Survivor (US) Filming to Resume in 2021
THE GAME IS AFOOT!
Or at least it will be soon with Survivor (US) receiving permission from the Fijian government to once again commence filming following a calendar year 2020 where travel restrictions ran rampant and many television shows were subject to indefinite delays to shooting and production.
The news was first reported by FBC News (Fijian Broadcasting Corporation) on February 11th, 2021 -- According to Fijian Minister Faiyaz Koya, shooting for Survivor is set to resume soon, and will help to generate millions in economic activity and add hundreds of jobs for the tropical island nation of just under 900,000.
The relevant quote from the Minister emphasizes COVID-19 safety and responsibility, as it reads, “Survivor will be filming in Fiji with the crew expecting to arrive in the next few days. They have to stagger the way they actually come because most of the crew are sitting in different parts of the world, but all done under the guidance of the Ministry of Health. We follow the necessary protocol to protect our own citizens.”
Per Inside Survivor, sources indicate the cast for Season 41 is expected to depart for Fiji in March with filming to begin in April following negative COVID-19 tests and a successful 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
This is welcome news for a famished fanbase that remains starving for the first fresh season of Survivor (US) since the wonderfully received Season 40: Winners at War. This is especially true with Survivor recently catching fire among new fans after Seasons 20 and 28 (Heroes vs. Villains and Brains Brawn Beauty, respectively) became available for streaming on Netflix. I’ll never forget walking into my local veterinary office to the unexpected surprise of two front office workers discussing the intricacies of Survivor strategy. THANK YOU NETFLIX!
All of this aside, I’m remarkably excited to see what our favorite torch-snuffing, buttoned-up-shirt-wearing host has in store for us. I’m reminded of an interview with former Season 39 castaway, Dean Kowalski, that occurred just prior to the premiere of Season 40 where Jeff Probst excitingly divulged that Season 40 was meant to break the game so that production could have a cleaner canvas on which to paint for Season 41 and onward. Whether that’s the Outcast Twist 2.0 or some equally puerile theme such as Survivor Worlds Apart 2: Flat-Earthers vs. Round-Eathers, I think I speak for much of the fanbase (new and old) that we’re here for it!
If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught me, it’s not to take life’s little things for granted. I’m excited for this momentous milestone on our way back to enjoying the greatest social experiment on television. Hopefully soon, Jeff and co. will have something else for us.
Until then, please explore our Castaway Consultants podcast where we break down old episodes / seasons of Survivor with the hopes of coming up with a perfect way to play the game!