Survivor: Gabon, Episode 6 Recap

Well, we reached a critical turning point for me with this episode. As I've been saying, I'm totally into the Marcus/Charlie/Corrine domination. But my heart always goes out to the Matty/Crystal/Kenny underdogs. However I think I'm mostly ready for them to be put out of their misery so the game can move on and get rid of that bastard Randy.

The reward challenge was a familiar one. I actually thought the red tribe had a shot at this. But Kelly was a terrible pace setter, and they proved - again - they are unable to come together as a team. Matty has heart, but I loved it when he was holding about three feet of the skinny part and was screaming at Ace, who was struggling with the bulk of the snake, to hurry up. Crystal again disappoints, although she is still probably one of the stronger female athletes, she just doesn't have the endurance. Get that girl a gel pack stat!

The immunity challenge was more fun, because for a fleeting second it actually seemed like the red tribe was actually going to pull off an upset thanks to Matty and Kenny thinking outside of the box and sprinting over the top of the obstacle. I like that. But - AGAIN - when it comes time to put the puzzle together they all just stand around and watch Ace struggle. ::groan::

Matty seems like a really nice guy. He is even willing to play the game, making a pact with Ace to get to the merge. The thing is, the game part obviously doesn't come naturally to him, or he would have realized that that alliance doesn't help him in any way. He was the one with the power (along with Crystal, Kenny and perhaps Kelly), he should have had Ace crawling to him, not the other way around. He was just so desperate to feel like he was making something happen to better his game, and I just don't think he is wired to understand the complexity of the game part. Too bad, but oh well.

Crystal is weird. But unless the producers are going to have a sprinting challenge, I just don't think she has much more to offer my viewing pleasure. (Note to producers: WHERE IS THE SPRINTING CHALLENGE?!?!) And her breakdown - and I don't mean the crying, I mean her wild overreaction to Kelly - was terribly off-putting.

Kenny - well, I still like Kenny. Go Kenny!

Sugar absolutely mystifies me. Whatever bad I had to say about Matty, multiply it times a hundred for Sugar. Why, tell me, why did she give the idol to Ace? I can't come up with a scenario where that could have possibly made any sense to her. Fortunately Kenny talks some sense into her, so she steals it back, but even this is done with minimal explanation. I don't get her. It was cute that she cried about eating food when her tribe was hungry. I don't really get why Kota keeps sending her to Exile. It's just kind of mean.

Randy can't go soon enough. I will be very sad if he makes it to the jury. He is just awful.

I was, of course, hoping for an surprise Ace vote. Or even Sugar. I have no love for Kelly, but she would have been a very useful tool for Matty and Crystal and Kenny had they had any brains. Clearly they don't. Producers: this is getting boring. Do something. Team decimations are only interesting if you have a breakout character like Stephanie to root for. And even then it was more painful than anything. Merge early, I dunno. And, whatever you do, you had better make sure that Randy gets what is coming to him.

PS - I bag on Ace, cause I think he is full of it, but I have to say he is absolutely the most interesting character on the show at present. He is smarmy and relatively unlikable with a fake Indian-British accent, but at least he is smart and playing. I'm afraid this would all be an unmitigated disaster without him in the mix.