There are only two days left in the 40-day Millennial survival challenge on MTV.
Stranded with a Million Dollars has definitely proven itself to be different from all the over survival shows.
If all four of them make it to the end, they’ll each leave with $124,418.
That’s not impressive – it’s disgusting.
They could have each had more than a quarter of a million dollars.
To recap the season, Alex started things out by forming the #MeanGirls alliance, and even though they hogged the supplies, one by one they dropped. Until all that was left was #TeamAlgina.
This, despite the fact that the #MeanGirls ate their way through the jungle – one $10,000 pizza at time, sometimes two.
Cody and Makani got even for every nasty, selfish thing Alex and Gina did to them in the first 30 days.
In fact, they’ve bonded to the point where they’re taking dumps in their competitors’ water supply together.
Cody’s planning to poop in the water supply at their new camp. And then he’s going to tell them he did it!
Not much has changed for Gina since Day One. She’s still threatening to flare out.
If they’d had the flares last week, instead of that lame signal fire rule, she’d be gone. I still say production made that rule requiring a signal fire to try to keep Alex and Gina in the game.
“I don’t want to cry, but it’s coming,” Gina boohoos.
Production swoops in and gives Alex a Temptation, probably saving #TeamAlgina til Day 40.
But there’s no food at the temptation – just fresh water (poop-free) and a tablet with an offer.
One of them can leave now with $150,000 (it’s Alex’s Temptation, so theoretically he has first right of refusal), but only one of them.
That’s more money than they’re going to take home if they stay.
“We have not been vengeful in this game. They’ve given us ever reason to be vengeful,” Alex says.
Wait a sec – have I been watching the same show? This was the guy whose team wanted to kick Makani “like a stray dog” and starver her out, right?
“I just feel like if one of us leaves each other, it’s going to be a long next two days,” Gina says.
“I leave, can you make it?” Alex asks.
Gina says she can’t get through the journeys without him. But aren’t they at their final destination? They have two days left.
They decide to stay. This isn’t a team player game, guys! OMG.
Here’s my question – If Alex had left, would the $150,000 have come out of the group money pile, or would it have increased the take-home for all three of the remaining campers?
“I didn’t come this far to give up,” Gina says.
They go back and tell #TeamMakody that it was a $150,000 Temptation. Not exactly correct.
“And we didn’t think that was right, so neither of us took it. I would have felt like I cheated you guys, too,” Alex says.
I call BS. They said nothing about that when they made their decision.
They ask to borrow the pot to boil some taro.
Cody says no because they burnt up $65,000. And refused to carry anything, costing them another $100,000.
Alex says it’s Cody’s fault he had to burn the money.
“It was my fault that you burned $65,000? That’s not on me!” Cody laughs.
“For Cody, it’s all about dropping the number two to get us to number two,” Cody says.
“We’re going to dehydrated them out,” Cody says.
“There we go,” he says. And then he howls like something straight out of Lord of the Flies.
“I’m so tired of being hungry. Filling our bellies up with water will help,” Alex says.
They’re about to go drink poo water, again.
But Cody stops them. He’s on a rant.
“Alright you guys, when you went over there, and you said we didn’t take it because we were thinking of you two, that was the biggest lie I’ve ever heard in my life… I didn’t take the bait… I called your bluff… Not only am I not giving you the pot, but I just crapped and put it in every water source. So if either of you touch your lips to the fresh water source, it can be extremely deadly. So just a heads up. Good luck,” Cody announces.
Notice he didn’t tell them they’d already drunk poo water at the last camp?
Their faces were priceless.
Then they flipped.
“What a sick f**k!” Gina says.
“Kinda makes me wish I’d taken the $150,000 and left,” Alex says.
I’m sure it does.
They consider their alternatives.
“The coconuts are the safest option. He cannot poop in every coconut,” Alex says.
Don’t give Cody any ideas, Alex.
Makani is showing no mercy at all.
“I think we have to play hard until the whole thing is over,” Makani says.
Alex drinks from a rotten coconut, and then he goes and sits and cries.
“I have to go another two days… the worst part would be flaring out and Cody and Makani getting that satisfaction,” Alex says.
He’s really doing this for all the wrong reasons.
A signal alerts them they’ve got a challenge coming up. The teams have to build ladders to get to a breakfast box at the top of a wall.
They have to cut wood to fit the ladder rungs up the wall. First team to the top wins.
The competition comes down the wire, and one of the steps breaks under Cody’s weight.
“We have no other option but to win,” Cody says they need to win to starve out Gina and Alex.
But then all of a sudden, #TeamMakody pulls ahead, and kicks #TeamAlgina’s butt.
All the fixings for a fantastic breakfast are in the basket – eggs, bacon, cheese, etc.
Alex and Gina are dying. They look like they’re going to cry.
They haven’t won a single challenge the entire 40 days. What does that tell you about them?
Gina says this is the hardest thing she’s ever done in her life. But she didn’t give up.
“I have changed so much since Day One,” Gina says “But I’m still here. Who would have thought?”
I thought she’d be the first to go. Instead, she’s become the biggest whiner of the game.
And that’s a tough one with Alex crying every other day.
With eight hours left, Cody and Makani are grilling sausages and making scrambled eggs while Alex and Gina are ready to eat their own arms 10 feet away.
“Toast with eggs and bacon, so good,” Cody says.
He reminds me of my older brother with the last cookie.
“God, I hate Cody,” Alex says. I bet you do.
Sadly, there’s no way Alex and Gina are dropping out with eight hours left.
They get instructions for their final journey to the helicopter pickup point.
They have to get there before sunset, or they have to spend another night on the island.
“I can’t swim and I hate water. I don’t know if I can make it,” Gina whines. Typical.
Cody feels like he really earned his stripes on the island.
“I’ve earned the title Mr. Thrive!” Cody says.
They take off on the journey together.
Alex and Gina are struggling even though Cody and Makani are carrying literally all of the weight.
Alex really thinks he was the good guy up against two bullies all season. I guess you have to respect a man who is that committed to his own delusions.
They have to rappel down a waterfall.
Makani struggles with it, and everybody’s worried that Gina won’t be able to handle it at all.
“Gina’s going to be freaked out,” Cody says.
Gina lets out a bunch of unholy noises as she attempts the drop.
“I don’t want to go,” Gina starts screaming.
And she screams the entire way down the waterfall.
“C’mon, we gotta get on this flight,” Cody says.
He doesn’t want to spend another night in the jungle because they’re slow.
I think it’s totally unfair that everyone’s success at every level depends on their ability to carry other people through the challenges and journeys.
They make it to the pickup point just before sunset.
“Cody couldn’t get me out. He tried as hard as he could,” Alex says.
“I’m not stranded anymore,” Gina crows.
It doesn’t sound like any of them will ever vacation in Tahiti.
Things we’re left wondering
Will there be a Season Two of Stranded? And how will the rules change?
If Alex had taken the $150,000 escape, would the other three have gotten to split the whole pot?
What do the campers’ parents think of their children after watching they way they behaved on this show?
Stranded with a Million Dollars airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on MTV.