CBS' Survivor is set to return soon after a long hiatus, but fans of the long-running reality show shouldn't expect a traditional loved ones visit on the new season. The loved ones visit is a staple of Survivor and one of the most emotionally charged moments of any Survivor season. Usually, the visit takes place sometime during the merge portion of the game, when the castaways have been away from their families for weeks and are exhausted from playing a high-stress game with no creature comforts or dependable support systems. The loved ones visit gives them a chance to recharge and experience love from home by seeing a family member, romantic partner, or close friend on the island.
Many of Survivor's most famous moments have taken place during the loved ones visit. Jonny Fairplay's notorious "dead grandma" lie happened at the loved ones challenge in Survivor: Pearl Islands, for example. There have only been a few seasons of the show that didn't feature some form of a loved ones visit. There wasn't one in Survivor: Fiji because political turmoil in the country at the time prevented production from flying in contestants' loved ones during the filming period, for instance.
In the upcoming season 41, viewers shouldn't expect a loved ones visit, at least not in the traditional sense. Due to COVID-19 production protocols, it is highly doubtful that the show will bring non-essential people to the filming location in Fiji. The season's length was already shortened from the usual 39-day game to 26 days due to the required quarantine time for cast and crew to film, so it is highly unlikely that contestants' family members will be brought to Fiji and fulfill the required quarantine period in order to appear in a loved ones visit. There would be no way for production to know which contestants would still be in the game at the point of the visit, so they would have to invite each player's loved one, which would be entirely unfeasible.
It is possible, however, that there could be a virtual loved ones visit of some sort during the new Survivor season. It wouldn't be the first time the show employed a virtual form of the emotional reunion. Long-time fans may recall season two's loved ones visit, when Keith Famie proposed to his girlfriend via instant messenger. Season 41 may use a similar, albeit more modern, approach to the heartwarming staple of Survivor. It wouldn't be surprising if the contestants were allowed a Zoom call or FaceTime session with their friends or family at some point in the game.
It will be interesting to see how Survivor handles the loved ones visit in Survivor 41. Fans may miss the emotional, in-person reunions the show has traditionally featured, especially after over a year without a new Survivor season. It may be a bit of an adjustment for viewers to go from the huge loved ones visit in season 40, in which each contestant got to spend time with several of their loved ones, to a virtual visit or no visit at all in Survivor 41. Time will tell how the show handles one of its most iconic mainstays as it pertains to the complicated production logistics surrounding pandemic-related protocols.
Survivor 41 premieres Wednesday, September 22, on CBS.