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'Survivor: All-Stars' Becomes a Game of Four Square

By Brill Bundy

Thursday, May 06, 2004

09:02 PM PT

Ah, yes. The One Where Everybody Watches "Friends" Instead.

You know, for once we actually feel like we're providing a valuable service here at Zap2it.com -- rather than merely amusing our co-workers, family and friends with our snarky comments. No, in fact, tonight people might actually need to know what happened on "Survivor: All-Stars" because they've got to see the hour clip package over on NBC. After all, it's not like the long-in-the-teeth sextet won't be seen for the rest of time in syndication and on DVD.

Be that as it may, there are still five "Survivors" battling it out in Panama and tonight they must decide who the Final Four are going to be.

It's Day 34 and if we didn't know any better we'd say that the Chaboga Mogo men are all suffering from a mean case of PMS.

Rupert complains about how it rains every day, everyone stinks like a dog and the shelter is so pitiful that it leaks every night. Rob says that at this point in the game everyone is fed up with everyone else and they have no desire to hear each other's stories. He also grouses that there was a brief time when he understood one or two words that came out of Big Tom's mouth but he's now given up and just nods and mutters a half-hearted "Yeah" to whatever Tom says.

While cracking some green coconuts, Jenna tells Rupert that they have to win immunity this time around and vote Boston Rob out. Rupert looks up and finds Rob standing right next to them. They quickly try to cover and start talking about how they have to vote Tom out next because, after all, the two of them have an alliance with Rob and Amber.

Rob plays along and then beats a hasty retreat to tell Amber everything he heard. She calmly continues to slice her plantains. In fact, she seems remarkably unconcerned by this turn of events. Which is understandable considering she now knows that she's not the next target no matter how you slice it.

Reward Challenge time comes and it's some sort of multi-staged obstacle course. We wonder if they ever have to make Jeff repeat himself because they zone out when he's explaining things like we do.

They're playing for a truck. What kind of truck? No idea. They say, but all we hear is "Blah, blah, blah ... truck." It's a funky burnt orange color though.

As they gear up to start, Jeff casually mentions that in none of the previous seven "Survivors" has the person who wins the vehicle gone on to win the game. We have no idea if this is just an interesting bit of trivia, a psychological game, a red herring or a bit of foreshadowing, but it does make the tension build all the more that Rob wins.

In addition to the "blah, blah, blah ... truck," Rob also wins a drive-in movie with a date of his choice. He, of course, picks Amber of the slammin' body and the smokin' ass (really, she should have that printed on business cards). Jeff rides over to the screen with the cute couple and shows them the snacks and tells them that they're going to be watching "Lord of the Flies." Neither of them appears to appreciate this cinematic choice. Probably, because like all the rest of us they were forced to sit through it at least three times before graduating high school.

Before leaving them to it, Jeff suddenly remembers that there's one more part of the reward that Amber gets as Rob's chosen one. They go around a bend and there's a "blah, blah, blah ... car." This one in a silver hue.

The three who are left behind sulk by the campfire and whine about how they hope Rob and Amber will bring them snacks. Rupert brags that he "always" brings back pocketfuls of food.

Indeed, the diabolical duo does bring back candy (although, we admit, it is pretty tacky that they divide it into five piles rather than three). However, the pleasure of getting a sugar fix is slightly soured when Amber decides to share with everyone that she also got a fine automobile -- which is not entirely fair of them because in addition to being Rob's sweetie, Amber did come in second in the challenge.

Knowing his ass is on the line, Rob decides the best way to deflect attention from himself is to instigate a fight between Rupert and Tom. He accomplishes this with great aplomb, even if Rupert does see exactly what he's up to.

A word scramble immunity challenge secures Rob's safety for the time being and attention is turned to whom to send over to the jury box. Amber and Rob talk to Big Tom but none of his answers ever seem to fully satisfy them. Tom doesn't do much to help himself, answering Rob's query as to whether or not he had ever marked Rob as a threat with, "No, you marked yourself every time you won."

Still, the three of them pledge to get rid of Jenna.

Of course, as any savvy viewer knows if they head to Tribal Council announcing that it's going to be one person, it's going to be another. This time is no exception and Big Tom finds himself heading over to the jury.

It should be noted that the jury box is one of the surliest we have ever seen. Eyes roll at Amber's audacity for saying that she can "smell the money" at this point and when Tom gets his torch extinguished it looks like either Alicia or Lex could spring across and pummel one of the Final Four. Which, all in all, should make for a heated finale on Sunday.

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