5 Attachment(s)
10 Behind The Scenes Facts About Survivor You Never Knew
Come May 31, 2020, Survivor will have been on the air for twenty years. In that time they have produced forty seasons, thirty-nine individual winners (one winner has won twice), and endless amounts of content. It's undeniably one of the best reality TV shows of all time, and the fact that it still attains eight million viewers a week is a testament to its endearing legacy.
As is often the case with such iconic shows as this, the story behind its development is just as interesting as the show itself.
10 It Comes From An Old Swedish Show
America would love to take credit for Survivor, as the American version is by far the most popular and world-renowned. Unfortunately, that is not quite the case. The idea came from a British TV producer named Charlie Parsons, and after his idea was rejected by the BBC, he took it to Swedish producers and broadcasters. They loved the idea, and Expedition Robinson debuted in September of 1997. An international American version followed nearly three years later, and it was re-named Survivor.
9 Editing Takes Between 4-7 Months
Editing 39 days of footage is quite the process, and it typically takes anywhere between five to seven months. Let's take a look at some recent seasons. David vs. Goliath wrapped on May 6, 2018 and aired on September 26 - just over four months later. Edge of Extinction wrapped on July 7, 2018 and aired on February 20, 2019 - over six months later. The latest season, Winners at War, completed filming on June 29, 2019 and began airing on February 12, 2020 - just under eight months later! As you can see, the editing times vary!
8 It Has Mostly Been Filmed In Oceania
While Survivor loves to tout its world-trotting nature, most of the seasons are actually filmed in Oceania. Two seasons have been filmed in Africa, nine in Asia, eight in Central America, and two in South America. That's 21 seasons out of 40. The rest have been filmed in Oceania. The Oceanic settings include Australia, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Palau, Samoa, Vanuatu, and Fiji. Unfortunately for those who like variety, Survivor has remained in Fiji since 33, and it doesn't look to be leaving any time soon!
7 Seasons 41 And 42 Were Delayed Due To The Coronavirus
Survivor never lets up. Even when one season is airing, another is being filmed and produced. Winners at War is currently airing on TV, and season 41 was scheduled to begin filming on March 24, 2020. But the consistency of seasons was ruined due to COVID-19.
The pandemic ended up putting a halt on season 41, and as a result, pushed season 42 back as well.