A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

WHAT? THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DINNER WITHOUT COMPLIMENTARY SOUP OR SALAD? As Kim explained to me via email, that would be Northeast Philadelphia Jewish Survivor, as opposed to the first Israeli edition of the show which just wrapped up as a major hit. And while the credits and rewards may generally feel familiar, I want to highlight three neat differences:

• One reward? Shabbat Dinner with Challah, honey, wine and Shabbat Candles for the whole team, with the winning tribe sharing the reward with the losers "because Jews don't stop other Jews from eating a Shabbat dinner."
• Rules Change #1, a spinoff of the 'outcasts' season called "Island of the Dead": "Every person voted out is brought to the island, and had to compete with the person already staying there, for the right to stay on the island for at least another three days. When only three contestants remained, the winner of the last battle of the island returned."
• Rules Change #2, which I'd love to see once in an American season, "The Double Power Challenge": "an individual challenge, which is played after the Immunity challenge. Every person going to Tribal Council had to compete, and the winner of the challenge won an additional power at Tribal Council. In Episodes 1-5, and from Episode 11, the winner of the challenge could vote twice at tribal council for two contestants. In Episodes 6-8, the Double-Power Challenge winner won Individual Immunity. In Episodes 9 and 10, the winner chose two contestants who couldn't vote at Tribal Council."

The Jerusalem Post explains the 5-4-0 final Tribal Council vote, with the third receiving no support as "a stinging reality check from those he ruthlessly and tirelessly plotted against," because among Israelis as much as everyone else, "those that you've voted off in order to reach the final still must like you enough as a person to make you the winner." Go figure.