Survivor‘s modern era is full of twists and advantages, but the biggest flop of them all is the Shot in the Dark. Introduced in season 41, this lackluster twist has never been played correctly. Fans are ready for Jeff Probst to snuff its torch.
The “Shot in the Dark” allows castaways to give up their vote at Tribal Council for a one-in-six chance at immunity. It’s most attractive to players who are on the bottom and at risk of getting voted off. In the trailer for season 41, Jeff Probst describes the Shot in the Dark as a “Hail Mary,” but thus far the twist has yet to give fans an exciting payoff. While some have lauded the Shot in the Dark as a great twist, it gets harder to appreciate it every time it’s misplayed.
Only played five times in Survivor history, the Shot in the Dark has flopped ever since it was first played in season 41. Sydney Segal played her Shot in the Dark with brutal consequences. Not only was she voted out, but if she stayed far away from the lame twist, she would’ve been safe and Evvie Jagoda would’ve gone home instead. This was the first major mistake in Shot in the Dark history and it may have cursed this new element of the game forever.
So far in season 42, four castaways have risked their vote for a shot in the dark and all were major flops. Even though Survivor 42 has earned more acclaim than 41, the increased usage of the Shot in the Dark hasn’t yet bore fruit. In the premiere episode, Zack Wurtenberger used his to no avail. Then it was Marya Sherron who flopped with her “Hail Mary” twist. Swati Goel, unfortunately, succumbed to the same fate. In the most recent episode, Tori Meehan was really hoping to break the curse of the Shot in the Dark, but she too was voted out.
The Shot in the Dark is without a doubt the biggest flop in Survivor, even bigger than the fire tokens. It only delays the inevitable and humiliates the castaway on the way out. Advantages that excite fans the most are the ones that are hidden and secret. They benefit the player by giving them power that they can use to blindside or create wild moments at Tribal Council and they’re entertaining to the audience. Fans love to see a player stick their hand in a creepy tree or sweat bullets when they try to stealthily snatch a hidden idol at a challenge. The major downside with the shot in the dark is that everyone knows about it. Hopefully Jeff and the other producers ditch it next season and bring back the Survivor auction!
Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8pm EST on CBS.
Source: Survivor/ Facebook