'Survivor: Samoa': Brett is a threat? Who's Brett?

Tonight on "Survivor: Samoa," the Russell contingent gets a scare...

Post-Tribal
Russell spins a tale to Shambo about John wanting to get rid of her, but Russell -- being soooo concerned for her breaking her word to John -- didn't tell her and let her vote for Dave. Shambo totally laps it up. Wow.

Whoa, no opening credits? Must be a full lid tonight.

Aiga
Jaison, Monica and Brett are pow-wowing about Russell getting all these votes because everyone knows he's playing a good game. Jaison tries to talk to them about how he's been controlling the game too, he's not just a puppet. He then spills the beans about Russell being rich in real life. Oh, Jaison. You moron.You think if you help Galu get Russell out they won't flip on you the first chance they get? Stick with Mick, Russell and Natalie 'til the Final Four, THEN get Russell out. Dumbass.

Immunity
There's no reward today. Whoa. Instead, it's Survivor Bowling. They are randomly head-to-head with two throws of their bowling ball. If you win, you advance. First up is Natalie-Shambo. Shambo advances 9 to 4 (or so I assume. We don't see exactly but it doesn't matter).

Brett-Russell is next. Brett gutterballs it twice, so Russell advances with 4 pins. Jaison-Monica sees Monica lose 6 to 1. Mick-Dave has Dave get a strike on his first roll and Mick can't match it.

Next round is Shambo-Russell. Shambo wins 5-4. Jaison-Dave goes two gutterballs, then Jaison with 7 that Dave can't match. Jaison-Shambo square off. They both get nothing on the first roll. On the second roll, Shambo again gutterballs. Jaison then knocks down 2 or 3 for Immunity.

Strategery
Back at camp, Dave is worried. And he should be. The Foa Foas aren't stupid. They don't want to piss off Shambo, and she wants Dave gone. Russell tells Monica that it's Dave. Monica makes an argument for Shambo, but it's a totally weak one. Shambo's not gonna get Jury votes. Half the jury hates Shambo!  The other half likes her but doesn't respect her game play and won't give her the money.

Russell considers keeping Dave because he's weak and won't get any votes, so he talks to Dave about how it's between him and Shambo. That would be so stupid of Russell. He's got 5-2 numbers (after Dave is gone) -- why would he knock it down to 4-3? Lord, Russell. Use your brain. Plus, Shambo votes so emotionally! Don't put her on the jury this way. She'll hang on to that.

Shambo laughs with Mick and Russell that she's "Sham with the plan." Uh, no you're not. You've never had a plan. It's why your vote is always "one of these things is not like the others." She then interviews that if Dave doesn't go home, she and Russell will be "having a chat." Well, not if you're GONE, doof.

Tribal Council
Jeff asks Dave what you do to stay in the game and Dave says you say, "I think you have a better shot at a million dollars with me than you have with this person over here you're currently aligned with." So basically, "I'm weak and nobody likes me, take me to the end." A tried and true method of reality TV. Russell then totally takes the bait by saying that yeah, somebody who is going to get all the votes needs to be taken out. Oh, Russell. Don't you konw that's YOU? Not that I expect these numbskulls can get together and actually make that happen.

The voting happens; we only see Shambo and Dave vote for each other. The votes go Shambo, Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave. See ya later, Dave. The Foa Foas played it smart on this one. Jeff points out that for the first time in the game, the Foa Foa tribe has the numbers advantage. Wow.

Aiga
Russell talks to Mick about how Brett is the biggest threat left because he's so likable. It's nice the actual participants have gotten to know Brett, since the rest of us at home are like, "Who's Brett?" In an interview, Mick is worried about how strong Russell is, but I won't believe it until Russell's torch is snuffed. I don't give the Foa Foas enough credit to get Russell out.

Immunity Challenge
They must retrieve bags from the water, then use a catapult (that they jump on themselves) to shoot their bags into a basket. They have to go one bag at a time. There's a learning curve for the catapult because there are different places to put the fulcrum in order to get more oomph. (I'm sure there are actual physics terms. I was a theatre major.) Brett and Mick are neck and neck, but Brett wins. Well damn.

Strategery
C'mon, Foa Foa. It's gotta be Monica. Don't be dumb. At camp, it's Mick's Fables. He spins the frog/scorpion one for Monica and Brett about Russell being the scorpion and they tells him he has the opportunity to take out Russell. So Mick asks Jaison if he thinks Russell is going to take them all the way. Well, no he's not. But you can't worry about that until you've gotten rid of Monica and Brett. Don't be stupid.

Monica then works on Russell, repeating that Jaison is just counting down until day 36 when Russell can't play the Idol anymore. Man, Monica's making a good move right here. Russell goes to Natalie about it and then starts asking Brett about it. Brett fingers Jaison too, so Russell confronts Jaison.

Jaison is full of denials and then claims in an interview that he doesn't remember and he's nervous Russell is coming after him now. Uh, you don't remember? It was YESTERDAY!  Well, the Foa Foas may be mobilizing against Russell, who talking heads that Monica "the little bitch" needs to go home. No need to call her that, Russell. C'mon now, I've come around on you. Don't ruin it.

Tribal Council
Russell busts out the Idol and puts it around his neck. Interesting move. He's certainly not being modest, and if Monica and Brett are paying attention, they'd realize he did that because the Foa Foa alliance is crumbling.They have the numbers. Why else would he do that?

Anyway, Monica starts getting all proud of herself for getting the Foa Foas not to trust each other and says Russell was huffing and puffing all over camp. Russell does give her credit for her move today and says if she'd been playing this hard all game, she'd be in charge right now. Totally true. Nobody is playing. They're all afraid of playing hard!

The voting begins. We see Russell and an unidentified someone vote for Monica and Monica vote for Russell. Russell chooses NOT to play the Idol. The votes go Monica, Russell, Monica, Russell, Monica, and Monica. Phew. I was worried there, the way Monica was smirking like the cat who just ate the canary.

Thoughts & Tidbits

• What was Monica's smirky attitude while the votes were being read? That was weird. Did she THINK she had the votes?
• I really think the Foa Foas should stick together until Brett is gone, whether that be next week or the week after. Don't be stupid, guys. Play hard as an alliance, then it's every man for himself at Final Four (probably Jaison-Mick vs Natalie-Russell). Don't get so paranoid and ruin it!
  
  

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Photo credit:  CBS