Is there any way that Wednesday (Oct. 6) night's episode of "Survivor: Nicaragua" can compete with the Doc Halladay no-hitter a handful of us just watched?

 

Well... no.

 

But click through for the full recap...

 

Pre-credit sequence. Oh right. We lost Jimmy Johnson last week. The result is a Biblical downpour as the Ancients return to their camp. Full of bluster, Jimmy T tells the camera that any chucklehead could have done what Jimmy Johnson did. As the rain comes down, Jimmy T keeps yapping and yapping about Jimmy Johnson's failures as a leader, once again bringing up that Coach didn't properly utilize his resources (i.e. Jimmy T). But is Jimmy T a chucklehead for antagonizing his tribe? And yes, I count a tone-deaf rendition of "American Girl" as "antagonizing." Marty isn't impressed, calling Jimmy T a "loudmouth" and "obnoxious." He predicts that if you give Jimmy T a little rope, he'll hang himself. Figuratively, I hope.

 

The Gold Rush. The sun rises the next morning, but we're still stuck with the Ancients, because the Young tribe is a bunch of boring, boring people. Holly and Jane are amazed at what the storm did to their beach. Dan is smarting from a burnt foot and his melted sneakers. And no, they're not $1600 sneakers. But the Ancients are hungry and keep joking about how, soon enough, they're going to eat Don's baked shoe. They have no water to fish in and nothing to eat that isn't footwear. But Jimmy T has a plan: Do what the birds do. He finds a place he wants to set their nets. Jimmy's determined to prove his worth with fishing, but nothing comes of his effort. Jane hopes somebody steps up to fill Jimmy Johnson's leadership position.

 

Awful people. They're all awful people. Things are better over at the Young camp, where NaOnka managed to sleep through the entire downpour. Meanwhile, Brenda is still trying to crack the Immunity code, though Alina's beginning to suspect that something's up. The conspirators head off into the brush and begin to search and, under a rock, they find the Idol. Brenda thinks the discovery was a joint project, but NaOnka wants to make it clear that the Idol is hers, when push comes to shove. Once again, NaOnka wants to tell us that not even a one-legged woman can stand in her way. What NaOnka doesn't know is that that one-legged woman has bonded with Alina. For some reason, Kelly B and Alina are convinced that even without a clue, they'll be able to find the Immunity Idol. Sigh. NaOnka comes over and makes it clear to Kelly B that she doesn't like her. "Na's a bully," Kelly B says. NaOnka's determined to screw with Kelly B mentally, trying to psych her out to keep from having "a charity case" on the jury. NaOnka, who isn't worried about laying it on thick, cackles to the camera, "Screw your leg. Screw your leg. Keep it away from the fire." Yes. We get it, NaOnka. You want America to think you're a bitch. We're there!

 

Use Your Delusion. Night falls again and we're back at Espada. They were hungry before and they're no less hungry now. Barely able to move, they sit around the fire and agree that they're doing pretty well still. Marty says that the tribe needs one leader for the next day's challenge and he nominates Tyrone. "I'm the leader where I come from," Jimmy T tells us for the 1000th time, but insists he doesn't want to be a leader now. Jimmy T decides now that Marty is not a Jimmy T fan and, just as was the case with Coach, Jimmy T has diagnosed Marty's problem as insecurity. He calls Marty a "preppy little bitch." Jimmy T may be the most delusional "Survivor" contestant in history. Does anybody have a better alternative? Tree-mail includes blindfods and the Ancients decide to train on how to follow Tyrone's instructions without sight. Tyrone thinks that their discipline will keep them ahead. Marty, who diagnoses Jimmy T with both paranoia and delusions of grandeur, admits to the camera that he put Tyrone in charge partially to mess with his lunatic teammate.

 

The Blind Side. The Youngsters are shocked to see that the Ancients voted Jimmy Johnson out. The challenge is very much like the Ancients predicted. Blindfolded contestants have to collect 10 items, then collect a chest and a key and unlock it. Or something. The winning team gets Immunity and also something good from Sears. Thanks, Sears! The Medallion of power is a two-item advantage. They Youngsters take the advantage and hand the Medallion back to the Ancients. Will all of that practicing pay off for the Ancients? Well, no. And nobody's more inept at paying attention than Jimmy T. The Younger tribe accumulates all 10 items, but they have to get a key and unlock something. As Jimmy T spins wildly in circles, the Younger tribe completes the task and wins Immunity. Jimmy T says he couldn't hear Tyrone. Courtesy of Sears, the Youngsters pick fishing gear, a tarp and cooking supplies. Thanks, Sears!

 

Psst... In his real life, Jimmy T is a leader. Pass it on. Dan, who was held out of the challenge, says that he doesn't know if they'd have done better if he'd played. That's gracious of him. Then the Ancients agree that they would have won except for the advantages the Younger tribe got with the Medallion of Power. Oh my. They're a whole tribe of Jimmy Ts! But no. There's only one Jimmy T and he wants to make it clear, once again, that all evidence to the contrary, he's got a lot to offer the tribe and that in his own life, he's a leader.

 

My Favorite Sears. "Thank God for Sears," somebody announces as the Young tribe returns to camp to celebrate their victory. But Chase isn't celebrating with them. He spots the Immunity clue and runs off to the side and tells Brenda what he found. Brenda feels bad to be following Chase around while he looks for a clue she already found. After a game of "Who do you trust?" Brenda starts to tell Chase the secret, but he isn't listening. Or maybe she doesn't know how to tell him. Finally, she does. Chase is OK with being loosely aligned with NaOnka, as long as Brenda is between them. The loyalties at play here are both confusing and silly. But let's just say that nobody wants anybody else to know that they know what they know.

 

Uni the lonely. The Ancients are scouring the rocks for sea urchins. It's a team effort, but Jimmy T sees Marty eating an urchin of his own and accuses him of not being a team player. "He just doesn't get this game," Marty laughs, pulling Yve aside and telling her that he's thinking of getting rid of Jimmy T right now. He compares it to Jimmy T pulling out a gun and putting it in his mouth. It's unclear if Marty's talking in hypotheticals, or if he's actually intending on making this move tonight.

 

Danny, Immobile Champion of the World. Awww. Cute Praying Mantis. Jane tells Holly that she's planning to write Dan's name now, following what she thinks was the message Jimmy Johnson sent at the last Tribal Council. But Marty isn't so sure. He views Dan as the swing-vote in his alliance with Jill. For her part, Jill says she may not have another 28 days left in her and, for the second episode in a row, she tells Marty she'll vote however he wants her to. Jill approaches Tyrone, who agrees that it should either be Dan or Jimmy T, but he'd rather vote Dan out. Jill tells Marty that Tyrone may not be changeable, but Marty goes to work. "Sometimes there are things that are just wrong and it's like a cancer," Marty argues to Tyrone. "All I want is a shot at a challenge," Jimmy T tells everybody. "The question is, why aren't I getting a chance?" Jimmy T asks. Yve's also an amateur psychologist and she's about to diagnose Jimmy T as being insecure. Gee, you think? Jimmy T tells the camera that he's feeling all alone, because nobody talks to him. "It's a tough group of people to get along with and I'm easy to get along with," Jimmy T tells us.

 

Tribal Council. At Jeff Probst's prodding, Tyrone begins by saying that if it weren't for the Medallion of Power, they might have won and Marty agrees. Jeff tries to help their math, but Marty isn't hearing it. Jeff's feeling feisty tonight, also prodding to try to get Dan to admit that he's a burden because he keeps sitting out challenges. In case you haven't heard, Jimmy T wants the opportunity to lead in a challenge. Jeff asks Marty if they're open to that idea and Marty answers, "Not necessarily, no." Jimmy T makes his case one more time and... out of nowhere... Holly rises to his defense and says that she'd like to see him get a chance. Tyrone tells Jimmy T that if he'd just be a follower, he'd be valuable. And Jimmy T says he's man enough to do that. "Why does it hurt so much?" Jeff prods a choked up Jimmy T. And with that, Jimmy T vows to step down and be a worker bee. Will he get that chance?

 

The vote. Holly writes Dan's name down. Dan writes Jimmy T's name. Jimmy T votes for Dan. Marty votes for Jimmy T and growls, "See ya, pal." It's hard to imagine Marty being so cocky if he doesn't know he has the votes. Does he? Jeff reads: Dan. Dan. Dan. Jimmy T. Jimmy T. Jimmy T. Jimmy T. Jimmy T. That's it for Jimmy T. The music plays extra slow and extra somber, as if worried that Jimmy T might do something crazy as he departs. But he doesn't. In his interview, Jimmy T blames himself for not keeping his mouth shut. Jimmy T says he played with his heart and that Marty played with his head.

 

Bottom Line: Jimmy T had to go. There's "TV Crazy" and there's "I Don't Want To Watch That on TV Crazy." He was, alas, the latter. I just wasn't going to be able to listen to another round of, "Why won't somebody use my awesome leadership skills?!?" We're through another week and no castaway has been able to immerse as even vaguely likable. I think Benry is not *unlikable* (he's done absolutely nothing that we've seen away from the challenges). I think Brenda is playing a good game, balancing ties with everybody without alienating anybody. But I don't like a single person thus far. So I guess I'll have to be satisfied with the tribes voting off people who make me actively uncomfortable. And maybe next week will be a turning point? I sure hope so.