Surviving
**Survivor —** the reality show that drops a group of total strangers on a remote island where they must build shelter, hunt for food, and compete in various physical and mental challenges — was back on CBS for a staggering 45th season on Wednesday.
Episodes will run for an extended 90 minutes this season, as competitors battle it out to take home the $1 million prize — “50% more show”, as Jeff Probst, who’s been at the helm for every edition since Survivor’s US debut 23 years ago, put it.
Thriving
Although British TV producer Charlie Parsons developed the show in 1992, it didn’t make it to screens until 5 years later when it aired as Expedition Robinson on Swedish television. It’s been adapted in multiple languages for over 25 countries since then, including the US, where fans and critics often hail it as an all-time great of the reality television genre.
With some 649 episodes since it first hit American airwaves on May 31, 2000, Survivor is one of the most prolific shows in American history, and its IMDb ratings have stayed pretty consistent through the show’s extensive run. Indeed, Survivor has averaged a 7.56 rating across the 649 episodes, with just one season — 2021’s S41 when the show returned after an 18-month hiatus — rated below 6. Conversely, the 2015 season titled Cambodia - Second Chance, where previous contestants returned to take the island again, is the highest-rated series with an 8.4 average rating.
