So, damn. What a season. Next to Yul and Yao, this is my favorite season, think. Mainly because everyone (except Ozzy) is playing the game hard and gets that it’s a game. Win big, or go home. And even Oz seemed over his pout this evening.

Where to begin? We get the family reunion special, which I always love, but there was so much to pack into the hour, we didn’t get a whole lot of film on the familia. Reward is swimming in a sea of stingless jellyfish. Alexis wins and takes her very hot brother, Natalie and her mom, Rocky (totally not making that up) and Cirie and her very adorable husband, HB. Erjk goes all fan boy when his brother comes out “Look, Jeff Probst, and he’s just standing there!” Jeff tells him he’s a freak. Great exchange. Then James’ father watches the reward and is confounded when Alexis gives James a whack, muttering, “Oh, we’re gonna talk about her when I get home.” Loved him! You can see where James gets his..well, everything, from.

Then, after reward, James finger takes a turn for the worse, and poof, he’s outta there. Leaving Parv and Erik on the beach, and Amanda out at Exile digging for the idol (she asked Alexis to send her.) She doesn’t find it, but she finds the last clue that tells her it’s under their flag back at camp. (good idol change up!)

Family winners come back, are stunned James is gone, and immediately start plotting to get Erik out. Contingency if he wins immunity is Amanda. Parv states she won’t vote for her. Nice to see she has some boundaries in the game. She tells Amanda immediately after the immunity challenge that they’re all gunning for her, because, of course Erik wins that. Amanda dumps all of her possessions in the sand before they hit camp to prove to everyone she doesn’t have the idol, then gets Parv aside and tells her, so she can provide the necessary distraction while she digs for it.

Which Parv does. Amanda tries to sway Erik to their side, since she helped him, but he tells her that he’s voting for her. Cirie also confesses she has no choice as she’s not willing to risk a tie at tribal at a stage where anybody can get booted. So Amanda sad sacks it around camp, and the viewer is left guessing if her digging spree produces the idol.

At tribal, she throws Erik hard under the bus, and he tells her he has to play the game and she’s too big a threat to win with the jury. Alexis says the same -that would be Alexis with an almost immobilizing knee injury that I wonder how long is going to last her in this game - and Natalie, too. The jury (which James, with his IV drip, gets to be a part of since he didn’t quit - a shame Jonathan didn’t get booted after the jury commenced!) Anyway, the jury watches all interested as everyone is tossing eveyone wherever they can, and can I say how much I enjoy Eliza on the jury? She’s so expressive. It’s hilarious.

So…a very upset and pouting Amanda accepts her fate and holds hands with Nat and Cirie during the vote. Then, when Jeff asks for the idol? Oh yeah, VERY satisfying moment when she pulls that bad boy out and plays it. The jury LOVES this, as do I, blog babes, as do I. Nice to see the damn thing FINALLY played! And played well, my friends, played oh so very very well. No one on the other side saw that coming and it was just freaking brilliant. So, who is going home? Whoever Amanda and Parv voted for….which is gimpy Alexis. And because she’s a game player, she takes it like a pro and just says well done, backstabbers, so very well done. Okay, so she was even nicer than that.

Erik and Nat are all looking dumbfounded and not a little concerned. Cirie just shakes her head (and accepts why they didn’t tell her, I’m sure.) And Amanda beams like she’s already won the million.

So…yet another night of good game play, y’all. Good game play. Next week? Well, who the hell knows at this point! What I do know is that next Thursday is the last regular weekly episode, followed by the all evening long finale and reunion the following Sunday May 11. And I know where I’ll be!

Okay, no Top Chef MAC as my deadline is way too close and I have to spend some time writing the stuff I get paid for. BUT! I do have an awesome SHaQ Attack prize to giveaway first. This week, the winner receives a signed copy of Nora’ Roberts’ upcoming new release, The Hollow (available to the rest of the planet next week.) I asked you to send me an email as an entry, which a whole lotta of you did. But there can only be one winner this go around…and the winning Blog Babe is? Alicia! Woo hoo!!! Hope you enjoy your prize.

And I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. For me, it’s my youngest son’s senior prom. Yes, my baby in a tux. Looking quite studly, I might add, if a mom can add such a thing. His girlfriend agrees, but then she’s biased, too. See you all back here on Monday for more MAC and more SHaQ!

In the meantime….wow! Survivor rockin’ Tribal this season, huh? Who do you think will go final three? Who do you want to win? For me, it’s Cirie all the way. I know, she’s a love her or hate her player, but for me, it’s all about the love with her. Who don’t I want to see win? Parvati. And not Natalie so much, either. So a Cirie, Amanda & Erik final three would be awesome, not to mention fun…and tormenting for the jury as that would be a tough decision to make right there. How about you?

Time to DISH!

Tags: Writing //