Coming into this week the remaining five couples, all of whom decided to stick together last week, are Ben & Brandee, Heather & Miles, Samantha & Mike, Skip & Theresa, and Steele & Erica. The recap replays Ben’s blunder and the Couples Choice coup that leaves Ben and Brandee together after trying to split apart. We get some preview clips, though, that indicate a shakeup might happen with another couple at this week’s upcoming Couples Choice ceremony. Little do we know…

This week, the teams face some challenges which will test their relationships. But before they hit the course, we get a glimpse at how the five couples are faring after the Couples Choice event. They’re all looking pretty chummy, even Ben and Brandee, who finally admit they “like” each other. It seems like she’s come around after his apology, but will it lead to anything?

The next day dawns and the host rounds up the couples. The task is to pick up all five masks at five different locations and then slide down a water chute and run towards the finish line. They start out by picking a map out of a bag with the locations they have to go to retrieve their masks, with signs posted along the way. And 3-2-1, off they go!

Steele & Erica are off to a quick start crossing a stream and are the first team to get a mask. Meanwhile, Ben & Brandee have to take a pair of small horses, and he literally hauls her up onto the saddle! Miles & Heather head into the jungle and find their first mask. Skip is having a lot of trouble with his uncooperative horse while his partner Theresa can only watch. Ben & Brandee make it to a waterfall on their horses and Ben is able to retrieve the mask from under the waterfall, after which they have to climb a steep rope ladder up the fall cliff.

It’s hard to tell who’s in the lead or who’s behind, as each team is taking a different route than the other teams. Skip finally gets his horse walking and he & Theresa make their way to the next stop. Then there’s more horsing around with Samantha and Mike’s horses running fast ahead out of control! Whoa, *bleep*, whoa there!

Mike & Samantha are the first couple to collect all five masks. They slide down a water chute, splash into a pool and make it to the finish line first! Steele & Erika are next, and she says the pool stinks! Heather & Miles are third, with Miles literally limping in. Skip & Theresa are neck-and-neck with Ben & Brandee racing through the jungle to get their last masks. The terrain is hilly and Brandee gets tired. Skip & Theresa walk into fourth and Ben & Brandee trot in last. It’s uh, oh time for them again at the Couples Choice ceremony, as they’ll be last. If the other couples stick together like they did last week, Ben & Brandee are toast.

Back at the cabins, the couples regroup. Ben & Brandee are looking iffy. Although they like each other, there’s not much chemistry going on here. Heather & Miles seem to be doing Ok. (What a coincidence… Heather is from Sonoma, CA, where the runner-up guy in The Bachelorette, Ben, is from! Maybe these two should hook up.)

Meanwhile, at the winner’s retreat, Mike & Samantha seems to be going well and share a toast of celebration. And there’s more than champagne bubbling there in the jungle hideaway! (Hint, hint!)

Returning to the cabins, Steele & Erika are back-rubbing. He asks her what the first thing she’s going to do when she gets home. She says “Facebook you. Call you.” But they’re not looking at each other as they talk. Not a good sign. We haven’t seen Skip & Theresa in their cabin yet, as we move to dinner time. Heather and Brandee break off and have a chat at the pool, to be joined by one more in girl talk. Ah, hah, now we see Skip & Theresa and no wonder we couldn’t find them. They’re not in their cabin, but are snuggled away practically cocooned within a hammock! “We need to do this more often.” Ummm, hmmm. Take note, you romantics.

We get a shot of an armadillo eavesdropping on the guys gathered at the pool doing the guy-talk thing. Girl talk, guy talk, and a couple hidden in a hammock. Guess who’s definitely sticking together and who’s thinking about one last shot at a swap?

The next morning, Miles, Skip and Heather go out and have a little fun, pulling pranks, with Heather trying the ol’ remove the table cloth with the glasses on it trick (not quite so successfully). Golf-pro Steele is chatting up the ladies and it looks like he might want to play a few more holes on the course before heading to the clubhouse.

Then it’s ripline time for the couples as they take a line across the jungle canopy. What fun!

Back at the cabins once again, getting ready for the Couples Choice ceremony, Brandee says “I’m sick of this” to Ben and he doesn’t quite get it. Simply put, he’s not putting any effort into developing some chemistry with her. She’s the kind of gal who if he just did or said a little something special, she’d fall all over him. This guy needs lessons in Romance 101, with a remedial course in How Ladies Think & Feel. She closes the bathroom door on him and he just lies quietly there on the bed, clueless about what to do.

It’s Couples Choice ceremony time. It’s kind of amazing how much attention the ladies put into their dressing up and make up, even in the presence of their current partner. Now they’re gathered together and the ceremony begins. The body language is looking intriguing here… there’s signs of interest and disinterest. Something’s up.

It’s guys night and with Mike & Samantha having won the competition, Mike gets first choice. It’s a no-brainer for him, as he and Samantha are obviously in it to the end (and probably after the show is over!). Next is the golf-pro Steele and he wants to switch clubs! He asks Brandee to partner with him, and she is surprised. She says she’s sorry, she wasn’t expecting it, and curiously enough, even with Ben at her side, she tells Steele no! Wow, Ben, this should wake you up, dude. Now Erika has to decide who to ask and she goes back to Steele and he says no to her. So now Steele and Erika are in the Match Area. Miles wants to stay with Heather and she’s more than happy with that. Skip & Theresa also decide to stay together, leaving just Ben and Brandee. The host jokes about their “functional relationship”. Dumbbell Ben decides to drop Brandee and ask Erika to join him. She turns him down and he goes into the match area. This leaves Brandee, who instead of asking Steele to join her, sends herself to the match area.

Wow! Boom-boom, boom-boom! Two couples, four people go home in one fell swoop of a drive by the golf pro and another guy who doesn’t have any balls in his golf bag! Either one of those couples could have stuck it out to play to the finish. Now suddenly we’re down to three couples and this season is almost over. Did you see this coming?

As the wise ones once said, it is better to lose what is not yours to lose, than to keep up appearances to the contrary.