I'm tellin' ya! After a long segment of Jerri and Amber talking about sex and chocolate and banging a bongo drum, Colby began to look really ticked off. He said on camera that he couldn't wait for the merger so that he could get rid of those two. (What…he's not into chocolate-covered threesomes? -Ed.)

Over at Kucha they stumbled onto the idea of eating chicken feed. Yum. And when they actually cooked it, they discovered that some of the seeds were popcorn kernels. They literally appeared to be addicted to it because that was all we saw them eating the rest of the show. Hmmm…chocolate for Ogakor and popcorn for Kucha. To each his own, I guess.

At Ogakor, Jerri decided that she'd had enough of chocolate fantasies and that she'd like fried green tomatoes instead… made of cherry tomatoes. Her ridiculous idea caused more friction between her and Keith because he said that if they had been on the plant a day longer, the tomatoes would have ripened. They argued back and forth, and then Tina threatened to send them both to a "timeout." Tina said that she'd decided one of them would need to go and that she was leaning towards booting off Jerri. (I'll second that! -Ed.)

The tribes then get their riddles about the reward challenge, which would be something about one member leading the others through the dark with a picnic as the prize. To prepare, Kucha blindfolded themselves as Nick led them through training exercises. Ogakor did yoga…um, yeah. The picnic prize reeked of pretty blatant corporate sponsorship, composed of Doritos and Mountain Dew.

And so the challenge began. It saw Jerri and Nick sitting on stands yelling out orders to their respective blindfolded tribes. Each tribe had to complete a series of tasks, including picking up a log and putting it in a sawhorse, and moving a picnic basket to a table. Interestingly enough, Ogakor was seconds away from winning but Amber couldn't find the table. Maybe she was too busy fantasizing about Jeff Probst all covered in chocolate. And so Kucha came from behind to win. Amber was severely dejected and Colby responded by throwing a bucket of water up at Jerri. Ah, so much love in this tribe!

After the commercial break, we got a warning that the following segment contained scenes that might be unsuitable for young people. Man, the producers built up such an incredible amount of tension by showing us scenes of a down and out Ogakor tribe. Finally, we went to Kucha, and honestly, I had a knot in my stomach. Everything and everybody was all sleepy and quiet when suddenly, Mike screamed out in pain. He charged to the river and dived in. The rest of the tribe rushed to the river and we learned that Mike had burnt his hands in the fire. He lifted them out of the water to reveal severe burns and flesh hanging off of them. Euuuuuwwww! Elisabeth went into the water to stay with him and then the "Survivor" medical team showed up. They dressed his wounds and gave him an inhalant for the pain. Then they moved him to the staff camp as the helicopter was called in to transport him to the hospital.

One thing I noticed prominently was the tangerine dream-like soundtrack. I can see the track listing now: 'Mike's Injury, Track 12." Afterwards, drugged up and fading off, Mike said a teary farewell with everyone putting on a brave face as he was airlifted out.

Over at Ogakor, they received a very vague note saying there had been an accident at Kucha and there would be no immunity challenge. This for me was strange because wasn't it bad enough that they were starving and demoralized, but to add the depressing and frightening air of a severe injury? These "Survivor" producers really don't pull any punches.

Meanwhile, Jeff vowed to "eat up and spit out" every member of the Ogakor tribe in memory of Mike's contribution to their tribe. It was nice to know Mike's injury had given his tribe such moral inspiration.

The scenes from next week's episide revealed the merger of the tribes and Jeff telling us that Keith and Colby seemed to be conspiring and choosing who they would vote out. Then we got a final word from Mike. I saw Mike on one of those morning shows today. Turns out he had to go to two hospitals and spend 4 1/2 hours in the air. He escaped surgery when his hands miraculously healed themselves, startling even the doctors. He also mentioned how he now believes in a higher power. Ain't that somethin'?

Cheers,
j