Survivor (TV series)

Survivor is a popular reality television program produced in many countries throughout the world. The show consists of contestants isolated in a remote location competing for a cash prize. The format was created by Swedish production company Strix. It is now considered to be the father of reality TV, because since its premiere reality TV has gained a nationwide popularity, and other reality TV shows similar to Survivor have appeared.

Premise

This text refers to the American version of the show. Small differences may exist between it and other versions. Also, rule changes instituted for one season are discussed below.

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Tribes

The basic premise of the show is that each series starts with sixteen players and on each episode one player is voted off by the other remaining players. Initially, the players are divided into two eight person "tribes" which compete against each other in "challenges" - competitions of endurance, intelligence, teamwork, dexterity, or will power. Each episode has an "immunity challenge" and the tribe that loses this challenge must vote off one member of the tribe at "Tribal Council." In addition, most episodes have a "reward challenge" and the winning tribe will receive a prize such as additional food or equipment. Exceptions: In , there were 18 players in three tribes at the start of the game. In Immunity Challenges, the top two tribes received immunity; only last place went to Tribal Council. In , again 18 players began the game, but in two tribes of nine players each. In , 20 players began the game, and were divided into two tribes of nine, with the other two players being eliminated immediately.

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Later seasons offered twists on pre-merge immunity rules. In the opening moments of Palau, Probst told the 20 contestants (all of whom were rowing in the middle of the ocean) that the first man and woman to reach the shore would be granted immunity. That safety lasted until day 2, when they each picked the first member of their new tribe (Jolanda Jones, the female immunity winner, was voted out on day 3!). On day 7 of Vanuatu, both tribes were told they had to vote out a member. They were then ordered to compete in a reward challenge. The Lopevi tribe won, and their "reward" was an individual competition for immunity -- John Kenney won and was kept safe for that particular vote; he was also sent to the Yasur tribe for a day to watch their activities and award immunity to one player (he chose Ami Cusack). In Palau, on day 12, the Koror and Ulong tribes were forced to vote out one member apiece. Powerhouse Koror won the reward challenge, and the prize was eating a meal in front of Ulong while watching their Tribal Council. A surprise twist revealed only at TC was the opportunity to give one Ulong immunity for that particular vote. Votes were split but a majority went to the Ulong tribe's intended target, Ibrehem Rahman, forcing Ulong to vote out another member.

Related Topics:
Jolanda Jones - John Kenney - Ami Cusack - Ibrehem Rahman

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At some point in the season the remaining players from the two tribes "merge" into a single tribe (except in Palau, where the victorious Koror tribe merely absorbed the only remaining Ulong member, Stephenie LaGrossa). From this point, challenges are won on an individual basis. Rewards are given to only one player (although there are times when reward challenges have multiple teams competing against each other. The teams are typically divided up randomly). With most of the reward challenges, the individual who wins is often given the option to choose one other player to share the reward with). Still, only one player can win immunity. This immune player cannot be voted off on that episode, although he or she still has the right to vote against other players. In the Marquesas, Amazon, Pearl Islands, All-Stars, Vanuatu, and Palau seasons, the player who won immunity had the right to pass it to a fellow tribemate. Several players attempted to barter for this prize, but only one true transfer has ever occurred. Amazon winner Jenna Morasca gave her immunity to friend Heidi Strobel on day 33.

Related Topics:
Stephenie LaGrossa - Jenna Morasca - Heidi Strobel

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Tribal Council

The voting is done at the end of each episode at Tribal Council. The show's host, Jeff Probst, questions and provokes the players about events that have occurred and their opinions about the other players. The players all then secretly vote, and the player who receives the most votes is out of the competition. Probst takes the players' torch, extinguishes it, and declares "The tribe has spoken." The player then leaves the area and gives his final words, which air during the credits of the episode.

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If there is a tie, the following tiebreakers have been used:

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• In Seasons 1-3, all players not in the tie voted again. If the tie remained, whoever had received the most votes in prior Tribal Councils was eliminated. If this did not break the tie, a sudden death trivia challenge was used.
• In , a tie in the Final Four was broken by a random draw among all players, except Vecepia Towery, who had immunity.
• Later seasons such as Thailand and Palau have featured players discussing the possibility of a "purple rock", but at Tribal Council they have usually avoided tiebreaker situations. Several votes since Marquesas have been initially tied but the ties have been resolved in revotes. For example, there was an initial 2-2 tie vote in Palau between Bobby Jon Drinkard and Angie Jakusz. Probst ordered a revote from the three other members of their tribe, and Jakusz was voted out 3-0. In the following episode, Ibrehem Rahman and James Miller tied on a 2-2 vote but a revote led to a 2-0 departure for Miller.
• In recent seasons, in case of a deadlock vote that takes place before the Final Four, the people who are tied gain immunity from elimination, and the rest of the tribe members (except the person who won the immunity challenge) must draw rocks. The one who draws the purple rock is eliminated. However, this rule has never been exercised. If a deadlock vote takes place during the Final Four, no rocks are drawn; instead, ties are decided on the basis of competitions similar to immunity challenges. In Palau, a tie in the Final Four between Ian Rosenberger and Jennifer Lyon resulted in Ian and Jenn participating in a fire-starting challenge; Ian won and Jenn was voted out.

The first 6-9 players eliminated leave the game altogether; in the first season they were allowed to return to the United States, but when some of the early exits were sighted during filming (spoiling the outcome of the first few episodes), Survivor instituted a policy forcing pre-jury players to stay fairly close to the filming area (the country itself, or nearby countries). One exception was Tanya Vance, who was voted out on day 6 of Thailand and allowed to return home several weeks later upon learning her father had been killed. Those who finish in ninth through third place remain to form the "jury" which does not directly participate in the show but observes the Tribal Councils. In the final episode of each season, the final four (3 in ) players typically go through a number of activities during their final days. In the first 4 seasons they competed in an immunity challenge, which has generally been "Fallen Comrades," where players compete (in front of the jury) to answer questions about the jury correctly. Later seasons have featured other physical or mental tasks in place of "Fallen Comrades". Immediately following this challenge, fourth place is voted out. The players return to camp and go through a "memorial" for the players previously eliminated from the game on the way to their final challenge, generally one of endurance. Whoever wins this challenge has the sole vote to determine third place. The final two return, and on the last day go through a symbolic destruction of camp (this is not official; it is a tradition begun in when Richard Hatch and Kelly Wiglesworth burned everything but their personal gear on Day 39 to symbolize leaving the game behind). Then they go to their final Tribal Council, where the seven members of the jury are given the right to ask them questions. At the very end of the show, each of the seven jurors votes for the winner. Probst takes the container with the votes, and it is secured until the live finale of the show, when the votes are revealed and the million-dollar winner announced (with the exception Season 1 where the votes were revealed soon after they were cast).

Related Topics:
Tanya Vance - Richard Hatch - Kelly Wiglesworth

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Prizes

Not only the winner receives a prize in Survivor. Here are the approximate monetary prizes for all placings in a normal 16-player game (on the All-Star series, all prizes except the million dollar top prize were doubled):

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