The contestants are now calling the shots.

Survivor 50 cast members reveal big changes they would make to the show

The contestants are now calling the shots.

By Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. *Survivor* is kind of his thing.

EW's editorial guidelines

June 16, 2026 10:15 a.m. ET

Leave a Comment

The cast of 'Survivor 50'. Credit:

- We granted the *Survivor 50* cast members executive-producer status and asked them to name the one change they would make to the franchise.

- How many answered that they'd like the show to go back to 39 days? Perhaps fewer than you think. Or perhaps more! We have no idea what you are thinking!

- Joe Hunter has a truly radical and crazy suggestion. See if you agree with it.

*Survivor 50* allowed viewers to help dictate the course of the season through its “In the Hands of the Fans” campaign, as devotees could vote on what they wanted to see on their TV screens.

The biggest change that fans voted for was the return of the live finale and reunion — which led to one of the most memorable moments of the season when the results of the final four fire-making (also voted on by viewers) was mistakenly spoiled when a live segment was put in the wrong place on the show rundown.

But what about the *Survivor 50* players? If we suddenly gave them executive-producer powers, what is the one change *they* would make to the show? We cornered as many of these reality TV vets as we could to ask that very important question in an experiment we like to call… IN THE HANDS OF THE CAST!

'Survivor 50' cast decides what challenge Jeff Probst should compete in next

'Survivor 50' players name the best moment of the season

Chrissy Hofbeck

Chrissy Hofbeck on 'Survivor 50'.

I really think they need to go back to 39 days. If they can't go back to 39 days, it has to be more than 26 because you hit the 30-day barrier and you think that you cannot go on another day. Not getting to that 30 days, I think it does a disservice to the show. Even if they went to 33 or 34. Just get to 30.

Charlie Davis

Charlie Davis on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

I'd like to see two starting tribes. I wanna see that again. I think it'd just be really cool to see in the faster-paced game what it's like to see just two tribes. I think it'd be really interesting. I think maybe it would cause them to do some different types of challenges, too, which would be really fun to accommodate the bigger starting tribes. That's what I would do. I think that'd be a big change that would be fun.

Genevieve Mushaluk

Genevieve Mushaluk on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

Okay, if I was an executive producer on *Survivor*, the change I would make that jumps to mind right away is that if I'm keeping the Boomerang idol, I am introducing it at merge when a player has full vis of what's going on in the game to the best of their abilities and then actually can control the outcome of how that idol is played or not played and Boomerang back and what have you. That's what I would do.

Christian Hubicki

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

All advantages and idols are all transferrable at all times — aside from after the votes are read at Tribal Council. So you can't lock down an idol on a single person. You have to be able to transfer every advantage. That's a golden rule you can't break.

Aubry Bracco

Aubry Bracco on 'Survivor 50'.

If I were an executive producer on *Survivor*, gross-food-eating challenge is back every season.

Colby Donaldson

Colby Donaldson on 'Survivor 50'.

I think it ought to be extended again. It's a completely different game to have to go [longer]. What we did at 42 days — still the only season in the history of the show that’s gone 42 days. And then I went 37 out of 39 days in *Heroes vs. Villains*. There's just an added level of stress and wear and tear on you when you've got to compete for that long. And there is a survival aspect to the game. The game's very different now, and I don't know that the survival aspect of it exists in its current state with a 26-day game. And at this point, we've done a lot of 26-day seasons, right? So let's stretch it out for one and surprise the heck out of them. I think it'd be great to see a 39- or 42-day season.

Rizo Velovic

Rizo Velovic on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

This is hard. I don't know if I would change anything. Oh, give us rice!

Savannah Louie

Savannah Louie on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

I would love to bring back the family visits every single season because they're so fun and I think it brings this emotion forward that players might play a little bit differently if we see those family members, maybe with, like, two episodes left in the season.

Joe Hunter on 'Survivor 50'.

If I had one thing to change — which by the way, the game is perfect, but you're saying I have to change it — here's what I would do. We do Tribal Council, players vote. But for many reasons, that's only a percentage of the outcome. Then you let production vote. And production sees everything. They see all the behind the scenes. And then you let the fans vote. Those three votes are compiled, and then that decides the winner, and each one has a different percentage of the vote. BOOM!

Rick Devens on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

I would love for *Survivor* to be longer again. Thirty-nine days is a real grind. It hurts. You’re away for so long. Let's put some of these new-era people through the old 39-day game.

Emily Flippen

Emily Flippen on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

I do love the idea of going back to two tribes, personally. Not because I think it's inherently better than three tribes, but just because it mixes up the game a bit. We've seen so many seasons now of three tribes. Let's remind ourselves of what the double-tribe dynamic is like and have that element of the game back, because I just think it would add a bit of dynamism that we don't have right now.

Ozzy Lusth on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

I think the No. 1 change that I would make to *Survivor* is going back to 39 days. I know that's not possible, so another change I would make is more water challenges. LET’S GO!

Tiffany Ervin

Tiffany Ervin on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

If I could make one change to *Survivor*, I would allow idols to be played after the votes are read. You gotta do something extra to be able to have that power, but I want to see that happen more often. Because I remember how Tony's super idol shook the game up, and I want to see more of that.

Jonathan Young

Jonathan Young on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

Oh, 39 days. If you made me the executive producer of *Survivor*, I would take it back to 39 days, and we'd make it even harder, and we would show a little bit more of the survival aspects of *Survivor,* because a lot of people don't see how much we are suffering.

Benjamin “Coach” Wade

Benjamin "Coach" Wade on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

Get rid of the rolling the dice for your Shot in the Dark. Get rid of that.

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

Go back to 39 days, for sure.

***Want to be kept up with all things Survivor? Dig deep and sign up for 's ******free Survivor Weekly newsletter****** to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox. ***

- Survivor Fandom

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Survivor”