But, that’s what is going on at the surface-level. The happenings underneath the surface is that Jeff/Jordan are playing for themselves (they want Dominic out) and Rachel/Brendon and Daniele want Dominic to stay and Cassi to go. Jordan thinks that Rachel’s dislike for Cassi is “girl jealousy” (along the lines of Cassi being pretty and Rachel not being the center of attention) and that the whole thing is overdramatic. Jeff agrees and likens Rachel to a fly that gets in your ear buzzing and just WON”T GO AWAY. He says he needs “Rachel Off.” The power of couple of the week are sticking with THEIR plan and their alliance is working together crafting their own plan. Daniele wants to play with Dominic (and she obviously is INTO HIM…get it together girl) and so when Rachel/Brendon say that want to win Power of Veto AND then use the Veto on Dominic, Daniele is TOTALLY on board. And, she likes the plan because it’s Rachel and Brendon causing the problems, not her. Smart. But, what will this move do to the Vet alliance? Rachel doesn’t seem to think much because they’re just stepping in to fix Jordan’s bad decision. Really?

Next up is the Power of Veto competition and those participating in this week’s game will be duos: Jordan/Jeff, Adam/Dominic, and Brendon/Rachel. For the competition, these six people will participate as INDIVIDUALS (so that helps Dominic who was going to sabotaged by his partner, Adam). The goal is for the six houseguests is to chew gumballs as they walk across a balance beam and then they must place their chewed gum to create their Veto symbol. If they fall off the balance beam, they are out of the competition. BUT…they can take two weeks worth of SLOP to continue in the game. A second fall off the balance beam means they are out of the game and on SLOP. Yuck. The first person to create their Power of Veto sign with chewed gum wins the Power! Jordan is the FIRST to fall off and she quickly goes to take slop, but Jeff tells her NO. He doesn’t think there is any reason for her to go on slop because she has no chance of winning. Makes sense. Rachel is PISSED that Jordan didn’t take the slop and she makes a snide remark. Jeff is BOILING MAD, but continues to concentrate on the task. Rachel falls off,  but immediately takes slop. However, it proves to be a HORRIBLE decision as she falls off the beam again! Brendon, Dominic, and Jeff are TIED in terms of how much chewed gum they have on the sign. Brendon and Dominic pick up the pace and they become tied…but the fast pace could be risky! AND WITH THAT DOMINIC WINS THE POWER OF VETO!!!! Dominic is HAPPY and, thus, so are Danielle, Brendon, and Rachel.

And, Jeff is NOT HAPPY…with Rachel and her snide comments so he tells her. She doesn’t think he’s serious, but…OH…he is! She has a mini-freak out and Brendon has to ask what she said. He tells her to relax! She needs to stop playing with her emotions and to start playing with her head. Jeff finds Rachel again and says it wasn’t smart for her to say that in front of everyone and to PROVE she’s “better than Jordan.” Although Brendon is behind her 100%, he agrees that she shouldn’t have taken the slop. She runs behind a bush in the backyard to cry….REALLY? Most people think this move is lame and all Jordan and the newbies can do is sit by and listen. They all (well, minus Jordan) think this fighting is AWESOME.

I have a feeling this game is about to go in a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION. Jeff/Jordan have no idea that Brendon/Rachel were trying to win the Power of Veto competition so that they could save Dominic. But, even more, Rachel doesn’t want to work with Jordan/Jeff anymore after Jeff schools her! She is so impulsive! After the competition, Jeff talks to Jordan about backdooring Brendon/Rachel and thinking about if working with Rachel is more helpful or hurtful? Meanwhile, Brendon is talking Rachel down again. He thinks she should apologize, but she comes back with another insult. WOW. You know, Rachel, I liked you last year and now I can’t stand you. GAH. But, she does go up to apologize, but they don’t buy it. WHAT WILL THEY DO?

Cassi and Shelly come to talk to Jordan and Cassi suggest backdooring Brendon/Rachel…which Jeff agrees with! But, Jordan is nervous about making her whole alliance made at her! So, it’s time for the Power of Veto meeting…and, of course, Dominic, will be saving him and Adam from nomination with his veto power. Jordan has to make a new nomination…and the duo that is up for elimination NOW is…CASSI AND SHELLY. Immediately, Rachel smiles (hmmm…dodged a bullet?), and Daniele is so excited to still have Dominic in the house. There are tears from Jordan, Shelly, and Cassi! Tomorrow we’ll find out who gets evicted and who the next Head of Household will be…see you then!

The newbies are in the Have-Not room all saying they voted for Porshe to be evicted! But, a few people are LYING! Adam thinks his partner, Dominic, is the “rat” because he walked out on the conversation, but Shelly and Kalia are the liars and no one knows. Dominic then tries to pump Jeff for information, but the All-Star that Jeff is didn’t say JACK! Rachel celebrates with Porshe while Daniele celebrates with Kalia. Good news all around? NOPE. Adam is not happy and doesn’t trust Dominic…and that’s probably because everyone thinks Adam voted Keith out. So, it seems that Dominic and Adam are on the outs with each other. Dominic is working on a new game plan which includes bringing Dani over to the new newbies. WOW, conspiracy theories and drama! Just another summer in the Big Brother house!  So, Dominic is on the hunt for a new game plan and game partner. He’s begun flirting with Daniele to bring her over to his did…hmm…will this really work? Would Daniele break away from the Veterans? Moreover, would she make such a drastic move since she is protected by the Golden Key? OH…and Dominic is “flirting” with Brendon too! Desperate measures much? It’s week two!

Meanwhile, Adam takes a different approach by going to speak directly and explicitly with Jeff and Jordan. Adam made it clear he went against them, but has now changed his mind back to working with Veterans. If he gets a Golden Key, then he will “owe” them. Downstairs, Dominic is still working the Daniele angle and it seems to be working. Really? You are persuaded by this guy? I mean, he’s NO DR. WILL! Jordan, Jeff, and Rachel begin to talk about nominations. Jeff believes Dominic is running things while Rachel believes Cassi is in charge. So, it seems possible that either duo could be nominated, but that getting Cassi out and Shelly to stay may be their best bet?

The houseguests participate in the “Have/Have Not” competition. Jordan, Jeff, Daniele, and Porshe are all automatically haves because of their association wiht Head of Household or Golden Key. The rest of the duos compete as “super ants” (i.e., the partners are connected together…ouch) moving through a picnic to collect crumbs. The first duo to collect four crumbs is a HAVE for the week and they get to choose TWO duos to be HAVE-NOTS. Brendon/Rachel take an early lead and are followed by Adam/Dominic, Cassi/Shelly, and Kalia/Lawon. It seems for those duo members on the bottom of the super ant are having major problems (do you want 200 pounds on you? No thanks). Brendon and Rachel win, but, shortly after, Kalia is in PAIN. What’s wrong? Get a medic, Big Brother!  It seems that Kalia is OK and, thus, they go into the results. Brendon/Rachel choose Adam/Dominic and Cassi/Shelly to be the HAVE-NOTS. Darn…but America voted them to jerky and jelly bellys. Rest assured.

Dominic goes to see Jeff/Jordan about keeping himself safe and the only thing he can offer is “100% loyalty.” He makes it clear that he wants to make a deal and that he’s OK being nominated IF he has a deal with them. Next up, Cassi goes up to see Jeff/Jordan and Jeff wants to know where she is in the game. Cassi offers her secret keeping ability AND her acceptance of newbies being nominated. Hmmm, not a very good offer! Daniele talks to Jeff/Jordan and puts in her vote to KEEP Dominic (interesting) while they all seem to be interesting in voting out Cassi. Jordan seems to be indifferent and could out either duo up. Well, put up one team and then be prepared for them to win Power of Veto…then you can put up the other duo!

It’s time for the Nomination Ceremony! Jordan pulls keys for Brendon/Rachel and they are safe. The next safe duo is Cassi/Shelly, and they are followed by Kalia/Lawon. Because Daniele and Porshe have Golden Keys, Adam/Dominic is the only duo left over and, thus, are NOMINATED FOR EVICTION. Jordan tells everyone that she likes duo, but doesn’t know where their “heads are.” Next up, the houseguests participate in Power of Veto (Wednesday’s episode), but a little birdie tells me that Adam/Dominic won POV and will use it to save themselves. So, then, will Cassi/Shelly go up on the block? Guess we’ll find out for sure on Wednesday! See you then!

What is HILARIOUS about this week is that both members of the Dynamic Duo, Keith and Porshe, believe that they have the numbers to STAY while the other already has one foot out the door. Well, one of you is right and one of you is wrong. But who’s right and who’s wrong? The newbies want Porshe out, but the vets want to keep her. So, it looks like they’ll need ONE newbie to vote their way so they can have Rachel split the vote (newbies have 6 votes, vets have 4 votes). The vets introduce booty or bookie time…say what? All I know is everyone’s having fun except Dominic (who’s suspicious) and Brendon (who’s upset that Rachel shared the term of endearment for each other…Bookie? Really?). Let’s keep our eye on the ball, Brenchel! SERIOUSLY. The vets continue to work with Brendon talking to Shelly and Jeff talking to Adam (and the bonus for Adam is to name the alliance – - oh and they fist bumped so it must be legit). Let’s see if the vets work actually worked. Cassi wants to keep Keith and so she’s working over Shelly and Kalia. Kalia doesn’t want to rock the boat, but Shelly wants to know what they get from keeping Keith in the game. Next up, Cassi talks with Adam about keeping Keith. Does anyone KNOW what will actually happen? Hurry up live vote!

Before we get to the fight, Evel Dick sends a message to let everyone know he and his family are ok, but that he did have an emergency. Yikes. He challenges to the house to good game play for this summer. Yes, please! The most awkward part was when Julie asked Daniele, Evel Dick’s daughter, if she has anything to say to him…how about an “I love you”? WOW…weird and uncomfortable. After that, Julie goes to the nominated duos to say last words and they both give cliched, awkward speeches. What is going on? Let’s end this pain and get to the vote! Here’s how the guests vote:

KEITH = Brendon, Jordan, Jeff, Daniele, Kalia, Shelly

PORSHE = Dominic, Cassi, Lawon, Adam

YES…a win for the Vets (way to join the vets, Kalia and Shelly)! KEITH HAS BEEN EVICTED. And, Porshe receives a Golden Key which means she will be SAFE until the show reaches a Top Ten.

The Power is up for grabs with this week’s Head of Household! Rachel (as the outgoing Head of Household) and Porshe/Daniele (as Golden Key holders) cannot compete, but everyone else can! They will be participating in the Big Brother open and each houseguest gets one shot to get as close to the “hole in one.”

Dominic starts and hits his ball into the 6. Adam shoots, but not as close as Dominic. He’s out. Cassi is eliminated for hitting her ball into the water. Shelly does the same as Cassi and is eliminated. Lawon hits his ball into water too…he’s out. Kalia takes a lot of time to set up her shot and she ends up getting 6 and, thus, is tied with Dominic. Jordan shoots and makes it to 3…she eliminates the newbies so nothing, but a Vet can win. YES! Jeff chuks his ball and misses…did he do that for Jordan? aww. Brendon is the last houseguest to shoot and he goes into the sand. JORDAN IS THE NEW HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD! GO VETS.

Sorry newbies! You’re about to get the veteran treatment for the next week! And, life is good…

Keith is WAY too excited about his nomination! He is privy to his partner’s plans to work with the Veterans and wants her to leave. SO…his plan is to throw the Power of Veto competition so the nominations stay the same. He’s got a secret alliance with three other newbie houseguests and feels he would be SAFE and, thus, get the Golden Key. This seems like a sweet deal for him too! Get the key (and is then safe for three weeks) AND he gets rid of his shady partner! Right now, it seems like Keith has the better plan because the numbers are on his side; however, some of the other newbies don’t seem too solid. He doesn’t trust Kalia because she thinks he should talk to the vets.

During the day, Evel Dick gets called to the Diary Room and two hours go by. The Veterans (and others) become worried about where he might be. They look for him everywhere and assume he might be talking in the Diary Room since he “likes to talk.” But, when Rachel is called to the Diary Room, everyone begins to become concerned about what’s going on. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ALREADY! sheesh. Rachel returns to the living room and calls all the houseguests together. She reads a note from Big Brother that provides us with information WE ALREADY KNOW…he has left the game for personal reasons. However, we now know how the issue has been resolved. Since Daniele has no partner, she will automatically receive the first Golden Key. The Veterans immediately run up to the HOH room. Daniele is upset because she doesn’t know why her dad left and now she can’t play for the next several weeks. AND…everyone, but Jeff believes the Vets are done. DUDE…it’s week one.

And, they don’t know what’s going on downstairs! Keith is celebrating Evel Dick’s exit (NOT COOL) and then he calls together all the newbies into the Have-Nots room to “expose” Kalia and Porshe for working with the Veterans. Keith sounds and looks crazy as he unleashes his cray cray conspiracy theories and Dominic starts to be concerned about his secret alliance buddy. Doesn’t Keith understand that the Newbies have the advantage now and he can worry about ANY potential dealings later? BECAUSE his behavior is going to get him evicted and, thus, Porshe gets a free ride! Exactly what he doesn’t want to happen!

It’s time for the Power of Veto competition! Before it begins, Rachel hands Daniele her Golden Key. Daniele tells the crowd, “See you on Thursdays!” She tells us in the Diary Room that, at first, she was upset about getting the Golden Key because she wouldn’t be able to compete. But, now, she is warming up to the idea because if she “doesn’t matter” to others in the game then she can focus on building relationships with the other houseguests. Hmmm…good plan!

Only six people play in the competition, including: Rachel and Brendon (HOH and her partner), Porshe and Keith (the nominated duo), and Jeff and Jordan (one duo drawn from the bag randomly by Rachel). Of course, Big Brother makes the houseguests look RIDICULOUS! They dress up like super heroes…nice spandex! The girls are in harnesses and when the guys run away, they go up in the air. The purpose is for the guys to run to get puzzle pieces, bring them back to the girls, but then the girls go up in the air to put the puzzle together. Both Keith and Porshe are TRYING to throw the competition and, of course, Jeff and Jordan are doing worse then them! LOL…Jeff has to tell her that the puzzle spells Veto. HILARIOUS. Meanwhile, Brendon and Rachel kill it and RACHEL AND BRENDON WIN THE POWER OF VETO!!!!

After the competition, Brendon and Rachel bring each duo upstairs to make deals. ”We won’t put you up and next week you don’t put us up.” But, Kalia makes a good point…who’s going to say NO to them? Well, I guess Cassi will say no to them! LOL…she tells them she’s concerned about their allegiance to Jeff and Jordan. Rachel doesn’t like what she hears and may actually use the POV to change the nominations. She speaks with Keith outside and he’s all on her side, but in the Diary Room he tells us he doesn’t care what she does because he’s got the numbers. BUT DOES HE? During the Power of Veto meeting, Rachel and Brendon tell the group that they will NOT use the veto and, thus, nominations will remain the same!

Will Keith or Porshe go home? We’ll find out tomorrow night on the live episode! See everyone then!

Last time, the newbie houseguests picked partners (Reminder: Adam & Dominic, Keith & Porshe, Shelly & Cassi, and Lawon & Kalia), met their veteran competition (Brenchel, Jordan & Jeff, and Evel Dick & Daniele), and learned about the Golden Ticket (a special advantage for being the member of the Duo not evicted). With all the details (for now…there are twists to come…for sure), everyone starts strategizing! Porshe wants to make nice with the Vets, but her partner, Keith, disagrees. The Vets seem to have a clear idea of what to do and how to stay in the game (stick together, get newbies on their side, etc.). And, then, Dominic has an interesting idea: He knows that a new duo will be put up for eviction so why not create a cross-duo alliance? It would include ONE member of each newbie duo (him, Lawon, Keith, and Cassi)…and if anyone of them went up for eviction, the others would have their back. Way to think outside the box, Dominic! Dominic pulls the FOUR together to get their plan together AND to come up with an dumb alliance name…The Regulators. Hmmm…let’s see if this alliance makes it out of the week!

The Vets got their plan together…stay as one BIG unit and then recruit. Dick believes Porshe is a prime candidate and he pulls herself. That worked out well for her since she’s the ONE New Kid that wanted to work with the All-Stars. But, will Dick leaving the game early cause problems for this master plan? The exchange is to have her on board and for her to cast votes for the people they want and, if she wins Head of Household (HOH), to put up newbies over the Vets. But, it doesn’t seem 100% sure as Dick will talk to his alliance about it. Meanwhile, it seems clear that Keith/Porshe might be SAFE from nomination since they will vote with the Vets. She believes that she’ll be safe for several weeks; however, Keith says “SHE’S DONE!” He tells his fellow Regulators that she’s told Dick that the duo will vote with the Vets, but that she’s gone. So, wait…he wants to put himself up and risk going home so his partner can leave?

The houseguests participate in their FIRST “Have or Have Not” competition! Because Rachel won HOH, her and her partner, Brendon, are automatically HAVES and, thus, will not compete. Everyone else is competing to be HAVES so they can avoid cold showers, yucky BB slop, and uncomfortable beds! Each duo must team up with another duo (including Keith/Porshe/Dominic/Adam, Kalia/Lawon/Shelly/Cassi, and Daniele/Dick/Jeff/Jordan). The competition has some sort of milk/moon/psychedelic theme (???) and the  purpose of this competition is for the team to jump into a milk waterfall with their ridiculous cow outfits and then to squeeze as much milk out of their outfits into jugs. The first TWO teams to fill up all their jugs…WINS (i.e., they are HAVES). The Vets team takes the lead with the two newbie teams falling behind…maybe the All-Stars are really motivated to avoid being Have-Nots after experiencing it first-hand? Let’s see how competition turns out! The Vets WIN!!! No big surprise! And the LOSER team includes the Orange team including Kalia, Lawon, Shelly, and Cassi!!! Too bad so sad! And, being a Have-Not is going to SUCK…the bedroom is AWFUL…it looks like a padded room and the lights can’t ever be turned off.

After the competition, Evel Dick, Jeff, and Rachel discuss strategy. It looks like Dick will continue to do the “dirty work” for his alliance and get more votes. This time Dick will go after Adam and Jeff is pleased that he doesn’t have to do it. Win-Win-Win for everyone? Adam goes to talk to Dick, but he says he’ll be cautious about approaching any offer Dick has for him. Dick offers him the “GOLDEN KEY,” but in return Adam has to be a vote, or thrower of POV challenges, or nominating the right people if he’s HOH. Dick tells him it’s an OFFER HE CAN’T REFUSE, but Adam tells us in the diary room that he’ll be coming after the infamous Evil Dick!

Meanwhile, Rachel talks to people about nominations. Rachel reminds Jordan that they have to think about who to KEEP (because of the Golden Key) not who they’d get rid of – - this advantage really changes the strategizing! The HOH believes Adam is a keeper because he’s such a BB groupie that he’d probably do whatever for them (hmmm…really?), but Rachel then also thinks of Keith as a threat. Yet, you get rid of Keith, you give Porshe the Golden Key and do you really want to do that? Dick comes into their meeting and tells them that Porshe will do ANYTHING for the Vets alliance. So, the choice is between Dominic/Adam and Porshe/Keith!

Rachel calls everyone together for the Nomination ceremony. The houseguests sits in their duos and she begins handing out keys. Brendon is safe because he is her partner. She pulls keys for Daniele and Dick. The father-daughter duo pull Jeff and Jordan’s keys. The next safe group is Kalia and Lawon. They are followed by Shelly and Cassi. The LAST safe duo includes Adam and Dominc. PORSHE AND KEITH ARE NOMINATED. She tells them, “Welcome to Big Brother,” because it’s a strategic game! Rachel wants Keith to go home and Porshe to get the Golden Key. But, Porshe acts like the Vets went against her, but she doesn’t understand the nomination COULD be good news for her. However, the audience knows it could be BAD news…Keith has The Regulators alliance to back him up and they want Porshe gone! YIKES…this could get ugly for the Vets super fast especially since Dick goes home! Wednesday’s night episode is going to be GOOD.

SPOILER ALERT: The Power of Veto competition has been held and the winners were BRENCHEL!

For those of you not familiar with the show (do you live under a rock? ), let me provide a brief rundown. A group of strangers live in a house with 52 cameras and 95 microphones…that record EVERYTHING. The contestants compete in tasks to win food, luxury items, and power. The person in power is called Head of Household and they nominate TWO houseguests to go up for elimination; however, they get the opportunity to make changes to the nominations by competing in a Power of Veto competition. The winner can keep nominations the same or SAVE one person. If a person is saved, the Head of Household puts up a replacement nominee. On Thursday nights, the houseguests vote one of the two nominees out. The last houseguest standing wins $500,000!!!!

Big Brother is famous for its TWISTS and the saying, “Expect the Unexpected.” Julie Chen (looking lovely per usual) gets us up to speed on the twists for this thirteenth season. She reminds us that Dynamic Duos have RULED the game and what we’ll have is EIGHT new houseguests who are forced to partner up and that three former pairs will come back to play the game. PLEASE LET ONE PAIR BE DR. WILL AND MIKE BOOGIE!!!! First, we meet the eight new guests, including:

Dominic = A young college student who is an adrenaline junkie who still loves with his mom.

Cassi = A pretty model/tomboy from Nashville, Tennessee.

Lawon = This guy has STYLE and ATTITUDE. He likes to bold which means a strategy of being on the down low is probably out of the question.

Keith = He’s a youth minister who LOVES the ladies! Wait…what?

Shelly = She’s a mom who has a good mantra to live by: “Look like lady, act like a man, and work like a dog.”

Adam = He is a self-proclaimed heavy metal teddy bear that loves Beverly Hills 90210. He sounds amazing.

Kalia = She is the self-proclaimed “Real life Carrie” from Sex & the City because she writes a relationship blog.

Porshe = This young lady told the other houseguests that she is a student, but really she’s VIP Cocktail Waitress from South Beach. Her reasoning for telling them the fib was that she didn’t want them to think her life was too luxurious to receive the final prize! Uh, you’re a WAITRESS.

Overall, the group seems different from previous seasons, but there’s only EIGHT of them and they’ll have to make room for past Dynamic Duos. Chenbot surprises the group with the twist about partnering up. If you win Head of Household, you AND your partner is safe, but if you’re nominated than the members of the duo have to campaign against each other to stay in the game. OUCH. Keith is upset because he was planning to strategize with the ladies and to call their alliance “Keith’s Angels.” Thanks Big Brother for setting up the pairs because Keith’s strategy sounded LAME! Chenbot has the eight houseguests pair up and the results include: Keith & Porshe, Cassi & Shelly, Dominic & Adam, and Kalia & Lawon (by default).

NOW for the second twist (the audience knows, but the houseguests don’t know)! Chenbot tells the group that the eight of them are NOT the only ones playing! And, in moments, the additional houseguests start arriving! Will and Boogie where are you???

The doorbell rings. It’s….BRENCHEL….yah! We learn really quickly that Brendon and Rachel from BB 12 are engaged and that most people in the house find Rachel annoying.

The doorbell rings again…it’s Jordan and Jeff…aww! So cute! Lawon is mesmerized by the duo from BB11 and he even goes as far to call them Big Brother royalty. WORD. In the diary room, the couple talk about how long they’ve been together and Jordan messes up her math…per usual. I’ve missed her.

 The doorbell rings for a third time and it’s…Evil Dick and Danielle. He’s still really into himself and Danielle still can’t seem to stand her father. Apparently, they haven’t spoken in three years! Hmmm…so why play together? No matter, Adam is excited to see Evil Dick and he says, “It was like Tori Spelling walked through the door.”

Head of Household Competition

The newbies compete against the veterans in their FIRST Head of Household competition. The person who wins is safe (and so is their partner) AND they nominate one duo for eviction. It’s important competition because it could set the tone for who runs the game…new houseguests or the old houseguests. The competition is called “Going Bananas” and the purpose is for the houseguests to hang onto a GIANT banana for as long as they can. The last person hanging on, despite chocolate and whipped cream being sprayed on them, wins the power!

Here’s the results: Shelly falls first (her and her partner decide to fall and not go for HOH). Jordan falls second. Keith falls third. Cassi falls fourth. Lawon falls fifth. Adam falls sixth. Jeff falls seventh. Dominic falls eighth. Brendon drops ninth. Kalia falls tenth.  Porshe falls eleventh, but solid showing newbie! The only people left are VETS (Rachel, Dick, and Danielle). They make a deal…Dick falls off, but Danielle doesn’t trust Rachel. She asks Rachel to SWEAT and then she falls off too. RACHEL WINS HOH!!!!! Her and Brendon are both safe and Rachel will be nominating ONE duo to go up on the chopping block.

Before the night is over, Julie Chen tells the houseguest about ONE MORE TWIST. Being nominated is “both a blessing and a curse.” If you get voted out, you go home. BAD NEWS. If you stay, you get a HUGE advantage called the Big Brother Golden Key. The person with the Golden Key allows you to be SCOT FREE until the Top Ten. They can vote for evictions, but they can’t participate in any competitions. Rachel calls the Golden Key as the “Ultimate Floater.” Hmm…and we leave the episode by eavesdropping on the houseguests as they discuss the implications of the key.

So, what did you think of tonight’s episode? Are you happy with the partnering twist? Are you sad without Dr. Will and Mike Boogie? What do you think about the Golden Key? Who will Rachel nominate? Until Sunday BB fans (or until we get some spoilers to share)….

If therapy isn’t annoying enough, Hanna now has to deal with a father visit. Apparently, he’s concerned…and why wouldn’t he be? His daughter is “involved” with a “missing corpse.” Meanwhile, Emily has her own additional problems…not only did her mom take away her phone, but she has to start packing too because a family is leasing their home. DOH. The cherry on top…Emily discovers that “A” came into her home and erased her hard drive. Spencer tells Emily over the phone that they will figure out the problem at school, but as soon as she gets off the phone, she is dropped back into her own troubles with her sister, Melissa. She went to the doctor’s and received a sonogram of her baby. It looks like everything is OK, but Melissa won’t allow Spencer to help her by answering her phone. Sly, Spencer…can you be any more obvious about your agenda? At school, a bomb is dropped…Ezra’s last day at school is Friday…just TWO DAYS. Aria is unsure about everything and he wants her to stop by his apartment to “talk.” She tells him she can’t, but then she agrees to stop by the following day. Mona tracks down Aria and asks her to pick up a going away gift for Ezra…oh, and also for her help regarding Hanna. Aria says yes to the gift and no to helping with Hanna. Sorry, Mona!

At lunch, Emily confirms that the video evidence they had is GONE, but they don’t have much time to talk before they have to separate…remember…the Pretty Little Liars are supposed to be on a break! Hanna thinks it is BS and that separating may communicate that they did lie about Ian. But, despite her compelling argument, they all find a different table to sit at. Hanna ignores Mona’s invitation to sit with her…OUCH…it may take some time for Hanna to forgive you for destroying Caleb’s letter. As the girls begin their lonely lunches, they get a text from “A” that reads: “Look at you, all alone in a crowd.” HOW DOES “A” ALWAYS KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON??? Gah. Spencer doesn’t have such a lonely time as Toby shows up at school to get paperwork! He does not want to come back to the high school, but Spencer wants him to. However, he’s got a construction job so he can make enough money to leave his family and perhaps leave Rosewood. Would Spencer be going with him?

After a swim meet, Emily gets asked out by Samara (the girl from WAY back), but she isn’t too interested since she’ll be moving to Texas. However, Samara talks her into a date for the next day. Just then, a scout from Danby University asks to meet with the “talent.” Ooooh, will Emily get a scholarship and, thus, get a chance to leave her family and friends behind too? Back at home, Spencer is putting together a “neighborly” package for Alison’s brother, Jason. Spencer asks if Jason and Ian were friends. Melissa notes that Jason is not dependable. Spencer pumps her sister for more information, but Melissa gets upset and the conversation is over.

Hanna’s dad is in town and plans to stay for a few days. He wonders if she likes the therapist, but she is still PISSED that she can’t see her friends. He stays for a drink with his ex and Hanna’s mom…interesting! Is an old relationship being rekindled? However, there are no relationships for Emily as her mom asks for her cell phone. But, she has other reasons for visiting her daughter’s bedroom. Emily’s mom wonders if she’s been in the garage because her dad’s lockers were open and some things are missing. It turns out that other people have had their garages broken into…is this “A’s” handiwork? Or, perhaps something random…maybe Emily’s computer erasing was a fluke? (We know it’s not because we saw “A” do it.)

Spencer goes to see Jason. As Spencer walks up to the house, a dog is sniffing around the yard (hmm…is there something buried there? That would be SO Rear Window) and Jason throws something at the dog to get it to go away. She offers him the goodies and they have a conversation. Jason is EXTREMELY interested in knowing what happened with Ian at the church. Did Ian confess? Spencer is unable to provide the “exact” words Ian said despite Jason pushing her further. He seems to get frustrated and the conversation is over. Spencer remains on the porch while she flashes back to when the girls were over at Alison’s and they witness a fight between the siblings, Alison and Jason. He’s mad at her for stealing something of his and she confesses to her friends that she did steal it…and it’s hidden. But, what if he tears about the house? Well, she’s got ALL sorts of hiding places. Alison tells them: “When I hide something, it stays hid.” That is, until she wants something to be shown! SERIOUSLY…is there something hidden in the yard?

The next day, Emily is informed she is in “good shape” for a scholarship; however, if she moves there could be problems. She tells the scout she is NOT moving. Hmm…what does Emily plan to do? She tells her mom about the scholarship and her mom does admit that would be a good reason to stay, but it’ll have to be discussed with her father. Fingers crossed! Meanwhile, Spencer has her own plan…she scopes out Toby on his construction job. Really? Can you say, “creeper?” But, she’s there in time to see Toby get fired on the first day. The family saw Toby and threatened the boss to cancel the job if Toby wasn’t removed. That is messed up! When Spencer gets home, Aria and her are talking on the phone. Aria tells her that Mr. Fitz hasn’t showed up yet for their talk. How long should she wait? Before Spencer can answer, Toby shows up at Spencer’s house and they go off together. Aria seems ready to leave, but she gets a text from Ezra asking her to wait. How long will she stay? Across town, Mona calls Hanna and wants to talk, but Hanna ignores it. Her dad overhears and they have a conversation. He wants to talk about her friends, but she tells him that he LIED to her about starting a new family and now she can’t trust him. Back at Mr. Fitz’ apartment, Aria seems to get irritated with waiting and she leaves Ezra a note before leaving. The note reads: “Sorry we couldn’t make this work.” SAD FACE…the ending comes before he’s no longer her teacher. DOH.

Emily goes out to the movies with Samara and she’s excited to tell her about the possibility to stay in Rosewood because of the potential Danby University. Yay! As they talk, Emily recalls the time she came to the same theater with Maya and the two girls talk about past love interests. And, it seems Mona has a date of her own as Hanna shows up at the Rosewood Grill. They talk. Hanna warns Mona about Noel (the two are dating) and then she tells Mona to forget everything that has happened. She forgives Mona. SAY WHAT? The two decide to not ask each other about Caleb and Noel. That seems like a good plan. Together, Spencer and Toby talk out in the woods. He’s upset she didn’t tell him about Ian’s texts and she considers telling the police. But, then, he reminds her that the police are not really on either of their sides. Good point.

Aria, after waiting around for Ezra, goes to Spencer’s house. When she arrives, she notices that someone has broken into the house. OK – - let’s call the police, shall we? Oh…no…she’s going into the house! REALLY? She walks into the house calling Spencer’s name when someone runs down the stairs, pushes Aria into the wall, and runs out the door. Hmm…is this Ian, Jason, or “A”? When Spencer gets to her house, she calls the police and Aria seems to be fine. PHEW. Spencer assumes that it was “A” and then Aria brings up all the break-ins (at Emily’s, etc.). Who would want camping gear? IAN? He erased the video and perhaps stole the gear so he can go on the run? But, if Melissa was in the barn, why would Ian come into the house? Because of Spencer….

At school, Emily learns that she can’t get a letter from a scout. The best he can do is a “maybe” letter, but that will probably not be enough for her parents. She seems upset and disappointed. In class, Ezra gets a gift from his students and he participates in a speech to say thanks and good-bye. Is he speaking to the class or to Aria? His last advice: “Always read and have a good life.” She mopes in the cafeteria and then realizes she made a mistake. She runs to Ezra’s classroom, but he’s gone. She looks out the window and smiles. Ezra is at his car and she runs out. AND THEY FREAKING HAVE A KISS…a movie style KISS! Nice!

Spencer gets home and Melissa is moping. She tells Spencer that she hadn’t left the house, BUT her raincoat and boots were wet…AND the sonogram was in her pocket! She didn’t go far…so who was she showing the photo? IAN. The girls are talking out in Spencer’s greenhouse (it appears that way) talking about this latest development, but then start to head home. They come across Jason who has been planting a garden (uh, yah…right).  He tells them that he is building a fence for “privacy and security.” Jason continues to say that there are “people are going to mind their own business.” He tells the girls to go home and they wonder on their way out…is Jason keeping someone OUT or someone IN? Hmm…did Jason kill Ian for killing Alison?

As the episode closes, we see the dog digging at the “garden” again…TOLD YOU. And, we see “A” making friends with the pup. Is “A” about to make Jason’s life a little bit more miserable? I guess we’ll find out next week! Until then…

Garrett takes the girls to the police station, but then he takes them into a dark alley instead. Creepy, much? Well, he doesn’t want to hurt the Pretty Little Liars. Instead, he tells them to keep their lips tight regarding the whole “Ian black mail plot” that he was helping the girls with…seriously, wouldn’t look good for a cop! The girls promise not to say anything and then they get back into the police cruiser and drive away. Good news. Jenna was creepin’ around nearby and probably heard the whole thing!

After the girls were questionned, they talk about the “death” of Ian and “A.” It appears that “A” took care of Ian for Spencer, but this little favor may come at a high cost. But, where did he go? Who is “A?” Spencer didn’t see anything; however, the girls seem confident that Jenna is no longer a contender for their anonymous saboteur. Emily wonders if they should tell someone about “A,” but what if ALL their secrets got out? All the parents meet the girls downstairs in Spencer’s house. What is this…some sort of intervention? As you might recall, Spencer is a person of interest in Alison’s death, but now after what happened at the church, all the others girls are of interest as well. Aria points out that no one has heard from Ian because he’s dead; however, Spencer’s dad adds that dead people don’t walk away. But, wait…do the parents NOT believe their children? That would be NO because the girls have to go see a grief counselor to satisfy the police and the nosey/judgmental public. Spencer asks her mom if she believes her and she doesn’t answer the question. (That would be a “NO,” Spencer). And, with impecable timing, Toby decides to drop by to visit with Spencer. Her dad sends him away and tells him to leave his daughter alone. Sheesh…Spencer can’t catch a break today!

Jenna and her man (?) Garrett hang outside (very creepily) in their car watching a house. Garrett wonders why Jason moved back into the house and what he’s looking for…could he be looking for…THAT THING…oooo, ok seems like another fuzzy puzzle piece…what is “The Jason Thing”? And, why can’t people find out about it? Perhaps more importantly, is “A” aware of “The Jason Thing” and when will s/he start to exploit it?

Why does Ella ALWAYS want to have awkward conversations with Aria while walking down the halls at school? Seriously? But, big news is coming out of her mom’s mouth…Ella is MOVING home! However, Aria and her friends can’t be bothered by such exciting news because it’s back to school. And, their classmates are not wasting anytime in the GOSSIP and the BULLYING. Super…because they don’t have enough going on! The girls head to class with Mr. Fitz and guess who’s back? Noel…GAH…the one guy who knows about the student-teacher relationship AND doesn’t seem to want to protect it. Who’s ready to be homeschooled? Well, Mona’s got Hanna’s back as she scares off some of the gossipers…way to go, Mona! Despite all the drama, Mr. Fitz pulls his lady friend, Aria, aside to see how she’s doing, but…check this…Aria doesn’t want to talk to him about anything. Ezra loves her, but thinks they’re over. Aria tells him she’s not sure if they’re over.

Spencer defies her father and she goes to see Toby. BUT, Jenna is home and tells Spencer to leave. Dang! It’s like Jenna and Spencer’s dad are working together to keep the two apart! Meanwhile, Emily is having similar luck. She’s watching the video of Toby and Jenna on her laptop when a man walks into her room…who is he? Did he see the video? It turns out he’ll be their realtor and he’s come to check out Em’s room. He pretty much tells her to get rid of all the stuff that makes the place hers so they can sell it. Yah…I don’t think this little visit is going to make her want to move anymore than she did before! Spencer returns home to find Garrett talking to Melissa and her parents about Ian. He’s missing. There’s an APB on his car and they are tracking his credit cards. But, Spencer knows he won’t be coming home. Melissa is PISSED at Spencer and Spencer is PISSED at her parents. She feels that they are protecting Melissa and brushing her aside…like she’s nothing, but a “complication.”

Wow…all the girls are in therapy together? Really? You’d think they would split them up so they would ALL crack and spill the beans! Hanna, hoping she’d miss the session, comes in late after shopping. Luckily, they all waited for her! But, perhaps Hanna has some better news coming her way as Caleb is back in town (thanks to Lucas). Will she be happy to see him? Back in therapy, the girls are talking about Alison and how they all became friends because of her. When she went missing, they lost touch only coming together when Alison’s body was found. The therapist asks if they were seeking closure and when she gets little response back, she reminds the Pretty Little Liars that nothing they say will leave the room. Aria asks the girls if they should bring up “the thing,” but before they have the change…text message! Oh no…is it “A?” No, but there time is up! PHEW. On the way out of the office, Spencer finally gets a break by seeing Toby. They share a smile, but Jenna is nearby so they can’t talk. Spencer isn’t bummed for too long before Emily notices the newspaper with THEIR photo on the frontpage accompanied by the headline: “What really happened?” The story indicates that the cops believe Ian skipped town and the girls made up a story to cover his exit. Just then, they get a text message from “A” that reads: “I spy a liar.”

When Hanna returns home, she finds Caleb IN HER HOUSE. He’s back!!!! (yay!). He’s making eyes at her (aw, he missed her) and Hanna says, “You’re not allowed to look at me like that.” Why…he didn’t leave without saying good-bye! But, Hanna didn’t get the letter because of stupid Mona (she threw it away). However, Hanna doesn’t seemed concerned about the letter because he still lied to her and he still used her. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo….she can’t forgive him! But he loves you, Hanna! And, this time he does say good-bye face-to-face. Right after, Hanna hunts down Mona at a coffee shop and calls her out for keeping the letter from Hanna. Hanna agrees with Mona that Caleb DID HURT HER, but Mona hurt her more. Oh, snap. Mona is teary-eyed, but Hanna bolts when Mona’s man comes in…who was that? (GAH…too many guys on this show!).

Spencer is getting dressed up to go Emily’s house where Toby is meeting her. As she’s about to head out, her sister comes in and is able to sniff out that Spencer is going to see the “off limits” Toby. What does she want from Spencer? It turns out that Melissa doesn’t believe the police! She tells Spencer that there is NO WAY Ian would ever leave her so she has to tell Melissa what happened…again. It looks like Spencer won’t be off meeting Toby tonight. Bummer. On the other side of town, Aria does make it to see Ezra…at his apartment. He opens the door wearing pajama bottoms…no shirt. What’s your angle here Mr. Fitz? Ezra tells Aria that he believes her (re: Ian), but she wants to know more about his ex, Jackie, because she feels like things have changed. Aria asks questions and Ezra answers them. Have things changed…and, if so, for the better or for worse? When Aria leaves his apartment, she receives a text message from “A.” She’s been sent a picture of inside Ezra’s apartment and says: “Look familar? What’s missing?” THE KEY TO EZRA’S APARTMENT IS MISSING. The girls talk it over and Emily thinks they should tell the therapist about “A” because, seriously, how much more damage can this mysterious saboteur do?

The girls head to the therapist’s office to show the video and share their story! Will the therapist believe the girls? As Aria begins to tell the story, they start to notice something in the office. It’s Ezra’s Master Degree…in her office! “A” took the degree and “hid it in plain sight” for the girls to find! OH SNAP! (That’s pretty good, “A”!). Spencer stops the conversation, Hanna sneaks to grab the degree, and the girls make excuses and leave. Sorry lady! Maybe next time you’ll have a break through with the Pretty Little Liars! Hanna shows Aria the degree and they wonder how “A” ALWAYS knows what’s going on. Hanna even remarks: “I’m beginning to think that bitch has super powers.” Classic. Time for Mr. Fitz to change his locks!

Back at home, Aria’s parents (and soon after, the others parents do the same) ambush her over the event at the therapist’s office! The therapist has recommended that (a) the girls do not come in as a group anymore (duh), and (b) the girls spend time apart! NO…what are they going to do without each other? As Spencer thinks about the pain of losing her friends, she sees something outside of her kitchen window and rushes to lock all the doors and shut off the lights. She hides with a knife and the person entering the house is………………..TOBY!!! Dude…I know you want to see her, but haven’t you heard of knocking?

The therapist leaves her office late at night and immediately gets the sense that she’s being followed. She stops and turns around…nothing. She walks to her car and gets inside. Just then….you see shadowy person (“A”?) watching her leave. Meanwhile, back at Spencer’s, Toby leaves her, but not before telling her to lock the doors. As she does that, she hears a noise from a phone. It’s Melissa’s phone and the text message (from a blocked number) reads: “Melissa, I’m sorry but it’s not safe yet. I can’t tell you.” IS THIS IAN? Is he alive? Or, is “A” messing with Melissa too? Spencer immediately texts the girls a “SOS” message and they all sneak out. Like me, the girls want to know if the person texting Melissa is Ian? Spencer replies to the blocked number and asks him a question that only he would know the answer to. She asks him: “What are we naming the baby?” The person replying provides the correct answer…Taylor. IAN IS ALIVE.

But, “A” is getting sneakier and causing more problems for the girls! “A” has gone to tour Emily’s house with the realtor and when there, “A” deletes the videos from Emily’s laptop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAY WHAT? (Wow…one episode in and I’m already like…tell me more. I don’t know if I can wait until next week!).

All the teams head to the train station and we are back to EVEN STEVEN. They arrive in Feldkirch and the teams all run to the cabs with the Cowboys taking first! They are followed by: Gary/Mallory, the Globetrotters, Jen/Kisha, Zev/Justin, and Kent/Vyxsin. The cabbie asks Zev/Justin if they are terrorists…no, but they are in a race! LOL! While en route, Gary/Mallory lose their lead and all the teams pass them! Too bad so sad. The teams arrive to find a clue detailing their next ROADBLOCK task (a task in which only one team member completes. The team member must take a map and ride a motorized bike with odomoter and measure the entire length of Liechenstein (22km). If they are correct, they get directions to cross the border If wrong, they have to ride back and do it ALL over again. Seriously? Ok, it’s only about 13 miles. The team members participating in this task, include: Justin, Kisha, Flight Time, Jet, Vyxsin, and….well, Gary/Mallor have to complete their Speed Bump first! They arrive in last place and are presented with their Speed Bump. They have to come up with the accurate measurements to mix gas and oil (25 parts gas = 1 part oil) to fuel their bike to participate in the Roadblock. Yuck…sounds like math! But, they figure it out and Gary will ride the bike!

The map seems to be causing problems for all the bikers. In fact, Jen loses her map! OH NO! Everyone seems lost! Gary meets up with Jet and he has seven less miles than Jet. Justin and Jen meet up and follow each other to the end. Justin gets the number correct and then Jen just gives the guy the same number. Gary runs into Vyxsin, but she’s lost and now he’s wondering where Jet went.We meet up with Jet at the end of the task, but he provides his measurement at 35km. He’s wrong and he has to start over. DOH.

But, Justin and Jen (the first to finish) are given instructions to go to Gutenberg Castle where everyone’s teammates are waiting. They receive their next clue that tells them to take a bus and train to the ski resort town of Zermatt, Switzerland and are to look for their clue in the train station. As they wait at the bus stop, Flight Time rides by and he asks for the measurement so he doesn’t have to start over. Justin gives him the number because they are all friends. Awww, too bad for the Cowboys…they don’t have any friends! Sad face. When he rides up to the end, Flight Time meets up with Gary and shares the number so he doesn’t have to go back…perhaps some scheming against the Cowboys? As they deliver their numbers, Vyxsin comes up, but, it seems, she was able to produce the correct number all on her own? If so…good for her! Back at the start, Jet tells us his strategy is to “not get lost.” Good plan! He is the ONLY one still biking while everyone else is on the train or heading to the train.

Zev/Justin and Jen/Kisha are on the first train to Zermatt while on the second train the Globetrotters, Gary/Mallory, and Kent/Vyxsin are riding. The Cowboys will be on the last train. Will they be able to make up the time? Well, if any team can…it’s them! The first train arrives in Zermatt and the next clue details a DETOUR (the team chooses between two tasks to complete; with TWO U-Turns ahead…two teams will have to completed both tasks. In the Cheese task, the team must go to a restaurant and eat an entire pot of cheese fondue. Once the fondue is gone, they will receive an empty pot with their next clue written inside. SOUNDS DELICIOUS! In the Wheeze task, teams must deliver twenty pieces of luggage (by foot) in the town delivering to some give hotels. They collect tags for the luggage and submit to a worker at the train station. If they are correct, they will receive their next clue. Here’s how the teams choose:

CHEESE = Zev/Justin, Jen/Kisha

WHEEZE = Jen/Kisha (switched), Gary/Mallory, Kent/Vyxsin, Flight Time/Big Easy, the Cowboys

Justin DOES NOT want to do the task after failing the last food challenge. Jen and Kisha seem to be having the same debate and they leave. But the guys stay and Zev KILLS that cheese! They start to slow down as they get near the end and there is a lot of burping. GROSS. Finish it already! They keep saying, “No turning back now.” They finish LONG after they started the task, but they finally get their clue!

The teams working on the WHEEZE task start delivering their luggage. Jen/Kisha quickly learn that the hotels are FAR APART. And, of course, Kent and Vyxsin immediately start fighting! Somehow they figure out to deliver SEVEN pieces of luggage at one time and they are close to the number of bags the sisters have (who had a big lead). Gary/Mallory start stacking up suitcases and it seems to take FOREVER. Once they get moving, all the bags fall off their cart. DOH.The Cowboys train gets in and they head to the WHEEZE task as Jen/Kisha finish the Detour. Hmmm…I think Jet and Cord are about to WRECK this task! Once they start, they get a map of the hotels! That should make things go faster for them. The other teams are neck-and-neck and, just as they are about to finish, Flight Time and Big Easy make a mistake and have ONE last hotel to go to! Oh no…they better not get U-Turned! Kent/Vyxsin and Gary/Mallory are down and are now heading to the U-Turn. Kent/Vyxsin already U-Turned a team this season…can they only U-Turn once? Well, Gary/Mallory shouldn’t U-Turn the Globetrotters because Flight Time gave Gary the 22km info, but you never know! The basketball players reach the train station, but are missing TWO TAGS! Are you serious? Why do they always do this to us???? They check their pockets and no tickets so they have to go deliver two more bags! In the meantime, the Cowboys could catch up and/or pass them!

Teams that have completed the task are now heading to the fountain at the Inderbinen Brunnen. This is where they will be able to participate in a DOUBLE U-TURN. The teams that are U-Turned will have to complete the OTHER SIDE of the Detour. And considering most teams completed the WHEEZE task, doing the CHEESE task would be awful! Who will get there first? And, will they U-Turn a team? Zev/Justin arrive first and choose not to U-Turn anyone. Jen/Kisha check in second, but also decide NOT to use the U-Turn. Kent/Vyxsin reach the clue box and since they’ve already U-Turned, they can’t use it. But, check this…Gary and Mallory don’t U-Turn anyone either! WOW. Which of the final two teams will get to the box first? It’s the GLOBETROTTERS and they U-Turn the Cowboys. Yay, for the basketball players, but too bad for the Cowboys. They feel bad about doing it, but they know they had to do it to win! The Cowboys can’t believe they were the only team to be U-Turned, but they seem to enjoy the fondue on the Cheese task as a last Hurrah for the race.

The clue tells them to take an electric taxi to a restaurant at the base of the Alps which will be the location of the next pit stop! Justin and Zev arrive at the restaurant and Justin is ready to puke on Phil! Zev tells the greeter, “Nice to fondue you.” LOL…and since they came in first, they won a trip! NOT BAD…and Phil tells us that the best friends have come in first FOUR times! The second place team is Jen and Kisha. Kent/Vyxsin check in as team number three and Gary/Mallory come in as team number four. NOW…it’s a race between the Cowboys and the Globetrotters! But, because the Globetrotters U-Turned the Cowboys, they come in fifth and the Cowboys are eliminated. SO SAD…loved those Cowboys!

Next time: Looks cold and scary on the Alps! AND…Big Easy gets pissed at Kent/Vyxsin…what happens? Tune in next week to find out!

The merged tribe gets tree mail indicating that everyone will go witness a Duel between Matt, Mike, and David. But, with Redemption Island being new this season, it’s not clear if one person or two people will go home OR if the jury will began to be populated. At the Duel Arena, Jeff Probst explains that the two people who complete the task will “stay alive” and the person in third place will be the FIRST member of the jury! So, what happens when the two people finish first? Will they rejoin the tribe or head back to Redemption Island? I guess we’ll have to wait until after the Duel! Probsty sets up the task and its one Survivor fans are familiar with. Each Duel-er has 150 wooden blocks and they have to make an 8-foot high house of cards. Again, the two who finish first stay alive and the person in last is on the jury. Mike takes a quick lead with Matt fairly close behind while David has barely gotten much going. Mike is about one or two layers away from the 8-foot mark when the whole thing starts to shake. It would be tragic if his tower fell at this point! He continues to work on it while David gets caught up with Matt. Mike is very close, but it’s all about the last tile…PHEW…he makes it. Mike is safe. Soon after, Matt finishes and is also safe. David is now the first member of the jury. Probst sends Mike and Matt to Redemption Island to await their next opponent. Hmmm…how long will Redemption Island last?

Back at camp, the Ometepe tribe is ready to eat rice, but…CHECK THIS…there’s maggots in their container! GROSS. But, good thing they noticed before cooking and eating! So, they dump the rice out on a blanket to locate good and bad rice. They throw out the bad rice and try to maintain the good rice (so they have food for the rest of their time there), but, because the container got wet, they cannot put their rice back into it. When realizing the rice could spoil, they ask Steve and Julie if they can put the Ometepe rice in the Zapatera rice container, Steve says NO. Prepare for World War III between Steve and Phillip….GO! Phillip believes Steve is being irrational and says they better carry their rice container around wherever they go because Phillip will take it. Steve calls Phillip an effing lunatic and Phillip then, as Steve and the other tribe mates say, he “pulled the race card” by making it a “black and white thing.” In an interview, Phillip feels like Steve thinks he’s better than he is and that there is some “racial undertone.” He realizes he has nothing to lose because who’s going to vote for him at the end of the game? NO ONE. The fight continues and Phillip is sick of being called CRAZY. Ralph wants everyone to get along because Survivor is nothing, but a game. Steve walks away and then tells us in an interview that the votes are for Phillip and it’s to get rid of him because he’s a “loose cannon” and “scary.” Rob sees that annoying Phillip may not be able to last much longer, but he needs to figure out who can be the next “public enemy.”

The tribe heads to the Immunity Challenge…wouldn’t it be AMAZING if Phillip won? The challenge is a puzzle wheel and it’s done in TWO parts. First, each tribe member will spin the wheel to get it separated from it’s base and then complete a puzzle within the wheel. Then, the first SIX tribe mates to finish will put that completed wheel inside another circle, and complete another layer of the puzzle. The first person to finish the puzzle correctly wins INDIVIDUAL IMMUNITY! Here we go:

The Survivors begin the task by spinning until their wheel is off its base. Oh, man….they are going to be DIZZY! Andrea is the first to get the base off and is followed by: Rob, Grant, Julie, Steve, Ralph, Natalie, Phillip, and Ashley. The first puzzle is small and, thus, it is quickly solved! The SIX moving onto the second puzzle includes: Rob, Julie, Ralph, Andrea, Steve, and Grant. The three old Ometepe tribe mates and the three remaining Zapateria tribe mates will compete for immunity! Jeff tells them to begin and this should take a little longer because the puzzle is a larger circle around their first completed puzzle. Steve has a fast start to the puzzle with Andres close behind. Rob gets something going which is no surprise…he’s the puzzle master! Andrea takes the lead and Grant catches up! Rob is close. Andrea is close. Steve is close. WHO WILL WIN? BOSTON ROB DOES…H to the Y (hell to the yah)! And, the Godfather is safe for another week. Thank you Survivor Gods!

So, will another Zapatera tribe mate head to Redemption Island or has Phillip’s luck run out? Back at campe, the tribe enjoys more rice…is that a good idea? Will more conflict ensue? Or, will the Zapatera tribe try to figure out a way to get a few Ometepe members to flip? Well, it looks like Julie wants to fight in the war because she takes his swim suit and buries it! Although, he has a large reaction and it might be part of Julie’s plan to get the rest of the Ometepe tribe to hate him even more. Steve calls Phillip scary like he wants people to notice his behavior…how can you not notice? DUH. It’s not clear if any Ometepe member will flip, but it’s time for Tribal Council so we’ll find out soon.

Of course, Jeff starts Tribal by talking with Phillip. Our favorite federal agent has resorted to wearing his red underwear to Tribal and Jeff wants to know why. Phillip accuses Steve of taking his swim trunks (although it was Julie) and that he knows this based on his training (doh). Then, the topic moves to rice because Phillip believes Zapatera is deliberating eating all the rice, but Steve points out that they have less mouths to feed. Andrea does point out it’s tough to see them eating a huge bowl of rice. And, then Steve brings up the racial rice and Phillip’s use of the “n” word. I can understand people getting upset that they’re being called crazy, but perhaps Phillip went too far? Jeff tries to understand Phillip’s reasoning for the using the word, but Phillip points out that Jeff doesn’t know what it’s like to be an African American man. He offers an analogy that when a man something to a woman that is inappropriate, she just knows it doesn’t feel right and that’s the feeling Phillip got with Steve. The word “crazy” brings up a lot of negative connotations for Phillip whether Steve had any intent behind using the word to describe Phillip. (I have to admit…Probsty did a beautiful job listening to both sides, clarifying the scenario, and providing a bridge of understanding for everyone. I MUST use this as an example of language use and misunderstanding in my communication classes! SCORE.). Jeff continues by asking Rob where the tribe goes from here and will this event impact the vote for this evening. Rob says it is a real event and people have disagreements, but it can’t NOT impact the vote. Julie admits to taking Phillip’s shorts and Steve tells everyone they’re voting for Phillip so, hopefully, some Ometepe members will join them. I have no idea who’s going home! Here’s the votes:

Phillip.

Phillip.

Phillip.

Julie.

Julie.

Julie.

Julie.

Julie is heading to Redemption Island and on her way out she tells Phillip that he won’t be able to find his shorts now. Great. Someone get this man some shorts!

Next Time: Phillip has a good day. Andrea may leave early? SAY WHAT? And, Matt is having the worst day ever!