‘Survivor’: 1 Rule CBS Needs to Change After Season 43
It’s no secret that Survivor on CBS has undergone several changes over the past few seasons. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic threw a wrench into the producer’s plans for the show, and they had to pivot from their original strategy. However, one rule from pre-COVID Survivor seasons remained, and we believe it’s time to throw it into the trash.
The best ‘Survivor’ Season 43 player lost because of fire-making in the finale
One of the first things that Survivor castaways need to learn how to do is make fire. Not only is this a basic survival skill necessary to cook food, boil water, and keep warm, but it also comes into play during challenges.
In the earlier Survivor seasons on CBS, some of the immunity challenges would revolve around making a fire. However, the last time fans saw it in an immunity challenge was in Survivor: Gabon. In recent seasons, fire-making tasks have taken place solely at Tribal Council.
Before Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, if a 2-2 tie occurred at the final four Tribal Council, the two castaways with votes against them had to compete in a fire-making challenge. The loser was eliminated from the game, while the winner earned a spot in the final three.
However, beginning in Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, the winner of the last immunity challenge picked one person to bring to the final three. And the other two had to make fire. So for nine seasons, every final four Tribal Council has resulted in a fire-making challenge.
Most recently, Jesse Lopez, the favorite to win Survivor 43, was eliminated due to fire-making. And this isn’t the first time that has happened in Survivor on CBS.
It’s time that CBS got rid of the final four fire-making ‘Survivor’ rule
As fans witnessed in Survivor 43, the final four fire-making challenge messes with the momentum of the CBS reality competition series. Every Tribal Council up to that point ends in a vote, so it makes no sense as to why that would change before the finale. And although fans have been demanding that the network axe this Survivor rule for years, season 43 confirmed that it isn’t working.
The rule completely changes the gameplay at the end of the season, and not for the better. Time and time again, we have seen fire-making end a castaway’s game. And then the final three is made up of boring players.
But not only does the challenge affect those eliminated, but it has also become a factor for the final three pitching their cases to the jury.
Ever since Chris Underwood gave up his immunity necklace to take Rick Devens to fire in Survivor: Edge of Extinction, castaways now expect everyone to do the same. And if they don’t, they won’t receive the jury’s votes during the Final Tribal Council. To put it nicely — that is not fair.
Fans saw this most recently with Cassidy Clark in Survivor 43. She won the final immunity challenge and earned her spot in the finale. So why should Cassidy have to risk that to take out the biggest threat, Jesse? Her strategy was to send the best fire-maker, Mike Gabler, to the challenge and get Jesse out, which was successful.
But in the end, the jury voted for Gabler to win because he was the one who technically eliminated Jesse. So hopefully, with that result, CBS realizes it’s time to nix the final four fire-making in Survivor. They should only bring it back in the event of a tie.
When will ‘Survivor’ Season 44 premiere on CBS?
Since CBS filmed Survivor 43 and 44 back-to-back, fans will likely see the final four fire-making challenge return in the upcoming season.
Survivor 44 premieres on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. And based on the season 44 preview, it will be a wild ride.
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