‘Survivor: South Pacific’ Recap: Tribes to Merge, Whitney Duncan Still Standing

We're getting down to the nitty gritty on 'Survivor: South Pacific.' On 'Double Agent,' the eighth episode of the season, Academy Awards should have been handed out to Cochran and Ozzy, since both are playing parts, pretending like Cochran had really found Ozzy's immunity idol. Previously, Ozzy sent himself to Redemption Island, confident he could beat Christine and return. He did just that, actually. So his gamble paid off the desired dividend. As for country cutie Whitney Duncan, she was again a mere peripheral part of the action.

On tonight's episode, the merge of the two tribes was imminent. Savaii sat around the campfire, drinking out of coconuts. Duncan was there, listening intently but not talking. Ozzy positioned himself as the martyr, sending himself off to Redemption Island in a move that would have been the craziest (if he lost) or ballsiest (if he won) move in the show's history. High drama, indeed. The squeakiest wheels get the most camera time here.

Duncan sat on the sidelines while Ozzy battled Christine to get out of a wood cage by using a stick to reach the keys. It was nail-biting action, and Whit appeared to drop a curse, since her mouth was censored for a hot second during the battle.

Later, for the challenge, the survivors were tasked with holding a coconut between two ropes and Duncan was the first Savaii member to drop hers, voiding any chance at immunity; Dawn nabbed that perk!

We see Whitney Duncan's hide and hair throughout the episode – she looks great in a bikini and has enviable beachy waves. But she is no threat to either team or to be voted off. Jim did acknowledge that perhaps it would be best to give her the immunity idol, since the other team would never think of her to have it. He even joked "no offense" to her, but we see his point. Duncan has been a backburner character all season, and frankly, we're not surprised she's still here -- because she doesn't make waves. She just swims in them on the gorgeous island! Jim even reasoned that the others think they can just get rid of her later. Aha, perhaps something is brewing there?

Spoiler alert: Keith was voted off at the Tribal Council.