Season 2: Episode 6

The previous tribal council had fully initiated the former Saltonstall members into the game. Some more harshly than others. Mark felt like he had only himself to play for at this point. He had formed a tight bond with Rob from the beginning and watched as the professional skateboarder was voted out minutes ago. Mark assessed the situation and knew that there were three pairs and then there was him. Assuming that two pairs were working together, his individual vote would not help to provide a majority. Without any major selling points Mark thought that he needed to stir things up. He respected the chaos that Jim and Dennis had introduced with the merge. He hoped to take a page out of their book and change up the dynamics of the game yet again.

Mark comes up with devious ideas

Cantwell came together for the next immunity challenge. The challenge would be the infamous “Shell Game.” Each member of the tribe would take a survey in private. After the results are tallied, the questions would be asked again. This time, the members of the tribe would attempt to pick the most popular answer among the group. If correct, that person would get to cut one of someone’s three shells hanging from a pole. The last person left standing would win immunity. 

Angela shows off her cards

There was hope for Mark. In the previous year, this challenge took place with Dennis and Diana clearly in the minority against a solid fivesome. However, due to lack of strategy or too many overemotional castaways, the final two in that challenge turned out to be none other than Dennis and Diana. Dennis thought back on this happy memory and hoped to win the challenge once again. If not, he would settle for the tribe’s platitudes and hoped not to be the answer to any embarrassing questions.

FLASHBACK: Diana and Dennis fight it out in the original Survivor Branford Shell Game

Once each survey was filled out and tallied, the challenge got underway!

The first question was “Who belongs on the Bachelor instead of Survivor?”  The castaways mulled over their answers and held their cards at the ready.  Jeff revealed that Angela was the correct answer!  Dennis and Autumn were the only two to get that right.  Dennis cut down one of Mark’s shells while Autumn gave Josh a hit.

Cantwell ponders the first question

After 1 round:

Amanda, Angela, Autumn, Dennis, Jim:  3 shells

Josh, Mark:  2 shells

Question #2 asked “Who is the biggest challenge threat?”  The correct answer was Josh despite his protests that he had been horrible in challenges up to this point.  Dennis, Autumn, Jim, and Josh were correct (Josh disagreed but felt the tribe would say him).  Dennis once again took out one of Mark’s shells.  Autumn once again took out one of Josh’s shells drawing a reaction from Josh and Angela.  Jim took Mark out of the challenge very early.  Finally, Josh defended his honor and paid Autumn back.

Mark never had a chance

After 2 rounds:

Amanda, Angela, Dennis, Jim:  3 shells

Autumn:  2 shells

Josh:  1 shell

Mark:  OUT

Question #3 was “Who would you most want to be stranded on a deserted island with?”  Angela remembered how she was the correct answer to this question in the past and wanted to defend this title almost as much as her sole survivor title.  Jeff revealed that the correct answer was indeed Angela!  Dennis, Angela, and Amanda were correct this time.  Dennis eliminated Josh from the game while Angela introduced Jim into the game.  Amanda picked up where Angela left off and also cut down one of Jim’s shells.

Angela knows the correct answer

After 3 rounds:

Amanda, Angela, Dennis:  3 shells

Autumn:  2 shells

Jim:  1 shell

Josh, Mark:  OUT

Question #4 was “Who is the most deceptive?”  There were laughs as everyone answered correctly.  Josh was felt to be the most deceptive.  Autumn led things off and turned her attention to Angela now that Josh was out.  Jim paid Amanda back from the last round, while Angela paid Autumn back for her vendetta against her and Josh.  Amanda noticed that Dennis had not yet taken a hit and knocked one of his shells out.  Dennis turned the tables and repaid Amanda.

Amanda makes a cut

After 4 rounds:

Angela, Dennis:  2 shells

Amanda, Autumn, Jim:  1 shell

Josh, Mark:  OUT

Question #5 asked “Who is mistakenly in control of this game?”  The answer was Amanda as she moaned how she didn’t want to be the answer to that one.  Jim, Angela, and Autumn all answered correctly.  Jim eliminated Amanda from the game while Angela brought Dennis down to one shell.  Autumn instantly cut another of Angela’s shells.

Autumn is not holding anything back

After 5 rounds:

Angela, Autumn, Dennis, Jim:  1 shell

Amanda, Josh, Mark:  OUT

Questions #6 and #7 did not advance the game any further.  When asked “Who is too cool for school?” none of the castaways picked Josh who was the correct answer.  Conversely, when asked “Who is easiest to beat at the final tribal council?” everyone answered correctly:  Mark.

Josh:  Too cool for school

Question #8 was “Who do you trust with your life?”  The correct answer was Dennis.  Angela, Autumn, and Jim were correct while Dennis was upset that he went against his instinct and did not answer himself.  With everyone only with one shell, Angela had to plan her next move carefully.  She decided to eliminate Dennis from the game.  Autumn now could either eliminate Jim or Angela.  If she eliminated Jim, it would leave him with essentially the choice of which girl he would give immunity to.  If she eliminated Angela, Jim would only have one move in eliminating Autumn and winning immunity.  Shockingly, Autumn forewent her chance of winning immunity just to make sure that Angela wouldn’t!  There was shock in the air as Jim took his gift and won immunity!  He would now be assured of a spot in the final six!

Jim celebrates his win

Autumn’s actions at the challenge would not come without consequence. Amanda could not understand her closest ally’s thoughts at the challenge. Rather than take out more understandable people like Mark, Jim, or Dennis, Autumn went right for Josh and Angela who she and Amanda were supposed to be tightly aligned with. Autumn still thought they were aligned but didn’t quite trust them and certainly didn’t want either to have immunity. Amanda understood this but strongly disagreed with the lack of subtlety that Autumn employed. Amanda felt that she needed to take the temperature of the tribe quickly and figure out if a radical shift to the plan would be in order.

"What was that all about?"

During this time, Angela was busy seething to Josh. She came right out and said that she didn’t trust Autumn anymore. Knowing that Amanda was leading Autumn, Angela wondered if this whole thing was Amanda’s idea. Last year’s winner felt that she was done with both of them. Josh felt much of the same but was a whole lot less expressive about it. Josh calmly thought out that Jim and Dennis would definitely listen to what he had to say. He also knew that Mark would do anything to get the heat off of him. Josh felt that the recent events were perfectly timed as no one was thinking any more about who the third person to vote for Dennis at the previous tribal council was. 

They're done with Amanda and Autumn

Mark floated around between the pairs and was able to determine that there was a civil war brewing between his former Saltonstall tribe. He felt that rather than get caught up in the turmoil, he would talk to Dennis and Jim who were neutral parties. In talking with them, Mark knew three things. First was that Dennis and Jim were aware of the clear division forming. Second was that Dennis and Jim were not sure of which way they wanted to go. Finally, Mark knew that he was going to be safe at the upcoming vote. He thanked Jeff and the Survivor gods and kept reminding himself to keep his nose clean in the lead-up to tribal.

 

Through what she had overheard and from the reconnaissance she had Autumn do, Amanda knew it was time to fully commit to going after Josh and Angela because they were coming after her. The foursome she had been a part of from the beginning had clearly dissolved. Amanda figured that Jim, Dennis, and Mark would be swing votes tonight. Sensing that Mark was more of a wild card and likely to not want to work with her, Amanda made her sell to Dennis and Jim. She knew that they were both strategic players and spoke her language. She painted Josh and Angela out to be huge threats and embellished or even made up incriminating stories about them from earlier in the game. Jim and Dennis listened closely and said that they were on her side. Jim asked Amanda if either Josh or Angela had a hidden immunity idol. She said that she didn’t know but if she had to guess, Josh was more likely. Not being able to count on the support of the split vote, the target was set as Angela.

Amanda makes a preemptive strike

As darkness set in, Angela reconnected with Dennis. The seeds to their alliance had been planted before and Angela was looking to water those seeds by letting Dennis in on a big secret. Dennis told her truthfully that Amanda was targeting her and wouldn’t rest until she had the numbers to get her way. This was music to Angela’s ears. She then blew Dennis away by telling him that she had a hidden immunity idol and she insisted that she be the target at tribal so that Amanda would be sent home once the idol was played. Dennis believed Angela when she told him that and also knew that he had a decision to make. Would he betray Angela’s trust and blow her cover or would he use this information to manipulate the vote onto Angela so that she could make an effective idol play?

Angela can't hold back the excitement

Dennis talked to Jim one last time before tribal council. After first expressing their happiness at walking into such a dysfunctional group, they recapped what they felt sure was true. Angela and Josh were voting for Amanda. Amanda and Autumn were voting for Angela. Mark was doing what Mark wanted. The two former Mattabessets were clearly positioned as swing votes. Dennis knew that he had a couple of options. First was to settle with Jim on voting for Angela, thus condemning Amanda to be voted out once the idol play happened. Dennis knew that he could save face and vote for Angela. He’d take out a big threat in Amanda and really stay in everyone’s good graces. Or he could tell Jim about Angela’s idol and start a plan to get the vote onto Josh. Though he might lose Angela as an ally, he could put himself in a clear final four and have an idol out of the game. After their conversation, Dennis felt confident that he and Jim had reached a decision as a pair and that he had not had to lay all of his cards out on the table.

One last convo

At tribal council, the challenge was the hot topic. Autumn apologized to Josh and Angela and said that she didn’t want to cut anyone’s shells down. Jim remarked that he was never the answer to any questions at the challenge. Though he acted disappointed by this he knew that by staying in the middle and not sticking out in any way, his chances in the game were strong. His immunity win was proof enough of that. As usual, Josh kept most of his thoughts private but noted that he couldn’t wait to get some sleep and hoped to still be in the game while doing so. Mark still acted like he was going home. He was continuing to be very mindful of not wanting to insert himself into the conflict that had enveloped the tribe. Amanda was anxious for the vote to be over because at that point she would have a much clearer idea of where she and everyone else stood. Angela said that she was feeling nervous. True or not, she knew she said that at every tribal council so she was giving nothing away. Finally, Dennis said that he thought he had found a spot in the Cantwell tribe for him but wouldn’t be surprised to be blindsided. With that, it was time to vote!

Cantwell's second tribal council

Jeff returned with the votes and asked if anyone with a hidden immunity idol wished to play it. After a pause, Angela stood up! Noting that she would rather waste the idol than be voted out with it, she handed it over to Jeff. Her idol was validated and Angela was all smiles. A general wave of surprise washed over most of the tribe!

Angela plays her idol!

Jeff revealed the first vote and showed that it was for Angela! So too was the next vote! And the next! When the fourth vote was read for Angela, she couldn’t hide her happiness for the brilliant play she made. Josh also let out an audible sigh of relief knowing that he would not be a casualty of a split vote. With no votes for anyone yet, the fifth vote was shown to be for Mark?! The sixth vote read Amanda. That was one vote for Mark and one for Amanda. Jeff kept the final vote turned toward him as he said that the sixth person voted out of Survivor Branford: Second Chance was….Amanda! Amanda could not hold back her frustration! She and Angela knew that they had each turned on the other but this did not prevent a raised voice exchange as Amanda got her torch! Yes, she had improved on her game during this second chance, but Amanda was far from satisfied. She would have to wait at least another year for her third chance!

Poor Dennis is caught in the crossfire!

Next time on Survivor:

·        - A single rogue vote at the previous tribal council throws everyone for a loop!

·        - Who’s the most hungry for immunity?

·        - One castaway’s pre-tribal gambit is the game’s latest big move!