Survivor 50 is a milestone season for both CBS and Jeff Probst, and it could just be the beginning of something new. The show’s finale will air on May 20th, and will be broadcast live in front of an audience for the first time since 2019’s Edge of Extinction.
The live finale was one of the many game elements that fans voted on during “In the Hands of the Fans.” Another fan vote is currently underway. Viewers can choose their favorite player to be announced during the live show. Thea will award a $100,000 prize to the player with the most votes.
However, this season also introduced many new elements. Some will remain and some will not. Below, Probst hints at what the future holds for “Survivor.”
Did Season 50 usher in a new era?
yes. The idea was, can we now move on to the next thing? And I think we were able to do that. We told the players before the game, “You take us to the next stage of the game, or we can do without you,” but that was just me in the locker room as a coach trying to encourage the players. And I think they did that, and how they did it was by showing up and embracing uncertainty.
Do you plan to welcome more celebrities in the future?
It depends. There are some very famous people who have already reached out and said, “You know what? “Now that I’ve seen what you’ve done, if you’re willing to use me, I’d love to come out and be a part of the show.” The thing about Zac Brown is that he loves “Survivor.” He has never missed an episode. He said, “I want to be on your show.” I’m a producer who says, “I’m open to all ideas. Let’s try them out.” So is Jimmy Fallon. The same goes for Mr. Beast. All of them said they wanted to participate. I was so excited for them to be a part of it. Well, in the right situation.
Do you still want to keep the boomerang idol in the game?
It’s in our arsenal. That might come out. Almost everything we’ve ever done is in the bag. Some people might think, “This idea will never come back,” but I don’t know. Don’t be too sure about that. Because the fact that someone thinks we might not bring something home is a reason to bring it back right away. I see everything as an IP. This is all part of the show. And you never know.
Does that mean we can bring back the theme?
Yes, I think so in the future. We have decided to number the seasons for the new era. I will continue to stick to numbering the seasons. However, just as I don’t think it’s necessary to do themes in the future, I don’t think it’s necessary to insist on not doing themes. If you discover a “David vs. Goliath” theme during casting, there’s a very good chance you’ll run with it and it could be your next number. This contradiction is another thing we accept. Don’t worry about overall symmetry and do what’s best for the show. So all things are scheduled to move forward.
Season 50 Dee Validares, Chrissy Hofbeck, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, Christian Hubicki, Stephanie LaGrossa Kendrick, Emily Flippen, Ozzie Russ, Rick Devens
Robert Votes/CBS
Does the same apply to returning players?
There is nothing in front of us, but it is also very fun for us. And now we have enough players that we might be able to do something, like bring players back earlier than last time. But I don’t know. We know what we’re going to do in ’51 and ’52. That’s it.
I have a random question. What happened to the mirror on the island that players used to see themselves at the end?
This is the criticism I heard! Some players told me it was really mentally unsettling to see how they looked when they were still in the game, and I took that to heart. They were saying, “Now it’s hard because I’m self-conscious.” Literally, the concept of mirrors and reflections is bad. Because it becomes a visual that looks tired – has lost weight, has a dirty face – against the inner mirror of a warrior who has fought a brave battle. The first time I said that, I said, “It’s over. I didn’t want that either. I never thought about it. I’ve never been in this position. Thank you.”
You’ve said before that you can see the show continuing when you return, and hopefully for many years to come. Do you think it should be a former player?
Maybe it won’t be my decision in the end, but it might be the player’s decision. I don’t think I’m qualified. That’s all I always say when executives ask me about hosts and how to hire them. If you hire based on looks or social media following, you’re choosing the wrong attributes. What you’re really looking for is a producer who can present in front of the camera. No host required. The host has an idea: a long, thin microphone, a cool suit, and a snappy batsman. It’s not “Survivor.” “Survivor” is a show of the moment, and I’m so grateful to be the showrunner because it doesn’t make me the boss. As a host, you don’t need permission to do anything.
I don’t want to walk away from “Survivor,” but when I predict the future, I get really excited thinking about what someone else will do with it if they take over. And I become a fan and think, “Oh my god! They tried that. I never thought of that.”
What was it like leaving Fiji with your vote this time?
That was fun. It was crazy because that was all we ever did, and we quit. It was so refreshing to then go out and say, “See you in Los Angeles to read the live poll.” I’m still excited. I’m looking forward to doing it. Doing a live finale between filming two seasons and hosting an ongoing season is a huge undertaking and adds a huge amount of work. I’m very excited. The whole team is back from the show and we have a big stage and lots of seating. That was my primary goal. Let’s make the stage beautiful and gorgeous. And leave as much space as possible to accommodate as many seats as possible.
So, will you continue to hold live finals?
What players don’t want to hear is that they’re most honest when they’re in the jungle right after the show ends. They may not actually know or feel it, but they are honest and are not being persecuted by social media. All players are wiped out for something they don’t deserve. Mainly from people with good intentions, but because they never play, they can’t understand how insane a comment like that is and how much it hurts. Therefore, Fiji is able to acquire pure players without the influence of social media. When you do a live finale, all you get is defense. People will defend the live finale, but to me, from a storytelling standpoint, it just doesn’t seem that interesting. I understand the pomp and circumstance, and it’s a lot of fun, but I think they should change the format of the finale and make it a three-hour event instead of a two-and-a-half hour finale and a half-hour reunion show.
We want to celebrate as we go. It’s never satisfying to just sit and reheat things. I’m really looking forward to doing it this way this year. We’ve reimagined how we do it, and it feels very fresh, big, and just as fun. When we first sat down, the first thing I suggested was, what if we didn’t do a reunion show and instead took that time and sprinkled it throughout the final episode? I think it’s more fun and exciting to take a break in the middle. It feels like a reinvention that’s appropriate for the situation we’re in right now and is more inclusive of everyone. The finale is so packed that there really isn’t enough time. The idea this time around is, “Let’s run the entire three hours as one event.” And when it’s done, you feel complete.
The final episode of “Survivor” will air on Wednesday at 8pm ET on CBS. This interview has been edited and condensed.
