Meanwhile, Taj and Stephen know that Joe is probably to figure out that the immunity idol is hidden in the treemail, so they decide quickly that they're going to have to make a fake idol in order to make Joe think that they haven't found it. Taj decides to go get the real idol from Stephen's pocket without telling him, in order to have something to work from. When she finishes making a fairly convincing new idol out of a bunch of beads and feathers (where do these people keep getting this stuff?), she hides it in the treemail statue where she found the original idol. Taj then takes the real idol and just sort of...stashes it in her bag, lazily throwing it on top of all her other stuff and just wandering away. I feel like Taj has been really careless these past few episodes, between this and the whole yelling affair from last week. She's going to end her own game sooner than later, with this kind of thing.
JT and Stephen decide to go fishing, and when JT goes to get an empty bag for the fish, he grabs Taj's by accident and sees the hidden immunity idol right there on the top. He goes right to Stephen to tell him, and Stephen is so blindsided by this that he just kind of stutters that he knows about it already. So now Stephen's hand has been forced due to Taj's carelessness, so he has to go to her and get her to tell JT about the idol, while pretending that she doesn't already know that he found it in order keep him in the dark about her bond with Stephen. Confused yet?
Taj does manage to pull the whole thing fairly well, and JT buys into her ploy. "I think Taj feels like she can trust me," JT says. Taj does go a little overboard, promising him that if he needs to use the idol, he can have it anytime he wants. When happens down the line when her secret cross-tribal alliance wants to vote out JT and he asks her for the idol? Towards the end of the conversation, Stephen forces the issue regarding the hiding place of the idol so that he ends up back in possession of it. Taj makes everyone join hands and then says very gravely, "We're going...to the merge." Stephen has to correct her: "We're going to the merge? We're going to the end!" he says, laughing nervously, because saying to someone "We're in an alliance...for another three days" is not the best way to gain permanent trust. This whole thing could so easily have been avoided, you know? Her carelessness is disconcerting.
Immunity challenge! One member of each tribe will use a slingshot to break a tile, which will cause sand to pour out and release a bag of puzzle pieces. It's a pretty clever setup, because the weight of the sand leaving the mechanism causes the puzzle pieces to swing down all dramatically. When all three bags have been released, two more tribe members will work on the puzzle for immunity.
Tyson and JT have the slingshots, and Tyson connects first, but JT hits two quickly in a row to take the lead. However, because JT hit the top of the tiles, not all the sand is able to come out, which makes his final target pretty small.
This allows Tyson to pull ahead (complete with shit talk to JT in which he offers to take care of the last tile for him), and Timbira's lead is just too big to overcome by the time JT's hit his very small target, allowing Brendan and Erinn to complete the puzzle and win final immunity for Timbira. Stupid Probst asks Coach how it feels to win before everyone is sent back to camp, and Coach rubs it in by noting how pivotal this particular win is, since it ensures a Timbira majority for the theoretic merge. There's only one more opportunity to vote him out before he makes the jury, people! Somebody do me a solid.
Back at Jalapao, JT feels responsible for the loss, apologizing profusely for the fact that they're going to be down at the merge. Stephen lets him know that they don't blame him for the loss. Yep, I think losing a freaking tooth entitles you to a couple of mistakes. Joe's knee also looks pretty badly injured, and he tries to play it off like nothing's wrong, because he somehow manages to make even an injury boring. I mean, seriously, how do you make someone getting maimed boring? It's the whole reason for the existence of hockey.
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Comments (21)
To answer your oft asked question, "Where do these people get this stuff to make the idols?", Probst says on his blog that the camps & challenges are purposely decorated with all kinds of doo-dads for just that reason. They love it when fake idols are made.
Anysnore, yup, Joe's boring and Taj can't keep her piehole shut.
1 of 21 | Posted by shantigal | Posted on April 6, 2009 9:55 PM
Sydney's supposed charms escaped me -- sure, she's pretty enough, but boring as all hell. I'm certain she's the type to just lie there waiting, taking a very very long time of it and making only very very quiet sighing sounds when (if) she's finally done. In other words, why even bother.
Sierra's much much hotter. You just know she's the type to move your head around to exactly where she needs it to be.
Which has me rooting for her team, even though that also means I'm rooting for Coach. And Debra. And Tyson (who I find almost as unlikable as Coach in his own way).
Still, if they get rid of Coach, the whole show might just collapse in on itself, as everyone falls asleep, camera crew, sound guys, prop crews, etc...it's just not happening this season. Maybe it's the editing? Everything just seems tired.
And let's face facts, here. Taj is an idiot. It's the only explanation.
I like Stephen -- well, I will like Stephen if and when he drops the other shoe (in confessional) and admits that this naive bumbling city kid routine is just an act.
2 of 21 | Posted by itchy | Posted on April 6, 2009 11:55 PM
Coach annoys me to no end. I know he keeps the show from being boring, but he is so outrageous, it almost makes me long for boring. And what's with the name "Coach"? What is that fuckers real name? I would not call him Coach. I would totally call him by his real name which I'm sure is Melvin or Herman. Coach sucks bung.
Joe needed to quit thinking with his cock. Yes, Sydney was pretty, but how far was that going to get him. Not far at all!!! I actually want to see Joe or Coach go next. Preferably Coach.
3 of 21 | Posted by Reesewitherspoon | Posted on April 7, 2009 1:49 AM
Once again, Coach does as little as possible in the challenges. Can't wait for the merger when this giant tool HAS to participate in ALL the challenges. Then we'll see some major failures from Coach, you betcha. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.
4 of 21 | Posted by briar | Posted on April 7, 2009 3:24 AM
Ben maybe? I think that fuckers real name is Ben.
5 of 21 | Posted by Tadow | Posted on April 7, 2009 3:55 AM
Wow...never knew Reese Witherspoon used such language! lol You go, Girl! I agree with everything she says, though. His name IS Ben...but I'd have to call him "Benji" just for the hell of it.
6 of 21 | Posted by Southern_Essence | Posted on April 7, 2009 6:10 AM
I can't stand Coach but his entertainment value keeps me hoping he sticks around (so long as he has 0% chance of winning this thing.) As previous posts have already stated, this season seems a little... sedated... so anything that keeps the curiosity piqued is a good thing. Yes, even (ugh) Coach.
Hopefully there will be a little Probst-mindfucks-Joe-and-tosses-the-fake-idol-into-the-fire action. I don't like him.
7 of 21 | Posted by Firthguy | Posted on April 7, 2009 6:24 AM
I would call him Benjamin every chance I get because I hate that name, and no that is not my name.
8 of 21 | Posted by Firthguy | Posted on April 7, 2009 6:26 AM
Schoonie, Schoonie, Schoonie: Love your recaps, but your take on hockey is way off the mark. Hockey is the LEAST boring sport there is. Some feel that low scoring equals boring. Not true. Maybe if each goal was worth six points it would change that erroneous perception. It's a completely fast-paced and amazing game.
But you're right about Joe. Most of this entire season is a big snoozefest. I keep waiting for something exciting to happen. I thought Taj was going to rock the place, but she seems to be slowy devolving. Maybe everyone's just trying to stay "under the radar" until the merge. Please, somebody step up and save this season!
9 of 21 | Posted by xqzmoi | Posted on April 7, 2009 7:25 AM
RE: "He thanks her by creating this amazingly awkward moment where he tries to hold her hand and wrap her up in his arms, and it's just scarily sad for both of them when she locks her arms together and looks beyond uncomfortable. The only thing that could have made this more awkward is the inclusion of a pencil moustache and a tank top."
This could have been a lot more uncomfortable if COACH had been doing it instead of JOE. Ewwww.
I can't believe COACH is getting any. I can't believe any woman would be so desperate to buy into COACH's Rico Suave crap. I bet even crack whores say NO to COACH. I suspect crack whores would rather go through withdrawal than have sex with coach.
BTW: Reese Witherspoon every time you use language like that all the straightee men "touch themselves" inappropriately.
Think about it before you use the C-word again.
10 of 21 | Posted by Mr Dangerous | Posted on April 7, 2009 8:19 AM
I will be humming MacArthur's Park all day now...
I have also begun plotting an appropriate revenge...perhaps creating a looped recording of Coach's most pithy and deep thoughts to play softly in your ear at night while you sleep would be a fair retaliation. You'll find yourself quoting him in no time...
11 of 21 | Posted by cattyfan | Posted on April 7, 2009 9:07 AM
I loathe when people say they peed their pants or sprayed coffee on their monitor in regards to a clever recapper's comment. But this, sir, may well have warranted either or both of those reactions: "It's sort of like watching Hitler run through the sprinkler."
LOL, indeed.
12 of 21 | Posted by zbird | Posted on April 7, 2009 9:38 AM
Heh heh, Mr. Dangerous...it's like you're looking through a glazed window wondering just what the heck is going on in there. ;-D
But you perhaps haven't seen The Pickup Artist. The 'Jeff Probst' of that show is probably Coach's hero.
13 of 21 | Posted by itchy | Posted on April 7, 2009 9:50 AM
Itchy,
I have not seen The Pickup Artist but I'll rent it to find out what you're alluding to.
14 of 21 | Posted by Mr Dangerous | Posted on April 7, 2009 10:05 AM
It's a television show--it was on VH1 so you can probably still watch episodes at their site.
Brace yourself. :-p
15 of 21 | Posted by itchy | Posted on April 7, 2009 12:23 PM
Schoonie, I didn't piss myself or spew anything on the computer, but I did almost choke on a stray Chee-to at the "shrub in the corner of the shot" screencap. Thank you for that.
One thing I am confused (and ashamed) by, I didn't get the thing about the pigs and the barricades at all... normally I can follow you, but you kinda left me in the dust here: "When Coach drops a pig, both teams are tied at thirteen with ten seconds left in the game, and then Tyson makes a last minute throw to Coach, he rubs it in and Timbira wins the reward." Were they supposed to throw the pigs THROUGH the barricade? Where did Coach rub this pig? Is the pig okay? Can he sue the Coach? I'm getting a headache.
Anyhow, the rest of it I pretty much understood, nice job, bugaboo!
love, J-Mo :)
16 of 21 | Posted by J-Mo | Posted on April 7, 2009 12:48 PM
P.S. Mr. Dangerous, actually the Internet Sensation recapped Season Two of "The Pickup Artist" on VH1, there's an archive over her work here.
love, J-Mo :)
17 of 21 | Posted by J-Mo | Posted on April 7, 2009 12:50 PM
Great recap Schoonie. I spit coffee all over my cheetos while peeing my pants.
Does this coach character remind you a little of that guy (Shane? Was that his name? The skinny dude a couple of seasons back that had a son/tattoo named Boston and made a Blackberry out of a stick). Anyway, it's too bad Sydney had to go. She was, uh, fun to watch. Itchy: are you out of your mind? Sierra over Sydney? I don't get it.
Off topic: does anyone know why nobody's capping Dancing with the Stars?
18 of 21 | Posted by Timberwolf | Posted on April 8, 2009 8:34 AM
Timberwolf, Yes he was Shane.
I find it so ironic that Taj's careless hiding of the idol saved her from using the idol...if you think about it, Taj probably would have gone home if JT hadn't aligned with Taj and Steve.
19 of 21 | Posted by tv freak | Posted on April 8, 2009 11:21 AM
Timberrrr!
It's simple:
Shots of Sierra quite often require a blurred out spot in a strategically located position.
Sydney wore a guy's boxer shorts.
20 of 21 | Posted by itchy | Posted on April 8, 2009 11:49 AM
I must say her "idol" looked like crap. If I found it I would think it real until proven otherwise... But it still looks fake and crappy.
21 of 21 | Posted by gsensel | Posted on April 13, 2009 7:39 PM