Editor's Note: Chart the progress of Eastern Michigan University junior Erik Reichenbach on "Survivor Micronesia" each week at the "Reich-O-Meter." Reichenbach is a member of the Airia tribe (the" Survivor" fans) who are squaring off against the Malakai Tribe, a group of past "Survivor" favorites. The show airs at 8 p.m. Thursday on CBS.
Erik Reichenbach earned a little more face time in the second episode of "Survivor." But, to this point, he seems to be playing a low-key game that includes keen observation of other players, listening to his tribe mates, helping out around camp, and not playing the attention-getting "alpha male," a title he's leaving to Joel Anderson, the firefighter.
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COME ON!: Erik Reichenbach (above, right) cheers on
a tribe member during the immunity challenge in the
second episode of "Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs.
Favorites." Reichenbach, an EMU junior competing on
the show, has made it through the first six days,
including the fans' first tribal council. Photo courtesy of
CBS |
Although Reichenbach performed well in the immunity challenge, the Fans were doomed when tribe mate Chet Welch made no attempt to dive underwater to retrieve a key that was needed to open a chest of puzzle pieces.
The feeble effort put the "Fans" out of it as the "Favorites" easily won the challenge that entailed swimming out to a platform; breaking a ceramic tile with a key; retrieving the key until all five were brought to shore; unlocking a trunk; and assembling puzzle pieces into a map of Micronesia, the location of the current edition of "Survivor."
As a result, the Favorites won fishing gear and a bamboo fishing boat to hunt for food. The Favorites also sent fan Kathy Sleckman to Exile Island. In a new twist, the favorites also had to send one of their own. They chose Cirie Fields.
Back at camp, Reichenbach, in an interview snippet, said, "We lost our first challenge today. So, this is our first time going to Tribal Council. That's a big deal. It's probably going to be one of the older members of the tribe going home. Probably Chet. He did very, very poorly in the challenge. He was floundering around."
Tribe mate Michael Bortone also thought Chet was on the chopping block — or Tracy Hughes-Wolf, depending what Kathy did with her one-time immunity idol. Bortone's endless "what-if" scenarios of who to vote off the island only confused and irked some tribe mates, particularly Joel. Joel also was leery of Bortone's attraction and growing relationship with tribe member Mary Sartain.
At one point, Joel said to Erik, "Mikey thinks he's running the show."
Joel suggested he, Erik and another tribe member, Alexis Jones, work together to oust Sartain and take some of the wind out of Bortone's sails.
"That's pretty diabolical but, hey, come on," Reichenbach said.
"That's what the game is, bro," Anderson responded.
Reichenbach suggested they might as well vote out Bortone, but Anderson said the tribe would need his strengths for future challenges.
After asking Chet about his poor effort in the immunity challenge during Tribal Council, Survivor host Jeff Probst asked Reichenbach how he would feel if he were in Chet's shoes.
"I'd be very, very concerned. He's outside of the numbers," Reichenbach said, referencing the seven younger players hang together while the three older players are on the outside looking in. "He's not as physically fit. I'd be very, very, very scared."
Kathy decided to retain the immunity idol. After the votes were tallied, Mary received five of the nine votes and was booted off the island. Tracey and Chet each received two votes.
After Mary was sent packing, Bortone was stunned, his mouth agape, while Joel smiled like a Cheshire cat. During the end credits, each tribe member was shown holding up his or her written vote. Following Joel's suggestion, Reichenbach voted for Mary.
Six days in, Reichenbach is firmly in the game. Stay tuned.
