No Limite

No Limite
Franchise Information
Country:	Brazil
Language(s)	Portuguese
Director	J.B. de Oliveira (Boninho)
Presenter(s)	Rede Globo
Host(s)	Zeca Camargo (2000-09) André Marques (2021) Fernando Fernandes (2022-23)
Running Time	60-70 minutes
Series Run	July 23, 2000 – August 17, 2023

No Limite (On the Edge, in English) is the Brazilian version of Survivor.

History

Main article: Survivor (franchise)

First broadcast on July 23, 2000, No Limite is the first reality show to be produced in Brazil.

Format Variations

The show follows the same basic structure and elements of the Survivor franchise, with some modifications. The first three seasons feature "semi-finals" and "finals", while No Limite 4 had the first eliminations decided by public votes. No Limite 5 eliminated two pairs of castawats at the final six, and the winner was decided by a public vote.

Tribes

Main article: Tribe

Mandala

Main article: Immunity Idol
In the first three seasons, in every Immunity Challenge, the tribes compete for an element of a mandala, which grants them immunity. When a tribe completed their mandala, the merge occurred. In each season, the mandala had a theme: No Limite 1: elements of nature (water, air, fire and earth); No Limite 2: time (past, present, future and infinity); No Limite 3: metals (gold, silver, bronze and copper).

Merge

Main article: Merge

Jury

Main article: Jury
Present only in No Limite 2 and No Limite 4. The jury in No Limite 2 was used as a tiebreaker after the merge, and to decide the second finalist.

Semi-finals

In all seasons, at the beginning of the season finale, the final four are treated to a food reward (e.g. a hearty breakfast) for making it that far.

In No Limite 1, the second-to-last Immunity Challenge divided the castaways in two teams. The winning team advanced to the final, while the losing team was eliminated.

In No Limite 2, the four remaining castaways competed in the second-to-last Immunity Challenge, which was an endurance challenge. At Tribal Council, only the winning castaway secured their spot in the Final Two. The tribemates voted one person out of their tribe and a jury made up of the last four eliminated players voted the second person out.

In No Limite 3, the semi-finals followed the same rules as No Limite 1.

Finals

In the first three seasons, the Final Two (Final Three in No Limite 3) faced off for the Final Immunity Challenge, which was an extremely grueling multi-part challenge, and the most elaborate challenge of the entire season, often combining elements from previous challenges.

In No Limite 1, the result was announced immediately after the final challenge. In No Limite 2 and No Limite 3, after the challenge, the castaways were told by the host that the result would be revealed during the live finale, and was secured until the live finale of the show when the results were revealed and the winner was announced.

In No Limite 5, the two finalists were subject to a public vote. The castaway who received the most votes would become the winner. In the next season, No Limite 6, this would be repeated, but with a Final Three instead of a Final Two.

Vale dos Exilados

Similar to Redemption Island, in the "Vale dos Exilados" twist (Valley of the Exiles, in English), the last 6 castaways eliminated before the Final Two were sent to a location (a kind of "cage" located amidst the jungle) to compete in an challenge, where the winner would have guaranteed a place at the Final Three. This twist was only used in No Limite 3.

Exílio

Main article: Exile Island (twist)
Only used in No Limite 4.

Hidden Immunity Idol

Main article: Hidden Immunity Idol
While on Exílio, each exiled castaway picked from one of two urns. One urn contained a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol, while the other urn contained nothing. Only used in No Limite 4.

In No Limite 6, a letter was sent to the winner of the Prova do Privilégio, saying that there was an Immunity Idol hidden at camp.

Hidden Immunity Idols would make a return in No Limite: Amazônia.

Portal

Main article: Tribal Council
In the first four eliminations of No Limite 4, Tribal Council was divided into two stages. The first was shown live on Sundays, where the tribe who lost the Immunity Challenge had to vote for one tribemate and the leader of the tribe had to vote for another. The public would vote for one of these two castaways to be eliminated. The second was shown on Thursdays, when the result was announced.

Talismã

Instead of a Torch, the castaways had an amulet (talismã) that would be broken when they were eliminated.

Seasons

Season	Tribes	Number of Castaways	Filming Location	Filming Dates	Season Run	Sole Survivor
No Limite 1	Lua Sol Solua	12	Aquiraz, Ceará, Brazil	July 2000 – August 2000	July 23, 2000 – September 10, 2000	Elaine de Melo
No Limite 2	Araras Vermelhas Lobos Guarás Araguará	12	Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, Brazil	January 2001 – February 2001	January 28, 2001 – March 25, 2001	Léo Rassi
No Limite 3	Água Fogo Foguágua	12	Marajó Island, Pará, Brazil	October 2001 – November 2001	October 28, 2001 – December 23, 2001	Rodrigo Trigueiro
No Limite 4	Manibu Taiba Carnaúba	23	Trairi, Ceará, Brazil	July 28, 2009 – September 27, 2009	July 30, 2009 – September 27, 2009	Luciana de Araújo
No Limite 5	Carcará Calango Jandaia	16	Beberibe, Ceará, Brazil	May 1, 2021 – May 26, 2021	May 23, 2021 – July 20, 2021	Paula Amorim
No Limite 6	Lua Sol Estrela	24	Camocim, Ceará, Brazil	April 19, 2022 – June 6, 2022	May 3, 2022 – July 7, 2022	Charles Gama
Amazônia	Jenipapo Urucum Ananeco	15	Rio Negro, Amazonas, Brazil	June 15, 2023 – July 4, 2023	July 18, 2023 – August 17, 2023	Dedé Macedo

Complementary series

As of 2021, in addition to the main series, two companion shows are also produced for No Limite.

No Limite – A Eliminação

A spin-off series titled No Limite – A Eliminação (No Limite – The Elimination) airs on Sunday nights, where the two castaways eliminated that week are interviewed by Ana Clara Lima.

Controversy

The abrupt end of the initial run of No Limite came due to the fact that the producer of Survivor, Mark Burnett, accused the Brazilian version of having copied the American version. According to him, there would be no problems if the rights had been bought and the show have legally undergone a format adaptation.

Due to that, Globo, the broadcast company of the show, faced a lawsuit, and following their loss, caused No Limite to be put on hold. However, in June 2009, Globo legalized the status of the program. The company bought the rights of Survivor in Brazil, and they were allowed to use the Survivor soundtrack, challenges and even original buffs.

See also

• Official website