Many Survivor Fans Are Using The B-Word To Describe Season 49, But The Solution Isn’t Shortening The Episodes

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The initial reaction to the first episode of Survivor 49 wasn’t very strong. A lot of viewers thought the cast was filled with overly excited superfans, and it felt like another instance of tribes with six members quickly attempting to create a four-person alliance just to avoid being the first voted out. The second episode was better received, particularly due to a significant change in how the game functioned, but even then, many still used the dreaded b-word – boring – to describe it.

I’m trying to stay optimistic, and I understand the criticisms. So far this season, we’ve seen two eliminations that felt predictable before Tribal Council even began. We’ve also had countless stories about the players’ families dealing with difficult situations, and it seems like every Survivor castaway is constantly expressing how incredible the experience is (one person even described it as being “inside the TV”). I understand why many viewers haven’t been thrilled, but I disagree with the fix that’s being suggested.

Many people on social media have been discussing whether the show would benefit from returning to 60-minute episodes. Survivor switched to 90-minute episodes during Season 45 partly due to the WGA strike, allowing CBS to fill more airtime. At first, many fans really liked this change. It gave the show more time to showcase how the players interacted at camp, and it allowed viewers to enjoy particularly entertaining or compelling scenes for longer. Rather than just showing highlights of a few days, the episodes became more detailed and featured more extended moments.

As a longtime fan, I’ve really appreciated the slightly longer episodes – Jeff Probst seems to feel the same way. But I totally understand why some Survivor fans are frustrated and quick to blame the length. I get it – a slow episode *is* a slow episode. However, shortening things back to 60 minutes feels like we’ll lose out on valuable time during the really great episodes when we’re all craving even *more*. Honestly, I think the problem isn’t the runtime, it’s the casting. That’s where I believe the show should focus its energy to address why some viewers are feeling bored.

As a longtime Survivor fan, I’ve noticed a big shift in casting lately. They’re not really bringing in obvious villains anymore, and almost everyone who applies seems to *know* the game inside and out. The producers have explained they’re doing this to up the level of play and get more potential winners on the show. And honestly, it’s definitely created a lot more chaos, especially after the merge. It feels like everyone is scrambling to make a big move and take out whoever they see as the biggest threat. It’s wild!

Sadly, a consequence of this is that most players on each season of Survivor approach the game like dedicated fans. Their eagerness to participate has led them to prioritize fitting in and being liked, instead of challenging others – for example, by confronting teammates who aren’t pulling their weight around camp. Their passion for Survivor often makes them more excited about simply being on the show than about actually winning the million-dollar prize. This has resulted in players favoring bold, memorable actions over strategic, cautious gameplay.

This has led them to adopt similar approaches. While Survivor has appeared and actually *been* more racially and sexually diverse in recent years, it hasn’t become any less uniform in terms of personality types. Survivor is a long-running, popular show, but its audience represents a very small portion of the total population.

I’m a big fan of Survivor. I rarely find it dull, though some episodes are definitely more captivating than others, and the recent ones haven’t been as thrilling. While I understand why some viewers want shorter episodes, I believe the key is better casting. We need to find contestants who aren’t overly familiar with the show. We should prioritize casting individuals who could genuinely benefit from the prize money. And it’s important to be open to casting people who aren’t always cheerful. Ultimately, I’d like to see Survivor reflect a more realistic cross-section of American personalities.

Fortunately, those less exciting parts of the show likely won’t be an issue in the next season. Survivor 50 is bringing back many of the most memorable players ever to compete, and even though some fans are disappointed about who didn’t make the cut, the final cast still includes a lot of well-known competitors who are great on TV. I’m really looking forward to it.

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2025-10-05 20:33