Survivor host Jeff Probst says season 44 is 'electric'

He also addresses the possibility of idol expiration dates.

By Dalton Ross February 27, 2023 at 08:00 AM EST

At its core, Survivor is not really a social experiment… it's a chemistry experiment. Mix 16 to 20 elements (or in this case, players) together and see what happens. Sometimes it produces fireworks; other times it merely fizzles out.

Judging by what we have seen of Survivor 44 from the initial teaser and then a brief glimpse of the season premiere (which airs March 1 on CBS), the next installment could be a doozy — filled with a mix of big personalities and what appears to be big danger.

EW spoke to host Jeff Probst to gather some intel and insight in terms of what we can expect when he welcomes 18 new victims contestants to the sandy shores of Fiji — contestants who all have designs on the $1 million prize.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You've mentioned that this is a dangerous season, and we saw that in the teaser you all released at the end of the Survivor 43 finale. What can you say about some of the medical scares that may be in store for Survivor 44?

JEFF PROBST: One of the things that keeps Survivor fresh is that you can never ever predict what is going to happen. It's 26 days of unexpected moments that keep the players and the audience on their toes. That includes the physical aspect of the game. It's easy to forget that the players are living in a real jungle with all the danger that can present. Plus, you have the challenges and the lack of food and good sleep. It's relentless. This group will be reminded very quickly that Survivor can get you in a number of ways, and that making it to the final three requires a lot more than just a good social game.

Give us a sense of this group of contestants, how they approached the game, and what struck you most about them.

I loved this group from the opening moments. I can't give you a specific answer as to why they were so electric, but I do think you'll feel it straight out of the game. One of the fun parts of the job is putting together a new cast of players, but it's also fraught with risk because you can't predict the vibe once they are all together. This group definitely came to play the game, and here's the truth about Survivor — great players make for great seasons. It's really that simple. I think we got it right this time!

Seasons 41 and 42 had many of the same creative twists and wrinkles. How many of the new twists of season 43, like the Choose Your Champion and collect-the-tribe-beads-to-get-an-idol, will we see again on season 44?

Well, of course, I won't go into specific details because that would spoil the fun! But I will share that we view this new era of Survivor game design as something we can work with for a while. We spent a lot of time redesigning the entire game, and now we want to let the players evolve it and take it where they think it should go. We always like to toss in a new wrinkle or two, but we feel there is plenty here for the players to chew on!

Last season a lot of players got immunity idols but then held on to them, and they never got used until near the end of the season. Does that cause you all to reapproach idols and advantages and perhaps putting earlier expirations on them?

It's a great question, and a good creative idea as time expirations do force you to make decisions. Maybe you should switch careers and join our team! Historically, holding idols until the end of the game is more uncommon than common and totally dependent on the overall gameplay.

I'll put it on the record that I think Survivor 43 was an anomaly. As you'll see straight away, Survivor 44 is going to be a fun season with a group of players who understand you cannot play to not lose, you have to play to win. If that means using an idol or Shot in the Dark earlier than you thought, then that is what you must do. The key to the game is you have to survive the vote. If you can do that, then anything can happen when you return to camp.

The challenges last season introduced some new elements and felt really fresh. What can you say about the challenges on Survivor 44?

I'm so happy you are enjoying our challenges. Our Survivor challenge team pioneered these types of physically and mentally demanding challenges, and they are only getting bigger and more complex. Nothing pleases us more than when the players show up, see what we have in store for them, and their jaws drop. Whether it's leaping off a tall platform in the middle of the ocean, scaling a giant wall with only your tribemates to help, or solving an impossible puzzle — all our challenges are designed to offer you the kind of test you can't get anywhere else!

Source: https://ew.com/tv/survivor-44-preview-jeff-probst-electric/

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Brian