Survivor: Season 41(US)-[**SPOILERS**]

seligehgit

Survivor: Season 41(US)-[**SPOILERS**]

Season 41 of CBS Survivor is due to premiere on Wednesday 22nd September 2021.

The season was supposed to premiere in September 2020 but production was put on hold for a year due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

It was shot in Fiji.

It will be shortened season spanning 26 days as opposed to the normal 39 days.

This will be the first Survivor season to impose a change in the safety significant protocols following an unseen incident that happened in Survivor: Island of the Idols.

Jeff Probst will also break the fourth wall,addressing the audience directly throughout the season to let us in on some of the twists well before the players are made aware.

Season 41 will additionally include a brand new interactive element.Fans can test their own skills at home by playing the new “Game Within the Game",where they can find and decode rebus puzzles hidden inside the episodes.

CBS have made good on their promise re cast diversity ( a minimum 50% of the contestants are black,indigenous or people of colour ).

See cast members below.

https://tvline.com/lists/survivor-season-41-preview-twists-changes-new-castaways-photos/brad-reese/

PogoRach

I'm not liking the sound of this Jeff breaking the 4th wall or "game within the game" audience participation stuff.

Living Off The Splash

Not sure if I agree with all these changes, nor the shortened season. All very PC.

Watched the first episode, enjoyed it......too early to judge yet.

Come on in.......guys......

Thargor

Okay Ive never had a good feeling from a first ep it always takes a few eps to get into a season so Im not worried but there is something seriously off here with that opener, all we can do is watch and see.

Oranage2

Survivor woke

Excited though I love survivor

Oranage2

Spoilers for episode 2

Brad seems absolutely mental, how he thought that maneuver wouldn't go un noticed is beyond me.

Also I think the wrong play by evy. Such a big play but I think the wrong one, siding with that woman that's always losing challenges was a wrong move IMO.

I like the fast pace but it's harder to make a connection with the contestants

pooch90

I dont like the 3 way idol thing. It's going to be so suss saying that stupid phrase at every IC.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117931802#Comment_117931802

Nothing 'PC' about a shortened season, especially given the circumstances of filming. Having watched a few season of Aus Survivor this shortened format is a welcome change of pace - the Aus enormous casts and never ending seasons has its pros but definitely serious problems. Not a huge fan of how they've picked up the worst part of Aus survivor - the flash back sob/background flashback videos.

Having said that, there definitely is a clear attempt to go out of their way to try to make up for past failings of the show and wanting attention for it (the latter I have a much bigger issue than the former). They've fixed some elements of the show that were beyond due, like the racial mix of the cast, but the 'come on in' bit seemed to Jeff looking for a pat on the head - something that could have been easily changed without anyone noticing/caring if they just changed without fanfare

Living Off The Splash

Just finished watching both Australian and New Zealand Survivor shows. Really good. I actually liked the longer version of the show. The US version seems like a holiday camp in comparison.

PogoRach

I'm really struggling to care about this season. The new twists and advantages are too much, and it doesn't feel like the same Survivor I've watched for 40 Seasons. I'll probably give it another episode or two to win me around because I've been a loyal fan for 20 years, but it's starting to feel that it might be time to let Jeff snuff out my torch and leave the world of Survivor behind me.

Foxtrol

Shan giving off Rupert vibes - coming in talking a big game wanting to play the villain but then becoming emotionally invested and struggling to vote people out

Oranage2

Probably the right choice, Brad had two advantages. That immunity 3 way thing is a death sentence, obvious you have it and you lose a vote too, crazy

Thargor

I honestly couldnt give a flying feck about this season especially all the new mechanics/Jeff talking to the camera/shorter season etc. Its just a chore to watch now.

I think this season fits in well with boards.ie's disaster of a redesign, you'll still look in every now and then but you just wont be invested anymore.

Living Off The Splash

The new three way idol thing is annoying. I much prefer the old fashioned way of finding an idol up a tree or similar.

Oranage2

Weird season I actually found myself just watching the challenges and then fast-forwarding to the elimination.

SPOILER

JD was probably the right choice, big threat and good to get someone like that out

Thargor

Tbh the code phrases about butterflies and broccoli are pretty funny when they try to use them.

Mr E

Interesting twist this week. Not sure it will have a massive impact though. We will see!

Foxtrol

Not a huge fan of twists that come with minimal risk to themselves, no skill to get, or even an element of timing

Thargor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118103853#Comment_118103853

This is a dead season to me, just something to have on in the background while I cook or clear my work emails, couldn't tell you anyones name or whats going on or anything.

S.M.B.

Taking a look at the changes outlined in the original post and adding other noticeable differences to past seasons, here's my thoughts:

It will be shortened season spanning 26 days as opposed to the normal 39 days.

Not much that can be done about that and the brisk pace hasn't had a detrimental effect anyway.

This will be the first Survivor season to impose a change in the safety significant protocols following an unseen incident that happened in Survivor: Island of the Idols.

Obviously a good thing and certain failings should have been resolved long ago. There's probably a lot more than making changes to "safety protocols" they can do to improve matters for contestants. If the whole point of the "peaking behind the scenes" is some sort of attempt to seem more transparent and authentic then it's a bit pointless.

Jeff Probst will also break the fourth wall,addressing the audience directly throughout the season to let us in on some of the twists well before the players are made aware.

Not sure if this is some sort of extension of the above where they are simply trying to come across as more authentic. Or maybe they realised that this seasons twists were so ridiculous they needed Jeff to help sell them. The twists and advantages really are terrible and there are far too many of them. I hope next week can somehow turn this current twist into something positive, otherwise I wish Jeff could call around to my house asking me what I think and offering me an hourglass that I could break so I could go back in time and stop watching this season.

Season 41 will additionally include a brand new interactive element.Fans can test their own skills at home by playing the new “Game Within the Game",where they can find and decode rebus puzzles hidden inside the episodes.

Not aimed at me but from what I hear it's not without its flaws.

CBS have made good on their promise re cast diversity ( a minimum 50% of the contestants are black,indigenous or people of colour ).

I really like how diverse the cast is. Feels like they've gone out of their way to find big fans of the show. I hope that by combining this diverse cast with all the changes in game mechanics and editing choices it won't result in people wanting a complete return to how things were pre season 41.

S.M.B.

The twists and advantages really are terrible and there are far too many of them. I hope next week can somehow turn this current twist into something positive....

Credit where credit is due. That was an exciting episode and a large part of that was a result of everything that has played out up until now. I'd still question some of the advantages and the decision to not present last nights action as part of a double episode.

Oranage2

Definitely the best episode, had me hanging on the edge of my seat, even though many have been voted out there still seems so many threats

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118128360#Comment_118128360

For all the valid complaints about the number and type of advantages the casting has been fantastic and should hopefully lead to post merge to continue to go on the upswing in terms of quality

jeoun

Hope Shan goes next. It seems like this season is "Shanivor" not "Survivor". She has featured way too much!

Kirby

I think thats the first time in a while I've seen somebody get what appears like a winners edit......and then get voted out.

It makes me worried that they might pull some jury twist and that the game isn't over for them because they gave Shan so much screentime.

jeoun

Bye Bye Shan!

S.M.B.

That was an excellent episode. I liked Shan, I'd hope to see her compete again, either on survivor or another similar show.

Agent Coulson

Having the tribal turn into a talk about being a black person of colour etc. and then Jeff completely ignoring the Asian person of colour and the Latin/Hispanic person of colour when he invited the white cast members to talk about their feelings on it felt very off for me.

African Americans are the only race that are effected by racism in America it seems.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118257350#Comment_118257350

I don't get your gripe at all here - the discussion at tribal wasn't about 'who is impacted by racism in America'. They were talking specifically about black alliance and it moved to the pressure among the black players who were part of it. There isn't a Latin or Asian alliance so I don't see why you think they should force their input. I'm sure Jeff spoke to everyone, as unedited tribals go on for ages, and Xander's point was easy to include as it was very short, gave another perspective that dovetailed really well into the discussion, and his comment got a reaction from those who were the key part of the conversation. Really seems like you're nitpicking to try to take offense.

What was incredible was Liana having the awareness and life experience to expect and call out those who would and have complained about this season for being too diverse or 'too woke' before they'd even finished filming.

S.M.B.

I thought Jeff handled that tribal council well, he took a bit of a back seat which is unlike him.

Didn't see any issue with the perspective of Xander and Heather being aired too.

Thought it was another good episode. Wouldn't want to see that twist again but it certainly brought the drama.

I do like this cast.

Mr E

The finale was pretty good. I really liked the aftershow format - it really was raw, a bit chaotic and good fun. They don't have 4 or 5 months to reflect on the season, so the answers are more honest.

Could they have split it into two and had 90 minute final episode instead? Yeah I think so. It was too long as it was.

Looks like some of the twists are sticking around next year too.

seligehgit

I was pretty sure Xander would win,shocked he received no votes.

However he certainly became overconfident post Ricard's vote out.There was a distasteful arrogance when he misread the jury opinions re the merits of Erika's game.It definitely aggravated the jury.In addition he was extremely patronising towards Heather.

He stumbled at the final tribal council when queried re his awareness.I thought he'd to a degree retrieved his fumble but evidently not.

Erika words certainly swayed the jury but I'd still have voted for Xander.

Ricard was definitely hurting pretty badly post his vote out and Xander lost any chance of his vote after the IMO needless pretence that he'd play his HII to save him.

I think Ricard would have walked it if he'd made final 4.

Foxtrol

I thought Xander had it in the bag until the final tribal but in hindsight a lot of that was down to Erika not getting the edit she deserved. She was targeted by multiple members of the jury throughout the game but the edit never really showed us why (just telling us that she was 'smart' or 'sneaky'). I don't want edits to give away the winner but you have to build some narrative for it or it creates frustration.

Kirby

The survivor subreddit really tried hard to push for the narrative that Erika was an amazing player and the edit did her dirty. That there were hours and hours of amazing strategic and clever footage of her controlling the game......and the producers chose not to show it.

I'm not buying it for one second. They work with what they have and that's the footage they got. Eirka was no goat. She was smart and usually ended up on the right side of the vote for a reason. But she was a total passenger to many of the votes and this idea of her being the man behind the curtain and the viewers just not seeing it........is a stretch.

Most viewers thought Xander had it in the bag because next to Ricard, he played the best game. Xander had absolutely no shot of winning. I'm just going to call a spade a spade. There was no way that jury was going to let a white man win it. Wrongly or rightly, with the climate in America at the moment a jury made up of minorities wasn't going to vote for him.

The final tribal was actually pointless btw. The jury had made their mind up going in so Xanders stumbling answers and Erika's smooth answers had no bearing on the outcome. The jury has confirmed this on social media.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118389286#Comment_118389286

The words of many of the jury throughout the game disagree with your opinion - they were gunning for Erika at multiple points claiming she was a huge threat yet the edit never really showed why they believed this. The editors either chose to not include these elements of Erika's game or Erika made the jury completely paranoid about her gameplay that wasn't there - an action in itself worthy of getting votes at the end.

Most juries go into final tribal feeling which way they are going to vote in advance, it is on Xander if his gameplay, relationship building, and jury management was so poor that they had 100% made up their minds beforehand and then to make matters even worse he followed it up by having incredibly weak final tribal answers.

As for complaining about a minority filled jury, imagine how every minority player has felt in nearly every one of the previous 40 seasons when practically every one was packed with a white cast, not even getting into the heavily white final juries. If you want to call into question the legitimacy of this winner based on the demographics of the jury then you're calling into question every other past winner. The dynamics of final tribal voting are always driven by the cast and what is going on in wider society at that point in time - just because you don't like who it may have helped or hurt doesn't make it any different to other seasons.

Kirby

I neither liked nor disliked who it did or didn't help. I never said that so that's just your own projection talking.

Claiming that in the current climate, with a cast full of minorities.....that one of the minorities was ALWAYS going to win isn't exactly a bombshell. It's common sense. Nowhere did I "call into question the legitimacy" of any win. Again, that's your own thoughts talking. There is no such thing as a legitimate win or an illegitimate win. The person who wins, wins. That's the game. People can argue over who they think played better, and I will partake in that, but what we say has no bearing on the winner. The jury does, and to a large extent, the producers who pick the cast. Which we can see this season.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118729689#Comment_118729689

If you want to go down this pedantic road, I never said you liked or disliked who it did or didn't help, nor did I say you were calling into question the legitimacy of the winner. Your post was written in a vague way to give you plausible deniability, which you are now using, so I purposefully also caveated mine by saying 'If you...' regarding your thoughts. If you didn't feel that way then none of the rest is relevant to you.

Your post smelled very strongly of someone who was annoyed about minorities potentially getting the same benefit that white players have received since the show began and you now suddenly felt the need to highlight this fact. If I look through the old survivor threads will I see you noting during every previous season how a majority cast of white contestants were more likely to vote out a minority contestant?

Kirby

I'd rather you keep your opinion on what my post "smelled like" to yourself. If you are going to quote me, quote my words. What I actually said, and not what you imagine I said.

Cheers.