I think my beloved Survivor has a problem.
Up until a few years ago, host Jeff Probst had full control over tribal council at the end of each episode. He would ask questions, and the players would respond. Sometimes players would also respond to each other, providing little doses of drama. Eventually Jeff would tell everyone that it’s time to vote, and someone would be voted off the island.
Then something changed. In a certain tribal council, one player turned to another and whispered in their ear. Then someone else did the same. Then another. Jeff sat back and watched, which I think was the right move at the time. It was unprecedented, and first-time moments make for good Survivor.
But it happened again that season. Then then next season and in every season since. Not every tribal council, but enough that it’s become a regular thing.
Unfortunately, I don’t think it makes for good TV. The players have plenty of time to scheme, plot, and whisper before tribal council. But tribal itself is the time for Jeff to represent the viewer and the jury to make sense of what’s happening between the players. We lose that when players whisper, and doing so prevents people from answering Jeff’s questions.
So I’d like to propose a solution: If you whisper at tribal council instead of speaking to everyone, you must immediately go vote. Just you. And you can’t come back until the rest of tribal has finished.
There would be no grey area. Basically, if Jeff catches you whispering, you must vote. Knowing glances, winks, and nudges are fine. But not private conversations at tribal. You had your chance for them back at camp.
What do you think? Do you consider this a problem, and would this solution fix it? If not, what solution do you propose?
I think that sounds like a fine solution. I am often surprised by what happens at tribal anyway. This season is nuts in that regard. So far I’m most impressed by Denise’s major move. Makes me wonder if Sandra wanted to leave because that was a rookie move on her part.
I’ve been voicing my frustrations weekly this season with all the whispering at tribal. A lot of the behaviors have been rather childish and antagonistic. Sarah’s outburst toward Tony was another prime example; what felt like a melodramatic reaction out of left field to a perfectly legitimate play that didn’t directly involve her. So much of the interaction feels more forced to me, and the way the show is framing the action seems as though they’re shaping a narrative with each episode.
The dynamic is so different with the group of players they’ve assembled, and I’m not so sure it’s had quite the positive effect on the show that they were going for. More subtle and experienced play may have been why it feels as though the show has been “jigged” in the edit to a greater degree this time around.
Then again, it’s certainly gonna be a talked about season, and maybe that’s exactly what they were going for.
I agree. I don’t like that we have no idea who is saying what, and we only get the result of all the conversation. I have always like the tribal council discussions and have been missing them.
I think a great season for the future might be a season of all people who got sent home first — a season of people who have something to prove. Might be interesting.
The whispering in “non second voting rounds” after an initial tied vote have gotten a little out of hand. Initially, it was part of the evolving new school “gameplay”, but it has gotten a bit old to basically see conversations that should have been had back at camp happening at tribal.
I like the idea of whisper and you must vote immediately – one whisper and you’re done.
The fire tokens added some new things to the game in the first half of the game and I had high hopes for them. However, they have kind of fizzled out lately. I would like CBS to show us the menu of things they can buy with their fire tokens again. It does not seem like food is much of an issue this season and I think tokens for food did not go over as well as the producers had hoped, outside of Tyson and his peanut butter stash. Circulate those fire tokens. Open up the economy.
I suspect there will be one challenge where an advantage can be purchased for fire tokens and a good portion of the contestants (and Edge of Extinction members) will be able to buy in to get that advantage making it kind of pointless.
I go back and forth. I would like it better if they were mic’ed so we could hear more, they subcaption some of it, but I am guessing cannot get all. That would make it better from a view POV. I think it also does disrupt the spirit of the game, because what comes out in council leads to the uncertainty of the vote, the plans you thought you had…well change.
I like some of the twists, but the fire tokens do not seem fully realized, though the players are bargaining with them. The extortion was very interesting. These are all some very tough and smart people, I am really enjoying watching them play.
I actually have some respect for Sandra walking away. She has nothing to be ashamed of, though I do wonder if she has regrets. She would always be a target though, and the chances they would let her get in a position to win a third time is very low, so I can see walking, esp as she had just done Island of the Idols, and there seemed to be some hurt on her part that Rob did not tell her he had signed up. I dont blame him, but I also get how she could feel bad.