Best. Episode. Ever.

I was on the couch clapping my hands and making squealy noises. It was the best episode EVER! You loved it, right? It was the best use EVER of the hidden immunity idol, and one of the best blindsides I've ever seen on this show. Loved it. And frankly, I'm happy to be rid of Kelly. Sorry if you had her in the pool, but she was dead weight. Not at all interesting, nowhere as good as Natalie, and come on... you just figured out who she is recently. Brett? Still no idea. Dude is either a complete "under-the-radar" genius or the most boring player ever to grace the show. Kelly = 2nd most boring. The only thing that saved her was her use of the word "jag-wire."

And back to Natalie. Tiny little blonde, southern belle... hungry.... can barely fill out her bikini (oh no!) and sees a cute little rat. Decides to bash said cute rat in the brains with a big stick. Seriously, most boys wouldn't have done it. But not our Natalie. To her, it looks yummy. She scoops it up with a coconut & hauls it back to camp. Wow. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't do it. Even if I could kill it, I'm not sure I'd want to eat it. But eat it they did. "Tastes like chicken," says Natalie. Shudder.

At the reward challenge, one team won a trip to a rock-slide lake & a fried chicken picnic. (heh heh... was it fried chicken? Really? Didn't see many rats around there, did you?) Russell's team did not win. Russell - not that he didn't try to win - didn't care that he didn't win. He saw it as an opportunity to go looking for the hidden immunity idol. Russell has watched the show before. Russell figured that if the idols were gone, there's probably another one kicking around & it's probably at camp. Meanwhile, the winning bunch (John, Kelly, Danger, Monica & another one I can't bother remembering... Laura maybe?) got the first 'clue' to its location. Hee. Before they could even get back & start looking, Russell had it in his hot little mitts. Do you love him? Seriously, you've got to love him. If he doesn't win the whole game, I'll be very sad.

Russell shares the fact that he has the idol with Shambo who for once says something super smart. They make a pact to vote out Laura, but discuss what would happen if Laura won immunity again. Russell is thinking Monica, but Shambo says that the purple boys don't really care for Monica anyways, but Kelly is strong and well-liked - therefore a bigger threat. I didn't know Shambo had any strategizing in her! Way to go!

Of course in the immunity challenge it was Mick and Shambo in the lead with Laura right behind them. There was a puzzle where you had to fit these different shaped blocks into the right hole, which would give you another block, etc, etc. Shambo just could not get it. It was delightful to watch her try while Russell stands there helplessly saying, "Just look at the block. Look at it. Look at the shape, Shambo." Hee hee. Laura won, of course.

So the plan fell into place. The purples would all vote Russell, he'd use the idol and his side would vote for Kelly. He walked by purple at one point though & heard them say Natalie's name & almost doubted his plan. It was pretty exciting because you didn't know.... would he play it? Did the other team know? Were they going to vote for Russell? Gah! I was on the edge of my seat! It was crazy. I was yelling at the TV... "Play the idol, Russell! Play it!" He did. Phew! And did you love Erik sitting in the jury totally cheering on Russell vs. his old teammates? I love when they're all sitting there saying how much better it is without Erik. Dudes, Erik is SITTING RIGHT THERE! He's on the jury. Duh. Might want to be a little more diplomatic. Just sayin'.

The look on Danger Dave's face said it all. Mouth wide open, eyes bugged out of his head. Heh heh. They did not see it coming. And they were so cocky. And now it's 5 on 5. On the previews for next week, the purples are chasing Russell around the forest, not letting him have a free minute to look for the next idol. Hee hee. What do you want to bet he manages to find it anyways. It's probably in Shambo's hair.