Episode 1, Fire Beats Spirit Rock

Women Win Immunity and Fire, Men Left Holding Spirit Rock (it brings good luck, so they have that going for them). Men vote off Brook (the spirit rock isn't warmed up yet).

I found the start of this Survivor to be unique and interesting. Most Survivor's start with the Castaways searching for their beaches. This one started with a ceremony by the local natives (they're reformed cannibals) that involved the ritualistic slaughtering of a wild pig and the climbing of a greased pole to get a spirit rock (Brady did the honors). I wonder who's idea it was to start the ritual by separating the men and the women? Is that part of the ceremony or did the producers want it to be that way?

Immunity Challenge
The men deserved to lose immunity. No one went to help Chris get across the beam. They all just stood there looking like idiots. At this stage, team work is very important. Was it Survivor Amazon where they started out men versus women? Whichever one it was, the women won the first four or five challenges. I hope this one is different. It gets boring for me if the same tribe loses over and over again.

Alliances
In the women's tribe it's too early to tell who's forming an alliance. This episode focused on the men since they had to vote someone off the island. By the voting, I'd say the older men are in an alliance to get rid of the young bucks. Brook was a young (27) athlete (hockey player) and the first to go. Chris (33) is not athletic and messed up the immunity challenge, yet he's still playing. That says it all.

Heroes & Villains
No real stand-outs yet. Chad (bald, peg leg) seems likable. I didn't like Lea, he refers to himself as "Sarge" (it just bugs me, OK?). Eliza seems to be stirring up the women. She speaks her mind, so I'd like her to stay around for a while (plus she's easy on the eyes).

Final thought: Why wasn't this a two hour show? The opening ceremony, immunity challenge and the Tribal Council took a lot of time. It didn't leave much time to show plotting and scheming.

Official Episode Title: "They Came at Us With Spears"

Luxury Challenge: none shown

Won Immunity: Yasur, the women's tribe (and flint to make fire)

Voted off: Brook
Voted for Brook: Chad (age 35), Chris (33), John P. (31), Lea "Sarge" (40), Rory (35), Travis (33).
Voted for Chris: Brook (27), John K. (22).
Voted for Rory: Brady (33), the FBI guy.

It appears the two youngest were told everyone was voting for Chris. But why wasn't Brady in with the pack of old wolves?