The Legendary History of 'Survivor' in Photos
Survivor is one of the biggest TV phenomenons of all time, a massive competition series that is still going just as strong as it was when it burst onto airwaves in 2000. With strategic alliances, thrilling challenges, and tough conditions that tribes have to endure, there's something for everyone to enjoy here. The show has changed a whole lot since castaways first landed in Borneo to compete for the $1 million prize, but it's still as exciting as ever. Read on for some photos of great moments in the show's long history. Beware, spoilers lurk ahead in these waters!
2000 - TV Greatness Begins
The first tribes of castaways began filming in March of 2000. The format for this show originated with the 1997 Swedish reality series Expedition Robinson created by Charlie Parsons. Parsons went on to produce the American adaptation with the Australian producer Mark Burnett, and Jeff Probst, who was practically unknown before this hosting gig.
2000 - First Winner & First Vote Out
In this photo, Survivor's first ever winner, Richard Hatch, has a conversation with Sonja Christopher, who would sadly become the first castaway sent home in Tribal Council after the Tagi tribe lost the first immunity. challenge.
2001 - Jeff Probst & Mark Burnett in Africa
Starting with season three, Survivor began airing two seasons every year. It's a relentless pace that they've kept up with continuing into season 45 all these years in 2023. Their crew size also grew from about 70 people at the start to over 600 people on the production team nowadays.
2002 - Survivor: Marquesas Tribe
Survivor has been going so long that they have brought back old fan favorites for repeat appearances and all-star seasons. Next to Probst you'll see a young Rob Mariano, also known as Boston Rob, who has appeared on a massive six seasons of Survivor (and two seasons of The Amazing Race as well).
2003 - Ready for an Immunity Challenge
Survivor: Pearl Islands, the show's seventh season, was an incredible early season which introduced us to legendary castaways like Sandra Diaz-Twine, Rupert Boneham, and John "Johnny Fairplay" Dalton.
2004 - Brutal Challenge on Survivor: Palau
Along with having to battle the elements and survive tribal council votes, players are subjected to tons of challenges which could include tough puzzles, intense endurance challenges, and more. This challenge from season ten saw tribes having to shoulder weighted bags while running laps in shallow water, trying to catch up to the other tribe and tag them out. As castaways got too tired to continue, they had to pass on their weight to tribe mates.
2004 - A Survivor: All-Stars Love Story!
Amber Bri and Boston Rob both returned for the show's first-ever all-star season that brought back returning players for a second chance. Amber and Rob were allied closely the whole season and ended up as the final two castaways, with Amber being crowned Sole Survivor. Rob also dropped to one knee and proposed to Amber at the show's Final Tribal Council.
2005 - A Brutal Introduction
Survivor: Guatemala began with an unexpected twist—castaways had to hike eleven miles, while trying to outpace the opposing tribe to get the better campsite. It left the players even more exhausted for upcoming immunity and reward challenges than they would have been normally.
2006 - Survivor: Exile Island Live Finale
When it comes to Survivor, you don't want to see your name written down unless you've made it to the Final Tribal Council. A final two or three castaways make their cases for why they should be made winner in front of a jury of prior players they just voted out. They used to read the votes live in a finale event in front of a huge crowd after the season aired in full, which must have been so suspenseful for the final castaways.
2006 - The Infamous Tribal Council
This shot, from the show's 13th season Survivor: Cook Islands, shows the tribal council area for the season. The overall decoration usually varies, but there's always a big fire pit in the middle, a private area to cast your votes, and torches representing each player that get snuffed out if they leave the game.
2007 - Fans vs. Favorites!
Survivor: Micronesia brought a tribe of fan favorite players to go against a group of new castaways. This season has some of the best moments and most shocking strategic moves out of the whole entire series. If you know, you know.
2008 - Survivor: Toncantins Final Tribal Council
At the end of an excellent 18th season which took place in the central Brazilian highlands, J.T. Thomas Jr. and Stephen Fishbach were the final two contestants vying for the jury's votes. Thomas ended up becoming the first Survivor player to win the show earning the entire jury's votes in a unanimous victory.
2009 - Tyson at the Toncantins Finale
Another fan favorite, Tyson Apostol finished in 8th place in his first appearance on Survivor: Toncantins. He's gone on to win the show in a future appearance and has some incredible challenge performances under his belt.
2010 - The Amazing Heroes vs. Villains
A legendary season of the show, this all-star season brought back both beloved underdog heroes and conniving, cutthroat villains, and it made for some incredible television. As the years went on with Survivor, players got even more savvy with forming (and breaking) social alliances and keeping themselves safe from votes. If you aren't first to form connections, you could see yourself leaving the show before you know what's happening.
2010 - Queen of Survivor Sandra Diaz-Twine
Survivor's first two-time winner, Sandra Diaz-Twine, came out on top of both her first season Pearl Islands and the all-star Heroes vs. Villains season. She later got a taste of being voted out when she returned for the 34th season, Survivor: Game Changers.
2012 - Rafting for Survivor: Phillippines
While the basic structure of the show is mostly unchanged, there are slight twists and variations every season. Season 25 in the Phillippines brought back three players who had been evacuated from prior seasons due to injuries and illnesses.
2013 - The Chaotic Survivor: Cagayan
In this writer's completely objective and scientific season, Survivor: Cagayan is one of the most fun and wild seasons of the show to ever air. This season divided castaways into three tribes representing Brains, Beauty, and Brawn, a unique wrinkle for the early-game before tribes eventually merge when numbers get low enough.
2015 - Taking a Dip in Survivor: Kaoh Rong
Hanging out in the water is a great way to pass time during long stretches at camp, but it's also a great chance to strategize. When a vote is coming up, players have to take every chance they can get for a private conversation to get information or plot against someone else.
2016 - Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X Reunion
This season had a concept that seemed cringeworthy on paper, but ended up being a truly entertaining one with great castaways that we were rooting for on both tribes. A millennial ended up winning, though, so I guess they're definitively the best generation now.
2020 - Clash of Survivor Winners
Season 40 of the show was dubbed Winners at War, which brought back previous champions from recent and classic seasons of the show to battle it out. It absolutely met fan's high expectations with some shocking early exits and great twists, and we won't spoil who was voted the ultimate winner if you don't already know.
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