Sarah Walker

After last week’s recap scenes, Cirie camera comments about the dangers the immunity idols have posed this season. 

The following morning, Erik and Natalie concoct a plan to get rid of Amanda, who they consider a big jury threat.  Additionally, Erik is ticked at the way Amanda raked him over the coals at the last Tribal Council.  Erik says he wants to win reward and send Natalie to exile island so she can have a chance to find the immunity idol.  Nat agrees with this plan.  Meanwhile, Amanda, Parvati and Cirie are discussing their alliance and the fact that they cannot allow Erik to win reward because he will send Nat to Exile and that will likely put the immunity idol in their hands.  The three women decide they need to turn Erik to their side.  Amanda apologizes to Erik for the verbal beat down at Tribal, and makes an “I’ll take you, you take me” deal with Erik regarding the reward challenge.  Yep, the same deal he just made with Nat.  Furthermore, Amanda gets Erik to agree to send Parvati to Exile if he wins.  To the camera, Amanda comments that Erik is naive and she can manipulate his mind.  Erik camera comments that he doesn’t know who to trust.  Good boy.

The Reward Challenge begins.  It is a test of knowledge of past Survivor seasons; the survivors spin wheels to select the season in which a given event occurred.  One point for each correct answer, four wins.  Erik wins easily, even getting the Survivor Australia question right - he was fourteen years old at the time.  He has definitely earned the title of Fan.  Erik then dutifully sends Parvati to Exile and chooses Amanda to go with him on reward to a luxury spa.  Amanda gives him a hug and lies that he has totally redeemed himself.  Natalie is seriously ticked. 

Natalie and Cirie walk back to camp, Nat spitting venom the whole time and Cirie clearly taking deep pleasure in it all, even admitting on camera that she is having fun irking Natalie further about the situation.  Erik waves to the two women from the helicopter, further enraging Natalie. 

Back in the chopper, Erik tells Amanda that if he had taken Nat, he wouldn’t be able to relax and he just wants to forget about the game for awhile, and Amanda agrees.  Erik and Amanda get massages and foot treatments.  Erik declares that he has never been to a spa; Amanda expresses surprise.  She’s really playing him.  Over dinner, Erik tells Amanda that he has felt like the center of attention since the last Tribal.  He seems very uncomfortable with his situation and the fact that everyone is trying to get him to make decisions.  “I work in an ice cream parlor - I don’t make decisions.”  Then Erik muses that maybe it’s time to step up and be a man - “the ice cream man instead of the ice cream boy.”  Priceless.

Cut to Parvati chillin on Exile Island, where she camera comments that she may or may not look for the immunity idol, stating she doesn’t really need it because the only reason she’s there is to prevent Erik or Natalie from getting it.  She, Amanda and Cirie are going to the end.

Erik and Amanda return from reward, Natalie is still fuming, stabbing a coconut to death with a machete.  Cirie has a private conversation with Erik in the hut, telling him he has to decide who he wants with him at the end.  Erik feels that Nat and Amanda would be difficult to beat.  Meanwhile, Natalie is standing behind the hut listening to every word.  Natalie camera comments that she would like to “bitch slap” Erik, “just like his mother.”  Say what?  Cirie and Natalie promptly go to Amanda and recount the ‘private’ conversation with Erik.  Erik camera comments that he realizes he has screwed up quite a bit and is definitely worried that the women are ticked that he keeps flipping.  Amanda confirms this to him and the ever astute Erik declares that he must win immunity or he’s going home.

Parvati returns from Exile and the Immunity Challenge begins.  The challenge consists of determining a pair of coordinates on the rim of a large circle, attaching ropes to the coordinates and digging for a bag of puzzle pieces where the ropes intersect.  The survivor then runs back to a table and solves the puzzle to find the next two coordinates for a total of three times.  Erik wins easily, it’s not even close. 

The girls are clearly disgusted and bevy up to discuss their situation.  Natalie seems resigned that she’s going next when Cirie hatches perhaps the most ridiculous plan in Survivor history.  No one would go for it, right?  But…. “what if we convinced Erik to give the necklace to Natalie.”  Stupid idea, yes, but let’s try it!  Cirie fleshes out the details: Natalie will try to convince Erik to give her the necklace because that will show the jury what a great guy he is, and if he does this Nat and Cirie will vote out Amanda.  Amanda will play her part by telling Erik that she will poison the jury against him.  Erik initially tells Natalie ”no way,” but then agrees to talk with Cirie.  Are you kidding me?!  Cirie tells Erik that if he gives the necklace to Natalie, it will convince her - Cirie - that Erik is serious about voting out Amanda.  Otherwise, Cirie can’t trust him.  The girls aren’t sure Erik will go along, so Cirie tells Amanda to really work Erik at Tribal.  Cut to footage of a slithering snake. 

Erik then tells Natalie that he would feel more comfortable giving her the necklace if they would vote for Parvati instead of Amanda because he thinks Parvati has the immunity idol, and apparently he thinks that she gave it to Amanda.  Natalie continues to work Erik, telling him to go out on a limb.  Cirie agrees to tell Erik they will vote for Parvati because really, what does it matter?  She’s not voting for either one, anyway.  Erik camera comments he still doesn’t know what to do and somehow the cameraman manages to stifle his laughter.  Cirie looks over at Erik and notes that he’s on the hook, now they just need to reel him in.

 At Tribal Council, the jury comes in and Erik looks tortured.  Jeff quizzes him as to why he took Amanda on reward after she raked him at the last Tribal.  Erik replies that he “needed to redeem himself” upon which Amanda rolls her eyes.  Jeff then asks Parvati about her time on Exile and she manages to turn it around into another attack on Erik about his ever changing alliances.  Here they go.  Amanda, Parvati and Natalie verbally pile on Erik, each talking over the other while Erik tries to get a word in edgewise.  Cirie sits quietly watching it all unfold.  The jury meanwhile is nodding to every word the women say.  Erik apologizes and is jumped on again.  As if he is receiving mental commands from Cirie, Jeff asks Erik what it will take for him to win the game.  Erik states that he needs some kind of redemption.  On cue, Jeff asks Cirie if redemption matters.  “Of course it does, because everything lies in the hands of the jury” she replies……(here it comes….) “and when you have discredited yourself, your words mean nothing, it’s actions that count.” 

With these words still ringing in his ears, Erik is asked if he would like to give up the immunity necklace.  Erik begins to babble about it being a hard decision and the jury goes into spasms.  Erik then pulls off the necklace, as well as the dumbest move not only in Survivor history but perhaps in world history, and hands the necklace over to Natalie.  Eliza has another yet heart attack, Ozzy cracks up and James pumps the air with his arm.  Somehow Erik misses the fact that it’s not only the jury, but Amanda and Parvati who are laughing, and Parvati kisses Nat on the head.  The voting begins, and Erik writes “Parv” very artfully on his parchment.  He returns to his seat and sits with his fingers crossed as each woman proceeds to vote for him.  Cirie casts her vote as she whispers on camera that her mother always told her she may not always be able to win with these (pointing to her biceps) but she could always win with this (her head).  Parvati votes and declares Erik the dumbest in Survivor history.  The jury is loving every minute.  The votes are read and out goes Erik, the only surprised person on the island.  His comment to the girls is only “you guys drive me crazy” - then “I should have known better” as his torch is snuffed.  The jury and the remaining survivors are falling over each other in hysterics.  James throws his hands in the air and exults “I’ve lost my reign as dumbest survivor ever!”  Jeff declares: “that is what you call a life lesson.” 

In his after comments, Erik says that surviving the elements is one thing but surviving four sexy women is another.  He goes on to say that he’s seen these people on TV and they are his heroes, and here they were, talking to him and treating him like a person. 

Now that just makes you want to cry.  Hopefully this will be a life lesson for Erik and will help him on his journey from Ice Cream Boy to Ice Cream Man.