The 50th season of “Survivor” was an epic battle on a monumental scale — which makes it understandably tough to top.
However, when producers of the long-running reality hit began devising Season 51, they came up with a clever “New Era” theme and some outside-the-box twists designed to subvert expectations and turn the game on its head.
‘New Era’
In a new trailer for the upcoming 51st season showed fans their first glimpse of the new collection of castaways vying to outwit, outplay and outlast their way to the reality show‘s million-dollar prize.
The new season will introduce a bold twist pulling together elements from all 50 of the series’ previous seasons.
Not only will weekly episodes be expanded from one hour to 90 minutes, the new season promises “an all-new expanded class of dynamic and determined competitors” in the “Open Era” season, “in which every twist, every idol, every advantage in the series’ history may come into play in any order and without warning.”
“You are birthing a new game,” host Jeff Probst tells the contestants. “The ‘Open Era’ of ‘Survivor.’ Every type of advantage, every twist we’ve ever done, is in play.”
Probst goes on to tell the castaways, “Chaos can be opportunity. Opportunity can create chaos. I could say more. But I don’t want to spoil all the fun.”
Could a Season 51 Contestant Replace Jeff Probst?
CBSDuring a recent inteview with The Wrap, Probst was asked if he’d given any thought to who he’d like to see succeed him if he ever decided to step down as “Survivor” host.
“That’s a good question. Who could do it? I’d have to really think about it, if that was really happening,” Probst ruminated.
“It’s a very, very, very small list. Because the mistake made is the observation that somebody’s hosting the show, therefore you should get a host. The observation’s correct: Somebody is hosting the show. The conclusion that you should get a host is the fallacy. You need a producer who can host. I was never just a host.”
Added Probst: “So I would say you have to find somebody who knows story. The job of a host on a show like ‘Survivor’ is you have to be able to know when a moment is unfolding and how to nurture it or grab it or get out of the way. That’s a different skill than having the right shirt and a good haircut and somebody in your ear saying, ‘Remember, the opening phrase is, “Welcome to ‘Survivor’!”‘ That’s irrelevant. What’s more relevant is who do I want to talk to right now? Who has the more interesting story?”
That said, Probst believes that one of the Season 51 contestants has what it takes to replace him.
“You know, every so often I meet a player … There’s actually somebody in Season 51 that in casting, I think I said to them, ‘You could probably host this show,’ meaning your instincts as a storyteller and about people are so good that you could probably sit in this chair and you’d be just fine,” he said. “But the job, it’s hard, and the skillset is specific.”
The 51st season of “Survivor” premieres Wednesday, September 23 on CBS. After the two-hour episode, “Survivor” will air 90-minute episodes every Wednesday.
