In the weeks leading up to the premiere of Survivor 49, many of the show's most dedicated fans were more interested in something else. Since it has an all-star cast, 24 players, and it is a landmark season in the show's history, fans like me have been a lot more focused on Survivor 50. However, now that I have seen the first episode of Survivor 49, the current season definitely has my attention.
During the first episode of the current season, there were several standout moments, including when two players were both incredibly bad during an individual challenge that involved a puzzle. As fun as that was to see, it was a surprising moment from Survivor 49's first episode that really stood out to me and got me excited about where the season could go from here.
Why Jake Latimer being a shoe thief has me so excited about Survivor 49
When an episode of Survivor ends, most fans are most interested in big picture things, like if anyone found an idol or who formed alliances. While it makes sense that most viewers want to know who was voted out of Survivor 49 first, I'm much more interested in something else. I always find myself looking for signs about what a season could be like during its first episode.
For me, there are several reasons why the most remarkable and exciting part of Survivor 49's premiere was learning that Jake Latimer was hiding people's shoes. The first and most obvious reason why I loved seeing that is that it has been many seasons since a player did something so villainous just for the sake of bringing chaos to the game. Since Jeff Probst doesn't want to cast Survivor villains, according to what the host told Rob Cesternino during a "Rob Has a Podcast" episode, seeing a player being Machiavellian is exciting.
Another reason why the shoe theft made me so happy is because of it was so specific. Instead of Jake stating that he stole and hid a shoe after a tribemate angered him, he told the camera he intended to sneak away with someone's left shoe daily. After calling himself a "shoe bandit," Jake laughed at his own antics and comments. So, it is certainly possible that he won't hide other shoes for very long. However, the fact that he came up with such a villainous, hilarious, and specific scheme is delightful.
Finally, I can't get enough of Jake being a "shoe bandit" because of how it complicates his image on the show. During the same episode, Jake told some of his Kele tribemates that after he and his wife struggled to have a baby, she finally became pregnant, only for him to miss his child's birth because of Survivor. It was highly emotional to see Jake reveal his struggles, especially for any viewers who've had a similar journey. As a result, that moment made it seem like Jake was destined to be a straightforward fan favorite Survivor player. Then, Jake was shown stealing and hiding shoes, which proves he is also a mischievous and interesting figure.
All of the reasons why I was so happy to see Jake stealing shoes are also why I now have high hopes for Survivor 49. As the show's history proves, a season can be made exponentially better simply due to the presence of a single fascinating player. If Jake's premiere performance is any indication, he certainly fits that bill. I also feel like Jake isn't the only Survivor 49 player who has potential. Now, I have to wait for more episodes to see if the season's potential will pay off.