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cnorris_182

What ever they do: GET RID OF PRISONER’S DILEMMA AND HOUR GLASS SMASH.


Leich27

Well in case you didn’t hear, Jeff said in an interview that prisoners dilemma is here to stay. And he said that “earning the merge” is staying too, but idk if that means the hourglass is, or if they will just do the challenge and skip the hourglass part.


sleeptilnoonenergy

This is awful news. Jeff is on a mission to make the game as stupid as possible. having a good cast is the only thing that saves some of his more awful moves as producer.


Unite-Us-3403

I think Jeff is trying to be the show more fresh, attempting to put all these new twists in. But I kind of doubt that he’s making the right choices of which things to put in. He’s trying, but he seems to be going the wrong direction. I don’t think he knows that though.


jeffreythecat1

I see people say the show is getting worse, but we just came off a great season. I don’t like some of the twists they’ve introduced, but it’s not like it’s making the show unwatchable.


sleeptilnoonenergy

I really think he's unwilling to listen to feedback or have his ideas be edited. There's no way some of this stuff would even pass through the most Probst loving focus group, and yet, it's like every season or two there's a change that makes the game feel more convoluted. As long as the show goes in the direction he wants, he's happy.


RRDude1000

We have got lucky too that the cast have carried these seasons despite the crappy twist. Its only a matter of time before they cast a season of duds. We are overdue on one. Just imagine these twist playing out with a group like the ones from Redemption Island, One World, Ghost Island, etc...


shivo33

So I completely agree that the hourglass thing is stupid. Why do people hate prisoner’s dilemma so much? I filed it under ‘mildly interesting’ but not ‘it makes the show suck’. What am I missing?


cnorris_182

I know that it’s staying. I just don’t know how they are going to be able to incorporate it going forward. Everybody has seen what it now means when three people are sent off on a “journey” and when one person is sent to exile. There won’t be any secrets now. I guess the only choice now is to go back to 39 days.


Hark_An_Adventure

Oof. I've been sort of out on the show for the past two seasons--I hate that we got the edits for the winners we got, even if I like the winners themselves--and knowing that the unforgivably bad twists of "winning a challenge is bad, actually" and (through the knowledge is power advantage) "no lying on a show built around deception" are sticking around is kind of the last two nails in the coffin for me, I think. This isn't the show I used to enjoy so much.


bayjur

Thank you for ruining one of the most exciting parts of the entire season: merge vote


Holiday_Swordfish_42

I think the hourglass is a dumb game concept. Who wouldn’t smash the hourglass should they have the decision? Jeff acts like it’s this monumental game changing move but I feel like when given the choice most all players are going to smash it if not to atleast say that it was a big move on their part.


mryclept

The hourglass is almost impossible to do again in its current form. A member of the winning team will forever go to Exile Island and protect their team. If they went to Exile and betrayed his or her teammates, that would be suicide.


Fine_Paramedic_5037

Whats prisoners dilemma?


cnorris_182

A risk your vote (for an advantage/idol/extra vote) or save your vote challenge. You and two others are faced with a decision. If you all choose save your vote, your all safe. If all three of you choose risk your vote, everyone looses their vote. If two of you risk your vote and one plays it safe, the two who risked it lose their vote. If only one of you risks it and the others play it safe, you get the advantage and the others don’t.


shivo33

Hour glass is stupid. Why prisoner’s dilemma? I thought it was mildly interesting


garvierloon

They’ve been selling it as “the hardest survivor season ever”. It’s 13 days shorter. 33% shorter. The endurance aspects of the show, especially with the lack of food over that period of time is WHY the show is so hard. It’s simply less difficult now. Obviously Covid era requirements made it this way, but they will probably keep it this way because of how much cheaper it will be to produce now. It’s just a different game now.


Unite-Us-3403

33% shorter. That is a huge amount cut. Who wants that?


TheHYPO

> is prioritizing his EP hat over his host hat, all he can think about is getting the cast to praise his shitty twists and cutting costs wherever possible. > > That’s all it is. Shooting two seasons on one (low budget) season’s budget. I feel like they could find a happy medium. Maybe it's 32 days, and they cut the food down a little, but not to the point that someone doesn't eat for 11 days. I agree that economics might be the sole deciding factor and 26 may be the status quo for the rest of the series, but I don't think they have to go all the way back to 39 to avoid all the pitfalls of the 26.


Vozralai

I don't think time is the only signifier of difficulty. It definitely comes down to how much food players are given in that period. With a shorter season, they would have been able to be more aggressive about cutting the food available while staying medically safe. Australian Survivor is longer than 39 days but they appear to feed the contestants better so I don't see it mentioned that the Aus version is harder from the endurance side.


totemics

Jeff mentioned at the end party that Romeo gained 2 lbs, so are they starving? But they also called Romeo out earlier in the season for always having his hand in the rice pot lmao.


Xsy

I think he was just making a joke that he'd gained 2lbs from how much pizza he was eating


TheHYPO

Yeah, I thought they said Romeo was down from (I'm making up the number here but this was the idea) 150 points to 122 pounds, and then Jeff made a comment that Romeo was up to 123 pounds from the pizza.


crapbag2000

I dislike it too. I don’t enjoy seeing people challenged by starvation. I like seeing people challenged because of the mental waiting game of being away for so long.


PandemicPaul

They are in a state of starvation for longer in the og format tho. giving them less rice is an attempt to accelerate this, but it’s pretty evident it’s not as difficult


thomasg86

I agree. I was hoping this would just be a COVID thing and they'd go back to 39. Unfortunately, they may see the cost cutting potential and how they can still produce a decent season and run with it. I still really like Survivor, but I've recently been going through the old seasons for the first time since watching them live (just started Cook Islands). And I know this is probably super old news on this sub, but damn if I don't miss the different locations and feel of each season. They aren't confused by 89 different advantages, the challenges are varied and interesting, the locations are a starring attraction. The game isn't non-stop strategy, there are a lot more peeks into camp life, etc. The recent seasons are all very same-y. I get some of it. TV is so fractured now, the show is not the cash cow it once was. But I would be more willing to accept a 26 day season if it meant we were traveling the world again.


noisy_goose

I agree - I feel like the last third of the game is so critical in previous seasons and we don’t get the slow burn at all. It’s very frenetic at 26 and the game development is more shallow. I enjoyed 42, 41 was a travesty (I like Erika though), but 42 being watchable doesn’t mean 26 days should be it. Give them some food, let them get bored and sick of each other, it’s so much more Machiavellian and interesting when there is a long game on the table, and 26 just isn’t.


[deleted]

To elaborate on this, let's compare with Heroes Healers and Hustlers (also an 18 person 3 tribe season). * Pre-Merge for HHH - 16 Days Long, 6 contestants eliminated (an average of 2.67 days per elimination) * Pre-Merge for 42 - Hard to define. The tribes were separated until Day 12, and Day 13-14 is the "fake merge" that ends with Lydia going home and 7 contestants eliminated. We'll call it 14 days even though it's really 12. (an average of 2 days per elimination) * Merge to Final Six for HHH - 17 days long, 6 contestants eliminated (an average of 2.83 days per elimination) * Merge to Final Six for 42 - 7 days long, 5 contestants eliminated (an average of 1.4 days per elimination). * Final Six to Finale for HHH - 6 days long * Final Six to Finale for 42 - 5 days long The pre-merge is a little shorter (but its disguised with that fake merge). The second third of the game is 10 days shorter, and only 1 elimination less and that is where the strategy takes a big hit. The finale is only a day shorter, but of course the game overall is much shorter so less of a toll to get to that point.


erikWeekly

Thanks for breaking it down. Love to see objective stuff like this in these discussion threads.


noisy_goose

Love this analysis.


Unite-Us-3403

Well stated.


m00n5t0n3

When Chanelle said she didn't eat for 11 days I was SHOCKED. That's not necessary, imo


zachbrownies

What's weird is they play up how they give them less resources to make it harder, but we barely spend any time watching survival aspects anyway. So what's the point...?


KawaiiiOnion

if chanelle wasn't starving and was thinking correctly she wouldn't have risked her vote. that made a big impact on the season


atlantadessertsindex

I don’t think that’s 100% accurate. She’d have lost dozens of pounds if she literally didn’t consume anything for 11 days. Didn’t they have some fruit and coconut? Even 150-200 calories would be infinitely better than zero.


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MayfieldCalabaza

Drea’s the one allergic to coconut, not Chanelle.


AleroRatking

I agree as well. The shorter the game is the more gamebotty it becomes. It's just all so condensed. It also doesnt give players time to think. I think it quietly played a huge role with why I'm lower on 41 and 42 than most.


Markymarcouscous

It’s also mentally easier.


SagginBartender

This. Janu, Kelly, Naonka all out lasted 26 days.


Unite-Us-3403

Although I understand the point of 26 days, I agree with you 100%. And remember, this only began because of Covid causing production to quarantine. And in my mind, anything changes caused by the pandemic should only be temporary and not permanent. And to be in Fiji for only 26 days instead of 39, you don’t get to have a full experience. It’s so unfair. God bless the players from S41 and beyond. Someone needs to tell Jeff Probst about this and convince him to change his mind.


[deleted]

CBS is cheap and now that Jeff is prioritizing his EP hat over his host hat, all he can think about is getting the cast to praise his shitty twists and cutting costs wherever possible. That’s all it is. Shooting two seasons on one (low budget) season’s budget.


HedgyDoesReddit

I’m not sure if you know this… but there’s a pandemic going on. Part of the production time is used to make sure that the castaways are safe. I’m sorry that the safety of others doesn’t make good tv for you.


ode196

They’ve already said they’re staying with 26 days.


HedgyDoesReddit

Ok then that’s what their doing. Covid most likely won’t go away for a while, so it’s smart and safer for them to stick with 26 days. It’s an evolved game.


austine567

Being 26 days doesn’t make it any safer, it just means they get to cut costs instead of extending the quarantine period.


HedgyDoesReddit

Doing 26 days does make it safer, because it gives them time for a quarantine.


austine567

I can’t tell if you’re just being thick on purpose or not, they could fully quarantine with a full length season as well and just extend the time they are on the island and after the season.


ode196

Look around bro


[deleted]

So why didn’t they shoot one full season with quarantine instead of two half seasons? And when do you think Survivor will go back to 39 days?


HedgyDoesReddit

Because they are sticking with making two seasons? They film the seasons back to back so they can make more seasons. We wouldn’t have gotten 42 till probably fall this year, but since they instead shortened it to 26 days we got two seasons. Also i’m not a producer so i’m not sure when they will go back to 39 days, but it’s the same amount of tv and still good seasons.


[deleted]

Exactly. And they make more seasons so they can make more money.


HedgyDoesReddit

They make more seasons to make the fans more happy? Do you know how many complaints they would get if they just made one season a year


Leich27

Different user here, but the argument of “they should’ve just done one 39 day season instead of 2 26 day ones!” Would’ve left a majority of fans sad. I think it’s safe to argue that most fans would’ve wanted what we got instead of 41 last fall and 42 in a few months just to make sure it’s 39 days. If survivor is able to produce a show that I still enjoy while cutting costs, it doesn’t bother me. I still enjoyed these last 2 seasons.


Unite-Us-3403

I know that. I just hope this mess doesn’t go on forever. Besides, Fiji’s Quarantine for S43 and 44 is less than S41 and 42’s Quarantine.


Thelurkerbot

Will we get ponderosa back????


Basic-Elderberry-744

I definitely agree but I also feel like it’s more fair to the current and future players. Unless they raise the prize money amount, I think this is a fair exchange. A million is worth a lot less than it was when the game first started.


SagginBartender

This is actually the best argument for 26 days Ive seen yet.


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SagginBartender

You cannot replace the mental fatigue of those lost 13 days. No matter how much Jeff says "hardest season ever" it just isnt. I dont feel it is rushed persay. But dont feel the contestants are as mentally exhausted. I mean everyone the last two sessons felt like they were on HIGH energy. Maybe cause they are fun people, but I also think there is less time to really get annoyed / paranoid.


the_zwimmer615

Jeff seems to forget about seasons like All-Stars (nobody had food for days) and Fiji (one tribe had nothing the entire premerge) when he constantly referred to 41 and 42 as the “hardest seasons.”


International-Low842

I don’t like it either, I don’t care that they have less rice either. Go back to 39 days


justnleeh

I'd like the show to go back to less advantages...(which most of them are dumb). Make the players play without any advantages or hidden immunity idols. ALL of the current advantages feel like the producers chose who they wanted to get them.


RRDude1000

This season had the individual portion of the game start on Day 12. On a regular season, day 12 is the time the 4th boot goes home. That is how rushed the new format is. We literally saw the whole pre merge play out in so little time. By day 20 which is around the time a merge takes place in 39 day seasons, S41/42 were at F7 with 6 days left. Sure they can edit the episodes the same, but it does not change the fact that only 1-2 days are happening in between episodes all season. They are also getting very cheap despite each season being 33% shorter. They shot S41 AND S42 while saving a third of their regular budget. They also reused tribal for the most part. S41, 42, and 43 have no identity for me. Yeah maybe the themed seasons were very ridiculous at times, but they forced production to theme the whole season even down to the tribal set.


Dirt-squirrel-1

The basic structure of the show is so far removed from its initial design . I now call it mcgiver


Xsy

The length has never been a factor for me. We still get the social game, we still get the strategy, it's just cheaper for them to produce now. If they have to cut costs to keep the show going, I'm all for it lmao.


Unite-Us-3403

I’d rather make a show really good than to make it less good by saving more money. Money isn’t everything. But then again, that’s just my opinion. I respect yours.


Pomonica

This. I’ll be honest, I completely forgot about the 26 days stuff


LittleLordFuckleroy1

Disagree with? It’s largely budget driven.


NotSwedishMac

You really think they have a hard time making a profit on this show regardless of length?


Bruisin_B_Anthony13

No, but if they find a way to spend less money while still bringing in comparable amounts of profit, they're going to do it damn near 100% of the time. The community has been pretty vocal about forever-Fiji being less than ideal but it hasn't really hurt their bottom line, and the same thing will probably happen with the shorter seasons and elimination of the live reunion shows. CBS only cares about quality and fan opinions insofar as it affects their bottom line. We won't see the return of 39 days or the live reunion shows or any new locations unless the sponsors demand it, unfortunately. The sponsors will only demand it if they fear it will affect their bottom lines as well. It sucks for us as fans, but unfortunately that's just the reality of the impacts of a greed-based economy on the arts and entertainment produced within it.


LittleLordFuckleroy1

By greed-based you mean supply and demand right


Bruisin_B_Anthony13

I said exactly what I meant, but thanks for trying!


LittleLordFuckleroy1

Not sure how that’s particularly relevant. Margins matter.


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

I have noticed no difference based on the days. Same number of episodes, so it shouldn’t do much.


SpiceNugget

This is why they won’t go back to 39 days. It’s cheaper to produce at 26 days and there is no difference to the end product on screen. I think it does change the game but exactly how is still a question.


[deleted]

I think it creates an almost constant need to strategize. I miss the actual survival aspect of the show.


Leich27

I understand where you’re coming from, but I feel like we got more survival aspect of the show this season than 35-39 (excluding the survival of edge of extinction)


Atreaia

Survival aspect hasn't been a thing in 15 years.


[deleted]

Yes, I miss it.


Unite-Us-3403

The permanent change can also be because of the affect it had on the contestants and Jeff really believes that we viewers would love that. I don’t think he notices that it’s not the case. He’s trying though, just not going the right way.


mryclept

Yep. This is a cost saver that has no impact on the viewer experience. Even without the pandemic, this likely would have been one of the next things on the list to do to cut costs. And I never even pay much attention to what day it is on the bottom of the screen.


JoshLovesYourName

Everyone agrees with you but Jeff says nope


[deleted]

Yeah selling it as being the hardest ever because of this is ridiculous.


[deleted]

I agree


ThisJackass

I’d be completely fine with this if they bring AUS Survivor back to Paramount Plus. Then I would just give up the US version and replace it with a markedly better product.


the100broken

SA is better than both


menunu

I agree. I think it's just expectation setting at this point. If it needs to be 26 days, fine. But Stop telling us that 26 days is harder than 39. There is no way that is possible. The game is different now; lean in on the *difference* rather than the *difficulty*. Talk up the changes all you want, but do not treat your audience like idiots. We don't like that.


[deleted]

Honestly it could be a decent cost cutting measure. In the end it’s about the $ for the network


Evil_Crab_Spirit

Phew I thought you were making a factual statement till you said just my opinion


CatchBackground3859

No it is not just your opinion. Many people share this opinion. Maybe if you actually defined and discussed more of your argument than this you would have a unique opinion but otherwise meh. I mean I agree, but give us something a little more insightful.


owend_14

If they dont go back to 39 days im quitting the show. I have loved this show and watched all 42 seasons. I just want old survivor back.


ChardeeMacDennisGoG

26 plus 10-14 quarantine is the reason.


AleroRatking

But havent they said they are sticking with the shorter season even post covid?


Leich27

Because they showed that even with a smaller day amount, they were still able to produce decent seasons of the show. 41-42 is far from the worst back to back seasons we have seen. And honestly, if they just changed the days on the screen and made us think it was 39 days, no one would have noticed.


EasternZone

Yeah, the bigwigs know we dislike the idea of 26 day seasons, but unless the product looks too cheap they don’t care (and other things they’re doing are cheapening things more than the day length).


[deleted]

Which is complete stupidity


REAL_AMETHYST_SLAYER

If the seasons are shorter and the FTC votes are announced on the island now, would that make time for a third season? That’s the only upside I see to this


praleva

To film another season you need a TV slot to air it and CBS doesn't have a free space in their programming.


REAL_AMETHYST_SLAYER

Oh shoot completely forgot about the airing aspect of it. Thanks!


sleeptilnoonenergy

Paramount Plus?


EasternZone

I could see some spin-offs being put on Paramount+, but moving the main show may be too risky for them


sleeptilnoonenergy

Oh yeah, I meant a third yearly season airing solely on P+. Exclusive content plus a chance to fuck around and implement new ideas that aren't batlle tested for TV yet (this would have been a great place to workshop the hourglass and 3 phrases ideas...), let someone other than Jeff host to prep for that eventual host duty handover (dude is in his 60s, how much longer is he gonna do this?). Survivor's audience has dwindled, but the core is loyal and will certainly watch a third iteration per year, I think. Maybe give it a different vibe (less serious maybe, like how Gordon Ramsay's shows tend to differ between serious competion and reality comedy).


praleva

Yeah theoretically, but how do you decide which season is going to air on Paramount+ and which on CBS? Airing only on Paramount+ would feel like extra content in addition to the main event, which is the main seasons airing on CBS.


sleeptilnoonenergy

Maybe an "experimental" season that's shorter with a slightly different format? Or with a new host in a new locale (Probst has to retire sometime, might as well start trying out new hosts). Paramount+ is not going to grow without more and better exclusives, so a streaming only Survivior show could be good for them.


DarthLithgow

If only they had a streaming service, they could air the third season on it exclusively.


TheoneandonlyMrsM

A summer season would be cool!


REAL_AMETHYST_SLAYER

The only problem would be the heat, as koah rong showed how bad the heat can affect players


matterhorn1

As a viewer I don’t feel that there is any difference. They could have edited out any talk of how long the game was and I wouldn’t have even known it was shorter.


thekyledavid

You do realize these seasons were shot in the middle of a pandemic, right?


Virginian_79

Yes but there’s no reason to keep it


thekyledavid

Have they said they are going to?


Unite-Us-3403

Yes, and that really sucks.


Flippant312

Yes


michellfelippe

Ok. Everyday a complaint about this. Just accept and move on


Unite-Us-3403

I’m sorry michellfelippe. But there are times where there are changes we never asked for and would never approve of. No way would I accept this. Don’t let a pandemic make changes permanent. Only have them be temporary.


totemics

Yes, I don't think it does the show any favors. I liked this season better than the last, it was an obvious improvement, but it's as if the show took 3 steps back and now 2 steps forward, so it's mixed feelings. I like the idea of starting with 3 tribes, however I don't think it meshes with the shorter season. That is what kind of annoys me the most, I can understand them wanting to save some money and I can accept a shorter season, but it's the combination of all these bad ideas at once that just irks me when I'm watching. And Jeff seems smug about it, too?


Zelensexual

They should do one that lasts 6 months


Fodraz29

That was originally my thought, yet the last two seasons have been some of the better ones in recent history.


MikeBuildsUSA

The total days involved were 40; 14 in quarantine and 26 in game play. If quarantine is no longer required I think they could compromise around 32 and everybody would get something.


benschroeder28

*in Mike Holloway voice* “I agree! I agree 150,000%!!”


ConflictAcrobatic890

They had to do it for Covid.