I've got two different lines of commentary on the heavy-planet scenario as a
candidate for the Great Filter:
First, allow me to point out that it isn't enough. Even if one accepts it
at face value, it would catch only a modest majority of civilizations. Even
if life develops faster on heavy planets, we know it is possible for it to
develop on Earth. That means that unless the preference is extremely
strong, this effect could only reduce the population of spacefaring races by
1-2 orders of magnitude. Given that what we're looking for is more like
12 - 14 orders of magnitude, that doesn't help much.