Rewatch: Survivor: Borneo "Thy Name is Duplicity" (Episode 8)

Episode 8: "Thy Name is Duplicity"
Original Airdate: July 19th, 2000
American Ratings: 26.2 million viewers

It's past the midway point of July, and Survivor's popularity continues to grow. As a time of year when people don't normally watch much television, summer rarely sees a TV show which gets more than 25 million viewers on a Wednesday evening. And yet, the 8th episode of Survivor: Borneo was an immense success, the most watched episode yet. Little did they know that the number of viewers would continue to increase in subsequent weeks.

Day 22

Sean reflects back on the night before, feeling that it was a strange vote at tribal council. As before, he finds it hard to come to terms with the fact that his tribesmates have formed an alliance and are controlling the game. Finally, it dawns upon him that strategy has come into play. It's the only way Gretchen could have gotten voted off in such a shocking manner.

The duplicity of the whole thing is pretty bad.

Rudy and Richard explain that Gretchen needed to go because she was a veritable threat to their plans.

Jenna feels that there is a conspiracy against the former Pagong tribe. If it happens again, Gervase says that there will be evidence that there is indeed an alliance at work. Which, if true, would make him want to find a way to break it and win the prize even more. Jenna realizes that the former Pagong members are now outnumbered and can be picked off one by one. She wants to try to bond with the Tagi women and hold on to their vote for as long as she can. She feels that the women are carrying the weight of the merged tribe. It appears that a women's alliance could be created down the line, yet Sue wants no true part in it.

Now that they have merged, they are forced to ration what food they have. As their sole provider of meat, Gervase is acutely aware that Richard is in a great position within the tribe. If they vote him off, they won't eat. Hence, as things stand, it's a no-brainer.

The game is interesting. You make friends with people, you make alliances, and then you're going to have to cut them loose at some point.

Jenna believes that Greg has been trying to play everyone since the merge. He's not the same anymore. Though he doesn't know exactly what the other is doing, Richard is aware that Greg is trying something with him.

Day 23

According to tree mail, it appears that the reward challenge will have something to do with archery. The reward could be something from home. Homesick, Jenna misses her daughters and wants to win this one.

Prior to the challenge, Jeff brings over a chest containing a television. The castaways watch short clips of videos sent by their loved ones from home. In a heartbreaking moment, Jeff tells Jenna that they never did receive the tape back from her family. The reward is a screening of their family's video, as well as a chance to shoot their own clip to send back home.

Greg wins the reward by placing his arrow closest to the bull's eye. He shares his screening with the rest of the tribe. Unable to watch, Jenna continues to shoot arrows at the target. It would have done wonders for her to see her daughters and to hear their voices.

Day 24

Gervase is the target of a lot of criticism. Sue is sick and tired of foraging for slackers like him. Everyone has a more or less specific role within the Rattana tribe, and Gervase wants his to be that of the entertainer.

The immunity challenge is a confusing jungle rope course with five different checkpoints. Attached to the rope at all time, they must collect carabiners at every checkpoint to win immunity. Gervase takes an early lead and never looks back, winning immunity rather easily.

I feel like I feel every tribal council. It gets worse every time. I feel like a backstabber, I feel like a liar. . .

With tribal council looming near, there is a lot of tension around camp. "God, some people are nervous. It's sick how nervous some people are," explains Colleen.

Realizing that Kelly doesn't seem fully reliable, Richard attempts to impress upon her the fact that they are not yet invincible.

How do you stay true to yourself, you know, and maintain integrity and still play the game? And you know what? You can't.

Gervase tells Sean and Colleen that they should have formed their own alliance first. Colleen knows that they have the upper hand right now, if they do band together.

At tribal council, Jeff Probst announces that whoever gets voted off from this point forward will become part of the jury that will vote for the Survivor winner. The host implies that they will now have to match the ruthlessness of voting people off with the likeability required to nonetheless get the jury to somehow vote for them at the end.

When asked straight up if there is indeed an alliance at work, Sue lies and says no. Kelly lies as well, claiming that her voting strategy has to do with the castaway she likes the least.

Jenna garners three votes against her, but Greg racks up the remaining six votes and becomes the first member of the jury.

To purchase the Survivor: Borneo DVD boxset: Canada, USA, Europe.