“Send me home” are three words you never expect a player to utter, but the New Era is intentionally designed to push the castaways further than ever before. If players can endure this new reality, their truth will be revealed, bringing them one step closer to the million-dollar prize. Jeff, Jay, and Dee talk about the editorial decisions made behind the scenes to help the audience experience what the players are feeling, like the whimsical music that simulates Bhanu’s paranoia and the sound effects that transport you to Q’s devastating football fumble. There’s a unique story behind each player and another critical part of Survivor storytelling that Jeff reveals is telling the audience only what they need to know when they need to know. He talks about how and when they decide to weave the castaway’s backstories into episodes, like revealing Hunter’s impressive puzzle-building background right before the challenge.