Survival Mode Episode 5: Release date news, time, streaming details, and more about the NBC docuseries' upcoming chapter

Survival Mode Episode 5 is all about taking viewers back to one of the scariest natural disasters in California's recent history, i.e., the Montecito Mudslides. The episode, releasing on NBC, goes all the way back to the deadly night when lives and homes were taken due to a deadly wave of mud and waste.

If you're wondering when and where to watch the episode and what to expect, then we've broken down everything you need to know right here.

Here's everything to know about Survival Mode Episode 5, including the release date, details regarding streaming, and a tiny gist of what this episode will be exploring.

---

When is Survival Mode Episode 5 coming out? Here’s your full release breakdown

Survival Mode Episode 5 is officially scheduled to premiere on Monday, August 4, 2025, on NBC. The series follows a weekly release pattern, so this episode lands right in the middle of the nine-part docuseries that launched on July 7. Just like its previous episodes, this one will release at 10 PM ET/PT.

If you've been following the NBC show right from the start, then you know how closely each episode focuses on true accounts from the people who've actually survived the worst. Episode 5 continues that theme for the Montecito mudslide, a disaster that left a deep hurt on Southern California in 2018.

The show looks through that night when walls of mud came in through quiet neighborhoods while people were fast asleep in their homes and beds.

Each Monday brings a new episode, and NBC has kept its schedule consistent. However, for those who prefer streaming, here is more on that below.

---

Where to stream Survival Mode Episode 5 and how to catch up on earlier episodes

If you miss the live release of Survival Mode Episode 5 on NBC, there's no need to worry because you haven't missed a single beat!

The episode will also be available the very next day on Peacock, i.e., August 5, as it stands as NBC's official streaming platform. This makes it super easy for people who prefer to watch the episode at their own time and convenience.

Episode 5 won't be the last, so if you're behind, you can still catch up. All previous episodes are available on Peacock, and they include stories covering events like the Hurricane lan. The streaming drop happens every Tuesday after the live NBC release.

So whether you're in a hurry or are planning a quiet evening at home, Peacock has you all covered. You just need a subscription, and all five episodes, including the upcoming one, will be within reach. Watching on Peacock also gives you access to behind-the-scenes moments and recaps that aren't included in the broadcast.

---

What Survival Mode Episode 5 will uncover about Montecito’s darkest night

Episode 5 of Survival Mode focuses entirely on the Montecito mudslide, a disaster that struck suddenly after days of heavy rain on wildfire-scorched land. The episode tells the story of families who had just returned home after evacuations only to face something far worse.

Through interviews with survivors, emergency workers, and local authorities, the episode sheds light on the confusion around all of the alerts. Only a tiny amount of residents actually left when advised. Robert Lewin, head of Santa Barbara County Emergency Management, admitted in a press briefing,

"There were discrepancies in the zone descriptions... we're doing everything we can to fix that now."

Lewin also shed light on what survival actually means, sharing something a friend told him after living through a wildfire,

"We get to choose whether we want to be a victim or a survivor."

That quote becomes a central theme in this episode.

The docuseries doesn't just retell what happened that night, but it looks into why things happened the way they did and what choices had to be made under extreme pressure.

Viewers will get a closer look at the choices that led to survival and, in some cases, the choices that didn't come in time.

---

Survival Mode Episode 5 isn't just another natural disaster story, but it's a look into human strength, human tragedy, and the importance of action that should be taken right on time. This episode on the Montecito mudslides gets ahold of real voices and raw moments that still ring today.

Tune in to NBC on August 4 or catch it later on Peacock because this is one episode you don't want to miss.

---

Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more.