Survivor: Edge of Extinction is the 38th season of the American competitive reality television series Survivor. Broadcast between February 20 and May 15, 2019 by CBS, the season featured eighteen contestants – fourteen new players and four returning players – initially divided into two tribes, "Kama" and "Manu". On day nine, the contestants were redivided into three tribes of five, introducing a third tribe, "Lesu". On day 17, the remaining contestants merged into one tribe, "Vata". It was filmed in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji from May 30 to July 7, 2018.
The season introduced the Edge of Extinction twist, a game mechanic that offered eliminated contestants an opportunity to remain in the game. Upon being voted out, players were given the option to be eliminated or go to the Edge of Extinction, a desolate island with minimal supplies and harsh living conditions. There, they awaited a chance to re-enter the main game through a challenge held at two designated points – the final 12 (day 17) and the final five (day 35). The contestants in the main game were initially unaware of this twist, only being revealed to them before the first re-entry challenge. Every contestant on the Edge of Extinction after the first re-entry challenge was granted a seat on the jury.
After 39 days, Chris Underwood won the title of Sole Survivor and the prize of US$1,000,000, defeating Gavin Whitson and Julie Rosenberg in a 9–4–0 jury vote. The season received generally negative critical reception primarily due to the Edge of Extinction twist, which was criticized for imbalanced editing. Underwood's victory was also controversial, as he became the first Survivor winner to win the game after being voted out earlier in the season.
Overview
Survivor is a reality television show based on the Swedish show Expedition Robinson, created by Mark Burnett and Charlie Parsons. The series follows a number of participants isolated in a remote location, where they must provide food, fire, and shelter. One by one, a participant is removed from the series by majority vote, with challenges held to give a reward (ranging from living- and food-related prizes to a car) and immunity from being voted out of the series. The last remaining player receives a prize of $1,000,000.
Production Survivor: Edge of Extinction was filmed in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji between May 30 and July 7, 2018. The Manu tribe lived on Monuriki. It broadcast between February 20 and May 15, 2019.
This season introduced a new feature wherein contestants who are voted out have an option to take a boat to the titular "Edge of Extinction" rather than leave the game permanently. The Edge of Extinction is a desolate, abandoned beach with even fewer amenities than the main island: contestants on the Edge of Extinction may either wait for an opportunity to re-join the main game or may choose to leave the game at any point by raising a white sail. Castaways on the Edge of Extinction were given regular correspondence by way of coded maps and letters, which led to the location of daily rice rations and advantages in the game. The remaining contestants were initially unaware of this twist; it was officially revealed at the tribal merge, at which point the remaining Edge of Extinction castaways competed in a challenge with the winner returning to the game. The losing castaways were given the opportunity to remain on the Edge of Extinction and, from that point on, all remaining Edge of Extinction inhabitants went to each Tribal Council as members of the jury. This is the most recent season to have the winner reveal and the reunion special taking place live.
Host Jeff Probst explained that the "Edge of Extinction" concept was the result of a goal to "try to get a little deeper psychologically, a little deeper spiritually," asking contestants, "is there a possibility of the spiritual death and rebirth that you seek in life, where you realize something deeper about yourself?"
Casting This season featured 14 new players and four returning players, the first season since Survivor: Blood vs. Water (11 seasons prior) to feature a mix of both new and returning players. According to host Jeff Probst, the decision to bring back returning players was made as a response to the Edge of Extinction concept to illustrate the difficulties of the game, stating, "Once we landed on Extinction, what stood out to me is we're asking people to go further than they've ever gone before in a game that's already very difficult. Let's bring reminders of how difficult it is. We're going to bring four returning players that are going to remind you."
As such, producers ultimately cast four returning players for this season: Joe Anglim from Worlds Apart and Cambodia, Aubry Bracco from Kaôh Rōng and Game Changers, Kelley Wentworth from San Juan del Sur and Cambodia, and David Wright from Millennials vs. Gen X. Probst said the four were chosen due to each representing different styles of gameplay. Before the season began filming, the returnees were separated from the new players. The returnees were split up, as Anglim and Bracco were separated from Wentworth and Wright, with each pair being unaware of each other. This was because they were eventually cast on different tribes. Benjamin “Coach” Wade from Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, and South Pacific was also asked back by producers but ultimately turned down the offer, saying he felt it was a waste to play on a season with newbies. Wade would later return, along with Bracco, to compete on Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.
Contestants
The cast is composed of 18 players split into two tribes, "Kama" and "Manu." On Day Nine, the contestants were redivided into three tribes of five, introducing a third tribe, "Lesu." On Day 17, the remaining contestants merged into one tribe, "Vata." Notable castaways include WGXA-TV news anchor Rick Devens and nationally acclaimed schoolteacher/author Ron Clark. +List of Survivor: Edge of Extinction contestants Contestant Age From Tribe Main game Edge of Extinction Original Switched Merged Finish Day Finish Day 46Ashburn,Virginia rowspan="4" 1st voted out1st jury memberDay 3Lost challenge 19Durham,2nd voted outDay 6Left gameDay 17 (Returned to game)3rd voted outRemoved from juryDay 8 2nd returneeDay 35 (Returned to game)4th voted outDay 11 1st returneeDay 17 32Los Angeles,California rowspan="2" 5th voted outDay 13Lost challengeDay 35 25Bell,California6th voted outDay 16Left gameby raising sailDay 17 Worlds Apart & Cambodia29Ogden,Utah rowspan="3" rowspan="14" 7th voted out3rd jury memberDay 19Lost challengeDay 35 34Livermore,California8th voted out4th jury memberDay 22 25Bethesda,Maryland9th voted out5th jury memberDay 23 Millennials vs. Gen X44,California rowspan="3" rowspan="3" 10th voted out6th jury memberDay 25 San Juan del Sur & Cambodia32Seattle,Washington11th voted out7th jury memberDay 27 38Los Angeles,California12th voted out8th jury memberDay 29 45Atlanta,Georgia rowspan="3" rowspan="2" 13th voted out9th jury memberDay 31 32Orlando,Florida14th voted out10th jury member 23Bronx,New York15th voted out11th jury memberDay 36 21Waco,Texas rowspan="2" rowspan="2" 16th voted out12th jury memberDay 37 33Macon,GeorgiaEliminated13th jury memberDay 38 46New York,New York rowspan="2" 2nd runner-upDay 39 23Erwin,TennesseeRunner-up 25 Greenville,South Carolina Sole Survivor
Future appearances Aubry Bracco and Rick Devens returned to compete on Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.
Outside of Survivor, Chris Underwood competed on the second season of The Challenge: USA. Devens competed on season 28 of Big Brother.
Season summary
The 14 new players and four returning players were divided into two tribes of nine: Kama and Manu. At Kama, the new players aligned against returnees Aubry and Joe but avoided Tribal Council, while at Manu, returnees David and Kelley struck up an uneasy truce to control early votes, aided by their respective closest allies, Rick and Lauren. After the tribe swap, Aubry was voted out, while Kelley turned on David to eliminate Rick. Players who were voted out were given a chance to head to a secluded island, the Edge of Extinction, for a chance to return to the game; at the merge, Rick won a competition and rejoined the game.
After the merge, the Kama majority alliance voted out Joe before turning on each other, leading to a series of short-term coalitions to eliminate common threats, including David and Kelley. Rick emerged as the biggest remaining target, but stayed in the game after winning immunity challenges and playing hidden immunity idols. Wardog was the strategic force of the old Manu alliance, while Ron was the strategic force of the old Kama alliance, which caused both to get blindsided by an emerging four-person alliance of Lauren, Victoria, Aurora, and Gavin. However, Lauren then led the charge to blindside Aurora, and then Victoria, both for being big threats to win.
When five players remained, Chris, who had been on the Edge of Extinction since Day 8, won the final re-entry challenge and returned to the game. Chris convinced Lauren to play her hidden immunity idol on him, successfully played an idol on himself and won the final immunity challenge to earn a spot at the final Tribal Council, only to give up his immunity so he could face Rick in the fire-making challenge; Chris defeated Rick to join Julie and Gavin at the Final Tribal Council.
At the Final Tribal Council, Julie was largely ignored due to playing with her emotions, and not strategy. She explained her case saying she had tight bonds with Ron and others and said she was the reason why Julia was sent home. Gavin was praised for his social game, effective use of the Extra Vote, and his immunity wins, but playing a relatively safe strategic game, with no big moves. Chris said that even though he was only in the game for 13 days, he made big moves by opting to go into the fire-making challenge, use of multiple idols, and making great social bonds with the people on Edge of Extinction. Because of this, Chris won in a 9–4–0 vote over Gavin and Julie.
+Challenge winners and eliminations by episodesEpisodeChallenge winner(s)EliminatedNo.TitleOriginal air dateRewardImmunityTribePlayer 1"It Smells Like Success"February 20, 2019 colspan="2" Reem 2"One Of Us Is Going To Win The War"February 27, 2019 colspan="2" Keith 3"Betrayals Are Going to Get Exposed"March 6, 2019 Chris4"I Need a Dance Partner"March 13, 2019 rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Rick 5"It's Like the Worst Cocktail Party Ever"March 20, 2019 rowspan="2" Aubry rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Wendy 6"There's Always a Twist"March 27, 2019 Rick Julie rowspan="12" Joe 7"I'm the Puppet Master"April 3, 2019 Aurora, Eric,Julia, Rick,Wardog, Victoria Aurora Eric 8"Y'all Making Me Crazy"April 10, 2019 rowspan="2" Gavin Julia9"Blood of a Blindside"April 17, 2019 Aurora David Gavin,Kelley, Lauren[Julie] Rick Kelley 10"Fasten Your Seatbelts"April 24, 2019 Julie, Lauren,Rick, Wardog Rick Wardog 11"Awkward"May 1, 2019 Ron[Gavin, Julie] Gavin Ron 12"Idol or Bust"May 8, 2019 Gavin[Victoria, Lauren] Rick Aurora13"I See The Million Dollars"May 15, 2019 Chris Julie Victoria Julie[Chris, Lauren] rowspan="2" Rick Lauren Chris[Gavin,Julie] Rick14"Reunion Special"
Episodes
Voting history