Survivors ready!? The new season of one of the longest-running American reality TV programs returns on March 1 on CBS with a two-hour premiere. Since its debut in 2000, Survivor has provided endless entertainment for its audience with shocking twists and brutal challenges as the contestants outwit, outplay, and outlast each other. It's an amazing feat in itself that the show will be releasing its 44th season, with hopefully more surprises and seasons to come.
Like last season, Season 44 takes place on the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji and will cover a shortened 26 days of gameplay. This season will also begin with three different tribes called Tika, Ratu, and Soka. Their main representative colors are purple, orange, and green, respectively. Similar to the previous three seasons, the show has foregone a titular theme such as Heroes vs. Villains. Instead, they've adopted new gameplay elements that pose the concept of risk vs. reward that the contestants must consider. One such new element includes the introduction of "idol cages" where immunity idols are kept in bird cages located in each tribe camp. However, they can only be unlocked by solving clues to find the keys and require stealth to open them when the cages are out in the open for everyone to see.
This new season's cast includes a very diverse mix of contestants from different backgrounds. With 18 new castaways who will battle it out for the $1 million prize and title of Sole Survivor, here's a helpful guide to know the new contestants of Survivor Season 44.
Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Season 44 of Survivor, episodes 1-6.
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Bruce Perreault - Tika (Purple) Tribe
The 46-year-old is from Warwick, Rhode Island, where he works as a realtor and insurance agent. Having been in the adoption system when he was younger, Bruce Perrault claims that his upbringing taught him to be a "chameleon" that adapts to the environment, which is a key quality to have in the game of Survivor.
Sadly, Bruce had to be medically evacuated due to a head injury. The medical team was able to stabilize him after he fell unconscious, but after constant headaches, he was sent home.
Carolyn Wiger - Tika (Purple) Tribe
She's 35 years old and lives in Hugo, Minnesota. Carolyn Wiger works as a drug counselor after previously overcoming her own addiction. She states that previous experiences have prepared her for the harsh and scarce conditions that come with being stranded on the islands in Survivor.
Carson Garrett - Tika (Purple) Tribe
He's 20 years old and hails from Atlanta, Georgia. Carson Garrett is currently an engineering student at NASA. His gameplay can be built on his intelligence and the unassuming persona as a nerdy, "nice guy" that can lead to being an under-the-radar strategic player. Lucky for Carson, his game plan has been paying off. He has been extremely successful throughout this season by knowing when to take advantage when opportunities come. He's definitely a person to keep an eye on this season.
Helen Li - Tika (Purple) Tribe
Helen Li is a 29-year-old living in San Francisco, California. She works as a product manager which enables her skills of persuasion and negotiation which are vital in Survivor's social game. Li's small stature also paints her as someone who could be severely underestimated and play a lowkey game. Alas, it wasn't meant to be for Helen. After a heartbreaking loss in episode 2, Tika was sent to their first tribal, where it seemed like Carolyn was going to get the boot, but in a shocking twist, Helen was voted out 3-2.
Sarah Wade - Tika (Purple) Tribe
The 27-year-old currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. Sarah Wade is a management consultant, a job that involves a lot of relationship-building and interacting with different people in the corporate world. The same skills can easily apply to the social game of Survivor. With that said, Sarah was eliminated in episode 4. The Tika tribe got a new member in Josh, and it seemed like he was going to get the boot, but he was saved by his title, meaning Sarah had to go.
Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho - Tika (Purple) Tribe
He is 36 years old and lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Yamil Arocho runs his own beauty salon where his social skills can definitely help in the game with making allies and relationships.
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Brandon Cottom - Ratu (Orange) Tribe
He's 30 years old and lives in Newton, Pennsylvania. Brandon Cottom works as an account manager for a security firm but was previously an NFL fullback for the Seattle Seahawks during 2015-2018. This definitely sets him up as a physical asset in challenges and even as a solid team player for his tribe.
Jaime Lynn Ruiz - Ratu (Orange) Tribe
Jaime Lynn Ruiz is 35 years old and comes from Mesa, Arizona. She works as a marketing consultant, gardening and food reviewing TikTok star, and a yogi. Being able to excel in meditation and yoga will definitely help her in the mental game and endurance of certain challenges.
Kane Fritzler - Ratu (Orange) Tribe
Kane Fritzler is a 25-year-old law student who lives in Saskatoon, Canada. Thanks to his background in law, he possesses the skills of negotiation and observation which can benefit him when forming alliances.
Lauren Harpe - Ratu (Orange) Tribe
Lauren Harpe is 31 years old and lives in Mont Belvieu, Texas, where she works as an elementary school teacher. She's also a single parent, which she says has prepared her for facing physical, mental, and emotional challenges that may be in Survivor and can be answered with strong resilience.
Maddy Pomilla - Ratu (Orange) Tribe
Maddy Pomilla is a 28-year-old charity projects manager who resides in Brooklyn, New York. Between her job and growing up as the middle child of five girls, she has an understanding of working your way up from the bottom and adapting to changes that could arise in Survivor.
Maddy was a surprise exit in the first episode of the season. She and several others attempted to target Brandon, but he used his Hidden Immunity Idol, negating the votes he received. It was a solid strategy, but ultimately it backfired on Maddy and got her eliminated.
Matthew Grinstead-Mayle - Ratu (Orange) Tribe
He's a 43-year-old barbershop owner who lives in Columbus, Ohio. Matthew Grinstead-Mayle's occupation allows him the benefit of being a social butterfly to build relationships and be charismatic around people. Sadly, Matt had to exit the show in episode 5 after sustaining multiple injuries throughout the season. The doctors said he suffered a tear in his shoulder and that continuing would put him at risk for a greater injury.
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Claire Rafson - Soka (Green) Tribe
Claire Rafson is 25 years old and lives in Brooklyn, New York, She works as a tech investor, which demands being competitive, ambitious, and excelling at networking. Claire was quickly eliminated in episode 3 after Soka went to tribal council.
Danny Massa - Soka (Green) Tribe
He's a 32-year-old firefighter from the Bronx, New York. Danny Massa's job presents the qualities of being a physical asset in challenges along with being a team player. He can also apply his quick thinking and adaptability to the mental aspect of Survivor.
Frannie Marin - Soka (Green) Tribe
Frannie Marin is 23 years old and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she works as a research coordinator. Her work experience has built her ability to deal with multiple pieces of information and maintain a calm composure to make effective decisions. She can certainly use that poise to navigate the Survivor chaos.
Heidi Legares-Greenblatt - Soka (Green) Tribe
She's a 43-year-old engineering manager who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Having moved from Puerto Rico when she was 23, Heidi Legares-Greenblatt worked hard to adapt to her new home and build everything up from the ground. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of Survivor legend Sandra Diaz-Twine.
Josh Wilder - Soka (Green) Tribe
Josh Wilder is 34 years old and resides in Atlanta, Georgia. He works as a podiatric surgeon and has done vigorous Peloton training. He captures the perfect balance of brains and brawns for Survivor, with his athleticism making him valuable in physical challenges. At the same time, his intelligence can strengthen his strategy around the other players. Josh was able to fend off two straight tribal councils that would have sent him packing, but unfortunately, his luck ran out in episode 6. He couldn't avoid elimination for a third time.
Matt Blankinship - Soka (Green) Tribe
He's a 27-year-old cyber security engineer living in San Francisco, California. Matt Blankinship's intelligence will be an asset for strategic plays, especially with his job serving as an equivalent of gathering intel and exploiting weaknesses within the system that could be tribe alliances.
