# Survivor (American TV series)

Survivor is the American version of the international Survivor reality competition television franchise, itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson created by Charlie Parsons which premiered in 1997. The American series premiered on May 31, 2000, on CBS. It is hosted by Jeff Probst, who is also an executive producer along with Mark Burnett and the original creator, Parsons.
Survivor places a group of people in an isolated location, where they must provide food, fire, and shelter for themselves. The contestants compete in challenges including testing the contestants' physical abilities like running and swimming or their mental abilities like puzzles and endurance challenges for rewards and immunity from elimination. The contestants are progressively eliminated from the game as they are voted out by their fellow contestants until only two or three remain. At that point, the contestants who were eliminated vote for the winner. They are given the title of "Sole Survivor" and are awarded the grand prize of $1,000,000 ($2,000,000 in Winners at War).
The American version has been very successful. From the 2000–01 through the 2005–06 television seasons, its first 11 seasons (competitions) rated among the top 10 most-watched shows. It is commonly considered the leader of American reality TV because it was the first highly rated and profitable reality show on broadcast television in the U.S., and is considered one of the best shows of the 2000s (decade). The series has been nominated for 63 Emmy Awards, including winning for Outstanding Sound Mixing in 2001, Outstanding Special Class Program in 2002, and was subsequently nominated four times for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program when the category was introduced in 2003. Probst won the award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program four consecutive times after the award was introduced in 2008. In 2007, the series was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time. In 2013, TV Guide ranked it at #39 on its list of the "60 Best Series of All Time".
In May 2024, the series was renewed for the 2024–25 television season for its 47th and 48th seasons, continuing with 90-minute episodes. Season 48 premiered on February 26, 2025.

## Format and rules

The first American season of Survivor followed the same general format as the Swedish series. Sixteen or more players, split between two or more "tribes", are taken to a remote isolated location (usually in a tropical climate) and are forced to live off the land with meager supplies for 39 days (42 in The Australian Outback, 26 in post-COVID seasons). Frequent physical and mental challenges are used to pit the teams against each other for rewards, such as food or luxuries, or for "immunity", forcing the other tribe to attend "Tribal Council", where they must vote off one of their tribemates.
Signaling the halfway point in the game, survivors from both tribes come together to live as one, making it to the "merge". At this point, survivors will compete against each other to win individual immunity; winning immunity prevents that player from being voted out at Tribal Council. Most players that are voted out after the merge form the game's "jury". Once the group gets down to two or three people, a Final Tribal Council is held where the remaining players plead their case to the jury members. The jury then votes for which player should be considered the "Sole Survivor" and win the show's grand prize. In all seasons for the American version (excluding Survivor: Winners at War whose winner won $2 million), this has included a $1-million prize in addition to the Sole Survivor title; some seasons (particularly earlier seasons) have included additional prizes offered during the game, such as a car, as well as fan-favorite prizes awarded at the finale. All contestants are paid on a sliding scale based on the order they were voted out: the first player voted out has been given US$2,500 and the amount increases from there. Some of the seasons that have featured returning players have increased these amounts: Survivor: All-Stars featured payouts starting at US$5,000, while Winners at War had a minimum US$25,000 payout. All players are offered US$10,000 for participating in the finale show.
The American version has introduced numerous modifications, or "twists", on the core rules in order to keep the players on their toes and to prevent players from relying on strategies that succeeded in prior seasons. These changes have included tribal switches, seasons starting with more than two tribes, the ability to exile a player from a tribe for a short time on "Exile Island", hidden immunity idols that players can use to save themselves or others at Tribal Council, special voting powers which can be used to influence the result at Tribal Council, the chance to return to regular gameplay after elimination through "Redemption Island", "Edge of Extinction" or "The Outcast Tribe" twists, special advantages to help players in the game like an extra vote, steal a vote, idol nullifier, or a shot in the dark and a final four fire-making challenge as of season 35.

## Series overview

The United States version is produced by Mark Burnett and hosted by Jeff Probst, who also serves as an executive producer. Each competition is called a season, has a unique name, and lasts from 13 to 16 episodes. The first season, Survivor: Borneo, was broadcast as a summer replacement show in 2000. Starting with the third season, Survivor: Africa, there have been two seasons aired during each American television season. Starting with the 41st season, no subtitle has been used in promotion of the season. Instead, the show began following a number format similar to Big Brother and The Amazing Race.
In the first season, there was a 75-person crew. By season 22, the crew had grown to 325 people.
A total of 733 contestants have competed on Survivor's 48 seasons.
List of Survivor seasons :
| Season | Subtitle | Location | Original tribes | Winner | Runner(s)-up | Runner(s)-up | Final vote |
| 1 | Borneo | Pulau Tiga, Sabah, Malaysia | Two tribes of eight new players | Richard Hatch | Kelly Wiglesworth | Kelly Wiglesworth | 4–3 |
| 2 | The Australian Outback | Herbert River at Goshen Station, Queensland, Australia | Two tribes of eight new players | Tina Wesson | Colby Donaldson | Colby Donaldson | | 4–3 |
| 3 | Africa | Shaba National Reserve, Kenya | Two tribes of eight new players | Ethan Zohn | Kim Johnson | Kim Johnson | 5–2 |
| 4 | Marquesas | Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | Two tribes of eight new players | Vecepia Towery | Neleh Dennis | Neleh Dennis | 4–3 |
| 5 | Thailand | Ko Tarutao, Satun Province, Thailand | Two tribes of eight new players; picked by the two oldest players | Brian Heidik | Clay Jordan | Clay Jordan | | 4–3 |
| 6 | The Amazon | Rio Negro, Amazonas, Brazil | Two tribes of eight new players divided by gender | Jenna Morasca | Matthew Von Ertfelda | Matthew Von Ertfelda | 6–1 |
| 7 | Pearl Islands | Pearl Islands, Panama | Two tribes of eight new players | Sandra Diaz-Twine | Lillian Morris | Lillian Morris | | 6–1 |
| 8 | All-Stars | Pearl Islands, Panama | Three tribes of six returning players | Amber Brkich | Rob Mariano | Rob Mariano | 4–3 |
| 9 | Vanuatu | Efate, Shefa, Vanuatu | Two tribes of nine new players divided by gender | Chris Daugherty | Twila Tanner | Twila Tanner | 5–2 |
| 10 | Palau | Koror, Palau | A schoolyard pick of two tribes of nine new players each; two eliminated without a tribe | Tom Westman | Katie Gallagher | Katie Gallagher | 6–1 |
| 11 | Guatemala | Laguna Yaxhá, Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo National Park, Petén, Guatemala | Two tribes of nine, including two returning players | Danni Boatwright | Stephenie LaGrossa | Stephenie LaGrossa | | 6–1 |
| 12 | Panama | Pearl Islands, Panama | Four tribes of four new players divided by age and gender | Aras Baskauskas | Danielle DiLorenzo | Danielle DiLorenzo | 5–2 |
| 13 | Cook Islands | Aitutaki, Cook Islands | Four tribes of five new players divided by ethnicity: African Americans, Whites, Hispanics, and Asians | Yul Kwon | Ozzy Lusth | Becky Lee | 5–4–0 |
| 14 | Fiji | Macuata, Vanua Levu, Fiji | Two tribes of nine new players divided by one selected castaway, who would replace the first person voted out | Earl Cole | Cassandra Franklin & Andria "Dreamz" Herd | Cassandra Franklin & Andria "Dreamz" Herd | 9–0–0 |
| 15 | China | Zhelin, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China | Two tribes of eight new players | Todd Herzog | Courtney Yates | Amanda Kimmel | 4–2–1 |
| 16 | Micronesia | Koror, Palau | Two tribes of ten: new players against past contestants | Parvati Shallow | Amanda Kimmel | Amanda Kimmel | 5–3 |
| 17 | Gabon | Wonga-Wongue Presidential Reserve, Estuaire, Gabon | A schoolyard pick of two tribes of nine new players, starting with the oldest players | Robert "Bob" Crowley | Susie Smith | Jessica "Sugar" Kiper | 4–3–0 |
| 18 | Tocantins | Jalapão, Tocantins, Brazil | Two tribes of eight new players | James "J.T." Thomas Jr. | Stephen Fishbach | Stephen Fishbach | 7–0 |
| 19 | Samoa | Upolu, Samoa | Two tribes of ten new players | Natalie White | Russell Hantz | Mick Trimming | 7–2–0 |
| 20 | Heroes vs. Villains | Upolu, Samoa | Two tribes of ten returning players divided by reputation: "heroes" vs. "villains" | Sandra Diaz-Twine | Parvati Shallow | Russell Hantz | 6–3–0 |
| 21 | Nicaragua | San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua | Two tribes of ten new players divided by age | Jud "Fabio" Birza | Chase Rice | Matthew "Sash" Lenahan | 5–4–0 |
| 22 | Redemption Island | San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua | Two tribes of nine, including two returning players | Rob Mariano | Phillip Sheppard | Natalie Tenerelli | 8–1–0 |
| 23 | South Pacific | Upolu, Samoa | Two tribes of nine, including two returning players | Sophie Clarke | Benjamin "Coach" Wade | Albert Destrade | 6–3–0 |
| 24 | One World | Upolu, Samoa | Two tribes of nine new players divided by gender living on the same beach | Kim Spradlin | Sabrina Thompson | Chelsea Meissner | 7–2–0 |
| 25 | Philippines | Caramoan, Camarines Sur, Philippines | Three tribes of six players, including three returning players who had been medically evacuated in a previous season | Denise Stapley | Lisa Whelchel & Michael Skupin | Lisa Whelchel & Michael Skupin | 6–1–1 |
| 26 | Caramoan | Caramoan, Camarines Sur, Philippines | Two tribes of ten: new players against past contestants | John Cochran | Dawn Meehan & Sherri Biethman | Dawn Meehan & Sherri Biethman | 8–0–0 |
| 27 | Blood vs. Water | Palaui Island, Santa Ana, Cagayan, Philippines | Two tribes of ten: returning contestants against their loved ones | Tyson Apostol | Monica Culpepper | Gervase Peterson | 7–1–0 |
| 28 | Cagayan | Palaui Island, Santa Ana, Cagayan, Philippines | Three tribes of six new players divided by primary attribute: "brawn" vs. "brains" vs. "beauty" | Tony Vlachos | Yung "Woo" Hwang | Yung "Woo" Hwang | 8–1 |
| 29 | San Juan del Sur | San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua | Nine pairs of new players, each with a pre-existing relationship, divided into two tribes of nine | Natalie Anderson | Jaclyn Schultz | Missy Payne | 5–2–1 |
| 30 | Worlds Apart | San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua | Three tribes of six new players divided by social class: "white collar" vs. "blue collar" vs. "no collar" | Mike Holloway | Carolyn Rivera & Will Sims II | Carolyn Rivera & Will Sims II | 6–1–1 |
| 31 | Cambodia | Koh Rong, Cambodia | Two tribes of ten returning players who only played once before, have not won, and were selected by public vote | Jeremy Collins | Spencer Bledsoe & Tasha Fox | Spencer Bledsoe & Tasha Fox | 10–0–0 |
| 32 | Kaôh Rōng | Koh Rong, Cambodia | Three tribes of six new players divided by primary attribute: "brains" vs. "brawn" vs. "beauty" | Michele Fitzgerald | Aubry Bracco | Tai Trang | 5–2–0 |
| 33 | Millennials vs. Gen X | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Two tribes of ten new players divided by generation: millennials vs. Generation X | Adam Klein | Hannah Shapiro & Ken McNickle | Hannah Shapiro & Ken McNickle | 10–0–0 |
| 34 | Game Changers | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Two tribes of ten returning players | Sarah Lacina | Brad Culpepper | Troy "Troyzan" Robertson | 7–3–0 |
| 35 | Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players divided by dominant perceived trait: "heroes" vs. "healers" vs. "hustlers" | Ben Driebergen | Chrissy Hofbeck | Ryan Ulrich | 5–2–1 |
| 36 | Ghost Island | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Two tribes of ten new players | Wendell Holland | Domenick Abbate | Laurel Johnson | 5–5–0 1–0 |
| 37 | David vs. Goliath | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Two tribes of ten new players divided by adversity: "David" (underdogs) vs. "Goliath" (overachievers) | Nick Wilson | Mike White | Angelina Keeley | 7–3–0 |
| 38 | Edge of Extinction | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Two tribes of nine, including four returning players | Chris Underwood | Gavin Whitson | Julie Rosenberg | 9–4–0 |
| 39 | Island of the Idols | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Two tribes of ten new players. Past winners Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine feature as non-playing mentors | Tommy Sheehan | Dean Kowalski | Noura Salman | 8–2–0 |
| 40 | Winners at War | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Two tribes of ten winners of past Survivor seasons | Tony Vlachos | Natalie Anderson | Michele Fitzgerald | 12–4–0 |
| 41 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players | Erika Casupanan | Deshawn Radden | Xander Hastings | 7–1–0 |
| 42 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players | Maryanne Oketch | Mike Turner | Romeo Escobar | 7–1–0 |
| 43 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players | Mike Gabler | Cassidy Clark | Owen Knight | 7–1–0 |
| 44 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players | Yamil "Yam Yam" Arocho | Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt | Carolyn Wiger | 7–1–0 |
| 45 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six players, including one returning player who was medically evacuated in the previous season | Dee Valladares | Austin Li Coon | Jake O'Kane | 5–3–0 |
| 46 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players | Kenzie Petty | Charlie Davis | Ben Katzman | 5–3–0 |
| 47 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players | Rachel LaMont | Sam Phalen | Sue Smey | 7–1–0 |
| 48 | — | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji | Three tribes of six new players | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |

## Production
### Concept

The original idea of Survivor was developed by Charlie Parsons in 1994 under the name Castaway. Parsons formed Planet24 with Bob Geldof to produce the show and tried to have the BBC broadcast it, but the network turned it down. Parsons went to Swedish television and was able to find a broadcaster, ultimately producing Expedition Robinson in 1997. The show was a success, and plans for international versions were made.
Mark Burnett intended to be the person to bring the show to the United States, though he viewed the Swedish version as a bit crude and mean-spirited. Burnett retooled the concept to use better production values, based on his prior Eco-Challenge show, and wanted to focus more on the human drama experienced while under pressure. Burnett spent about a year trying to find a broadcaster that would take the show, retooling the concept based on feedback. On November 24, 1999, Burnett made his pitch to Les Moonves of CBS, and Moonves agreed to pick up the show. The first season, Survivor: Borneo, was filmed during March and April 2000, and was first broadcast on May 31, 2000. The first season became a ratings success, leading to its ongoing run.

### Locations

The American version of Survivor has been shot in many locations around the world since the first season, usually favoring warm and tropical climates. Starting with season 19, two seasons have filmed back-to-back in the same location, to be aired in the same broadcast year. Since season 33, the show has been filmed in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji.
| Continent/ geographical region | Locations | Locations | Season number(s) |
| Africa | Gabon | Wonga-Wongue Presidential Reserve, Estuaire | 17 |
| Africa | Kenya | Shaba National Reserve | 3 |
| Asia | Cambodia | Koh Rong | 31, 32 |
| Asia | China | Mount Lu West Sea, Jiujiang | 15 |
| Asia | Malaysia | Pulau Tiga, Borneo, Sabah | 1 |
| Asia | Philippines | Caramoan, Camarines Sur | 25, 26 |
| Asia | Philippines | Palaui Island, Cagayan | 27, 28 |
| Asia | Thailand | Ko Tarutao | 5 |
| Central America | Guatemala | Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo National Park, Petén | 11 |
| Central America | Nicaragua | San Juan del Sur | 21, 22, 29, 30 |
| Central America | Panama | Pearl Islands | 7, 8, 12 |
| Oceania | Australia | Goshen Cattle Station, Queensland | 2 |
| Oceania | Cook Islands | Aitutaki | 13 |
| Oceania | Fiji | Macuata | 14 |
| Oceania | Fiji | Mamanuca Islands | 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 |
| Oceania | French Polynesia | Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands | 4 |
| Oceania | Palau | Koror | 10, 16 |
| Oceania | Samoa | Upolu | 19, 20, 23, 24 |
| Oceania | Vanuatu | Efate | 9 |
| South America | Brazil | Rio Negro, Amazonas | 6 |
| South America | Brazil | Jalapão, Tocantins | 18 |
From The Australian Outback to Island of the Idols, the show's run ended with a live reveal of the winner with votes read in front of a live studio audience, followed by a reunion show, hosted by Jeff Probst. Reunion shows for the first three seasons were hosted by Bryant Gumbel and the fourth season by Rosie O'Donnell. Jeff Probst took over hosting of the reunion shows starting with the fifth season. Between Africa and One World, the reunion locations alternated between Central Park, Madison Square Garden and the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City (home to the CBS's The Late Show franchise) and CBS Television City or the CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles. The reunion show continued to be filmed at CBS Television City from Philippines to Island of the Idols.
The exceptions to the above outlined live reunion were for Survivor: Island of the Idols, which was filmed in front of a live studio audience but taped four hours in advance due to the controversy surrounding contestant Dan Spilo's behavior, and Survivor: Winners at War, where a video conferencing event was used during the broadcast of the final episode due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The final episode of the latter did not include the live reunion, except for a brief moment at the beginning of the episode where all 20 contestants appeared together on screen from their homes, and promo for the upcoming 41st season, which had not filmed at that time.
As part of this, up through Survivor: Cagayan, the production of the last part of the recorded final Tribal Council showed Probst taking the urn or container containing the votes and traveling with it by some means, transitioning this to the live show and suggesting a type of continuity between events; for example Survivor: The Amazon appeared to have Probst jet-ski from the Amazon rainforest directly to New York City where the live show was held. According to Probst, they had also filmed a similar sequence for the 29th season Survivor: San Juan del Sur: he had paddled out on a canoe from the location in Nicaragua, and then paddling into Venice, California from a nearby island. Once on the beach, he would have asked a teenager to borrow his skateboard in the same manner as the "Hey Kid, Catch!" Coke commercial with Mean Joe Greene, with Probst doing some tricks on the skateboard before tossing it back. However, Probst had no idea how to ride a skateboard and even after some basic training, he could not complete the trick for filming. Production opted to eliminate that transition for San Juan del Sur, and they eliminated any similar transitions for future seasons.
Beginning with season 41, the winner was revealed on location during the final tribal council, which was previously done in the original season (Borneo), as the producers were unsure on the ability to have a live finale due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote reveal was then followed by a Survivor After Show special with the finalists and the jury instead of a live reunion.

### Casting

Early seasons of Survivor were limited to United States citizens, and have required Canadian-American dual citizens to give up their Canadian citizenship to compete, as in the case of Survivor: China winner Todd Herzog. According to Probst, the limitation was due to the rights that Mark Burnett and CBS had on the Survivor format, limiting it to contestants with American citizenship. The rules were changed mid-2018 to allow Canadian citizens to participate, with Tom Laidlaw being as the first Canadian citizen cast for Island of the Idols.
When Survivor launched, the minimum age requirement was 21 years old; one exception was made for Michael "Frosti" Zernow who competed on Survivor: China while 20 years old. In 2008, the age requirement was reduced to 18 years old, with Survivor: Tocantins's Spencer Duhm being the first 18-year-old to play. The age limit was further reduced to 16-year-olds in 2020.
In 2020, after criticism of inadequate inclusion on several reality shows, CBS president George Creeks mandated that 50% of all of CBS's reality show participants are to be black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). This includes contestants featured on Survivor from Survivor 41. Probst has said to have been a positive improvement to the show, giving them more diverse stories to tell as well as increasing viewership of the series in other countries outside the U.S.

## Reception
### U.S. television ratings

Survivor was consistently one of the top 20 most watched shows through its first 23 seasons. It has not broken the top 20 since. Probst acknowledged that Kelly Kahl, the current president of CBS, had been a significant proponent of the show. When Survivor had launched, Kahl, then vice-president of scheduling, took a risk and moved the show's second season to Thursdays in competition with NBC's Friends. Survivor won viewership numbers over Friends, giving Kahl significant sway within CBS to continue supporting Survivor.
Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of the United States version of Survivor on CBS.
Note: Each American network television season starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.
| Season | Timeslot (ET) | Premiered | Premiered | Ended | Ended | Ended | TV season | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
| Season | Timeslot (ET) | Date | Premiere viewers (in millions) | Date | Finale viewers (in millions) | Reunion viewers (in millions) | TV season | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
| 1 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | May 31, 2000 | 15.51 | August 23, 2000 | 51.69 | 36.70 | 1999–2000 | 2 | 28.30 |
| 2 | Thursday 8:00 pm | January 28, 2001 | 45.37 | May 3, 2001 | 36.35 | 28.01 | 2000–2001 | 1 | 29.80 |
| 3 | Thursday 8:00 pm | October 11, 2001 | 23.84 | January 10, 2002 | 27.26 | 19.05 | 2001–2002 | 8 | 20.69 |
| 4 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 28, 2002 | 23.19 | May 19, 2002 | 25.87 | 17.89 | 2001–2002 | 6 | 20.77 |
| 5 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 19, 2002 | 23.05 | December 19, 2002 | 24.08 | 20.43 | 2002–2003 | 4 | 21.21 |
| 6 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 13, 2003 | 23.26 | May 11, 2003 | 22.29 | 17.65 | 2002–2003 | 9 | 19.97 |
| 7 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 18, 2003 | 21.50 | December 14, 2003 | 25.23 | 21.87 | 2003–2004 | 7 | 20.72 |
| 8 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 1, 2004 | 33.53 | May 9, 2004 | 24.76 | 23.92 | 2003–2004 | 3 | 21.49 |
| 9 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 16, 2004 | 20.06 | December 12, 2004 | 19.72 | 15.23 | 2004–2005 | 10 | 19.64 |
| 10 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 17, 2005 | 23.66 | May 15, 2005 | 20.80 | 15.48 | 2004–2005 | 5 | 20.91 |
| 11 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 15, 2005 | 18.41 | December 11, 2005 | 21.18 | 15.21 | 2005–2006 | 8 | 18.30 |
| 12 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 2, 2006 | 19.20 | May 14, 2006 | 17.07 | 11.65 | 2005–2006 | 11 | 16.82 |
| 13 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 14, 2006 | 18.00 | December 17, 2006 | 16.42 | 13.53 | 2006–2007 | 13 | 15.75 |
| 14 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 8, 2007 | 16.68 | May 13, 2007 | 13.63 | 11.43 | 2006–2007 | 15 | 14.83 |
| 15 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 20, 2007 | 15.35 | December 16, 2007 | 15.10 | 12.22 | 2007–2008 | 8 | 15.18 |
| 16 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 7, 2008 | 14.02 | May 11, 2008 | 12.92 | 10.84 | 2007–2008 | 11 | 13.61 |
| 17 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 25, 2008 | 13.05 | December 14, 2008 | 13.77 | 11.74 | 2008–2009 | 15 | 13.81 |
| 18 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 12, 2009 | 13.63 | May 17, 2009 | 12.94 | 11.59 | 2008–2009 | 19 | 12.86 |
| 19 | Thursday 8:00 pm | September 17, 2009 | 11.66 | December 20, 2009 | 13.97 | 11.68 | 2009–2010 | 17 | 12.34 |
| 20 | Thursday 8:00 pm | February 11, 2010 | 14.15 | May 16, 2010 | 13.46 | 10.65 | 2009–2010 | 14 | 12.60 |
| 21 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 15, 2010 | 12.23 | December 19, 2010 | 13.58 | 11.19 | 2010–2011 | 11 | 13.61 |
| 22 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 16, 2011 | 11.17 | May 15, 2011 | 13.30 | 10.97 | 2010–2011 | 18 | 12.59 |
| 23 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 14, 2011 | 10.74 | December 18, 2011 | 13.07 | 9.92 | 2011–2012 | 18 | 12.77 |
| 24 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 15, 2012 | 10.79 | May 13, 2012 | 10.34 | 7.72 | 2011–2012 | 26 | 11.64 |
| 25 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 19, 2012 | 11.37 | December 16, 2012 | 11.46 | 8.77 | 2012–2013 | 21 | 11.85 |
| 26 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 13, 2013 | 8.94 | May 12, 2013 | 10.16 | 8.13 | 2012–2013 | 28 | 10.82 |
| 27 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 18, 2013 | 9.73 | December 15, 2013 | 10.19 | 7.46 | 2013–2014 | 25 | 11.30 |
| 28 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 26, 2014 | 9.40 | May 21, 2014 | 9.58 | 7.14 | 2013–2014 | 25 | 11.30 |
| 29 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 24, 2014 | 9.75 | December 17, 2014 | 9.79 | 7.31 | 2014–2015 | 31 | 11.35 |
| 30 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 25, 2015 | 10.04 | May 20, 2015 | 9.74 | 7.21 | 2014–2015 | 31 | 11.35 |
| 31 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 23, 2015 | 9.70 | December 16, 2015 | 9.45 | 6.49 | 2015–2016 | 26 | 10.99 |
| 32 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 17, 2016 | 8.30 | May 18, 2016 | 9.54 | 6.42 | 2015–2016 | 26 | 10.99 |
| 33 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 21, 2016 | 9.46 | December 14, 2016 | 9.09 | 6.40 | 2016–2017 | 24 | 10.32 |
| 34 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | March 8, 2017 | 7.64 | May 24, 2017 | 8.48 | 5.84 | 2016–2017 | 24 | 10.32 |
| 35 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 27, 2017 | 8.33 | December 20, 2017 | 8.70 | 5.97 | 2017–2018 | 25 | 10.28 |
| 36 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 28, 2018 | 8.19 | May 23, 2018 | 7.31 | 4.62 | 2017–2018 | 25 | 10.28 |
| 37 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 26, 2018 | 7.83 | December 19, 2018 | 7.72 | 5.17 | 2018–2019 | 32 | 9.43 |
| 38 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 20, 2019 | 7.75 | May 15, 2019 | 7.21 | 4.64 | 2018–2019 | 32 | 9.43 |
| 39 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 25, 2019 | 6.29 | December 18, 2019 | 6.52 | 4.61 | 2019–2020 | 24 | 9.23 |
| 40 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 12, 2020 | 6.68 | May 13, 2020 | 7.94 | — | 2019–2020 | 24 | 9.23 |
| 41 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 22, 2021 | 6.25 | December 15, 2021 | 5.62 | 4.00 | 2021–2022 | 26 | 7.42 |
| 42 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | March 9, 2022 | 4.96 | May 25, 2022 | 5.11 | 5.11 | | 2021–2022 | 26 | 7.42 |
| 43 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 21, 2022 | 5.04 | December 14, 2022 | 4.97 | 4.97 | 2022–2023 | 25 | 6.71 |
| 44 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | March 1, 2023 | 4.76 | May 24, 2023 | 4.41 | 4.41 | | 2022–2023 | 25 | 6.71 |
| 45 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 27, 2023 | 5.24 | December 20, 2023 | 4.73 | 4.73 | 2023–2024 | 27 | 6.60 |
| 46 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 28, 2024 | 4.90 | May 22, 2024 | 4.51 | 4.51 | | 2023–2024 | 27 | 6.60 |
| 47 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | September 18, 2024 | 4.72 | December 18, 2024 | 5.03 | 5.03 | 2024–2025 | | |
| 48 | Wednesday 8:00 pm | February 26, 2025 | 4.27 | | | | | 2024–2025 | | |

### Awards and nominations
#### Primetime Emmy Awards

| Year | Category | Nominee/Episode | Result |
| 2001 | Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (Special Class) | | Won |
| 2001 | Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Non-Fiction Program | Terrance Dwyer "Stranded" | Won |
| 2001 | Outstanding Cinematography for Non-Fiction Programming | "Honeymoon or Not?" | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Main Title Theme Music | Russ Landau | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming | "Trial by Fire" | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | "Survivor: The Reunion" | Nominated |
| 2002 | Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) for VMC Programming | "Finale and the Reunion" | Nominated |
| 2002 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Two Peas in a Pod" | Nominated |
| 2002 | Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video for a Series | "Finale and the Reunion" | Nominated |
| 2003 | Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program | | Nominated |
| 2003 | Outstanding Cinematography for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "The Importance of Being Earnest" | Nominated |
| 2003 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "More Than Meats the Eye" | Nominated |
| 2003 | Outstanding Reality/Competition Program | | Nominated |
| 2004 | Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Beg, Barter and Steal" | Nominated |
| 2004 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Swimming with Sharks" | Nominated |
| 2004 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Shark Attack" | Nominated |
| 2004 | Outstanding Reality/Competition Program | | Nominated |
| 2004 | Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "They're Back" | Nominated |
| 2005 | Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "This Has Never Happened Before" | Nominated |
| 2005 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "This Has Never Happened Before" | Nominated |
| 2005 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Culture Shock and Violent Storms" | Nominated |
| 2005 | Outstanding Reality/Competition Program | | Nominated |
| 2005 | Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Love is in the Air, Rats are Everywhere" | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise" | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Starvation and Lunacy" | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Salvation and Desertion" | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Reality/Competition Program | | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise" | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise" | Nominated |
| 2007 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "An Evil Thought" | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "He's a Ball of Goo!" | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program | Jeff Probst | Won |
| 2008 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "Just Don't Eat the Apple" | Nominated |
| 2009 | Outstanding Sound Mixing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "The Poison Apple Needs to Go" | Nominated |
| 2009 | Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program | Jeff Probst | Won |
| 2009 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "This Camp is Cursed" | Nominated |
| 2010 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Tonight, We Make Our Move" | Nominated |
| 2010 | Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program | Jeff Probst | Won |
| 2010 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "Slay Everyone, Trust No One" | Won |
| 2011 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Don't You Work for Me?" | Nominated |
| 2011 | Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program | Jeff Probst | Won |
| 2011 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "Rice Wars" | Nominated |
| 2012 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Non-Fiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Cult-Like" | Nominated |
| 2012 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "Running the Show" | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera) | "Create a Little Chaos" | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming | "Create a Little Chaos" | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "Create a Little Chaos" | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "Zipping Over the Cuckoo's Nest" | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming | "Live Finale and Reunion" (Survivor: Caramoan) | Nominated |
| 2013 | Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming | "Live Finale and Reunion" (Survivor: Philippines) | Nominated |
| 2014 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "Mad Treasure Hunt" | Nominated |
| 2014 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "Mad Treasure Hunt" | Nominated |
| 2015 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "It's Survivor Warfare" | Nominated |
| 2015 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "It's Survivor Warfare" | Nominated |
| 2016 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "Second Chance" | Nominated |
| 2016 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" | Nominated |
| 2017 | Outstanding Casting for Reality Programming | Lynne Spiegel Spillman | Nominated |
| 2017 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | "The Stakes Have Been Raised" | Nominated |
| 2017 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "About to Have a Rumble" | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | Series Body of Work | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "Appearances Are Deceiving" | Nominated |
| 2020 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | Series Body of Work | Nominated |
| 2020 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "It's Like a Survivor Economy" | Nominated |
| 2022 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | Series Body of Work | Nominated |
| 2023 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | Series Body of Work | Nominated |
| 2023 | Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming | "Telenovela" | Nominated |
| 2023 | Outstanding Reality Competition Program | | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming | Series Body of Work | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program | Jeff Probst | Nominated |

#### Other awards

| Year | Association | Category | Result |
| 2001 | TCA Awards | Program of the Year | Nominated |
| 2001 | TCA Awards | Outstanding New Program | Nominated |
| 2011 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming | Nominated |
| 2013 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming | Nominated |
| 2013 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Reality Series – Competition | Nominated |
| 2014 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Reality Series – Competition | Nominated |
| 2014 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming | Nominated |
| 2016 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming | Nominated |
| 2017 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming | Nominated |
| 2018 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Reality Program | Won |
| 2019 | Critics' Choice Real TV Awards | Competition Series | Nominated |
| 2020 | Critics' Choice Real TV Awards | Competition Series | Nominated |
| 2020 | Critics' Choice Real TV Awards | Show Host for Jeff Probst | Nominated |

## Post-show auctions

At the end of each American Survivor season from Survivor: Africa onward, various Survivor props and memorabilia are auctioned online for charity. The most common recipient has been the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Most recently, proceeds have gone toward The Serpentine Project, a charity founded by Jeff Probst, dedicated to helping those transitioning out of foster care upon emancipation at 18 years of age. Items up for auction have included flags, mats, tree mails, contestant torches, contestant clothing, autographed items, immunity idols and the voting urn.

## Controversies and legal action

* In February 2001, Stacey Stillman filed a lawsuit claiming that producers interfered in the process of Survivor: Borneo by persuading two members of her tribe (Sean Kenniff and Dirk Been) to vote her off instead of Rudy Boesch.
* During a reward trip on Survivor: The Australian Outback, Colby Donaldson removed coral from the Great Barrier Reef and, on the same trip, a helicopter involved with the production crew flew around protected seabird rookeries. Both acts violated Australian law and the incidents could have resulted in fines up to A$110,000. Mark Burnett, the executive producer, issued an apology on behalf of Donaldson and the Survivor production team.
* At the tribal immunity challenge for the final four players on Survivor: Africa, host Jeff Probst asked which female player in their season had no piercings. Kim Johnson answered Kelly Goldsmith, got the point, and went on to win the challenge, which put her through to the final three and ultimately (after winning another immunity challenge) the final two. Unbeknownst to the producers, another contestant on "Africa", Lindsey Richter, also had no piercings. Lex van den Berghe's answer had been Lindsey, but the show did not award him a point, which could have significantly changed the outcome of the challenge and the overall game. CBS later paid van den Berghe and Tom Buchanan, who had finished in fourth place, a settlement.
* Paul Winter sued Russell Landau (composer of the Survivor theme song) and Mark Burnett (series producer) for $800,000 in 2001. Winter stated that he did not agree to have samples of the song "Kurski Funk" from his Earthbeat album to be used in the official Survivor theme song, called "Ancient Voices." Landau said to Entertainment Weekly that the song is "...part of an ancient Russian folk song that I've totally bastardised." The case was later settled out of court. Landau is a former member of Winter's band, the Paul Winter Consort, which won a Grammy in 1995 for Best New Age Album.
* In the fifth episode of Survivor: All-Stars, a naked Richard Hatch came into contact with Sue Hawk after she blocked his path during an immunity challenge. Hatch was voted out that day for other reasons, but Hawk quit the game two days later as a result of what had happened. Hawk considered filing a lawsuit against the parties involved, but she appeared with Hatch on The Early Show the morning after the sixth episode aired, stating she opted out of legal action because CBS had helped her "deal with the situation".
* In January 2006, Richard Hatch, the winner of the first season of Survivor, was charged and found guilty of failing to report his winnings to the IRS to avoid taxes. He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.
* In the beginning of Survivor: Cook Islands, the tribes were grouped according to their race. Probst claimed the choice came from the criticism that Survivor was "not ethnically diverse enough", but several long-term sponsors, including Campbell's Soup, Procter & Gamble, Home Depot, and Coca-Cola dropped their support of the show shortly after this announcement, leading to speculation that the decisions were in response to the controversy. Each company has either denied the link to the controversy or declined to comment.
* The selection process for the 14th season came under fire when it was revealed that, of the entire Survivor: Fiji cast, only Gary Stritesky had gone through the application process for the show; the rest of the contestants were recruited. Probst defended the process, citing finding diversity of cast as a reason.
* At the Survivor: China reunion show, Denise Martin told producers and the audience that she had been demoted to a janitor from a lunch lady due to the distraction she was to students from her appearance on the show. Because of her misfortune, Burnett awarded Martin $50,000. But Martin would later recant her story after the school district she worked for publicly stated that she had taken the custodial position before appearing on the show. Martin then decided to donate the $50,000 to charity.
* A brief uncensored shot of Marcus Lehman's genitals during the premiere episode of Survivor: Gabon led to the show and network being asked to apologize for the incident.
* Jim Early (aka Missyae), who was a user on one of the fan forums for Survivor, was sued by Burnett, his production company, and CBS in August 2010, for allegedly releasing detailed spoiler information for Survivor: Samoa and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. Early revealed that he was getting his information from Russell Hantz, a contestant on both seasons, through both phone calls and emails. Early complied in the lawsuit by providing such evidence, eventually leading to its dismissal in January 2011. Although legal action was never taken against Hantz, the contract for a player in Survivor includes a liability of up to $5 million for the premature revealing of a season's results. Hantz has stated that the claim is false.
* Contestants who did not make the jury in Survivor: Caramoan were not allowed on stage for the reunion show. While Jeff Probst claimed that the new stage could not accommodate all of the attending contestants, the format change was panned because the show's fans and fellow contestants felt that it was unfair for them to be left out in the audience. Erik Reichenbach, who finished 5th and did not even get a chance to speak at the reunion, called out the producers for their treatment of the contestants. Calling it a farce, he criticized how the reunion show left so many unanswered questions about the other contestants and his own evacuation during the season finale. He also criticized how the pre-jury members were completely left out in favor of featuring the show's former contestants, like Rob Mariano and Rudy Boesch.
* In the sixth episode of Survivor: Game Changers, Jeff Varner revealed at Tribal Council that fellow contestant Zeke Smith was a transgender man. This caused an immediate uproar amongst his tribemates and host Jeff Probst, which led to Varner's immediate elimination. The incident was covered by various news outlets, with fans heavily criticizing Varner's actions. Varner explained himself following the episode's airdate and expressed regret for his actions. Varner was also fired from his real estate job after the episode aired.
* Before the premiere of Survivor: David vs. Goliath, contestant Alec Merlino posted a photo of himself on Instagram with fellow contestant Kara Kay containing the caption "F*** it". This action broke Merlino's NDA with the show and he was consequently stripped of all appearance fees and banned from the live reunion show. Due to this, Merlino did not have to pay the standard $5 million penalty for breaking the agreement.
* In the eighth episode of the 39th season Survivor: Island of the Idols, contestant Dan Spilo was issued a warning by producers for inappropriately touching fellow contestants including Kellee Kim. Contestants Elizabeth Beisel and Missy Byrd came under fire for exploiting the situation as a strategic tool in voting out Kim later that episode. This moment has since been criticized by various news outlets for the reactions of Beisel and Byrd as well as the handling of the situation by producers. Beisel and Byrd later apologized, along with fellow contestants Lauren Beck and Aaron Meredith. Jeff Probst, CBS, and MGM released a statement about what happened and the production's reaction as well. Spilo was later removed from the game at the end of episode 12 after "a report of another incident, which happened off-camera and did not involve a player". This is the first time a contestant has been ejected from the show by production. Spilo apologized to all involved for his behavior following the finale's broadcast. Because of the incident, the season's finale was not shown live but instead from an earlier live-to-tape recording, the first time since the live finale format was introduced. Further, CBS and Survivor announced they will revamp the show's rules and production to focus more on earlier detection and prevention of this type of inappropriate behavior, and strict penalties for castaways that engage in it, to be fully in place by the 41st season (the first season produced following the airing of Island of the Idols).

## Merchandise

The success of Survivor spawned a wide range of merchandise from the first season. While early items available were limited to buffs, water bottles, hats, T-shirts, and other typical souvenir items, the marketability of the franchise has grown tremendously. Today, fans can find innumerable items, including computer and board games, interactive online games, mugs, tribal-themed jewelry, beach towels, dog tags, magnets, multi-function tools, DVD seasons, Survivor party kits, insider books, soundtracks, and more.

## Home media releases
### Best of

| DVD name | Release date |
| Season One: The Greatest and Most Outrageous Moments | January 9, 2001 |
| Season Two: The Greatest and Most Outrageous Moments | September 25, 2001 |

### Full seasons

Seasons 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were released in stores. The remaining seasons have been released exclusively on Amazon.com through their CreateSpace manufacture on demand program. Select seasons have also been released on Blu-ray.
| DVD name | DVD release date |
| The Complete First Season: Borneo | May 11, 2004 |
| The Complete Second Season: The Australian Outback | Store Release: April 26, 2005 MOD Release: August 2, 2022 |
| The Complete Third Season: Africa | October 5, 2010 |
| The Complete Fourth Season: Marquesas | October 5, 2010 |
| The Complete Fifth Season: Thailand | October 25, 2011 |
| The Complete Sixth Season: The Amazon | November 22, 2011 |
| The Complete Seventh Season: Pearl Islands | February 7, 2006 |
| The Complete Eighth Season: All-Stars | September 14, 2004 |
| The Complete Ninth Season: Vanuatu – Islands of Fire | December 5, 2006 |
| The Complete Tenth Season: Palau | August 29, 2006 |
| The Complete Eleventh Season: Guatemala – The Maya Empire | May 22, 2012 |
| The Complete Twelfth Season: Panama – Exile Island | May 22, 2012 |
| The Complete Thirteenth Season: Cook Islands | December 11, 2012 |
| The Complete Fourteenth Season: Fiji | December 11, 2012 |
| The Complete Fifteenth Season: China | January 27, 2014 |
| The Complete Sixteenth Season: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites | January 31, 2014 |
| The Complete Seventeenth Season: Gabon – Earth's Last Eden | September 11, 2014 |
| The Complete Eighteenth Season: Tocantins – The Brazilian Highlands | August 5, 2014 |
| The Complete Nineteenth Season: Samoa | November 18, 2014 |
| The Complete Twentieth Season: Heroes vs. Villains | February 22, 2011 |
| The Complete Twenty-First Season: Nicaragua | November 18, 2014 |
| The Complete Twenty-Second Season: Redemption Island | October 7, 2015 |
| The Complete Twenty-Third Season: South Pacific | October 7, 2015 |
| The Complete Twenty-Fourth Season: One World | September 23, 2016 |
| The Complete Twenty-Fifth Season: Philippines | September 23, 2016 |
| The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season: Caramoan – Fans vs. Favorites | October 26, 2017 |
| The Complete Twenty-Seventh Season: Blood vs. Water | November 13, 2017 |
| The Complete Twenty-Eighth Season: Cagayan | December 22, 2017 |
| The Complete Twenty-Ninth Season: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water | October 15, 2018 |
| The Complete Thirtieth Season: Worlds Apart | November 13, 2018 |
| The Complete Thirty-First Season: Cambodia – Second Chance | November 13, 2018 |
| The Complete Thirty-Second Season: Kaôh Rōng | November 21, 2018 |
| The Complete Thirty-Third Season: Millennials vs. Gen X | November 21, 2018 |
| The Complete Thirty-Fourth Season: Game Changers – Mamanuca Islands | February 22, 2019 |
| The Complete Thirty-Fifth Season: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers | May 9, 2019 |
| The Complete Thirty-Sixth Season: Ghost Island | June 12, 2019 |
| The Complete Thirty-Seventh Season: David vs. Goliath | July 17, 2019 |
| The Complete Thirty-Eighth Season: Edge of Extinction | January 31, 2020 |
| The Complete Thirty-Ninth Season: Island of the Idols | December 15, 2020 |
| The Complete Fortieth Season: Winners at War | April 13, 2021 |
| The Complete Forty-First Season | April 12, 2022 |
| The Complete Forty-Second Season | August 23, 2022 |
| The Complete Forty-Third Season | March 28, 2023 |

### Paramount+

All seasons are available on Paramount+, ViacomCBS's over-the-top subscription streaming service in the United States. Australia only has Season 35 onwards available due to expired licencing rights. Seasons of Australian Survivor were also added to Paramount+ in the United States and Australia after CBS acquired Network 10 in 2017.

### Pluto TV

Survivor was added to Pluto TV, ViacomCBS's free Internet television service, as a standalone channel along on September 1, 2020.

## Other media
### Card game

Survivor: The Tribe Has Spoken card game was released in January 2025, the result of a two-year collaboration between host and executive producer Jeff Probst and gaming company Exploding Kittens. Players need to collect advantages, find idols, form alliances and survive Tribal Council eliminations. The game can be played with three to six people.

### Video games

The 2001 PC video game Survivor: The Interactive Game, developed by Magic Lantern and published by Infogrames, allows players to play and create characters for the game based on the Borneo or Australian Outback cast members. The game also includes a character creation system for making custom characters.
Gameplay consists of choosing survivors' skills (fishing, cooking, etc.), forming alliances, developing relationships with other tribe members, and voting off competitors at tribal council.
The game was very poorly received by critics. GameSpot gave the game a 'Terrible' score of 2.0 out of 10, saying "If you're harboring even a tiny urge to buy this game, please listen very carefully to this advice: Don't do it." Likewise, IGN gave the game a 'Painful' 2.4 out of 10, stating "It is horribly boring and repetitive. The graphics are weak and even the greatest Survivor fan would break the CD in two after playing it for 20 minutes." The game was the recipient of Game Revolution's lowest score of all time, an F−. An 'interactive review' was created specially for the game, and features interactive comments like "The Survival periods are about as much fun as" followed by a drop-down menu, "watching paint dry/throbbing hemorrhoids/staring at air/being buried alive."
On November 4, 2009, it was announced that a second video game adaptation would be released for the Wii and Nintendo DS. The game would require players to participate in various challenges like those in the reality shows in order to win.

### Soundtracks

Various soundtracks have been released featuring music composed by Russ Landau, including soundtracks for seasons 9 through 27 (with the exception of season 14).

### Thrill ride

The Tiki Twirl thrill ride at California's Great America in Santa Clara, California was originally called Survivor: The Ride. The ride includes a rotating platform that moves along an undulating track. Riders can be sprayed by water guns hidden in oversized tribal masks. Theme elements included drums and other familiar Survivor musical accents playing in the background, Survivor memorabilia throughout the queue and other merchandise for sale in nearby gift shops.