How the Survivor New Era Has Failed

The long-running CBS show Survivor entered a “new era” in 2021. Jeff Probst, who has hosted the show since Season 1, introduced the changes to the show’s format right before the Season 41 premiere, calling the new era “Survivor 2.0.” He told fans the game was more dangerous than ever, comparing it to a “monster in a horror movie.” Jeff’s decision to create a “brand new game” didn’t sit too well with fans. Many viewers were upset by the sudden changes and accused Jeff of “breaking the game” on Reddit.

It’s true that after Survivor seems to have lost its way a bit. The “new era” felt like an attempt to bring in new viewers but ultimately, ended up causing an uproar among longtime fans.

Here are all the reasons why the new Survivor era has failed:

26 Days

The first 40 seasons of Survivor were 39 days. Production shortened the game to 26 days in Season 41 to comply with COVID-19 restrictions. The show continued with 26-day seasons after the restrictions were lifted. Many fans were disappointed with this change. I have to agree. 26 days on the island isn’t enough time to truly test a player’s endurance. The shorter seasons resulted in the game feeling overstuffed. Almost as if the players were being suffocated by the number of twists cramped into such a short amount of time.

Too many twists

The shorter seasons weren’t the only change fans were up in arms about with regards to “Survivor 2.0.” Fans also criticized the number of new twists added to the game. Survivor 41 featured Beware Advantages, the infamous Hourglass twist, Shot in the Dark, Do or Die, and a number of other confusing twists that made the game feel convoluted.

A few Survivor alums spoke out in opposition to the “new era” of Survivor. Notorious villain Russell Hantz told Jeff to cool it with the twists in a YouTube video.

“I didn’t like any of that. It needs to go back to normal, Jeff. Nobody likes this stuff,” he said.

Season 1 winner Richard Hatch also took a moment to criticize the changes in a February 2022 episode of the Drop Your Buffs podcast.

“I love love love the game, but I despise what’s happening to it,” he told hosts Sean Ross and Evan Ross Katz. He even called out Jeff directly, stating, “Jeff Probst is horrendous as a human being. He’s just ruining the show…His gimmicks and his ego are destroying it. He doesn’t understand the game.”

Thankfully, the twists have been scaled back a bit in more recent seasons. Seasons 45 and 46 felt far more in line with “old Survivor” than 41 and 42. Jeff put the Hourglass twist to bed and got rid of those bizarre Beware Advantage catchphrases. However, even with these changes, the show still feels a bit lost.

Why so serious?

Where are all the villains? Survivor used to be filled with unlikable villains who scheme and lie their way to the end. Now, that feels like a trope from the past. Everyone seems so concerned with being disliked by the public and it’s become quite boring. Where is all the drama? This is not a congeniality contest, this is Survivor. I fear the days of savage jury speeches and playing dirty may be behind us.

Boring challenges

There used to be more diversity within the challenges in older seasons of the show. They felt more unique. I mean, who could forget the Sumo in Mud competition in Season 20? Now, the challenges all feel so similar. You swim, you climb, you do a puzzle. We need more fun, interesting challenges.

I think there is quite a bit to criticize about the new era. However, I do have to give the show props for listening to fan criticism and readjusting. Season 44 onward felt like a massive improvement from the previous three seasons. They cut down on the twists and gave players more room to play, which I really appreciate. Is it perfect? No. Is it moving in the right direction? I think so. I am skeptical about Survivor 47 but choosing to remain hopeful.

TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE “NEW ERA” OF SURVIVOR?

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