| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Saturday, March 21, 2026 - 2:59 pm 
Mike Bloom had Reality Steve on a podcast about the last minute cancellation of the Bachelorette season but Steve was clearly not a fan of all the airtime for Zac Brown.
As for ratings, we need more details.
Like how is this season compared to other seasons, especially all star seasons.
I did see an article saying that season 49 had the worst ratings ever at that time.
Maybe the celebrities are to rescue the franchise and get their followers to join in.
Tina Wesson, in a podcast with Rob Cesternino, guessed that maybe there will be a celebrity season.
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Maris
Member
03-27-2002
| Saturday, March 21, 2026 - 3:00 pm
I am looking at the ratings and apparently those over the age of 49 don't count.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Saturday, March 21, 2026 - 3:13 pm
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, March 21, 2026 - 6:21 pm
From the link: Season 48 (Spring 2025) of Survivor on CBS averaged a 0.70 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 4.63 million viewers.
So this season is much better. And yes, the 18-49 demographic is most important when considering what shows are doing well. Like it or not. They spend the most, so are of most interest to advertisers.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 12:12 pm
Celebrity season?    . That is not what fans want!!
Get rid of the new era and go back to 39 days if you want fans back.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 1:01 pm
Kappy, I'm not sure that's correct. This season does have higher ratings.
Face it, the ratings have been falling for years... network tv just doesn't do as well any more, and a long running show will struggle to keep viewers. It's not about the new era, it's just the way life and viewing habits have changed.
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 1:36 pm
I think this season has slightly higher ratings because it is an all star season. The all stars are pulling back in past viewers who had stopped watching. The question is are those viewers liking what they are seeing?
LOL the only reason we even had a clue who Zac Brown is was because of his song "Chicken Fried". We don't generally listen to country music but my youngest DD stumbled across it and liked it enough to play it. A song about enjoying family, friends, beer and fried chicken and thanking the American troops who give their lives so that Americans can enjoy that life. Very American. I'll add that I'm not saying that in a mean way. I do like the song.
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Scooterrific
Member
07-07-2005
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 1:41 pm
I'm not understanding what people's issues are with the episode. We enjoyed it, and it wasn't a waste of time. Im thoroughly confused
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 2:07 pm
I think a lot of serious Survivor fans think that the introduction of celebrities distracts from the core elements of the game and adds little in return. It's especially true if you don't have any knowledge of or attachment to the celebrity. It's almost impossible for the show to find celebrities that everyone will like or care about. For example, while both Billie Eilish and Zac Brown are quite well known singers, it's doubtful their fan base overlaps much (LOL though I like both of them).
I do like that the shows are now 90 minutes so they have more time for these things while still including regular game play and camp life.
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 2:15 pm
I didnt like that they wasted so much time on it. I dont want to see a celeb spear fish. I want to see the players. He had more confessionals than some have had all season
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 2:19 pm
It would have been cool if they had juxtaposed Ozzy successfully catching fish with his smaller spear. Seemed like a very big missed opportunity to me.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 2:20 pm
I wasn't bothered by it either Scooter.
One thing I do know about human nature however, is that people are more vocal about things they don't like than things they do. The ratings were up for this episode, and to me that says more people liked it than didn't. The online comments/posts/reactions aren't generally a good indicator.
It's the same with Big Brother. They keep changing things to keep it fresh, and the long time fans keep complaining. But most of the fans are tv viewers and like the twists.
Pamy, I would note that even before this episode, some have had very few confessionals. Sometimes I double take and think "who is that person" because they have had so few.
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 3:56 pm
Jimmer, that would have been so cool!
Kar, yes true.
As for the ratings, Im a fan as many are and will watch no matter what. Some eps are better than others. I feel the Zac thing overshadowed the great blindside and some of the other fun moments
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 3:57 pm
Jimmer, ty so much for keeping the banner updated so quickly!!!
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 5:31 pm
You’re welcome. It’s nice to see more posts about this season. That’s probably a good sign. 
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 - 6:44 pm
yes it is!
Someone posted the actual time Zac took up. LOL I swear it felt like 20 min LOL
...8 minutes 35 seconds…the part with just Zac fishing and talking was 2:20 of that…
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Monday, March 23, 2026 - 1:28 am
Ratings indicate that viewers tuned in or recorded the show but that doesn't indicate how many enjoyed the celebrity part of the show.
Also, normally, reward footage includes so strategy talks or confessionals. This time it was all about Zac.
There were some good parts of the show though.
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Scooterrific
Member
07-07-2005
| Monday, March 23, 2026 - 6:40 am
So Survivors enjoying the reward they worked so hard to win is not what we want to see??? We always see them enjoying the reward. I'd rather see that than the scrambling we are shown that never is what actually plays out.
I will time the next time the reward is won, to see how much time is actually spent on "strategy talk or confessionals" and then follow to see if that plays out.
"The Zac Thing" was a reward won in a hard fought challenge, and if the players enjoyed it who are we to ••••• about it. Kappy's comment above is off the mark as well, the fans are voting for these things, and while I don't like some of them, I just accept them as part of the show.
As for what Karruna said above: people are more vocal about things they don't like than things they do- that is 100% true and is one of the things I dislike about human nature. I don't live my life like that, it's too short.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Monday, March 23, 2026 - 7:58 am
Ratings indicate how many *watched* the show to the end. This usually means live plus seven days after the live broadcast (to account for watched recordings). It doesn't count how many recorded the show, if they didn't play it back.
Nielsen has deals with over half the cable and satellite companies in the nation to provide this data. It is correct probably to say it doesn't say how many enjoyed it, but typically if people aren't enjoying it, they turn it off and don't watch to the end?
I still agree that this episode was poorly produced. I don't agree that it was universally disliked as so many think. Face it, folks, TVCH isn't the age-demographic that matters these days, much as I love you all. 
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Julieboo
Member
02-01-2002
| Monday, March 23, 2026 - 2:14 pm
💯 agree Kappy and Pamy. Too much time wasted on someone many fans barely heard of. I don’t believe Survivor fans want to see anything about a Billie Eilish or a Zac Brown. They tune in to watch the survivors plan, struggle, strategize, etc.
If CBS wants ratings back, go back to how things were when ratings were good. When this show just started. 39 days for sure! No extra clothes (extra shoes are ok). And I don’t personally want to see fake eyelashes and eyebrows and hair extensions. I want to see the natural people in their natural survival mode states.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Monday, March 23, 2026 - 2:33 pm
There are no shows currently on tv whose ratings haven't dropped as viewing methods have changed over the last 20 years.
Survivor still ranks in the top ten of all tv shows, so I think they are doing pretty well with the changes in viewing. The last 5 seasons, with the 90 minute format, have seen increases in overall ratings.
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Monday, March 23, 2026 - 7:34 pm
Just saw this
Survivor 50, Episode 4 is now the lowest-rated episode in the show's entire history on IMDb. Because Zac Brown got too much screen time.
Previously, when I heard lowest rated I thought they meant ratings but no it was on IMDB. I honestly didnt know you could go rate episodes there
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Lexie_girl
Member
07-30-2004
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 3:36 am
But Scoot... we did NOT vote for celebrity idols or concerts!!!
I still don't believe that the fans voted to not give them rice and/or tools. I think Jeff is way too stubborn to admit the fans don't like his "new era" B.S. (even though he gets crucified on SM for all the changes).
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Brenda1966
Member
07-02-2002
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 7:24 am
I can totally see most fans voting for no rice/tools, esp because the seasons are shorter. Contestants of the old era talk about how the new era has it easier because of the shorter season. New era talk about how the old era got tools/food. So I can see fans voting that way so that the old era folks see how tough it can be without rice, etc.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 8:01 am
Lexie, I don't think it's the new ERA stuff that bothers most watchers. Viewership went up the last 5 seasons because the episodes got longer. That's all new ERA.
And tv ratings (watchers, not IMDB) are up this season. So I think most watchers do like what was voted for.
Again, I'm sorry that folks here are disappointed, but it's important to get facts about viewership. As I said before, we here at TVCH are not the primary demographic for Survivor any more.
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Scooterrific
Member
07-07-2005
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 8:29 am
Well I and my family/friends enjoyed the show.
IMO life is too short to get upset over something that doesn't affect me or my loved ones, especially entertainment.
I won't waste energy on that, when I can just change the channel. I'm sorry you guys are upset and didn't enjoy it. Have a nice day.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 8:59 am
Scooter, these things don't really bother me either. Some changes I like, some I don't, but life is all about change, and not necessarily to accommodate my personal preferences. I roll with the flow.... LOL.
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 9:08 am
I still love this show, it is still my #1. I enjoyed other things in this ep, just not Zac.
The blindside of Mike-awesome! Christian and his faces to Emily- hysterical!
Wed is still my fav nite of the week!
Like Jimmer said, it is nice to see Survivor threads with posts again. I miss talking abuot it all week long here! Hope we keep it up!
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Brenda1966
Member
07-02-2002
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 9:22 am
i still enjoy the show very much. It's one of the best on TV still. However I was very annoyed and bored by the length of the celebrity guest appearance so I hope they learn from that -- we want to see the contestants! And I honestly don't mind that they give them clothes, and new clothes. Remember how we suffered those years when they were basically running around in their underwear, that would get too big after they were starving. *that* was painful to watch. lol. And I've never enjoyed watching them freeze, so if they can have a layer of clothing, I'm good with that.
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Lexie_girl
Member
07-30-2004
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 3:33 pm
Kar... I get what you are saying but I see on other sites (inc. FB pages and X) - the fans HATE the new era B.S. - especially the fans that have been with this show for the last 25 years. I hate everything about the new era - no food, no tools and I hate that Jeff takes flint away from the losing tribe.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 7:11 pm
Well, like I said, people are far more likely to post about what they don't like, than what they like.... human nature. Plus I'll note that once the tide is strong in one direction, people who did like it are less likely to post and risk being attacked on SM.
I personally don't like any of those things either. But ratings don't lie.... Survivor is still in the top ten of TV shows, and their move to 90 minutes, even with the New Era stuff, increased ratings.
So while SM posts are interesting, the ratings (Nielsen type ratings, not IMDB) are the most objective telling of what's working and popular.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 11:53 pm
Scooter we do see them enjoying the reward but we also see who wants to strategize .. This was different.
And the fact that Zac got more confessional time in one episode than some of the actual survivors have gotten all season is just wrong. This is Survivor, not the Zac show or the fishing from a yacht with a giant power spear gun show. For an authentic experience Zac should have used a Hawaiian sling off shore.
I am not sure why I am obligated to enjoy every twist as implemented..
This week we have two tribes going to tribal.. Should be interesting.
I think the ratings some people are quoting are from imbd at least that was mentioned by Rob Cesternino.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, March 25, 2026 - 7:12 am
No one is obligated to enjoy anything, of course. We all just have differing opinions, and that's fine. I didn't enjoy the amount of time spent on the Zac reward, I just didn't really dislike it either. 
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Survivor (on CBS)
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