From battling zombies and escaping dystopian death games to surviving plane crashes and brutal wilderness, the worlds of fictional TV drama aren't for the faint-hearted. But when asked if they could make it through, many viewers backed themselves to go the distance.
The team at Spin Genie UK conducted a survey asking people which TV shows they think they'd survive in, how long they think they'd last, and what skills they'd rely on most to stay alive.
Would you outwit the infected, outlast the wilderness, or just hope for a lucky break?
WARNING: Potential spoilers for Squid Game, Lost, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The 100, The Last of Us, Alice in Borderland, and Yellowjackets.
10 Quick-Fire Findings
- More than a quarter (25.5%) of people think they wouldn’t be able to survive in any of the shows.
- Between 25.0% and 28.1% of UK residents think they could outlast The Walking Dead, Lost, The Last of Us, or Yellowjackets.
- On average, nearly a quarter (23.7%) of people think they could make it to the end across all shows.
- Yellowjackets is the least survivable show, with only one in 20 (4.9%) people thinking they could stay alive for any time there. However, of those who believe they wouldn't die immediately, over a quarter (25.5%) think they'd make it to the end.
- While men back their physical strength (20.3% versus 16.3%), women are more likely to rely on their intelligence (65.1% versus 52.4%).
- Squid Game has the most significant generational confidence gap: 48.7% of 25–34-year-olds think they’d hold their own compared to 1.3% of over-65s.
- Older generations believe they would need luck, whereas younger groups are more likely to rely on manipulation.
- South West England residents tend to be pessimistic (29.0% believing they wouldn't stay alive in any show).
- Northern England has the highest percentage (18.2%) of people believing "ability to manipulate others" would help them survive, over triple that of South West England and Central England.
- Almost nine in 10 (86.2%) people from Sheffield believe mental fortitude and intelligence would be their most significant assets, the highest among all cities.
Squid Game Is the Most Survivable Show, According to One in Four People
We asked 2,000 people in the UK which TV shows they think they’d be able to survive in, even if it were only for a day or less. Here's how the nation sized up their odds.
The people of the UK are sure they’d be able to get through at least a round or two of Squid Game, with almost one in four choosing this fictional world. Interestingly, women are more confident than men. It is the most survivable show for them, according to nearly three in 10 (28.2%) women versus just 16.1% of men.
Although Lost and Yellowjackets are similar in terms of initial tragedy — a plane crash — the hopes are dramatically different. Almost one in five (18.2%) think they could make it in Lost, while only one in 20 (4.9%) said the same about Yellowjackets.
Sticking with Lost, over four in 10 (44.9%) Manchester residents believe they could last "a few months" in the wilderness, the highest percentage for this timeframe across all cities, but only a fifth of Mancunians (20.4%) would make it over a year.
People are less confident surviving a zombie apocalypse than a gruesome game show or a disaster. Just over one in six (16.9%) respondents said they could live in the world of The Walking Dead. Breaking this down, a quarter of men (25.0%) answered that they'd make it, but only one in eight (11.7%) women put the same.
More people think they could handle the monsters in The Walking Dead than the infected in The Last of Us (16.9% versus 10.0%). In the latter, people aged between 35 and 44 see themselves surviving this show the most (13.5%), and people over 65 are the least (3.5%).
How Long Do People Think They’d Survive in Each Show?
We were interested in the fictional worlds people thought they could survive in for some time, and wanted to know howlong they thought they’d survive.
Squid Game
A few days - 58.5%
While Squid Game came out on top as the show respondents think they could survive the world for some time, almost three in five (58.5%) answered that their luck would run out after just a few days. Perhaps they thought getting past Red Light, Green Light would be a step too far.
This answer is most common with people in Northern Ireland (88.2%) and those aged 65 and over (50.0%).
Lost
I'd survive until the end - 28.1%
Almost a third of people think that if they make it through the plane crash in Lost, they’re making it right until the end, joining characters like the iconic Kate, Sawyer, and Claire.
Men chose this length of time more than women (34.2% versus 21.3%), with the latter opting for only a few months.
The Walking Dead
I'd survive until the end - 26.9%
It seems that people are very confident in their skills. Out of the 16.9% of respondents who answered they’d be able to make it through some aspects of The Walking Dead, more than a quarter (26.9%) of these insisted they’d see the show out.
For context, this means they think they’d make it through Hershel’s farm, outsmart The Governor, and even be able to get the best of Negan.
Game of Thrones
I'd survive until the end - 36.2%
Game of Thrones fans think they have it all figured out, with over a third (36.2%) envisioning they’d be there to see Bran become the new ruler of Westeros. Younger people backed themselves to play the game well, with no respondents aged 24 and under thinking they’d last less than a day.
They could be imagining themselves as a background character, who has a better survival rate than part of the main cast, who seem to be killed off every other episode.
The 100
A few weeks - 26.1%
The 100 is a perfect mix of Sci-Fi technology and gritty survival, at least for viewers. However, confidence is lower than in many other shows, with most respondents saying they wouldn’t make it longer than a few weeks.
People in Central England think they wouldn’t even last that long, though, with the most common answer being only a few days (27.3%).
The Last of Us
I'd survive until the end - 28.0%
Despite the bleak, infected world of The Last of Us, over a quarter of respondents (28.0%) believe they have what it takes to make it to the end, from clickers and raiders to emotional heartbreak. Out of these, the highest percentage of respondents came from Sheffield, where over two-thirds (66.7%) believed they could survive.
People think they could be like Ellie and avoid being killed off. That is, if the series follows the game's inspiration.
Alice in Borderland
A few days - 23.0%
The deadly games in Alice in Borderland seem to have shaken viewers’ confidence as nearly one in four (23.0%) think they’d only last a few days, maybe being taken out during the Three of Clubs game.
And honestly? Fair enough. Solving puzzles under life-or-death pressure isn't everyone’s strong suit.
A few respondents think they’d make it through all of the games (although, with the series still ongoing, who knows if their confidence will wane as time passes), predominantly those aged between 55 and 64 (30.8%).
Yellowjackets
I'd survive until the end - 25.5%
In Yellowjackets, lasting for a long time isn’t just about braving the wilderness. It’s about navigating rising tensions and unsettling secrets. Still, just over a quarter (25.5%) of respondents were confident they’d stick it out until the bitter end.
Confidence was notably higher among women than men (28.9% versus 22.6%), perhaps influenced by the show’s focus on a strong female cast.
Which Survival Skills Are the Most Important?
To make it to the end of shows like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and Yellowjackets, you’re going to need some skills. But which will be the most helpful?
Intelligence Is More Important Than Strength
According to our survey, avoiding death isn’t just about brute force. It’s about strategy, resilience, and thinking three steps ahead. Almost three in five respondents (59.9%) believe their mental toughness and sharp thinking would be their key to survival in these fictional worlds.
Women backed themselves more here, with 65.1% choosing their minds over their muscles compared to 52.4% of men. Age also played a significant role. Those aged 25–34 were the most assured of their smarts (69.8%), while just 39.1% of 18–24-year-olds chose intelligence first.
Regionally, Northern Ireland showed the greatest belief in brainpower, with a massive 76.9% saying mental strength would get them through. This is closely followed by Central England (75.3%).
People from Wales Are Most Reliant on Their Endurance
Physical prowess was a distant second overall, with 17.9% thinking strength and stamina would keep them alive. Welsh respondents were the most likely to back their physical toughness (21.7%), while people in Central England were the least positive about this trait (12.8%).
Men were more likely than women to bank on their physical abilities (20.3% versus 16.3%), and younger respondents were the most confident overall — 31.9% of 18–24-year-olds picked strength as their top skill.
Men Think They Could Manipulate Others To Survive
One in six (15.7%) men thought their ability to manipulate others would be the difference between life and death in these fictional worlds, but were also slightly more likely to pick sheer luck than women (11.2% versus 9.4%)
In fact, for a tenth of all respondents (10.1%), surviving comes down to being lucky. Older groups leaned into it more heavily. This is especially true for those aged 65+ (24.3%), who recognised that sometimes fate decides your future, no matter how prepared you are.
And what other skills do the people of the UK think will get them through these TV shows? One respondent from London said their “knowledge of growing and making things from scratch” would make a difference. Another said they would bet on their “experience of camping, fishing, and ability to hide”.
Methodology
We surveyed 2,000 UK respondents, asking the following questions:
1. Which of the following fictional TV show worlds do you think you could survive in? Select all that apply.
Squid Game
Lost
The Walking Dead
Game of Thrones
The 100
The Last of Us
Alice in Borderland
Yellowjackets
I don't think I'd survive in any of them
I don't know/I've never seen any of them
2. Roughly how long do you think you'd survive on each of the show(s) you selected?
Less than a day
A few days
A few weeks
A few months
A year or more
I'd survive until the end
Not sure
3. What would most help you survive in these fictional worlds? Choose one option only.
My mental fortitude and intelligence
My physical strength and endurance
My ability to manipulate others
Sheer luck
Other (please specify)
The survey was conducted in April 2025, and all data is correct as of that date.
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