After 14 Seasons, Hasn't Lost a Step
Entertainment Writer, reality TV junkie, a storyteller
| Pros |
|
| Cons |
|
MAY
15
2007
Survivor —
IntroSome think of Survivor as the granddaddy of all reality TV shows, and just finishing up its fourteenth season, it really hasn't lost a step throughout this time. I reluctantly turned it on halfway through the first season, tired of everyone else talking about it and wanting to at least get what they meant as they joked about voting each other off. And since that summer seven years ago, I haven't missed a single episode, as I sit riveted every single time.
Plot
Fourteen to twenty people are dropped off on a remote location, usually an island, but not always, and are forced to survive the elements, the game, and themselves, with the goal of being the last one standing after thirty-nine days, as they "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast." They're put through challenges to win rewards and to win longer stays in the game, and every three days, their new friends vote someone out. At times they've been given food and at others tools to get their own food, such as fishing gear or egg-laying hens. Sometimes they are even left in places with an abundance of tropical fruit growing around them. Yet no matter their food circumstance, it's never enough, and never what the survivors are used to eating at home.
Stars
The host for the entire fourteen seasons of Survivor has been Jeff Probst, and one season he even fell in love with a survivor, although they claim it was after the duration of the show. Throughout the seasons, some definite stars have been born from the everyday contestants. Richard Hatch, Rob Mariano, Amber Brkich, and Rupert Boneham are more or less household names. Certainly, this season's Yau-Man is well on his way to the same fame, regardless of him not winning a title.
A Look Inside Basic Humanity
Everyone seems to enjoy a different part of Survivor, whether it's watching people in desolate conditions, watching the competitions, etc. What I particularly enjoy watching is the interpersonal relations. I love watching people strategize on the best way to do this and that and sometimes falter and sometimes not. And while some may say it's just reality TV, to me in some ways it does represent "reality," and I think it represents basic humanity. This past season is a perfect example as the good guy, Yau-Man, gave away a reward of a truck in exchange for not being voted out later in the game. The man he made the deal with, Dreamz, was in desperate need of some wheels, and made the deal, though didn't keep his word, voting Yau-Man out anyway. What's emerged afterwards on message boards and forums are many people discussing ... life. Was it right not to keep your word, does that make you a bad person, does it mean you have no right to call yourself a Christian, etc. It's fascinating to me, the debate over whether you should sell your integrity for a $60,000 truck, and whether you should keep that same integrity, losing a shot at a million dollars. It's easy to dismiss this as "not real," but I'm sure when those people are in the game, it is all very real to them, as they sleep outside in the rain, get eaten up by bugs, and don't have the use of a shower or toilet.
Editing
As a storyteller, whether I'm talking or writing, I love the stories that producer Mark Burnett gives me each season. Somehow, through very crafty editing, he shows me exactly the story he wants me to see. There are hundreds of hours of daily footage shot each season, to be sure, but he sifts through it all spinning a tale of how he wants it told. We don't figure anything out on what is going to happen until Burnett wants us to. And always weaved in are shots of the native animals, reptiles, and amphibians of the area, whichever one most resembles what''s happening. Rats and snakes seem to be favorites, especially after Sue Hawk's famous speech in season one.
Conclusion
The upside to this is that every season is different. Not only are the locations different, but there are different people that create different situations. Producer Mark Burnett makes sure we don't get bored adding different twists and turns during each season, whether it's the introduction to Exile Island, returning teammates that were voted out, shuffled teams, early merge, no merge, extra immunity idols, or this season's much talked about plot of having the two teams broken up into the "haves" and "have-nots." Next season the show moves to China for season 15, and we're guaranteed of having interesting and infuriating characters, sometimes within the same person, at least one all new twist, an interesting look at what makes the people interrelate, and as always, a fantastic story.
Survivor is recommended by LauraBelle
Comments about LauraBelle’s Review
More reviews by LauraBelle
Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips Review - "More Minty Than Mint...Dishwasher Magic Dishwasher Cleaner & Disinfectant Review - "This...
Vizio - High Definition Blu-ray Disc Player VBR110 Review - "Ultra...iHome iP9BR Clock Clock Radio for iPhone / iPod Review - "Everything I...
Action & Adventure
Supernatural
4.83 overall from 48 reviews
from $3 at 3 merchants
4.83 overall from 48 reviews
from $3 at 3 merchants
Rescue Me
4.82 overall from 11 reviews
from $15 at 9 merchants
4.82 overall from 11 reviews
from $15 at 9 merchants
