I suspect it was less for ratings and more because as a policy, the producers simply must make it hard for the contestants to quit. The entire game, that is, their investment, depends on people sticking it out however great the hardship, and even suffering. You may be sure that before they invested money in bringing Jenna over, they talked to her at length about whether she was absolutely sure she wanted to commit to the show even though her mother was on her death bed.
In addition: Remember the very healthy, strong-looking black guy who went home early in the last series (I forget his name), and how much disapproval Probst showed of him? The producers were in a position in which once they'd done that, they had to show disapproval of anyone else who quit, whatever the circumstances, or appear to be applying a double standard. Unfortunately, the second person turned out to be a girl whose mother was dying, and who was falling apart emotionally, so it made them look very hard hearted. |
