And then there was one, Survivor Palau Episode 8

[dr.strangelove]

I felt so bad for Ulong last night, actually I don't think its fair to call them Ulong anymore. I'll just call her Stephanie, since she is a tribe of one. Anyway, she and Bobby John player well, but as usually, not well enough to win. She said it best, we just suck at puzzles.

Next week they have to merge. It is down to 9 now, and they have never merged with less than 9, the jury. I would think they have to merge at nine so all members of the jury can get to know the potential winner, even if only for an episode or two.

[FormerDittoHead]

1. I just can't WAIT for the other "tribe" to start eating themselves up...

Am I the only one who feels for Stephanie like I did after last November's election?

[Vinca]

2. Stephanie deserves to win the whole enchilada.

It should get interesting when the other team has to start ditching people. I can't stand some of the women on that tribe, but if they're smart they'll begin by picking off the strongest men. They won't, of course, because they (the women) are really enjoying the alpha male attention.

[Piperay]

8. I hope Stephanie wins too

I don't think in Survivor history there has ever been a contestant that had to work so hard to stay, participate in every challenge and do really well at them.

[lazarus]

10. And yet

still manage to lose every single one of them.

I'm not impressed.

[OKNancy]

11. I'm impressed with her

If each of her team members had done half as well as she did in the challenges, they would have won. She has grit and determination.

[Piperay]

12. Yes but it was the guys

that were the drag on the tribe. If they had had guys like Stephanie and Angie Ulong would have won more challenges than lost. If they don't merge we will see this week how Stephanie does without the drag of another tribe member by going one on one with a Koror member.

[lazarus]

15. But let's remember

That they competed as a tribe.

If she was so great, and so competitive, and so tired of losing:

First episode, Steph's the one who stood there yelling "Hurry up!" during the IC, not helping. Also jumped out of the canoe first, and orchestrated Jo's boot. Some Ulongs have since said things would have been radically different with Jo's strength on the tribe.

Her constant vote changing for a couple of episodes was rather clueless, too.

Why let James take the lead on the knot-tying challenge?

Why let Bobby Job do the calling for the puzzle challenge?

There are more, but these are enough for me. For all her bitching about being an athlete and not being used to winning, she had several opportunities to change the course of the game, and didn't take them.

For instance, imagine how different things are if they had Angie instead of James.

[Piperay]

16. Yeah I am still pissed that

Angie went I think it was totally STUPID to have voted her off and left a loser like James there.

[qanda]

18. I absolutely agree with you

I wrote my post down below without reading yours and I do think that them voting off Jolinda first was a major mistake. It seems like Ulong was missing the key component called common sense in their tribe and it killed them.

[kaitykaity]

3. Bye-bye Bobby John

I think he's the first survivor I've ever had
a crush on.

:cry:


It just chaps me that he won't get to be on the
jury.

[dr.strangelove]

5. Steph is my first Survivor Crush

I hope she lasts a few more episodes. The preview indicates Coby got in a little fight with Tom adn Ian. That might cost him. Tom is in control of three votes (Tom, Ian and Katie) I don;t think Gregg wants to turn on Tom until later in the game. I see that costing Coby quite a bit. Maybe not in the next episode, but down the road. I just want Steph to last a few more episodes.

[kaitykaity]

6. Well, if you listen to some of the folks that don't like her,

she has this way of worming her way around obstacles
that's brilliant. She won't lead, she won't follow,
and she gets in the way I think is how I heard it, so
I think you might get your wish.

I think I liked Tom for about two episodes, but once
they just kept on winning, he started to get on my
nerves.

Things will hopefully get interesting again once
they're competing for individual immunity.

But hey, at least we got to root for the prettiest
specimens of humanity in the game. (And please, no yelling
at me for calling Bobby John pretty. I don't mean it
disrespectfully.)

:evilgrin:

[Phentex]

14. I really want to like her....

but I felt sure she could have gotten the puzzle faster than she did. They started about the same time and yet she and BJ just could NOT get the darn thing together.

[ernstbass]

4. How are Tom and Ian

going to keep a secret alliance with Steph and Katie (when did that happen?) and prevent Steph from being voted off at the first tribal council? (assuming they merge) And if they don't merge, how can Stephanie maintain her camp all by herself? She has excelled in the face of diversity - a true survivor. I have been nauseated since watching that eating competition - yuk!!

[Ravenseye]

9. Here's how I'd play it

Most people who play survivor just don't have the mental game but if they're smart here's what they'd do.

Tom, Ian, Katie, Stephanie, Coby, Gregg, Jenn, Janu, Caryn

Tom, Ian and Katie split up and agree to get Janu the skinny dancer girl voted off.

Ian talks to Stephanie, says "we've been waiting for you, welcome home. Welcome back to the final four." She'll be so happy to be back in the game she might jump him. They've got to keep it secret till they're secure. A couple weeks. Once they're down seven total, their seven is secure. Well more secure.

Coby and Caryn seem to be linked, as do Gregg and Jenn...The four seem to have a loose alliance as well.

Tom talks to Janu, as he's the most 'powerfull'. Explains that she's most vulnerable and that if she doesn't want to go home yet, they'll keep her around as long as she wants to stay. If she doesn't join with them she'll be gone though. Make her feel like a target. Time to vote for Gregg. He's too much competetion. Don't mention to Janu that Katie is in the alliance or that there is an alliance. Make it seem like Tom wants to start an alliance.

Have Katie talk to Janu seperately and tell her that coby, caryn, gregg, and jenn are trying to get stephanie to join them and that Janu is their target. Say that Caryn basically let it be known that it'd be Janu off first, then Katie. Have Katie say that they should try and get Stephanie to join them and get rid of Gregg.

Have Tom tell Stephanie to hang out more with those four, especially in front of Janu. Have it seem like she'd rather talk to Coby, Caryn, Gregg, and Jenn, than them. Have Stephanie eventually approach Janu and tell her that Gregg wants to vote her off. Say that she (stephanie) feels that she'd just be disposable sooner rather than later if she went along with them. She'd rather stick around. Maybe She (Stephanie), Janu, and Katie can make an alliance with Tom and Ian and then they'd have five, and could get rid of Gregg first?

Have Tom tell Janu that she's part of the four, when really she's not. Why would he pick Stephanie from Ulong, over Janu? "We'll keep Stephanie around while we need her". Lie lie lie.

Janu thinks she's the savior. Gregg is gone breaking up the opposing 4 alliance, as well as his pairing with Jenn, and a strong physical competetor for individual immunity. They now have an alliance of 4, with janu thinking she's in over stephanie. and only 3 opposing them.

Next week they're in control five to 3. The vote off Coby, Caryn, and Jenn. Probably in that order. Then Janu.

Down to the final four of Tom, Ian, Katie, and Stephanie.

That's how I'd set it up.

[Pithlet]

7. I really hope

That they don't keep her a team of one, and just keep pitting her against Koror until she finally loses one and goes home. I really like this season. It's the best one in a long time. But, if that is what they plan on doing, it will plummet in my estimation. That would be about as much fun to watch as as if they beat a kitten to death. They need to merge now. The whole no merge thing was new and exciting, but it's time to end it.

I've been rooting for Koror, but they're just getting annoying. I'm sick of them already. Although Coby's speech after the win tugged the heartstrings, I'll admit. I rooted against them for the first time last night. I'm really pulling for Steph, now.

[Phentex]

13. I wanted ulong to win just so I could see who would take the first bite

at Koror. I was interested in how they'd decide between the final two though after Ulong lost YET again. I thought the fire challenge was lame. I guess I wasn't paying attention when Jeff gave the instructions. I thought for sure it would require keeping a fire going long enough to ignite something that would burn through a rope and lift something up or shoot off an arrow or AT LEAST something exciting! It was over in just a few seconds!

[qanda]

17. Actually, I think Stephanie is part of the reason Ulong did so poorly

Stephanie was behind voting out one of Ulong's strongest players first. Jolinda may have been annoying, but at least she had some leadership skills. The entire Ulong tribe lacked focus and an ability to come up with a plan to do anything (reminds me of the Democrats). Physically, Ulong was probably one of the strongest tribes of all time, but mentally and emotionally they were as weak as water.

I like Stephanie, I think she's the female version of Rupert in her physical strength, but I think voting out Jolinda first was a major mistake that certainly came back to bite them on the behind.