‘Survivor: Cambodia’ Review: “Snake in the Grass”

 
Lucy Philips-Roberts ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Contributor
Tonight’s episode was all about loyalties. With Bayon and Takeo sitting pretty, they had very little reason to make alliances. Angkor talked about how Woo Hwang’s speech about staying true was the thing that ultimately kept him in the game. He was of course grateful, but it was Tasha Fox who really benefitted from the save. But now she’s stuck with the shrill, manic Abi- Maria Gomez for another three days.

At her most ridiculous, Abi-Maria compared Woo’s story about his mother’s open heart surgery to her own tendon transplant. This quote is awfully cringe-worthy: “My Mom got a second chance.” Though it was just too much to handle, Abi-Maria has no place to call him out. In an aside to Tasha she even accuses Woo of using this albeit sob story as a way to gain sympathy from his tribe-mates. Tasha put on her best face to keep Abi-Maria on her side, but she was clearly as horrified as the viewers at home were to see Abi-Maria’s convoluted thought process, taking sincerity and twisting it into manipulation. Meanwhile at Bayon, Monica Padilla, Kimmi Kappenberg, and Kelly Wiglesworth argue over a fishing issue. This puts a wedge between the women and brings Kimmi back into her old fiery ways. But since she’s grown up, this was saved for her confessional.
Once again tribe jock, also known as Takeo, takes home a reward victory in a classic “put a small person in a barrel” challenge. This challenge is an old favorite wherein one castaway must be rolled in a barrel, jump out at certain points, undo some knots, and get back in for a dizzying time. In the aftermath, Terry Deitz is still delirious after winning and claims that “this is great.” Meanwhile Kelley Wentworth, Joe Anglim, Keith Nale, Kass McQuillen, and Ciera Eastin form a five strong alliance without him. Sorry, Terry.

Over on Bayon, the two on “the outs,” Spencer Bledsoe and Kelly, have made their way to the inside, but that doesn’t stop Spencer from being the anxious player he is. What makes him a great player is that he never relaxes, his wheels are always turning, and he’s always looking for his way in. And then there is Jeremy Collins. On a fishing trip he editorializes his Survivor journey, going from a super-fan to an overzealous player to now having his second chance. Cue the tear-jerking music and the winner’s edit.
In a big, over-the-top immunity challenge, the survivors must race to the top of a series of obstacles and launch to hit a target. Tensions were high for Angkor, the consistent losers. In the face-palm moment of the season, beloved baby Stephen Fishbach launches and hits a target for an opposing tribe. That tribe was Angkor who then wins the challenge. Takeo comes in second and sends Stephen’s tribe to vote someone out. At that point it seemed like Stephen was certainly going home.

But alas! Stephen has power over his tribe? Ok. Great! And when Kimmi suggests to Monica that they vote out Kelly, all hell breaks loose. Monica offers that they might want to keep the number of girls up for a future girls-alliance. RED FLAG. Kimmi instantly runs to Stephen and Jeremy and spearheads the decision to blindside Monica. And just like that, Monica is gone-ica. And boy was she shocked.
‘Survivor” airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on CBS.
Episode Grade: A