The Forgotten Reality Show That Inspired ‘Survivor’

As Survivor debuts its 50th season on February 25, the series is once again being celebrated as one of the most influential shows in television history. What is often overlooked, however, is that Survivor was not an American original. Its blueprint was created years earlier with Expedition Robinson, later shortened to Robinson, the true starting point of the franchise.

Expedition Robinson premiered in Sweden on September 13, 1997, making it the first televised version of what would become the international Survivor format. The series was created by British television producer Charlie Parsons and developed through his production company Planet 24. While Parsons originally conceived the format in the United Kingdom in 1994, Sweden took the risk and brought it to air. That decision changed the trajectory of reality television.