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.
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BODY BAG: Erik Reichenbach performed
well during the reward challenge on the
third episode of "Survivor Micronesia: Fans
vs. Favorites." Here, he carries a canvas
bag to the goal line. The Fans lost the
challenge, but Reichenbach did carry two
of the bags across the goal line for his Airia
Tribe. Photo courtesy of CBS.com |
Episode Three
Reichenbach continues to impress in the reward and immunity challenges, but doesn't make waves with his tribe mates, leaving the battle for dominance of the Airia Tribe to Joel Anderson and Michael Bortone.
The Fans lost the reward challenge, which cost them valuable camp supplies, including a fishing kit, shelter and kitchen set. But, Reichenbach flexed his physicality during the challenge, in which the first tribe to carry five canvas bags across a goal line at the end of a shallow lagoon won. The challenge was made tougher as it took place in a downpour. Reichenbach scored two goals and also flipped a Favorite over his back and into the muddy water.
Losing the reward challenge was disappointing, but nothing compared to the misery the Fans endured that evening. A major rainstorm kept most of the tribe up all night. Many members, including Reichenbach, were seen shivering and bleary-eyed the next morning.
However, the Fans rebounded to win the immunity challenge. During the challenge, each team had four members (Reichenbach helped with this duty for the Fans) hold up a large net by pulling on thick ropes. Much like basketball, members from both tribes shot coconuts into the nets. The nets eventually got heavier as the coconuts mounted. The first team to drop the net, in this case the Favorites, lost.
Spared from Tribal Council, the Fans were absent from the episode for the final 20 minutes, which focused on two alliances of Favorites plotting and scheming to get Cirie Fields, the swing vote, to go with them. Before the vote, both alliances thought Cirie was with them. However, an argument broke out between Cirie and Jonathan Penner, who thought Cirie was with his alliance. When the smoke cleared, Yau-Man Chan, who had an alliance with Penner, was booted off the island.
Episode 4
It was a mixed bag for Reichenbach. During the reward challenge, in which his team lost, Reichenbach and some of his other tribemates didn't even get a chance to compete to solve the puzzle. The Favorites, led by human dolphin Ozzie Lusth, won easily while the Fans were still navigating their raft of coconuts to shore.
Despite the win, the Favorites sent Lusth to Exile Island along with Kathy Sleckman, from the losing Airia Tribe. It was Sleckman's third trip to Exile Island. Having searched for the hidden immunity idol before with no luck, Sleckman took it easy.
The trip proved profitable for Ozzie as he followed the clues, which led to the hidden immunity idol. Not satisfied, Ozzie whittled a fake immunity idol and hid it in the spot where he found the real one. His intent: throw off any attention that he has the real idol should someone locate the phony one.
The Fans also lost the immunity challenge by a wide margin. Reichenbach, like some of his other tribemates, struggled to free locks from a six-point sliding hub, and then had more problems navigating the hub through a course and picking up bead necklaces. By the time the Fans grabbed the fourth of their six necklaces, the Favorites had already solved the code, which was "Tribe Remains Intact."
During Tribal Council, Michael Bortone was blindsided and sent packing. Bortone and fellow tribemate Joel Anderson have been wary of each other since Anderson orchestrated a move to have Bortone's ally, Mary Sartain, voted off in episode two.
Still, Anderson initially wanted to keep Bortone around because he was useful during physical challenges. Anderson had his mind set on getting rid of Chet Welch, who had proven weak in challenges and was doing little around camp. However, teammate Tracy Hughes-Wolf convinced Anderson this was his best opportunity to remove Bortone from the game.
Before the vote, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst asked Reichenbach if keeping the Tribe physically strong was the most important thing.
"I agree we need to keep this tribe strong. But, it's not about physical attributes in these challenges. There's more to it than that," Reichenbach said, perhaps foreshadowing who was next to go.
During the end credits, it was revealed Reichenbach was one of five who voted Bortone off the island.
Twelve days down. Twenty-seven to go. Stay tuned.
