SURVIVOR GABON: Episode 8

Things came up last week that were more important that recapping a TV show. To sum up where we stand after last week: Kenny orchestrated a third eviction in a row, taking down Charlie and further isolating Corinne, Randy and swing man Bob. Matty, swing man junior, is leaning to the Kenny, Crystal, Suzie, Sugar side of things.

Day 28.

The new tribe is Nobag, as in “…of hammers could be dumber than…”. We open with Sugar playing Bob to get Randy out. Bob confesses that he doesn’t have the hidden immunity idol. Sugar does not confess that she does. Bob, Corinne and Randy are the only ones who don’t know. Bob shows her the fake one he made. It is more convincing than some of the authentic ones.

Cut to Randy and Corinne discussing how much they hate the others, but what can you do when you’re an alliance of two in a game of 8? They decide to trust Bob to hang with them and focus their efforts on getting Matty to lean their way.

Tree Mail: there will be no challenge this week because it’s auction time. The group assembles. Host Jeff informs them there will be no pooling of money or sharing of purchase. Also, game helps as well as food are going under the gavel.

Randy bids on the first item, three cold beers and a bowl of peanuts. Sugar bids against him, doubling the price from $80 to $160. He goes $180 and she lets him have it, laughing, “I didn’t want it; I just wanted to make him pay more.”

Kenny pays $340 for a covered plate. It contains a note giving Kenny the right to take someone’s money and send them immediately to Exile Island. Kenny sends Bob.

Sugar goes $340 for a second covered plate. It contains chocolate and peanut butter. She is not disappointed. Three items gone and only 3 people have bid.

Suzie wins a spirited round of bidding, paying $340 for a hot bath and clean clothes. She has to take the bath right then, stage left while the auction continues.

Matty goes $400 for a cheeseburger and fries with “a soda.” Did somebody fire the product placement rep?

Suzie gets out of the bath to get dressed, shocking Sugar. I guess 47 year old Suzie is less eager than pin-up model Sugar to be in the tub in front of an audience when the last of the bubbles dissipate.

Randy pays $280 for a covered item that turns out to be a plate of spaghetti with a glass of wine and some garlic bread.

Corinne pays $500 for “something that will be of great help in the game.” She gets a note and instructions not to open it until told to at the next immunity challenge.

Final item: a plate of 7 large chocolate chip cookies that are, on Jeff’s orders, “for the tribe.” Randy bids a quick $20 and doesn’t seem clear on the fact that the cookies are for everybody. Jeff clarifies. Randy offers them around. Sugar asks that hers be given to Matty. Randy tells her they are his and she can have one or not. She says no. Everybody else takes one, leaving Randy with two. He splits the cookie he calls, “Sugar’s” in two and gives the halves away. He then offers Sugar the last cookie and she takes it, leaving him with none.

What just happened? Why did this guy give away all the cookies and keep none for himself? Is he full, after peanuts, spaghetti, garlic bread, beer and wine? Actually, no: he’s furious that Sugar took the cookie he offered to her. Randy, you’re losing it.

The auction is over. Crystal never bid once. Does she keep the $500?

Back at camp Randy tells the camera, “Sugar can kiss my ass. She thinks I was bad before. I’m just going to kick it up a notch.” Now that’s ambition. This guy has the makings of a great super villain, if he could only find a chemistry experiment about to go horribly wrong.

Randy tells Matty he “was treated like a dog” at the auction. Matty tells him he set himself up. Matty joins Suzie, Crystal, Kenny and Sugar in the main hut. Matty pushes hard for an agreement to dump Bob first, then Randy and then Corinne. In an aside to the camera Sugar lets us know she’ll play along for now. Randy shows up at the hut door. Everyone goes silent.

The silent pause is great: the in group and the outsider. They are smug, silent and a bit fearful that the outsider might go postal. He glares, hating them. There is a look in Randy’s eye that lets you know he’s been playing this scene all his life. He sneers and walks away.

The next morning Randy approaches Corinne with the plan he lay awake all night devising. He believes Bob has found the hidden immunity idol. He (Randy) will continue to alienate the others so they will vote him out. They (Corinne and Randy) will vote for Suzie. Bob will give him the immunity idol. He will play it and Suzie, who betrayed them by throwing in with Crystal and Kenny to vote Marcus off, will be blindsided. Corinne tells him it’s a great plan. Given that it keeps her off the block however it plays out., sure; why not?

Immunity Challenge.

Bob returns from Exile Island. The challenge has two stages, with the top three in the first stage moving on to the second. Survivors must race across a series of balance beams, carrying a bag of puzzle blocks. First 3 to get their 3 bags of blocks across move on. The second stage involves arranging the blocks like dominoes along a multi-angled plane so that the blocks all topple with one push, release a ball that rolls into a basket that trips a lever and raises a victory pennant.

Corinne opens the note she bought at the auction. It is a pass to Stage Two. Now only the top 2 move on. Kenny and Matty are the top 2. Kenny beats Matty and Corinne to win immunity.

Back at camp Bob confesses to Sugar that he doesn’t have the hidden idol. She doesn’t confess that she does. Again. Bob shows her the fake one he made. She is as impressed as I am. We have soooo much in common. She convinces him to give it to Randy. She doesn’t just want to evict Randy; she wants to humiliate the troll.

After Bob gives him the idol, Randy, the idol, and the camera have a heart to heart. His body language is totally different. He’s not all puffed up, the way males are when fighting. “We got word that I was going down,” he says. “And Bob did something totally selfless.”

Damn – I’m getting this real damaged-as-a-child vibe off him. Is this act of deception and trickery, in his eyes, a true breakthrough moment? A moment that could eventually lead him to redemption, if only it were true? A moment that, if false, will move him to a place beyond redemption?

Tribal Council

Sugar has a hard time stifling her giggles throughout the obligatory stirring of the pot Jeff instigates at the start of each council. The vote is eventually taken. Sugar writes down Randy’s name and tells the camera, “You are a disgusting, underhanded, alcoholic bigot and you need to grow-up before you die alone. Halleluiah.”

As Crystal holds up her vote, her address to the camera is a Survivor first: loud enough for all to hear. “You have made my life hell from Day 1. Forget you: go home: good-by.” Sugar, sitting in front of Randy, giggles helplessly. Minutes later Randy plays the fake idol. Sugar giggles some more. A familiar look returns to Randy’s eyes as he waits for the blow.

Ain’t reality TV fun?