Survivor 50 First Glance Review: Overhyped, Overplayed, Over the Shark

After 13 weeks, 26 days, 18 people and countless eye rolls, the 49th season of Survivor has finished and the winner has been crowned. After watching for 25 years, being a viewer is more about going through the motions. I feel a commitment to watching Survivor but I have not enjoyed it for some time. But with the end of each season, the hope of another, better season, comes through. The first glance at a new season, aired at the end of the “reunion,” is as much a staple to each season as a stack of pizzas as a reward. And much like the reward, you can hype it up as much as you want, Jeff, but ultimately, it’s just pizza - cold, plain, tasteless pizza. That’s what the 50 preview reminds me of.

The previews, first looks, whatever you call them, are what keeps my love of the show going. I look forward on how to look forward. By the end of a season, there is a clear finish and nothing is surprising anymore. Survivor runs on autopilot with its current format. So I just stay tuned, even through ridiculous political interruptions, to see what is coming next. However, with 50, we were made privy to what we could expect: tribe colours, challenge types, twist availability and the cast. Even with this, it’s the nostalgia with previews that brings me back. I love a good reel of movie previews that show you what’s coming soon.

So I sat, I waited and watched (not Trump’s update - we were shown Bored Security) for the moment to come. And then, the preview.

The preview. Oh, the preview.

I look forward to this moment every year. Watch old season previews and tell me you do not get chills. You find out the theme, the location and hints at the twists. It just gives you a sense of excitement for what’s to come.

What I got out of this was not a celebration of 50 years or a surge of adrenaline for “the best season yet.” I saw the aged faces of multi-time players, little of those returning for a second time and micro-ads of Fiji Airways, Billie Ellish, Jimmy Fallon, Zac Brown and Mr. Beast.

What is happening with Survivor? What about that preview got anyone excited?

The casting process was so public that there was zero mystery about who was heading to Fiji for the golden anniversary of the show. The returning players who have played more than once or twice are a hodge-podge of lackluster players. Allowing the public to assist in the selection process, like a vote similar to Second Chances, might have garnered less controversy over those who were picked.

Colby? “Captain America in a fat suit” (James Clement, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains) was only 26 when he first played in Australia, but has returned twice since for All-Stars and Heroes vs. Villains. He was miserable and had a poor performance on Heroes vs. Villains that deflated the image of the challenge beast that others feared. I think Colby called in a favour of Uncle Jeff (more like Daddy Warbucks) to keep him in the lifestyle he has become accustomed to. This will be the first time Colby plays without Jerri Manthey present, which is an atrocity. Jerri deserved her spot in 50 more than Colby. Her evolution from Australian Outback in 2001 to Heroes vs. Villains in 2010 was incredible. Imagine what she could do now?

Major daddy vibes though. Like he's there to break up the party with his dancing.

Then we jump from the teens to the thirties. Aubry (Kaoh Rong, Games Changers, Edge of Extinction), Chrissy (Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers), Mike, Angelina and Christian (David vs. Goliath), and Rick Devens (Edge of Extinction). This is probably the crew I will be watching and rooting for most. Most are second-time players who are stationed in a mix between old school and new era. I hope they do well enough to survive and each plays as they did. They were all interesting in their own rights.

The new era (41 onward) make up half of the cast. This could almost be another Fans vs. Favorites season. I predict this group will ban together and protect each other, much like what happened in Winners at War. While no one in this era may fit into my hall of fame, I do think there are a lot of good names missing. Especially with three people from 48, which was one of the worst seasons I have watched.

Celebrities and public figures have been appearing on the show for years. Gary Hogeboom (aka Gary Hawkins, as he wanted to be known as on the show) was the first minor celebrity to appear, back in 2005’s Survivor: Guatemala. Since then, a slew of similar celebrities have been brought onto the show - athletes, authors, businessmen, actors and actresses, musicians and record holders. It was huge when Lisa Welchel from Facts of Life appeared, as that was one of the most recognized celebrities to appear. Perhaps it was to boost their own credits, some because they begged to be on the show. Others, like Mike White, have been friends with Probst and influencing the game with suggested twists before appearing now twice.

But now we have Zac Brown showing up with a massive fish. Mr. Beast and the series crossover, which already looks harder to watch than Fonzie going over the waterski ramp. What the hell is a Billie Ellish boomerang idol? And why is Jimmy Fallon getting any control over Christian’s game? 

Remember back when Tyler Perry created an idol for Cagayan? The very concept that kicked off the whole hidden immunity idol twist - play it after the votes are read. Will these twists be rebranded old faithfuls or something new? Also, where is Sia? Will her $100k prize for her favourite come back into play? We will find this out this winter, with the premiere scheduled for February 25, 2026.

50 was first tooted as being a celebration of the legacy that Survivor has left. Its impact on popular culture is undeniable. It is consumed in exceptional ways, way beyond the screen. Table top games, card games, computer games, even Wii games were all created to allow at-home play. New books are surfacing. Buffs have been readily available and people continue to add to their collections. I am sure I am getting another DVD box set of one of our missing seasons from the collection. People are so passionate about the show and the game they will die on summits to stake their claim as the biggest Survivor know-it-all (a title Stephen Fishbach claims and holds up dearly). I am one of those people who have consumed Survivor in varying degress of crazy. So I was looking forward to the celebration. But, as Frank Garrison from Africa once said: “imagine being invited to the Wagner family reunion but your last name is Smith.” Everything evolves and changes. You either roll with it or sit idly by and don’t evolve with it. Maybe I’m stuck in my purist form.

While ratings for a show that’s run over 25 years are not going to stay at number one forever, the show’s rating is sliding down the ladder at a rapid pace. In a November 14 article from The Hollywood Reporter, Survivor still makes the top 20 shows watched by viewers 18 to 49. The show’s struggle for viewership could be the repetitive nature the new era showcases. The past nine seasons have felt like one long episode, almost like Squid Games - The Challenge.

So yes, the preview left me craving something else. My bouche was not amused. I am not salivating for the new season like I have in the past. I might have been more receptive if 50 had more involvement from the fans beyond choosing the colours of the tribes. Perhaps Survivor is not for me anymore, but I cannot stop watching. I will continue watching to the bitter end.

P.S. Uncle Jeff needs to step back as host and show runner. If Australian Survivor’s former host, Jonathan LaPaglia was blamed for the down under’s franchise failures, surely we need to hold Probst to the same standards. Jeff is the oldest castaway every season now. He’s one year from retirement age. I hope he likes the resort Rob and Sandra built for him in Fiji.