Survivor is all about making alliances and friendships that are strong enough to last a player until the end of the game. With a strong companion by their side, a castaways is more likely to last deep into the competitions grueling 39 days. It's almost always invaluable for a player to have someone in their corner that will vote the same as them and potentially even vote for them to win a million dollars at the end of it all.
In practice, though, many if not most of the alliances formed between tribemates end in backstabbing and the heartbreaking reality that it was all strategy. However, there have been times when a Survivor bromance, i.e., a strong friendship or bond between two or more male players, makes viewers believe in true allies again. These alliances are fun to watch on-screen and follow off-screen to see if the bromance stands the test of the real world as well as reality TV.
Cliff & Woo (Cagayan)
Cliff Robinson, a retired NBA star, and Woo Hwang, a martial arts instructor, were both placed on tribe Aparri, aka the "brawn" tribe, on the first installment of Survivor's "Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty" season theme. The two laid-back athletes quickly formed a bond and a tight alliance.
Unfortunately, the bromance between Cliff and Woo didn't last very long because Cliff was taken out at Aparri's first tribal council. Yet while they were together, the two bonded over their athleticism and willingness to be loyal to their tribe. Had Cliff been allowed a little more time in the game, there's no telling what this bromance could've led to.
Reynold & Eddie (Caramoan)
Reynold and Eddie of Survivor: Caramoan, aka the second installment of "Fans vs. Favorites," seemed to be the only members of the fans tribes that had actually watched the show before.
Due to their physical strength and intelligence regarding Survivor gameplay strategy and tactics, the two newbies were able to align with the "favorites" when it came time for the tribes to merge. Alongside Survivor alumnus Malcolm Freberg, Reynold and Eddit created the "Three Amigos" alliance and planned to run the post-merge flawlessly. However, their egos got the better of them, and Reynold was sent to the jury, leaving Eddie to fend for himself.
Christian & Dan & John (David Vs. Goliath)
A tribe swap on Survivor: David vs. Goliath resulted in Christian, Dan, and John being placed on the green Tiva tribe alongside Alison and Gabby.
Tiva never lost a challenge, and the bromantic trio (or the "brochachos," as they called themselves) vowed to stick together as one. It was a wholesome alliance made up of two stereotypically manly men and a nerdy professor who was an expert at the mechanics of the game. The unlikely trio supported one another unwaveringly, but their alliance didn't last through the entire season. Dan and John's early blindsides after the tribes merged sadly put an end to the brochachos.
Rich & Rudy (Borneo)
The very first Survivor bromance formed during the premiere season between former Navy Seal Rudy Boesch and corporate trainer Richard Hatch.
Though they came from two vastly different worlds, Rich and Rudy developed an unshakeable respect for each other and got along seamlessly. The two seemed to understand each other intuitively. The knew how to communicate effectively, form the first-ever Survivor alliance with the help of Kelly and Sue. Despite their differences, the two formed a close friendship, with Rudy voted for Richard to win $1 million at the end of the game.
David & Ken (Millennials Vs. Gen X)
David and Ken of Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X was another case of alliances forming not just to further players' games but to crush stereotypes and viewers' expectations.
Ken was the handsome model with a heart of gold while David was the anxious television writer who was terrified of everything the game had to offer. The two formed an unlikely bond and an unbreakable alliance on Day 2, and the bromace carried them both to the end of the game. The most heartbreaking part of this bromance was Ken voting out his best buddy David at the final four, destroying the chance of either of them winning the whole thing.
Tom & Ian (Palau)
The Koror tribe of Survivor: Palau won all but one challenge prior to the tribes merging, dominating Ulong, one of the most cursed tribes in Survivor history. As a result, the entire tribe (minus Willard) stayed intact for the majority of the game. This included Tom Westman and Ian Rosenberger, who formed an alliance early on with Katie Gallagher, and the trio eventually became the season's final three.
Despite their relationship with Katie, Tom and Ian were always most loyal to each other. They were loyal, in fact, that Ian, feeling that he betrayed Tom previously, offered to step down during the final immunity challenge and allow Tom to win. Though this wasn't the smartest move, it was a loyal one, and a testament to the bond the two of them had created.
Adam & Jay (Millennials Vs. Gen X)
Adam and Jay of Survivor: Millennials vs Gen X began the game as adversaries on the same tribe. Jay was a part of the so-called "cool kids" alliance, one of the worst Survivor alliances of all time. Meanwhile, Adam coexisted with the outsiders. Early on, the two seemingly opposite millennials butted heads when it came to strategy.
It wasn't until sometime after the tribes merged that Adam decided to confide in Jay about his mother's battle with cancer. It was then that the two young men fully aligned. They were able to come to an understanding and bond over the love they had for their mothers. The bromance took hold, and they went from frenemies to brothers, respecting each other and working together from there on out.
Coach & Tyson (Tocantins)
The Timbira tribe on Survivor: Tocantins was one of the most entertaining groups to ever be on the show. It featured a cast of characters with quirky or even bizarre personalities, and they all seemed to bring out the worst in one another.
Two of Timbira's members were one of Survivor's more notorious villains, Benjamin "Coach" Wade, and his (appointed) "assistant coach," Tyson Apostol. The two of them wreaked havoc on their tribe. Coach was off-putting and melodramatic but completely earnest in all of his actions, while Tyson was a sarcastic jokester who delighted in playing into Coach's antics. Together they made it deep into the game and even reunited on the "villains" tribe in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.
Domenick & Wendell (Ghost Island)
One of the best bromances in recent seasons of Survivor was between Domenick Abbate and Wendell Holland of season 36, Survivor: Ghost Island. The two formed an alliance early on that carried them all the way to the end of the game, where together they would make history.
Besides their adorable moments of talking on the swing seat that Wendell built or discussing any and all strategy with each other, Dom and Wendell shared the rare experience of being the first two finalists to ever tie. When the final vote came down to 5-5 at the end, third-place finisher Laurel was tasked with casting the deciding vote. Though Wendell took home the title and money, he remained gracious and humble, saying he couldn't have done it without Dom by his side the whole way.
Stephen & JT (Tocantins)
Cerebral, self-described nerd Stephen Fishbach and farm boy J.T. Thomas formed an unexpected friendship on Survivor early on in their season, Surivor: Tocantins. Their alliance never fractured despite the constant changes the game threw at them.
Despite having other allies and differing strategies throughout the 39 days they spent side by side, Stephen and JT always came to a united conclusion about what to do and who to vote out. They were the first bromantic pair to make it to the final tribal council together, and even though Stephen didn't receive any votes from the jury in the end, he was still incredibly happy that his best friend was $1 million richer, as any true brother would be.