Brian Smith
2025-02-23 02:22:48 UTC
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PermalinkElements' for Upcoming Season 50
A new interactive theme, 'Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans,' will
give fans of the CBS reality series power like never before
Mike Bloom
18 minutes ago
In 2015, Survivor gave fans the most power they had ever seen. Viewers
of the veteran reality series got to choose the cast for the upcoming
season, picking 20 players out of a possible 32 to appear on Season 31,
Survivor: Cambodia – Second Chanceˆ. And, a decade later, the CBS show
is getting fans involved in a brand-new way, as the network announced
today the launch of a brand new inclusive and interactive theme that
allows devotees to vote on twists, idols, advantages, and other "key
elements" for the highly-anticipated returnee-filled 50th season filming
later this year.
On Feb. 22, CBS kicked off a "phenomenal year of first-ever fan-centric
festivities," culminating in the premiere of the milestone Season 50 in
February 2026. A part of that is what they call "Survivor 50: In the
Hands of the Fans." Starting at 9:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 26,
during the premiere of Survivor 48, fans can visit this website and vote
on, at the moment, four different elements to appear in Season 50.
Multiple rounds of voting will occur over the course of the
indeterminate future, most likely each containing a new batch of
decisions to be made.
On paper, one would think the "key elements" offered would be minute,
like tribe colors or whether certain fan-favorite challenges would
return. But the examples given in the press release from CBS indicate
major structural elements are, for lack of a better term, "up for
grabs." Fans can choose between “Idols or No Idols,” electing whether or
not the season should remove the game-changing totems from the fray.
Another decision, “Final Four Fire Making: Keep It or Lose It,” puts the
change-up in the game's penultimate round in the quite literal line of
fire. And “Live Finale and Reunion Show in L.A. – or Keep the Winner
Reveal and Aftershow in the Jungles of Fiji" addresses whether the
conclusion of the season should happen months later off-island, like it
did from Seasons 2 through 40, or on-island, which became a permanent
change in the show's "new era."
Voting on all of these elements will conclude prior to the filming of
Survivor 50. Jeff Probst and company will tally the votes, and the
decision will be made final. What's interesting is, the results of the
polls will be kept secret until the filming of Season 50. That means
whoever makes up the cast of returning players will have some knowledge
as to what they could possibly be experiencing out on the island. But
they won't know exactly what they'll be facing until they're standing on
the beaches of Fiji, awaiting what curveball the fans threw at them next.
"From the very first season, Survivor has been evolving. Now, for our
50th season, it’s time for the next evolution,” said host, showrunner
and executive producer Probst. "'SURVIVOR 50: In the Hands of the Fans'
is unlike anything we’ve done before. For the first time ever, our loyal
fans will take control – deciding key elements of the game, from twists
to idols to advantages. I can’t wait to see what the fans choose for our
returning players!"
In addition to fans getting to impact Survivor 50 majorly, a lucky few
might get to see how their decisions will play out. CBS and Fiji Airways
are partnering, alliance-style to award five "tribes" of friends, family
members, or loved ones, a trip out to the show's set in Fiji (where
Survivor has set up permanent residence since Season 33 in 2016).
Between Feb. 22 and Mar. 30, fans can go to this link and send in a
one-minute video on behalf of their "tribe," outlining why they love
Survivor and how the show has changed their life. According to the press
release, "CBS will determine the five winning 'tribes' based on the
passion, inspiration and storytelling of the applicants."
The winning groups will then get a once-in-a-lifetime experience in
Fiji. They'll travel to the islands in style, in a Survivor 50-branded
jet in partnership with the airline. They'll stay for four nights at a
luxurious oceanfront resort, where they'll get to experience the rich
Fijian culture while also exploring local destinations.
The true cherry on top, however, is a "VIP tour" of the islands where
Survivor is filmed. The fans will get a behind-the-scenes look at
various locations, including challenge sites and Tribal Council. They'll
get a meet-and-greet with Probst, chatting it up with the four-time Emmy
winner. And on top of that, they'll have "all the fixins" in the form of
Survivor swag to take back home–along with a plethora of memories.
After these two major announcements, we'll see what other new fan
elements are coming down the pike for Survivor. But, as the show
celebrates its 25th anniversary in a few months, they've made it clear
that they want to honor those who have helped keep it on the air and in
the pop culture zeitgeist for a staggering quarter-century.
Source:
https://parade.com/tv/survivor-50-in-the-hands-of-the-fans-voting-twists-advantages-fiji-trip
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Brian
Brian