The upcoming 40th season of Survivor has been generating a lot of buzz over the past few weeks. With the talk of controversial twists and the unprecedented $2 million prize to the winner for season 40, it's easy to forget that season 39 hasn't even aired yet.
The new twists won't become official until the finale of the show's 39th installment. It has been reported that Season 40, set to air in the spring of 2020, will feature 20 winners from past seasons in honor of its two decades on the air. The season, which wrapped up filming earlier this month, will introduce twists that have fans feeling every type of emotion, from anger to excitement to curiosity.
Season 39, set to air this September, is being overlooked as audiences are more interested in the twists in season 40. The twists, revealed by Inside Survivor, include the Edge of Extinction, a much-maligned vestibule created in the latest season that allowed voted-out players a chance to re-enter the game. Also, season 40 is doubling down on the original $1 million prize money, making it a whopping $2 million. In addition, there will be currency given to the contestants that can be exchanged for rewards and advantages as the season plays out. Finally, when the groups of family members are flown out to Fiji during visits, they will be allowed to see the players on the Edge of Extinction.
Following news of the Season 40 theme and the unveiling of the cast, it seems as though this will be the most anticipated season in Survivor history. Fans criticized season 38 for the Edge of Extinction changing the voting process too much. This led to Chris Underwood, the third voted out contestant of the season, returning from "The Edge" back into the game on Day 35 and winning. Fan outcry increased due to such a huge twist, but it turns out that Season 39 will not have the Edge of Extinction twist.
The notion of providing contestants with currency appears to be a novel concept, though the details surrounding how it will work are still unclear. The biggest concerns from fans is that Survivor has lost sight of what has kept it on the air since the turn of the millennium - its simple structure of voting someone off and them coming back as the jury to choose the winner. Its original blueprint paved the way for countless reality television shows, all trying to capture the magic of Survivor. A season of all winners contains enough colorful characters and bold strategists to keep each episode fresh and exciting. However, with so many dizzying twists being mixed into what was already a perfectly crafted recipe, it begs the question: will audiences be able to keep up in season 40?
Survivor season 39 premieres on Wednesday, September 25 at 8pm on CBS.
Source: Inside Survivor