Survivor history: Determining the six eras of gameplay

When looking back throughout the History of Survivor, the way the game was played can group the seasons into six distinct eras.

With Survivor entering season 36 and the show still going strong, the game has foreseen a variety of changes. What made watching Survivor exciting in season 1 is remarkably different then what did in season 35. The twists used vary from season to season, and particularly from era to era.

The success of the twists were important in defining the eras. Half of the eras heavily consisted of several new twists that were tested. This seemed to occur every other era. The eras of new twists would follow an era of relative stability. This creates a pattern in Survivor history. Create new twists, then let the twists that work play out for several seasons, and then create new twists. This process repeats throughout the eras of Survivor.

A show going on thirty-six seasons is pretty remarkable. Many shows do not even reach six seasons let alone six eras. With the high ratings that are consistent through just about every era, the show is showing no signs of stopping.