Jeff Probst and Survivor announced the new Survivor 50 cast, and it is hard to know what to think about it. Survivor should be celebrated for its incredible accomplishment of 50 seasons spread over 27 years, by the time the season airs. It is a game that has undergone phenomenal evolution over time, constantly changing as society around us evolves.
In the early seasons, or “old school” years, it was more about physical strength and alliances. Strategies developed more slowly. During the “new school” seasons, gameplay, blindsides, strategy, and jury grooming took on more importance. Alliances were more fluid, changing with every vote.
In the “new era,” the social game has assumed a more significant role than it did in previous eras. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been winners who have won over the jury based heavily on the social game rather than through big, strategic moves.
Not only have the strategies evolved, but the format has drastically changed as well. The game is only 26 days now, instead of 39 days. No matter how they explain it, that is a huge difference. Less food is provided. Many of the challenges are now more complex.
Survivor 50 cast features too many "old school" players
Everyone loves players like Cirie Fields, Colby Donaldson, Stephanie LaGrossa, Ozzie Lusth, and Coach Wade, but haven’t we seen these players enough times? Aren’t their legacies sealed already, even if they haven’t ever won?
It’s been a long time since some of these people competed. The “old school” players didn’t fare well during Winners at War. The game moved too fast for most of them, and they didn’t adjust well. It’s unrealistic to think players from early on will have better luck this time.
It is nice to see people like Christian Hubicki, Angelina Keeley, and Rick Devens get another chance. They’ve only had the opportunity to play once, and it will be interesting to see if they adjust more quickly than others to the current game.
While it is understandable that Survivor wanted to celebrate its complete history by including contestants from early on, it is time for people who’ve only played once to establish their places in the Survivor pantheon. There are plenty of recent one-time participants worthy of the opportunity.
Of course, this is just one person's opinion. Some fans wish there were fewer "new era" players. Hey, we can't all get our way, so maybe having players from different eras is a good thing. We shall see.
It also seems weird that only two previous winners were chosen. If there are only going to be two, maybe there should have been none. A big season with 24 non-winners would have been awesome. Having just the two is a bit of a curveball and doesn’t make much sense.
Regardless, Survivor 50 is looking to be an exciting one that will have us all glued to our screens every Wednesday starting in February 2026. Maybe one of the “old school” players will surprise us all.