Throughout the history of Survivor, one of the most fascinating aspects of Jeff Probst’s beloved reality show has been the importance of luck. Most obviously, even new fans who are figuring out which seasons to watch first will know how lucky everyone who plays the game is. After all, players have the chance to play during a great season, as they become famous while competing against some of the show’s great players and possibly become an outstanding winner.
On the other hand, some Survivor players have been unlucky. After all, some of the show’s competitors have been medically evacuated and there is a reason why some former players have refused to return. Even when considering the unlucky players from the past, it still seems like the cast of Survivor 49 may be the unluckiest group in the show’s history.
What Makes Survivor 49’s Cast So Unlucky?
Over the last few decades, it has felt like there has been an endless array of reality shows that have aired. As a result, it has long been difficult for a reality show to stand out among the slew of other series from the genre.
Despite that, there are several reasons why Survivor stands out in the reality show genre. After all, Survivor’s producers are so talented that the show sounds and looks incredible. On top of that, Survivor players still win $1 million, which is a lot more than the prizes that are given out by many current reality shows.
Since it is such an incredible show and so much money is up for grabs, there is no doubt that every Survivor player is lucky. That said, considering the history of the show, Survivor 49’s cast is arguably the least lucky group of players in the show’s history.
Since Survivor 41 began airing, the show has been in what has been called its “new era.”
Best Reality TV Hosts, According to Collider | ||
|---|---|---|
Reality Show | Host | Rank |
Big Brother | Julie Chen Moonves | #10 |
America’s Got Talent & The Masked Singer | Nick Cannon | #9 |
America’s Got Talent | Terry Crews | #8 |
Temptation Island | Mark L. Walberg | #7 |
Nailed It! | Nicole Byer | #6 |
The Amazing Race & Tough as Nails | Phil Keoghan | #5 |
American Idol | Ryan Seacrest | #4 |
RuPaul’s Drag Race | RuPaul | #3 |
The Traitors | Alan Cumming | #2 |
Survivor | Jeff Probst | #1 |
Throughout Survivor’s “new era,” every season of the show has pretty much followed the same format. However, in April 2024, Survivor fans got some news that they had been hoping for, an upcoming season was going to stand out. As a Variety article from that time shows, fans learned that an upcoming Survivor season will feature all-returning players.
Unfortunately for the cast of Survivor 49, it isn’t that season that is set to be special. Instead, more and more news has come out about Survivor 50 that ensures that it will be a landmark season in the show’s history.
Related
The Fan Backlash Against Survivor 48’s David Kinne Is Out Of Control And Needs To Stop
Survivor 48’s David Kinne has been facing a fan backlash that has gotten out of control and needs to be pulled way back.
As of May 2025, there are two things that fans of Jeff Probst’s show are talking about.
According to a May 2025 TV Insider article, Survivor 49 is likely to premiere on CBS in September 2025. That reporting is based on the recent history of when Survivor seasons began airing.
First off, every week there are many discussions about the latest episode of Survivor 48. Secondly, the biggest fans seem to be coming up with a new ways to debate aspects of Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans on a daily basis.
However, virtually nobody who is talking about Survivor 49.
While Survivor 48’s cast has to compete with the interest in Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans for attention, it seems very likely things will be much worse for Survivor 49. After all, Survivor 48 and Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans are seasons that are airing a year apart.
In May 2025, MSN republished an article that was originally put out by Surviving Tribal. That article revealed that CBS had confirmed one piece of great news for Survivor fans. Survivor 49 is set to have 90-minute episodes, similar to other recent seasons. That is a great thing since that extra time really allows viewers to learn a lot more about the players and the game.
Survivor 49 and Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans will air only weeks apart. That alone is reason enough to realize that Survivor 49’s cast will be living in the shadow of the behemoth follow-up season. Still, there is another situation that will almost certainly make things worse for the cast of Survivor 49.
Related
Kelley Wentworth Explained Why Survivor’s Producers Made A Big ‘Mistake’ During The New Era [Exclusive]
Kelley Wentworth exclusively told TheThings why Survivor’s producers really meesed during the show’s new era.
By the time that Survivor 49 is airing, it is almost certain that fans will know who will be competing during Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans. After all, aside from the early years of the show and during the COVID-19 pandemic, two Survivor seasons are filmed back to back each year.
That means that by the time Survivor 49 is airing, Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans will have already been filmed. With that in mind, it is very likely that CBS will have announced Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans’ cast by the time Survivor 49 is airing.
If fans know who will be playing, viewers will be talking about Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans’ cast more than Survivor 49’s players. And even if that news hasn’t broken, the conjecture about who will be playing during Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans will likely be fierce.
No matter how CBS chooses to promote Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, one thing seems very, very clear, fans can’t wait for that season. As a result, there is almost a feeling like fans want to get Survivor 49 out of the way quick so they can watch the season they really care about. In that context, Survivor 49’s cast may be the least lucky in the show’s history.
Why Survivor 49’s Cast Has One Major Thing Going For Them
Since Survivor often casts huge fans of the show these days, many players have two main goals. First off, and most obviously, Survivor players want to win. Secondly, and perhaps even more so, Survivor players want to compete in a great season and be respected by fans.
Related
Richard Hatch Completely Agrees With Fans Who Hate This Survivor 48 Moment [Exclusive]
Richard Hatch exclusively told TheThings that fans who hated this Survivor 48 moment were completely right.
Considering how many modern players of the show care about creating good TV, there is one thing that Survivor 49’s cast has going for it.
Fortunately, it will be a lot easier for Survivor 49 to impress fans for one reason, the most recent comparison.
In May 2025, Sportskeeda published an article that epitomized the fan reaction to Survivor 48. That article had a title that accurately depicted why many fans have been very vocal about disliking Survivor 48 as a season.
“The worst:” Survivor Season 48 fans react as boring gameplay and weak strategy take over the season
With many fans calling Survivor 48 out as a boring season, fans will almost certainly have lower expectations when Survivor 49 airs. As a result, the cast members of Survivor 49 are a little bit lucky since they will have to overcome a lower bar to be praised.
Survivor
- Release Date
-
May 31, 2000
- Network
-
CBS
- Showrunner
-
Jeff Probst
- Directors
-
Jeff Probst
- Writers
-
Jeff Probst
