Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites - "He's a Ball of Goo!"

STUDIO: CBS
PREMIERE: March 6, 2008
STARRING: Jeff Probst, Erick Reichenbach, Natalie Bolton, Joel Anderson, Tracy Hughes-Wolf, Chet Welch, Alexis Jones, Jason Siska, James Clement, Amanda Kimmel, Oscar Lusth, Cirie Fields, Ami Cusack, Jonathan Penner, Eliza Orlins, Parvati Shallow, and Kathy Sleckman.
CREATED BY: Mark Burnett

The already excellent 16th season of Survivor gets even better tonight when the creators of this ever-evolving show mix it up yet again with another season-changing twist. Don't worry, we're not going to spoil anything (and we weren't even given the tribal council TO spoil, although we have our theories on who's going home). We're just going to recommend to anyone who's enjoyed even one of the first fifteen seasons of Survivor (yes, it's been on that long) that they tune in to Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites tonight. They may have to change the name to "Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorite vs. Fans vs. Favorites". And, perhaps most importantly, even if you missed the first four tribal councils this season, you can pick up tonight without losing a step. It's shaping up to be one of the best installments in this landmark reality series to date.

In case you haven't seen the show this year, the twist is that CBS found ten hardcore fans of Survivor and put them in the same game with ten of the best players from recent years. At first, it seemed like the favorites would have the obvious advantage, but the fans not only know the show but they know how these specific favorites play. Does experience trump knowing your opponent's playbook? For the first four weeks, it wasn't much of an issue as the two parties were divided and it looked like we'd have to wait to the merge for Micronesia to get really interesting as fans and favorites mixed.

Wait no more. Tonight, Survivor pulls one of their great twists and mixes up the teams early. A fan captains one team and a favorite the other and they alternate picks and teams like your teacher made you do back in gym class. Since we've lost two fans and two favorites to date - check out interviews with three of the first four evictees, here, here, and here - the newly formed teams are even - four of each on either side of the island. Will the foursomes stick with their original teams? And, if they do, how will the deadlock be broken? Wouldn't it be a good idea for a few of the more struggling players to cross party lines? Jonathan and Eliza have been struggling on the favorites and looked like they might get picked off. On the other side, Chet, Tracy, and Kathy have had reason to worry. Maybe a favorite could save their troubled necks.

Like it has in past seasons, Survivor has completely changed the game with one great twist. Survivor: Micronesia started strong, but tonight's episode is the perfect twist to take the season to a completely different level. It was an interesting so far, but the early mixing of fans and favorites has the potential to make this the best season in years. Don't miss it. And if you have so far this season, don't hesitate to jump right in.

(And come back to check out an interview with the latest evictee on Monday.)