Survivor Season 42 Release Date, Cast, And More Information

The pandemic threw the hit reality competition show "Survivor" into an extended year-long hiatus, but thrilled fans with the announcement of its return in 2021. Coming to an end in December 2021, the big question as to when the next challenge of strength, endurance, and strategy immediately began. Now, "Survivor" is starting to build up the hype once again with a new logo for Season 42, featuring a maze, lock, and key design, all accented by flames, per Entertainment Weekly.

More than 20 years of challenges have delighted fans, and the show is dedicated to keeping the danger and excitement alive. Jeff Probst called Season 41 the "dawn of a new era" in an Instagram video, and it seems like that energy will continue. Here are the essential details on when and where you can watch, who the players are, and what to expect from the next chapter of "Survivor."

CBS made the news official on November 10, 2021 that fans of "Survivor" will only have to wait until Wednesday, March 9 for Season 42 to begin. The announcement came from the show's Twitter, paired with a GIF of long-time host Jeff Probst clapping his hands enthusiastically, saying, "Let's do it!" Sticking with its usual Wednesday evening time slot, "Survivor" will air at 8 p.m. ET. With the Season 41 finale airing on December 15, 2021, the wait for fanatics of the series is excitingly brief, bouncing back from COVID-19 halts in production. The show is expected to continue its 13 or 14-episode arc, always depending on the twists and turns that may arise for the contestants.

After promoting the Season 41 finale, Probst wrote on Twitter, "Can't wait to see you for 42!" Contestants will try to outwit, outlast, and outplay one another in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji, the same location that has been featured in for every season since Season 33 in 2016, per Men's Health.

Not much is known about the upcoming cast, but the trailer reveals a bit about some of the personalities hoping to become the sole "Survivor." Featured in the group is a firefighter, a business woman, and a world record holder for pull-ups. Jeff Probst confirmed in the trailer that the 18 players will have to handle "risky Beware Advantages, crazy twists, no food, and a relentless pace that will push them to their limits." The struggle appears to be very real, as clips of distress and exhaustion pad out the trailer.

"It was really exciting to birth the next era of 'Survivor' with a new, dangerous, fast-paced game that completely caught the players off guard," Probst told Entertainment Weekly. "For 'Survivor 42,' we have another truly outstanding group of players ready to take on the greatest social experiment on television." If there is one thing for certain, this cast will have a big disadvantage. The host continued, " ... perhaps the best twist of all is that we shot 41 and 42 back to back, which means this new group of players had not seen 'Survivor 41,' so they have no idea what awaits them!" What a thrilling way to shake things up.

"Survivor" will return to its home at CBS, but those who prefer streaming do not have to worry about missing any of the action. In fact, all 41 seasons of the reality series can be enjoyed on Paramount Plus, per Parade – a huge opportunity for fans to catch up before new episodes start airing. According to the show's Twitter bio, Season 42 will premiere on both CBS and Paramount+, leaving behind the days of playing catch-up to avoid spoilers on who gets voted out.

As for other streaming platforms, you may not get to watch exactly what you want. Netflix rotates out two "Survivor" seasons each year, seemingly of random selection. There is a larger library of binge-worthy content on Amazon Prime, including Seasons 1 and 28-30. Other seasons are available for purchase on a per-episode basis. That means for Amazon Prime holders looking for a substantial refresh, there is a decent chunk of the "Survivor" saga available. More information will surely start to shed more light on Season 42 the closer we get to the March 9 premiere.