All The Bizarre Elements That Got Scraped From Survivor

Summary

• Survivor's success lies in its constant evolution, with some elements like Jeff Probst and danger remaining stable.
• Experimentation has led to both ridiculous additions, like the conch shell, and unpopular twists, like the hourglass twist.
• While some elements, like the finale vote deliveries, should be revived, others, like the recap episode, are best left in the past.

One of the keys to the fact that Survivor has been successful for decades is that the show grows and changes. Of course, some things have remained the same, including Jeff Probst hosting, and there is an element of danger, as evidenced by the fact that players have been medically evacuated. However, there is a reason why some Survivor seasons are better than others.

Once Survivor fans are past the point where they are figuring out which seasons to watch first, they realize that the show likes to experiment. As a result, there have been several ridiculous elements of Survivor that were introduced in the past only to be abandoned.

7 Why Did Survivor Get Rid Of The Conch Shell?

Should Never Be Brought Back

Survivor seasons that included the conch shell

• Survivor: Borneo

A mostly forgotten relic from only the first seen of Survivor, the conch shell was seen during a tribal council. Brought out by Jeff Probst, he instructed the players that they could only speak during the tribal council if they were holding the shell.

Truly terrible, the conch shell severely limited the kind of interactions that could be seen during tribal council. If the conch shell stuck around, that would have made several of Survivor's best tribal council moments impossible. On top of that, the conch shell just feels lame and like the kind of thing that an elementary school teacher would use to control their children.

6 Why Did Survivor Get Rid Of The Hourglass Twist?

Should Never Be Brought Back

Survivor seasons that included the hourglass twist

• Survivor 41
• Survivor 42

When Survivor's so-called "new era" began, the show's producers seemed like they really wanted to mix things up. One of the ways they did that was by introducing the hourglass twist. A truly bizarre addition to the game, the hourglass twist was strange, partly because players were instructed to smash it instead of turning it over. Do Survivor's producers not know how hourglasses work?

On top of that, the twist itself was hated by many of the players and almost all fans. As a result, Jeff Probst got rid of the hourglass twist, and it would be shocking if it ever returned.

5 Why Did Survivor Get Rid Of The Finale Vote Deliveries?

Should Be Brought Back

Survivor seasons that included the finale vote deliveries

• Survivor: The Australian Outback
• Survivor: Marquesas
• Survivor: The Amazon
• Survivor: All-Stars
• Survivor: Vanuatu
• Survivor: Guatemala

During 6 of the earliest Survivor seasons, the final tribal council would be followed up by amazing sequences. After Jeff Probst walked out of the tribal council scene, he would be shown traveling back to America in amazing ways. For example, Jeff was seen sky-diving, they made it seem like he jet-skied across an ocean and so much more. Ultimately, this sequence was designed to look like Jeff traveled directly from the final tribal to the reunion.

While these scenes would have cost a lot to produce, they were hilariously over the top. Since Survivor sometimes feels like it has lost elements that made it fun, it would be great to bring back the finale vote deliveries at least temporarily. Seeing the finale vote delivery again would also mean the live reunions might also return and that would be welcome.

4 Why Did Survivor Get Rid Of The Recap Episode?

Should Never Be Brought Back

Survivor seasons that included the recap episode

• Survivor seasons 2 -19

When Survivor premiered, the show became an absolute sensation. As a result, CBS clearly wanted to get everything they could from the show. That obviously was why most early seasons of Survivor would include a recap episode a little over halfway through the season.

Even though many Survivor fans would turn off the recap episode at the time, clearly enough people stuck around to watch it. However, CBS eventually abandoned the recap episode, much to the pleasure of many fans. Now that many people binge Survivor seasons, there is no way that recap episodes would ever fly today.

3 Why Did Survivor Get Rid Of The Money Chest?

Should Be Brought Back

Survivor seasons that included the money chest

• Survivor: Borneo

Throughout Survivor history, each season has had a unique tribal council set. During Survivor: Borneo, the tribal council set had a hilarious prop that was seen in many shots, a treasure chest with a bunch of money in it.

After the first season, the treasure chest was never seen like that again, likely because producers felt it was too goofy. However, given that the money chest has been gone since the first season, it would be a wonderful easter egg if it returned for Survivor 50. That said, the key to the money chest being a fun addition to Survivor 50's tribal council set would be for nobody to draw attention to it. Simply let the longtime fans notice it.

2 Why Did Survivor Get Rid Of The Rites of Passage?

Should Never Be Brought Back

Survivor seasons that included the rites of passage

• Seasons 1 - 26

For a very long time, each season of Survivor would include a "rites of passage" ceremony. During these ceremonies, the players who were traveling to take part in the final immunity challenge would pick up the torches of every player who'd left the game. As they picked up each torch, they would remark on the eliminated player and sometimes the eliminated player would comment on their experience.

During the early seasons of Survivor, the ceremony made sense since it allowed fans to remember the previously eliminated players. However, thanks to the immense popularity of the internet, the rites of passage ceremony would serve no purpose if it came back.

In May 2024, a Parade article quoted Jeff Probst talking during an episode of "On Fire: The Official Survivor Podcast" about whether the rites of passage should return. "I don't like the Rites of Passage. I hope we never do it again. And I've never missed it."

1 Why Did Survivor Get Rid Of Challenges That Could Last Hours?

Should Be Brought Back

Survivor seasons that included hour-long challenges

• Survivor Seasons 1 - 10

In April 2019, Men's Health published an article about the longest Survivor challenge in the show's history. That article revealed that Survivor: Palau's final immunity challenge lasted 11 hours and 55 minutes. That same article looked at how challenges changed after that, as endurance challenges had elements added to make sure they ended quickly.

From the outside looking in, it is easy to understand why Survivor's producers wouldn't want to wait around for endless hours for a challenge to end. However, Survivor is supposed to be about entertaining viewers. As a result, the show should at the very least occasionally include challenges that could last a long time. After all, that would also give producers the chance to try to bribe the players to quit and that often is beloved when that happens.

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