Surviving Gabon, Episode 10: “Looks Like an Idol to Me!”

Last week, we saw what looks to be a harbinger of doom for the onion alliance, as Charlie followed Marcus to the jury. Then when I interviewed Charlie, we found out probably more about him than we saw on the show! While Ken has proven to be the brains of the show right now, he also showed that he’s willing to lie to his own allies to make a non-strategic move (the booting of Charlie). Will that plus his previous lie to Sugar about Ace come back to haunt him? Will Bob be able to play his fake immunity idol? Will Sugar have to do something with the real one? Or will this episode be fairly predictable and see another member of the onion alliance go home? Let’s find out!

We begin as the Nobag tribe (still the worst tribe name ever) returns to camp from Tribal Council on Night 27. Randy tells us Ken and Crystal know that the power has shifted. Well of course they do. He further says he thought he was the target because he pissed off a bunch of people, but admits the other side made a smart move because Charlie has a lot of friends. Kind of like I said in Why Charlie Lost – they made the right move for the wrong reasons.

Corinne tells us that in the morning, she’ll reevaluate the situation and try to come up with something. Hey, here’s a thought: Try to come up with something that doesn’t involve assuming all your opponents are morons and you’re the smartest one there. Just a thought. She recognizes that she, Bob, and Randy will be the next three going home, though they don’t yet know in what order.

The next day, Sugar and Bob talk, with Sugar saying she wants Randy out. Bob tells her he doesn’t have the idol. Well, there’s a newsflash. He actually tells her he made a fake one. Oh, Bob. Don’t you realize that Sugar must have the idol? I thought you were a smart guy. You could have told her you found a second one! Sigh. Sugar thinks Bob might have some sort of strategy in telling her about the fake idol – “Maybe he’s an evil genius.” Um. I don’t think so.

Time for Corinne and Randy to talk about how stupid everybody else is – I mean, strategize. Well, to them it’s the same thing. The funny thing is that Corinne complains that the others are so stupid because they should realize there are five of them and only three spots in the final three. Why is this funny? Because it’s the same story she, Marcus, and Charlie were peddling! So when it was her, she was brilliant. When it’s somebody else, they’re stupid.

Randy tells us he has Corinne, but there isn’t much two people can do. So he just plans on being his “same, charming self.” OK, I have to laugh at that. Randy tells Corinne he doesn’t like any of these people, and she one-ups him by saying she hates them all. It’s like they’re made for one another!

He says he pretended to be nice, but it doesn’t work. Corinne says not to even bother being nice to Sugar, but to try to convince Matty that he will be on the chopping block sooner rather than later because the others won’t take him to the final three.

Treemail! Looks like a Survivor auction. Corinne tells us she doesn’t plan on spending a penny on anything unless it’s something that will help her in the game. “Nothing tastes better than $500… except a million.” Considering that she’s been eating well, I’d say that’s a sound strategy.

They arrive at the auction and are told that the rules from last season apply – no pooling of money and no sharing of food. Host Jeff Probst takes all the fun out of the auction!

The first item up for bids is beer and peanuts. Randy and Sugar start a bidding war that ends with Randy paying $180. As he goes to pay, Sugar says she doesn’t even like beer that much, but she just wanted to up the price for him. Nice.

The next item is a covered platter. Ken bids $100 and Randy goes for $200. Ken goes to $300 before Randy pushes all-in for $320. Ken bids $340 for the unknown item. And it is… a paper scroll. Ken opens it and reads it: Send yourself or somebody else to Exile Island. If you send somebody else, you take all their money. I’m sure he’s about to send Corinne, but no – he sends Bob. Bob? Why? Ken seems to think Bob wants another shot to find the idol, but of course Ken knows it’s not there. It’s a bit convoluted, but I think I almost understand the reasoning there. Almost.

Next up is another covered platter. Once again, it gets pushed up to Randy bidding $320. Ken says fine, he can have it, but then Sugar jumps in for $340. And Sugar gets… some sugar! It’s in the form of chocolate along with peanut butter. And all it cost her was $340, not her dignity, like some previous contestants have given up for that treat.

A hot bath is up next, including all they need for a good scrub and a clean set of their own clothes. Randy immediately goes for $320 and is just as quickly outbid by Susie. Randy bids $100 to bathe Susie if she wins. Susie laughs, but I bet she’s actually thinking, “Ew!” Susie wins!

Sugar says Ken should have gone for it, because she’d have cuddled with him if he had new clothes on. He asks if she would cuddle with a rich man, earning a laugh. Meanwhile, Susie hops into the tub.

Probst thinks everybody will bid on the next item – a burger and fries. Crystal and Matty start small-change bids until Randy jumps in with his usual $320. Ken outbids him and Matty goes for $400, which earns it. So Ken has all this money and he hasn’t bought anything with it yet.

Susie decides the bath is hot and so she gets out. Sugar can’t believe it, and even Probst seems a little surprised. She paid all that money for a bath and is out in mere minutes? Okay, whatever.