Quoting myself, because apparently the producers saw the same end result I did. It's funny how when one or both tribes start forming tight alliances, the next activity is a tribal switch.:p

... and the Fang tribe loses yet another person.

However, it wasn't a huge blow to them or anything. G.C. needed to go. But I would have also liked for them to have kicked Sugar off. I think that would have been awesome with all of them knowing that she has the idol.

And there haven't really been any suprises at tribal council yet. During the show, they try to make it seem like they're going to pull a fast one on someone, but then they all end up voting the way they were originally going to.

And in the previews for next week, it looks like Ace might be in trouble...

^^ I know! At least they haven't had much of the focus on him in the past few episodes.

I loved when he was talking about what a cow Kelly was - and the accent was mysteriously missing.

I'm waiting for the reunion show when he'll mention how the accent thing was all an act

:p

I think he's too much in love with his persona for anything like that. If it is an act (for the show - I have no doubt it's an act, but I really think he keeps it up in "real life"), he wouldn't keep it up as much as he does in his individual dispensations.

Recorded it last week and finally got a chance to watch it last night.

Can I just say "stupid, stupid people"? Yeah GC was annoying, yeah he quit (we call it that, GC, 'cause that's what it was), but they were crazy for not voting Sugar off. It was probably the best opportunity they'll have and it would have been a major undercut to Ace. Is the meager rice diet really making them that dimwitted?

^^ I guess so! I really thought they'd kick her off. Or at least, I thought there might be a battle between GC and Sugar for who received the most votes. But surprisingly, everyone voted for GC.

This week, I think if they find themselves back at tribal council, they're going to run into the problem of who to vote off, Sugar or Ace, and the immunity idol could be passed back and forth. In which case, they might want to surprise them, vote off Kelly to get rid of their weakest player, while possibly forcing them to use the idol. But I don't know if they'll do that and lose another ally.

And I forget... if the person that uses the immunity idol is the one that is voted out, they're obviously not eliminated, but then how does that work? Does everyone re-vote? Or do they use the votes that are already made and kick off the second person with the most votes?

This.

And that is why it's risky to plan to vote for the person with the Hidden Immunity Idol. What if YOU end up being the other person? It gives the alliance with the HII the power, really. The thing is, why was Sugar so sure they weren't going to vote for her this time? The one thing that nobody with the HII has mastered yet is WHEN TO PLAY IT! Most get voted out while holding it, some get voted out holding more than one!

This time it would have been about as risk free as possible. It was clear to Ace that everyone (Crystal especially) was ready for quitter and whiner GC to leave. So, unless they see something coming, Ace and Sugar will vote for GC. If they don't see it coming until tribal council, it's too late for any strategy between Ace and Sugar. So, it could have been:

• Ace and Sugar believe they are going along with everyone else and vote for GC;

• Matty, Kelly, Ken and Crystal, who were all set to vote for GC (because they are ready for him to be gone) blindside Sugar; and

• GC, who can't vote for himself, votes for Kelly.

Had the votes gone this way, and had Sugar picked up on comments at tribal council and realized that she wasn't safe after all (I did wonder if they were trying to bluff her into playing the idol so she'd waste it) and played it, then the next highest vote getter would have been GC, thanks to Ace and Sugar. Everyone wanted him gone anyway, so no big loss. Meanwhile, Sugar would no longer have the idol protection.

I agree, though, that it seems to be the rare player who understands how and when to use the idol.

Either way, this next episode should be interesting. And personally, I think that Kelly, Crystal, and Ken have to watch out for Matty. If I were them, I'd be kind of worried. He has power because he's one of their strongest players, and I tend to think that he’ll be loyal only insofar that it will help him get to the merge. Do I think that he’ll just suddenly turn on those three? Probably not. But if they continue to go to tribal council, and if it’s because of those three people (which it usually is), and their alliance becomes weaker, Matty has the upper hand in that he knows that Ace and Sugar have the immunity idol, and he could vote whichever way he wanted and pretty much be guaranteed that he’s safe.

WELL, I am pretty sure the immunity Idol will be used next time if they go to council because Ace and Sugar will be confident they will be put up...

WHAT THEY SHOULD OF DONE: They should of made Ace confident that they wanted to vote of Sugar... Told him that they want him to join their alliance, and they want to get rid of Sugar tonight... Sugar would of played the immunity idol because Ace would of told her to, but the gang would of still voted out GC... two birds, one stone.

^^ Hm, probably too obvious, though. Ace would have figured it out.

Maybe, but he would of still be paranoid that she is going... and what would they have to lose by trying, considering they were voting GC off anyways...