At an exclusive Survivor 48 viewing party, Jeff Probst announced that fans would have the opportunity throughout 48 to vote for the game mechanisms they would like to see in Survivor 50. While we still don’t know the full details of what this will look like, we have been told the categories we can expect to vote on during the 48 premiere.
Taking inspiration from the Bitter Jurors Podcast’s voting guide, I decided to use this as an opportunity to formally endorse certain positions in this inaugural vote.
Do I expect viewers to take these endorsements seriously? Of course not! But this is an opportunity to have fun with a season that is being hailed as a celebration of the entire history of Survivor. I look forward to voting, and I hope you take an opportunity to make your voice heard as well!
Rice or No Rice?
Gia’s Endorsement: Rice for the Players
Truthfully, why is this even a debate? Providing rice to players not only guarantees that they have a source of food, but the memorable moments we have gotten from rice have far outweighed anything we have gained from forced rice negotiation. J’Tia dumping the rice out? Angelina negotiating for rice? Hunahpu giving up all of their rewards after misusing their rice? All iconic, all the result of having rice at camp in the first place.
The drama around camp is better when it happens naturally, and forcing players to step out of immunity for rice has fallen flat. My suggestion? Keep the rice at camp, let the players decide how to manage it, and bring back Eat-or-Play and other temptations during individual immunity challenges.
Forced Final Four Firemaking or Regular Vote?
Gia’s Endorsement: Regular Vote
If forced final four fire-making has no haters, then I am dead. Once again, Survivor is best when the players are given the most agency to navigate the game. Fire-making is always a possibility at the final four, so why is it better for players to expect it as a given?
Much like the guaranteed final three, all forced fire-making does is ensure the biggest threats leave earlier in the game. Let the players decide if fire will decide their fate, but let them decide with a vote first.
Live Reunion or Winner Reveal in Fiji?
Gia’s Endorsement: Live Reunion
Survivor 50 is a celebration, and the reunion should reflect that. With the winner revealed live in Fiji, we don’t hear from the pre-merge players, and the finalists have no time to process their placement. Plus, everything just feels rushed overall.
The players deserve better, and so do the fans. Let’s make Survivor 50 the party it’s being hyped to be, ending it all with the live reunion.
Tribe Colors
Gia’s Endorsement: Teal, Pink, Yellow (for pre-merge), Black (merge)
This is the one that could go a myriad of ways, and it will be hard to predict the vote options when we still don’t know everything about the season format. Will it be two tribes or three? 18 players or 20? If it’s two starting tribes, my vote is for teal and pink, with an option for adding yellow if it’s three tribes.
For the merge my vote is for black, a color that is not overused in Survivor, yet definitive enough to make sure 50 stands apart from other seasons. In actuality, the goal is to vote for fun, underused color schemes that keep the season both a celebratory occasion and distinct from its predecessors.
Voting begins during the premiere of Survivor 48. Let’s enjoy our chance to make our voices heard during this unprecedented experience!
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