After nine seasons with the new era twist—the latest of which didn't see it used at all—fans can't help but wonder if it's time to retire the shot in the dark after Survivor 50. The show has always been known for implementing new exciting twists every few seasons, with some like the hidden immunity idol becoming long-lasting installments to the series, but has the shot in the dark paid its dues enough to still be in play?
The gifted advantage was introduced in Survivor 41 as part of the new format for the show. All players would automatically receive a "shot in the dark" they could play once at Tribal Council in exchange for their vote. It would grant the player a one-in-six chance to be safe after the vote.
In that first season when the advantage was shiny and new, only one player opted to use it and it wasn't until after the merge. Sydney Segal took a chance, but did not receive safety from her shot in the dark and was voted out that night. However, in its sister season, Survivor 42 did see a lot of action for the shot in the dark—the most of any season—with 4 players playing the advantage. But none of them received, and all of them went home at that same Tribal Council.
While one more player did use their shot in the dark in Survivor 43, it wasn't until season 44 that someone was finally marked safe from the vote, though Jaime Lynn Ruiz did not receive any votes against her to need to be safe from. Her tribe mate Matthew Grinstead-Mayle also opted to play his shot in the dark that same Tribal Council which then prompted Brandon Cottom to play his hidden immunity idol—which kept him in the game—showing the first reliance of the shot in the dark for a strategic purpose versus an immunity purpose.
But Survivor 45 is when the true reason for the advantage came to light. Kaleb Gebrewold gave up his vote to play his shot in the dark which resulted as only the second "safe" scroll in the twist's history. But what really shocked both the players at Tribal Council and fans at home was then watching all 11 votes placed that night being for Kaleb and instantly getting negated. The first time a null vote took place due to a shot in the dark play.
Over the next couple of seasons, we would see one shot played per season—Moriah Gaynor in Survivor 46 and Rachel LaMont in Survivor 47—though neither resulted in safety and only one resulted in an elimination. But we did see the twist being used as a bargaining tool with host Jeff Probst during the rice negotiation of season 47, which shifted the advantage again from a safety and strategic gameplay option to an in-game currency.
Then in Survivor 48—after her ally Stephanie Berger went home after her shot in the dark didn't grant her safety at the first Tribal Council—Mary Zheng became the second player to successfully play the advantage as she was marked safe, negating the 2 votes cast and resulting in another null Tribal Council. This immunity led to the longest Tribal Council in the show's history as the vote then moved to a tie that ultimately resulted in a deadlock then left to the decision of Cedrek McFadden to choose who would be eliminated from the game.
Yet after all these evolutionary moment in this twist's history, Survivor 49 did not see a single player use their shot in the dark. We barely even had the advantage referenced throughout the season. So are there any new possibilities with this twist, or has it been exhausted already? Would future castaways see an advantage in having this in the game or would it fall to the wayside of other more impactful gameplay elements?
I think it's safe to say that the shot in the dark has had its time in the spotlight, accomplishing more than production could have hoped for when introducing it back in season 41, but after its lack of mention in season 49, this would be a good opportunity to just let it fade out and make room for something new.
There are so many ways the producers could shake up the game by giving players new tools that they decide how and when to play, similar to the shot in the dark, but more of a variation on it and maybe not immediately gifted to all players upon stepping onto the marooning beach, but something all players have a chance at earning once they've in the game.
What if all players are given a random task in their bags upon arriving to camp? Like a smaller version of a journey that needs to be completed at, stealthily in front of your entire tribe, similar to the Survivor 43 Beware Advantage that required the collection of beads from each tribe member to power up an immunity idol. Could this be how the new version of a shot in the dark is unlocked, giving it a little more power than before because it took a little more effort to earn it?
Whatever happens, I'm ready to see where Survivor goes from here. 25 years later and the show still keeps me on the edge of my seat season-after-season!