Since “Survivor” celebrates 25 years, it is safe to say that the CBS -Reality series has evolved since the 2000 premiere -with many of those changes led by host and showrunner Jeff Probst.
During a panel on the “This is not a fiction” festival of the American Cinematheque, Probst thinks the last two decades, including the fact that the first winner was not fun.
“Richard Hatch was a villain. [He] Do you deliberately do things like naked because he knew it would make people uncomfortable, say things that people would go crazy. We could not believe he won the game. We are like: “Our show is doomed!” The most unlikely, unlikely person won, “said Probst.” The show starts to be broadcast and people were like: “If Richard wins, I will never look at his show again.” And then Richard wins, and that is what everyone is talking about. ”
Fortunately everyone kept looking at the show. After season 40, Probst and the team were ready to change the game. They started rolling out the new era that starts with season 41 – and will dive into it.
“I think there is still a lot of ground in this new game that has not been discovered. Rachel Lamont, who won ‘survivor’, used her shot in the dark in a really interesting way to just test the waters,” he said. “That was something we never expected to do anyone, so we think there is still a lot of game.”
With the next 50th season, with all returning players, fans play a major role in casting and gameplay, voices about how things will work. Some hope that idols will disappear, while others just want the return of the live final and reunion.
“Live final can happen. It’s super fun,” Probst, and notes that the show will do what the fans vote about – even if he doesn’t agree. “Perhaps today there are some of you who want a season without idols today, not switches. I am pretty sure that it will be boring than you think … so I hope people vote to let the players play, and that they want idols in the game, but we will see.
“Survivor” season 48 is currently being broadcast on CBS on Wednesday.