Survivor: Chile

***Survivor: Chile*** is the eighth season of the reality television show, Survivor: The Sims. This season was filmed in the Torres del Paine National Park in the Magallanes province in Chile. *Chile* began airing on July 26, 2021, and concluded on July 28, 2021.

This season saw a schoolyard pick determining the tribes, two contestants who were not picked to be on a tribe, and the decimation of a tribe which turned into a tribe absorption rather than a merge. In the end, Tyler Ulrich won the title of Sole Survivor and the $1,000,000 grand prize in a 4-3 jury vote over Yara Fathi.

To date, *Chile* has produced two returning players across one season (Felicia Wang, and Tommy Lyons).

## Production

Casting for *Survivor: Chile* began before *All-Stars* was officially wrapped up. Potential contestants were interviewed before a decision on the filming location was decided. According to the executive producer and host, Jack Jones, the potential filming locations for this season were the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu before the production team decided on using a location in South America. The final decision was between Brazil and Chile, but Chile was officially announced as the filming location at the reunion of *Survivor: All-Stars*.

Following the precedent set by *Survivor: Fiji*, most of the contestants were casted via the regular application process, followed by getting flown out to Los Angeles for an in-person casting round, however a few contestants were recruited either online, on the street, or through previous contestants. From 40 semi-finalists, 20 were chosen to be a part of the *Survivor: Chile* official cast, and went on to fly out to Chile and film their promotional pictures.

## Twists/Changes

* **Schoolyard Pick/Day 2 Elimination:** For the first time, tribes were not assigned from the start of the game. On Day 1, the contestants without tribes raced to get immunity necklaces on the beach. The winners, Rob and Yara were given the task of selecting the members of the tribe, alternating between men and women. Tommy and Felicia who were not chosen were eliminated on the spot.
* **Tribe Composition:** After two contestants were not picked for tribes on Day 2, two tribes of nine were formed.
* **No Merge/Tribe Absorption:** After David Sheik and Kerry O'Sullivan outlasted their entire tribe, they were absorbed by the Taruca tribe.
* **Final Tribal Council Composition:** The final two faced seven jurors, made up of contestants voted out after the absorption, at the Final Tribal Council.

## Castaways

**^a** Felicia and Tommy were eliminated after not being selected for a tribe.

### **Future appearances**

Felicia Wang and Tommy Lyons returned to compete on *Survivor: Philippines*.

## Season Summary

**^a** Rob and Yara were the first two to arrive at the beach on Day 1, earning an immunity necklace. On Day 2, they would pick their tribes, guaranteeing their safety.
**^b** Felicia and Tommy were not selected for tribes in the schoolyard pick, and were immediately eliminated.
**^c** Combined reward and immunity challenge.
**^d** The reward and immunity challenge were combined. For finishing first, Yara won both reward and immunity. Tyler finished second, and only won reward but not immunity.

## Trivia

* *Survivor: Chile* is the first season to be filmed in the continent of South America.
* *Chile* is the first season where tribes were picked via schoolyard pick.
	+ This is the first season where tribes were not pre-determined.
* *Chile* features the first two contestants to never be on a tribe: Tommy Lyons and Felicia Wang.
* *Chile* is the first season to have no merge, and instead have the dominating Taruca tribe absorb the two remaining Guanaco members.
* *Chile* is the first season since *South Africa* to feature a final two.

## References

1. ↑ Filming Location.
2. ↑ Casting for Chile began on July 19, 2021.
3. ↑ Interview with Jack Jones, Executive Producer.
4. ↑ Survivor: All-Stars Reunion Recap.
5. ↑ How Survivor: Chile was casted.
6. ↑ Jack Jones talks Survivor: Chile, how the season started and is going.