“Survivor 43” Recap: ‘What About The Big Girls’

HOLLYWOOD—I have been praying for a riveting episode of “Survivor 43” for quite some time. Things have been quite boring to say the least. This week’s episode, ‘What About the Big Girls’ witnessed Sami hoodwinking Owen and Gabler, yet, he had the numbers to potentially make a move and failed to make the move last week. I’m so over Sami because he is all talk, and if Owen and Gabler cannot realize that the votes were moving in the wrong direction they are just bad players; it is that simple at this point.

However, Jeff dropped a bomb on the Gaia tribe when he revealed there would be 2 IMMUNITY winners and two separate Tribal Councils. So 2 people were about to get the boot people and I could not be happier. On the red team we have Cassidy, Jesse, Gabler, Ryan and Cody, with Owen, Noelle, Sami, Karla and James on the blue team. Let’s just say this, if Owen, Noelle and Sami want to strike at James or Karla they can. On red it was a battle between Ryan and Cody, and on Blue it was Karla and Sami duking it out, and Karla won immunity with the tagline for this week’s episode. So the red team will get to eat peanut butter and jelly. This is the type of pacing I want to see when it comes to “Survivor.” Cody earned immunity which tells me we might finally see Ryan booted from the game on the red side, whereas Blue, that is a bit more questionable.

It was apparent that once the P&B was gone, Gabler and Ryan were conspiring to take out Cassidy, which I think is a red herring for Ryan to be booted. Cody, Cassidy and Jesse were thinking of targeting Ryan, but Cody was keeping his options open. Over on the Blue tribe, Karla was on cloud nine and James was joking around. Karla found herself in a major position because she started to wonder rather she could trust the others.

James wants Owen and Owen wants James. Sami on the other hand seemed to be on the fence about things. Owen comes across as a bitter player, yet James did his best to attempt to reason with Owen, but at the same it was friction between the two, and they will never align with one another. Owen and James’ fight spilled over into the entire tribe with Sami, Noelle and Karla hearing the entire thing.

Cody and Jesse started to discuss who they can trust the most moving forward because it would be key to having a strong group going into the final eight of the game. Cody and Jesse realized taking out Cassidy would upset James and Karla, and they realized that Ryan is not a strategic player. I’m still trying to figure out why Cody and Jesse are NOT considering Gabler people; the guy is a wild card.

Noelle informed James that she was going to seal Owen’s vote, but she is planning to make a move to take Owen’s vote to send him packing. Oh, this is a major move, and I totally forgot that James has the Knowledge is Power advantage. She spilled this information to Owen and Sami who were all in on this plan, but there could be a hiccup with Karla’s idol people. Sami compared notes with Karla and he wanted to convince this woman he totally trusts to boot Owen. Sami you’re giving information to the wrong person, and you’ve given that information to Karla that she can use to inform James to STEAL Noelle’s advantage so she can keep a loyal number in the game. Finally, someone on “Survivor” is thinking, you don’t get rid of a loyal number if you don’t have to.

I was so eager for the first TC, as I thought the dynamic could be chaotic with the possible combinations of who could go home and the tension between Owen and James building to a feverish pitch. Owen aired his grievances and it boiled over once again between these two, where Noelle had enough, and Sami and Karla were speaking in code about making a move, what would be that move, I have no idea people. Jeff talked about an advantage messing up a plan especially if people don’t know about it at all people. Noelle pulled out her leverage and she decided to take Owen’s vote as a smoke screen, to vote for James, and Noelle was giddy, as was Owen. Sami I think was stressed and so was Karla.

I have no idea what is about to unfold here people, but I think James is about to be blindsided and Karla had no idea it was about to transpire. James was not a happy camper. Jesse and Cody were shocked to see James booted from the game, and I have NO IDEA who they’re going to boot now. Karla was smart to keep her idol because I believe she will need it, but it may not have been a bad idea to use it to save a loyal number. Just realized James was booted from the game with an advantage people. Jeff didn’t even address Gabler, so it was clear that it was Ryan or Cassidy based on the conversations he had, and as predicted Ryan was booted from the game. Smart move, which means Karla has Cassidy as a sole ally now if I’m being honest. However, the next TC will be an interesting one with 3 idols in play.

This episode has solidified for me I am not rooting for Owen because he comes across as a cry baby; dude you had got outplayed, but you may have won the battle, but I don’t see you winning the war. Next week, threats will be targeted and we might FINALLY see idols being played disrupting the game as we know it. Until next Wednesday “Survivor” fanatics!