Of the many recent changes to Survivor, one of the most notable is the switch from a live reunion show to an immediate post-Final Tribal after-show on location. The Survivor reunion has been a constant since the very first season. That season was the first and only season to feature the reading of the final jury vote, and winner announcement on location, until Survivor 41. After season 1, the Final Tribal Council, filmed months before the season's airing, would end. It transitioned immediately into the live reading of the votes in Los Angeles or New York City, before moving into the reunion show.
That all changed in Survivor 41, when the reunion aspect of the finale was overhauled. Instead of having Jeff Probst announce the winner live and in front of a crowd of fans (and the finalists' loved ones), Survivor 41 changed things up. The winner was announced immediately after Final Tribal Council in Fiji, followed quickly by an after-show with the finalists and jury. During that event, Jeff and the Survivor crew provided the contestants with pizza and champagne. This iteration of the reunion continued into Survivor 42. which filmed shortly after season 41, and Probst recently announced that the show will follow a similar format for the foreseeable future.
It's easy to understand the logic behind the reunion shakeup in seasons 41 and 42, given that the seasons were filmed before most large public gatherings had resumed, but the show should definitely reconsider sticking with that change moving forward. There are several components of the immediate, on-location after-show that make the viewing experience far less enjoyable than the classic reunions. First and foremost, the finalists get no chance to decompress (or reckon with their win or loss) before being peppered with questions about their game. In both Survivor 41 and Survivor 42, the winners Erika Casupanan and Maryanne Oketch were both too dazed (and overcome by the immensity of the moment) to be able to offer much to the proceedings. Even worse, the losing finalists, having just spent hours being interrogated by the jury, have each spent the after-show reeling from some combination of hurt feelings from harsh jury questioning and the disappointment and embarrassment of losing the game and the million-dollar prize.
This was especially evident in Survivor 42 when losing finalist Mike Turner, usually a cheery and upbeat personality, was visibly sullen after losing but managed a graceful response to Jeff's questions. Despite Mike's magnanimous reaction to Jeff's prodding, the entire affair seemed cruel, just as it had in Survivor 41 when Xander Hastings and Deshawn Radden both appeared shaken and glum after losing the game to Erika. Further, because the season hasn't been edited by the time the after-show is filmed, Jeff and the producers don't yet fully know the standout stories and players of the season, so much of the after-show conversation is vague and banal.
Perhaps the on-location idea can be tweaked in order to lessen its detrimental impact on the show. The elimination of the awkwardness of having the contestants scarf down pizza while trying to answer Jeff's questions would be a great start. It could also be filmed a day or two after Final Tribal, rather than immediately afterward. This would at least give the finalists some time to decompress. However, these changes would have minimal effect compared to reverting back to the original Survivor reunion format, which was decidedly less cruel to the finalists and a more engaging viewing experience for Survivor fans overall.