Survivor (2000– ) User Reviews

Big fan for 40 seasons, now I'm done

[hannes-09017 · 7/10 · 16 December 2021]

Survivor was my favorite show for years for these reasons:

• A clever social game: Vote people out and somehow still convince them to give you a million dollars, how do you do that.

• The survival elements: How do modern-world people deal with lack of food and sleep deprivation, and hard physical labor.

• The challenges: Throughout the years they introduced many great challenges that require a diverse skill set. Sometimes it's physical strength, sometimes it's ingenuity or remembrence, sometimes pure willpower. Among my favorites were when players had to build a shelter and a local juror decided which was best (Boston Rob won I think), or one time they had to build a raft that could float on water.

Also, it's family-friendly and my wife and I were looking forward to sharing the Survivor experience with our kids.

But now I'm watching season 41 and there's hardly anything left of the trademark elements that made Survivor this great show:

• Challenges: All are now basically "some parcours with a puzzle at the end" (for teams) and "stand on a platform and balance stuff" (for individual immunity). No diversity, none of the great challenges from previous seasons. Extremely boring to the point where I just fast-forward to see who won.

• Survival: You hardly see players search for food or build shelters anymore. They keep saying they're food-deprevated but somehow it doesn't show. Either the new players are all Bear Gryllz or it has gotten softer as compared with previous seasons where players lost dozens of pounds and sometimes quit because they couldn't take it.

• Social game: It's still the same game but the original strategies that used to be played are now buried under a pile of advantages and idols and idol-nullifiers and super-idols and what not. On top of that, everything now centers around race and identity in Season 41 to the point where players cry about voting someone else out because they have the same racial background, really? It's the 21st century and we're going back to using race and ethnicity as the primal characteristic to judge people? I'm not from the US and I could relate to all sorts of players of different backgrounds throughout the years but this is the exact opposite of inclusiveness that we're seeing right now.

Such a shame that it came to this, they should have canceled after season 40 and be done with it. I won't watch season 42.

Used to love it, but waning fast

[tddv-71261 · 7/10 · 29 April 2022]

So last night's tribal council was ridiculous. Drea (who's black) shows up with her group at the 2nd tribal and sees 2 black players sitting in the jury box and she basically has a meltdown that turns into a big scene because she thinks that the first 2 people to be voted off being black was so racial. Only problem is, though they were the first 2 in the jury, they were NOT the first 2 to be voted off! The first ones to be voted off were as follows: voted off Survivor 42 in Week 6? - Lydia Meredith - White voted off Survivor 42 in Week 5? - -Daniel Strunk - White Week 4? - Swati Goel - Black?

Week 3 - Jenny Kim - Asian Week 2 - Marya Sherron - Brown Week 1 - Zach Wurtenberger - White

But once again Jeff wimps out and goes PC and says nothing about this, and neither does anyone else! Unbelievable!

'nuff said!

Idea for a season of survivor

[fragglejan11 · 8/10 · 12 January 2022]

I have an idea for a season of survivor. In today's world with everybody being so sensitive and entitled why don't we have a season where the "snowflakes" battle the "Karen's" ? Obviously it would have to have different titles because the snowflakes and the karens would be offended by this title but I believe this could be one of the greatest and funniest seasons ever produced.

One of the best shows ever

[Tito-8 · 24 August 2000]

Even though I watch too much television, it's rare for me to become addicted to any show. This is a rare exception. Season one is now over, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. It's already one of my favorite programs of all-time, and even though I have doubts about how much I will like the next "Survivor" season, I'll always remember the first season as genuinely entertaining (and at times, riveting) television.

Oh, and the right person won, too!

I'm addicted

[endura-1 · 10/10 · 5 May 2010]

what can i say about this show that hasn't been already said? it is perfect. entertainment, fun, psychology, beautiful surroundings...there is one thing however that often puzzles me. i recently read an interview with jeff probst (the host of the show) and he said that contestants are not allowed any cosmetics etc. on the show. well, how come girls always have they eyebrows perfectly shaped, no sign of hair on their legs or intimate areas and head locks look washed and clean? it's been puzzling me for a while.castaways don't look the part. also why so many beautiful people? i understand the show must sell and probably whoever is responsible for casting must comply with that rule but at the same time the show seems less real because of that.i would really like to see normal people with cellulite and other flaws some time.other than that i wholeheartedly recommend it. hope the show will go on for as long as i'll be able to watch it.

Groundbreaking

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 26 February 2014]

This is simply one of the big landmarks of TV history for better of worst.

The first season was addictive and insanely entertaining. It took awhile to figure it out but as one of the contestant soon realized, this is a simple game show at its core. Everything else is a matter of set dressing. It is however one of the most original game show ever. The best thing about the first few shows is that the contestants were still figuring out how to play the game. As the years have gone by, the contestants have settled on strategies and the game has become repetitive. No matter how many changes to the game, the shock of originality has been lost. But this show will always have its place in TV history. It signaled the start of a whole new genre and that doesn't happen every day.

Was, Great..

[tammra-88528 · 10/10 · 22 July 2023]

Hello and greetings to you all, including the wonderful Jeff. The show survivor was awesome and fantastic to watch. I took the opportunity to binge watch It and catch up with all the great competitors. Unfortunately some outside influences and opinions caused this great experience to change. Please don't let it. I ask that you revisit the seasons before 41 and keep what was the greatest phenomenon the same. There are sounds and moments that everyone who's ever watched expect to hear and love it when they do. I know and understand that this is my opinion but I just had to speak out. Again, I implore you to keep this awesome machine that is; Survivor(outlast) going..

There aren't many modern American TV shows that I admire more than Survivor...

[OSienna · 10/10 · 22 November 2006]

I'm extremely critical when it comes to television and there aren't many shows around that I DON'T pan. Survivor happens to be one of them. I can't get enough of this show! For me, it's really more of a game show with a mix of reality, drama and characterisation thrown in. The best part is that fact that these are real everyday people and not actors, who are thrown into a fantasy situation and left to their own devices (most of the time). I also enjoy the way certain characters grow on you and others are repulsed as each season draws closer and closer to the end. For some strange reason I particularly find the contestants more attractive when they're in their natural state and in their element than when they're back in the studio, all "glammed up" and civilised. I wonder if I'm alone in this...

Survivor Cook Islands happens to be my all time favourite at the moment. I don't understand the controversy surrounding the division of teams by racial background. I'm of Asian decent and I loved it! People will always judge and stereotype others by the way they look and this was a perfect means of showing the world how race alone is an unreliable measure of an individual's character. Americans seem to be so sensitive about these issues sometimes. Political-correctness is so ho-hum in this day and age.

Ugh, again???

[ExitStrategy146 · 4/10 · 19 November 2021]

I watched big brother and stomached through most of the season until all was left was the cookout. It was such a boring watch. I didn't care who won. I told myself that Survivor will make up for a disappointing Big Brother season. NOPE.

Survivor started out promising and then it turned into woke agenda again. Once the players started a black alliance, I was done. Survivor has had so many diverse winners and all stars that there is no need to create an alliance based on race.

CBS, you have now ruined two fun shows that were entertaining. Shows that you would look forward to and watch as a family. It's hard to watch a show where race is more important than the objective. This show was about turning on each other. There was alliances but they never lasted as the game progressed.

People want to be entertained. We want back stabbing and lying. We want to be a Monday morning quarterback and say what we would have done differently. Now it's so scripted that it's not about the viewers but to placate to an a specific audience that very few can relate.

The problem is, I love both of the shows. I will see what next season brings, but this year, I am just done.

Survivor... the best reality show ever!

[sumitsangtani · 10/10 · 19 September 2009]

Yup... that's right, Survivor is the best reality show i've seen till date, and i was quite surprised it didn't feature in this year's Emmy Awards Nominations. I read in one of the above comments that Survivor's odd numbered seasons are usually not that good, i wanna say that i don't agree at all! Coz, Survivor 17: Gabon, was simply awesome... and i'm just starting season 19, i.e. Samoan, and its looking cool as well. The best thing in Survivor is the picturisation, the natural scenery, the diverse cast, and last but not the least Emmy Award winner and this year's nominee for best host : Jeff Barrot...

Its a must watch for all reality show addicts..

Adrift

[anonym0053 · 6/10 · 31 March 2022]

The show that created reality television as we know it (and often loathe it) today premiered in 2000 on CBS, becoming a national sensation by the end of its inaugural run.

The earlier seasons are fun enough, with a little more emphasis put on the locations, whereas today they appear to be entirely Fiji-based.

The most cringemaking segments are when the contestants are made to play Peace Corps (as a reward? No thanks!) but even more so when Jeff shamelessly tries to get an emotional moment out of them, epitomized by those "heartwarming" visits from "loved ones," where they are briefly reunited with family or friends.

The first season is a little rough around the edges and is honestly better for it. The contestants still didn't really know what they had signed up for and some of the younger ones (Gen Xers, how time flies) are openly cynical and derisive of the show's ceremony and rules, such as the concept of voting people out.

The show never became the survival show it was envisioned as being. Alpha males and females are early targets and the strategy of an alliance has given way to cliques, turning the whole thing into Mean Girls: The Game Show. In more recent seasons, Jeff Probst (first host, now producer and apparently dictator for life) has grown fond of adding as many twists as possible, many of them utterly ludicrous. It has led fans to be covet a season according to the "classic" rules, some even wanting one without "Hidden Immunity Idols" (introduced in Survivor: Guatemala).

For all its faults, the show is reasonably entertaining and one could do a lot worse on network television (variations on the concept, such as the execrable Big Brother, already have). The show will never have the kind of cultural popularity and influence as it did with that initial season in Borneo, but what does these days?

All Talk/ No Action

[hjsridge · 3/10 · 7 October 2021]

Just watched Ep. 11 and recently this show is about people just talking about who they're going to vote off. Less than 10 minutes is devoted to an actual competitions. What are they 'surviving" ? They're certainly not alone on the island . There are film crews following them all over.

People who mess up physical challenges seem to stay while the more competent are voted off. Now, it's a political message.

The show continues to lose viewers, but they continue to concentrate on the contestants talking amongst themselves. Even the Tribal counsels are dragged out with extensive talking.

They do.t have to go to a far away island to make this show. They could just go to a any park in the U. S. that is near an ocean.

On Wednesday, CBS follows Survivor with their new show "Tough As Nails".

The new show is an actual completion show. Many of the coemptions look very difficult and even dangerous. The players stay with their team the entire season, even if they may fail in the individua completion. Its a fun and exciting show.

Survivor, however, has become both annoying and boring.

Now let's play: " Find A Sponsor"

True fans disgusted by the last 2 seasons.

[pammy-41783 · 3 May 2022]

I'm disgusted that I've just watched 2 seasons where all of a sudden race is an issue. I've watched it from the beginning and now will never watch it again. It's a game. It doesn't matter your ethnicity. And Jeff just allowed it to be about racism. I hope it gets cancelled. All we wanted to do was watch a great show with people from every race that come and work together. And yes people get voted out. Get over it.

Snowflakes put a freeze on survivor.

[fragglejan11 · 8/10 · 11 January 2022]

Season 41, I believe is the beginning of the end. The show used to be such a diverse social study on different classes, races, religions, etc. Living together, starving together, laughing, crying, competing, arguing, and celebrating together while trying to outwit, outplay, and Outlast your fellow competitor. Now you can't say the word "guys".

What used to be the greatest reality game show on the planet has been deluded by watered-down challenges and cancel culture. Survivor lost over a million viewers in just one season and I will be one of them. You're not truly surviving on this show anymore like you did in the first 15 years or so. Phrases that have infiltrated the lexicon of English language used in multiple versions of survivor around the world have been attacked and you can no longer address a large group of persons with a plural word like "guys"anymore . CBS and survivor have caved to cancel culture and snowflakes and what was once possibly the greatest game show ever created has just become a parody of what it used to be. I for one will truly miss survivor and I will continue to watch the first 40 seasons over and over.

Best Reality Show on Television

[cameron-61614 · 10/10 · 5 September 2017]

Survivor is a show that is impossible to judge as a whole. There are 10/10 seasons, and there are 1/10 season's. This comes with having 34 season's. The thing that's great about Survivor is that it can never die. Each season is different, so even though many seasons might not be great, many others will be incredible! Yes, Survivor's early seasons were some of its greatest, but many later seasons have been amazing. Think 27, 28, 31, 33. The evolution of the show is what makes it intriguing. New strategies being developed right in front of your eyes. No other TV concept can stay the same, yet still be constantly changing and refreshed.

BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION

[emmahottovy · 10/10 · 9 October 2020]

I'm hooked have seen almost every season 10/10 recommend

This season. Is the worst.

[smileyprice-46006 · 1/10 · 3 October 2021]

Been a fan loving this show. No words this season. Only 2 shows in and no thank you. These aren't survivor contestants. We've waited so long. And we're routtung for these people? Nope.

Best Reality Show of All Time

[rianengelen · 10/10 · 29 July 2018]

I started watching this show as a teenager; from season 1. Interestingly I find myself having evolved along with it. Season 1 the contestants and consequently the unseasoned viewer seemed to think it was more about surviving, being a hero in challenges, providing for your tribe and making people like you, etc than it was about social politics, strategy and the journey of self discovery that these people must go through as they battle the elements and literally starve for 39 days. It feels almost that in the earlier seasons, naivety in the human condition prevailed as contestants and viewers alike were trying to figure out how to balance their real life morals with the fact that they were in a game that ultimately required them to betray almost all of the values we applaud as a society. To me this is the beauty, real people with real emotions will inevitably form real connections and will ultimately need to betray those relationships... there is no way around that fact.

By season 36 I am witnessing a different game. The die-hard fans and contestants have evolved. Now we know it is a game and we know how to play it, but the human factor, the emotional side - the relationships they form, etc are still REAL. The strategy is on a "whole-nother" level. The savvy-ness and emotional manipulation required to be successful at this game is intriguing. The twists and advantages that the creators come up with are nothing short of brilliant; fueling this excitement and intrigue. Some of the Jury miss the point and sit there overwhelmed by the emotion or their feeling of being betrayed; instead of applauding the hand that dealt the blow, others "get it", they understand that this game needs to be played personally but never taken personally - even just this observation to me is interesting to witness.

In terms of exploring human psychology and realness, there isn't, nor has there yet been, any other reality competition show out there that is as brilliant, addictive and REAL as Survivor.

I'm a fan for life.

well, they had a good respectable run

[gymoantwerpen · 2/10 · 3 October 2022]

It's a shame the show changed this much. It's just no fun watching it anymore. Watched 41 seasons with the most excitement, but the last 2 were dire and season 43 seems to be even worse. Episode one i couldn't even sit through. I get the inclusion thing, although one of the reasons i always loved tis show was for it being so liberal and inclusive. It felt realistic and natural. I'm asian and never felt the need for more asians on the show as it just wouldn't be realistic. Hope the woke police will be satisfied at some point as every show is becoming super unrealistic. Seems the whole world is mostly gay now. As a gay dragqueen myself i'd say... Sure whatever.

Fresh and Exciting..One of the best editions of Survivor Yet.

[Jdc102 · 31 October 2003]

For some reason it seems that the odd numbered survivor seasons aren't as good (Except for Season 1 of course). Example: Africa- The scenery was boring and some of the cast was interesting but overall it wasn't anything great. Thailand- Probably the worst ever. The location was good but the cast was the worst yet. But FINALLY that curse has ended because PEARL ISLANDS is Great.

First off- the location is perfect. I really like the pirate theme, its one that hasn't been used yet and it works.

Secondly the cast is awesome. Rupert is one of my all-time favorite Survivors. He's Richard Hatch with a heart. Osten is something else, a lazy guy with a good personality. Jon is a pain-in-the-ass and probably the most annoying Survivor since Lindsey on Survivor 3. Jon is so smug, but he does make the game interesting, even though you want to strangle him.

Overall- This is the only really watchable Reality Show in my opinion and Mark Burnett is really talented. He changes things every week so people don't get sick of it. Can't wait for season 8!! ALL STARS!

Thanks For Reading-

After 31 Seasons, Survivor Still Remains an Awesome Show!

[nlytnd_1 · 10/10 · 27 January 2016]

As far as entertainment goes, at times it really doesn't get any better than Survivor. Especially the first season or two you watch. I've never been the type of person to change up my plans or not schedule any plans just because a show I liked was going to be on TV... that is until Survivor (the first season or two I watched that is). I would be so exited leading up to the show and be completely enthralled throughout. I remember cramming for my midterms/finals and even though I didn't have any extra time to spare I couldn't skip out on Survivor (a couple times).

As a viewer it can be an emotional roller coaster, which is why it takes a rare breed to endure several seasons of Survivor, but I think it's worth it too endure it. You'll probably have to take a several year hiatus multiple times, but it's always enjoyable and rewarding to start watching it again. I'd be willing to bet the reason why many people stop watching is because of frustration, rather than lack of entertainment. Frustration because of bad winners, emotionally retarded people not being voted off, etc, etc. One of the first hurdles most people have to get through is; often times the better physical as well as mental players will get voted out early more often than not (more so as the show has gone on compared to the beginning). The key to enduring that and the show as a whole, is to except the luck factor. Sure there's all the cliché talk during the show of people saying, you beat me because your still in the game and I got voted off or people going out with 3 left and saying I got 4th place. It's one thing for a contestant to say you outplayed me because you made it further, because that's just being a good sport, but it's a completely different thing for the viewer to have such a naive/dimwitted/idiotic way of observing the game. Forget all that nonsense... accept the fact that there is a ton of luck in the game (for example one contestant won the game twice and this person is probably in the bottom 5 of all time winners in ref to strategy), sometimes more than others. While frustrating at times the luck factor keeps the game exciting, because anything can happen and anyone for the most part can win. Also in the very early seasons if someone was emotionally retarded they would get the boot early, but as the seasons progress the socially inept people often times make it deep in the game, because it strategically makes sense to keep non threatening players in the game (though seldom win it). Which is why the 3rd/4th/5th/6th/etc. place talk is so ridiculous because there are a multitude of reasons why people land where they do that are external to skill level and ability to play the game. If a player goes deep in the game, but never puts themselves in a place to have a shot at winning and someone else has their cards lined up so that if they do go to the end they can possibly win, but end up getting the boot at 10... the 10 is way more impressive. Anywho, I had to take several leaves of absence along the way, with the longest being after season 6 (over 5 years)... got sick of the jury asking the question, if you win what would you do with the money and emotional nonsense external to the game dictating the winners, but I was pleasantly surprised coming back after my leave to watch seasons 7 and 8. BTW for the most part as the seasons progress the jury starts basing the winners on the game they played.

Anyways they do an awesome job with the show as a whole, even though they most likely metal with the game, trying to keep the entertaining players in the game longer... ironically more so in the earlier seasons, because so much was depending on the future of the show. The show has always been good at spoofing on itself right from the first season. The cutting room and the camera people have a good sense of humor. Something as simple as someone being angry or super dramatic and then the show pans to an animal that's analogous to the situation. If the show wasn't spoofing on itself (in a sense) this would come across really corny, but instead it's hilarious and there are several subtleties such as this that enhances the overall show. Anyways, I'm rambling on too long, so I'm just going to cut out, but if you stopped watching the show or haven't seen it as of yet, I highly recommend this show, there are few if any shows that are as entertaining as Survivor, especially when you're new to it.

Take a deep breath

[ondusoeric · 10/10 · 9 October 2018]

Personally my favourite reality TV show, already watched 36 seasons and I'm still interested. got that?

Watched Survivor Alaska again

[trudjoh · 9/10 · 15 August 2020]

After watching Survivor Africa, it is obvious how much more sophisticated Survivor has become. Lindsay in the Africa series was so immature and had no idea what teamwork and strategy is. The concept of best friends is not a concept for Survivor!!

The best ever

[gianfrancovangelisti · 10/10 · 7 February 2019]

Epic. The best TV Show ever. Jeff Probst deserves a place on Mount Olympus, among the other Gods. BRAVO

The Best Reality Competition Game

[matiasnav · 6/10 · 19 January 2018]

Survivor was and I hope that it will continue to be the most addictive tv show ever. Season after season the competition improves and the new twists add originality and surprise. There´s no doubt about the fact that SURVIVOR will always be among one of my favourite programmes. Long live the king of reality TV!!!