The Latest 'Game Within The Game' Nods To A Classic Moment

Survivor 41's most recent "Game Within The Game" puzzle referenced a classic, risqué moment from old school Survivor. Here's what it means.

The latest "Game Within the Game" on Survivor 41 references a classic moment from one of the show's early seasons, and it may surprise viewers accustomed to modern-day, family-friendly Survivor. The Game Within the Game is a new component of the show, introduced as a way to engage younger fans. Each episode features a hidden Rebus puzzle, often shown briefly at challenges and Tribal Council. Fans are encouraged to solve the puzzle, which usually contains a reference to Survivor terminology or notable moments in the series' history.

The most recent Game Within the Game features images of a peanut, a butterfly, a fly, chalk, a hole, and the number 8. In following the equation of the puzzle, the result works out to become the phrase "peanut butter & chocolate." Though this might confuse newer Survivor fans, longtime devotees will immediately recognize its connection to a moment from the show's sixth season, Survivor: The Amazon, that wasn't exactly family-friendly.

Peanut butter and chocolate may seem like an innocuous, ordinary food combination, but in the context of Survivor, its meaning is a bit more complicated. The seventh episode of Survivor: The Amazon, titled, "Girls Gone Wilder," featured an immunity challenge in which the contestants were to stand on a pedestal in the Amazon River until the last contestant remained on their pedestal. As is often the case with Survivor endurance challenges, host Jeff Probst announced he would tempt the players with food for them to jump off and forfeit the challenge. One of the contestants, Jenna Morasca, then made an offer to Probst: "I'll take my clothes off for chocolate and peanut butter." Some of the male contestants, including Survivor legend Rob Cesternino, immediately offered support of Jenna's proposal. "Get the girl some chocolate and peanut butter, Probst!" Rob exclaimed.

Probst obliged, and when offered a plate of chocolate cookies and peanut butter, Jenna and her friend/alliance partner, Heidi Strobel, disrobed on their platforms, swam to Probst, and chowed down. Regarded as one of the most controversial and culturally iconic moments from early Survivor, the chocolate and peanut butter deal made headlines across the country and even led to Jenna and Heidi posing for Playboy Magazine. Jenna went on to win the season and was brought back for Survivor: All Stars, likely thanks, in part, to the notoriety surrounding the event.

Though it is an undeniably memorable and iconic moment, it is a bit odd for Survivor to make a peanut butter and chocolate reference in this day and age. The show has pivoted away from some of the more risqué subject matter present in early seasons, branding itself as a family program with occasional discussions about serious social issues. It sets a far different tone than the early 2000s iteration, which featured a more noticeable, and surface-level, focus on topics of a sexual nature, ranging from thinly-veiled suggestions of hookups between cast members to fan-voted rankings of attractive castaways.

The reference isn't necessarily unwelcome, but it is a bit strange given that the Game Within the Game is itself geared toward young Survivor fans and that Survivor 41 has been touted by Probst as a "new era" for the show. Probst said the current season might as well "drop the 4 and keep the 1" because it's a brand new game, but Survivor is still very referential of its own past. It's a curious contradiction, but fans of old school Survivor aren't complaining.

Next: Survivor 41: How Xander Hastings Became A Fan Favorite

Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.