Survivor 42: Castaways Reveal How They Kept Busy During Quarantine
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a surreal time in everyone’s life, and Survivor 42 castaways have revealed how they kept busy during quarantine. The seasons 41 and 42 of the hit survival series were postponed due to travel restrictions, with Survivor 42 originally scheduled to air in April 2021. Instead, both seasons were filmed back-to-back as the latest installment of castaways arrived in Fiji to film in the spring of 2021. Survivor 42 features 18 new castaways competing to outplay, outwit, and outlast their fellow competitors for the million-dollar grand prize.
Described as “the most dangerous version of ‘Survivor’” yet, production has confirmed that the 42nd season will take place over 26 days. The new format is the same as Survivor 41, a diversion from the typical 39-day cycle in previous seasons. The shorter game period means higher stakes for the castaways who will be provided minimal supplies as they acclimate to life on the island. Beware Advantages will also be returning to the game, which provided numerous obstacles and challenges for the season 41 castaways. After a year-long delay in production, Survivor fans have been eager to learn more about the newest set of castaways.
In an interview with EW discussing how the castaways spent their time in quarantine, the Survivor 42 cast proved once again that the game is often a social reflection of the real world. The Survivor 42 castaways provided answers that bore a shocking similarity to how the majority of people spent their time during the pandemic: with a lot of television and time spent with loved ones. Many of the castaways with kids, such as Jenny Kim, Marya Sherron, and Mike Turner, relished the opportunity to spend quality time with their families with the time off work. Maryanne Oketch relatably cited her Animal Crossing addiction as one of the ways she passed the time, and Zach Wurtenberger humorously described his busy schedule of sitting, standing, and occasionally, walking.
Some castaways spent quarantine physically preparing for challenges, like Jonathan Young, who spent time outdoors and in the ocean. Others focused on their mental and social game, Hai Giang enjoyed practicing different game strategies by playing Risk with friends, while Rocksroy Bailey began practicing meditation to alleviate island-based conflict and stress. Chanelle Howell received a certification in negotiation from Harvard in preparation for tribal councils. Expectedly, the majority of the castaways also used quarantine as the perfect excuse to re-watch previous seasons of Survivor to prepare for island life. Most notably, Daniel Strunk flaunted his legal pad of detailed notes for Survivor: David vs. Goliath explaining how the castaways could have voted differently to change the course of the game.
COVID-19 was a unifying experience as people all over the world quarantined and suddenly had more time on their hands. The ways the Survivor 42 cast passed the time is an echo of how many people experienced the pandemic, featuring new hobbies, more time with family, and additional time off work. One could argue that with the increase in preparation time, the Survivor 42 castaways might be one of the most equipped casts to compete for the prize. If re-watching previous seasons of Survivor provides any advantage in this game, these castaways are destined for a very competitive experience.
Survivor season 42 premieres on March 9 at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
Source: EW