Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden

“I do believe that Ego 101 is taught in law school although every attorney denies it.”..which is also taught in law school.

SURVIVOR PING!

Fang Tribe (Red Buffs): Crystal, Dan, GC, Ken, Matty, Randy, Susie

Kota Tribe (Yellow Buffs): Ace, Bob, Charlie, Corinne, Jacquie, Kelly, Marcus, Sugar

Losers: Michelle, Gillian, Paloma

Episode 3 title: "It Was Like Christmas Morning!"

One Castaway vows that a tribemate will be "the next lamb to the slaughter". Exile Island leaves one Castaway feeling as if it's Christmas morning. One Castaway's desperation leads to waterworks, and the waterworks lead to sympathy. Will sympathy lead to her safety? The tribes rank their members based on importance, and one Castaway is given a very rude awakening.

Reward Challenge: (highlight to see spoilers) Instead of a reward challenge, the contestants are told to rank the others on their tribe from most to least valuable. The rankings for Fang, top to bottom: Matty, Dan, Randy, Crystal, Ken, GC, Susie. The rankings for Kota: Marcus, Ace, Bob, Charlie, Jacquie, Corrine, Sugar, Kelly. After that, Jeff Probst drops the bomb that there will be a tribe switch. The "MVPs" from each tribe (Marcus and Matty) will be in charge of picking new tribes. Unlike in the initial pick 'em, Marcus and Matty will do all the picking. Marcus, as the MVP of the larger tribe, gets first pick. The new tribes end up as follows: New Fang: Crystal, GC, Ken, Matty, Ace, Jacquie, Kelly. New Kota: Bob, Charlie, Corrine, Marcus, Sugar, Dan, Randy, Susie.

Immunity Challenge: (highlight to see spoilers) The tribes compete in a lacrosse-type game while in rafts. On New Kota, the alliance of Charlie, Corrine, and Marcus, along with Bob, decides to throw the challenge to ensure the safety of the Old Kotas on the other tribe, and to get rid of a threat from Old Fang.

Spoilers: (highlight to see)

Reward challenge winner: Tribe switch instead of challenge.

Immunity challenge winner: New Fang (New Kota throws the challenge)

Exiled: Since the previews say that the exiled person feels like it's Christmas morning, it must be someone whose position in the game was saved by the tribe switch. My guess is Kelly.

Voted Off: Dan

Back after the show with the recap.

Fun Survivor Fact: Richard Hatch is scheduled to be released from prison in October 2009.

New Kota throws a challenge?

I hate people who throw a challenge.

They didn’t throw the challenge...

The switch this early was lame I think, it was all a numbers thing as the tribes remained split along their old lines...they should have done this when they were even on the new tribes imho...

I was reading the spoilers.

Ol’ Crystal sure showed some fangs at TC. “My totally worthless effort in the challenge was better than your totally worthless effort.”

For as big and as strong as Crystal is she pretty much sucks at most of the challenges.

I'm waiting for the “balance at the top of a pole on your toes challenge”. Sugar may take that one if she's still around.

Anybody think Ace will find out Sugar is targeted and get her to give the HII to him and then she gets blind sided at TC.

Fang went from very bad to worse and then they vote off one of their top competitors. WOW!

I know. Makes loads of sense doesn’t it?! /s

The secrets of 'Survivor' revealed

Fans of reality TV shows are known for becoming obsessive about their favorite series, and that's absolutely the case for "Survivor." Reality show fans want behind-the-scenes information in part due to curiosity about a show they spend hours watching every season, but also because they're sometimes skeptical about how real these shows actually are.

Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions about the realities of "Survivor. " These answers are based upon my week-long visit to the Western Africa set of "Survivor Gabon." Other seasons filmed in other locations may have slightly different answers, in part because the production changes and evolves, but also because different geographic locations can require slightly different approaches.

Is "Survivor" real?
Yes. Are there parts of the production we don't see on TV, however? Absolutely. Besides having to condense the show from thousands of hours of footage into 13 episodes, a lot is required to produce a TV show. For example, when you watch a challenge, you won't see 75 producers and crew members filming, recording audio, taking notes, and watching the challenge unfold. But based upon my observations, none of what doesn't make it on TV actually affects the game. What you see on TV is nearly always exactly as it happens.

Why does the show cast models or actors or people who've never seen the show?
Because they don't receive enough quality applications. Lynne Spillman, who's in charge of casting for "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race," has said in interviews that the show regularly receives tens of thousands of applications, but most aren't from what the show considers to be good candidates. Thus, the show recruits, often models or actors (dubbed "mactors")although those people still go through the casting process. That's become more common recently; everyone except one person on "Survivor Fiji" was recruited, and while that may give us unmemorable mactors, recruiting has also given us unlikely but popular contestants such as Yau-Man Chan.

Can Survivor cast members bring or wear whatever they want?
No. While cast members bring their own clothes to the location, producers select what they take to camp, ensuring that the cast will be wearing camera-friendly colors. Among those prohibited items include shirts or caps with corporate logos. Selecting clothing also allows producers to make sure not everyone will be wearing, say, green T-shirts. They're also searched to ensure that cast members are not smuggling food, matches, or other items to camp with them or in their belongings.

The show used to regularly feature each contestant's “luxury item,” such as Colby’s large Texas flag that actually helped serve as shelter in the “Outback” season. While the items haven't been featured on the show during recent seasons, cast members do bring comfort or luxury items with them to the location, and the producers do approve those items — and decide whether or not to distribute them sometime during the game (if at all).

What do contestants do all day?
Not much. Periodically, on-site producers pull cast members away from the group to do their confessional interviews. And, of course, the contestants go to challenges on two out of every three days. But beyond that, it's up for them to amuse themselves, whether that means foraging for food, strategizing, or just sitting around and talking.

Do Survivor cast members get personal hygiene items?
Yes and no. They have access to a container with necessary supplies, such as feminine products, birth control, vital medications, contact lens solution, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Otherwise, they're on their own. Contestants don't get razors, toothbrushes, or other conveniences, so if they have bright white teeth or aren't growing body hair, it may be because of tooth whitening or laser hair removal they had done before they left for the show.

Where does the crew live and work?
Living arrangements depend upon the location, and ranges from tents to actual hotels. In Gabon, base camp was a two-hour boat ride from the country's only major city, Libreville. A large part of base camp consisted of a large, temporary tent city, where everyone from producers to host Jeff Probst were living until their prefabricated cabins — which included bathroom facilities — could be assembled nearby. The crew works out of trailers or cargo containers that double as offices, and some offices are prefabricated and assembled on site. Everyone except contestants eats their meals in a large catering tent, which opens as early as 4 a.m. for those who need to be on location first thing.

Are the cast members ever alone?
No. Producers and camera operators stay at their camps all day and all night — in part to make sure they don't miss footage, but also to ensure the cast's safety. They work nearby in off-limits, camouflaged areas known as camera camps, where there are cots, food, and equipment storage. Those camps are very primitive when compared to base camp, however, and tribe camp crews work different shifts, so they return to base camp and are not always living out of the camera camps. At Exile Island (called just Exile in Gabon), a producer with a camera stays with the exiled cast member.

How do contestants get treated for injuries?
On-location producers will mention any concerns to the medical staff, and can call for medics if there's a significant problem. Before and after every challenge, contestants visit individually with the show's medics. But as medic Craig "Squizzy" Taylor told me, "During the game, though, they're playing the game of Survivor for $1 million. So, we try to have as little to do with them as possible." He said that minor injuries are "part of the game." While a few major injuries forced people out of the game last season, nearly all of the (mostly minor) injuries or illnesses treated by medics affect the show's hundreds of crew members, who, of course, greatly outnumber the 18 contestants.

How do contestants get from tribe camps to challenges and Tribal Council?
Although they are often shown setting off with packs and walking sticks, making it seem as if they traversed miles on foot, those images only show the first or last part of the trip. They're transported. In Gabon, they were driven in vehicles with black plastic covering the windows. That prevents contestants from seeing where they are, and from seeing parts of the production such as base camp. After arriving, they're kept in a waiting area until Jeff Probst calls them in to the challenge, which is what we see on TV. They are not allowed to talk to one another until cameras are rolling either at the challenges or back at camp, ensuring that viewers won't ever miss a critical moment.

Do the contestants get more information than we see on TV about challenges?
Yes. After host Jeff Probst gives the explanation we see on TV, Probst and John Kirhoffer, the leader of the team that constructs all of the show's games, walk through the challenge with each tribe. The tribes can ask questions or strategize during that time, and doing it separately keeps the other tribe from knowing the others' strategy, if they have one. Accompanying them is someone from CBS' standards and practices division, who makes sure that each tribe has the same basic information so that the contest remains fair.

Who demonstrates (and tests) challenges?
The Dream Team, a group of young crew members, many of whom return for future seasons to work with the show in other production jobs. They run through challenges at least twice, including once with the challenge production team to see how it works, and once for a dress rehearsal, when they're filmed as if they were the actual contestants. That gives the crew the chance to practice filming, so they know where they'll need to be or where they can get their best shots. Footage from that dress rehearsal is shown to viewers when Jeff Probst explains the challenge to the cast. Helicopter shots of challenge locations are filmed separately, so that the production part — equipment like cameras and cranes, never mind more than 50 crew members — won't be seen on TV.

The show also occasionally uses the Dream Team as stand-ins in its faraway helicopter shots. If you think about it, that makes sense, since when you see a challenge from above, for example, no cameras or crew are visible, so who is it that's providing all of the footage of the cast running the challenge? In most cases, but not all, shots from a helicopter are filmed afterwards, after the competition is over and the crew has left with their equipment.

That doesn't affect the game in any way, just how it looks on television.

How long does Tribal Council last?
It varies, from 45 minutes to 90 minutes, but it's a lot longer than what we see on TV. However, give thanks that it's edited, since much of the conversation is also kind of boring.

What does Jeff Probst do when he goes to "tally the votes"?
After actually collecting the votes, Jeff consults with producers, who have been watching the voting confessional footage live in a production booth far away from Tribal Council. Based upon what they've seen and the actual outcome of the vote, they decide the order in which Jeff will read the votes aloud, organizing them for maximum drama and selecting which contestants' votes will be shown on TV. That's why the votes Jeff reveals first are the ones viewers have already seen.

Where do cast members go once they're voted out?
To Ponderosa, a nearby camp or facility. Those who don't make the jury typically leave together and stay elsewhere until the end of the game, while those who are on the jury remain at Ponderosa and on location, so they can attend Tribal Council every third day. CBS now airs an online-only series that follows life at Ponderosa, if you're curious about what happens there.

Oops. (covers face with her long hair)

I did pretty bad this week with the spoilers.

Marcus, Corinne, and Charlie are going to get an unpleasant surprise at the reward challenge next week when they see the other tribe and discover that Jacquie is missing.

Plus they can add. They’ll know some of “theirs” turned.

Marcus, Corinne, and Charlie are going to get an unpleasant surprise at the reward challenge next week when they see the other tribe and discover that Jacquie is missing.

no doubt they'll be disappointed, but it shouldn't effect their game play, much. With Bob, they're still fairly solid on numbers until the merge.

I hated seeing Jacquie leave. She was a good competitor and was probably a good game player. I don't see Fang winning again unless the competition is completely non-physical.

If the Fangs lose immunity again (which they probably will), they should get rid of Kelly, but they should do it by voting for Sugar. Here’s how it should work.

The four original Fangs (GC, Ken, Crystal, and Matty) vote for Sugar. Kelly also votes for Sugar. Ace and Sugar will vote for Kelly. Sugar plays the hidden immunity idol, the five votes against her do not count, and Kelly is removed from the game...and Sugar no longer has the idol.

If the original Fangs vote for Kelly, she’ll be removed from the game and the results will be exactly the same...except that Sugar will still have the idol.

Won’t Sugar have to play the idol before the votes are counted? (I always have to think about that.) So, they would have to tell Sugar they were voting for her or she might not feel compelled to play the idol. On the other hand, if they do tell her, she might think it’s just a ploy to get her to play the idol while the real plan is vote for another player.

You could go crazy trying to figure all the permutations.

Bob, good ol’ Bob.

Two weeks ago he was told he was the 5th wheel in the alliance. At the re-pick he was near the end.

He needs to keep a close eye on things and silently switch sides when he gets a chance.

Sugar could guess that they were voting for her, since they’d want to keep Ace around for physical strength and Kelly’s not the one holding the idol and its threat. Anyway, Sugar should remember James, Ozzy, and Jason all being blindsided and voted out while in possession of the hidden immunity idol. I think she’ll play it because she won’t want to be like them.

Well, with Jacquie gone, he’s up to 4th now. And I don’t think anyone actually told him explicitly that he was the 5th wheel, although he could have and should have figured that out pretty easily on his own.

SURVIVOR RECAP!

New Fang Tribe (Red Buffs): Ace, Crystal, GC, Kelly, Ken, Matty, Sugar

New Kota Tribe (Yellow Buffs): Bob, Charlie, Corinne, Dan, Marcus, Randy, Susie

Losers: Michelle, Gillian, Paloma, Jacquie

TRIBAL SWITCH; JACQUIE VOTED OUT

In a surprising twist, the tribes switched. The new Fang, consisting of Ace, Jacquie, Kelly, Ken, GC, Crystal and Matty, lost badly in the immunity challenge, and found themselves once again faced with the task of voting someone out. With former Kota members Ace, Jacquie and Kelly now in their tribe, the four original Fang members started to strategize. They hypothesized that Sugar, who would be joining their tribe after Tribal Council, would be most likely to share the hidden immunity idol with her allies Ace and Jacquie if she had in fact discovered it in her time on Exile Island. Despite Kelly's physical weakness and Jacquie's contrasting strength, Jacquie's ties to Sugar posed too great a threat to the original Fang. As a result, it was Jacquie Berg whose torch was extinguished at Tribal Council making the 25 year-old medical saleswoman from Santa Barbara, California, the fourth person voted out of Survivor: Gabon. Her final words reflected her disappointment, "So I just got voted out of Survivor and I am so upset. Um, I kinda saw it coming and if I would've stayed in one more round, I feel like I could've made it all the way in this game, so they were probably smart in saving their own butts. But I'll be waiting for when they get kicked off."

THE OUTCAST

As Kota returns from their first Tribal Council, Kelly immediately separates herself from the tribe. She is upset that she lost her only ally in the game, Paloma, and quickly targets Ace. "My strategy right now is that I want Ace off. I just don't like Ace," she comments. Meanwhile, Ace admits to his tribe that Tribal Council was the most excruciating experience for him, and targets Kelly. "I think Kelly voted for me, and she will be the next lamb to the slaughter."

THE CORE FOUR

The next morning, Fang is still falling apart despite winning the last two challenges. Randy continues to remind the tribe that the rice portions are running low, and suggests that they eat only one meal per day. In an effort to find an alternative solution, Susie takes Randy, Dan and Matty into the jungle to find fruit. Crystal and GC become suspicious of the four, and begin to form conspiracy theories that the four could be forming an alliance. GC assures Crystal and Ken that, despite the other four separating, they still have a tight group of three. In the jungle, Matty, Susie, Randy and Dan discuss how the other three members of the tribe tend to alienate everyone. Randy fumes, "I could tell GC that the sky is blue and he's gonna argue with me." "And Kenny, he is like Mini Me to GC," he continues. The four agree that no matter what, they should get rid of GC next, followed by Crystal and Ken. The four shake on it, and an alliance is formed. Matty comments, "I really truly feel that this alliance that we have created is gonna be solid for a while. I think that it is gonna carry me pretty far."

TRIBE SWITCH

Both tribes arrive on their respective mats, as host Jeff Probst explains what they will be doing. Both tribes will rank each member from top to bottom according to importance in their tribe, with one being the highest ranking. Once both tribes are finished ranking each member, they will take their spot according to rank on numbered pedestals, colored red and yellow for each tribe. Jeff hands off tally boards to each tribe member and asks them to find a spot on the beach to fill them out in private.

The rankings are revealed, with Marcus being number one for Kota, followed by Ace, Bob, Charlie, Jacquie, Corinne, Sugar, and Kelly. On the number one pedestal for Fang is Matty, followed by Dan, Randy, Crystal, Ken, GC, and Susie.

In a shocking twist, Jeff reveals that they will be picking new tribes. Matty is devastated by this due to the recent forming of his foursome alliance with Randy, Dan and Susie. Jeff then tells Matty and Marcus that, because they were voted the most valuable players on their tribe, they will become captains of those same tribes and will choose their new tribemates in a schoolyard pick. Marcus steps onto a mat for Kota, while Matty steps onto a mat for Fang. Marcus picks Dan, followed by Charlie, Randy, and Corinne. Matty chooses Ace, followed by Crystal, Jacquie, and Ken. When faced with the decision to choose between GC and Susie for the new Kota Tribe, Randy convinces them to choose Susie. In a surprising move, Ken chooses Kelly, who was ranked last by her tribe to join the new Fang. Susie picks Bob to join the new Kota Tribe, while Kelly chooses GC. Since Sugar was not picked by any tribe and is the last person left, Jeff reveals that she will go to Exile Island and will remain there until after the next Tribal Council. She will then join the tribe that loses a member, evening the tribes up at seven-seven. Jeff then tosses out new tribe buffs to the new Kota and Fang tribes and dismisses them back to their camps.

FITTING IN

The new Kota Tribe returns to their camp, with Randy paranoid of the original Kota members voting off one of the old Fang members if they lose an immunity challenge. "If it's not me, I'll go along with it. If it is me, I'll burn the camp down," says Randy. Randy, Susie, and Dan become aware that the Kota Tribe is well put together, with Bob as the tribe worker. Susie picks up on this, and decides to use that as her strategy: "My strategy right now at Kota is to just keep working hard at camp, and I'm hoping that they see that as a positive and say 'She's worth keeping.'"

COMFORT AT EXILE ISLAND

Upon arriving at Exile Island, Sugar chooses comfort over the clue since she already found the hidden immunity idol the last time she was sent. She then indulges herself in a great abundance of fruit and goes for a swim in the lake. Sugar ponders, "This game is so crazy 'cause I don't know what team I am going to be on when I get back. I'm hoping that I go back to Fang so that I can be with Ace, and hopefully they'll vote off Kelly and then I can come take her spot. I'm sure they will. They're not idiots."

A NEW ADDITION

Kelly, Jacquie and Ace arrive at the new Fang camp, taking note of the differences between the two camps. Ace immediately helps boost the old Fang members' spirits when he teaches them how to find ginger to improve the flavor of the rice. Kelly makes it known to Jacquie that she felt like an outcast at her old tribe, which gets the attention of the original Fang members. "She felt like she needed to belong somewhere and maybe she really does belong with Fang," Crystal observes. Crystal relays this information to Ken, pointing out that Kelly might prove to be a great asset since she clearly does not like Ace or Jacquie. They then approach Kelly, who reveals Ace's alliance with Sugar and Jacquie. She makes it clear that she is on board with the original Fang members because she has no outside alliances with her former tribe members. Ken reveals, "When I saw Kelly on that mat and she was the last one picked, I knew I could sway her to my side because she did not get along with Kota."

THE NEXT TO GO

Susie returns to the Kota camp with treemail, which is accompanied with lacrosse sticks. The tribe begins to practice with them as they prepare for the upcoming immunity challenge. With the threat of facing another Tribal Council if they were to lose this next challenge, Marcus points out that the two oldest former Fang members, Randy and Susie, should be the next to go. He says that it is a toss-up of which one to get rid of first since Susie has been doing a lot of work around camp and Randy has the potential to perform well in challenges. Randy assures the tribe of his allegiance, "I will do my best despite hating each and every one of you."

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: BIG OAR DEAL

Both tribes stand on their mats as host Jeff Probst explains the rules. Each tribe member will have a raft and a paddle. On "Go," Jeff will toss a ball into the water. Tribe members will race to gain possession of the ball. Using their paddles, they will pass the ball from one tribe member to another until they are close enough to toss the ball into the opposing tribe's goal, scoring one point for their tribe. The first tribe to score three goals wins immunity.

The first round begins with both tribes struggling to maneuver the rafts. Jacquie steps up with the ball, but it is deflected by Marcus, who maintains control of the ball. No one on the Fang Tribe makes a move to attack Marcus. Crystal, Kelly and Ken are barely moving as Marcus passes the ball to Randy. No one on the Fang Tribe is guarding Randy as he tosses the ball past Ace and into the goal, scoring one point for the Kota Tribe.

In the second round, Fang is equally useless. Ace tries to use his hands to paddle in the water faster, but it is too late. Marcus maintains possession of the ball once again, taking his time past each of the struggling Fang members. Crystal yells to Kelly to deflect the ball away from Marcus, but she does nothing. Marcus passes the ball again to Randy, who tosses the ball into the goal, scoring the second point for Kota.

With Kota leading 2-0, the final round begins with Marcus getting to the ball first. Ace comes close to gaining possession of the ball, but loses it, allowing Marcus to toss the ball a long way down the course between Ken and Crystal. Marcus is able to make his way past Ken and Crystal, who are virtually not moving or making any effort at all to gain possession of the ball. Marcus tosses the ball past the two of them to Randy, who attempts to score another point, but is just short. Dan, near the goal, attempts to complete the task, but is blocked by Matty and falls out of his raft. Randy makes his way to the goal, and slams the ball past Matty and into the goal, scoring the third point and winning immunity for Kota.

AN UNLIKELY TARGET

Defeated once again, Fang returns to camp recounting the mishaps of their latest immunity challenge. "Kenny, you sucked out there," says GC. Kenny defends himself, claiming that he does not know how to paddle. Matty praises Jacquie for her performance, to which she replies, "It's hard to play defense in that game." Kelly snottily lashes back at her, saying, "Should-a, could-a, would-a…over it." GC tries to convince Ken and Crystal to vote out Kelly due to her poor performance in the challenge. They hesitantly agree, but change their minds when they realize that Sugar will be joining their tribe and is very close to both Ace and Jacquie, making the threesome a threat if Sugar holds the hidden immunity idol. The paranoid members of the original Fang tribe believe that Sugar may have found the immunity idol. By voting out Kelly, they would be risking the chance that Sugar would give the idol to either Ace or Jacquie, thus making them a major threat. Matty joins the group, and is told that Jacquie is on the chopping block instead of Kelly. Alarmed by this, Matty immediately brings this information to Jacquie, who becomes distraught. She then goes around to each Fang member, begging them to keep her in the game and vote out Kelly. She reasons that it would be better for the tribe to keep her as she has more physical strength than Kelly. Jacquie, grasping at straws, even goes as far as offering to be the fourth person in Crystal, GC and Ken's alliance.

TRIBAL COUNCIL

At Tribal Council, Matty agrees that they must keep their tribe as strong as possible. Kelly defends herself by stating that she was not the only tribe member who performed poorly in the challenge, and puts the spotlight on Crystal's terrible performance. Crystal retorts, "I tried to move that rowboat as fast and as best as I could, but it wasn't moving. I just wasn't participating as much as I normally do." Ace and Jacquie admit that they do not feel safe despite being physically strong players. In the end, the former Fang members stick together, and vote out Jacquie. With five out of the seven votes cast against her, Jacquie Berg, the 25 year-old medical saleswoman from Santa Barbara, California, becomes the fourth person voted out of SURVIVOR: GABON: EARTH'S LAST EDEN.

I'll be back Thursday morning with next week's preview and picks.

Fun Survivor Fact: If Favorites from Fans vs. Favorites are counted as All-Stars, Burton Roberts of Survivor: Pearl Islands is the only non-All-Star contestant to have been voted out twice...and he was blindsided both times.

Only Kelly did, and they’d be expecting that.

still trying to figure out if I like any of these folks enough to root for them. is it just me or is this about the dumbest collection of Survivors ever?