Survivor 50 Challenge

CBS reality TV show Survivor is approaching the release of its 50th season. With the first episode airing February 25th, Survivor is in the list of top ten longest running reality TV shows. 

Survivor is a competitive game where 16 people are taken to a remote island and split into separate tribes. During the game, the tribes compete against each other, have minimal food, and sleep outside in hut they must make themselves. The purpose of the game is to test human limits, seeing how the contestants will interact with almost no food and sleep, and extensive physical activity. 

The show has run for over two and a half decades, with Season 1 being released in 2000. The first season was set in Malaysia, and since then the show has been set in a variety of places including China, the Philippines, and Brazil. Starting in 2016 with Season 33, the show permanently moved to filming in Fiji. 

Survivor  Host Jeff Probst who has stayed with the entire show since it started shared what he loved most about being working with the show. 

“What’s most magical to me is a young person watching the show and looking at their parents and saying, ‘I could do that.’ That’s who I make the show for. That’s where all of my energy goes into. It makes me really happy,” Probst said. 

In addition to the celebration of the 50th season, CBS and the Survivor network are launching a national “idol hunt” in each state. Within the game of Survivor, players can find idols hidden around the island to protect them from being voted out by their fellow contestants. This part of the game was brought to life in the United States, with an idol being hidden in all 50 states.

 On the Survivor website, survivor50challenge.com, people can sign up to view the map of America and the clues in each state. Clues for each state are dropping throughout the months of January and February.

As of February 2nd, six states have had their idols claimed and the four active states are Missouri, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Washington. 

The lucky ones who find the idol will then be entered in a grand prize sweepstakes, that will involve being able to attend the finale of Season 50 live. 

“I’m excited for the new season and to see returning players! I grew up watching the show so it is cool to see players coming back that I watched when I was really young,” Newtown High School senior Juliana Kwap shared.

The cast of Season 50 is filled with veterans of Survivor who have had a lasting impact on the show. Some of these people include Benjamin “Coach” Wade, who is on his fourth season. He’s made his mark as a strong personality, referring to himself as a “dragon slayer.” Another returning player who is quite famous in the Survivor world is Ozzy Lusth, who will be on his fifth season. He was inducted into the Survivor “Hall of Fame” in 2011. Other notable players include Mike White, Cirie Fields, and Season 48 winner Kyle Fraser. 

“I am super excited for the new season because of the features of so many returning members! I’m looking forward to seeing Charlie Davis from Season 46 and Kyle and Kamila from Season 48. I am curious to see if Kyle and Kamila will still work together to get to the end like they did in Season 48, or if they will build new alliances with older castmates,” NHS senior Zoe Shapiro said.