Jeff Probst confesses he preferred the original “Survivor” challenge over the latest one

One of the reasons "Survivor" has remained a staple on television for nearly five decades is its ability to evolve without making drastic changes. Showrunner Jeff Probst and his production team focus on making small adjustments over time, rather than overhauling the show entirely. However, not all changes are successful, as was evident with this week's immunity challenge on "Survivor 49."

In this episode, the producers brought back a fan-favorite challenge where contestants must transport blocks to spell the word "immunity" backwards on a wobbly table, all while balancing the table with a rope. This time, however, the challenge had a new twist: the players wore a belt attached to a rotating disc, which caused the blocks to spin as the contestants moved back and forth. The intent was to add an extra layer of difficulty and spectacle, with more dramatic crashes of stacked letters something viewers generally enjoy seeing.

Despite the added complexity, the challenge did not unfold as expected. Contestants Steven Ramm and Sage Ahrens-Nichols breezed through it without dropping a single block, leaving little room for the usual chaos that such a challenge often brings.

On the latest episode of the "On Fire With Jeff Probst" podcast, the host discussed the challenge's new version and shared his thoughts on trial-and-error in designing the game. Even though we have classic challenges, if you can find a way to reinvent them that works, that's great, Probst explained. But sometimes we mess with a great challenge, and I dont think the change makes it better. The only way to know for sure is to try it.

Probst emphasized that testing with the "Dream Teamers" before the actual show is not always enough. You have to put it in the game and watch the players interact with it," he said. "Then youll know if it works or if you need to return to the original." When it came to this particular challenge, Probst was candid: Ill be honest, I think I like the original better.

Probst also acknowledged the unpredictable nature of certain challenges. Whats interesting is watching how players adapt to the pace, he noted. Sometimes they slow down, and there's nothing you can do about it. You hope someone brings energy to change that.

As for the future of the rotating disc version, its unlikely to make a return anytime soon. "In this case, I think well go back to the version that we know and love," Probst admitted. But well keep experimenting. None of us are perfect, and well continue to try new things.

The host also expressed a desire for more fan involvement in the challenge creation process. Id love to create an app where fans could design challenges by mixing and matching different elements," he revealed. "There are fans out there who could create something completely new. Thats where Id love to take the show in the future.

However, Probst made it clear that the rotating disc is not a feature he wants to revisit. Lets leave that one behind, he said with a laugh.