Editor's Note: Eastern Michigan University junior Erik Reichenbach made it to the final five contestants (the final male) before being voted off on the 13th episode of "Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs, Favorites." The following is a recap of episodes 11-13; the finale where Erik was a juror; and the reunion show. The finale and reunion show aired May 11 on CBS.
Episode 11
Erik Reichenbach got the birthday present he needed — and a little chocolate cake, to boot. On the day he turned 22, Erik also won the individual immunity challenge on "Survivor Micronesia: Fans Vs. Favorites."
The Eastern Michigan University junior predicted before the challenge that he needed to win to ensure he remains in the hunt for the $1 million prize.
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A JOB WELL DONE: Erik Reichenbach is all
smiles at camp shortly after winning the
individual immunity challenge on episode 11 of
"Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites"
Because he had immunity, he could not be
voted out at Tribal Council. Photo credit CBS.com |
"I need to perform well. I feel it's me or James (going home)," Erik said. "I really need to get ferocious on this."
And he did. In a test that was an amalgam of previous challenges, Erik was one of the first four Survivors to advance in the challenge after breaking a hanging tile by throwing a rock. Erik and James Clement were the first two to dig chained puzzle pieces out of the sand, put the puzzle together into a wheel, and then use that wheel as a winch to lower planks to a table. The two then squared off for immunity, using the planks to cross a rope bridge suspended over a pool of water. Erik was able to scramble across his bridge and a series of floating disks to reach the platform first, which guaranteed him immunity at Tribal Council.
It turned out Erik's victory also was the result the five remaining females in the game wanted, too, as they gave Erik a standing ovation.
During a Survivor auction in which contestants were each given $500 to bid on covered food items, fan Natalie Bolton bid on a dish that turned out to be a bottle with a note inside. The note gave her instructions to immediately send someone to Exile Island and take that person's bid money. Jason Siska pleaded not to be sent (he had already been there twice), but Natalie convinced Jason this was an opportunity for him to find the hidden immunity idol. The idol was back in play after favorite Ozzy Lusth did not use it at the previous Tribal Council. It cost Ozzy, as he was sent packing in the previous episode.
During the auction, Erik watched as Natalie, Cirie Fields and Parvati Shallow attempted to gobble a huge chocolate cake in 60 seconds. Hungry himself, Erik told Cirie he would pay her $40 if he could lick the chocolate off her fingers. She took the offer.
The unorthodox move prompted James to comment, "Something's wrong with that boy. He really has problems, poor thing."
After other female tribe members told Natalie sending Jason was a mistake because he would likely find the idol, she regretted her decision. While Jason was on Exile, Natalie — who went from quiet wallflower to a diabolical black widow in a flash — hatched a plot with the other females to convince Jason to "throw" the next challenge so they could vote out James. In reality, the plan was to blindside Jason by voting him out, banking he would be confident enough not to play the hidden immunity idol.
When Jason returned, he thought Natalie was on his side because she saved him from being voted out during a previous episode. But Natalie took an opportune moment in camp to peek in Jason's belongings and found the idol, which she showed to everyone. Before the immunity challenge, she also quickly whispered to Jason to lose on purpose because James was being voted out. Jason did and the ruse was complete.
During Tribal Council, Erik wisely held on to the immunity necklace. Jason, however, did not play the hidden immunity idol and was sent home with four votes, one more than James received. Parvati received the remaining vote.
After the vote, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst said, "After back-to-back blindsides, anybody who trusts anybody is a fool."
Erik better watch his back.
Because as Natalie said, the main reason the women voted for Jason and James is that "the girls want Erik to have a good birthday."
Not exactly a future ringing endorsement.
Episode 12
Erik Reichenbach may be feeling a little like Will Smith in the movie, "I Am Legend."
Like the last man on earth. At least the last man on the island of Micronesia.
But, rather than face flesh-eating zombies, he's up against four cunning women out to win $1 million dollars on "Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites."
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ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK: During the "Survivor"
reward challenge, Erik Reichenbach chops a rope
next to Alexis Jones' name while the show's host,
Jeff Probst, looks on. Reichenbach, an EMU junior,
later won the immunity challenge and ensured he
would be in the final five with a shot at $1 million
dollars. Photo courtesy of CBS.com |
Reichenbach found himself the only male left in the game after James Clement was forced out due to a deep finger injury that, if left untreated, may have eventually rendered his hand useless.
As James said his goodbyes and left the island, Reichenbach said warily, "I'm the only man left."
And he ensured that he would be, at least for one more episode.
He kept himself alive by winning the immunity challenge, in which each contestant had to use a high-powered rifle to shoot down three sake bottles. His win forced the women to turn on each other, spoiling their short-lived dream of an all-female alliance.
After some jockeying, it appeared favorite Amanda Kimmel was getting the boot. But, in the third consecutive episode where a blindside occurred at Tribal Council, Kimmel presented the hidden immunity idol. She had been sent to Exile Island earlier, but the clues there let her know the idol was actually buried under the team flag back at camp.
While Kimmel received four votes, none of them counted against her because she had the idol. Kimmel and her pal, Parvati Shallow, cast their votes against fan Alexis Jones. That was all that was needed to send Jones home.
As he has of late, Reichenbach provided another humorous moment.
Before the reward challenge, each Survivor was reunited
with a family member or friend from home. When Reichenbach's
brother, Kurt, showed up, Erik jumped up and down and pointed
to host Jeff Probst and said, "That's Jeff Probst. That's
Jeff Probst. He's just standing there!"
Probst shook his head, smiled and said, "Erik, you're a freak."
Maybe, but he's still in the game.
Episode 13
After a run in which Reichenbach went further in the game of "Survivor" than he could have ever imagined, it was unfortunate that he made the single biggest mistake you can make in the game: give up guaranteed immunity.
Which is exactly what he did.
After easily winning the immunity challenge of using rope coordinates to find puzzle pieces in the sand and then solve the puzzle, Reichenbach could have just sat silent and let the four remaining contestants — Cirie Fields, Parvati Shallow, Amanda Kimmel and Natalie Bolton — scheme against each other to determine who was going home.
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A GOOD RUN: Eric Reichenbach, an Eastern Michigan
University junior, runs with his bag of puzzle pieces
during the immunity challenge on "Survivor
Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites." Reichenbach won the
challenge easily and was guaranteed a spot in the
final four. Instead, he did the unthinkable and gave
up his immunity necklace to another tribe member.
When he did, they immediately voted him out. Photo
courtesy of CBS.com |
Instead, Reichenbach made the mistake of talking to each of the four and making alliances — real or illusionary but, in large part, cooked up by the women. And then being guilted by each of the women that he had no credibility because he had told each of them different things.
Reichenbach's naivity and his innate need to be forgiven did him in as he did the unthinkable — relinquish the immunity necklace to Natalie. At that moment, the jury began laughing and rolling their eyes in disbelief. They knew what was coming.
The episode was dubbed "Dumbest Survivor Ever", a phrase that Parvati coined as she was writing Erik's name on the parchment during the Tribal Council vote.
After being made to feel guilty at Tribal Council, Erik tried to make amends, thinking giving up immunity would earn him points with the jury and remaining competitors. What it earned him was a one-way ticket home.
After the vote was read, Erik just shook his head and said, "You guys drive me crazy."
As Erik's torch was snuffed to signify "the tribe has spoken," Erik jogged off into the night, in the yellow shirt and green shorts he came to Micronesia wearing.
As the four women gleamed Chesire cat smiles, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst grimly said, "I think that is what you call a life lesson."
In a CBS interview the day after, Reichenbach said he was happy with his experience and proud of how far he advanced in the game.
"The most fun part about playing "Survivor" was meeting the people and just the experience itself," Reichenbach said. "I mean, there's people who think it's fun to come in who say, 'Hey I can make money at this. I can make connections off this. I can be famous off this.'..I've seen this show all the way through. Just meeting some of my favorites that I've seen over the years, I mean getting to know them as people. Getting to know the favorites that I used to think were Hollywood rock stars. They're just people, just people like me."
On his overall performance, especially after the tribes merged, Reichenbach said, "I am definitely proud how far I made it in this game. Thirty-six days is not easy. It's well over halfway. I came into the game thinking I wouldn't make it past day six or day seven...To be the last man standing in the tribe, it might not be because of athleticism; it might not be because of strategy; but I felt there was something in that. To be the last guy left around, I had something going socially."
If he were to play the game again, he said, "I would need to shut up a lot more..I think I pretty much shot myself in the foot every time I opened up my mouth to a different person. And, I needed to be more aware. I needed to be aware of what people were talking about or what they were doing when I wasn't around."
Final Tribal Council and Reunion Show
When Erik Reichenbach gave up guaranteed immunity and was voted out by four women who said they wouldn't vote for him at Tribal Council, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst said, "I think you can call that a life lesson" after Reichenbach left the island.
It appears he had learned something as the puppy-dogged kid looked a little hardened during the final Tribal Council in which the jury had to decide whether to award Amanda Kimmel or Parvati Shallow the $1 million dollars on "Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites."
When Reichenbach addressed Amanda, he took a hard line saying he didn't understand why she gave him a hard time at the past two Tribal Councils and added, "you totally threw me under the bus."
Kimmel lashed back that she was "hurt" when she went to Erik for support during an earlier episode and he couldn't guarantee her that he wouldn't vote for her. She attempted to apologize, but Erik said, "It's too late for 'I'm sorry's'. Too little, too late. I don't really buy that at all."
In the end, Parvati was awarded the $1 million dollars, receiving five votes to Amanda's three. Interestingly enough, Erik voted in support of Amanda, saying he forgave her as he jotted down her name on the parchment.
During the reunion show, Probst said that when "Survivor" was looking for fans to appear on the show, "Erik was what we had in mind" as clips of an excited Erik during "Survivor" rolled. Erik was 14 when the first season of "Survivor" aired and he has watched every season since.
During the reunion show, Probst asked Erik if his giving up immunity was a dumb move. At first glance of the replay, Erik agreed. But, he said he also realized he had his limitations in playing "Survivor."
"I didn't expect to be friends with these people. I saw everyone here as a friend, not as a competitor or an enemy," he said. "I realized at some point that I was doing some things here that I never did towards people in my real life. I realized I don't have it in me to be that (ruthless) guy...Certain morals come into play."
Still, fellow Survivor James Clement passed the crown of "dumbest Survivor ever" to Erik, who good-naturedly accepted.
"We adore you," Probst said to Erik. "But, you will forever be a part of "Survivor" history."
Which is more than Erik ever really thought could happen.
