TVSquad

It starts off friendly, our final four, Ian, Tom, Katie and Jenn party it up with a boozy brunch.  Jeff shows up to show everyone a million dollar check to whet their appetites and start the action with a climbing, untying, unlocking everything-but-the- kitchen-sink challenge.  First round, Tom and Ian move onto the final which is no big surprise considering that they have dominated the entire season.  Tom wins immunity and Jenn and Katie both look seasick. Hopefully Katie and Jenn are beginning to realize that they really messed up by not maintaining the female advantage last week.  Tom tells Jenn that she will be leaving and he won't vote for Ian even though it is tempting.  Ian who can't seem to play this game to save his life, tells Tom that he was glad that he didn't have to make that decision.  This angers Tom and he confronts Ian who admits he would have voted Tom out if he had immunity.  Jeff stirs the pot at tribal council and Katie gets angry because she feels that Ian is not being straight with her.  It comes down to a tie between Ian and Jenn and after a second vote there is a fire challenge which Ian easily takes.  We're down to three. 
Back at camp Tom savages Ian for being a liar while Katie sits mutely by.  The next morning she plays nice to Ian saying that he should take her to the final tribal.  The next scene is the obligatory time-filling "remembering the dead" moment where tribemembers endeavor to talk nicely about those they have just schemed against.  

Final immunity is always an endurance challenge.  This one involves standing on a floating buoy.  Through wind and rain and sun the three sit.  Katie whines, cries and eventually folds leaving Tom and Ian to battle it out.  After an amazing eight hours, Jeff tries to get Tom and Ian to make a deal.  Tom begins to hector Ian and the bargaining begins.  These two are amazingly tough and stubborn but finally Ian agrees to step down so that Tom can take Katie to the final four thereby giving Ian back his "integrity."  Tom says that if Ian takes the fall he will have Ian's respect so after nearly 12 hours, Tom wins final immunity and asks Ian if he wants to change his mind.  Ian says no and Tom votes out Ian.  Why Ian why?

At this juncture I begin to wonder if there is any chance that Katie can win.  Tom says Katie is likable.  Katie says Tom is scary.  At final tribal, bon mots include Gregg calling Katie "pathetic," and just about everyone accusing Tom of being a liar and Katie of riding Ian and Tom's coattails.  By about halfway through the tribal, Katie seems to be giving up, refusing to answer Janu's questions and arguing with Caryn.  

Back to New York, where both Tom and Katie are spruced up, Jeff spares us the usual theatrics (perhaps because it is no contest) and quickly reads the votes which show that Tom is the winner.  

The reunion show points out that both Koror as a tribe and Tom individually swept immunity.  In personal news, Jenn and Gregg don't seem to be a couple, Jeff and Kim are more of a definite maybe and Coby adopted a little girl and named her Janu (the one tear-up worthy moment for me in this reunion). 

In the end, I would have much preferred to see Tom and Ian battle it out at final tribal or a female alliance begin at any of the points when it could have worked (preferably when Steph was still on) but no one can deny that Tom was the strongest player. 

Next season:  Survivor Guatemala, the Mayan Empire which will have Survivors living in the ruins of an ancient city.