Jeff Probst from 'Survivor' Season 45 standing in the rain and smiling

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‘Survivor’ Season 45 Full Schedule and Possible Finale Date

'Survivor' Season 45 is here. Here's what viewers need to know about the upcoming episode schedule and possible finale date.

by Lauren Weiler

Published on September 27, 2023

2 min read

CBS’s Survivor Season 45 is here with another monumental season of alliances, deception, challenges, and rewards. While Survivor started with the cast members outplaying, outwitting, and outlasting each other for 39 days, recent seasons put the castaways in Fiji for a shorter period. So, how does that affect the schedule? Here’s what to know about the Survivor Season 45 schedule, plus a possible finale date.

‘Survivor’ Season 45 full schedule and possible finale date

The Survivor Season 45 full schedule shows viewers can anticipate 13 90-minute episodes this season. The premiere airs on Sept. 27, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the premiere of The Amazing Race Season 35 at 9:30 p.m. ET. Every episode of Survivor Season 45 will air from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ET except the finale, which is likely to span three hours. The reunion typically includes the final Tribal Council, the fire-making challenge, the jury questions and votes, and the reunion.

With that in mind, here’s the Survivor Season 45 full schedule with a possible finale date:

Episode 1: Sept. 27, 2023

Episode 2: Oct. 4, 2023

Episode 3: Oct. 11, 2023

Episode 4: Oct. 18, 2023

Episode 5: Oct. 25, 2023

Episode 6: Nov. 1, 2023

Episode 7: Nov. 8, 2023

Episode 8: Nov. 15, 2023

Episode 9: Nov. 22, 2023

Episode 10: Nov. 29, 2023

Episode 11: Dec. 6, 2023

Episode 12: Dec. 13, 2023

Finale: Dec. 20, 2023

How long did the season film for?

Jeff Probst from 'Survivor' Season 45 smiling while sitting at Tribal Council — Jeff Probst from ‘Survivor’ Season 45 | Robert Voets/CBS via Getty Images

Past seasons of Survivor filmed from 39 to 42 days, but Survivor Season 45 filmed for just 26 days. Despite the swifter gameplay, the Survivor Season 45 schedule will still air 13 episodes.

The shorter gameplay started because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “The decision to change the game to 26 days came from the fact that we couldn’t leave our bubble,” host Jeff Probst told Entertainment Weekly before Survivor Season 41. “So, if we wanted to shoot two seasons, we had to do it back to back. For us to shoot two seasons of 39 days, back-to-back, along with our 14-day quarantine, would have meant nearly 100 days, and that was simply too long.”

“From a big picture point of view, this new era is here to stay,” Probst added. “Twenty-six days, no food, meager supplies, penalties for losing, risky advantages, fast pace, small tribes. We like this version and we think it has legs, so we’re going to work within that format and see where it goes.”

Where was ‘Survivor’ Season 45 filmed?

Survivor Season 45 was filmed in Fiji, where the show will continue to film for the foreseeable future. The show typically films two seasons back-to-back to save money, and production decided to stay in Fiji starting with season 33.

“There are not as many places we can go for lots of reasons — the economy, population, political unrest, weather patterns, Probst told Entertainment Weekly in 2017. “Fiji offers us everything that we want — incredibly beautiful water that you can see down 30 feet, beaches that are amazing, a government that is working with us, local labor that loves to say ‘Bula!’ every day because they’re just happy you’re here. And our crew has never been as happy. We actually have decent accommodations to do this show out in the jungle. It’s a win-win-win.”

Survivor Season 45 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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