Jeff Probst shares why cross-gender reunions struggle on Survivor

Every season of survived there are talks of a union between men and women, but they hardly materialize – and Jeff Probst he has a feeling he knows why.

“Historically speaking, we really haven’t had that many gender-based unions,” the 63-year-old Survivor host said in his “On Fire” podcast following the Wednesday, December 4th episode. “The Black Widow Alliance of Candles (Fields,) Parvati (Shallow,) Natalie (Bolton) and Amanda Kimmel it was obviously the most prominent and the most powerful, but generally speaking, I think they don’t work because the game is so fluid.”

Probst was referring to season 16’s dominant female group Micronesiawhich aired in 2008, fronted by Shallow, now 42. When the Black Widow Brigade was put to a vote, they argued that Eric Reichenbach to waive his immunity and subsequently reject it. Shallowly it would continue won the season.

Nearly two decades later, no other all-sex union has been able to recreate the success of the Black Widow Brigade. After seeing countless players try to form a group, Probst wondered why no one was able to come together.

“It’s a very, very, very difficult thing anymore to keep a group of four or five people together in any situation for any length of time,” Probst said on the podcast. “So if you initially base it on just gender, you’re giving up so many other important factors. “Do we even think strategically the same way? Do I believe you?’

Probst added that players can’t simply build trust just because they share the “same gender.”

“There’s just a lot of variables that go into making a great union,” he muses. “And the moment someone on the outside feels like it can be based on something as visual as gender, I think that just makes it that much more difficult.”

Probst also acknowledges that the game’s evolution in survivedthe new era — which involves fewer days at the beach but more twists and turns — also plays a major factor. included Survivor 42, Roxroy Bailey tried to form a male union, but was removed as soon as others learned of his plan. Last season, many players talked about a women’s union, but it never materialized.

In the last episode of Survivor 47fans watched Tiny Chiricillo, Rachel Lamont, Sue Smee and Caroline Vidmar ban together after not being selected to go to a loved one’s letter award. While enjoying Italian food, Sam Phalen, Andy Rueda and Genevieve Mushaluk came up with a plan to convince the women, who were in the majority, to split their votes between Phalen, 24, and Mushaluk, 33, in case they had an idol – which neither of them had.

The women eventually fell for the ploy, dubbed Operation Italy, because they believed Rueda, 31, was on their side. Rueda ended up voting with Phalen and Mushaluk, and the trio sent Vidmar to the jury.

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“I think the gameplay in the new era is very different from the old for a lot of reasons,” Probst said of the game’s evolution. “Most notably, it’s just constantly changing because the game is already being played at times. And one moment… can change the whole game. In fact, this is one of the hallmarks. You go to a prize and see an opening and take it. You try to improve your game every second of every day because every other player is doing the same.

Although Survivor hasn’t seen a new-era gender union succeed, Probst isn’t ruling out the possibility that it could happen — but it’s going to be an uphill battle.

“If a group of men or women manage to form a gender-based alliance, it will be extremely remarkable,” he shared. “Because the chances of someone leaving an alliance at any moment are extremely high and you don’t want to be the one left (left behind).”

survived airs Wednesdays on CBS at 8pm ET. Episodes are available for next-day streaming on Paramount+.