Jeff Probst has been part of the Survivor legacy since the very first season. As the show went on and continued to succeed where other reality shows were failing, he began taking on a larger and larger role in production. He has worked his way up to executive producer since 2010. In other words, the host and showrunner has sat through many, many casting interviews.
The casting process is extensive. Potential players go through a plethora of stages of applications, interviews, and evaluations to be considered for the iconic show. The team wants to be sure they are putting players on television that will engage the audience, make the show interesting, and entertain viewers each week. It is incredibly uncommon for Jeff, or anyone, to make a decision quickly on any player.
Yet, on Survivor 48, that is precisely what happened. Jeff admitted that one member of the cast this year was the "single fastest yes" he can remember. That player? Final five castaway and inspiration, Mitch Guerra.
On the most recent, and final, episode of On Fire with Jeff Probst for Survivor 48, Jeff was discussing players in the finale. Co-hosts Jay Wolff and Rachel LaMont were discussing Mitch Guerra, who was an inspiration throughout his time on Survivor 48. He was ultimately voted out by the rest of the final five, fearing he was too big a threat to win in the eyes of the jury. We may never know if he had a shot, but he certainly earned a fan in Jeff.
Jeff discussed his thoughts on Mitch and shared some insight and thoughts on him as a player and a human.
"I think Mitch might be the single fastest yes, and maybe the least amount of first impression notes I've ever taken on any player. I went and looked at him, and I love him. I want him on the show. He's an amazing human, he's an inspiration, he deserves this adventure. I love Mitch. I don't know how else to say it."
He did not stop there, though, and wanted to make it clear the reasons behind his love of Mitch.
"I don't love Mitch because he stutters. I love Mitch because of his vulnerability and his willingness and his desire and his courage to come out into a social game where talking is the single biggest currency and skill you can have, and that's going to be, to some from the outside, his biggest deficit. "
Evidently, Jeff agreed with Joe Hunter, Kamilla Karthigesu, Eva Erickson, and Kyle Fraser when they said Mitch was a threat to win.
"And what was fascinating is that it had nothing to do with anything, right? It was the way Mitch's brain worked, his ability to read situations and know when to stay out of the way, let that river flow right by me. And look at it, he could have won this game."
Whether Jeff's assessment of Mitch's in-game threat level is correct, it is a fair statement to say that Mitch impressed in the social game, despite it being an area that should have been his greatest challenge. He was open, honest, and committed, and that is why he is such an inspiration, on and off the island.
Mitch Guerra, from a fan perspective, may not have played an exciting game. He would often lie back instead of making a move that might have positioned himself better. It is clear that those on the island, both players and the host himself, saw something quite different from his gameplay. Perhaps that is due to the edit, or perhaps it is just due to different values between players, producers, and fans.
What cannot be taken away from him is the impact he had on the show from the moment he stepped into casting, and continued to do so his entire time on the island. Players like Mitch are so important as a representation of all fans watching the show, to prove that no matter what challenges you may face, you can accomplish what you set out to accomplish. Mitch was a great casting decision, and it is clear why he was such a quick yes.