Survivor 44

***Survivor 44*** is the forty-fourth season of the CBS competitive reality television series *Survivor*.

Billed by Jeff Probst as one of the most intense and unpredictable seasons in the series, *Survivor 44* stuck to the formula established by the previous seasons in the "new era" and featured an exuberant cast, new twists, and intertribal dynamics that contributed to a generally unpredictable early game. Amidst the chaos of the merge, the Tika Three took charge and discreetly controlled the game all the way until Day 26. At Final Tribal Council, Yam Yam Arocho was recognized for being one of the key driving forces to his alliance's strategic success and was awarded the title of Sole Survivor in a 7-1-0 vote over Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt and Carolyn Wiger.

*Survivor 44* has produced one returning player, Bruce Perreault, for a future season.

## Production

The 44th season was filmed in the same production cycle as *Survivor 43*, with the same COVID-19-related modified protocols.

The season was accompanied by an official *Survivor* podcast, *On Fire with Jeff Probst*, which provided behind-the-scenes insights and discussion regarding each week's episode. On the podcast, Jeff confirmed that, even with the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, future seasons will continue to play as 26-day games, with the exception of "special" seasons that will revert to the 39-day format.

## Twists/Changes

* **Shortened Game**
* **Tribe Division:** The 18 castaways were divided into 3 tribes of 6. No unifying theme was used in dividing the tribes.
* **Penalties for Losing Immunity Challenges**
* **Shot in the Dark**
* **Hidden Immunity Idol:** Each tribe has a locked birdcage containing a bag. Hidden somewhere at their camp is a key that unlocks the birdcage and thus the Hidden Immunity Idol inside the bag. The bag also contains a tribe-colored trinket which has no power and whose utility is left to whomever opens the cage to decide. The appearance of the Hidden Immunity Idols is different for each tribe—a bracelet for Ratu, a medallion for Soka, and a coin for Tika—and each tribe's real idol matches the appearance of another tribe's powerless trinket—Ratu's medallion, Soka's coin, and Tika's bracelet. Re-hidden idols and idols introduced after the merge were hidden as usual at camp.
* **Journeys:** Castaways from different tribes were taken to another island. Separately and in private, each castaway would draw from a bag containing three packages: two will cause them to lose their vote at their next Tribal Council, while one contains an advantage. If the castaway draws the advantage, their task is complete. If they find that they have lost their vote, they may choose to draw one of the two remaining packages. They may either receive an advantage, or find that they have lost their vote for the next two Tribal Councils that they attend.
	+ **Bank Your Vote Advantage:** The advantage holder is allowed to keep a blank parchment at any Tribal Council instead of casting a vote, allowing them to vote twice at a future Tribal Council.
	+ **Inheritance Advantage:** This advantage allows its holder to pocket all advantages and Hidden Immunity Idols that are played at any Tribal Council up until the final seven. Its holder must play the advantage when casting their vote.
	+ **Temporary Hidden Immunity Idols:** On Day 8, the three castaways who went on the summit each received an idol that would expire when the individual phase of the game began. The castaways did not have to risk their vote to receive the idol.
	+ **Tribe Switch:** Also on Day 8, the three castaways who went on the journey were instructed to drop their buffs and pick a new buff at random to switch tribes.
* **Earn the Merge:** The final 12 players were divided into 2 teams of 6 by random draw. The teams competed in an Immunity Challenge where the members of the winning team won individual immunity, a spot on the merge tribe, and the merge feast.
* **Post-merge Team Immunity Challenge:** In the first round as a merged tribe, the group split into two teams. The winning group would be immune from Tribal Council under the rules of tribal immunity, but would observe Tribal Council from the jury bench.
	+ **Control a Vote Advantage:** The winning team was given the chance to search for an advantage that would allow them to control one vote of any of the losing team members at Tribal Council. The advantage holder will announce their intent to play the advantage at Tribal Council, publicly stating both the target and the person whom the target will vote for; the target must vote as the holder dictates. As clarified at Tribal Council, this advantage affects only a single vote, so a person with an extra vote still holds autonomy over that second vote.
* **Simplified Final Four Tribal Council**
* **Expanded Jury and Final Three:** The Final Tribal Council was held with a Final Three facing an eight-person jury.
* **Reformatted Final Tribal Council:** Instead of having each jury member speak individually, an open forum was held to ensure a more insightful rapport between the jury and finalists. The discussion was divided into three portions—"social", "physical", and "strategic".

## Season Summary

*Survivor 44* retained most of the game mechanics introduced in *Survivor 41*. A new feature unique to the season was the introduction of Hidden Immunity Idols locked in cages along with a purposely crafted fake idol for an added layer of deception.

Ratu experienced a chaotic first Tribal Council, but managed to put aside their differences and win the remaining Immunity Challenges. On Soka, the pairs of Frannie and Matt, and Danny and Heidi formed a strong alliance which carried them to the merge, after losing only one Immunity Challenge. Tika suffered the most misfortunes; following the medical evacuation of their strongest member Bruce and a string of Immunity Challenge losses, they entered the merge with only three members: Carolyn, Carson, and Yam Yam.

At the merge, both Ratu and Soka targeted one another, with Tika in the middle. By pitting both sides against one another, the Tika Three managed to make it intact to the final four alongside Heidi. Though the trio nearly succeeded in reaching the Final Three, Heidi forfeited her immunity at the final four and took on Carson, the favorite to win, in the fire-making showdown. She succeeded, joining Carolyn and Yam Yam at the Final Tribal Council.

At Final Tribal Council, Carolyn was praised for successfully using her eccentricity to hide her strategic prowess, but the jury still associated her with more emotional gameplay. Heidi was lauded for taking out Carson in the fastest fire-making challenge on record, but her body of work paled in comparison to that of her fellow finalists. In the end, it was Yam Yam whose happy-go-lucky personality and incisive gameplay helped him to win the title of Sole Survivor in a landslide 7-1-0 vote.