The Survivor Research Project: Ep 7

Ulong continues to lose, setting a record for most number of consecutive Immunity Challenge losses, in addition to losing another Reward Challenge. This latest episode continued the recent trend of showing the contrast between the well-fed, well-sheltered Koror tribe and the despairing, devastated Ulong members.

With Ulong reduced to 3 people, the editors found time this week to show more of the shenanigans at Koror. I think the editors chose to show scenes that further underlines the difference in camp life at the two tribes. Ian bringing home the giant clam, then Tom's impressive shark haul and the sunset-backdropped depiction of the budding "romance" between Greg and Jenn. Depending on which tribe member you ask, life at Koror is either being in an adventure camp or a paradise holiday resort. To top it all, when they won rewards, they got beef stew, an amazing Home Depot shelter and military food packages (including real food like spaghetti and meatballs). When Ulong won, they got a sewing kit and Pringles. Poor Ulong; they can't even win the right challenges.

ST: Screen Time ; Im: Impression Left ; Lk: Likeability

Ibrehem - Ulong (voted off Episode 7)
ST: 4 (lots of interview time; why had I never heard that Southern accent before?)
Im: 3 (much more of an impression this time out, as the one finally voted out)
Lk: 2.5 ( he grew on me this episode, coming across as basically nice, if rather dull)

Bobby John - Ulong
ST: 4 (strategising with Stephenie, lots of interview time, disastrous showing "calling" the IC puzzle, and his spazz run into the ocean when attracting the plane during the RC)
Im: 4
Lk: 3.5 (I love that he was so honest is assessing the Koror tribe as being smarter than Ulong. He also graciously gave way to Stephenie when it was obvious the IC wasn't working out, instead of losing his temper from frustration. And you really sympathised with him when his sense of honour was tested when he had to decide who to vote for. A gentleman, I think, brought up to have good manners and respect for others.)

Stephenie - Ulong
ST: 4 (interview time, then playing hard to save herself by talking to both BJ and Ib)
Im: 4 (neck on the line during TC, and left a really strong impression with her repeated insistence that it was not her time to go and that she was not ready to go)
Lk: 2.5 (I am conflicted over Stephenie. I like that she plays and works hard, seems to be bitchiness-free and has not resorted to any of the feminine "sex appeal tactics" of young female contestants in the past. On the other hand, she has a tendency to appear self-centred and self-entitled with her constant harping on how losing sucks and how she isn't ready to go. She seems to think that her physical contributions at challenges has made her "deserving" of the chance to go further. I think she shirks responsibility; she did not step up during the bathroom challenge 3 episodes ago; she should have stepped up to do the calling for this week's IC and she was obviously the best person to do it, but again, she did not.)

Caryn - Koror
ST: 3 (interviewing about Koror's strengths as a tribe, contributing during the RC)
Im: 3 (tried hard at the RC, attitude seems to have improved)
Lk: 2 (she seems less sourly disosed this week and genuinely happy to be part of her tribe)

Coby - Koror
ST: 4 (commenting on Tom's shark catch and Gregg and Jen's relationship; also the mastermind of the IC challenge puzzle.)
Im: 4 (a strong, calm performance at IC. And cementing his "fretting" personality during the RC.)
Lk: 2.5 (he's entertaining for now, but I hope the complaining and bitchiness does not get old.)

Gregg - Koror
ST: 4 (interview time on Tom, Jenn and the RC, was the muscle of the RC)
Im: 4 (a calmly reasoned analysis of his game plan vs his relationship with Jenn)
Lk: 3.5 (I liked him a bit more this week, for not getting caught up in Jenn's high school romance scenario)

Ian - Koror
ST: 3 (catching the clam, then being one-upped by Tom)
Im: 4 (a genuinely good natured response to Tom getting a shark after he only managed a giant clam)
Lk: 4 (I like his sense of humour and what he said about needing to get a "humpback whale or something" the next time.)

Janu - Koror
ST: 1 (looking ragged during the IC)
Im: 2 (comes across as physically faltering)
Lk: 2.5

Jenn - Koror
ST: 3 (shown in conversation with Greg about their relationship, interviewing to the camera about how focused he was on the game)
Im: 4 (finally, some glimpses of her personality, if an unfortunately "girly" aspect of it)
Lk: 2 (not liking what I saw this week, with the vapid comments about Greg being stand-offish. Gosh, woman, you are on Survivor, not The Bachelorette)

Katie - Koror
ST: 3 (shown working on the RC and giving the commentary on the signal they were building)
Im: 3 (established as the creative one. "Got Food?" was her idea for the signal)
Lk: 2.5

Tom - Koror
ST: 4 (catching the shark and talking about how frustrated he was not to be able to contribute to the RC)
Im: 5 (the man caught a shark, for crying out loud. With a machette, no less! This is like Michael Skupin catching a pig back in Survivor Outback.)
Lk: 4

I look forward to what will happen when the tribes merge, and the Koror members are forced to play the individual game. Will Coby come into his own? Or have the editors been hoarding clips of politicking by the other tribe members?