Survivor always ends its season with a live reunion show. However, this season the reunion will be a little less live than normal. While Survivor’s three-hour finale and reunion shows usually take place live from CBS Television City in Los Angeles from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT to concur with the East Coast airing of the program, the Dec. 18 Survivor: Island of the Idols season-ender will actually go “live-to-tape” from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. PT, four hours earlier than normal, and then air back on TV later in the evening.
A source close to the situation tells EW that the change was made due to the sensitive nature of the material this season — which involved complaints of inappropriate touching from contestant Kellee Kim toward Dan Spilo, along with other players then exaggerating their own reactions to Dan’s touching as a strategic maneuver in the game — as well as security concerns for the contestants and to make sure the players feel as comfortable and safe as possible while discussing what happened out on the island.
As in past seasons, the show will take place in front of an audience and still plans to start with a “live” introduction, have periodic look-ins during the finale, and then a reunion/cast discussion after a winner is crowned. While the program will not be airing live with its the usual 10-second delay, the expectation is that it will still appear in its entirety without any edits, much like the way all the network late-night talks shows go live-to-tape a few hours before air.
The Survivor: Island of the Idols finale and reunion will air Dec. 18 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on CBS.
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Episode Recaps
Previous
S39 E13 Recap
Survivor recap: A player is removed from the game for first time ever
By Dalton Ross
S39 E12 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: A predictability predicament
By Dalton Ross
S39 E11 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Feasting on opportunity
By Dalton Ross
S39 E10 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: What happens next?
By Dalton Ross
S39 E8 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Everything goes to hell
By Dalton Ross
S39 E7 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Social politics or strategy?
By Dalton Ross
S39 E6 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Elaine’s sneak attack
By Dalton Ross
S39 E5 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Feast on this
By Dalton Ross
S39 E4 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Noura’s big (and really bad) lie
By Dalton Ross
S39 E3 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: Quest for fire
By Dalton Ross
S39 E2 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols recap: No time for nap time
By Dalton Ross
S39 E1 Recap
Survivor: Island of the Idols premiere recap: The game begins
By Dalton Ross
S38 E14 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction season finale recap: Did the right person win?
By Dalton Ross
S38 E13 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: Devens puts on a show
By Dalton Ross
S38 E12 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: Beware the loved ones trap
By Dalton Ross
S38 E11 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: A war on Wardog
By Patrick Gomez
S38 E10 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: War declared on returning players
By Dalton Ross
S38 E9 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: Tribal Council goes bonkers
By Dalton Ross
S38 E8 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: A family (visit) torn apart
By Dalton Ross
S38 E7 Recap
Survivor recap: Two people quit Edge of Extinction
By Dalton Ross
S38 E5 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: Revenge of the newbies
By Dalton Ross
S38 E4 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: Tribe swap till you drop
By Dalton Ross
S38 E3 Recap
Survivor: Edge of Extinction recap: Food for thought
By Dalton Ross
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Jeff Probst leads adventures in the ultimate (and original) reality series.
type
TV Show
seasons
39
Genre
Reality
Premiere
05/31/00
creator
Charlie Parsons
Performers
Jeff Probst
Network
CBS
Complete Coverage
Survivor
Available For Streaming On
