After Eva Finally Told Her Tribe About Her Autism On Survivor, The Fan Response Has Been Absolutely Lovely: ‘10s Across The Board’

Spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of Survivor.

While reality shows are everywhere, few have been quite as long-running and culturally significant as Survivor. Arguably one of the best reality shows ever, the CBS series (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription) is currently in the midst of Season 48. The most recent episode saw contestant Eva Erickson come out as being on the autism spectrum, and the internet exploded with sweet messages of support.

While some folks are still figuring out how to watch Survivor 48, hardcore fans like myself are still reeling from the wildly emotional last episode. Eva had a hard time during the Immunity Challenge, and ended up having an episode as a result of all the stimulation. That's when Joe crossed Tribal lines and helped calm her down in the way she had shown him earlier. She came out afterward, with audiences and even host Jeff Probst getting emotional. Folks on Twitter sounded off about how touching the sequence was, case in point being:

While fans like figuring out how much Survivor contestants make, the actual events of the game tend to go viral every week. And it sounds like Eva's story has transcended gameplay and truly touched the hearts of fans, as well as the other castaways.

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When searching online, there's a ton of discourse about Eva's coming out journey, and in particular the way that Joe has supported her so far in this game. Another tweet points this out, saying:

Only time will tell if Season 48 becomes one of the best Survivor seasons, but it's already up there in regards to how emotional it's made the fan base. Lots of viewers were moved by how Joe care for Eva during her time of need, with another tweet using a GIF of Michael Scott to drive the point home.

Of course, the hardcore Survivor fans also are concerned about this dynamic duo. Because while the cast put their support behind Eva, her close bond to Joe has the potential to put both of their games at risk. I mean, clearly they're not going to vote against each other. As another fan tweeted:

Only time will tell how their games are affected by this display of their affection. Regardless, it's going to go down as a memorable part of Survivor history. Another fan tweeted out why, saying:

They're not wrong. The past few years have seen plenty of conversations about the power of representation. And Eva openly playing the game while on the autism spectrum is sure to inspire folks out there. What's more, it shows that neurodivergent people can overcome and achieve just like anyone else.

New episodes of Survivor air Wednesdays on CBS as part of the 2025 TV premiere list.