‘Survivor’ Fans Reveal What They Don’t Miss From Earlier Seasons
Survivor has gone through many changes in the past 43 seasons. It isn’t easy to imagine a time without Hidden Immunity Idols or fire-making at the final four, but the show is a lot different than it used to be in season 1. And while some fans long for the return of older aspects of the game, others are happy to leave them in the past.
One ‘Survivor’ fan asks which elements viewers don’t miss from the early seasons
A Survivor fan created a Reddit thread to start a conversation revolving around what viewers don’t miss from earlier seasons. They wrote, “What do you NOT miss from years past?”
“There’s been a lot of talk about things we miss from the older seasons, whether that’s the auction, exploring locations other than Fiji, or a more in-depth look at camp life,” they explained. “But I’m a little curious about the other side of this: what are some things that you don’t miss from the earlier years, or just things that the newer seasons have been doing better?”
The Reddit user added, “For instance, we haven’t had a recap episode since South Pacific, which I certainly don’t miss. Also, maybe I’m in the minority here; I’ve never been a big fan of the Rites of Passage, which we haven’t seen in some time, either.”
“Not to say I prefer newer seasons to older ones or that Survivor has only gotten better,” they concluded. “I’m just curious if there are some things that used to be commonplace and now we’re better off without (or newer additions that have remarkably improved the show).”
Other fans weren’t hesitant to share their thoughts on what they disliked about Survivor‘s beginning.
Fans reveal what they hated about ‘Survivor’ in the beginning
One popular opinion among Survivor fans is that they are happy that recap episodes are no longer a part of the show.
A Reddit user commented, “I most certainly do not miss the traditional Survivor turkey episode for Thanksgiving.”
However, one person pointed out, “The only way I’d want a recap episode is if it was almost all new scenes that help contextualize or recontextualize the narrative before heading into the endgame.” Thankfully, Survivor Season 43 focuses a lot on camp life and the dynamics in the game. So it’s easy to understand why certain things happen at Tribal Council and elsewhere.
Another element of Survivor‘s older seasons that many don’t seem to miss is the “previously on” segments. A fan wrote, “I get why a lot of people would miss them, but personally, I can do just fine without them.” Another viewer added, “The ‘previously on’ segments tended to spoil things. If the audience needs a reminder, a flashback works much better.”
And there is one opinion that we wholeheartedly agree with — no more disgusting food challenges.
“I feel like I’m one of the few people who don’t miss the food challenges,” a Reddit user said. “Some of them I truly couldn’t stomach watching. And I always felt they were kind of problematic with how many contestants would get sick when they already struggled to keep nutrients in their system, to begin with.”
‘Survivor’ is in a ‘new era’ in recent seasons
Following Survivor: Winners at War, the game reset for seasons 41 and 42. Host Jeff Probst described it as a “new era” of Survivor, with new advantages, a shortened schedule, and fewer resources. Now castaways must factor in the Shot in the Dark, Beware Advantages, and a 26-day game span.
Some fans were more receptive to these changes than others. And thankfully, producers listened to the audience and adjusted some twists for season 43. We no longer have to watch castaways get punished for winning via the Hourglass twist, and the Do or Die won’t be a factor.
New episodes of Survivor Season 43 air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
