I am an avid reality TV fan—whether it’s The Bachelor, Love Island, Big Brother, or really any other show. But when it comes down to it, Survivor is definitely my favorite reality TV show, and I’m going to tell you why it should be yours too. There’s a lot to unpack here, so bear with me.
- It has a consistent structure
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If you watch Survivor, you know how it goes. First, contestants are divided into separate tribes based on that season’s theme (my favorite themes have been “Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty” and “Blood vs. Water”). Then, the tribes compete in challenges. If they win, they get immunity. If they lose, they go to tribal council that night and someone from the losing tribe gets voted out. Eventually, halfway through the season, the tribes are merged into one large tribe, and alliances begin to form. After that, each challenge is every man for himself. If you get to the final two or three, you are guaranteed a spot in the final, where you try to convince the jury that you should win the $1 million cash prize.
- It has die-hard fans
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In my opinion, the consistent structure of Survivor and the fact that every season follows the same storyline is the main reason why the show has such die-hard fans. Survivor is the type of show that viewers can study and become familiar with. It is so fun to become engrossed in the strategy of each season and watch the players make big moves. There is really no dull moment in Survivor, which makes it so easy to binge-watch. There are definitely Survivor prodigies out there that know everything there is to know about the show—whether it’s about the show’s strategy, challenges, or tribal councils. It’s exciting to watch former die-hard fans actually go on the show and become contestants because, usually, those players do much better than the others because they have watched and studied the show for so long. And yes, if you’re wondering, I did apply to be on the next season of the show (fingers crossed).
- The challenges are so intense
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Speaking of the challenges, Survivor challenges are truly something else. I never knew I could be so enraptured and captivated by a TV show. Challenges are definitely the highlight of each episode, making the players go through crazy obstacles that test them physically, mentally, and emotionally. Most challenges involve some sort of athletic challenge—swimming in water, sprinting across a beach, balancing on one foot, etc. After the physical part, most challenges end with a mental test. Puzzles are a huge part of Survivor, and for the most part, players who are good at puzzles usually last pretty long. Puzzle skills are definitely something to have under your belt if you ever go on this show.
- The strategy is unmatched
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There is simply no other show that does strategy like Survivor. From the get-go, strategy plays a huge role in this game. In the beginning, it is usually smart to keep people who are physically strong in your tribe so that you can continue to do well in challenges. But as the game goes on, it’s smart to pick off the strong players that could possibly flip on you or do better than you when the merge happens. Sometimes, the weaker players last longer than the stronger ones because they do not seem like a threat. The social aspect of strategy also plays a big role in the game because, in the end, the jury (which is made up of people who were voted off the show) votes on who should win the cash prize. You want to be friends with most of those people so they vote for you. Strategy in this show consists of physical game, mental game, and social game—finding the balance of all three is the way to win.
- There are memorable characters that come back for more
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Survivor is one of those shows that just has the best characters. There are such big and memorable personalities in each season, and it is easy to find yourself rooting for certain people over others. And as with every other reality TV show, there are heroes and there are villains. Specific people who go on the show become so popular that they are actually brought back for later seasons so that fans can watch their favorites play again. Seasons like “Heroes vs. Villains” and “Blood vs. Water” brought back fan favorites. My personal favorites on the show have been Tyson, Rupert, and Candice.
- It’s the perfect show to watch with friends/family
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When I’m not binge-watching Survivor alone by myself until 3 o’clock in the morning, I’m watching it with my friends and family. Over quarantine, my sister, my dad, and I all watched about six seasons of the show in two months. It’s that addictive. It’s so fun to root for your favorites with other people and react to the crazy tribal councils together. Honestly, if I had no one to talk to about Survivor, I’d go crazy because there’s just so much to discuss. Like for real, this show is amazing.
- Jeff Probst
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Yes, this is a reason all by itself. Jeff Probst is quite possibly the best reality TV host ever. Not to mention, he’s also won a ton of awards for the show, including two Emmys for Survivor as an Outstanding Nonfiction Program. But most of all, I just love Jeff. His commentary during challenges and tribals is just perfect, witty, and sometimes even brutally honest. He’s not afraid to judge the players or ask them the hard questions, which I love. I think we all need a Jeff in our lives.
Survivor is available to stream now on both Netflix and Hulu with subscriptions!
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