Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains Episode 7 Recap/Live Blog

The big question headed into episode seven: what can the show possibly do to avoid a letdown after the awesometacity that was last week's show? Much of the air would be let out of the balloon were the Villains to win immunity, giving us a Russell-less Tribal Council. Considering that the only way the Villains seem to go to Tribal is when they're forced, there's a good chance we won't see him late in the show. Colby, Rupert, Amanda, et al...the show needs some fireworks from you.

7:00: Courtney, you wish Russ's success in the game was as simple as some crush on Parvati turned into a win for him. Knowing what we know of Russell, I think it's safe to say that he has complete control of the situation and that no silly little girl is taking advantage of him, especially not with her looks. The guy just ain't that stupid.

7:08: Lucky you, Colby. You get to spend another few days on a team where they look at you with regret the entire time, only to likely vote you out at the next chance they get. Then again, this guy's apparently got nine lives, so you never know how long he might stick around for. My guess is he's buds with Probst in real life, so Jeff does everything he can to keep him in the game.

7:10: See? I say that and the next thing that happens is Colby makes a basket in the Reward Challenge. You might not have seen the fishing line that was helping him out, but I did.

7:11: I wanna play Coach at Pop-a-Shot for money. I could be a very rich man, and it's not like I'm any hoops stud. He's cover-your-eyes awful.

7:13: The Colby Fix is in. Mark it down - he ain't goin' nowhere.

7:19: Having the teams find/read the clues to the Hidden Immunity Idols as a team is an annoying yet still interesting wrinkle to the game. Annoying because we're forced to watch the players act as though they're all noble and that they'll "go and find the idol as a team" and have them be all lovey-dovey, but interesting because it adds another element of backstabbing to the game that's not there so much when someone just gets a bunch of clues and finds it. The drama here is, what happens when they do in fact find it as a team? Do they use it as a team?

7:22: By the way, I'm more or less missing this Coach crying fit over the Jerri/Russell thing typing what I just typed. Doesn't seem like I missed much.

7:23: "Coach just seems like someone that doesn't get it," says Jerri, referring to his unwillingness to see the bigger picture strategy-wise. Okay, that was a funny line.

7:24: We can't help but notice the number of people talking about "taking" others to the final four tonight. I'd be offended if someone said that to me, so long as I wasn't in a Colby-like situation. Jerri and/or Coach ought to say, "No, maybe I'll take you to the final four!"

7:28: Whaddaya know? Rob handling puzzle duties for the Villains. I woulda never guessed.

7:29: God, I wanna do an obstacle course like that. That looks like so much fun. How can I do so without joining the Army (or playing Survivor)?

7:35: Well, I was right about one thing (The Colby Fix - in!) and wrong about another (the Villains) not headed to Council. Will it be Coach per his reactionary rant against Courtney? (Note to Coach: Courtney has always been the weak link of your tribe; beats me why she's managed to escape the hammer previously. Good connections, I suppose.)

7:37: Wow - brass huevos on that Russell. "What do you think?," says Rob. "One of these two," says Russ, pointing directly to the two females in front of him - Sandra and Courtney. You have to respect the lack of bullshit. That display is pretty much unprecedented on this show.

7:39: "You're my right-hand man," Coach tells Rob. You wish, Coach - you're just a pawn to Rob.

7:41: Coach is like a lost little boy right now. I think he's gonna cry again.

7:41: You know how athletes stay too long and you can see them breaking down, but it usually takes months if not years? I feel like that's what we're seeing with Coach, only it's happening in days if not hours. A nervous breakdown is coming soon.

7:43: I'm surprised Russell isn't looking for the next Hidden Immunity Idol. You know it's been put back out there already...

7:44: For the record, as much as I respect Russ's game, I'm still rooting for Rob to win this thing, or at the least, get to the final show. He's smart, funny, a tough competitor - losing him would be devastating to the show, almost as detrimental as losing Russ. Can't Courtney please go home?

7:46: Forget tomorrow - Clash of the Titans is on my TV right now! This is badass!

7:48: I change my mind - this sucks. I really don't want to see either Rob or Russell leave. I'm not liking this already.

7:50: Rob ECHOES my earlier sentiment about Coach, telling him "You're a little man" as he gathers his torch and leaves the game. I'm simultaneously depressed and thrilled. Coach is truly a sad, sad person (in real life, I mean) - a liar and a pathetic individual who puffs himself up like a peacock with his bullshit lies and posturing, but it little more than an insecure, pimple-faced 12-year old on the inside.

7:51: (Though he can still be entertaining as hell for the audience.)

7:53: Sad that the show just lost their most likable player. And now, my Official Question Request for Travis, who'll be interviewing the man from Boston tomorrow:

"Rob, having had the opportunity to watch this season and last (I presume you've caught up at this point), would you be willing to admit that you underestimated Russell coming into the game? "

- and a second, related question -

"If you had watched last season, do you think you'd have target Russell as a potential ally?"

(Yeah, that's right - I actually went with serious questions about the game. Have no fear, snark will surely return next week.)

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