Survivor is back for season 18, and the Survivor: Tocantins cast includes 16 new castaways competing for the $1 million prize. This year’s destination is Tocantins, a state in Brazil.
First impressions are already forming. Erinn says she loves Tyson. Tyson, meanwhile, thinks Erinn’s probably this season’s bitch. Stephen’s encouraged by the old lady Sandy, since it means he won’t be the first to go. And she thinks he’s like a geek. Sierra’s been sick. Already. She’s trying to hide it, but Ben (Coach) thinks she’s going to crumble.
The contestants have already been divided into tribes.
Jalapao (Red Tribe): Carolina, Joe, JT, Sandy, Spencer, Stephen, Sydney, Taj
Timbira (Black Tribe): Brendan, Candace, Coach, Debbie, Erinn, Jerry, Sierra, Tyson
The tribes will have 60 seconds to gather as much as they can from the truck, something they’ve hopefully been smart enough to think about on the ride there. Timbira got all the water and all the beans. The other tribe is apparently dumb. Probst gives them a map and a compass for the four hour trek through the 110 degree heat.
The first vote starts now. One person from each tribe is not going to make the journey. Hopefully this is not as lame as it could be.
Jalapao
Sandy
Sandy
Stephen
Sandy
Sandy
Sandy
Sandy’s got 5 votes, which is enough. She’s angry.
Timbira
Sierra
Sierra
Sierra
Erinn
Sierra
Sierra
Sierra admits during the vote she’s got strep throat.
The way he worded it, I was expecting it wouldn’t be an immediate castoff like Wanda and Jonathan, and it’s not. While the others trek for four hours, these two get to take a helicopter to camp. Although they’re not out of the game, though, they do miss out on the first four hours of bonding.
Spencer’s the youngest contestant ever on Survivor. JT doesn’t mind the weather given his line of work as a cattle rancher, but he’s worried about fitting in with the people. Stephen doesn’t expect much from the good old southern boy.
Erinn went camping… in the 7th grade. Jerry just got back from a 12 month tour in Afghanistan with over 100 men under him, but he knows he doesn’t want to be in charge here. Coach, however, wants to be the leader, and he wants to make sure the real survivors survive. He approaches Brendan to tell him his plan of getting the strong to survive, but Brendan’s not so sure he wants a coach.
Upon arrival, the outcasts have a choice. They can either start setting up camp, or they can look for a hidden immunity idol to guarantee their safety on the first time to tribal council. Considering the two candidates, I’m not sure this matters too much if they get the idol. While it would make for an interesting first tribal, the second weakest link would probably take the fall, and then they’d just be dropped next time. Sandy goes for the idol. Sierra, however, knows she’s in the dog house, and wants to come up with some way of redeeming herself.
When her tribe arrives, Sandy hasn’t found the idol yet, but she’ll try again later. They ain’t happy that Sandy didn’t do anything.
Timbira’s still walking when the sun goes down, but they finally arrive, as Sierra’s working away. She has a shelter up already.
Later, Sandy buys herself some time by saying she’s going to look for something, and she manages to dig up… another clue (telling her there will be another clue). The tribe thinks she’s being antisocial while she’s away.
Tyson heads down to the water with a couple of the girls (the two young blondes), where he promptly takes off all his clothes.
In the first challenge, six members of the tribe will race across the sand hills to grab some puzzle planks, untie them, and return them to the start, where the two remaining tribe members will use those puzzle planks to build a staircase. Then any two tribe members will navigate a peg through a table maze to release the tribe flag. They’re playing for fire and immunity. Taj and Sandy will build the staircase for Jalapao; Sierra and Erinn will build the staircase for Timbira. Both tribes arrive at the raft about the same time. It’s still pretty close when they get back to the beach. Timbira works pretty well getting back to the start and gets back first. Carolina and Sydney drag behind for Jalapao. Sierra and Sandy, who nobody wanted, are now taking the lead on getting the puzzle planks done. Jalapao is done with the stairs first. Timbira completes their staircase, and Erinn and Brendan will try to catch up to Spencer and Sydney. Timbira manages to pass Jalapao to win immunity. Sandy better start digging for that idol. Sydney doesn’t want to vote for her… but doesn’t know who else to vote for either.
Taj warns Carolina that she needs to check herself and not get too opinionated.
Based on her performance in the challenge, Spencer doesn’t want to get rid of Sandy any more, unless everybody’s got their minds set on it. Carolina’s up for consideration, based on her lackluster performance and because people consider her bossy.
Carolina apologizes to Sandy for putting her down the previous day because she’s the old lady.
Sandy heads off again to try to find the lone palm tree, which kinda stands out.
At tribal council, Sandy’s lack of work at camp becomes a problem. She knows she’s the old lady no matter what, but she hopes she can fit into the tribe with a bunch of kids. Carolina realizes she’s direct and a little whiny.
Votes
Sandy
Carolina
Carolina
Carolina
Carolina
Carolina
Despite Sandy’s complete trainwreckness, Carolina’s mouth sealed her fate.
Subject: Survivor: Tocantins Episode 1 
Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:54 am
