'Survivor': The Blindsiding Continues

Eventually everyone convened back at the immunity challenge. I didn't think it was possible in any time or dimension for me not to be into a challenge involving sake bottles and a huge-ass rifle. After all, if anything goes together, it's booze and guns. You just never know what kind of hilarity will erupt when those two things are around. But I'm in general not a huge fan of challenges in which people take turns aiming at something. Erik won immunity and resisted the urge to fire a few celebratory shots into the air before everyone went back to camp and Amanda made her second smart move of the episode by emptying out her bag completely so people could see she had not found the idol...yet.

This led to a series of events where everyone told Amanda right to her face that they were voting her out. Amanda tried to guilt Erik into saving her, noting that she saved him when he asked for her help, to which I kept wishing he would reply, ''Yeah, well, your mistake!'' But he didn't. Because he's Erik. And he was still probably too busy daydreaming about Ozzy and how they're going to have a beautiful life together when this is all over, climbing trees and scooping betel nut ice cream side by side back in Michigan.

Any doubts as to whether Amanda had dug deep enough to find the idol were dashed as soon as she started brilliantly overacting at Tribal Council. She did it all — eye rolls, an admission of defeat, mock slashing her own throat. I wanted to yell at the TV ''Tone it down, woman!'' But more than that, I wanted another beer, so I got one and watched our third straight blindside play out to perfection. I thought Jeff Probst was going to have to wheel out a few more IVs by the looks of death on the faces of the contestants when Amanda hopped up with her hidden immunity idol. (By the way, how cool did James look with that thing? I'm telling you, IVs should replace ascots and adopted foreign babies as the new celebrity accessory du jour.)

So Alexis was left to hobble down the cold blue pathway of death. In fact, judging by her pace, I'm still not sure she's made it all the way yet. Too bad. She was my episode 1 ''Fan'' pick to win, but honestly, I thought from my interview with her before the game that she would be more of an engaging character than what we saw on screen. (I call this the ''Bob Dawg Effect.'') At least my ''Favorite'' pick of Cirie is still looming large and keeps my hopes alive of running my streak of episode 1 picks to a whopping four straight seasons. One other thing I have to assume we won't be seeing any more of is the hidden immunity idol — ones either fake or real. It was nice knowing you guys. You gave us four straight weeks of straight up hilarity. Hopefully they'll save you a spot in the finale during the ''Fallen Comrades'' tribute. Lord knows you've earned it.

Which of the last four hidden-immunity-idol flavored Tribal Councils was your favorite? And who's in control of the game now? Post away, and check out our Survivor Talk interview with James and Alexis below. C ya!

You Might Also Like

• Television News Gay contestants on reality TV | Sean Smith
• EW.com Poll Who was your favorite ''Survivor'' winner?