Survivor 50 is going to be an unforgettable season for many reasons. Not only will it be a major milestone in the franchise’s run which will bring back some of the most iconic players to have ever played the game, but in celebration of the show’s 50th season, CBS is turning the power over to fans like never before.
Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans will give the franchise’s fans the chance to let their voice be heard in a season that will celebrate the fans and give them the opportunity to truly change the game. Over the course of the upcoming weeks, fans will get the chance to vote for a series of categories that will determine key aspects of the season. While some of the items fans will get to vote for aren’t likely to have much of an impact on the game such as voting on the official tribe colors, there are other items that most certainly could have major impacts on the game such as determining whether the final four fire-making competition will take place or whether to give the tribes rice or not.
The decision of whether or not to give tribes rice might not seem like a decision that would make a major impact on the game, but in the eyes of Survivor host Jeff Probst, it’s the one thing he’d never give the players.
“I would never give the players rice. Never. Because I think having your cognitive ability start to decline quickly makes it more interesting because people can't remember what lie they told,” Probst revealed to Entertainment Weekly.
Honestly, Probst does have quite a point. Withholding rice from the players does make a major difference in their gameplay. When you take the rice off the table, he’s very much correct that this leads to a bit of a quicker decline in the players’ cognitive abilities which can lead to players slipping up and stumbling in their gameplay.
Voting to give tribes rice, provides them with a key source of food and as we’ve seen before in the game, hunger can have a significant impact on the players. When players are juggling limited food rations, they tend to make some interesting choices that aren’t always best for their gameplay with some even putting food before challenges and social gameplay.
Ultimately, it’s not just rice that Probst would never give the players. For the longtime host, it’s all about finding ways to make the game more difficult for the players and keeping them on their toes.
“If somebody was asking me, “Jeff, what would you vote for?” I'd say absolutely do not vote for anything that makes it easier. But there's going to be a tendency from somebody who wants to make their impact on the game, so they might vote opposite of whatever we're doing. Okay, do that. It's not what I would do. I've been running the show for a long time. I like to make players work and I like to keep them uncertain.”
If we’re being honest, he’s not wrong. No one wants to watch a bunch of players – especially former players – take to the island only to have things made easy on them. Part of what has always made the show so fun as a viewer is watching players overcome and navigate the hardships the show throws their way. And let’s be honest, the players who we recognize as Survivor legends aren’t ones who played it safe or took the easy route.