Survivor: Redemption Island - You're Looking at the New Leader of Your Tribe - Recap

It's Survivor: Redemption Island!

Two twists this season:

1. Boston Rob and Evil Russell are back.
2. When a contestant gets voted off in Tribal Council, he/she goes to Redemption Island instead:

a. On Redemption Island, you get to stay and set up camp and wait for the next person voted off.
b. When the next person arrives, the both of you duel to see who stays on Redemption Island.
c. At some point in the game, the last person on Redemption Island returns to the game to perhaps alter the balance

The two tribes are Zapatera (joined by Russell) and Ometepe (joined by Rob).

So much politics in both tribes even before a first challenge.

On Zapatera, Russell tries to get the waitress Stephanie on his side. Everyone else of course notices and have Russell on their radar.

On Ometepe however, there was more drama.

We discover that Philip, the former federal agent is in fact NUTS. OMG. And those droopy fuchsia briefs!

Kristina, the law student, found the hidden immunity idol - ala Evil Russell without any clues! Good for her. However, the Ometepe tribe got divided along age - with Boston Rob solidly in control of the younger peeps, specially the girls. And Kristina, Francesca and Philip were the odd guys out.

First Immunity Challenge: Pushing gigantic blocks relay.

Zapatera won immunity. They almost blew their lead. Evil Russell thinks Boston Rob got the wrong end of the tribe stick.

Tribal Council:

Kristina wants to blindside Rob, but Francesca doesn't want to. Then Kristina makes the fatal error of trusting Philip -- although it seemed that she did not have a choice since the younger guys were gravitating toward Rob.

Tribal Council was a mess. Philip proved once and for all that he was UNSTABLE. WOW. Nice casting Survivor, I got nervous watching him. Please don't do this stunt casting again. It is not pleasant watching someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown every week -- and doesn't being a "former secret agent" make this guy dangerous? Because he's so paranoid, Philip told everyone that Kristina had the hidden immunity idol!

Boston Rob also was quite vicious -- daring Kristina to give him the hidden immunity idol for "safety". Wow. Just shows how low Katrina was on the totem pole. But I personally was taken aback at how threatening Rob could be, specially against a woman. Not cool.

Francesca was voted off and goes to Redemption Island. (We see that the votes were split for her and Kristina - so Rob was indeed trying to flush an idol out, if it was there.)

Poor Kristina. I kinda like the fight in her, but it's over before it even started.

I'm still nervous from watching this episode! Sheesh.