Survivor: Twist And Shout

Analysis of "Survivor: Palau" Episode Five, by CBSNews.com's Ellen Crean.

Rule One: Obey all the rules.

Rule Two: I make all the rules.

For more than one viewer, Episode 5 of "Survivor: Palau" brought that old saw to mind.

Since when does a tribe go to Tribal Council if they win the immunity challenge?

Since Episode 5!

Since when does one tribe get to bestow immunity upon a member of an opposing tribe?

Since Episode 5!

And since when is it totally understandable when someone calls Jeff Probst a sadist?

Well... OK. Maybe not, but Episode 5 came pretty close.

The episode began typically enough. Over at Koror, Gregg 'n' Jenn were revealed as the latest set of "Survivor" snugglers, and Willard appeared to fail on fire duty, forcing Fireman Tom to get up regularly during the night to make sure the campfire did not go out. The next morning, Tom admitted he was feeling "grumpy" but because it was Tom who said it, it was charmingly candid and not unappealing.

Over at Ulong, everyone was stumbling around in the dark. No, that is not a metaphor. In this case, they really were stumbling around in the dark, trying to find a cave to provide shelter in a pouring rain. Eventually, they gave up, but not before Angie practically howled with misery and James annoyed everyone simply by being himself.

It wasn't long before both tribes convened for the challenge that offered immunity for neither one. The only reward that was announced beforehand was a meal of stew and root beer, and the privilege of being allowed to listen in on the opposing tribe's Tribal Council.

The challenge itself involved diving for sake bottles that were attached with strings to the wreckage of a Japanese war boat. The first tribe to retrieve six bottles would be declared the winner.

During the course of the challenge, Ibrehem severely hampered Ulong's performance by his inability to come up with a sake bottle and ultimately did not get one at all. For Koror, Ian the Dolphin Boy ran into similar difficulties but redeemed himself by getting not one but TWO bottles, securing his tribe's victory.

Now at this point, as a regular viewer of "Survivor: Palau," whether you were gleeful at the continuing ineptitude of Ulong or genuinely sympathetic, you had to wonder if the show's planners had decided that it was time to braid the game. That's right: braid it. That means not just to throw in a twist or two but to contort the darn thing.

But before we got the twin Tribal Councils (and weren't they just adorable?), we had to watch Koror come to the foregone conclusion that it would be Willard who would walk the plank. Even Willard thought Willard should have been the one to go. He said his ouster was as inevitable (and, one assumes, natural) as tide and gravity.

Over at Ulong, it appeared that the decision was just as easy, though it sure didn't seem fair. Based on his poor performance at that day's challenge, Ibrehem was the one whose neck was on the chopping block. "We lost it because of him," drawled James, while Ibrehem himself observed, "I pretty much lost it for the whole team."

Maybe on "Survivor," you're only as good as your last performance. But cumulatively, James probably has messed up more often than Ibrehem. Just saying.

At any rate, at this point, the immunity twist had yet to be revealed. So as far as the viewers were concerned, it was clear that Willard and Ibrehem were going to get their torches snuffed that night. And that was half right. But once Willard took a walk and Koror was cozily settled in the jury area and the remnants of Ulong shuffled in for their council, the twists began.

It was downright painful to watch Koror eat and drink as Ulong was forced to sit with nothing to swallow but what was left of its pride. And Jeff Probst did not help matters by asking them to express their feelings. But the worst was yet to come, as he announced that Koror would be bestowing immunity on one of the Ulongs. And since the Ulongs had made it clear during their council, before they were aware of the upcoming immunity twist, that Ibrehem was their likely choice, the Korors gave him a reprieve.

Was it a smart move for Koror to give Ibrehem immunity? The answer to that question will come soon, after the game moves into the stage where players compete for individual immunity.

During Tribal Council, Ibrehem said he wished his tribemates would look at his performance collectively, instead of booting him based only on his failure in the sake dive. Koror might have done well to follow that advice. They might come to wish that they had allowed Ulong to get rid of him, if Ibrehem begins winning immunity as an individual.

But for pure spite, they made the right decision. And so Angie left the game before her time.

Angie turned out to be a parable. She was a book that was judged by her cover at the beginning of the game, and then she turned out to be an aggressive competitor, a supportive teammate, and someone who was plain interesting to watch from week to week. Without her, Ulong is going to lose some steam and Stephenie definitely has lost a firm ally.

The only thing most of us will NOT miss is her outfit, the bottom of which was skimpy enough to bring out the Mom and Pop in most people: Sweetheart, don't you want to run inside and wrap a bolt of material around your waist?

Next week: Ibrehem gets yelled at, Koror gets rained on, and Janu looks way too thin and way too miserable.

In other words: Business as usual.
By Ellen Crean