When the merge kinda-sorta happened on the sixth episode of “Survivor 41,” it brought together people from all three tribes. Immediately, the show’s four remaining Black castaways — Shantel “Shan” Smith from Ua, Liana Wallace from Yase, and Deshawn Radden and Danny McCray from Luvu — struck an agreement to remain loyal to each other for the rest of the game. While they didn’t give an official name to their group, fans of “Big Brother 23” immediately had flashbacks to the Cookout alliance, which dominated that season and resulted in a Black person winning for the first time ever.

In truth, this 41st cycle of “Survivor” was filmed back in the spring, well before the “BB23” houseguests created their Cookout alliance during the most recent summer installment. “More than any other season that I think I’ve ever watched on ‘Survivor,’ I think Season 41 has been the most diverse and most inclusive and representative of America,...