The Problem with Modern Survivor

The American Survivor debuted on May 31, 2000. On September 19, 2012 my 12-year-old self accidentally tuned into the long running reality show's 25th season, Survivor: Philippines. This season featured 16 brand new castaways along with three returning castaways who had been previously evacuated from the game for medical reasons.

Something about the reality show just clicked with me. I have always enjoyed history and politics and storytelling and this show somehow had elements from all of these subjects. It captivated me. I enjoyed the social dynamics and the ability for even the underdogs to rise above and still win the game. I did not miss an episode of this season, including the live reunion show where I watched the winner be given the title of sole survivor and the million dollars.

This season is very modern but it is also very different than other modern entries. Recently I caught up on watching modern Survivor through the following seasons: Cagayan, San Juan Del Sur, Worlds Apart, Cambodia, Kaôh Rōng, Millennials vs. Gen X, and Game Changers. These seasons represent the good and the bad of modern Survivor. These seasons also are very different when compared to Philippines.

Looking back on Philippines, I do not remember many specific advantages or twists. I remember the friendship turned rivalry between RC and Abi. I remember Penner's sassiness and how he could make a tribal council come to life. I remember Malcolm and Denise's failing tribe and how they crawled up from the bottom.

Philippines may have had twists and and advantages, such as immunity idols and Malcolm's failed advantage to do the final four immunity challenge over, but I do not feel as if the season relied on them.

Here is the difference between Philippines and later seasons.

Cagayan is the first of the modern seasons that I dived into. This season has a pretty incredible cast and does not rely too heavily on advantages. One advantage that was played pretty memorably is the "super idol" that Tyler Perry thought up. It had the power to save someone even after the votes had been read. It was not played, but Tony effectively used it as a fear tactic. He lied about its powers and used it to further his status as the "cult leader" to his alliance.

San Juan Del Sur relied on Exile Island, which never seemed to affect the game too much beyond advantages found on it. The original Blood vs. Water season put Redemption Island into good use, for the first time ever, but Redemption Island didn't seem to hinder the pacing all that much. The first few visits on Exile Island were interesting but after that I can't remember much.

The next season, Worlds Apart, is not viewed favorably among Survivor fans due to a very unlikable cast. The main new advantage offered this season was an extra vote. Dan Foley received this advantage in a rock draw between himself, Carolyn Rivera, and Mike Holloway. He used it to vote Carolyn, but Carolyn used an idol. Dan failed to use the advantage effectively and was voted out at the same tribal council he used it.

The first returnee season of this batch is Cambodia - Second Chance. I LOVE this season. This was the season where the fans got to vote in 20 out of 32 former Survivor players who had only played once and did not win. I love this concept and I hope we get another season with this casting theme. Now on to the main advantages and twists of this season. The idols in this season were hidden either in challenges or in camp, forcing players to really risk getting them. I believe this adds a whole new dimension to looking for idols. This twist was very effective. Cambodia also introduces an alternative to the failed extra vote of last season, the vote steal. Stephen Fishbach receives this advantage that allows you two votes at tribal council at the expense of another player's vote. Unfortunately, the advantage was not played effectively.

Kaôh Rōng is the next season and it is a season that I enjoyed yet still have many problems with. This season utilizes the same casting theme as Cagayan, Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty. Many people did not like the theme being used again, but I honestly didn't mind it. This season introduces a twist that I think is very interesting when it comes to the super idol that remained unused in Cagayan. This time, any two hidden immunity idols can be paired together to form the super idol. This is a concept that we never got to see play out but we did see Tai refuse to pair his, resulting in Scot's blindside. I would be very open to this dynamic changing. The advantage in this season that I, personally, had more of an issue with was the ability to vote out one jury member. Michelle wins this advantage and uses it to vote out Neal, the Brains tribe member who was medically evacuated at the beginning of the merge. This felt unfair to take Neal's game and jury vote away from him, and it resulted in Michelle winning the season, which honestly left me with a bad taste in my mouth after the finale. Michelle is one of those winners that just aren't satisfying.

Next up is the season which I personally believe represents the best modern Survivor has to offer, Millennials vs. Gen X. This season, along with Cagayan, is the best modern season with an entirely new cast. The hidden immunity idols this season are placed in objects such as coconuts and logs that have the tribe's insignia on them. The legacy advantage was introduced in this season but works as just an idol that ensures you safety while there are six people left in the game. I don't really understand the point of it. The other new advantage that I did like this season was the reward steal. It is a very simple advantage that may or may not affect the game and one of the only advantages not to be centered around tribal council. Jay and Taylor try rallying the merge tribe against Adam by letting everyone know that Adam has the potential to steal their loved ones visit. The loved ones episode of this season is one of my favorites and made for some memorable moments within a great season.

Next up is a season that I enjoyed but had many problems with: Game Changers. My problems primarily centered around the fact that there almost seemed to be a new twist/advantage every single episode. The immunity idols this season hidden at camp, in challenges, and at tribal council... and yes, there are way too many idols this season. Tai alone ends up with three of them, two of which he holds onto until the final six. After using one idol to save Sierra, he finds one at the well of his camp and another one at the well of the other camp. Troyzan, J.T., and Aubry also find hidden immunity idols. We also see another legacy advantage, a vote steal, an extra vote, and Exile Island (a.k.a. a date with John Cochran this time around). All of these advantages would be worse if they remained unused. Luckily, the players did put them to use for an unpredictable game unlike the most recent season of Survivor, Ghost Island.

Ghost Island was essentially the Cold War. Dom and Wendell were in potential of advantages in a season centered around cursed advantages and no one would make a move against them. The moment Sebastian decided he would use his extra vote against them, Dom used a fake immunity idol to scare Sebastian and send him home. This season best represented why so many advantages can hurt a season. No one moved. No one played. Everyone just accepted that Dom and Wendell would win. Almost the entirety of the merge game were goats essentially.

I have no problem with advantages, and I enjoyed most of these seasons, but I do think a new advantage every single season is a little much. Older seasons of Survivor did not have to rely on gimmicks to be entertaining. Just look to the first season, Borneo. Sure, it is a little slow, but that was the tone of Survivor back then. As the game evolves, gameplay has gotten faster with or without advantages. Philippines has very little advantages and it remained a captivating season.

I believe Survivor needs to leave Fiji, bring a new cast of competitors split into random tribes, and just let them play the game without too much intervention.