Ask Eliza & Murtz: Survivor: Gabon – Episode 8

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Eliza: So Murtz, what did you think of the episode? I say the FIX IS IN. The immunity challenge was clearly meant to be an individual challenge!! How could they change it at the last second just because they didn’t like who the final six were going to be? I call BULL$H!T! What do you think?

Murtz: Wow, that’s a hardcore opinion Eliza. I love it. I gotta agree though. I hate twists and this one was horrible (although not even close to being as bad as Michelle’s on Survivor Fiji). I HATE that they add these stupid twists to the game. While they could argue that it would have been too predictable with Kota stomping over Fang, who is to say that would have happened for sure? This season has already seen Sugar turn on Ace and now Crystal turn on Marcus. It’s anything but predictable (unless your name is Murtz) and didn’t need any twists. What did you think about the Marcus exit?

Eliza: I was disappointed because it doesn’t bode well for my buddy Charlie, but if anyone can make the best of the situation, he and Corinne and Randy can! I’m still pulling for them. I’m looking forward to the REAL merge next week. Do you think they get another feast? I’ll be super jealous! Haha. They already have shelters built for them this season. What next???

Murtz: Haha. It will be kind of funny if they get another feast. They deserve it though after being screwed so many times this season. The only thing I liked about Marcus being gone is that it kind of evens things out now. Guys everywhere were upset about the Kelly and Jacquie eliminations. With Marcus gone, I can already hear women crying everywhere. It’s okay ladies. There are still some good-looking options out there right Eliza?

Eliza: Ummmm…only gay ones! :) Well, at least we still get to check out our eye candy on Ponderosa! They’re doing a new season of it on cbs.com. Have you had a chance to watch yet? They get to take a chopper to tribal council from Ponderosa. I’m so jealous! Looks gorgeous. I feel for Marcus though, first juror is a rough spot to be in, but he played a great game and if it wasn’t for this twist, I think he had it locked up. Don’t you?

Murtz: Eliza, you forget that I can’t see any of the videos here in Canada. They are geogated. Bah. We always get the raw end of the deal up here. We don’t even have Barack Obama as our president (although, that being said, we didn’t have George Bush for the last eight years either!) Marcus totally had the game locked up if there had been a merge. Raw deal for him, but that’s happened to quite a few before him. No one hates twists more than I do, but they have become a staple of this game that we love.

Eliza: I know, I know. Twists are the name of the game now. I want to see season 20 or whatever the last season is go back to the basics. No hidden idols, no exile island, no swaps, just PLAIN SURVIVOR. I know you agree. Okay, let’s get to this week’s picks!

THIS WEEK’S BEST PLAYER

CRYSTAL

Eliza: Despite Crystal being completely inept at every challenge put before her, we named her best player of the week because even though she was seemingly outnumbered 3-2 on her new tribe and her closest ally was being targeted, she managed to turn it around. Crystal exhibited the true cutthroat behavior required for a skilled Survivor player. Marcus fell right into her trap and Crystal used her cousin (and his relationship with Marcus) to her advantage. She saved Kenny, her closest ally, and now actually has a chance of not just being picked off when the real merge comes along next week. She also was the only one who talked to Susie and convinced her Marcus wouldn’t keep her around. She single-handedly turned the vote from Kenny to Marcus and got rid of a huge strategic and physical threat and save her ally.

Murtz: I honestly never thought that Crystal would ever be named the best player of the week, but this time she earned the nod. In a seemingly impossible situation after being outnumbered 3-2 by the incoming new Kota tribe, Crystal gained a new ally in Marcus and then slit his throat by making a pact with Susie. It was an impressive display. Crystal managed to convince her old Fang tribe member that getting rid of the game’s most powerful player was the best move and it worked out.

THIS WEEK’S WORST PLAYER

RANDY

Murtz: It was a bad week for Randy as his powerful alliance was split because of another twist, but this is not why we selected him as the worst player. While his move to convince the others to throw away the hidden immunity idol had a point (to make sure that the idol didn’t help the old Fang members draw even with the Kota majority), it ended up backfiring on his own alliance member Marcus. I think that common sense dictates that any type of immunity is better to have than not to, and I think that Randy made a bad move by throwing it away. I know many have also said that Randy’s bad attitude will cost him and I think that as the merge approaches, this actually might have more of an impact than originally thought. While Randy is the best strategist left on the show, I think his game took a couple of hits this week. Sorry Randy. Even the best wedding videos need editing some times.

Eliza: Murtz, I agree. Randy not only threw out the idol after being the one who found it (yes, in a matter of seconds), but also put himself in jeopardy by getting so drunk and letting his guard down. Randy did not have his best week ever and he could be in serious danger after his ally Marcus was voted off. Hopefully Randy has a better week next week because I don’t want to lose our most entertaining player of the season.

ELIZA’S PICK

Best line of the night: “I’m the King of Gabon.” -Randy

MURTZ’S PICK

Best line of the night: “I’m the kind of Gabon… cheers.” – Randy

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Murtz Jaffer is the world's foremost reality television expert and was the host of Reality Obsessed which aired on the TVTropolis and Global Reality Channels in Canada. He has professional writing experience at the Toronto Sun, National Post, TV Guide Canada, TOROMagazine.com and was a former producer at Entertainment Tonight Canada. He was also the editor at Weekendtrips.com.