The pre-merge portion of Survivor 44 is over, and it continued an unfortunate trend for modern Survivor seasons. When the show returned from its pandemic-induced hiatus in 2021, it introduced several major changes to the classic format. Dubbed the "new era" of Survivor by showrunner and host Jeff Probst, Survivor seasons 41 through 44 have each followed a similar structure, which includes a 26-day game (rather than the original 39-day format) along with new twists and advantages.
