Jeff Probst Says He's Not Interested in Creating More 'Survivor' Villain Edits

Jeff Probst

"Villains have more fun." Not only is that the name of an episode of Survivor, but it was a recurring theme throughout its first 40 seasons. The legendary reality series is responsible for introducing us to some of the biggest baddies in the genre, from the show's cocksure first winner Richard Hatch to the sock-burning puppet master Russell Hantz.

We've seen incredibly cutthroat behavior from "Boston" Rob Mariano, and scathing insults from Corinne Kaplan. Jonny Fairplay, who infamously lied about the death of his grandmother 20 years ago, represented Survivor on the first season of House of Villains. Villains have been part of the lifeblood of the show so much that they made it the theme of its tenth anniversary! 2010's Heroes vs. Villains saw ten of the most notorious antagonists in the show face off against their opposites, and it's widely regarded as one of the best seasons of the series.

When Survivor returned, the "new era" ushered in many different elements from seasons past. One that fans have definitely noticed five seasons in is the tone. The editing of the new era makes an effort to tell every castaway's "why" for being on the show, whether through an arduous event in their past, a need for self-discovery, or a chance to get one more adventure in before a major life change. As such, storytelling has leaned towards highlighting the players as three-dimensional people, rather than some of the two-dimensional figures from seasons past that could be placed into simple boxes like "villain."

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While it's a definitive shift that allows the castaways to be portrayed more as humans than characters, now that we're approaching the sixth season of the new era, fans have been asking, "Where have all the villains gone?" Even as I've talked with the players themselves as they are about to become a part of the Survivor story, contestants like Kaleb Gebrewold and Venus Vafa have vocalized the mantra of wanting to bring explicit villainy back to the show. But, according to Jeff Probst, if fans are expecting production to lean into creating more villains through casting or editing, they're barking up the wrong coconut tree.

"In the hands of somebody else, I can tell you, for sure, there would be more villains, more negativity, more yelling at each other," he said on "Rob Has a Podcast." "It's not going to happen when I'm part of the show. I'm just not interested in it."

In the exclusive podcast interview for the media stalwart's 5000th episode, the host and executive producer talked with two-time player Rob Cesternino about the direction the show has gone in the new era, from shifting their focus during the pandemic to their approach to casting fans. During their chat, Cesternino pointed out the evolution of the tone of the show. As the world seems to have gotten more negative, the show has actually gotten more positive.

"You put a thought in my head while we were talking," Probst responded. "By merely changing the type of twists we put into the game, we can create negativity. It's a manipulation. What's the conceit of the show? And, you're right, I'm not interested in that anymore. And I think it's a direct reflection, not only of where the show was, but of how it needed to evolve."

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He related the current state of the show back to its first season almost 25 years ago. Mark Burnett, who had a firsthand role in the shaping of the series from its earlier days, brought with him an affinity for squabbles, betrayals, and human drama. It culminated in not only Hatch becoming the first Sole Survivor, but far and away the show's most famous moment in Sue Hawk's iconic and vitriolic "Snakes and Rats" jury speech. Probst then recalls how 2020 was a year of "cultural change," between the world shutting down due to the pandemic and global "Black Lives Matter" protests sparking larger discussions on race relations. In the wake of so much change in the world, when reimagining Survivor to return in 2021, his goal was simultaneously "reimagining positivity."

Despite Probst's stance, to quote a player from the aforementioned first season, "Don't let that fool you." Though Survivor isn't creating two-dimensional villain edits, we have certainly seen some conflict eke into the new era. Survivor 45 saw perhaps the most villainous edit of the past five seasons in returnee Bruce Perreault, who was portrayed at points as rude, brusque, and aloof to his fellow castaways. Probst said later in the interview that Survivor 46 would be "one of the most vicious seasons ever," teasing a cast that is not afraid to shy from confrontation. Even the host himself is going to take a more critical tone in the upcoming installment.

"I am bringing back my edge," Probst teases. "I'm aware that I got a little soft. And so I am going to put a knife in the bag of rice every so often so I can still find that part of me."

So, while the Survivor 46 cast will most likely encounter rivalries, antagonism, and some classic sass from the host on their way to the million-dollar prize, at least their socks are safe, even if their rice bags are not.

Next, check out the photos and bios of the Survivor 46 cast.