Survivor Vs. Big Brother: Which Is The Best Reality Show?

When it comes to competition reality shows, two of the most notable are Survivor and Big Brother. Both of them have long legacies and huge fanbases, but which of the two is the better show? They both have various aspects that make them better or worse than one another Let’s take a look, and decide which of the two reigns supreme.

10 Survivor: Concise

There is something to be said for brevity when it comes to television. All-in-all, Survivor airs once a week for about 3 months twice a year. On the other hand, Big Brother airs once a year for about 3 months, but three times a week with live feeds 24/7. It’s just… a lot. The show can even air twice some years, with Celebrity Big Brother and Big Brother: Over the Top. There is a lot of Big Brother in general, which can be good, but can also be a bit much.

9 Big Brother: The Live Feeds

One of the big plusses that Big Brother has over Survivor is the live feeds, with which fans are able to watch what’s going on in the house 24/7. This lets superfans get in on literally everything that is happening on the show, know that production isn’t giving anyone a good or bad edit, and gives them something to watch for hours on end once summer hits.

8 Survivor: The Unpredictability

This is no fault of the shows themselves, but in Big Brother, alliances tend to stick pretty well week to week, and there are not usually big surprises for those who are watching the live feeds. However, on Survivor, no one knows what’s going to happen before the episode airs, and there are blindsides almost weekly, which can oftentimes make for a more exciting show than Big Brother. Not always, of course, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

7 Big Brother: Competitions

On the competition front, Big Brother takes the win. While Survivor’s competitions can certainly be more grueling, they also are incredibly formulaic. That’s not to say that Big Brother doesn’t rely on some themes with its competitions, but they aren’t nearly as bad as Survivor.

Survivor also switches to basically only endurance comps once the merge hits halfway through the season, which docks it a few more points.

6 Survivor: The Twists

The twists in Survivor are pretty top-notch. Fire Tokens change up the game considerably, Edge of Extinction doesn’t suck anymore, and Idols can change the game in big ways. Survivor strikes a nice balance with having interesting twists that don’t completely change how the game is played, which is perfect for a show that could otherwise become a bit stale.

5 Big Brother: The Twists

Big Brother’s twists are pretty solid as well. While they don’t all hit (looking at you, Battle of the Block), overall they are fun and mix up the game in some interesting ways. While sometimes they come off as unimpactful or a bit overbearing, usually they add just the right amount of unpredictability to a season.

4 Survivor: The Casting

The casting on Big Brother can be iffy at times, no one would contest that. Survivor seems to do a better job of casting a diverse group of people that all have very different views of the world.

Big Brother relies somewhat on stereotypes when they cast for a new season, the only time more than one gay man was featured in a season when it was part of a twist. You never know what you’re going to get when it comes to Survivor.

3 Big Brother: The Live Factor

Being a live show that is airing as things unfold has a lot of benefits that Big Brother gets to reap. This includes growing closer to the cast as things happen, the whole world watching big twists and backstabs together, and exciting tossups like the Double Eviction that can change the game in the course of an hour. Big Brother is an exciting show, and things unfolding throughout the summer as fans get to watch are a big part of that.

2 The Hosts

Julie Chen Moonves and Jeff Probst are both integral parts of their respective show, we just couldn’t imagine it without them. Julie and Jeff have both been around since their show began, day one. Jeff’s live commentary is part of what makes Survivor’s challenges so great. And Julie’s strong interviews and back and forth with contestants are part of the Big Brother DNA. Both shows really win in this department.

1 The Winner: Big Brother

Big Brother and Survivor are both fantastic shows, but Big Brother takes the win when the two are pitted against each other. When Big Brother airs, you’re in for a great summer. Fun casts, fantastic challenges, strategies changing on a daily basis, the whole world watching with you 24/7, you never know what’s going to happen next. While you can’t go wrong with watching either show, if you need to pick just one to binge through before their next seasons begin, go with Big Brother.

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