Alabama on ‘Survivor’: Debbie does desperation
By Wade Kwon‘Survivor: Tocantins,’ episode 12 recap
It’s a mad scramble with only six players left on “Survivor.” But with J.T. and Stephen firmly in control, is it really anybody’s game? Or theirs to lose?
Plus, special guest star Eddie George! (ooh, ahh)
Can James Thomas Jr. of Samson trust Stephen? Can Debra Beebe of Auburn trust anybody?
Who buys big at the auction? And who’s being sold down the river? Find out, after the jump …
Three large: You can’t have a season without the “Survivor” Auction, a chance for host Jeff Probst to fulfill his dream of selling ordinary food at ridiculous prices.
Bids and bites: Clockwise from top left, Stephen,
J.T., Coach and Debbie go for broke at the auction.
Each player receives $500 and bids in $20 increments, with no sharing of prizes or cash.
- French fries: bought for $120 by Debbie
- Chicken parmesan, garlic bread, red wine: bought for $320 by Coach
- Mystery item: bought for $160 by J.T. (nachos, guacamole and salsa)
- Mystery item: bought for $100 by Stephen (chicken hearts)
- A phone with a video from a loved one: bought for $20 by Taj
Yes, $20. Jeff said everyone could share money for this round. J.T. and Debbie immediately hand over their cash to Taj, who’s already crying. It’s clear that Taj will get that phone.
Exiled in paradise: Taj’s surprise guest on
Exile Island? Her husband Eddie George.
Dial S for sappy: And then she really bawls when Taj’s husband, former NFL player Eddie George, pops up on the tiny screen.
Later, she starts tweeting on her new phone …
@TajSurvivor: Hanging with my Forza pals at camp. Need bug spray bad. LOL
@TajSurvivor: Yo, JT, come scheme with me at the river. Bring Stephen.
@TajSurvivor: Heading to Tribal but can’t find my torch!
Turns out the phone isn’t the end of the prize, as Eddie says he’ll “see her back at camp.”
Yep, family time.
But (twist!) Jeff says she has a choice: See Eddie at camp, or go to Exile with Eddie so the other contestants can see their loved ones at camp. Hmm, really?
And it feels so good: Above, J.T. hangs with his sister Adrianna,
while Debbie cries after reuniting with her husband Bret.
Naturally, she picks the honeymoon at Exile, while Debbie sees her husband Bret, Erinn her father, J.T. his little sister Adrianna, Stephen his brother and Coach his … assistant coach?!
Um, touching. Really.
He’s got your back: Coach gets a back crack
from his crackerjack assistant coach.
They start to wrestle, immediately declare it non-gay, saying the assistant was helping crack Coach’s back.
It’s all hugs and bonding during the family members’ short visit.
Divided they stand: Above, J.T. gets his symbols straight.
Below, Stephen and J.T. pursue the secret formula.
Immunity Challenge: Contestants race under a beam via a hand-dug hole in the sand, across a balance beam, under a rope obstacle to the far end. There, they must memorize 10 math symbols, then race back to the starting line to write down the symbols in order to solve an equation.
J.T. easily outraces everyone, complete two laps while most are still on their first. But he struggles with the symbols. Stephen can’t seem to cross the balance beam without falling off again and again.
But in the end, it takes Stephen just one trip to memorize and solve, beating J.T. by … a fraction. (Ha! Math joke!)
Stephen wins his first immunity, then explains in excruciating detail how he did it.
Jeff calls it “one of the biggest come-from-behind victories ever.”
Looks like Stephen and his ally J.T. are sitting pretty again.
An alliance too far? Debbie talks up Final Three
with Stephen and J.T.
Going going gone: One by one, the tribe members scheme and/or plead their case to the almighty Stephen and J.T.
Taj talks with them in the river.
Coach comes by to make sure the Warrior Alliance is still intact. He still wants the foursome (him, Debbie, Stephen and J.T.) to dump Taj.
But Debbie, Debbie is ready to wheel and deal. She promises that if they take her to Final Three, and if she wins the Immunity Necklace, she would hand it over and settle for third place.
But Stephen has major doubts about her, unsure of whether to trust her, but sure she’s playing the game smartly.
Doesn’t look good for our Alabama middle school principal …
Voted out: It seemed to be a battle between allies Coach and Debbie, as Debbie threw Coach under the bus in a promise of Final Three with J.T. and Stephen.
But no one fell for it. Well, maybe Coach.
11th out: Debbie.
Debbie loses 4-1-1 (stray votes for Taj and Coach), becoming the 11th to be voted out and fourth member of the jury.
After being voted out, Debbie is still all smiles for the confessional, saying she understands it’s just a game and that she’s “anxious to sit on jury and see what goes down.”
Video: Debbie’s final words
Video: Debbie the day after
[updates to follow]
Did Debbie stick with Coach too long? How did he outlast her?
[Video and photos to be added.]
“Survivor: Tocantins – The Brazilian Highlands ” airs at 7 p.m. Thursdays on CBS 42.
Previous: Episode 11 – Girl fight
Next: Coach fights hard to stay in; Erinn finds herself on the outs with her alliance. (Episode 13 – The last of the Timbirans)
• • •
Back up for grabs … more “Survivor: Tocantins” at survivor.wadeonbirmingham.com.
Thursday, May 14, 2009, 2:03 am
[…] Alabama on ‘Survivor’: Debbie does desperation Entries RSS [?] […]