CBS’ hit reality competition show Survivor changed the TV world forever when it premiered back in May of 2000, and it’s still wildly popular over two decades later. The new season has only recently begun (see how to stream Survivor 45 here), and there will no doubt be plenty of shocking twists and variations on the game. And host/showrunner Jeff Probst recently explained why Season 45 changed the challenge sit-out rules.
Throughout its years on the air, Survivor has seen countless tribes face off in both reward and immunity challenges. But since someone is voted off every season, the numbers in each tribe can vary. In order to make sure no one has an advantage in the challenges, there’s a sit-out bench to keep numbers even. But in Season 45 the same person isn’t able to sit out two episodes in a row. Probst explained to EW how the old rules worked, saying:
In the early seasons of Survivor, there were always two challenges: a reward challenge and an immunity challenge. The sit-out rule was designed to force a critical decision, because if you sat out of the reward challenge, you were forced to compete in the immunity challenge. So it came down to strategy. If you really wanted to win [a] reward, you might sit out your weakest player, but if you did, that weak player would then have to run in the immunity challenge. And Tribal Council was always the reset, which meant it was a clean slate with the next challenge.
That makes a lot of sense. But since we don’t get two challenges in one episode until much later in the season, production had to change the rules to make sure that all castaways are participating in the challenges. And just like that, the Sandra Diaz-Twine sit-out bench was retired… seemingly forever. Yet another way the two-time winner made her impact on the game.
Survivor changed its format by having fewer days on the island as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the pacing of the show is much quicker. What’s more, contestants now get barely any supplies, including no rice for them to live off of during the first half of the game. The shorter season also results in the immunity challenges also offering rewards for the tribes. Probst further reflected on how old sit-out rules needed to be changed, saying:
In this new era, we often only have one combined reward/immunity challenge. So tribes could sit someone out of the challenge, then Tribal served as a reset, and the next challenge they could sit the same person out again.
Points were made. Survivor is always slightly altering its rules, in order to keep the ame fresh for both the contestants and fans alike. And since it doesn’t look like the show will go back to 39 days anytime soon, tribes aren’t going to be able to sit their weaker members out of two episodes in a row. There’s just nowhere to hide anymore.
Another big change happening in Survivor 45 is longer episodes, which now clock in at 90 minutes each. This was seemingly a result of the ongoing strikes, but hardcore fans of the show were delighted to learn that the theme song sequence was finally being brought back after many years. Additionally, we should be able to see more of camp life for the various tribes.
Survivor airs Wednesdays on CBS. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.