Is ‘Survivor 50’ finale live or pre-taped? Jeff Probst reveals major change fans didn’t see coming
'Survivor 50' was filled with numerous changes. Several changes were brought by fans themselves. Before the season even went into production, fans voted for things they wanted to see in the milestone season, keeping with the theme 'In Hands of the Fans.' One of the most popular choices in the poll was bringing back the live finale. The last time the show hosted a live finale was back in Season 38, titled 'Edge of Extinction.' So will Season 50 abide by fans' wishes and bring back the event? Jeff Probst shared with Variety that they indeed are. However, the event may not be packaged as fans were expecting. If the finale followed the concept of past seasons, Probst would have gathered the jury votes in Fiji and, unlike recent installments, kept the winner secret from the castmates.
In the last 30 minutes of the episode, the votes would be read out live to the audience and contestants. This finale format has been altered a bit, according to Probst. "We want to celebrate as we go. When you sit down and just rehash, it's never satisfying. This year, the way we're doing it, I'm pretty excited about it. We reimagined how we were going to do it, and it feels very fresh, big, and equally fun. When we sat down initially, the first thing I suggested was, what if we don't do a reunion show and instead, we take that time and sprinkle it in throughout the final episode?" the host explained. "I think it's gonna be more fun and exciting to take pauses along the way. It feels like a reinvention that feels right for where we are now, and it's more inclusive of everybody. Our finales are so packed that we don't really have enough time. The idea this time is: Let's take the entire three hours, do it as one event. And then when it ends, it feels complete."
Probst shared that the whole team is on the site, creating a grand stage for this season's conclusion. Their main priority is to make the stage 'beautiful' and 'ornate,' and arrange as much space as possible. "That was fun. It was crazy because that's all we ever did, and we stopped. Then to walk out and say, 'I'll see you back in Los Angeles for the reading of the live votes,' was exhilarating," he said about the experience. "I'm still exhilarated now. I'm excited to do it. It's a lot of work to put on a live finale in between shooting two seasons and hosting the season that’s currently on — it adds a ton of work. I'm super pumped." It is not shocking that the show went all out for the finale. From beginning to end, the show has been portrayed as a celebration of its legacy. At CBS Mornings, Gayle King announced that every 'Survivor' winner was invited to the event.
As for the future of the finale event, Probst does not think the show will continue with them despite their popularity. He claims that a live finale often leads to inauthentic players. "When you do a live finale, all you get is defense. The live finale becomes people defending, and for me, from a storytelling standpoint, I never find it as interesting. So I get the pomp and circumstances, it's super fun, but I think we're going to change the format for the finale — make it more of a three-hour event, rather than a two-and-a-half-hour finale and a 30-minute reunion show," the host shared. 'Survivor' finale titled 'Reverse the Curse' will air on Wednesday, May 20, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
