It’s been a long time coming, and finally, we’re on the eve of the Survivor 50 premiere. Even writing that sentence gave me chills.
On May 31, 2000, 16 strangers went to Borneo to have the adventure of their lifetime. Almost twenty-five years later, 24 returning players from season one to season 49 were brought back, this time to Fiji, to reclaim their legacies, clamour for the Survivor 50 crown, and cement one of Survivor’s most awaited stepping stones in reality TV history.
As said, on the eve of Survivor 50 premiering, the official Survivor Instagram account has just released the first five minutes of the first episode. Overall, the premiere will last for three hours, and this is just the tip of the iceberg of what awaits us tomorrow.
The impact of the Survivor’s legacy is immediately felt in the first mere seconds of the episode. From the stunning scenery, the goose-bump-inducing music notes, and the throwback of seeing the Survivor: Borneo premiere from all those years ago, it is almost impossible not to tear up to see 25 years of this show in the making.
Highlights of the previous 49 seasons begin, and with it, thousands upon thousands of Survivor memories are unlocked. We get to see Sue Hawk’s infamous “snake and rat” speech; two-time Survivor winner Sandra Diaz-Twine's iconic yelling; Jon “Johnny Fairplay” Dalton’s jaw-dropping grandma lie; Eliza Orlin’s unforgettable “it’s a f***ing stick” line, and so many more Survivor moments that not only astonished die-hard fans, but worldwide viewers as well.
Monumental strategy gameplay moves are also shown, such as the “life lesson” move the Black Widow Brigade alliance from Survivor Micronesia did to Erik Reichenbach, as well as James Clement’s epic blindside in Survivor China, as he had two idols and didn’t play either. Terryfing moments such as cyclones, medical evacuations, challenge injuries, and players being pushed to their limits aren’t too far behind, giving watchers the full spectrum of what Survivor truly entails.
Blindsides, jackets, tears, and laughs... this compilation has it all! Then, the episode truly begins with the 24 players boarding their Fiji Airways plane that will take them to their next destination: Survivor 50: In The Hands of The Fans, who, throughout Survivor 48, were able to vote on several options to impact the season.
To say we need the full episode now, and for the whole season to start, is an understatement. To get us through these last almost 24 hours, two sneak peeks were also released, continuing the first glimpses of this epic season to come.
You can watch them on YouTube with these two links: Sneak Peek 1 and Sneak Peek 2.
I’ve been watching Survivor for over 15 years. While I didn’t technically watch since day 1, I’ve more than caught up and haven’t missed a single episode since I discovered the show. Survivor has personally given me a new way to connect with people I would’ve otherwise likely never met, and for that and plenty more reasons, I will always be grateful that this show exists. I think I can speak for many people when I say we are ready for Survivor 50, and this clip is just the beginning of what seems to be a historic season.
Watch Survivor 50 beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 25, on CBS and Paramount+!