‘Survivor 44’ Proves CBS Needs to Make 1 Format Change to the Show

Survivor has changed immensely in the 23 years it has been on CBS. Producers have introduced hidden immunity idols, removed the fan favorite auction, resorted to revealing the Sole Survivor during the Final Tribal Council, and so much more. But even with these format modifications, one aspect of Survivor has yet to change in recent seasons.

Matthew easily won immunity for Ratu in ‘Survivor 44’ Episode 2 on CBS

The Immunity Challenge for Survivor 44 Episode 2 on CBS featured the three tribes — Ratu, Soka, and Tika — racing through an obstacle course to get to a snake maze. The first two tribes to finish the maze would win reward and immunity, and the losing tribe would face Tribal Council.

All three tribes remained neck and neck throughout the challenge, but Ratu quickly secured the win when they got to the snake maze. As host Jeff Probst told the castaways before the challenge began, only one tribe member could work on the maze. And Matthew Grinstead-Mayle volunteered to do it for Ratu despite having an injured shoulder.

Matthew effortlessly navigated the ball up the snake maze and won immunity for Ratu. Josh Wilder from Soka was the second to finish, sending Tika to Tribal Council.

Following the challenge, Probst spoke with the tribes and asked Matthew about his dominance during the snake maze. Matthew revealed that he built a replica of it in his backyard before coming to Fiji and relentlessly practiced.

The snake maze first appeared in Survivor: David vs. Goliath and returned in Survivor: Edge of Extinction and Survivor: Winners at War on CBS. So knowing that it could show up again in his season, Matthew trained, and his preparation obviously paid off.

‘Survivor’ producers need to update the challenges

It probably wasn’t wise for Matthew to come clean about recreating classic Survivor challenges in his backyard, since he could become a target. However, Matthew’s not the only one to practice challenges at home. Carson Garrett from the Tika tribe also told the cameras in Survivor 44 Episode 2 on CBS that he used a 3-D printer to replicate puzzles from previous seasons.

And over the past few seasons, other castaways, like Evvie Jagoda from Survivor 41, have also admitted to building past challenges and puzzles before going to Fiji. So in a sense, Survivor players have hacked the game, which means it’s time to update the show’s format.

The repetitive challenges and puzzles are making it too easy for aspiring castaways. They know what’s coming in the Reward and Immunity Challenges, so they can prepare for them at home. Instead, the competition should shock them and force them to think on their feet.

Survivor producers need to start making changes to the challenges. They have been able to update the show numerous times in many different ways over its 44 seasons, so we don’t think it will be difficult for CBS to come up with new puzzles and challenges for the Survivor castaways. Unfortunately, the crew builds the sets months ahead of time, so it would theoretically be a while before we saw a change.

But now that more contestants are openly talking about how they prepared for Survivor, perhaps Jeff Probst and the other producers will finally realize it’s time for an update.

‘Survivor’ fans share their thoughts on the lack of diverse challenges in the CBS show

Following the premiere of Survivor 44 Episode 2 on CBS, one fan started a Reddit thread discussing Matthew’s dominance at the Immunity Challenge. And they agreed with our sentiment that producers need to alter the competition.

“Contestants shouldn’t know or be able to practice the puzzles/challenges that are upcoming in the season,” they wrote. “Production really has failed with the challenges in the recent seasons. Reusing the same puzzles and challenges is so lazy and makes for bad really bad television. Every challenge is the same these days, obstacle course into a puzzle or an endurance challenge. Bring back more unique challenges!”

A Reddit user commented, “I used to look forward to the challenges, but now that they’re so cookie cutter, you can just zone out until you find out who’s going to tribal.”

“They need to make new challenges,” someone else said. “Bring back the nasty food challenge and bring back the auction.”

New episodes of Survivor 44 air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.