Reality TV might be in one of the best positions its ever been in right now. There are so many shows for fans to get into regardless of what type of reality TV they tend to enjoy. However, two of the most storied reality TV shows of all time are Survivor and The Amazing Race.
The two shows have both been on for years, and as such, they The Amazing Race, it might make the show the best it's ever been.
Multiple Locations
This might be hard to do due to castaways not having much to eat during their time on the show, but what if there was... more to explore. What if there were multiple islands that the contestants could go to, to sort of widen the world that they live in while they're on the show?
More to explore means more secrets to find, which is never a bad thing. The more mystery there is, the better off the show is.
Roadblocks
On The Amazing Race, Roadblocks are competitions that only one teammate is allowed to complete, and they have a limited number that they can take on. What if this was implemented into Survivor?
Perhaps each castaway would only be able to complete one Roadblock before the merge hits and it becomes an individual game? It would certainly force everyone to pull their weight.
Detours
Just like Roadblocks, Detours are another obstacle that players on The Amazing Race must push past. They have to choose one task over another and complete it to move on. This could be implemented into Survivor too, albeit in a small way.
In each challenge, players would be allowed to choose different routes to take in order to secure victory. At the very least, having Detours in Survivor would make challenges a lot more dynamic to watch.
Different Team Styles
Survivor is usually pretty good about having different types of tribes when they start off a season. However, it is always two or three tribes with very little deviation in numbers.
While this is a format that usually serves the production team well, there are certainly other options to consider, such as incredibly small teams.
Small Teams
Survivor could really shake up the game if they forced contestants to compete in pairs at the start of a season, or at least in very small tribes.
It would rock dynamics as swaps and the merge happen. It could result in a really interesting season with differing voting blocks every single week, leaving viewers wondering what will happen next at every single turn.
Random Non-Elimination Nights
Rarely, one to two times a season, The Amazing Race will have non-elimination legs in which the last team to arrive actually isn't sent home, they stay in the game. What if this could happen in Survivor, too?
This would shake the game to its core. Someone gets voted out, but they actually get to stay in the game? While that is a huge shift, they'd also have to contend with an issue of their own.
Speed Bumps
In The Amazing Race, if you survive with a non-elimination leg, then you have to overcome a speed bump, an additional challenge, in order to stay in the game. This could be implemented in plenty of ways in Survivor.
An extra challenge to complete in order to win the next challenge, or something that must be done at camp to stay in the game, such as the Edge of Extinction challenges that took place on Winners at War. Either way, it would be fun to watch for viewers.
U-Turns
The Amazing Race. A U-turn allows a team that is ahead of another to turn them around and force them to complete the other side of the detour that they chose to not complete originally.
This might be a bit difficult to implement into Survivor, but perhaps it could be included in a longer challenge late into the season? It could certainly keep things interesting.
Not Fiji
Every single season lately, Survivor takes place in Fiji. This is fine and all, but a bit of variety would be nice.
The Amazing Race sees its contestants traveling all over the world, going to new locations every single season. The vibe of each season of Survivor could be radically different from the next depending on location. The backdrop of a season is important. A little variety here would be nice.
Surprise Continuations
Very rarely, The Amazing Race will surprise contestants by letting them know that they aren't done at the end of a leg, they actually have to keep going and complete another one. This is always an interesting choice that is fun for viewers to watch, so it could certainly be included in Survivor, too.
Maybe it could connect the reward and immunity challenges, or it could be going right into an immunity challenge and tribal council following a concluding tribal council. There's plenty of room for interesting ideas and mix-ups here.