Here's an update on Survivor: The Australian Outback, which concludes Thursday with a two-hour special revealing the $1 million winner (8 p.m., Channels 12, 7), followed by a one-hour live show with all 16 contestants.

Body count:

       We're down to the final three: nurse Tina Wesson, 40, from Knoxville, Tenn.; chef Keith Famie, 41, from West Bloomfield, Mich.; and auto detailer Colby Donaldson, 26, of Dallas, Texas. The former Ogakor trio ousted Elisabeth Filarski, 23, from Newton, Mass., the last Kucha member, on Thursday's show.

Local ratings

       Our interest in Survivor didn't drop without Rodger in the game. Channel 12 registered a 29.3 rating and 43 percent audience share Thursday, still No. 1 in the country.

Highlights

       Colby saw his mother, flown to the Outback by CBS. She also delivered gifts, photos and letters to the other castaways from their families.

Lowlights

       Colby tells his mother that Outback meal rations are four spoonfuls of rice per person twice a day.

Best quote
       “We've lost a third-grader!” said Elisabeth after the four contestants Thursday discovered they had lost a combined 85 pounds in 38 days.

Wisdom of Rodger
        “I think fifth place out of 49,000 (Survivor applicants) is pretty good,” Rodger told Craig Kilborn on CBS' Late Late Show Tuesday.

Big question:

        Who will be voted out in the first hour Thursday? Who will be the two finalists for the $1 million?

Our guess

        Tina is the most deserving winner, though Colby has won the most challenges. The winner shouldn't be Keith — but isn't that what everyone said about Richard Hatch?

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