Survivor season 41 was a mixed bag in a lot of regards, and some fans didn't enjoy the onscreen action. With the generational climax that was Survivor: Winners at War directly preceding it, the latest season of the hit reality show had massive fan expectations to contend with before it even aired. With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing major format changes, fans became incredibly concerned about how season 41 would set the tone for the new generation of Survivor. Sadly, it appears that much of the apprehension from fans was warranted. Season 41, despite having all ingredients for a perfect installment of the show, failed to live up to the hype.

Of course, the season had some good aspects. Castaways such as Ricard Foyé, Shantel Smith, and Xander Hastings are among some the best to ever play the game. Whether perceived as heroic or villainous, many of this season's contestants were at least extremely captivating to watch. It also helped that Survivor 41 seemed to find its footing in terms of knowing which immunity challenges are entertaining to watch and which are not. On paper, these two positive aspects should be enough to carry a season.

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However, for many fans, the blunders of season 41 overshadow the positives. For starters, the Survivor season is riddled with bad twistsSurvivor season 41 feels less like a game of skill and social awareness and more like a bad round of Mario PartyWith so many advantages, disadvantages, and modifications of the format in play at any given moment, every episode feels far too chaotic. One infamous twist even overturned the results of an immunity challenge, breaking one of the show's core rules, which is that winning immunity makes an individual safe at tribal council.

xander survivor 41 CROPPED

Secondly, the season's edit seriously underrepresents its winner, Erika Casupanan. During the final episode of the season, many of the jury members mentioned her strategic contributions, but the episodes leading up to it failed to show them. Instead, the previous episodes elected to cover the perspectives of aforementioned cast members, such as Ricard Foyé, Shantel Smith, and Xander Hastings far more than the winner. In fact, many fans believed that Xander would win the title of Sole Survivor. Ultimately, he did not even take a single vote, which showcased the fact that he perhaps received too much attention in the show's overall narrative.

Hopefully, season 42 is not plagued with the same issues as its predecessor. Season 41 proved that an exceptional cast does not compensate for a clear lack of focus in terms of editing and the ins and outs of gameplay. At the very least, the season can serve as a cautionary tale for production, to remind them that less is sometimes more in the Survivor game. The world's greatest social experiment can definitely recover from a bad season, but it might spell the end of the show if the series continues on its current path. Only time will tell if season 41 is a harmless misstep or a tragic fall from grace.

Next: Survivor 41: Where Erika Casupanan Ranks Among Former Winners