Survivor 41

Survivor 41
Season Information
Version:	United States
Season No.:	41
Filming Location:	Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Filming Dates:	April 15, 2021 - May 10, 2021
Season Run:	September 22, 2021-
No. of Days:	26
No. of Castaways:	18
Tribes:	Luvu Ua Yase
Cast
Season Chronology
Previous:	Winners at War

Survivor 41 is the forty-first season of the CBS competitive reality television series Survivor.

Production

Production for the 41st and 42nd seasons were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As has been the norm since Survivor: Samoa, the seasons were scheduled to be filmed back-to-back beginning in March 2020, but had to be put on hold due to the global outbreak of the coronavirus. Prior to the Fijian government allowing production to enter, domestically filming both seasons either in Georgia or Hawaii was considered.

In March 2021, it was announced that production for the two seasons had resumed in Fiji. Due to mobility issues however, the production team modified their protocols to ensure the cast and crew's safety such as using a staggered arrival scheme for the international crew en route to Fiji. For anyone to enter the country, each crew member and contestant had to have a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test result and be quarantined for 14 days. Production also collaborated with the Fijian government to establish a safe "bubble" within a chain of islands to be used as base camp, tribe camps, challenge locations and Tribal Council, allowing free movement within the bubble but prohibiting physical interaction outside of it.

This season, was filmed over 26 days, 13 days shorter than the standard 39-day timeline, due to the production schedule being compromised by the Fijian government's quarantine rules. To keep the shorter game just as challenging, the tribes were given fewer supplies and no food rations. Further, tribes that lose a challenges will incur penalties.

Beginning in 41, seasons will no longer be named after twists or casting themes and will simply be identified by their season number.

In an interview with Rob Cesternino for Rob Has a Podcast on the red carpet premiere of Survivor: Winners at War, host Jeff Probst acknowledged the negative response to the format of the Edge of Extinction twist, as well as its inclusion in that season. Though insisting his personal preference for the Edge of Extinction, Probst revealed that it would not be used for Survivor 41, but did not rule out eventually using it again. The inclusion of Fire Tokens, which were previously used in Survivor: Winners at War, was heavily considered during the pre-production for the season, but was scrapped per the recommendations of Survivor: David vs. Goliath runner-up Mike White, whom Probst consulted.

Casting

Following criticism over lack of racial diversity in its reality programming, CBS announced in November 2020 that Survivor and its other reality shows must cast at least 50% persons of color beginning with the 2021-2022 television season. Crew members will also have the same composition for a fairer representation of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds in the edited show.

Jeff Probst also stated that contestants from the show's first 20 years will not be asked to return in the foreseeable future.

Game Within the Game

A Survivor first, viewers will be given the opportunity to solve rebus puzzles hidden throughout the course of the episode, whether at challenges, Tribal Council, or in underwater shots; after which fans may submit their answer to the puzzle online. Jeff Probst explained the game was aimed for the younger audience and future castaways.

Twists/Changes

• Shortened Season: The game lasted 26 days, 13 days shorter than the usual 39 days. To retain the difficulty of a 39-day game in a shorter season, no food rations and limited camp supplies were given to the castaways.
• Penalties for Losing: As part of keeping the shorter season just as difficult, tribes that lose a challenge will have a part of their supplies taken away from them and will only earn them back the next time they win.
• Tribe Division: The 18 castaways were divided into 3 tribes of 6. No unifying theme was used in the dividing them into tribes.
• Beware Advantage: A new advantage, once found, may only be taken by its finder if they take a pre-determined risk. Each tribe has one hidden at their camps.
• Risk/Protect Your Vote: On Day 2, one member from each tribe were whisked to a separate island where they were given a "prisoner's dilemma" between protecting or risking their votes on their first trip to Tribal Council. If all three choose "protect", they keep their votes. If all three choose "risk", none of them will be able to vote. If there is a split decision, those who chose "protect" get to keep their votes, but those who chose "risk" will get an extra vote.
• Shot in the Dark Die: By sacrificing one's vote at Tribal Council, a player in trouble may invoke this advantage for a chance to be immune from the vote. While the chance of a favorable outcome is slim, if successful, the play acts as if a Hidden Immunity Idol is played.
• Double Tribal Council: On Day 3, only the first place tribe won immunity, sending both losing tribes to Tribal Council to vote out one person each.

Castaways

Contestant		Tribe Affiliation	Finish	Votes Against
		Original Tribe
	Eric Abraham 50, San Antonio, TX Cyber Security Analyst	Yase	1st Voted Out Day 3	5
	Sara Wilson 23, Boston, MA Healthcare Consultant	Ua	2nd Voted Out Day 3	4
	Brad Reese 49, Shawnee, WY Rancher	Ua		1
	Danny McCray 33, Frisco, TX Ex-NFL Player	Luvu
	David Voce 34, Chicago, IL Neurosurgeon	Yase
	Deshawn Radden 25, Miami, FL Medical Student	Luvu
	Erika Casupanan 31, Toronto, ON Communications Manager	Luvu
	Evvie Jagoda 28, Arlington, MA Ph.D. Student	Yase
	Genie Chen 46, Portland, OR Grocery Clerk	Ua
	Heather Aldret 52, Charleston, SC Stay-at-home Mom	Luvu
	JD Robinson 20, Oklahoma City, OK College Student	Ua
	Liana Wallace 20, Washington, DC College Student	Yase
	Naseer Muttalif 36, Morgan Hill, CA Sales Manager	Luvu
	Ricard Foyé 31, Sedro-Woolley, WA Flight Attendant	Ua		1
	Shan Smith 34, Washington, DC Pastor	Ua
	Sydney Segal 25, Brooklyn, NY Law Student	Luvu
	Tiffany Seely 47, Plainview, NY Teacher	Yase		1
	Xander Hastings 20, Chicago, IL App Developer	Yase

Season Summary

Episode		Air date	Challenges		Eliminated (Vote)	Finish	Viewers (in millions)	Ratings/Share (18-49)
			Reward	Immunity
1	"A New Era"	September 22, 2021	Ua	Luvu	Abraham (5-1)	1st Voted Out Day 3	6.25	1.1/8
					Sara (4-1-1)	2nd Voted Out Day 3
2	"Juggling Chainsaws"	September 29, 2021			TBA ()	TBD Voted Out Day TBD
Notes:

Voting History

Survivor 41 Voting History
		Original Tribes
Episode #:		1		2
Voted out:		Abraham	Sara	TBD
Vote:		5-1	4-1-1	TBD
	Brad	—	Sara
	Danny	—
	Deshawn	—
	Erika	—
	Evvie	Abraham	—
	Genie	—	Ricard
	Heather	—
	JD	—	Sara
	Liana	Abraham	—
	Naseer	—
	Ricard	—	Sara
	Shan	—	Sara
	Sydney	—
	Tiffany	Abraham	—
	Voce	Abraham	—
	Xander	Abraham	—
	Sara	—	Brad
	Abraham	Tiffany
Notes:

Trivia

• Survivor 41 marks the first time that a country is used nine consecutive times.
• Survivor 41 is currently the only season of Survivor to not have a subtitle.
  • The working title for the season during pre-production was Survivor: Dawn of a New Era, but this subtitle was scrapped prior to filming.
  • Survivor: Borneo did not have a subtitle when it aired, but was retroactively given one, making this the second season to air without a subtitle.
• Survivor 41 is the first season to have castaways born in the 2000s, and the first season to have castaways born after the premiere of Borneo.
• Survivor 41 is the first season to last fewer than 39 days.
  • It is the second season to not last 39 days, after Survivor: The Australian Outback which lasted 42 days.
• Survivor 41 is the first season to have a castaway's gender identity change after filming. Evvie came out as non-binary (using they/she as pronouns) between filming and airing.