“Survivor 41 will birth a new era of Survivor,” host and executive producer Jeff Probst tells Parade, “with a faster, more dangerous and much more intense game. We really leaned into having fun with this season and the best kind of Survivor fun is the dangerous kind.” So with a relatively blank slate to start Survivor’s third decade on air, the show has made some changes in a departure from the recent seasons before it. That starts with the theme, or in this case, lack thereof. For the first time since the first half of the series, there will not be a titled theme around either cast divisions or mysterious power-granting islands. Instead, the season is going by a simple name: Survivor 41. “In birthing a new era of Survivor,” Probst explains, “we are letting go, for now at least, of casting themes or seasons built around a specific twist. Those ideas served us very well for 20 years, but now it’s time for something new. The new players and the gameplay will define each season, much like a Super Bowl or any other regular sporting event.” And that gameplay will have to operate in a shorter runtime as well. Survivor 41 will run for 26 days, a big change for fans out there used to hearing the classic phrase, “39 days, 20 people, 1 Survivor!” Probst says that production’s choice was made to help accelerate gameplay, and all elements of the season have been adjusted to fit the new timeframe “to ensure those 26 days are unrelenting.” Indeed, if there seems to be any theme for season 41, it’s “danger.” That not only comes from the gameplay, which will now run in a more rapid-paced timeframe. Tribes will stay small throughout the season, meaning that players have nowhere to hide as the numbers dwindle. But that also reflects in the actual survival aspects in Survivor, which seem to be taking center stage for season 41. “The tribes are not given any daily food staple, and Reward Challenges are scarce,” Probst says. “This had a tremendous impact immediately as their mental and physical energy is instantly challenged. And votes are often at risk, which means you can’t ever rely on how many votes your alliance will have at any Tribal Council. And advantages now often come with massive risks. In order to earn an advantage, you have to successfully navigate something risky. This is a new version of Survivor. There is no way to compare past seasons.” But as we watch these 18 people struggle against the elements from our couches, Survivor 41 provides us with our own opportunity to play. Probst introduces the idea of a “game within the game” (don’t worry, RuPaul’s Drag Race fans, no lipsyncs in sight here!). Each week will apparently feature a hidden rebus puzzle in the episode that fans can spot and solve. Though it has no bearing on the game at hand, it allows fans and families who have been following the show for years to become players in their own right. And though those changes may seem like a lot, according to Probst, the humanity of Survivor 41 is what shines through the most. Given the state of the world, as well as the lengthy hiatus the show has undergone, coming back to the beaches of Fiji to welcome in a new class of castaways was a moment of sunshine after weathering a yearlong storm. “From the moment the game started,” he says, “I felt an undeniable sense of camaraderie and community with the players. It was a very unique feeling. I was literally smiling every time I interacted with the players. I think the audience will feel it in the opening moments of our first episode. There was just no denying that it felt amazing to be with other humans, to see smiling faces, to talk to each other.” Check out the interview below for more insight from Probst about the structure of this season, the cast, and how the show handled filming during the pandemic. Survivor 41 premieres Wednesday, September 22 at 8:00 p.m. with a two-hour episode on CBS. What was the planning process like in the past year to eventually make the return to Fiji? We made the decision to postpone the shooting of Survivor 41 in March of 2020. We then attempted to shoot in the summer and again in the fall of 2020, but conditions would not allow. We were then into the rainy season in Fiji, so we had to accept that it would most likely be March of 2021 before we could shoot. We have a great relationship with Fiji, and our Survivor executive team was in constant contact with the Fiji government throughout the year. We knew that we would need to create our own bubble in Fiji so that we could quarantine and test, and then once cleared, shoot Survivor without any masks. This was only possible because of the amazing job Fiji did in containing COVID. Their number one priority was protecting their citizens. Their leadership during COVID was directly related to our ability to resume production in March of 2021. Considering the large crew that Survivor uses, what measures have been put in place to make sure everyone stays healthy and safe during filming? We brought in a COVID compliance officer, Helene Sapira, who did a fantastic job coordinating everything and keeping us safe. It was a herculean effort, given the size of our international crew and number of players, but she did it! We essentially created a bubble consisting of several islands. Once we had quarantined and tested, we were able to move freely from island to island, but nowhere else. So we never left our bubble and did not interact with anyone from the outside. This ensured our safety. What has it been like to make the return to Fiji, considering how much the Survivor “family” has been separated for the past year? There was a palpable sense of gratitude from all of us to be back together and making the show we love. It was like a reunion. You could feel it in every department. The energy was very high and very positive. Like anyone who has been without work for a year, it has been difficult for our crew, but you wouldn’t have known it from their attitudes. I was so impressed. I had a smile on my face every single day of shooting. Season 40 seemed to mark the end of an era for Survivor. As you look ahead to make new seasons, how does your approach change to the show, if at all?Winners At War was designed to be the end of an era for Survivor. We really felt we had gotten everything we could out of that version of Survivor. We wanted to go out with one final battle, and thanks to our amazing group of winners, I think we did! Every single player gave everything they had, and it resulted in one of our very best seasons. Survivor 41 will birth a new era of Survivor with a faster, more dangerous and much more intense game. Players and viewers will feel the difference immediately, beginning with me talking directly to the audience throughout the season, letting them in on twists before the players know. So viewers can play along, second guess, or just sit back and judge! What changes did you make for Survivor 41? We accelerated the pace by changing the game to 26 days and then adjusting every aspect of the game to ensure those 26 days were unrelenting. I think the players will tell you; we accomplished our goal! We really leaned into having fun with this season, and the best kind of Survivor fun is the dangerous kind. Survivor 41 is fraught with risk at every turn. Nothing is free; nothing is easy; nothing is guaranteed. The tribes are not given any daily food staple, and reward challenges are scarce. This had a tremendous impact immediately as their mental and physical energy is instantly challenged. Tribes are very small throughout the season, which makes Tribal Council even scarier because there is nowhere to hide. And votes are often at risk, which means you can’t ever rely on how many votes your alliance will have at any Tribal Council. And advantages now often come with massive risks. In order to earn an advantage, you have to successfully navigate something risky. This is a new version of Survivor. There is no way to compare past seasons. I’ve also heard you have a new part of each episode for viewers at home. Can you talk more about that? We also have a fun addition for young Survivor viewers. It’s called “The Game Within The Game.” It’s a way for future Survivor players to see if they have what it takes to compete! Each week, there will be a hidden puzzle somewhere within the episode. They’ll have to find it, then solve it. It culminates at the end of the season and connects directly back to the real game with the players. How do you think the events of the past year and the pandemic will affect the way people approach the game of Survivor? From the moment the game started, I felt an undeniable sense of camaraderie and community with the players. It was a very unique feeling. I was literally smiling every time I interacted with the players. I think the audience will feel it in the opening moments of our first episode. There was just no denying that it felt amazing to be with other humans, to see smiling faces, to talk to each other. And then, of course, the strategy began, and the beautiful, vicious gameplay took over! But even at Tribal Council, where things are often intense, there was a sense of humanity. Don’t get me wrong, blindsides are brutal this season, but the difference is, after someone was voted out, they often thanked the other players for the great gameplay. For me, that is the ultimate version of Survivor, where you can play as hard as possible but still not take it personally. It is, after all, just a game. What is the theme of season 41, and how did you end up coming up with it? There is not a formal theme for Survivor 41. In birthing a new era of Survivor, we are letting go, for now at least, of casting themes or seasons built around a specific twist. Those ideas served us very well for 20 years, but now it’s time for something new. The new players and the gameplay will define each season, much like a Super Bowl or any other regular sporting event. And because the game design is so different, I think fans will see that this new version of Survivor was designed to take the game in a new direction–fast, fun, and extremely dangerous! Our goal is always to keep players off-balance and uncertain. This forces them to make strategic decisions based on the little information they may have or assumptions they may be forced to make. If you come into Survivor 41 assuming everything will be the same as before, you are probably going to get burned. What are your overall thoughts about the cast? At the risk of sounding like I am once again hyping a season, I will say that I absolutely love this group of players. I cannot remember a time when Survivor has felt so fresh and alive and energetic! I’m not kidding when I say I was smiling every time I interacted with the players. There is a vitality that I haven’t felt in a long time. Maybe that’s related to COVID, maybe it’s something else, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Survivor has become a hugely popular show to binge during the pandemic, giving the series new popularity. What has been your reaction to that, and does having a potential new audience for the new season affect how you view making the show? I received so many texts and emails from friends saying that someone they knew had just discovered Survivor and it made me crazy happy! I have always believed that if someone watched even a single episode of Survivor, they would find something they enjoy. I know it because I’ve seen it happen over and over. Someone watches one episode and says something along the lines of, “I had no idea this is what Survivor was about!” I know this sounds like I’m patting myself on the back for the job we do, but it’s not us. It’s the format that is just so entertaining. You can hook into the epic scale of adventure, watching people literally trying to survive in a jungle. You can leap into the giant physical challenges that test players in so many different ways. Or you can hone in on the fascinating study of human behavior as a group of strangers are forced to rely on each other to survive… while voting each other out… in pursuit of a million-dollar prize. I mean…come on now! I’ll say it right now–if you have never watched an episode of Survivor, just watch the premiere of Survivor 41, and if you don’t get hooked, blast me on Twitter for wasting your time. And if you love it, come back for episode two! Next, check out our interview with Survivor 40 winner Tony Vlachos.
