Survivor Analysis 8: The Doctor Is Out!

Lots of heartpounding events happened in episode eight but no matter how he thinks he acquired the power to control the whole game, the anesthesiologist Harvard graduate from Jacksonville Florida, Marcus Lehman, was eliminated from the game and become the first member of the jury.

This episode is unforgettable and it's C-O-O-O-O-L that one of my four I-Favorites sealed a spot in the jury.

Like in Season 5, there was no merge for the final ten castaways and a series of twist transpired again upon their arrival at a beach where a feast was waiting.

First, there's this mysterious box on the table and will be only open when they finish eating.



Surprisingly, Ken found a piece of parchment under the box saying a hidden immunity necklace is up-for-grabs once again and it's buried underneath a tree nearby.

"On the sand lies a large dead log
Cradled in the crook of a tree
Beneath the end of the tree’s lowest limb
You can dig for immunity"

Ken got the great advantage to keep this secret from others but Charlie saw him and immediately grab the piece of parchment and handed it to his Kota tribemates.

After reading, the group decided to search for the hidden idol and Randy found it as soon as he dug under the limb of a tree.

This was a lucky time for Randy but I can't understood the LOGIC behind laying the idol in the table and allowing somebody to grab it. This event tells me Randy was now very confident in his position with KOTA.

With the hidden immunity on the table, Matty and Ken were tempted to grab it but no one did it.

To Matty, "taking the idol is like biting the Eden apple, and you’d be exiled from paradise. “Nobody wants to be thrown out of Eden.” (Reality News Online)

Geez, giving up an immunity idol is probably the most goofiest thing you can do in the game of Survivor.

As a result of this event, Marcus and Randy threw the immunity necklace in the ocean.

Another unexpected twist occurred when they opened the box. Again, the KOTA and FANG were switched.

New Kota:
Bob, Marcus, Susie, Crystal, and Ken.

New New Fang:
Randy, Charlie, Corinne, Matty, and Sugar.

Upon their arrival in camp, new talks, new plans were discussed. Marcus felt very vulnerable because Corrine and Charlie were not on his side anymore. He knew he could trust Bob but Susie was 50-50 with his offers.

Susie made an impression in this episode. As I see it, she was in a good shape when she decided to side with Crystal and Ken to vote off Marcus. Marcus is without a doubt a threat and there's no way of breaking his alliance with Corrine and Charlie.

In Fang, Matty was the outcast. Right from the beginning, he got no ally. He had Sugar beside him but they were still outnumbered. Corrine, Charlie and Randy were tight in their alliance and once they lose the immunity challenge, Matty would be sent packing.


Good things really happened when you're least expecting it. Matty Whitmore was the big hero of this week's immunity challenge and guaranteed three more days in the island.

"Immunity Challenge: The castaways would hold two poles on the tops of their hands up against a board over their heads. Any movement in their hands would cause the poles to drop to the ground. The last person who does not drop their poles would win immunity for their tribe (WIKIPEDIA)."

"And Crystal is out in less time than it takes me to write that sentence. Now Sugar is out after about ten seconds. Probst says this is going to hurt – quickly. Susie is out. Randy and Corinne are out simultaneously.

Ken drops his pole and it’s two on two now. Marcus is shaking, Matty is struggling. Marcus can’t do it – he’s out. Probst points out that the oldest person in the game, Bob, is the only Kota member left. (RNO)"

Matty and Bob were two last standing castaways. Matty's right pole was nearly on the edge of the board and nearly falling. Fang would have lose it but out in the blue, Bob couldn't hold on and his poles went off.

Miracles really do happen but some big miracles can still happen if only he grabbed the hidden immunity idol during their feast.

If Matty got the necklace, he will not be a target in the succeeding episodes and can have the shot to sail through the final four with Ken.

Thanks to Crystal scheming!

And she didn't give in to Marcus. With respect to Marcus, his strategic decisions in the previous episodes were all good. He was like the invincible KOTA KING but in this episode, his vulnerability devoured him.

His plan to ally with Crystal for the sake she was his best friend's cousin and vote off Ken was completely senseless. Crystal and Ken were buddies and what power Marcus has to ruin that connection.

Maybe, if he sided with these two Fang members to get rid of Susie or Bob might save his skin for three more days. The only problem is, Ken and Crystal didn't like him either.

Marcus is a physical threat. He could devise a plan better than the others and the time has came to end his reign.


Truth is, the remaining nine doesn't need a doctor anymore! (LAUGHS)

To see more HD images during this week's episode, click here
Photo courtesy of:
http://www.realitynewsonline.com/
http://www.survivor.com/17/