SURVIVOR RECAP!
Fang Tribe (Red Buffs): Crystal, Dan, GC, Ken, Matty, Randy, Susie
Kota Tribe (Yellow Buffs): Ace, Bob, Charlie, Corinne, Jacque, Jessica, Kelly, Marcus, Paloma
Losers: Michelle, Gillian
MICHELLE AND GILLIAN VOTED OUT IN DOUBLE EPISODE
After losing back-to-back challenges, the Fang Tribe was the first to go to Tribal Council. Torn between voting out Gillian, the weakest person in challenges, or Michelle, whose constant negativity around camp began wearing them down, Fang came to a unanimous decision. In a landslide vote, Michelle Chase, the 24-year-old music assistant from Los Angeles, California was the first person to be voted out of SURVIVOR: GABON -- EARTH'S LAST EDEN. Michelle leaves behind her final words: "I'm not really surprised. Losers stick together. Fat people stick together. They decided to keep Gillian, who's like a hundred and five, and to vote me, who's twenty-four and completely fit. I mean they're all idiots. They're all voting off the strongest member, so it's going to be interesting to see what happens. Very interesting."
INTO THE WILD
Eighteen Americans from different walks of life are thrown into the wilderness of Gabon, one of the most remote places in Africa. Wearing nothing but their street clothes, these castaways are led by a group of local warriors through untouched savannah that is home to a variety of animals including elephants, gorillas and buffalo. Host Jeff Probst greets the castaways and asks them to introduce themselves. Jeff tells the group that it is tradition in Gabon that the elders typically make the big decisions and are the leaders. In keeping with that tradition, the two oldest people, Bob Crowley, the 57-year-old physics teacher from Portland, Maine, and Gillian Larson, the 61-year-old Nurse from Temecula, California, are chosen as leaders of separate tribes. Going off very little information, they are forced to choose whoever they want, male or female, on their respective tribes after picking a colored mat to stand on. Bob chooses the yellow mat, and Gillian chooses the red mat. They rock, paper, scissors to decide who gets to pick first, and Bob wins, paper covering rock. He chooses Ace first, followed by "Sugar", Marcus, Charlie, Paloma, Kelly, Jacquie and Corinne. Gillian chooses Crystal first, followed by Susie, Matty, Randy, Dan, "GC", Ken and Michelle. Charlie Herschel, the 29-year-old lawyer from New York, New York, is dumbfounded when Susie is among the first tribe members chosen on Gillian's tribe. "Okay, now we're playing stupid Survivor because this makes zero sense. She clearly is not an athletic person. I am so confused, like, don't you want to win immunity?" Michelle is put on the spot when Jeff asks her what it feels like to be the last one chosen. "I'll learn to love you guys…maybe." Jeff tosses the tribes their buffs. Gillian's tribe becomes the red tribe, Fang. Bob's tribe becomes the yellow tribe, Kota. Then, Jeff shocks the tribes by asking them, "Are you ready for your first challenge?"
REWARD/IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: ONE FOR ALL
Both tribes must race through red and yellow flags that outline a pathway up to the top of a hill where there are two individual immunity idols, one for each tribe. The first person from each tribe to get to the top of the hill and grab the idol will be safe at the first Tribal Council. Also at the top of the hill are the essentials that both tribes will start with, including a bag of rice. Also waiting at the top of the hill is an extra bag of corn and beans. The first entire tribe to get all of their members across the black line wins the corn and beans.
Both tribes immediately dash across the savannah with "GC" and Matty in the lead. Fang falls behind, with Gillian bringing up the rear. Matty runs back to help his lagging tribe members as they struggle up the hill. Bob and Ace help Paloma up the hill as Kota's lead increases. "GC" is the first at the top of the hill and grabs the immunity idol for Fang, while Marcus grabs the immunity idol for Kota. Michelle is the first woman to the top of the hill. Susie, Gillian and Crystal really struggle to get up the hill, despite Matty's help, giving Kota a huge lead. The chance for victory becomes hopeless for Fang when the Kota members make their way across the finish line, while Gillian, Susie and Crystal barely make any progress. Kota wins the extra bag of corn and beans when all of their members make their way across the finish line in a landslide victory. Matty pushes Gillian up the hill after a long struggle, finally getting all of Fang's members to the top, but it is too late.
ELEPHANT DUNG
As the Fang Tribe arrives at their new camp, Gillian Larson, the 61-year-old from Temecula, California, begins discussing their first loss. "Apparently according to some people we sucked today. I don't think so. I thought we were awesome, and I think that's what we need to do is we just got to keep that awesome spirit going." She then goes on a trek through the jungle in search of elephant dung. After finding some, she brings the elephant dung back to camp and suggests that her tribe eat it, noting its many nutrients from undigested seeds that exist within it. Randy Bailey, the 49-year-old wedding videographer from Eagle Rock, Missouri, finds Gillian to be annoying. "She is so busy at just trying to look busy and she's not accomplishing crap."
TWO ADAMS
Back at Kota, Ace begins annoying the tribe when he delegates orders on how to make fire and get water. Ace's goal is clear. "What I've done at the moment is give suggestions, let other people carry them out, take some of the benefit and then they go, but you know who suggested it? Ace." Charlie and Marcus walk off by themselves and both agree that Ace is irritating, but they should let him run the show for a while to take the target off themselves. Charlie opens up and admits he is attracted to Marcus. "Ever since I saw him on the mat and he picked me, I just felt this connection in his deep blue beautiful eyes." Marcus agrees he has a connection with Charlie, but that it is purely on a friendship level. "I'm straight, so, we're in Eden, but there's no two Adams here."
NIGHT TERRORS
As night falls on Fang, sounds of elephants and other wildlife are heard lurking in the shadows. "There's an elephant thirty yards from our house just cruising through the forest right behind our little hut," says Matty. Suddenly, Randy bangs his head on the top of the hut, causing a deep, bloody gash on his forehead. The Survivor Medical Team is called in and they administer a couple of stitches and explain to Randy that the biggest risk is infection. Randy is willing to do whatever it takes to stay in the game and expresses his fear that his injury might take him out. "Leaving this game is not an option and I am petrified that this injury could take me out of the game."
THE NEXT MORNING
At Fang, Randy's injuries have improved and he expects to be fully recovered in the next few days. Michelle whines about being cold. "We're supposed to be on the freakin' equator. Where the hell's the sun?" Matty notices Michelle is suffering and tells the tribe, "Look at her, she's miserable." Her complaining continues when Dan tries to make fire with a bone. "I don't think I got stuck with the brightest bunch, that's for sure."
REWARD/IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: TEMPTATION VALLEY
The two tribes, Fang and Kota, arrive on their mats, ready to play. Host Jeff Probst explains the rules. Six tribe members will be belted together. They will race through a swamp, over a net wall, under and over a series of hitching posts. They will come to a sand pit where they will dig up three bags of puzzle pieces and make their way to the finish, where the three remaining tribe members will use those pieces to solve the puzzle. First tribe to solve the puzzle wins. He reveals they will be playing for tribal immunity and fire in the form of flint. Paloma, "Sugar" and Bob are chosen to solve to puzzle for Kota, while Gillian, Susie and Randy are chosen to solve the puzzle for Fang.
Both tribes dash off into a leech-filled swamp. Kota starts off with a bit of a lead, while the puzzle solvers cheer each tribe on. Both tribes begin climbing over the net wall, while Jeff emphasizes, "Everybody's got to get over." Corinne and Kelly get stuck while climbing over the net wall, giving Fang the lead. Fang keeps their lead as they crawl under the hitching posts. Fang arrives at the sand box, with Kota close behind. Both tribes begin an unfriendly exchange of dirt in each other's faces as they attempt to find their bags of puzzle pieces. Kota finds their first two bags of puzzle pieces as Fang struggles to find their first bag. Fang finds their first bag of puzzle pieces. Kota finds their third and final bag of puzzle pieces and rush to the finish where the puzzle solvers cheer them on. With exhaustion setting in, Fang slows down. Kota quickly solves their puzzle as Fang loses hope. Gillian loudly cheers Fang on even though it is obvious they have no chance of winning. Fang finally finds their remaining two puzzle pieces, but it is too late. Bob, "Sugar" and Paloma solve the puzzle, winning immunity and fire in the form of flint for Kota, and sending Fang to their first Tribal Council.
NEGATIVE NANCY
At Fang, with Tribal Council looming, "GC" points out how nobody has stepped up to be the tribe leader. Matty targets Michelle due to her negativity around camp. With paranoia setting in, Randy tells Matty that it is early and he is unsure of who he will vote for. He targets Gillian, exclaiming, "[Gillian] cheerleads and blows sunshine thinking they're gonna like her, but to be honest, Gillian is worthless - totally worthless." Ken and Michelle also target Gillian because she is the oldest and weakest member of the tribe. Ken informs Michelle that she herself is on the outs, in which she retorts, "That would just like confirm my beliefs in this tribe that they are like, the dumbest people on Earth." She is amazed that her tribe would rather vote her off than Gillian. Gillian and Dan are dead-set on voting off Michelle, calling her "Negative Nancy." Gillian still fears it might be her own torch that gets snuffed, saying, "I might be the naive woman that's just walking around thinking, 'It's not me, thank God.' But it may be."
TRIBAL COUNCIL
At Tribal Council, Fang immediately erupts into a shouting match brought on by Michelle. They bicker about who didn't perform well in the Immunity Challenge, and come to the conclusion that the tribe desperately needs a leader. "GC" volunteers to be the leader, and the tribe agrees that he would be the best man for the job. Both Michelle and Gillian plead their cases, each arguing that the tribe could get rid of some "dead weight." In the end, the tribe decided that Michelle's negativity around camp was bringing them down, and she was voted out of the game. With eight of the nine votes cast against her, Michelle becomes the first person voted out of SURVIVOR: GABON -- EARTH'S LAST EDEN.
THE SECOND PART
After losing "GC" as their leader and another immunity challenge, the Fang tribe's morale had reached a new low. At their second Tribal Council, the tribe came to the conclusion that they needed to get rid of the weaker players if they are to win any challenges. Although paranoia had risen around camp that Dan may have found the hidden immunity idol on Exile Island, it was Gillian who was sent home. The tribe agreed that she was the weakest player, with seven out of the eight votes cast against her. Gillian Larson, the 61-year-old nurse from Temecula, California leaves her final words. "There's a huge part of me that would've wished that I could've won Survivor Africa because I am still not done with wanting to play it. I guess it doesn't work to speak your mind when you know you really shouldn't. I should've just continued flying low under the radar and I didn't. It's been an absolutely fantastic experience and I wish the tribe good luck because I think they're gonna need it."
THE NEW LEADER
Fang returns from Tribal, excited to have Michelle gone from the tribe. Their new leader, "GC," immediately begins his role by making fire. The tribe seems to be united for the first time, as they cheer him on. "GC is the hero," Susie proclaims. "GC" dances around the campfire. "It's crackin'. The fire is crackin'. I'm feeling good." "GC" steps full-on into his role as tribe leader by delegating the workload for the day. His suggestions make the tribe question his judgment when he does not understand the most efficient way to cook the rice using lake water. Randy expresses his frustration. "[GC] is too young and he doesn't know squat about any of this." The tribe begins to fall apart as "GC's" orders are carried out. Crystal shouts at Susie to get leafs for the bed as "GC" asks why nobody is moving. Randy's disconnection to his tribe finally comes to a head. "My best plan right now is just to keep my mouth shut, sit on my ass and watch it self-destruct."
THE SECRET MEETING
At Kota, Marcus, Charlie, Corinne and Jacquie meet in the jungle to discuss their new alliance. Corinne and Jacquie officially join the alliance of Marcus and Charlie. Corinne suggests loosely adding a fifth person, Bob, to their alliance to give them the majority. Everyone agrees that if they can convince Bob that going with Ace is not the right way to go, they will be set. Charlie is ecstatic. "It was like magic. It was like one brain working as one. It was amazing and I really think we're on the same page here."
ON OUR OWN…AGAIN
In the dead of night, things continue to crumble at Fang when "GC" washes his clothes while the tribe sleeps. Things get worse when Ken joins him and they make a fire, adding to the noise. Soon enough, everyone is awake and talking before the sun is up. Gillian voices her opinion to "GC" to keep the "blah blah blah" down at night. "GC" sees this as a sign of aggression, and snaps at her. "I'm not about to let people talk to me anyway they want," he says. He takes this even further and shocks everyone by resigning as leader. "He's a leader who quit. Who quit this morning," says Dan. Although Dan is offered to take "GC's" place as leader, he refuses, stating that his management style would not be fitting for the tribe, although he would secretly like to be the "silent leader."
REWARD/IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: LEMME GO ROCK 'N ROLL
The two tribes arrive on their mats. Host Jeff Probst explains the rules. Both tribes will push a large boulder through a series of gates. Along the way, one tribe member must stand on the boulder to retrieve two sets of three keys, which are tied to the top of a pole. When the tribe reaches the final gate, they will use those keys to open three locks and then race to the finish. First tribe to the finish with their boulder securely on the pedestal wins tribal immunity and the reward of fishing gear, consisting of hooks, line, netting, worms, traps and a spear. In addition, the winning tribe will choose one person from the losing tribe to go to Exile Island. Waiting on Exile Island is the first clue to the location of a hidden immunity idol. Kota has one extra member, and decides to sit Paloma out of the challenge.
The tribes dash off with their boulders. Gillian gets in Fang's way as she struggles to keep up. Kota makes it to their first set of keys, with Bob standing on top of the boulder to retrieve them. Fang slows down as they make it to their first set of keys with Ken standing on top of the boulder to retrieve them. Bob grabs the first set of keys for Kota, with Ken grabbing the first set of keys for Fang. Fang is right behind as both tribes make their way down to the second gate. There is a huge collision of boulders just before the second gate as both tribes head down a hill. The tribes are dead even at the second set of keys. Bob flies through the knots and grabs the second set of keys for Kota. Fang is right behind as both tribes race to their third and final gate. The tribes are neck-and-neck as they work to undo their three locks. Kota rapidly unlocks all three locks and darts off to the finish. Fang is right behind as they unlock their three locks. It is a race to the finish for both tribes. In the end, Kota is the first to place their boulder on the pedestal, winning tribal immunity and fishing gear. In addition, Kota decides to send Dan to Exile Island.
UNDEFEATED
Kota returns to camp excited as ever as they carry their fishing gear back to camp. They instantly begin to catch an abundance of fish as Marcus, Bob and Ace cast the net and fishing line into the lake. The other tribe members cheer them on with each fish that is caught. With tribe morale high, Jacquie proclaims, "I don't envision us losing ever."
SEARCH FOR THE IDOL
Dan arrives at Exile Island to find a surprising twist. He must choose between a clue to the hidden immunity idol or comfort in the form of food. He immediately chooses the clue and is off on an expedition to find the hidden immunity idol. The first clue hints at a sandy crater across the lake. Dan interprets the clue to mean that he should look in the lake, so he does, but finds nothing. He begins digging in various places on land, but to no avail. Frustrated and exhausted, Dan appears to be defeated. "Right now I'm just miserable. I'm tired, I'm thirsty, hungry. I've got cuts everywhere, all over my hands and I cannot find this immunity idol."
THE WALKING TARGET
After losing yet another immunity challenge, Fang prepares for their second Tribal Council. Ken, Crystal and Matty are set on voting out Gillian due to her lack of performance at challenges. Meanwhile, Gillian attempts to sway Susie to vote out Ken so that the older people on the tribe can stay in the game longer. "It's the young ones that are ganging up against us," she says. "They'll get rid of me first, but you're next."
Starving and defeated, Fang decides that it is time for change. Randy makes a fishing hook out of the rim of his glasses, and Crystal catches worms for bait. "GC" uses his shoe strings for fishing line, and he and Ken make their way to the lake to catch some fish. "GC" is the hero when he catches five sardines for the tribe. Fang is finally eating protein after six days.
Dan returns from Exile Island and stirs up paranoia around camp that he may have found the immunity idol. He tries too hard to convince everybody that he was unable to find the idol. The tribe agrees that Dan has been acting suspicious, which places the target now on him. "He's definitely got the idol, dude, he's acting too weird," says Matty.
TRIBAL COUNCIL
At Tribal Council, Dan reveals to the tribe that he does not have the immunity idol by standing up and emptying his bag, which eases their fears. Ultimately, everyone agrees that they are a tribe of individuals and need to start winning challenges. In the end, Fang spared Dan and voted out Gillian, the tribe's weakest player. With seven out of the eight votes cast against her, Gillian Larson becomes the second person voted out of SURVIVOR: GABON -- EARTH'S LAST EDEN.
I'll be back Wednesday night with next week's preview and picks.