Survivor: Samoa Episode 14 Recap/Live Blog

This season has gone by pretty fast. We're down to the penultimate episode and six remaining contestants- can you believe it? For this episode, it would seem that Brett's future is in serious jeopardy? Will the Foa Foa Four (+1) continue their solidarity, or will there be a break in the chain that spares the pre-pubescent one?

7:01: We start the show focusing on Brett; already not a good sign for his future, given how little we know about the kid to this point in the game. He's busy attempting to gain favor with his tribemates...in the form of massaging Shambo's hair. Talk about taking one for the team. Ugh.

7:04: Hmm...perhaps the less I knew about Brett, the more I liked him. Savvy move using Natalie's shared religious background to gain favor with her.

7:05: Finally! Russ's beard has grown long enough that you can no longer see the weird "four fingertips" patch of skin on his neck where hair doesn't grow. That was freaking me out.

7:06: In other hair news, Brett commented on Natalie's gorgeous blonde mane and Shambo decided to wash her rat's nest, which set Russ off on a jag about what she's capable of hiding in there. Will this episode turned out to be sponsored by a shampoo company or something? I will be Jack's Complete Lack of Surprise if and when this happens.

7:09: Sweet - they're playing some sort of mixture of Jenga! and Pick Up Sticks. This is an inventive challenge that we haven't seen before. I like it.

7:11: Natalie just led Brett and Mick in a prayer circle...at the challenge. I'm gonna lose it. I ought not say anything more.

7:15: Was Natalie switched with a different player overnight? Where did this person come from? Okay, I'll stop.

7:21: The actors they got to play Samoans don't even look Samoan to me. I swear I saw some guy that was twirling a stick on CSI last week. Synergy.

7:22: Just kidding. Though I wish they would look more tribal or something. I do feel like these are normal villagers that they pay to come put on a show, whereas they always seem to present it as though these people live in huts and never wear shirts and such. I could be wrong, but it just feels fake.

7:24: It just hit me what Brett looks like: Haley Joel Osment had he actually grown up when he grew up, as opposed to staying 5'3". I see intensely religious people.

7:26: Is Shambo drunk?

7:28: Nevermind. All of them are drunk.

7:30: Russ about Brett: "He's not faster than me." I'd like to make a wager on that foot race, please.

7:32: The question is, with Brett's head firmly on the chopping block, what will the producers do to ensure his victory?

7:33: Whaddaya know - the challenge involves a ton of running and a little counting. My money's on Brett to win!

7:36: Unbelievable...Brett wins Immunity. I tell ya, you can't script this stuff! Or can you?

7:42: Russell needs to shut his damn mouth. Whether he's trying to assuage Shambo's fears or attempting to convince Mick of Shambo's weaknesses and character flaws, Russ is talking a mile a minute and bound to really do only one thing: inadvertently piss someone off and/or slip up somewhere. If you're not in danger, let all of the people that are do the scrambling.

7:45: Speaking of Russ being an idiot, he's a giant one if he doesn't play his idol. He has nothing to lose by doing so. This is the last chance he has to play it, which means it's the last chance for a true blindside against him. Should they cast no votes for him, no harm done whatsoever. Should there be votes cast, how stupid would he look to not play it, when keeping it does him no good? It would be the worst way to get voted off ever. Granted, I don't think they'd vote for him anyhow, but there's nothing to lose.

7:49: All that said, I don't see how this vote isn't for Shambo. Mick was busy acting like he didn't know what Russ was talking about when the oilman was complaining about Shambo, but who else is Mick planning on voting for? Mick seems tighter with Jaison and Natalie than he does with Brett - who else is left besides Russ?

7:50: And there's my answer: Mick votes for Shambo. She is D-U-N.

7:50: Russ, I was hoping you'd get voted off there for your hubris. Okay, not 100%, but damned if you didn't deserve it.

7:51: Though my distaste for Shambo has waned over the last few weeks, I couldn't be happier that she was ousted. First of all, it was really great to see a team that big that actually stuck together as long as they did with no breaks in their loyalty (even though that might not be compelling at times). Second, Shambo got played like a violin, and she's naive for not seeing it ahead of time (before the incident with Russ and Jaison tonight; I mean long-term). There were four of them and one of you...like we always say, if you're the swing vote, you're gonna be on the chopping block soon enough.

That said, good on her for accepting that reality during her final speech, even saying that their loyalty was "great." We'll see if her tune changes after a few days stewing at Ponderosa, possibly turning her venomous for her big question/comment at the finale. We can only hope so.

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