‘Survivor’ Season 43 Won’t Feature 2 Controversial Twists, and Fans Are Relieved
Survivor host Jeff Probst declared that season 41 would begin a “new era” of the game. And for all intents and purposes, it was. The castaways only had 26 days on the island instead of the traditional 39-day schedule. They had less food, and there were multiple twists thrown their way. However, some viewers weren’t fans of the new developments. Thankfully, two of the unpopular twists will be nowhere to be found in Survivor Season 43.
‘Survivor’ Season 41 introduced a plethora of twists
Survivor went on a mini-hiatus when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit. So the producers had time to re-think how they approached the show and what changes they could make. And when they were able to return to Fiji to film season 41, the new group of castaways had plenty of surprises waiting for them.
The twists included Shot in the Dark, Prisoner’s Dilemma, Knowledge is Power, Beware Advantage, Hourglass, and Do or Die. And while some of them added an intriguing element to Survivor, others seemed unfair to the audience.
Unfortunately, CBS filmed seasons 41 and 42 back-to-back. So they could not see the feedback on season 41 before shooting season 42. But going into Survivor Season 43, the producers knew which twists were a major fail, according to the fans.
Which twists won’t be included in ‘Survivor’ Season 43?
According to Inside Survivor, two of the most controversial twists from seasons 41 and 42 won’t be featured in Survivor Season 43 — the Hourglass twist and Do or Die.
The Hourglass twist completely changed the game. When the castaways reached the final 12 in Survivor Seasons 41 and 42, Jeff Probst informed them that they had made the merge. However, he split them into two teams of five, with two people sitting out, and they competed in a Reward and Immunity Challenge. Whichever team won would enjoy a merge feast and be safe at the next Tribal Council.
The winning team also chose which of the two excluded castaways would join them and which one would go to Exile Island. Probst would meet the ousted player on Exile and present them with an hourglass. If they broke it, they would turn back the game and reverse the outcome of the challenge. So the winning team wouldn’t be safe at Tribal Council, and the losing team would get immunity.
The Do or Die twist also affected Tribal Council. Probst would explain at the Immunity Challenge that the castaways could sit out or compete. But if they competed, whoever came in last place would have to play a game for safety at Tribal Council. Probst would present the losing player with three boxes, and if they chose the one with the “safe” symbol, they would continue playing Survivor. If they lost, they would leave the island.
Many Survivor fans declared that these two twists were unfair. And lucky for them, Survivor Season 43 won’t include the Hourglass twist or Do or Die. However, Shot in the Dark and other twists are still in play.
Fans react to the news
Survivor fans are thrilled that season 43 will throw away the Hourglass and Do or Die twists. And they shared their excitement in a Reddit thread. One user said, “No more Hourglass or Do or Die twist, HALLE-FREAKING-LUJAH!”
“I’m down for this,” a fan shared. “I actually enjoyed [seasons] 41 and 42, but the Hourglass and Do or Die BADLY needed to go. I’m just glad no one ever got taken out by the [Do or Die].”
However, now some fans are wary about new twists. One person wrote, “I can get with this! I’m cautiously optimistic, although I feel like Jeff is so wild that there could be something stranger in the works.”
Another user added, “I mean, if we’re being honest here, they’re just gonna replace the old twists with something even more crazy.”
Survivor Season 43 premieres on Wednesday, September 21, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
