Basic Straining

Basic Straining is the twelfth episode of the Candian television show, Total Drama Island, the theme of this episode is boot-camp, where the campers compete in boot-camp-like challenges and continue until only one camper is left.

Synopsis
The episode starts out with Harold bolting out of his cabin with what looks like a s'more with his underwear in the middle of it, demanding Geoff and Duncan to tell him who made "s'mores out of his underwear. He takes a pair of underwear out of the s'more and it lands right in front of Courtney who runs of disgusted. Chef calls everybody to the dock for their next challenge at 0900 hours over the speakers. At the dock, Chef, dressed up as a seargent, tells (yells) everybody that they will be competing in a boot-camp and that if one person drops out, they have to ring a bell at the end of the dock and is eliminated from the challenge. Lindsay becomes the first one when the teams have to hold up a canoe with Chef and Chris weighing them down and, after several hours, Lindsay loses the feeling in her arms and rings the bell, score one for the Killer Bass. Next, the teams have to make lunch out of scraps left over from their breakfast and take part in a rigorous dance routine, in which nobody gets eliminated. The campers compete in a writing competition in which they have to write a 300 word report on how they love "Master Chief Hatchet" and where they have to compete in an obstacle course, where Duncan finally pushes Master Chief over the edge and has to spend the night in the 'boathouse' (filled with numerous sharp objects and horrific artifacts). Courtney soon worries for him and goes to check on him, where Duncan finally convinces her to break a few rules and raid Master Chief's private refridgerator, placing a fish on his dessert plate "courtesy of the killer bass". The next day, everybody is enjoying the snacks that Courtney and Duncan looted and Courtney has a little too much, causing her to throw up outside. Duncan walks out and finally convinces Courtney to kiss him, of whom is witnessed by Harold. The next day, the six remaining "bootcampers" have to hang upside down from a tree. Courtney finally tells Master Chief off, telling him to take a 'chill pill'. It's down to the last two campers, Geoff and Gwen, remaining on the tree. Geoff gets all dizzy and falls off of the tree, making Gwen the last one and the Screaming Gophers the winner. At the bonfire, it comes down to Courtney and Harold. Harold gets the final marshmallow and Courtney is dragged against her own will to the dock of shame. Before the boat takes off, Duncan throws her a wood carving of a skull he made, although creeped out by it, Courtney tells him that she loves it. After everybody has left the bonfire, Harold is seen roasting a marshmallow. It shows him in the confessional right before the final vote, where he unscrews the ballot box and replaces all of the votes with votes against Courtney to mess with Duncans love life after he and the others tormented him throughout the episode, ending with him grinning maliciously hissing "Yesssss!"

Other Notes

 * Running Gag: Duncan, Geoff, and DJ pulling pranks on Harold

Canoe Challenge
People who were eliminated in this challenge
 * Harold: he had taken his hands off of the canoe after Duncan hooked his underwear and it snapped, but he put his hands back on before anybody saw him so he went to the next challenge.
 * Lindsay: Her arms gave out and she had to ring the bell.
 * Geoff: Had his hands off the canoe while fishing Harold's underwear.

Writing Challenge
People who were eliminated in this challenge
 * DJ: He fell asleep during the challenge, which is prohibited.
 * Trent: He fell asleep also.
 * Bridgette: Unknown reason. She wasn't in the next two challenges.

Obstacle Course

 * Harold: He fell face first on a puddle of mud, regurgitating some of it back up, and had to go to the infirmary and ring the bell.
 * Leshawna: She sank into a mud puddle and couldn't continue.

Tree Challenge

 * Duncan: Fell out of the tree.
 * Heather: Gives up and jumps out of the tree, but is crushed by Owen.
 * Owen: Falls out of the tree and lands on Heather.
 * Courtney: Gets caught up in a giggle fit and falls out of the tree.
 * Geoff: Faints and slips off of the tree branch.

Winner

 * Gwen: She lasted throughout all of the challenges and was the last camper on the tree, making her the winner.