The host also weighs in on extended installments and why 90-minute Survivor episodes are ideal.
WhenSurvivoremerged from its extended COVID-19 hiatus, the show was more chaotic than ever and that was intentional.
Producers decided to try a lot new things and then see what worked moving forward.
Jeff Probst on ‘Survivor 43’.Robert Voets/CBS
We are now seeing the results of that experimentation onSurvivor 43.
The perfect illustration of that approach is the evolution of the merge process.
And according to Probst, it is a change that is here to stay.
Jeff Probst on ‘Survivor 43’.Robert Voets/CBS
And if so, what are those discussions like?
Here’s the lowdown.
That’s the big difference between a traditional online grid and a streaming service.
Jesse Lopez, Nneka Ejere, and Jeff Probst on ‘Survivor’ 43.Robert Voets/CBS
It doesn’t matter.
So even though you might watchSurvivorepisodes on Paramount +, the running time will still be 42 minutes.
I actually think 90 minutes is a great length for aSurvivorepisode.
Jeff Probst and the cast of ‘Survivor 43’.Robert Voets/CBS
That’s always the priority.
Had Vesi been secretly helping Baka, then I never would have brought it up.
But because it was so public and so obvious, it’s fair for me to talk about it.
It’s their game.
But if I was watching at home, I would definitely have a lot of opinions!
It’s one of the best parts of being a fan, you get to second-guess everything!
There has been so much drama this season about the search through Gabler’s bag.
This connects me back to something you used to write about in this same column years ago!
You would then write something clever about “Probst just wants big moves for his show!
Don’t fall for it!”
So I’m going to say the exact same thing again in a different way.
you’re free to’t win this game by playing to not lose.
you’re free to’t win by playing safe.
you’re able to’t win by being afraid to take a risk.
Sure, you could get to the final three, but you won’t get a single vote.
Sneaking through the bag of another player is a big move.
You’re seeking information that might give you an edge when it comes to the vote.
That’s playing the game.
Of course, it can backfire if you get caught that’s why it’s a big move.
It could have backfired on him if he was seen as stirring up trouble.
But you have to take the risk.
I’m 100 percent on this feeling of playing to win vs. playing to not lose.
The most important idea of the new merge is that you must earn it.
That’s one of the core principles of this new era ofSurvivor.
In the past you “made” the merge, but now you “earn” the merge.
It’s the same for every layer of the game.
So yes, count on this being the new merge moving forward.
What can we expect to see coming up?
Then when you go to Tribal, you factor all of this into your decision.
Finally, hit us up with a big tease for the back half of the season.
These are always tough for me to do, so here’s what I can offer.
