Fall TV Blog

“The cowardice of the man who is bent on returning alive … leads to capture.” –Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Could somebody else do something smart, please? As much as I love Russell’s gameplay, I’m almost getting tired of talking about him. In this week’s episode, he finds another immunity idol, convinces John to break ranks with Galu, and sends his nemesis Laura home. For keeping his alliance strong and breaking the opposition, Russell wins yet another Fishy.

The episode begins with Galu reeling from last week’s blindside and Shambo literally cackling with glee. She reports to Russell that Laura thinks he’s “ruined everything.”

“I ruined everything? What did she think I’m here for?” he responds. (more…)

How the mighty have fallen! Kelly Sharbaugh, a 25-year-old who splits her time between L.A. and San Diego, was the second member of the powerhouse Galu tribe to find herself on the Survivor: Samoa chopping block. The hairstylist spoke with PEOPLE.com about her surprise elimination, Erik regret, fire ants and craving Mexican food something fierce. — Carrie Bell

When your name showed up, you looked flabbergasted, shocked, dumbfounded.
All of the above. I had no idea that Russell had the idol. When [host Jeff Probst] said my name, I was like. “What just happened? What did I do?” I was so emotional because I was so unprepared. I didn’t even wear my favorite boots to tribal because the thought that I could go never crossed my mind.

Did you ever get them back?
No, fire ants nested in them so I left them in Samoa and after the tsunami I’m pretty sure they got washed away. (more…)

“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” –Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Is Russell somehow cosmically attuned to hidden immunity idols? Maybe it’s magnetism. While Galu pats itself on the back and celebrates its march toward victory, Russell scrambles for his life — and finds a second idol without any clues. When he uses the idol to blindside Kelly, he makes the move of the episode and completely upends the game’s dynamics. Congratulations, Russell, on a well-deserved Fishy Award.

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Erik Cardona, a 28-year-old bartender who recently started a production company in Los Angeles called Carson Brothers Creations, was the first post-merge cast-off on Survivor: Samoa despite being a member of the dominant Galu tribe. He spoke with PEOPLE about the unexpected turn of events and why he didn’t play that darn idol. –Carrie Bell

You have joined an elite club of players who find their tiki torches snuffed despite having an idol in their pocket.
You put me in that exclusive club with guys like Ozzie, James and Brendan and that’s a hell of a compliment. I’m proud, but it’s bittersweet because everyone would rather not be in that club in hindsight.

Why didn’t you play it? Was it truly a blindisde?
The whole thing was done in five minutes. It was an idea that caught fire and morphed into more than the truth. It was a knee-jerk panic reaction among my tribe and I was completely unaware of what is going on. I don’t even think they knew what exactly was going to go down and that’s the definition of a perfect blindside. (more…)

“Those who were called skillful leaders of old knew how to drive a wedge between the enemy’s front and rear. … When the enemy’s men were united, they managed to keep them in disorder.” –Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Are you freaking kidding me, Galu? Did you miss Survivor: Tocantins? I’m almost insulted. The bold-print lesson of last season was that tribe unity is much more important than any internecine feud. Pick the other team off first, THEN turn on each other. But Galu can’t wait twelve days to tear itself to pieces. In a madcap episode where fully half the players are targeted for elimination, Erik ends up going home — all thanks to soft-spoken Natalie. For finesse so subtle that Russell didn’t even believe it had happened, Natalie wins her first Fishy Award. (more…)

Ivy League-schooled lawyer Elizabeth Kim, 33, was the latest female undermined by evil Russell on Survivor: Samoa. Now a New York City urban planner, Liz discussed her downfall, the Foa Foa curse and flip-flopping with PEOPLE. –Carrie Bell

Jeff labeled your exit “another blindside. ” Was it?
It was a little surprising but it wasn’t entirely a blindside. I remember trying to talk to Mick before tribal and he couldn’t even look me in the eyes. That’s when I knew my number was up. With Jaison performing poorly, I had a little hope of staying, but look at the numbers. We’d already eliminated the most corrosive, annoying and weakest elements in the tribe. Mick and Jaison were a unit. Russell had the idol and had Natalie wrapped around his pinky finger. Odd man out was me. It sucked because I felt like I was powerless to change it.

It must have been extra frustrating with Jaison basically saying everything but “pick me.”
I gave 110 percent in challenges and Jaison gave up, yet my butt was the one going home. Jaison had had it. He is used to winning. With all our losing and the rain, he became more and more deflated and de-motivated and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. He was our tribe’s Debbie Downer. (more…)

“The one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to which the enemy will act…. By holding out baits, he keeps him on the march.” –Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The sun’s out in Samoa, and so is the strategy. After six days of going stir-crazy in the rain, the Survivors meet the clear skies with big moves: building alliances, electing chiefs, and settling scores. But ultimately it was the puppet master who made the move of the episode. When Russell decides to boot Liz, he keeps her in the dark by engaging her in a fake plot to vote out Jaison. For keeping Liz distracted while he engineers her demise, Russell wins his fourth Fishy. (more…)

Environmental attorney Russell Swan, 42, was the second person to leave Survivor: Samoa for medical reasons. The Glenside, Penn., resident talked with PEOPLE about the scare, the depression that accompanied being forced out of a show he’d applied for eight times and how ultimately reality TV strengthened his marriage and reaffirmed his life. –Carrie Bell

Walk us through what happened at the challenge.
I felt absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. The sun was shining. I didn’t feel hungry, thirsty or tired. I was like, “Let’s kick Foa Foa’s butt. Jeff stop talking and start this.” That’s where I depart from reality. My memory of what happened and what I saw on TV are two completely different things. I thought we were pushing the ball and damn that ball was heavy. When we finally got to the puzzle station, I remember stumbling around but I thought it was because of the blindfold. I heard Laura tell me to lift my side up and I thought I hit myself on the chin and knocked myself to the ground. I heard Jeff say stop and I figured they were going to check the cut but then the blood pressure cuff came out. I was like, “What is this all about, people? I’m all right.” Ten minutes later they decided to take me out and I was pissed. I thought they were taking me out just because I was thirsty. (more…)

“Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength”
– Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Survivor is rough business. Almost a year after returning from Tocantins, I still have scars along my back, welts on my legs, and bruises where there were bug bites. But for all that I got beat up by the challenges and the elements, I got to play my game to the end. You have my sympathy, Russell S. Just like Jeff Probst cancelling tribal council, for the first time in the history of this blog, I will award no Fishies this week.

Before Samoa, there had been six medevacs, caused by fire, infection, blocked bowels and ant bites. It’s proof of just how real Survivor is. You really are sleeping in the dirt. When it rains, you have nowhere to go and no weather report to reassure you that it will ever end. Doctors check up on you at every challenge, but the medical care is basically medieval — their prescription for every malady from a suppurating wound to a broken ankle is “Boil your buff and keep it clean.” You almost wish there were leeches. (more…)

The non-stop rain on this season’s Survivor made for shivering contestants who couldn’t make or sustain fire and thus didn’t get warm or boil a lot of drinkable water. That leads to severe dehydration, says producer and host Jeff Probst, which caused a contestant to go down in a challenge in tonight’s episode. Probst talks to PEOPLE about what viewers will see this evening on Survivor: Samoa (8 p.m. EST, on CBS). –Cynthia Wang

Keep reading for spoilers from tonight’s episode.

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