Prepare for a Survivor: Game Changers Double Episode

CBS’ schedule has shown that there’s actually going to be a double episode of Survivor: Game Changers next month, but what could it be for?

Although there are several weeks between now and the next Survivor: Game Changers two-hour episode, we already know the latter exists. Take a peek at CBS’ primetime schedule for the week of April 17. Right there on Wednesday, April 19, you can see that Survivor has taken up twice its usual amount of space.

So, what’s happening that week? Dare we suggest it’s the merge? Bear with us here, because we’re about to do some math.

After this week’s episode, we’ll have 15 players left in the game. Next week’s episode is April 5; there’s also an April 12 episode, which might bring back Exile Island. Assuming one elimination per episode (and thus suggesting that there is no double vote and a tribal shuffle resulting in what my colleague calls “Julia Exile”; I instead suspect that they might bring back Exile Island for a brief appearance just to throw a wrench into everyone’s plans), then we’d be at 13 players going into April 19’s episode, the presumed merge. Why does that matter?

Cast your mind back to the season premiere. Sierra found a Legacy Advantage that guarantees her immunity when there are 13 players left and then when there are six players left. It seems that the most logical explanation is that it would protect her in the initial chaos of the merge or when ties become very real possibilities. Of course, Survivor is a game that doesn’t always do well with logic, especially on a season that has already gone for plenty of twists.

Just on its own, the Legacy Advantage makes a reasonable case for there being a merge at 13. With the double episode falling at the same time that there’d be 13 players remaining, assuming there are no extra Tribal Councils between now and then. That’s two strong pieces of evidence. The additional time to show off the remaining players certainly wouldn’t hurt, though this season has already done a double elimination in a double episode. (That’d be the premiere, for those keeping score at home.)

Unfortunately, the CBS schedule doesn’t even give us an episode title for this two-hour April extravaganza. Could the title itself be a spoiler, and that’s why? That seems to be a bit too far in terms of theorycrafting, and we’d rather not read too deeply into it, but it’s something to keep in mind nevertheless.

Next: Game Changers Episode 5 Preview: Peanut Butter Jelly Time

What do you think this double episode has in store?