Monty Brinton/CBSAnyone else get disoriented after watching the scantily clad blindfolded tribe members wander through an obstacle course to trigger a cascade of corn and water and shakily fill their buckets? Over and over again?
It's what Timbira and Jalapao had to do, though, to win an umbrella, a hammock, chairs, blankets and other means of comfort.
Despite J.T. Thomas' face full of corn, Joe Dowdle proved a more efficient seeing-eye dog than Debbie Beebe and Jalapao won its second challenge in a row, enabling its members to rest their heads on pillows for a change and send Brendan Synnott off to Exile Island.
Brendan in turn picked Jalapao's resident former popster, Taj Johnson-George, to accompany him once again. (Those two are going to be bestest buds when this is all over!)
But while Timbira's demoralizing loss came at a bad time for the already fragmented team, the season's first Reward Challenge was still only half the battle.
Or was it?
A defeated looking Timbira, after jumping out to an early lead, eventually succumbed to Jalapao's man-and-woman power in the Elimination Challenge, as well. The winning tribe forming a staircase out of heavy giant wooden blocks that spelled out Jalapao on the side.
Coach Wade—who took it upon himself to name an amused Tyson Apostol his assistant coach—seemed pretty intent on sending his nonfavorites, like Sierra Reed and Erinn Lobdell, home.
But as the day wore on, Jerry Sims' tummy troubles made the steadily weakening 49-year-old U.S. Army sergeant just as vulnerable.
"As soon as Erinn realized that Jerry was that sick, she turned around and looked at the tribe with this evil sneer," Coach said.
"I cannot exist around people like that!" he seethed. "I am so true, that existing around people who smile evilly when someone is on their knees kills me.
Tyson—Coach's supposed ally—also liked the idea of getting rid of Erinn, relishing what it would be like to totally blindside her.
"I love seeing people cry when you crush their dreams," Tyson said. How charming.
But when Tribal Council rolled around...
Jerry, we hardly knew ye. The likable and seemingly reliable military man, who was unfortunately felled by some bad beans or other stomach bug-causing pest, was voted off, 6-1.
So, did you enjoy Coach's reaction when his fellow Timbirans all agreed that Brendan would make the better leader? Do you think Erinn is really evil? Does Coach really believe that Tyson is on his side?