I thought I was ready for a new era...but I'm not sure anymore.
Firstly, the new twists with the voting & penalties for losing-FUN! I'm all for a faster-paced, harder game. That part felt good.
But, it was tiring to watch. Usually it's enjoyable, but this just felt like they (CBS or Survivor, not sure which) were pushing their agenda on us. I spent the whole episode trying to discern what was the game, and what CBS was trying to tell me is true about the world.
Also, the cast. This was the first time I didn't care who went home. Usually I'm rooting for somebody by the end of the first episode. The person I thought I liked went home, so there's that.
Lastly, "come on in guys". I truly get that it's a silly thing to be mad about. It's dropping one word, I understand that. However, it's such a special thing to survivor. It's almost like an inside joke that we got to experience and repeat to other fans for 20 years...and it's just gone? When one person disagrees with it (after the majority say it's okay)? It was dismissed so quickly and to hear Jeff say he's glad it's done? It was just weird very non-survivor vibes.
I'll probably still watch the season. I'm a super fan and I've loved the show since I was a kid. But this episode just kind of hurt my Survivor heart.