No matter how this season ends, no matter what happens at the pre-taped reunion, Survivor has failed its audience by mismanaging sexual harassment. The show put its contestants at risk, its crew in peril and millions of unsuspecting viewers into a frenzy of anger and sadness over what this formerly beloved series has become.
There is no going back from this. When perpetrator Dan Spilo made survivor Kellee Kim feel uncomfortable in the first few days on the beach, he should have been ejected. When he continued to harass Kellee, as well as the other contestants, he should have been removed. It wasn't until he inappropriately touched someone who was not a player in the game was the safety of others considered. The repeat offender was pulled from the game - it feels icky to even call it a game at this point - and now there are five contestants remaining in a season that has irrevocably spoiled the franchise. Frustration and indignation has been taken out on the harasser, as well as the other contestants who used this despicable behavior a strategic tool during the merge episode; shame also lies at the feet of the Survivor producers, who willingly kept the survivor(s) in harm's way, failing to intervene when the opportunity to do so presented itself over and over again. Finally, the harasser was sent away, but not before causing irreparable damage.
Jeff Probst can be masterful at tribal council in grilling wrongdoers and creating open spaces for dialogue stretching beyond the confines of gameplay, but in this issue, he has fallen tragically short. The man in power has silenced the voices of past Survivors/survivors by falsely claiming that this situation is "unprecedented." He has not offered an apology for the show's inaction; for the unacceptable oversight in not providing a proper warning at the start of episode eight; for the lack of resources the show has offered for victims and survivors of harassment and abuse; and for the inability to show real remorse during the show's darkest hours.
There is speculation, as we head into the season 39 finale, that certain parties aren't speaking out due to legal action. Multiple contestants have turned down exit press and Jeff has been brief in his answers concerning the inappropriate touching and the show's handling of it. It will almost certainly be a topic of discussion on Wednesday, and it is believed that the offender will not be present.
In the first 38 seasons of the show, the central question to the final episode has been, "Who will win the title of Sole Survivor and the million dollars that goes with it." In season 39, the winner is of secondary concern. The question here is, "Will the conversation about the harassment help heal or only deepen the wounds of the survivors who experienced inappropriate touching on the island and the audience who witnessed it?" Either way, by gross mismanagement of a sensitive situation, Survivor has dug itself into a hole it will never fully crawl out of.
Here are some resources for anyone who has gone through something similar, or feels compelled to donate to help those who feel silenced or unsafe: RAINN, PCAR, Relief Fund for Sexual Assault Victims.
The Survivor finale airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.