Survivor
Survivor One Of The Most Popular Reality Tv Shows
The amazing – and constantly increasing – popularity of reality television over the last few years has prompted the development of a slew of shows including Survivor, which has spawned many international variations, The Real World and The Hills. Shows like The Bachelor, American Idol and Jersey Shore are, in fact, so popular that some industry people think that the reality TV invasion may signify the end of non-reality episodic television.
Although MTV’s The Real World is credited with originating the reality television genre and Project Runway deals with the glamorous world of international fashion, it is the cult “Outwit Outplay Outlast” show, Survivor, that has captured the most world-wide attention.
Unlike reality TV shows like the Real Housewives of New Jersey and Jersey Shore, which are highly specific to the USA, the Survivor concept can be adapted to work just as well in any corner of the world. In brief, the contestants who participate in Survivor are literally abandoned in the wilds of uncivilized places like Borneo, Samoa or Gabon, and they are then forced to battle it out with the objective of there eventually being only one person left in the game: the sole Survivor. This game-based reality TV show is, in this latter aspect, rather like the similarly popular American Idol and The Bachelor because, on all three shows, there can be only one winner.
A version of Survivor has screened in at least 48 countries – out of the way places like Montenegro, Herzegovina and Fiji included – and this gritty and gripping reality TV show uses conceits like hidden immunity idols, exile islands and tribal councils to grab and maintain audience attention. Dancing with the Stars may be full of celebrities, awe-inspiring dancing and beautiful dresses, but it’s the cut-throat world of Survivor, where a mistake could easily mean severe injury or worse, that has captured the imaginations of housebound viewers.
In a world where reality television shows like Survivor, Real Housewives of New Jersey, The Hills and Dancing With The Stars reign supreme, it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to go back to relying on the printed word for up to date information on pop culture. Magazines are still out there, however, and publications like Sports Illustrated, Playboy and National Geographic will, most probably, still be around once the reality TV show fad has faded.
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