Survivor Season 49 Premieres Sept 24 with alternates and two expelled

Survivor will open its 49th season with a two-hour premiere on September 24, followed by 90-minute episodes each week, as 18 new castaways are dropped into the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji to compete for the title of Sole Survivor and a $1 million prize. The season includes a notable deviation from tradition: two of the 18 contestants were not originally part of the lineup but were brought in as alternates, and two players were sent home before the start of filming due to rule violations. In a development that ties this season to the forthcoming milestone 50th season, two competitors from Season 49 are set to return for next year’s alumni special.

The Season 49 cast is a diverse mix of professions and backgrounds, ranging from a rocket scientist and an airport ramp agent to a career coach and a political communications director. Among the more widely discussed participants are a musician who fronts a Texas-based band and a film producer with credits on major franchises. The producers emphasize that the cast aims to bring fresh dynamics to the game and to deliver the intense competition fans expect, with CBS signaling that Season 49’s premiere will air at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS,...