Survivor: South Pacific "Trojan Horse" (Episode 7)

Episode 7: "Trojan Horse"
Original Airdate: October 26th, 2011
American Ratings: 11.79 million viewers

Although the TV ratings had more or less stabilized during the course of this season, they have gone up these last two weeks. Indeed, more than a million additional viewers have tuned in to watch last night's episode compared to the fifth installment of the series. True, yesterday Survivor: South Pacific was going up against reruns for the most part, but it does bode well for the rest of the season.

With both tribes even at six members each and with the merge looming, the next immunity challenge will be crucial.

A number of Upolu members believe that if Brandon suffers another such meltdown come the merge, they might be in trouble. Coach claims that if Brandon becomes a liability, they will have no choice but to get rid of him.

Day 17

Albert, Sophie, Cochran, and Ozzy witness the Redemption Island duel between Christine and Mikayla. Both women must take apart a crate and build a bridge from the planks. Once their bridge is complete, they must use some of the planks to form a puzzle.

Christine finishes her bridge first. Albert helps Mikayla from the stands. The puzzle is the Redemption Arena symbol. Mikayla completes her puzzle first, but a slight mistake allows Christine to get away with the win, her fifth in a row.

I've always been a legitimate force.

On their way back to camp, Ozzy realizes that come the merge, Christine could possibly side with the Savaii tribe. And yet, due to the uncertainty of it all, it might be a good thing for Savaii to send someone that can beat her to Redemption Island if they lose the next immunity challenge. Okay, I'm perplexed. . . Christine has made it quite clear for quite some time that she wants nothing to do with Upolu if she comes back into the game. It doesn't get much more evident than this. So why is Ozzy concerned that she might ally herself with her former tribe? Has anyone been paying attention to these duels or what???


Ozzy tells Cochran that they should help each other. He explains his worst case scenario plan to him, saying that he would have to give his idol to someone with the hope that they'll give it back upon his return.

On the Upolu beach, Coach meditates and prays. He feels that the tribe needs a shot in the arm to bounce back. After Brandon, it's now Coach's turn to act like a religious fucktard.

Sophie questions Coach's integrity for praying to God to help them find the hidden immunity idol when he already has it.

Tree mail instructs each tribe to paint and dress themselves as tribal warriors for the next immunity challenge.


Coach and Sophie return to the camp pretending that they have just found the immunity idol. Brandon is ecstatic at the thought that God has blessed their tribe.

Pray together, stay together.

In addition to immunity, the winning tribe will make its way to the Survivor cinema to watch a sneak peek of Adam Sandler's Jack and Jill. Painted and dressed up as warriors, they will compete. One set of twins will be the callers, while the other pairs, tied and blindfolded, must retrieve bags of masks. They must then form a puzzle using the masks.

After an even start, Cochran struggles with the rope management and Upolu takes the lead. And then, Albert wastes a lot of time trying to untie the last bag, allowing Savaii to get back into it.

Coach prays as Albert and Sophie work on the final puzzle. Cochran screw-up cost his tribe too much time and Upolu wins immunity. Ozzy is furious at Cochran for costing them the challenge. Meanwhile, the entire Upolu tribe goes down on their knees and thank God for the victory. To the casting crew: Please no more religious fuckwits if CBS orders additional seasons of Survivor for the future. Pretty please. . .

Cochran felt like crying for blowing up the immunity challenge. I don't believe there has ever been such a worthless male castaway in the history of the show. . .

The Upolu tribe enjoys their private screening of Jack and Jill.


Ozzy says that it was a disaster. He knows they should have won. Since Cochran lost it for them, it's only fair that he should be sent to Redemption Island. It would be his chance to redeem himself. Cochran, ever the epitome of courage, is terrified at the thought of being sent to Redemption Island.

Day 18

Ozzy had trouble sleeping the night before. He brings the hidden immunity idol back to camp. Ozzy announces that he is willing to go to Redemption Island. But he wants the tribe to decide whether or not to send him to face Christine. His offer isn't met with widespread enthusiasm.

We are only as strong as our weakest link and that's Cochran.

At tribal council, Ozzy's stratagem is discussed. It's his chance for his own redemption. Yet it's such a risky move that Jeff Probst warns him that he could come out an even bigger fool than last time if they do this.

In the end, the Savaii tribe grants Ozzy his wish and send him to Redemption Island with a 5-1 vote. Cochran receives the only vote not cast against Ozzy.

Ozzy hands the immunity idol to Cochran for safekeeping.

Well, you've just made one of the biggest moves in the history of this game based on one big assumption: that the merge is next.

Indeed, if the merge doesn't take place next week, this plan could backfire and have enormous repercussions. Ozzy could lose the duel, which would put an already weaker Savaii tribe in a heap of troubles. And yet, even if Ozzy wins, no one knows when the Redemption Island winner will return in the game. If it's not at the time of the merge and Savaii loses the next immunity challenge, Ozzy would then have to face one of his own companions to remain alive, and thus reducing Savaii's chances to even things out with Upolu.

This decision is indeed one of the biggest moves in Survivor history. Problem is, it could also surpass J. T.'s dumbass idea to give Russell his immunity idol as the stupidest move in the history of the game. . .