Since the first season of Survivor premiered, the reality show has lasted long enough that new fans have to figure out which seasons to watch first. That longevity has also allowed fans of Jeff Probst’s show to see great seasons, amazing players, incredible winners, and even heartbreaking scenes like medical evacuations.
Given how entertaining Survivor can be, some amazing players like Gervase Peterson have fallen through the cracks. In Gervase’s case, one of the most incredible things he did while playing Survivor has also seemingly been overlooked by many observers. With that in mind, TheThings spoke to Gervase about how underrated the moment he chose not to switch with his niece Marissa Peterso was.
Gervase Peterson Explained Why Him Not Switching With His Niece During Survivor: Blood Vs. Water Was An Underrated Move
During Survivor: Blood vs. Water, the players had to deal with a huge wrinkle that further complicated the game. Each player during that season was accompanied into the game by a loved one, and they were on different tribes at the beginning of the game. After playing during the show’s very first season, Gervase Peterson was accompanied by his niece, Marissa Peterson, during Survivor: Blood vs. Water.
Sadly for Marissa, she became the third player voted out of the game during Survivor: Blood vs. Water. However, that season had a twist. Each time a player was voted out, they would be sent to Redemption Island where they could fight to stay. If they lasted long enough, they would get to re-enter the game. Furthermore, if a player had a loved one who was still in the game, they could switch places immediately after the person was voted out. That means that Gervase could have switched places with Marissa, which would have meant that he would have been fighting to rejoin the game and his niece would be much safer.
As the rules of the game required him to do, Jeff Probst asked Gervase in front of everyone if he was going to switch with his niece. In that high-pressure moment, Gervase declined to switch with his niece, which was a move that is underrated by most fans.
In February 2025, TheThings journalist Matthew Thomas exclusively interviewed Gervase Peterson about his Survivor experience. During that conversation, the interviewer told Gervase that he felt that the moment that he refused to switch with his niece deserves a lot more credit.
Gervase & Marissa Peterson’s Survivor Placements | ||
|---|---|---|
Placement | Season | Player |
10th Voted Out/3rd Jury Member/Day 30 | Survivor: Borneo | Gervase |
3rd Voted Out/Day 3/3rd Eliminated/Day 9 | Survivor: Blood vs. Water | Marissa |
Second Runner-Up | Survivor: Blood vs. Water | Gervase |
During Survivor: Blood vs. Water, two players were voted out before the game really began, Candice Cody and Laura Boneham. At that time, Rupert Boneham switched with his wife Laura, but Candice told her husband, John Cody, not to switch. Candice pushed John not to switch since she was a veteran and wanted him to have a chance to play the game.
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At the first normal tribal council, Marissa was voted out. That resulted in Gervase becoming the first player who was asked if they wanted to switch with their loved one in front of everyone at Redemption Island. Up until that point, every Survivor veteran who was given the chance to save a first-time player had made that sacrifice.
During Gervase Peterson’s exclusive TheThings interview, he explained why a returning player switching with their loved one was a horrible strategic move. “We saw Rupert switch with Laura and he didn’t make it out of Redemption Island. It was a horrible move because now your loved one is in the returning players tribe. They don’t know us and we don’t know them. It’s like starting all over again. If we lose a challenge the easy vote is the loved one. If I switched with Marissa, I would be in Redemption Island and Marissa could be there with me if my tribe lost the next challenge. That would be the worst situation. I was hoping other players switched, but I think everyone saw the flaw in doing that.”
While speaking exclusively to TheThings, Gervase agreed that his decision not to switch despite the pressure he was under is underrated.
I do think it’s a little underrated because that’s that moment. That moment changes the whole game.
Gervase went on to explain why he felt his decision not to switch changed the rest of the season. “Because if I switch with her, I think other players will switch after that when they’re in that same situation. They’re gonna switch. I don’t switch. Nobody else switches after that. Nobody else trades places. You know?”
Gervase went on to exclusively tell TheThings what made deciding not to switch with his niece so difficult for him. On top of the obvious fact that anyone would want to protect their niece, Gervase knew he played a role in Marissa getting voted out.
While speaking exclusively to TheThings, Gervase Peterson explained why Marissa Peterson’s tribemates were foolish to vote her out. “They got rid of their strongest female player, which made no sense.”
As Gervase explained to TheThings, Marissa’s tribe became mad at him because they thought he was calling them out. However, Gervase explained that he was only talking to Marissa, and he had that kind of competitive relationship with his niece.
“They got rid of her because of me. They thought that that first challenge that we lost, at the end, when I’m pointing and talking trash, I’m pointing to Marissa because me and Marissa are competitive. Like, that’s our own thing. Before we did the show, I think we had a race. She thought she could beat me in a 50-yard dash down the beach. And I ran turn backwards and finished before she did.
Like, that’s how competitive we are against us. So winning that challenge, I’m looking at her saying, ‘See, I told you. I told you, Marissa. Don’t count us out. Don’t count me out. Blah blah blah.’ You can even see. She just looks at me and turns her back and waves me off and walks away. They all thought I’m talking to them. So, they’re like, ‘Yo, to get Gervase, we’re gonna get rid of Marissa.’ And they put me in that situation.”
As a result of his role in Marissa’s downfall, Gervase told TheThings how guilty he felt and stated that made him want to switch. “I was feeling guilty seeing Marissa at Redemption Island and hearing her tell me that her tribe blamed me and I was the reason she was there was devastating. I told myself if she asks you to switch places with her you have to do it… And I’m like, ‘I gotta switch with her because of that. I gotta, she’s never played. I gotta give her a chance to play. I’ve played before. I gotta give her a chance to play in this game even if go out early.'”
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Even though Gervase’s instinct was to switch with Marissa, he didn’t do it.
During Gervase Peterson’s TheThings interview, he explained why he thinks that not switching with his niece didn’t paint a target on his back. “I didn’t feel like not switching put a target on my back. Nobody wanted to switch with their loved one.”
While speaking exclusively to TheThings, Gervase revealed that he didn’t switch partially because of what his niece told. Gervase also stated that he also stayed in the game because he felt he had a better chance to win.
“I started thinking about it, and I’m like, ‘Alright. What’s the best for me and Marissa right now? If I get her out of here, would she be back here next week? I mean, in three days? Probably.’ So I think I have a better chance to go further in the game than Marissa can. I’m debating that, and then I talked to Marissa, and she’s telling me, ‘No. It was Brad. He’s the ringleader, all that, and don’t switch.’ And I’m like, ‘Are you sure?’ And she’s like, ‘Uh-uh. Don’t do it.’ I said, ‘Okay.'”
While Gervase made it very clear that not switching with his niece was very hard for him, it ultimately helped him in a major way. As he exclusively explained to TheThings, Gervase used his desire to get revenge for Marissa as motivation during the rest of the season.
“I said, well, because of that, ‘I promise you this. I’m gonna get rid of all of them. I’m a get rid of your whole tribe before I get off this island. I promise you that. We’re good.’ She was like, ‘Handle it.’ And I was like, ‘Alright. Cool. I got you.’
So. it was a lot of emotion, you know, a lot of stress, but then again, it’s always what’s best for my game… It’s almost like, ‘This is it. Like, this I gotta leave you here. But I’m gonna make sure I keep my promise to you and just play this game the best that I can to make it to the finals.'”
Gervase Peterson Spoke To TheThings About Why Him Not Switching With His Niece Was Overshadowed
When fans talk about Survivor: Blood vs. Water, there are typically two main things they talk about. First off, Tyson Apostol winning the game is highly celebrated by many fans. Secondly, lots of viewers focus on Ciera Eastin casting a vote to out her mother, Laura Morett. While that moment deserves the attention it gets, it is surprising that Gervase not switching with his niece doesn’t get attention since the two moves have a lot in common.
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When TheThings journalist Matthew Thomas interviewed Gervase Peterson in February 2025, he told the Survivor icon that he believed the two moments are similar.
Then, Gervase was asked why he believed him not switching with his niece is completely overshadowed by Ciera and Laura’s moment.
To his immense credit, Gervase perfectly explained to TheThings why Ciera voting out her mom was more memorable than him not switching with his niece.
“It’s a more juicer [sic] plot. Mother and daughter is better than uncle and niece. I was hoping I could bring my son out to play because that’s a great storyline, father vs son. And there wasn’t one father/son team out there. Seeing a mother having to make a decision to best her daughter in a challenge is tv gold and Laura and Ciera delivered on it.”
That kind of self-awareness and understanding of television is exactly why it would be wonderful if Gervase got to play Survivor again.
Survivor
- Release Date
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May 31, 2000
- Network
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CBS
- Showrunner
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Jeff Probst
- Directors
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Jeff Probst
- Writers
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Jeff Probst
