The shows Survivor and Big Brother are both great, long-running reality competition series. And while they share some similarities in that people from all walks of life gather to compete for a large sum of money while being cut off from the rest of the world, they are very different shows. Still, there are lots of elements that could (and do) work for one of the shows that could (and does) also work for the other.
Here are 10 things Survivor to make it even better.
Unique Type Of Currency
The latest season of Survivor has added a new twist with fire tokens that players can use to buy things like immunity idols, advantages in challenges, food, supplies for the tribe, and more.
A type of currency like that could totally work in Big Brother. Those who earn special BB Bucks could use the money to buy an extra bottle of wine or case of beer, an advantage in a physical competition, time alone with the HoH, and so on.
Family Visits
The players are stuck in a house for 30+ days if they manage to last that long. During that time, they don't have television, books, or with the outside world. It's easy to go stir-crazy. The same happens in Survivor with the added pressure of being out in the wild.
Every season, Survivor has an emotional episode where a special family member comes to visit each of the last remaining tribe to give them an emotional boost and lift their spirits. It could be cool to see that on Big Brother, too.
Food Challenges
While Survivor hasn't had them in a while, those Fear Factor-like food challenges where players must consume disgusting local delicacies quicker than their opponents in order to make it to the next level made for great TV.
The closest to that on Big Brother is slop, a gooey oatmeal-like substance that looks bland but not necessarily inedible. Why not have a challenge where they have to eat gross stuff or drink disgusting smoothies? It would be kind of funny!
More Discussion On Eviction Day
Survivor Tribal Councils are supposed to be hours long, though we only see a few minutes of footage. Nonetheless, the discussions that happen during that time can sometimes sway player decisions on who to vote out.
Why not have Julie engage with them more about what has gone on all week? She could try to trip people up in their lies and give the nominees a chance to spin things in their potential final minutes beyond just a cheesy final plea speech.
Give Players More Hardship
Since Big Brother takes place inside a house (or building made to look like a house), inclement weather can't really affect things. And players sleep in comfortable beds with heat/air conditioning and plenty of food.
It's hard to replicate the same challenges people on Survivor face when it's a freezing and rainy night without a tarp, or when insects crawl all over them and they can't find food. But what about doing something similar, like making the heat or AC go off for a few hours, or creating a plumbing issue to see if anyone in the house is smart enough to fix it? Maybe even leave them with limited food supplies to see how they can come up with creative meals without a fully stocked pantry.
Immunity Necklaces
Big Brother has Power of Veto competitions that are similar to immunity competitions. And being deemed Head of Household means you also have immunity by default.
What about an actual straight-up immunity competition where the person who wins doesn't have any power to remove anyone from the block but they simply can't be selected for eviction?
Creating Teams
Big Brother has done teams before, particularly in the season where four returning players served as coaches, and usually houseguests unofficially put themselves into teams by creating alliances.
But what about dividing houseguests from the beginning into two distinct teams that are similar to the tribes? They compete in teams and only one team is up for eviction that week, leaving the people on the other team completely immune for the week.
Hidden Idols
Imagine watching the people in the Big Brother house try to hunt for idols in a confined space? The show could hide idols, or the Big Brother equivalent of them, in different places around the house.
Maybe it's hidden clues in things like paintings or clue letters hidden at the back of the freezer or under fitted sheets (rewarding those who actually takes theirs off to was them!) Houseguests who pick up on it and find the hidden idol gain special powers or advantages in the game.
Competition Advantages
Sometimes on Survivor, players receive special advantages in competitions through finding an idol or clue, winning another competition, or now, even buying one with fire tokens.
Imagine if the same happened in Big Brother, where a player could get a 10-second head start on a challenge, for example, or one free wrong answer in a trivia competition that would otherwise see them get eliminated immediately?
In-Person Eviction Ceremony
Why can't Julie be in the house with them when the eviction ceremony takes place? It is a big part of Big Brother when an evicted houseguest leaves and gets to see Julie in person and sit down with her.
But on Survivor, Jeff Probst sits right there with the contestants as they spill their guts about the week that just ed. Maybe Julie should pull up a chair to chat inside the house and then walk out behind the evicted houseguest instead of waiting for them.