- i was “Survivor” three times I think Tribal Council is one of the worst parts of the show.
- The Showrunners had already assigned us seats in the Tribal and waited for it to darken before starting.
- You really shouldn’t answer “yes” or “no” to host Jeff Probst’s question.
I have got Played Survivor three times I can tell you that Tribal Councils suck – for all the reasons you know, and a few you probably never considered.
There is some charm to our tribe’s process of voting and sending someone home, though.
In my first vote on Survivor: The Philippines, I was fairly confident I wasn’t targeted, so I enjoyed walking in with a flashlight, dipping it in the fire, and listening to Jeff Probst wear it I’ve heard it on TV since I was 12 years old.
Then it’s time to vote, even though I know I’m safe, I almost shit myself. But aside from the inevitable stress, there are many details that surprise even me. Here are some that stand out.
Full disclosure, I’ve been competing for a few years – most recently in 2017 – and this is based on my experience.
Walking along the beach sucks – we had to do it multiple times
You know The classic “Survivor” shotfilmed just before the Tribal Council begins, castaways marching in single rows on the beach with torches, basking in the reds and golds of an idyllic tropical sunset?
I hate that. a lot of.
Even if you don’t see it in this episode, we walk every time we go to the Horde. We’d line up, wait for the producer’s tip, and walk 100 yards down the beach. Then we would turn around, hike back 100 yards, wait for the next cue, and start all over again.
The producers might let us do this to make sure they have the perfect shot if they want to use it in the episode. But it was an insult to the damage for a tribe that had lost the immunity challenge earlier in the day.
Horde can take a long time to start, especially since it needs to be dark outside
I’ll take a wild guess, after leaving the camp, the tribal council usually takes two and a half hours to start.
There are several contributing factors here. The trip from our camp on the beach to the tribal set usually takes over half an hour. Once there, everyone had to undergo a medical exam and put on a microphone.
this will Everything happens in complete silence Under the watchful eye of the producers — if someone said something during that time that wasn’t there on the show, it couldn’t be included on TV.
Even though all of these steps happened quickly, we had to wait for total darkness to start the Horde.
Like the Fourth of July fireworks, there seems to be no reason to start a tribe without dark skies.
Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images
We were assigned seats before entering the tribe
I am often asked, “Why are you sitting so far from your allies?” It’s because we don’t have a say in where the Horde is.
A few minutes before we walked into the set, the producer would pull out a notebook, show us a tattered hand-drawn drawing of how the seating was arranged that night, and then tell us where we were.
Then they put us in line and dropped us in.
Probst always gives us a capacity test before our first vote
Voting “booths” are usually located about 20 yards from where the casters are. Get close enough that if you’re not careful, people sitting on their stools might hear you speaking while you’re voting.
On the other hand, if you whisper too softly, the camera can’t hear you explaining why you wrote the name.
So every season I played, Probst would stand in front of us and say, “This is me talking” in a normal volume. The host repeated this over and over as he walked to the polling station and back to us. You can hardly hear him usually in the booth.
He would then change the volume to whisper and repeat the process. Now, when he ostensibly votes, you definitely don’t hear a word.
It was very helpful and made me feel comfortable knowing how loud I was speaking during voting.
If you have something to say at the Tribal Council, you can stop Jeff Probst from starting the voting process.
Robert Watts/CBS via Getty Images
If the player has more to say, it’s up to the player to block Probst
The host usually walks you through some other nuances before the first clan begins. Even returning players will receive these reminders.
The point that always stands out is that you, the player, should not let the voting begin unless you have said everything you need to say.
During one of my seasons, Probst used a vague anecdote as a preface to this technique. He said a former player – I don’t know who – complained after they started that they didn’t get a chance to say everything they wanted to say at Tribal.
So now Probst is emphasizing that every castaway can stick to the ballot if they feel the need to.
Dealing with Probst in the Tribal Council is a “survivor” skill as important as outsmarting, outwitting, and persevering
Of course he wouldn’t say that. But I advise you not to annoy Probst on a show under any circumstances.
When watching TV at home when a castaway leaks too much information in response to one of Probst’s questions, you’re undoubtedly throwing popcorn on the TV.but you know what you’ve never seen? Someone responds to them simply by answering “yes” or “no.” Because players really shouldn’t do it.
Imagine looking at a tribal council where everyone boycotts the Probst issue.From a gaming standpoint, this might make sense, but “survivor” The first is the TV show. And “Survivor” players are storytellers first and foremost.
Being overly cautious with Tribal’s answer won’t let Probst leave you. He might come right back to you.
I remember in my first season, in their first tribal council, someone tried to just give a “yes” or “no” answer to Probst. I won’t go into too much detail, but imagine the toughest bashing your dad has ever slapped on you in front of all your friends, and your dad is a TV icon who somehow controls you to get a million bucks Chances of bonuses.
Waiting to vote in your first tribe can cause anxiety.
Robert Watts/CBS via Getty Images
Counting votes takes more time than you think
On TV, Probst said, “I’m going to count the votes,” disappeared for a few seconds, then quickly came back with an island-themed water bottle in hand.
In fact, immediately after Probst disappeared, multiple producers entered the set and enforced silence. Because, again, this episode doesn’t exist for television purposes, and anything significant said between the castaways has to be cut.
Probst takes about 15 minutes to return.
Players who have been to the Horde are usually at a disadvantage the next day
Suppose you survive the vote, the night is far from over. You exit the clan and immediately re-enter quiet time – although notable expressions, whether relieved or angry, often pass around the clan.
You still have to go all the way back to camp, re-meet with allies (if you have any left over), and interview your feelings for the cameras.
You also may not be getting the sleep you’re used to. On a normal night, tribes usually go to bed shortly after dark and wake up at sunrise. But after the Horde, if you settle down before midnight, you’re in luck. If there is a challenge the next day, the other tribes will rest better than you.
in conclusion: Tribal councils are the worstfor various reasons.
Asked for comment, a CBS representative said some of them were “misrepresentations,” but declined to elaborate further. A representative for Jeff Probst did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
