The 18th season of Survivor started on Thursday night with the tribes not only already picked out and named, but also dressed according to tribe colours. In the truck on their way to their destination, no one was allowed to talk. Once they arrived, they had one minute to get all the supplies they could from the truck. Timbira, the black/blue team, was smart enough to get all the food and water.

Jeff tossed each tribe a map to their respective camps and told them it would be a four-hour trek but before he let them go, he announced they’d be having their first vote: “One person from each tribe is not going to make this journey.” Jalapao predictably voted for the oldest member of their tribe, Sandy, who was right pissed and she really let them know it. Timbira voted for Sierra because they thought she was weak and tired. Sierra couldn’t hold back her tears and told them all she had strep throat and was on antibiotics. Ugh, lousy timing to be sick!

Instead of leaving the game, Jeff sent Sandy and Sierra to their camps by helicopter, but pointed out that from the first impressions of their tribemates, they were already outcasts. When they arrived at camp hours before everyone else, they found supplies to build a shelter and a note. The note said they could use the time to work and gain favour in the eyes of the tribe, or they could go to the beach and begin looking for the hidden immunity idol. Sandy decided she wanted the idol while Sierra was more interested in impressing her tribemates. By the time Timbira reached camp, Sierra had built the shelter!

Sandy, on the other hand, had nothing to show for her efforts and the tribe was not thrilled to reach camp and find her sitting on a log. The next morning, while everyone was working hard trying to organize the camp, Sandy excused herself to the lavatory and snuck back to the beach to continue looking for the idol. Ballsy! She found the second clue but couldn’t understand it. She had to go back to camp empty handed again, and she was gone so long that everyone noticed her absence.

At Timbira, Tyson the Atypical Mormon lost no time getting naked in the river, telling us he was driven to win the million so he could wear furs and rings and man-tiaras. He reminds me of Matthew McConaughey.

The immunity challenge started off with a brutal race to obtain puzzle pieces. The tribes had to use them to assemble stairs which led to the second puzzle, a maze. Sandy really stepped up and showed the tribe she was physically capable and able to take charge of the first puzzle, which put Jalapao in the lead. They lost the lead when Sydney and Spencer just could not figure out how to co-operate the maze.

Sierra obviously still felt she had a lot to prove because she worked her ass off trying to get Timbira to catch up, and then Erin and Brendan took the lead quickly because they understood right away how to manoeuvre through. Timbira won.

Back at camp Sandy’s effort in the challenge didn’t go unnoticed and unappreciated, and they rewarded her at tribal council by getting rid of Carolina instead. Fine with me! Sandy may be in her 50s but she’s really fit and strong. Even so, she’s got the crazy eyes and talks a lot, so I wouldn’t say she’s safe yet.