The show will not move away from numbered season titles anytime soon.
One of the biggest changes in the new era ofSurvivoris right there in the title.
Hence, the 46th season of the show premiering Feb. 28 on CBS is titledSurvivor 46.
‘Survivor 46’ contestants during a competition on season premiere.Robert Voets/CBS
But with the move to number-titled seasons, something has been lost, and that something is themes.
Even whenSurvivorwas still moving around the globe from location to location, the show was spitting out theme seasons.
Favorites, Heroes vs. Villains, Blood vs. Water all which separated players into tribes due to certain designations.
‘Survivor 46’ contestants during a competition on season premiere.Robert Voets/CBS
There were also themes built around game twists likeExile IslandandRedemption Island.
On one hand, it makes sense.
Some of the themes (Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers, anyone?)
‘Survivor 46’ premiere challenge.Robert Voets/CBS
were kind of silly and a bit of stretch.
And often the designations (Candide Woodcock a Hero for mutinying from her tribe?)
didnt necessarily make a whole lot of sense.
Jeff Probst on ‘Survivor 46’.Robert Voets/CBS
Ask anySurvivorsuperfan who won theAll-Starsseason that aired 20 years ago and you will quickly get an answer ofAmber Brkich.
Was thatGabler?Erika?Maryanne?
And where are you going to take it?
And so you do have to sort of manage the creativity from a broad sense.
And in Probsts view, the themes before shifting to numbers were becoming thinner and thinner.
And those thoughts go through our head.
We just haven’t come up with any that felt right yet.
But Probst usesGhost Islandas an example of why they no longer do big theme seasons.
Ghost Islandis probably the corniest idea I ever had, says the host.
It was just as thought out asBrains vs. Brawn vs. BeautyorWinners at WarorDavid vs. GoliathorMillennials vs Gen X.
It just happened to be a little sillier.
Let’s pretend that’s a haunted island.
Again, so far, so great as far as Im concerned!
But then Probst pitched it to the web link.
They were like, Well, I like the name.
I was like, OH MY GOD!
And I took my toys and I walked out of the room.
By stripping down the process, Probst says they can pour their efforts into what really matters.
I’m glad we don’t have that right now.
I feel really good about seasons 41 through 45.
I’m super proud of them.
But that does not mean I willeverstop pushing forSurvivor: Ghost Island 2 No Hourglasses Allowed.
