Survivor: Philippines Episode 5 Preview

If you have already seen the episode 5 web promo released by CBS, then you know that things will become more intense and interesting for Survivor: Philippines this coming new episode. Die-hard fans can't help but speculate as to what the new twists will be, if any, and how it will affect the rest of the game. 

Join me as we break them down:

1. The fate of Malcolm and Denise. So, it turns out most of our suspicions proved right - Matsing will be no more and the remaining two tribes from the epic failure tribe, aka Matsing, will be joining either one of the two other tribes. For those of you who have seen the promo videos, I'll leave that knowledge up to you as to who went to what tribe. It will be interesting to see how they split up, although I am counting on the old school technique of pulling out buffs from a bag.

2. Tribe dynamics will change. With one new castaway joining each tribe, it will be interesting to see how that will change dynamics within the camp, during challenges, and in terms of determining who goes home. Personally, I think Malcolm and Denise are both in a good spot; that is, if they can assess the situation pretty well (and I'm confident they could) and see where they can position themselves within the tribe that guarantee their safety until the merge arrives. This particular twist alone has opened a pandora's box of moves and possibilities for the game - and I love it!

3. Medevac. I always hate it when a player gets medevac'd from the game, regardless of whoever it is. For the sake of competition, you would want to fight it out to the end and it would be unfortunate to have someone pulled out from the game due to illness or injury. It is even more ironic for it to happen in a season that features returning players who were once pulled out from the game for medical reasons. If in case the person ends up being taken out from the game, it will have a significant impact for the people on their alliance moving forward, which is why one person's arrival could mean big, whichever way this plays out.

4. The only hidden immunity idol that hasn't been found yet is over at Matsing. On last week's episode, we saw how Russell scrambled to find it - and failed big time, once again. It is a mad dash for both Denise and Malcolm to find it before they are distributed to Tandang and Kalabaw. With an uncertain fate waiting ahead of them, having the idol on their pocket can make a huge difference and could be their only lifeline.

5. The real battle begins. With the tribe number down to two, this is where the real competition begins in Survivor: Philippines. No more second place. You either win or lose. As the number of castaways on the island start to dwindle, big plays are coming. And most especially, no more sit-outs at immunity challenges. I'm sick of having to see the same people sit out of the challenges on every single episode (the only time Dawson and Abi Maria competed in a challenge to date was during the first ever IC). 

Episode 4 set the stage for what is going to be an exciting fifth episode from this season. It has been good so far and it can only get better from here. What are your thoughts for Wednesday's episode? Don't forget to share them below.