At long last, some good news for Survivor fans. The show will begin filming in Fiji in April, following the longest hiatus the show has taken in its 40 seasons and counting.
During the finale of Winners at War last May, host Jeff Probst predicted from the comfort of his garage that there would be another season in the fall. That optimism was washed away quickly, however, as it quickly became apparent the coronavirus was not going anywhere. COVID-19 is still a real threat, but Survivor has deemed the risks not too great to embark on the 41st season this spring. In the extended interim, former contestants have used their platform to speak up about ways the show can be more inclusive. Some of those contestants spoke with Screen Rant over the summer, in response to the protests against racial injustice. CBS responded with a pledge to increase diversity in its casting. Production has also had more time to reflect on how some twists in the game could be tweaked to improve the overall narrative structure of the show. While the 40th season provided fans with a spectacular cast of all-stars, it also included some much-maligned game mechanics.
According to FBC News (via Inside Survivor), Fiji’s Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism, and Transport Faiyaz Koya said Survivor has been given the okay to start filming. Inside Survivor reports the season 41 cast will leave for Fiji in March and the season will begin production in April. With the series back on schedule, the show will likely air around September, following a two-season gap.
It is likely a 42nd season will film shortly after 41 wraps up, which means Survivor fans can look forward to a full year of Survivor once more. The pandemic will likely play a role in the story. In addition, conversations about politics and social issues may finally make air, since those conversations have pervaded our daily life over the past year.
Survivor knows that it has a great formula, which is why a deadly pandemic never brought into question the survival of such a seminal reality franchise. It does remain to be seen how much the time off has caused the show to change, if any, from the mistakes of recent seasons. Even though Survivor has been on the air for more than two decades, it still has a long way to go yet.
Source: FBC News, Inside Survivor, Dalton Ross