Episode Eleven: A Big Surprise...and Another

By Dan Krovich

We begin as we begin seemingly every episode, with the tribe returning back to camp after tribal council. This time it seems as if Clay has taken offense to Jake's comment describing himself as a hard worker. It's a classic case of methinks he doth protest too much as Clay takes that innocent remark as a direct attack, implying that Clay is lazy. It's also a case of he who smelt it dealt it, as Clay is, in fact, lazy even if Jake didn't mean it that way. The rest of the tribe is quietly on Jake's side, posing the possibility of suspense that maybe they won't get rid of the last Sook Jai member next.

The excitement of the next day involves the fact that Clay smells funny and Jake is writing in his journal. Tree mail comes and the clue presents the promise of food, which spreads joy among the hungry castaways. The reward for the challenge turns out not to be food, but instead a potential visit from a loved one, which is probably the one thing they desire more than food. The winner of the challenge gets to have their loved one spend twenty-four hours with the tribe. For the losers, the loved ones are sent home without so much as a peck on the cheek.

So, if food isn't the reward, then it must be the challenge. Of course, the definition of food is a loose one. Yes, folks, it's time for the eating gross things challenge, but this time it's the loved ones who have to do the eating, so they don't even have the advantage of not eating for thirty days. The loved ones mouth various obscenities as they realize the tables have been turned. I know my mom loves me and all, but if the choice was eat a bunch of bugs and see me now or see me in ten days, I'm pretty sure I'd be spending the next week and half alone.

Course one is a spoonful of dead ants, and all six down them. Course two is a giant water roach, and boy are they juicy. This causes more problems and Brian's wife doesn't even attempt it. I figured she was probably one of Brian's costars at one time and has had worse things in her mouth, but she is too squeamish. Course three is live grubs, reminiscent of the first season, and the first two people who finish the grubs move onto the final. The final two wind up being Jake's wife and Helen's husband. Both down a tarantula and face a tiebreaker of time trial of a scorpion, which Helen's husband wins.

Mr. Helen comes back to camp and spends the night, but there is no hot monkey loving. I'm sure that wouldn't have been the case if Brian's wife had won. Helen spends the day with her husband talking strategy. She doesn't particularly care for or trust Clay and would like to see him gone, but she thinks Brian is an upright guy because he said he would take her to the final two. Pssst, Helen, he says that to all the girls.and guys. Of course, the twenty-four hours come to an end, and Mr. Helen must leave. It' s all very teary, sniff sniff.

Then it's back to the game with the immunity challenge. As the last Sook Jai member left, Jake in particular feels the strong need to win the immunity necklace this time or else be sent packing to the jury box. It's another puzzle challenge where the castaways have to put together a cube, using puzzle pieces so that all sides of the cube have the same color. But before they start, Surprise!, they all get to see their loved ones. Everyone was very happy, and it was heartwarming and all, but I really didn't need to see Jake shove his tongue down his wife's throat. And she couldn't eat a scorpion? The loved ones also get to help with the challenge.

Ted wins immunity, setting up the likelihood that Jake will be booted as the final Sook Jai member, with the outside chance wildcard that Chuay Gahn may turn on Clay instead. Helen, with her poor misguided trust in Brian (boy is he playing this game well), approaches him with the possibility of booting Clay. She plays the Clay is lazy card, but Brian is noncommittal. Chuay Gahn decides to take the easy vote, and boot out Jake. At least maybe it means that the game will finally get interesting now that there are only Chuay Gahn left.

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