After the quick replay where Jenn happily marches out of Tribal we join the 'Mericans on the morning of Day 28. Dan and Sierra feel that Mike's explosion on Rodney has lost everyone's trust, especially theirs. Dan goes over to console Shirin who's been down since Will tore into her. Not because he likes Shirin but because Dan knows how to manipulate the pawns. Shirin knows that she and Mike are at the bottom and Dan feels bad for Shirin, but he also knows she's a drama queen so he's not wasting any tears.
The tribe marches in along the beach and it's Reward Challenge time. They're divided into two teams of four and must transport all team members across a three section course using four barrels, two planks, and a rope to win a Catamaran Trip with BBQ'd Cheeseburgers and pie for dessert. A schoolyard pick results in Team Blue of Mike, Shirin, Sierra and Rodney, and Team Red of Tyler, Dan, Carolyn and Will.
Two very different strategies with these teams. Team Red stands their barrels up and lays the planks on top to get across, while Blue sets theirs on the side to try rolling back and forth. Blue seems to be moving faster but Red keeps catching up. Mike is using his entire body as a bridge to help get the barrels across and their entire strategy is based on Mike doing all the work. The Red system is more systematically team based and has now taken the lead. Even more so when Blue hits the ground with their plank and has to go back a stage. Time for a new Blue strategy, barrel rolling . . . which was working for Sierra but not so much for the others. Too late regardless as Red makes it to the end and Team Red wins reward.
Dan feels bad for Rodney who's never been on a reward and Jeff says he can switch but Rodney says he's fine so Dan dodges that bullet and goes on the reward. Carolyn and Tyler are good with that because they want to convince Dan that it's Mike's turn to go and they can't do that if he stays behind. They already know Rodney is on board with that decision.
Back at camp Mike is apologizing to the chicken he's about to eat while the others ready a fire. Rodney's pissed he has never been on a reward and I'm thinking he should have taken Dan's offer before he cracks. Sierra and Rodney have decided they need to get rid of Tyler before it's too late because if he makes it to the end he wins. They decide they can keep Shirin because nobody will vote for her. Rodney of course still thinks he's running the show. Maybe he is.
Out on the catamaran Dan says they won the challenge because there's no Mike in team. He continues to throw Mike under the bus as they dig into their cheeseburgers and fries. Those look yummy. Dan reveals what Mike has been saying about their group and Tyler points out that he was right that he is a threat but he does it in such a way that it sucks Dan into their web. Tyler however needs Dan to stop his brain at Top Six, which is when they'll vote out Dan.
After getting back from the reward it's time for the Immunity Challenge. Everyone stands on a small platform and holds on to a handle wrapped with a rope that's holding 25% of their body weight (from day one), as time goes on the weight will feel heavier, the rope will unwind and the bucket will fall, dumping water all over them. The last man and the last woman will each win Individual Immunity.
We're fifteen minutes in before everyone starts slipping a little. Sierra is at the end of her rope and . . . she's out, followed by Tyler . . . and then Will. Dan's barrel is almost over and he can hold on no longer and gets soaked. Shirin's rope is slowly unwinding a little bit at a time and then she's out. Carolyn wins Individual Immunity for the women.
It's down to either Rodney or Mike and Dan is giving Rodney a lot of encouragement to keep going. Rodney is still in it but his rope keeps slipping and Rodney goes into a crouch to try to get control as Dan keeps telling him how Mike is doing. Mikes starting to flinch a little and he's dripping with sweat while Rodney is giving his all but . . . it's not enough and Mike again wins Individual Immunity. Based on that Catamaran trip he needed it and I'm sure he knew it.
Returning to camp Rodney and Carolyn confirm that Shirin is the next to go. They really wanted to get rid of Mike but he threw a wrench into that plan. Shirin goes to Dan to plead her case to keep her in the game to sit next to him at the end and vote out an actual threat. Dan likes the idea but he'd really hate to lose at the end to Shirin. Then she runs the same plan past Sierra who agrees that it's a good plan to get rid of Tyler but she's not sure.
Speaking of Tyler, he just ran off with Dan's bag and discovered his Extra Vote and now he's thinking that Dan could flip and use that advantage to vote him out. Mike goes for a walk with Dan and Dan feels it could be him tonight so he's not feeling too good. Mike wants to trust Dan but he feels he can't. He's asking Dan to vote out Tyler and keep Shirin to really shake things up but Dan likes being in the Top Six. Dan's not as smart as he thinks he is.
Time for Tribal as Jeff brings in the jury . . . Hali, Joe and Jenn. Jeff immediately goes to Shirin about her family background and how the others have that support to fall back on which she doesn't. Dan doesn't want to take anything away from Shirin but says he was an adopted child. Sounds like he's trying to play the "poor me" card himself to do exactly that. Shirin is still upset that Will crossed the line and has yet to apologize and Will still refuses to apologize. Shirin then says that they're all about to vote her out and they'll all lose the million dollars and just hand it over to Tyler. Tyler just shrugs that off and says he's loyal to his alliance, which is not exactly his best defence. Mike once more pitches for the Blue Collars to write down a name that begins with a "T" but feels like he's preaching to the crickets. Tyler then mentions his Top Six but who cares about the top six when you need to make it to Final Three.
Dan feels that both Mike and Shirin are getting desperate and will say or do anything to stay in the game. As if on cue, Mike pulls out his HII and says he's giving it to Shirin with instructions to vote Tyler and he may vote Tyler or he may vote for one of the others so they now have no choice but to cannibalize themselves. The jury is loving it. As Jeff says this is serious Survivor Russian Roulette.
Everyone goes to vote and then Jeff goes to tally the votes. He asks for the HII and Mike smiles and puts it back in his pocket, safe for another day. Jeff reads the votes . . . Tyler, Shirin, Dan, Tyler, Shirin, Dan, Shirin, . . . and unfortunately Shirin. Nice try Mike but apparently they called your bluff. Shirin is smiling and laughing away as Jeff snuffs out her torch. Jeff says he's pretty confused after this Tribal and points out that their tight six is anything but before he sends the remaining seven back to camp.
Next week that Top Six begin to crumble because now that they know Mike has an Immunity Idol in his pocket they'll have to start in on their alliance even if he doesn't win the next immunity challenge. Meanwhile, Rodney looks like he's had enough and is ready to throw in the towel before the next Tribal. Shirin is just glad to be part of the jury so she can see how this all plays out. I'm sure the rest of us are waiting with the same enthusiasm.
Hope you enjoyed the review and stick around for my Big Brother Canada review coming up next. Remember to come back Friday to catch both Wayne's and my Amazing Race reviews where we'll be following the teams through Peru. We wish. Catch up to everyone real soon.