Jeff Probst Says ‘Survivor’ 47 Is Defined by ‘Constant Uncertainty’ on Every Tribe
Preview
The Tribe Has Spoken
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Nothing is ever certain in Survivor, but host Jeff Probst says that Season 47 has uniquely unpredictable alliances.
Premiering Wednesday, September 18 on CBS, Probst tells TV Insider that the biggest difference between the Survivor 47 cast and its recent predecessors is that they’re more committed to solo strategies, making them less inclined to stay loyal to an alliance longterm. Given the season-long alliances we saw in Season 46 between Kenzie and Tiff and Charlie and Maria (the latter of which albeit ended badly), this is quite the contrast.
“The theme I would give 47 is constant uncertainty in terms of who’s in power,” Probst tells TV Insider ahead of the season premiere. “Because often you can start to see the group that’s in charge, in charge, and then you’re watching them navigate each other within the group. But this season, it was a constant battle for which group is in charge, and within that group, which players are in charge of that group. That really did set it apart.”
He confirms there will be blindsides during tribal councils throughout the season, though hopefully no one gets blindsided with idols in their pockets like in 46, which now holds the frustrating record of most immunity idols flushed out in one season. The host adds that the constant power shifts made it hard for even him to get a sense of who’s on top.
“I was surprised all the time when there would be a blindside at tribal that would seem to make no sense until you reveal that that’s because the power has shifted yet again, and it kept the players on their toes,” Probst shares. “And as the season continues, you could feel the excitement and desperation of the uncertainty of, ‘Am I right? Is the information I have correct? Because if not, then I’m in trouble.’ And it’s very likely that you’re the one in trouble. I really enjoyed that. It made it fun for me as well. I never knew what was coming.”
Robert Voets / CBS
Probst is starting to see a trend in alliances of the new era, however. “You still need at least one other person to move through this game and preferably maybe two or three other people,” he says, “but what I’m picking up on is that the idea that I’m just going to trust this alliance is solid, that’s evaporating.”
This cast could be quick to jump ship whenever the hint of uncertainty arises. “There are constant tests to the alliance, and all it takes is for one person to be left out of a conversation, even if it was accidental and unintentional and means nothing,” Probst explains of 47’s players. “The fact that you didn’t tell me that first tells me I can’t trust you. So I’ve already moved on to another alliance. That’s the part of the game that’s tricky right now is that you have to be able to manage a lot of relationships simultaneously because information is still number one. And if you aren’t sharing it with the right people in the right order and the right emphasis on, you’re my number one, then they may abandon you.”
Production is confidently in the swing of things. Probst assures they’re not taking big swings this season in terms of structural changes. Instead, they’re relying on their tried-and-true method of letting the cast create the intrigue. As Probst tells us, there is no “nudging” of the players from him or other crew members during filming to make things more interesting, unlike other reality shows. So with a show that’s entirely unscripted like this, casting is the most important part of the process.
“We spend nine months finding these players,” he reveals. “You find all these potentially great people, and then one day you sit down with a bunch of cards with their faces and their names on it, and you say, ‘OK, who’s going to be on Survivor 47?’ And then you say, and who’s going to be on Tribe A, Tribe B, Tribe C? And then you bring ’em out there and you design this game and you turn it over to them. So the biggest risk and gamble is always going to be that you are turning the game over to the players. I can’t emphasize it enough. We don’t manipulate the game.”
Each cast of players is arriving smarter than the last, Probst says, because they have the benefit of watching the seasons just before them. Season 46 taught the Season 47 cast a lot about the dangers of hidden immunity idols, the host reveals, calling that installment “an example of a season evolving the game for the next players.”
“I never hear players judge former seasons as much as I hear them say, ‘This is what I learned from it,'” Probst explains. “Coming into 47, every player in the game is going to be evaluating, ‘If I get an idol, what am I going to do with it? How do I make sure it remains an advantage and doesn’t hinder me?’ Because what you saw in 46 was that the idols hindered players because they confused them as to what their best move was. And then you get selfish and greedy, which is natural because if you don’t need to play the idol at tonight’s tribal council, then you should absolutely save it for the next.”
That always comes with a risk, but big swings like Q Burdette intentionally throwing tribal council into chaos may appear like a good move to some in 47.
“Was it chaotic or did he know what he was doing?” Probst asks. “That might influence another player to say, ‘I could throw a little Q into my game.’ It’s always evolving.”
Q’s elimination with an idol in his pocket is what made 46 set the record for most idol flushes, so hopefully anyone who “throws a little Q” into their game knows when to stop. A little Q could go a long way, and when immunity idols are in the mix, that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Survivor, Season 47 Premiere, Wednesday, September 18, 8/7c, CBS
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