Another Survivor season filled with returning players is coming. We don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen, but based on comments from longtime host and showrunner Jeff Probst, it’ll be sooner rather than later. 54, 55 or 56 seem like the most likely candidates, but regardless of when it happens, I’m now convinced it needs to have a specific theme fans have been clamoring for, especially after last night. Spoilers ahead.
On this week’s Survivor episode, fan favorite Pantsless Patt was blindsided after a pretty unlucky sequence of events. Her five person alliance was basically running the beach, but after her team blew a commanding lead at the immunity challenge and another player mutinied from the other side, their numbers advantage suddenly found itself one vote short.
Her exit from the game made for great television, but it also left us with a giant what-if. A fun confessionalist with a strategic head for the game, good social skills and low key athleticism, she could have made a really deep run and potentially even won the game under the right circumstances. Instead, she’s just the latest in a long series of fantastic characters who went home during Survivor’s pre-merge phase of the game. She needs a chance at redemption and so do so many other what-ifs.
For the most part, returnee seasons are filled with players who made deep runs and understandably so. Because we get to watch them for more episodes, we build a closer bond with them and there’s a stronger pull to see them come back. The best returnee seasons, however, aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest names. Instead, they’re the ones with the right mix of personalities who have more to show and prove when they come back. And there are so many great pre-merge characters with more to show who would appreciate the opportunity to try again and play as hard as possible.
I want to see Pantsless Patt again, and she’s not the only one. I also want to see Brad from Survivor 41, J’Tia and Brice from Cagayan, Thomas from 48, Ace from Gabon, Stephanie Valencia from Redemption: Island, Russell Swan from Samoa, Cao Boi from Cook Islands, Reem and Wendy from Edge Of Extinction and Jake from 49 who had to be evacuated after he was bit by a sea krait. I even want to see Brandon Donlon try to get redemption for his disaster tribe in 45. That’s just ripping them off one after another too. I’m sure if I sat down and went through every season, I could easily come up with forty or fifty worthy candidates for production to contact that would represent all eras of the show.
When Probst first announced another returnee season was imminent, I was convinced it should be Heroes vs Villains 2. I’m still on board with getting that at some point. I’d also love to see another Blood vs Water and a Millenials vs Gen Z season. I’m down to watch all of those, but last night’s episode really has me in the feels about pre-merge characters. There are simply so many who were a delight to watch, and yet, we only got a few episodes from them. I would love to see them get another shot, and I think it could make for a terrific season. Let’s make it happen, and let’s start by casting Patt.
