The biggest news of this week’s episode of Survivor, "Cut Throat," was that it was really two episodes. Beyond that, most everything that happened was fairly predictable. The question that remains is whether we, the audience, prefer the way that the presumed inevitable was presented to us.

On the surface, going with a double episode seems to be the best way to do it. Why draw out what we already know will happen? We hate it when they try to build fake drama by showing us the fleeting plans of desperate people. 

Jim gave the producers all the material they needed with his harebrained plans. I’m glad they didn’t waste our time with hour long episodes each trying to make his plans seem possible.

After further examination, however, what happens the next time we’re presented with this scenario and we do not get a double episode. Should we assume that something is going to happen? Certainly seems that way.

Would we have been given a double episode if something actually happened this week? What if Albert and Sophie had a warm reception to Jim’s plan to vote out Edna (why Edna there? If you’re going to make a big move, make it worth while. No one cares if Edna goes home)? There’s no way they wouldn’t have given that idea an entire episode.

The Integrity Card
He still had some painful moments later in the episode, but amen to Brandon for calling out Jim’s attempt to paint Cochran as the only dishonorable person left in the game. Brandon (and likely the rest of the former Upolu tribe) saw right through what Jim was trying to do. 

Can’t blame him for trying, however. At least he was smart enough to realize it fell on deaf ears and he kept his idol. In the end it only bought him one extra day, as he anticipated, but history has shown that one extra day could make a huge difference.

I find it shocking that the former Savaii truly do not understand why Cochran chose the path he did. The former Upolu’s do not see it as dishonorable. As Coach said, they saw it as someone standing up for themselves. That’s very honorable. Not someone who bailed on their tribe.

Perhaps you agree that Cochran bailed on his tribe. As I wrote last week, I think he had good reason for it. He didn’t really articulate it, but he was last no matter which tribe he went for. At least he wasn’t reducing his fate to drawing rocks the way he was going (yes, I know he articulated this point). 

The ultimate irony of Jim’s attempt at the integrity card was that he conveniently forgot the lack of integrity that he and Whitney handled Cochran’s defection. Ozzy still struggled to see the forest for the trees with Ozzy’s move, but at least he didn’t get emotional about it. He just vented some frustration, but removed anger from his discussion.

Jim and Whitney didn’t and then had the gall to act surprised when they were accused of bullying Cochran. Whitney is so blind to her own actions that she started crying at the last tribal council over being made a villain. How could she forget what she said to Cochrane the night before?

Dawn’s Too Late
Last week, I mentioned that instead of trying to manipulate Cochran back in to voting with Savaii, she should have seen the writing on the wall and jumped ship with Cochran.  My rationale was that they create a power couple that would definitely impact the eventual split of Upolu.  They would both have been safer having each other’s back.

This week Dawn has clearly realized the need to distance herself from Savaii. The problem, one I didn’t anticipate but should have, was that her attempt would become detrimental to her future in the game. It might be too late for Dawn to be a part of what Cochran has done.

If Dawn had flipped with Cochran immediately, she would have become part of the Upolu family, just like Cochran did. There would not be an opportunity for Albert to realize what a threat she’d be posing and lobby for her ouster.  She may have survived this week’s votes, but she could be going before Whitney because of her delay.

More from this week:

• I really want someone to call out Ozzy and his “I put my ass on the line for you” routine with Cochran. His decision to go to Redemption Island was as much about saving his tribe as it was Cochran.
• The best thing that happened to Whitney this week was the randomness of the first part of the first immunity challenge. If Ozzy gets to the second part of the first challenge, he easily wins the first immunity. That means he’s in the second immunity and probably wins that too.  
• What was Ozzy trying to accomplish by playing the food card at Tribal Council? And, if he’s truly the only person who can fish, why can’t anyone else fish?