'Survivor 50' binge guide: Every season to watch to learn all-star cast
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'Survivor 50' binge guide: Every season to watch to learn all-star cast
Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYFebruary 10, 2026 at 1:17 AM
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Over 25 years ago, "Survivor" changed reality television forever.
The competition series introduced host Jeff Probst and 16 strangers who battled the elements on an island, competed in physical challenges and then voted each other out one by one for 39 days.
With the historic 50th season premiering later this month, fans may not be familiar with all of the 24 contestants back for another shot at $1 million.
The new season, titled "Season 50: In The Hands of the Fans," will see pioneer players like Jenna Lewis-Dougherty and Colby Donaldson, as well as contestants viewers just met earlier this year, including Savannah Louie and Rizo Velovic.
For those who aren't up to watch all of the available 49 seasons, here's a spoiler-free breakdown of the ones to watch if you want to learn the lore behind the cast.
Classic 'Survivor' seasons (1-20) to watch -
"Survivor: Borneo" (Season 1): Advertised as a social experiment, "Survivor" first aired in 2000 and turned into a TV spectacle, garnering more than 50 million viewers. Fans from day one are excited to see Jenna Lewis's journey go full circle as she returns for Season 50.
"Survivor: The Australian Outback" (Season 2): The show's sophomore season took viewers to the continent of Australia for its longest game to date, lasting 42 days, and introduced its all-American hero and proud Texan, Colby Donaldson.
"Survivor: All Stars" (Season 8): For the first time, the series welcomed all former players for a second chance at the $1 millon prize, including both Jenna and Colby.
"Survivor: Palau" (Season 10): Stephanie LaGrossa's story was unlike any other, marked by her success and failures on the infamous Ulong tribe, whose challenge performance haunts most fans.
"Survivor: Guatemala" (Season 11): Fans who couldn't get enough of Stephanie are in luck, as she's back just a season later for better and worse in a drastically different journey.
"Survivor: Panama" (Season 12): A season that divided tribes by age and gender introduced the most iconic couch potato-turned-social strategist, a New Jersey nurse known as Cirie Fields.
"Survivor: Cook Islands" (Season 13): While the decision to divide tribes by race and ethnicity was controversial to many, it welcomed its most diverse cast at the time and dominant challenge beast Ozzy Lusth.
"Survivor: Micronesia: Fans vs Favorites" (Season 16): Featuring possibly the greatest and most ridiculous blindsides in the series, nearly every fan knows and loves this season. The cast is divided into first-timers and returning all-stars, including Cirie and Ozzy.
"Survivor: Tocantins" (Season 18): A chaotic cast was nothing new to the series when Tocantins aired in 2009, but a character like Benjamin "Coach" Wade, better known as the self-appointed "Dragon Slayer," certainly was.
"Survivor: Heroes vs Villains" (Season 20): Arguably the best "Survivor" season, barring how 50 pans out, Colby, Stephanie, Cirie and Coach return in one of the most cinematic games in the show's franchise from start to finish.
Pre-pandemic 'Survivor' seasons (21-39) to watch -
"Survivor: Kaôh Rōng" (Season 32): This season saw the return of the "Brains vs Brawns vs Beauty" theme, dividing three tribes by the attributes that have gotten players through life. Brains member Aubry Bracco would go on to play two more times after this season, but her phoenix journey in Kaôh Rōng is her most remembered.
"Survivor: Game Changers" (Season 34): Though not every fan is kind to this all-returning player season, it still had its fair share of entertainment value, bringing back players who helped evolve the "Survivor" like Cirie, Ozzy and Aubrey.
"Survivor: Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers" (Season 35): Chrissy Hofbeck is better known for a production twist that impacted her fate in the game and the series altogether than the strong social, strategic and physical game she showcased here.
"Survivor: David vs. Goliath" (Season 37): The phrase "jackets and eggs" will only make sense after watching this season that divided topdogs and underdogs into two tribes and welcomed engineer Christian Hubicki, entrepreneur Angelina Keeley and screenwriter Mike White, who went on to create "The White Lotus."
"Survivor: Edge of Extinction" (Season 38): Aubrey and three other former players are back on the island in a season that introduced a twist giving voted-out players a chance to return to the game. It also introduced TV news anchor Rick Devins, who played a buzzy, newsworthy game.
New era 'Survivor' seasons (40-49) to watch
From left: Q Burdette, Liz Wilcox, Venus Vafa, Charlie Davis, Kenzie Veurink, Ben Katzman and Maria Gonzalez in "Survivor" Season 46. -
"Survivor 42": Challenge juggernaut Jonathan Young and his fellow castaways played without having seen Season 41, which changed the show's format forever after the COVID-19 pandemic, shortening the game from 39 days to 26 and introducing many twists.
"Survivor 45": The stories of financial analyst Emily Flippen and entrepreneur Dee Valladares could not be any more different, yet both left fans craving more and excited for their return just a few years later.
"Survivor 46": This season brought messy reality-TV casts back to the series, largely thanks to Q Burdette. It's no question why three players from this season are back, including Q, his Yanu rival Tiffany Nicole Ervin and overtly proud Swiftie Charlie Davis.
"Survivor 47": Genevieve Mushaluk may be the only player back from this cast, but it should still be high on people's watch lists, having high-stakes gameplay and the iconic "Operation Italy" move.
"Survivor 48": This Emmy-nominated season introduced three players coming back for Season 50, including Kamilla Karthigesu, Kyle Fraser and Joe Hunter, as well as one of the most emotionally heartfelt moments of the series.
"Survivor 49": While the rest of the Season 50 cast weren't familiar with Savannah Louie and Rizo Velovic while playing, fans who watched the season know they shouldn't be overlooked.
Here's the full cast list for Season 50:
Jenna Lewis-Dougherty: Seasons 1 (Borneo), 8 (All-Stars)
Colby Donaldson: Seasons 2 (The Australian Outback), 8 (All-Stars), 20 (Heroes vs. Villains)
Stephenie Lagrossa Kendrick: Seasons 10 (Palau), 11 (Guatemala), 20 (Heroes vs. Villains)
Cirie Fields: Seasons 12 (Panama – Exile Island), 16 (Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites), 20 (Heroes vs. Villains), 34 (Game Changers)
Ozzy Lusth: Seasons 13 (Cook Islands), 16 (Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites), 23 (South Pacific), 34 (Game Changers)
Benjamin "Coach" Wade: Seasons 18 (Tocantins – The Brazilian Highlands), 20 (Heroes vs. Villains), 23 (South Pacific)
Aubry Bracco: Seasons 32 (Kaôh Rōng – Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty), 34 (Game Changers), 38 (Edge of Extinction)
Chrissy Hofbeck: Season 35 (Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers)
Christian Hubicki: Season 37 (David vs. Goliath)
Angelina Keeley: Season 37 (David vs. Goliath)
Mike White: Season 37 (David vs. Goliath)
Rick Devens: Season 38 (Edge of Extinction)
Jonathan Young: Season 42
Dee Valladares: Season 45
Emily Flippen: Season 45
Q Burdette: Season 46
Tiffany Ervin: Season 46
Charlie Davis: Season 46
Genevieve Mushaluk: Season 47
Kamilla Karthigesu: Season 48
Kyle Fraser: Season 48
Joseph Hunter: Season 48
Savannah Louie: Season 49
Rizo Velovic: Season 49
When does 'Survivor' 50 start?
"Survivor" Season 50 will premiere on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. New episodes will air weekly on Wednesdays after that.
The three-hour premiere episode will air at 8 p.m. EST.
How to watch 'Survivor'
"Survivor" airs on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and on Paramount+ for subscribers of the Paramount+ Premium plan.
Episodes can be streamed the next day for subscribers of any Paramount+ plan.
The previous 49 seasons of the show are all available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.
Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Survivor 50' binge guide: What seasons to watch to learn all-star cast
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
