CBS' long-running competition series Survivor is widely considered one of the best reality shows of all time and is responsible for helping to change the TV industry as we know it. The show recently celebrated Season 45's finale and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Those of us who have watched know there are some pitfalls that the castaways regularly fall into. Below are 32 things you should never do on Survivor if you want to win.
It's always fun to see what each new cast does on the show and see how much money Survivor contestants make depending on how far they go. But there's also a joy that comes with seeing people blow up their games and end up with their torches snuffed. And that can happen for a number of reasons, including the list seen below. Someone cue the Survivor theme song!
Taking charge of building the shelter.
During the first episodes of any Survivor season, we watch as the castaways build their own shelter with very limited materials. Oftentimes the person who tries to be a leader during this process becomes an easy target, as it's easy to rub people the wrong way during those first days. Who could forget back in All Stars when Survivor legend Rupert Boneham insisted on digging into the beach to create a cabin... only for it to be flooded when the tide came in?
Taking charge period.
Survivor is ultimately a social experiment, where we watch a group of people compete after they're stripped of everything but the basics. Personalities can clash, and another quick way to make enemies is to take charge or be too bossy. While players like Boston Rob are the exception to this rule, most people who end up being early leaders don't make it too far.
Getting caught Idol hunting too soon.
Hidden Immunity idols have been a major factor on Survivor for years now, and there are usually at least two in play at the start of each new season. There are rules about stealing Immunity Idols, but another unwritten one is that you don't want to be the castaway who got caught hunting for an Idol early in the game. Even if you successfully find them like Russell Hantz, you might just get voted out because of this ambition.
Volunteering to take the puzzle at the end of a tribal immunity challenge.
For the first phase of the game, Survivor is a team game, with 2-3 tribes competing for Reward and Immunity. Usually the challenges include a puzzle at the end, with a few contestants tasked with bringing home the win. But volunteering and failing at the puzzle is an easy way to get yourself voted out of the long-running series.
Losing the machete and/or flint.
Like the show's title says, Survivor features people grappling with the elements after being marooned. The tribes are given precious few supplies, with the most important being the machete and flint. And accidentally losing it either one like the cast of Survivor 44 could result in disaster, and possibly being voted out by the rest of the tribe.
Arguing with a fellow castaway, even if you really want to.
Another easy way to lose Survivor is getting into an argument with a fellow castaway. While this is good TV, it's an easy way to put a huge target on your back. Two-time champion Sandra-Diaz Twine might have won twice while having iconic fights with her cast mates, but most people can't pull that off.
Telling someone you're voting them out.
Survivor is a game of deception, where the cast is regularly expected to lie and manipulate in order to stay just one more day. Which is why it's so bizarre when castaways go rogue and full-on tell people they're going to be voting for them. It's an easy way to start panic and more scrambling, and can sometimes end with a blindside for that very person who spilled the beans.
Getting injured.
One easy way to lose Survivor is getting injured, and having to be medically evacuated. Sometimes this can happen given the physical nature of the game and its challenges, but other times people can injure themselves all on their own. Case in point: Season 44's Matthew, who was hurt after falling when trying to climb a rock.
Be A Celebrity
Survivor occasionally includes celebrities as castaways. From actors to writers to professional athletes, these players usually struggle to deep in the game. After all, who wants to give a million dollars to a famous person? That's why so many of these players choose to try and conceal their identities, such as Survivor Philippines' Lisa Whelchel.
Sitting out too many challenges.
When there are still multiple tribes on Survivor, sometimes one group can end up going on a winning streak and not voting anyone out. They will therefore have too many people during challenges and will have to sit people out. And it's easy to become a target by sitting out too much and not pulling your weight. Case in point: Season 44's Claire, who was eliminated after sitting out for three consecutive challenges.
Being too secretive about your moves.
Since Survivor is all about deception, one has to keep their cards close to the chest before striking. But there is a potential danger to this, as you might not have the respect and resume of your fellow castaways when trying to get their vote at Final Tribal. That's arguably because Aubry Bracco lost her first season, although I'm also a huge fan of Sole Survivor and two-time finalist Michele Fitzgerald. In fact, that year resulted in a permanent change to Survivor's Final Tribal Council.
Telling too many people you're aligned with them.
While forming social bonds is important on Survivor and you want to have options while playing the game, a potential pitfall comes with going overboard and overpromising. If people get to talking and realize you've given them the same pitch, you could end up eliminated. Survivor 42's Swati was an example of this, as she told a big group of people they were her #1.
Be a challenge liability.
Survivor is a super physical game that requires contestants to compete in challenges while also basically starving on the island. If you end up being someone who brings down the team, you can quickly get the boot like Season 45's Brandon Donlon.
Getting too friendly with the other Survivor tribes.
In the early days of any Survivor season, it often takes one small thing to get someone targeted and voted out. One possible threat is relationships with other tribes, which can be established during challenges and especially during journeys. So oftentimes these bonds have to be kept under wraps.
Eating too much food.
Part of the challenge of Survivor is that everyone is starving. They don't even give tribes rice at the start of the game anymore, so there's a physical and emotional connection to food. And overeating is a quick way to get yourself voted out.
Being a lawyer or salesperson.
Throughout Survivor's years on the air, people's professions have definitely factored into voting. Most recently lawyers and salespeople have been targeted, given their perceived ability to argue at Final Tribal. So many folks like Season 43's Cody kept that under wraps.
Letting people know you're a Survivor superfan.
Usually, each season of Survivor features a mix of personalities, some of which have waited their whole lives to finally be on the island with Jeff Probst. But revealing that you've seen every season and studied the game can sometimes get you voted out early.
Taking the wrong person to Final Tribal Council
Final Tribal Council is the ultimate challenge of Survivor, where those who are still in the game are tasked with convincing the jury to vote for their victory. And it can be a game-ending decision when castaways make the wrong decision about who to sit next to. We saw this as early as Season 2 with Colby taking Tina to the end, to Cagayan when Woo chose to sit next to future two-time winner Tony Vlachos.
Being too like-able.
Since Final Tribal is decided by the jury, being well-liked on Survivor can sometimes be perceived as a threat. If contestants think that they'll lose to you in the end, you could end up blindsided before that moment happens.
Excluding people outside of your alliance.
While alliances are always formed on Survivor, you still have to live and work with the people you aren't working with. But if contestants are too rigid in grouping and exclude others, you can quickly make enemies and end up losing the game.
Getting caught going through someone's bag.
The stakes are high on Survivor, and the fear of Idols or other advantages is very very real. As such, sometimes people end up rifling through each other's bags to make sure they're not packing heat. But getting caught could end in disaster.
Telling people about your Hidden Immunity Idol
Hidden Immunity Idols are a big part of Survivor and a huge weapon. But they can go from a weapon to a target if folks spill the beans and people know about it. That just starts talks of flushing the Idol, like when James was voted out with TWO Idols back in Survivor China.
Letting wounds get infected.
Medical evacuations happen on Survivor, and they're always a bummer. Sometimes these happen because a cut ends up getting infected, and the medical team insisting on getting contestants out of the game and into treatment. Survivor Kaoh Rong was perhaps the worst example of this, with a number of contestants getting nasty staph infections.
Not knowing how to swim.
Most Survivor seasons are set on a beach, with the last few all taking place in Fiji. There are usually a number of swimming challenges as a result, and being a poor swimmer can put a target on one's back.
Quitting smoking cold turkey on Survivor.
Over the years, there have been a few cases on Survivor of smokers quitting cold turkey, and going through nicotine withdrawal. Perhaps the most infamous is Shane Powers, but one of Season 45's quitters Hannah Rose also went through this on the island.
Winning Immunity too many times.
Individual Immunity is something that every Survivor contestant wants, allowing a rare moment of safety at Tribal Council. But when contestants win too many times, they can end up becoming huge targets who get voted out.
Poor jury management.
While getting to Final Tribal is one thing, actually getting the votes to win as Sole Survivor is another thing entirely. You have to actually be able to convince them to vote for you or end up losing in the final leg. Just look at Gabon finalist Sugar Kiper, who was in the final three but whose enemy Corinne Kaplan had control of the jury. Spoiler alert: Sugar didn't win.
Having a feud early on.
Survivor feuds happen, and they make for great TV. But it's not always a sound strategic decision to get into the muck early on. We saw this happen on Survivor 45 with Emily Flippen, but she miraculously was able to squash things with Bruce and make it deep into the game.
Picking the wrong people to join you on a Reward.
Reward Challenges are key in Survivor, especially since the game doesn't even provide rice nowadays. Usually, Jeff lets winners pick a few people to join them, which can end up really shaking up the game as a whole. Rewards have been known to break alliances and create blindsides, so they're not without risk.
Threatening violence.
The threat of violence or actual violent actions themselves isn't something tolerated on Survivor. It's only happened once, but back in Survivor: Caramoan, Brandon Hantz was unceremoniously voted off after having a huge confrontation with his fellow All-Stars.
A poor Final Tribal performance.
Final Tribal is a unique challenge on Survivor, one that not every castaway has stuck the landing on. Plenty of fan favorites have failed to pull off that feat and ended up losing. See two-time finalists Russell Hantz and Amanda Kimmel.
Being on the wrong side of the votes too often.
While there are a number of ways one can get to the end of Survivor, taking home the million dollars is challenging. And if you end up on the wrong side of the votes too many times, it can be hard to convince the jury to vote for you.
