Survivor retro rewatch: Gabon episode 7, “Apple in the Garden of Eden”

A merge would be too generous to the viewers of Survivor Gabon, as Earth’s last Eden tempted participants to bite into the apple of protection.

It’s been 21 days completed as of the end of the previous episode, and after a player from each tribe was eliminated, the remaining ten Survivor Gabon castaways are expecting the merge. It always comes at around the 13-11-player count in a season, and supplies are dwindling. Susie throwing Corinne under the bus at the previous Tribal Council means Kota may not have the numbers they once thought. People are getting paranoid.

With the looming Ace threat taken care of, Fang approaches “tomorrow’s merge feast” with the lie that Sugar used her idol. That way, if the Kota Six outnumber the Fang Four, they can idol out another player and possibly slither their way into something that works. Not so much has been outright said, but for once, Fang is using their heads as a team!

So here we go; the Day 22 merge feast! Everyone comes together and does something Fang has been dreaming of doing for weeks; enjoying a bountiful amount of food. Crystal, Kenny and Matty have only experienced one reward (comfort materials) prior to this luncheon, so every aspect of gameplay just melted away.

Of course, the cruel fate of Survivor means that even a reward has a gameplay price. Hidden beneath a bowl is a clue to a Hidden Immunity Idol on that beach. Both Charlie and Marcus make their most important move of the season; the former throws the clue over to the latter while the latter suggests they throw it away.

The idea of temptations and biting the apple in the Garden of Eden shows just how ahead Survivor Gabon was compared to Big Brother 19 today. They had a nine-year head start to offer up temptations that led to consequences and somehow presented it in a dignified way with the Hidden Immunity Idol. This time, the tribe literally flushed it out, with Randy finding it in the sand within seven seconds and throwing it into the ocean within minutes.

Marcus, of course, sees the forest for the trees, solidifying a stronger merge scenario for Kota with one less piece of protection going against them. Of course, this is Survivor, and nothing can get in the way of Big Moves! It’s not a merge; it’s another tribe swap! Kota is now Bob, Crystal, Ken, Marcus and Susie, while Charlie, Corinne, Matty, Randy and Sugar make up Fang.

When it comes to the edit of Survivor Gabon, it’s hard not to pick up on any glaring differences in the flow of episodes. Marcus suddenly becomes the focus of attention as he wants to flush the idol, makes a connection with Crystal (after learning his best friend is her cousin), feels conflicted in playing the game, etc. I honestly thought going into this episode that Fang was destined to lose once more (hence Charlie’s elimination), but the edit was so blatant that it rushed me back to watching it all those years ago.

The general pacing of Survivor Gabon is sluggish, and perhaps the late merge is partially responsible for that. It seems like people are having their personalities developed two or three at a time, let alone having a full cast of “under the radar” and “middle of the road” edits, making it difficult to root for anyone other than someone like Matty. Even then, you know someone portrayed prominently and heroically before the merge (Brad Culpepper of Game Changers) will give way to someone else later (Sarah Lacina).

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This episode may be the least entertaining of the entire season as the first 55% of it consists of a nothing meal, two groups of people aiming to take out members of pre-swap Kota and little more than a Marcus push. It’s at the Immunity Challenge that things get weird.

Nothing too out of the ordinary for what players have to do (hold up two poles against a structure with the top of your hands and standing on your toes), but it’s an example of Jeff trying to stir the pot too much. Matty, when facing off against Bob, hollers at him and gives out the most distinct turkey gobble ever heard. Meanwhile, Jeff Probst is pissed that someone dares taint the sanctity of a “Dig deep” challenge.