‘Survivor’: Jeff Probst Discusses Biggest Mistake Players Are Making in the New Era
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Survivor Season 47 Episode 7.]
There’s one trend among castaways in the new era of Survivor that still has Jeff Probst scratching his head seven seasons in. The “new era” is Survivor Seasons 41 through the present day, when all of the seasons are 26 days of gameplay instead of 39 like every season prior. In the latest episode of the Survivor On Fire podcast (embedded below), tied to the October 30 episode on CBS, Probst asked cohost and Season 46 runner-up Charlie Davis to help him understand his biggest point of confusion in the new era, and it led to a discussion about a mistake that contestants too often make in recent seasons.
Survivor Season 47 Episode 7 showed Sol finding an advantage that he could gift to the opposing side before tribal council. He chose wisely by giving the advantage to Rachel, who was the only person at tribal who wasn’t formerly part of the Tuku tribe. That group of five seemed primed to vote her out, but they feared presenting an all-Tuku alliance, especially when the other six players were present for tribal but safe from elimination and could therefore witness their strategy play out.
Rachel’s advantage gave her two options: block a vote or have safety without power (aka she’d be safe from being voted out but couldn’t vote herself). After partaking in earnest in the tribal deliberations, Rachel revealed her advantage just seconds before the vote, announcing that she would choose safety without power. She made it clear that she was only playing this unexpected advantage because she refused to go home with something in her pocket that could’ve protected her. This led to Tiyana being eliminated in a blindside that left her in tears.
As Rachel left tribal, she thanked the mystery person who saved her. Sol played dumb and didn’t take credit, but he could next week. Davis thought Sol was smart to keep his cards close to his chest.
“Maybe he wants to hide the information from Tuku or maybe he wants to be able to share it with the right person at the right time,” Davis said on On Fire. “Ultimately if you give up control of that information, you might lose a little bit of power.”
In response, Probst asked, “Charlie, can you give me any insight to something I’ve been pondering since the new era began? That is why so often in the new era, players are sharing so much information with each other.”
“These overexcited new era players, oh my goodness,” Davis replied. “It’s a great question, and it’s hard to answer too. I think one of the big variables at play is just the excitement of it all. When you have good news, which in Survivor is finding an advantage, pulling off a big move, playing an advantage, you want to share with your friends. You want people to know that you’ve just done something really, really cool. It’s like if you just got hired for a new job, you want to tell your partner or your family or whoever it is. It’s the same in Survivor, but there’s a lot more consequences in Survivor that I think players have been forgetting about lately.”
“That’s really interesting because that’s human behavior. That is I’ve got something exciting, it’s a bucket list item, and I’ve got to share it with somebody. My feeling was have the new era players created a world in which the value system demands that if you tell me I’m your number one, you must tell me everything. And if you don’t and I find out later there will be a penalty. If that’s the case, then that’s where the game is.”
Probst thinks castaways should be trying harder to steer away from this trend.
“From a big-picture standpoint, as a potential future player, I would want to be moving that away from this ‘I have to tell you everything,’ because it’s going to make it difficult for the player who works hard to find an advantage to maximize its power if I have to tell the four people in my alliance. Because one of those four is going to tell somebody else, then everybody knows. And now I just play it to get rid of it because it’s an albatross and I don’t want it. What a waste!”
“Survivor‘s situational,” Davis replies, “so I can think of situations where you would want to share that you have an advantage. It’s a tough dilemma from the player’s perspective. There’s no perfect way to do anything on Survivor, which is so frustrating as a player. You wish there was a playbook, but there’s not.”
What do you think is the biggest mistake players are making in the new era? Let us know in the comments, below.
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Comments are closed on this story.
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R
I agree with Probst but I wish they’d move the game around the world like the first games and let it be more organic. It’s looking more and more like glamping and less like surviving.
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The new era sucks! The old way of the game and the playing was much more interesting to watch. And yes these players can't seem to keep something to themselves to save their life. What happened to players like BR, and Parvati that had 2 idols at the same time and noone knew about them. Or the game play that they brought. Nowadays these players play with everything out in the open.
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They couldn't keep a secret if their souls depended on it. My husband says, 'You know you're shouting at the TV, right?' because I keep yelling, 'WHY did you tell that??'
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B
I hate the new era! It's lost the fun side, all the players are interchangeable and I'd like to never see another puzzle challenge. There are few or even none memorable players. It used to be must watch tv now it's if I get around to watching it tv. I miss the variety of players and challenges. The rewards are so predictable and boring.
52 1
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O
The last time I watched the beginning of a new season, one of the male contestants could not climb a ladder to get himself onto the boat. 🫤😑 At that point, I began to wonder what the criteria was for choosing competitors. I loved watching the Malcolms and Robs and Joes and Grants and Kens... the guys who would drive themselves into the ground to win. I miss the old seasons.
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Part of it is that they're casting super fans now, which is fun in many ways, where in old Survivor sometimes the players had never heard of Survivor or even seen an episode. And in the case of the super fan who couldn't climb the ladder... well, he knew everything about Survivor inside and out, but had not thought of actually being able to do it physically. I thought there were minimum physical tests before you got cast, but maybe not.
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P
I don’t care for this era team at, they need to step it up next season. Generation Alpha.! Or just all males!
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B
Go back to old school Survivor without hidden idols. Maybe just an advantage for individual challenges. The game is getting too sloppy and too much information is being shared.
50 2
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G
You're right. Noone can keep a secret! People leaving with Idols in their pocket always gets me! Then when a person receives votes and is booted, they look dumbfounded like "you had the nerve to vote for me"! Leaving with "I want to hurt you look"! It's what you signed up for when you applied to play the game.
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The silliest is when they find an idol and get all atwitter and say, 'This is my ticket to a million dollars.' I'm thinking... If you can find two of those a week for five weeks, it might be your ticket but one immunity idol will only get you in trouble unless you know what you're doing.
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R
I wish they would change the last episode back to the contestants going back to real life, then coming back to the finale dressed in their everyday clothes. Nice to see what they look like in the real world.
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B
This! It drives me crazy when someone "shares" they just found an advantage. How is that still an advantage, then? What a bunch of amateurs! You'd never see Boston Rob or Sandra "sharing. We'll, maybe BR would with Amber, lol.
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To be fair we watched as he fell in love with Amber and that changed their dynamic and ultimately did put a huge target on them.
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P
I wish Paramount Plus still showed Australian Survivor. That version is epic.
28 1
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YES! It's so good, so much better than US Survivor!
16
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B
Totally agree! I love the 45 days!!
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O
You force the contestants to search for an idol that takes a full day to complete. There is no way to keep it a secret. Like Sue, what was the point of the paint? Do away with the beware advantage, do stupid!
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I have watched Survivor since the very first show. I was intrigued by it because it showed how they made the shelters, found food, caught fish... Etc. Now it only shows them sitting around calculating who they're going to vote out.
Rhe challenges have gotten boring.
They're all about puzzles. They used to be about strength, there was also memory challenges... it was very diverse set of challenges and now it's all about crawling under nets, climbing over tall decks, jumping in water and swimming to put puzzles together. No, it's just too boring. Episode 6 had a couple of new challenges that was exciting. I liked that.
I also miss the auctions. I used to love it when they had the auctions. I also think when they have the food challenges, and they get to pick a friend to go off to the island, they should incorporate a shower as a bonus.
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I didn't like the wrestling type challenges, I prefer the obstacles and puzzles, gives more of a balance for contestants. A 50 yr old woman having to wrestle a 25 yr old for a ring in the water, doesn't seem like a fair challenge. Just the thought of the amount of body odor.... 🤢 I just couldn't..😂
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Agreed to All! I Stopped watching Survivor-counting this one-3 seasons ago! The new survivor is More boring to me and I couldn’t even sit thru a whole episode last 2 seasons! Think back to Boston Rob! Nothing like his first 2 seasons. I think the newer generations just don’t know how to 1) keep their mouths shut 2) play the game AS a game and 3) Remember ALL that made the Survivor Game great!!
P.S. challenges are Dumbed Down for the newer generations of Survivor Contestants!!!! IMHO!!!!!
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R
They cry too much; reminds me of my students in college today.
25 4
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Oh oh I am so done with the crying.
I can't take much more of this pity party crap... makes me want to turn the TV off !!
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C
This season has the worst challenges ever. It's like the writers are just phoning it in.
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My take personally is one of the big reasons they share so much is that it's a reflection of our society now. People nowadays post every little detail of their life on social media. It would be unfathomable for them to experience something amazing and not immediately post it.
14
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I personally don't see the reason for merge if you are going to draw rocks and keep the team environment.that was the reason for the merge to go to individual immunity.new era I guess.
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G
Too much revealing of having idols to other team members. I also get crazy when some one gets voted off with an idol in their pocket. Not too bright!
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Sharing idols or advantages! I can see Boston Rob rolling his eyes!
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O
I don't think that they should say anything to anyone else. They earned it and no one else should have to decide if it gets used That's the way I would do it.
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B
Players aren’t coming in with a skill set of fire making, building, fishing and hunting/gathering.
I’m also seeing way too many of them with poor life skills, definitely tired of the I’ve never fit in types.
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I have been wondering how they pick the contestants for the last three seasons.
You are right no one has any skil.s and every contestant has a sad story to tell.
I have no interest in hearing that. I want to watch contestants that are tough, self-confident, know how to make a fire and don't cry if they are not in an alliance.
5
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They have 'dumbed down' survivor. Contestants don't bother looking for food because they know there's going to be a reward challenge that involves food. The only way that they can find an idol is if there is a map drawn with a big red X that shows them exactly where it is. Physical challenges are about fourth grade level you'd see kids doing that on a playground.
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People are becoming scared to hurt feelings. And offended by everything 🙄. Its a game. Not as interesting as it use to be
6
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It makes me crazy all the oversharing of info.. you are supposed to keep it to yourself to make it really an advantage..
6
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My husband and I have been saying the same things many of you are saying. Stop the crying. Stop the BS. Let’s get back to old school survivor. More challenges, better players. It’s so boring and the same ole crap week after week. Hubby and I have watched all the seasons and recently started from the 1st one again. We’d much rather watch the repeats. You’re killing the show Probst.
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The new era survivors can't survive.When you have to change the format to accommodate the contestants 26 days instead of 39 .
And follow up with advantages and more benefits than the struggles of the original survivors having to survive so contestants don't quit in the middle of the competition.This says a lot. Maybe we need a program that allows a 39 day survival competition so they can earn their spots on Survivor .
Just sayin 🤷
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Is Survivor the mirror of American politics spoiling the pleasure of once a real survivor quest on an island. Trying to survive its natural surroundings is no longer a goal. You have to survive all the gossip, the conniving and the pollitics of scheming to get ahead in this game. No longer the physical excellence it's more of a game of who is the best at screwing everybody else.
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Players going home with items in their pockets. This article stared at the best answer then blinked to something else.
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Many don't know that due to viewership being millions lower than ever, sponsors are gone, ads just repeat, and due to that survivor is staying in the same location as they have built a studio there, housing, infrastructure to drive costs down of finding a new island location each year. The new millennial gen whatever that are on the show are so weak now, bring back original survivor, but it's too late now
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Like most, I have been watching the show since it's inception, and I must agree with Jeff and others that the new era players seem lackadaisical, at best. In their defense, however, there doesn't seem to be any "surprise" or sense of "danger" to the elements and twists of the game that would energize the players and perhaps provide the excitement that was there in the earlier eras of Boston Rob, Parvati, et al., when we, the fans, would be sitting on the edge of our seats yelling at the television. It has become a bit mundane for the fans and the players, themselves.
In order for the new era gamers to rid themselves of their tedious, day after day doldrums, provide each team with an "old school" mentor who would be there to help and advise his or her players about facing challenges, procuring food and other resources, social strategies, etc. The mentors would be non-playing members of their respective teams, meaning they would not compete in OR physically or verbally assist their players in challenges, but they would participate in rewards. The mentors would stay and live with their teams up until the merge, when their jobs would come to an end. At the merge, the mentor with the best team record of wins and losses would receive a prize.
But challenges have to get tougher. This is SURVIVOR! Get back to living off the land, foraging for food and other resources and strategizing to last one more day, one day at a time.
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BTW I’ve Tried to watch One Entire episode of last Four seasons and I Can’t Do It!! It’s all so stupid now with whiny babies and Zero Skills! Tell ‘em how Survivor IS supposed to be played!! Think Boston Rob et al
Stupid entitled babies with Zero Survivor skills Should NOT Be ON Survivor!!! Make fire, catch fish, clean them and eat them, hunt,
Should be renamed Babies of the new century Survivor that know Nothing about: making fire, hunting, fishing, AND strategy to play the game and WIN!!!!
1
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R
Contestants used to have one outfit to last 39 days, now they have several wardrobe changes each episode! What happened to running around in their underwear?
1
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B
I have watched Survivor since day one. The new “era” is getting less and less interesting. The personal dramas and stories as well as the players doing nothing but sitting around griping and not really strategizing about much is losing my interest. They have no individual games anymore.
1
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If you don't get caught finding an idol or advantage then for goodness sakes, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!
1
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B
I personally don't find the new era players smart, strategic, or daring enough. I'm 3 episodes behind and say to myself "I'll catch up later." The excitement of watching the players play is dwindling. They don't get it. I long to see players like Sandra, Tony, Wyndell, Malcom, Jeremy, Natalie, to name a few. You know, strategic players, memorable players. The last memorable player i can remember is Maryann Oketch. After that: I draw a blank. I love survivor but the anticipation and excitement i once had is slowing dying.
1
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R
I prefer the games in the begining where they have to really work to actually survive the conditions. Maybe let them have toothbrush, feminine necessity, after 3 days with no water, give them just enough to survive
1
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O
I don't like the new changes. U have found a clue to an idol. Also don't like the journeys. Hola Charlie! You should have won!
1
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O
It's just not as interesting. Too many whiners. For 20 plus years it was a Must watch. Now it is a fast forward if I get a chance.
1
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O
90 minutes is 60 too long. Last week 15 min in and they had the only challenge. The next hour was talk talk talk....sick of it
2 1
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C
It's because of the limits you place on the game. No one can find an idol anymore without an extreme amount of work which makes it impossible to keep it secret. Also too many journeys that if deceitful puts a target on players back. You actually have players that don't even bother to look because they don't want the target. Furthermore any shared advantage is useless. Simply put go back to basics
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M
The contestants are picked for the show, this is not a blind or random selection !!! Myself and 37? of my fellow employees have been watching from the very beginning and now I'm the only one left..... so I guess I'm the Sole Survivor !!! I will probably return to watch season 50 but unless the show's format changes I won't continue to watch.
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R
Talk too much, too many no it all's. Everyone is playing a game for themselves and stop getting bent out of shape when you find out somebody else is playing the game also. There's so much to say, when they get there they seem to forget how to play.
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C
I am not a fan of the beware advantage. If a player risks loosing their vote in order to find an idol, it has made for sloppy play. There have been a few times where the contestant is caught looking for a 2nd or 3rd hidden clue and is forced to tell someone about their idol. Finding a fully functional immunity idol with no strings attached gives the player much more freedom to keep it secret. Perhaps the beware advantage has a place in the game, but not every time someone finds an idol.
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O
I believe it's a function of age, maturity and life experience.
New era are younger as a whole than in years past. They have fewer life situations to draw on and simply don't know when to keep their north shut. Enjoyed the show more at 39 days and with a more diverse group.
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B
I liked the show better when contestants were actually trying to survive! Y'all need to go backwards a bit. It's all about voting people out. It drives me crazy when people tell someone when they find an idol, you know that everyone will know! Just keep it secret people! All the contestants seem generic and mostly not a very likeable bunch.
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Maybe write...this is a secret advantage, tell anyone and it becomes invalid.
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I think you’re a MORON to tell ANYONE that you found an idol or an advantage!!!
Save it for the grandkids after you’ve WON!!!
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O
Riding coat tails is a big mistake
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C
I agree it's boring at times. Listening to so much talk. Need more action. And when they get their flint took away they should know how to make a fire the old fashion way. And I remember when there would be 3 teams and 1 teams get low on players then they merge those players onto the other 2 teams. I liked that better.
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O
Too much talking and complaining and, woe is me and, who pick these contestants? Well I guess the millennials are in a class of their own. I think they chose Sue as a joke, when the camera does a tight shot to her face I can't help staring. Ew.
1 1
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The smart move by Sol would have been to give it to anyone but Rachel and never tell anyone. If that tribe used it to block Rachel's vote so she couldn't use a shot in the dark and then voted her out, it would solidify the other 6 against them and almost guarantee final 6 for Sol. Unless Rachel was necessary for his game, he made a poor choice. He chose now over later.
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R
Too much sitting around talking. Boring season.
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