Jeff Probst Asked Fans What Changes They Want to See on Survivor. Our Staff Has Thoughts

Survivor is nearing its 50th season — and the PEOPLE staff has thoughts.

The show originally aired on May 31, 2000, and felt like the first of its kind. Since then, the show has undergone many different iterations, ranging from straight seasons to themed seasons, various locations and numerous villains. 

With the conclusion of season 48 and the casting announcements for season 49, which will air in the fall, and season 50 to follow, many viewers are hoping to see some of the elements that made the show so special in its inception return.

Since the beginning, the show has seen a lot of different iterations, and recently, with the “new era,” many changes have been made. Contestants are no longer stranded for 39 days, and even the gameplay feels different, with many contestants wanting to play an “honest” game.

This is where we come in. Recently, host and producer Jeff Probst asked fans to vote during season 48 on changes they would like to see happen in the show. Well, Jeff, here at PEOPLE, we have a few ideas.

We need less Survivor superfans. While it’s great to have a dedicated fanbase, when the cast is composed only of people who have studied the game and all its seasons, down to creating 3D copies of puzzles and challenges, it detracts from the fun and spontaneity of the game itself.

When contestants know the pacing of the game, they’re not inherently “outplaying” — they’re following a schedule. We suggest either mixing people who have never seen the show with those who have or even creating a “Superfan vs. Survivor Hater” season. This will bring back the spontaneity and the feeling that contestants aren’t playing five steps ahead; they’re only playing four steps ahead. While we love watching when well-practiced players don’t have the challenges go their way, it would be great to see people who see Survivor as a novel concept. 

Speaking of themed seasons, we’d like to see them return. Some of the best storylines and gameplay have come from Heroes vs. Villains, Fans vs. Favorites, and David vs. Goliath, each with casting that felt purposeful.

The new era consisted of three tribes’ worth of people, but without a common theme to unite the season, the focus then shifts to individual stories. While many have pulled at our heartstrings and even made us cry, many feel like a justification for the longer episodes. 

Another thing we’d like to see is the return of two tribes. In the new era, three tribes are predetermined, and more often than not, one tribe suffers fools and loses half of its members before the merge, leaving the other two tribes untouched. Two tribes will get the contestants to gameplay and backstabbing quicker, which is what we’re all here for. 

Speaking of tribes that feel like the odds are stacked against them, some tribes and players feel like the odds are stacked in their favor because of multiple advantages. Lose a Vote, Steal a Vote, and Knowledge Without Power all seem like different ways to prolong the player’s confidence in not having to make a move.

There are too many advantages, and even further, too many advantages that can be played until the final five, easily securing someone a spot. Advantages should be scarce, forcing players to engage in more gameplay, more jury management, and, of course, more backstabbing. 

The next suggestion is to bring back real villains. Tyson Apostol, Parvati Shallow, and “Boston” Rob Mariano set the bar high, we understand. While it’s inherently a good thing that the newer seasons don’t have the same level of bullying that older seasons had, too much “friendship” and “honestly” can take away from what made those older seasons interesting television.

Honesty and integrity are great qualities, but in the game of “outwit” and “outplay,” it can feel like the wit and the play have gone by the wayside. When the cast is afraid to be mean, hurt feelings or look bad on television, we miss out on good villains, potential redemption arcs and engaging gameplay.

We want the show to feel like something contestants want to win. Once it gets to the final, we’re suggesting bringing it back to only two people in the final. With a final two, the votes don’t have the same opportunity to split among three people, and there is a lower percentage of contestants that have a chance to make it to the final, making every move they make count even more. We know it worked in the past, and it can work again.   

This is all to say this: while the show has been on for 25 years, there is room for both nostalgia for the things that work on the show and opportunities for new additions to the game. We’re happy to accept producing credits for these suggestions, as well.

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Survivor can be streamed on Paramount+.