San Francisco bar hosts immersive "Survivor" watch parties

Each week at Last Rites, a Duboce Triangle establishment known for its immersive atmosphere, fans gather for a watch party of the long-running reality television series "Survivor."

San Francisco resident Kiram Maledi has been a regular since discovering the event with friends.

"We live really close by," Maledi said. "And my good friend Emily, who turned us on to 'Survivor,' found out that Last Rites hosts 'Survivor' night. We got super into watching 'Survivor' in the past couple years, and the thought of an outing in our neighborhood where we get to participate in community while also indulging in this awesome season is pretty fun."

"Survivor," one of the longest-running reality shows in television history, is now in its 50th season on CBS.

For Maledi, appreciation for the series came later in life.

"I'm a fan of the show because I never thought I'd be into reality TV, and I'm pleasantly surprised," he said. "It's a good practice of self to challenge myself for what I think I like. The challenges are super fun to watch. It's cool to watch and be like, 'How bad would I be at that?' And for me to watch the social game and be like, 'Oh, I would be crushed by that, I would really struggle.' So to kind of role play like, how would these people do it, how would I do it, and oftentimes just get surprised and into it."

The bar's carefully crafted environment adds to the experience. With jungle-inspired decor, layered sound design and even scent elements, the space is designed to evoke a tropical destination, echoing the setting of the show itself.

Screens positioned throughout the bar ensure the episode is visible from nearly every angle.

"This is such a well-crafted space," Maledi said. "The decorations, sound design — it even smells like what I think a tropical destination bar would smell like. I guess it is that. Drinks are super fantastic. I didn't even know there was a second side of the menu."

At Last Rites, the weekly gathering goes beyond simply watching a television show. For fans, it's an immersive experience, one that brings them closer to the world of "Survivor," and to each other.