Jeff Probst Says ‘Survivor’ Needs to ‘Do Better’ at This New Addition to Season 47
Jeff Probst and his team immediately didn’t like the ladder maze seen in Survivor Season 47 Episode 5. It was a new feature they added into a challenge defined by new, but it will likely be changed if and when it appears again.
The reward challenge had several never-before-seen elements, like the three tribes being split into two teams for one challenge only and the winning side sharing in the “Survivor Social” reward after. It also featured a ladder maze that made the two teams guide their ladders through a complicated apparatus and free it before it could be used for the next leg of the challenge. Probst revealed in the newest episode of the Survivor On Fire podcast that he and the show’s producers immediately regrouped on set after filming this challenge to brainstorm how this ladder maze could be improved, as the immediate reaction to seeing it in game play was that they can “do better.”
“The ladder maze was a puzzle in and of itself,” Probst said in On Fire (listen to the full episode below). “It served multiple purposes. You need the ladder in order to complete the challenge, but in order to free the ladder, you have to get it through this maze which becomes the puzzle. And that was the tricky part. Every time you add another layer to an element, it makes it more complex, but it still has to work.”
The show creators know a new challenge detail is working when the time put into making it and filming it is clearly worth it in post-production. The team knew immediately that they only did “OK” on this new feature.
A new challenge element “can’t go so fast that it’s not worth all the time it will take the art department to build it, but it can’t take too long that it slows the challenge down,” Probst explained. “And so you’re navigating that. I would say we did OK [with the ladder maze]. This was not an A for us, and as our process is after the challenge was over, we went right back to that spot literally as the tribes are still walking off.”
“[Executive producer John] Kirhoffer and the team and me, we go right to that spot and say, OK, how do we improve this?” Probst continued. “And we came up with some ideas.”
Probst said that this ladder maze “is a really great reminder to our audience that we don’t always hit a home run. Sometimes things work better than you expected, and sometimes they don’t go as well as you wanted them to. This didn’t hurt us. It’s fine. The challenge is great, but if you wanted my real opinion, I’d say, yeah, we can do better and we will.”
The maze didn’t cause as much commotion as the knife and block puzzle elements did later on in the immunity challenge. Getting the sandbags and coconuts freed and knocking every block off of the platforms took much more time than the ladder maze. But the trickiest parts of the immunity challenge were ultimately more dramatic than the ladder puzzle.
What do you think about the new elements from the episode? Do you want to see the Survivor Social again? Let us know your thoughts about what Survivor should tweak in the comments section, below.
Survivor, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS
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We are so tired of seeing the Sanctuary. It's no surprize when that prize is announced and the overly shocked excitement from the contestants is almost comical. We loved the days when they took a sabbatical to a local town to give kids toys or look part in local customs. Maybe the real issue here is we are SO TIRED of Figi! Please, please go to a new country. Seeing a new area and culture each time made the show SUPER interesting!!
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I have liked all of the challenges. What I don’t like…… 1.Only 26 days. 2.The constant lack of food is an issue because it dominates the contestants thinking. Along with the fishing gear have a local expert teach them how to use it so they will hopefully adequately feed themselves.
3. the ease of finding idols has gotten ridiculous and there are too many of them. 4. Losing challenges is punishment enough, quit also taking away their flint. 5. Do much better on casting, definitely tired of seeing so many neurotic losers make it.
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I agree with you on making casting better. And I’ve noticed that they are picking more younger people over older. I’m older and still in great shape. The last couple SURVIVOR seasons the oldest to play the game was late 40’s. What happened to picking someone that is 60. I miss the old SURVIVOR. Oh and picking players that quit. I have applied 26 times and everytime I apply I have mentioned how many times I apply. If I was a cast producer and saw myself saying I’ve applied that many times. Without a doubt I’d pick myself because I know that person would never quit.
In regards to the ladder challenge the maze aspect of it was great. But I wouldn’t have put the medal rods in between the bars. It would make the ladder slide a lot better.
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Remember when Mike Johnson was on…nobody recognized him…
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It is no fun watching the contestants starve for 26 days!! First of all, It seems like a childish thing to take the flint away. If the flint is lost/taken then let the tribe survive by doing whatever necessary to keep their fire going from before the challenge by preserving an ember from hot coals and work at it like real survival. Jeff should allow fire!!! Make a bow drill or use their glasses to magnify from the sun!! Or using the fire from their torches since that is punishment enough, going to tribal and losing a tribe member. Fire being disallowed is stupid!!!
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I want to see some variation in the challenges, like there was in the earlier days. Now it’s always: run, slide, climb, toss, puzzle. Every week.
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I agree. The challenges are getting old. I don’t understand why they just basically do the same ones over and over. I’m a huge Survivor fan and have watched every single episode of every season but it feels like they’ve gotten a little lazy and complacent with the challenges.
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Yeah, just a different variation of the same obstacle courses. It should be more like Big Brother, addressing various personality strengths.
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Agree with you. The challenges seemed harder and probably more physical in the earlier days. I think they put a puzzle in so that the challenge balances out for those that are not as physical that could be behind in the challenge and then they can catch up when the mental part of the challenge comes about so that everybody ends about the same time. Everybody gets a “chance” to win because everyone has different talents and gifts on a given team. I don’t like it though!!! It’s Socialist Survivor!!
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If you're going to have a "reward", have an actual reward! One hot dog with no comndiments was a joke. They used to have feasts at the Sanctuary. This new version looked cheap. I liked that members of other tribes got to exchange information, though.
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I think the rewards will get better as the season goes on but yea that was terrible. 1 hot dog and a soda???
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Agree!!! Where are the real rewards?!?! Like cars, helicopter rides and trips to sights and places on the better locations?!?! CBS and Survivor are cheaping out! Just like the Finales….. Cold pizza and champagne! That’s crap!!! Covid excuse is over!! And nobody gets to see the rest of the cast or the family members of the remaining final three cast or the band or past players! All of that was cut out for the big finale get together. In my opinion, It’s all gone downhill.
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At least they had a vegan dog for Kyle. A hot dog was not a reward, it was an embarrassment.
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Go to different places again - like Australia, Kenya, China...and yeah, get some older people again - Rudy types!
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I have to agree that the challenges are getting old. Everything seems to end in doing puzzles. Taking flint from the losing tribe,to me is not a punishment until the eggs were given now no fire to cook them. Seems that was deliberate.
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I think you guys do a great job of coming up with new competitions. I agree with Kat though about "challenges, like there were in the earlier days". Would like more water challenges, especially when it is so hot. Really like the Survivor Social, that's a keeper. Not fond of some of the new people that are being chosen to be on the island. It's harder to choose who I want to win, so many unlikeable. I have been watching since the beginning, do like the show, but please, not so many terrible, mean people. There uses to be many great people on the island.
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I'm tired of Survivor NOT being about surviving. These people stopped learning survival skills before going on the show. Remember when they didn't get flint? Its now all about a backstory winner. The unsocial becoming social or the dweeb winning a challenge. Get over it. I want a season filled with people like Colby, Ozzy, Tony, Stephanie, Sarah and Jerri. Tough and strategic. Tired of all the physical threats out at merge. I started recording for the first time and hopped
over to The Challenge on MTV and watch the blood sweat and tears Survivor used to be about to win. Hate the party and sex part of the show but the challenges are the real deal. And YES go someplace DIFFERENT.
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That ladder challenge would be 100 % better if they removed some of the bars that were causing the ladder to catch on. By removing These Bars and making it much much simpler to pass the ladder through, the real challenge would be once the ladder is removed from the fixture it would have a series of ropes attached to it with knots. The ropes would have to be long enough to pull through as the ladder is being worked through the fixture. But could not be untied until the ladder was actually out of the fixture. So you would have in reality too challenges to getting the latter out and free. Number one been getting it through a limited number of bars with the ropes attached and number two to get the knots untied once it is out of the fixture.
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So exactly what did they not like about the ladder maze...he never says...personally I thought it was fine
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They are killing the show. It's not even worth watching anymore
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Yes, the challenges are boring and predictable. I fast forward to see who wins.
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Casting is ruining the show. We want people we can root for. We need a Boston Rob, Ozzy, Sandra, Parvati, Kelly, Rupert, Spencer, Tyson, Tony. These new contestants don't seem to want to build a decent shelter, they're lazy. They don't seem to use the fishing gear. Maybe award challenges where they can win food & forget the live chickens. Once they win their flint, let them keep it. There use to be a challenge where they worked on their Shelters. Most important get better cast & make it longer than 26 days.
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Itchy looks to me like if you know your going on survivor. You would brush up on fire starting. Then you can cook your darn eggs.
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I don't like all the talking at tribal before they vote someone out.
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Also, another challenge would be for teams to start a fire (having all supplies needed to do that ) ,then lighting a torch , which is used to burn a light rope holding something which drops down . And from there.....add what you will to the challenge!!!
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I liked the split social a lot!!! I think every challenge this season is a puzzle which is boring. Otherwise it's a fantastic season!!! Hope you do the food buy this year!!!
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The Social Hour was a waste of film. I hope it is a "one off" and is never seen again.
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Bring back the food challenge where they buy the food.
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Survivor has just become a game of puzzles. Very boring. The use to have creative challenges.
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Please stop torturing the final 3 AND FANS with immediate reveal. For the love of all things... a breath! One night/day before reveal. It is painful to watch our beloved cast members go through the torment of having to process final tribal... to immediate reveal! It's already brutal. No opportunity for them to compose or relish in the hard won moment takes the most important moments away from cast and us.
Awful. Not cool to watch.
We miss live reveal after the season aired.
We miss full cast reunions.
Also, yeah - challenges seem stagnant. Tying to hard to edge up when the past ones were more diverse and interesting.
And please
More frickin food!!!
Starving these folks to insanity is not interesting.
You guys need to calm down.
The game is awesome. Has been awesome. You've tweaked it, mostly for the better, but at this point seems you're getting away from the core.
Thank you for diverse and normal cast, though.
*except Bhanu. He was wacky but his edit was abysmal.
**obviously trying to cover up for winner, same tribe, and the last challenge cheat win - Bhanu edit was to sell her 'hard' story
***Kenzie was great... but. Well, didn't win last immunity solely, did not win fair.
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EXCELLENT COMMENTS! Too bad Jeff doesn't care. He thinks he knows best.
99% of these comments are legitimate complaints that he will IGNORE.
All while pretending that they care so much about the challenges.
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I think survivor needs to go back to the old days, 39 days, 2 different tribes not 3, and different countries every season. Not have every challenge with a puzzle in it
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The whole thing is just crap now. We used to look forward to watching the show every week, and now it's just something when there's nothing else on. They changed everything that didn't need changing, and I don't get it! Shorter time, lame "rewards", always same location, no themes, woke casting, and starving contestants. None of this made the show better.
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What happened to the earlier Survivor challenges? It's all about puzzles now. The eating, water, making a pole to retrieve a key and unlock something were great. Move locations.. that was something that you would look forward to in gearing up for a new season.
If you want to try something different, how about 2 Survivors in 1. Have exile island and while the players are competing and getting voted off they would really continue competing on exile. Exile would be ever changing because it's getting new players. Bring them as a new and rival tribe...the outcasts.
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1- taking flint.. no. Stupid.
They already lost, no reward or tribal, that's punishment enough.
Seems like a desperate attempt to make the show "more interesting".
2- Rewards.. give them a shower, deodorant.
3- Family reward..EVERYONE deserves.that shouldnt be a challenge reward.
4- Cast more forthright people PLEASE.
CAN'T STAND these liars and schemers winning the game.
5- Give them rice again- malnutrition doesn't look good on Survivor.
Outwit- yes.. not out lie.
Beware advantage - SUCKS
Red paint- finding an advantage! Lmao!
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Try covering the puzzles from sight of the other teams. They cheat by looking g over.
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I feel it should be more age difference. I feel like more & more whinners & cry babies are on every season. A
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Jeff said on the "On fire Podcast" they have a contract, and have built homes, Hotels, and live on a different Island than the Islands the tribes live on. Everything is so technical now, they have all the supplies, food, Ponderosa where players stay before the show , and after they are voted out. The contract I believe he stated with FIGI is like for 10yrs. They aren't going anywhere unfortunately! I wish they would use the old, and new games ideas to improve.
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I understand the need to change the puzzles since people use 3D printers to replicate them at home. Some remain challenging.
26 days is fast, the contestants don't really get to know each other, neither does the audience (although, with some survivors, 26 days are too many). I miss having villians, as well as finding something endearing about a contestant or two to root for.
Jeff is an icon of and for the show. But, he needs either someone to mentor or someone in the wing ready to step in as host.
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I think Survivor is getting a bit old. It's been on way too long and it's loosing it's appeal. Some of the new contests I think will take a lot of viewers away.
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Survivor has become nothing more than the oppression olympics
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Having watched Survivor since its beginning, a major distraction is the music that overrides conversations. Enough already!!!
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I've seen this ladder maze before, maybe Australian Survivor, also when the players earlier seasons where smarter,
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There's a whooooooole LOT of stuff that needs to be fixed - most of it has already been mentioned. Ain't nuthin' can be done about kids growin' up, though.
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Just watch Australian Survivor…it’s SO much simpler and Jonathan is a MUCH better host than Jeff! Plus, and maybe most importantly, it’s isn’t all PC like the American version. No one cries about how many men, women, gays or trans players are there. No one cares how many blacks, whites, Asians or Indians are on it. It seems to be an honest slice of applicants and it’s GREAT tv entertainment!
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