Survivor

By: Luke Carter
Staff Writer

As anticipation builds for the milestone 50th season of survivor, fans across the country and especially on college campuses are buzzing about what many are calling the most hyped-up season in the show’s history. Since its debut in 2000, Survivor has redefined reality competition television, and season 50 promises to celebrate that legacy by bringing back some of the most iconic players to ever compete for the title of Sole Survivor.  

Some of the most legendary Survivor players to ever play are returning in an attempt to win the title. During this season, we will see the legendary strategist Cirie Fields who is often dubbed the greatest player to never win the game. We will also see players who have dominated challenges in the past like Ozzy Lusth and Colby Donaldson. There will also be likeable heroes like Rick Devins and Christian Hubicki returning for the first time ever. These are some of the biggest names in Survivor history, but there is one man who I cannot wait to see on my TV screen. Coach is a larger-than-life  storyteller whose honor bound gameplay, epic monologues, and master manipulation have made him one of the most memorable characters in Survivor history.  

There’s also excitement at the Vol State campus. I asked a student here named Josh if he is excited or even knows about Survivor 50 and he said, “Survivor’s older than me.” Josh also said that he is excited to see his favorite player Coach back out there on the island and that he hopes he can finally get the win in his fourth attempt playing. Josh said his favorite player is Coach because “… he makes everything epic and he treats the game like a grand adventure.”  

Season 50 is expected to heavily lean into Survivor history. The show is rumored to be revisiting classic themes, iconic challenges, and legendary rivalries. Longtime host and executive producer Jeff Probst has previously said in interviews that milestone seasons provide an opportunity to celebrate all the players who built the game. The word celebration keeps coming up: CBS, for the past three months, has been advertising all over that Survivor 50 is going to be epic.  

As a Survivor superfan and a Vol State student, it always crosses my mind whether I could win Survivor or not. Survivor is one of those things that you don’t know how good you’ll be at it until you try, which is why I decided to film my audition at Vol State’s TV studio in the Ramer building. It was simple: they had a teleprompter that I could read everything I wanted to say from, and an epic background that had the Survivor logo. Before writing this article, I reached out to Sam Phalen who was the runner up on Survivor season 47 and currently lives in Nashville as a reporter for the Tennessee Titans. Sam said that his biggest tip for filming a survivor audition is to be yourself and make sure that production knows you can tell a story.  

Whether it’s the triumphant return of Coach or a long-awaited victory for Cirie, one thing is certain: Survivor 50 won’t just be a look back at the past; it will define the future of the game.  

You can watch Survivor live on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. on CBS, where you can catch up on demand anytime with Paramount Plus. The season will premiere on February 25 and have 14 total action-packed episodes. This is the biggest season of Survivor ever with a record-breaking 24 prior players including three former winners and some of the most legendary names in reality TV history.  

I have asked a couple of Vol State students who they believe will get the win. Rosalyn, who is majoring in economics, believes that Aubrey Bracco will have what it takes to outlast. Our fellow news writer Nate believes that Tennessee’s  “Q” will cause enough chaos and get the victory. Both of those picks have real chances of winning the game, but in my opinion, I think the queen of Survivor will finally be crowned. I believe the legendary strategist Cirie will finally get her Survivor win and Outwit, Outlast, and Outplay to earn the title of Survivor 50s Sole Survivor.