Survivor (U.S. TV series)

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Survivor
Logo for the first Survivor season
Format	Reality competition
Created by	Charlie Parsons
Starring	Jeff Probst
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	16
No. of episodes	219
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Original run	May 31, 2000 – Present
Chronology
Related shows	Expedition Robinson Survivor UK
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show based on the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1992 by Charlie Parsons. The show is based on stranding a group of strangers as one or more tribes in a remote location, where they must fend for food, water, fire, and shelter for themselves, while competing in challenges to earn rewards and immunity from being voted off by the tribe in progressive eliminations; the last challenger remaining at the end of the competition wins the one million US$ prize and title of Sole Survivor. The American series is hosted by former game show emcee and news reporter, Jeff Probst. Produced by Mark Burnett, it currently airs first on the CBS television network and syndication to other cable networks. The theme song was composed by Russ Landau.

The American version has been very successful, rating amongst the top ten most watched shows each television season for its first ten seasons. It is commonly considered the mother of American reality TV because it was the first highly-rated and profitable reality show on broadcast television in the USA. The show has currently finished broadcasting its sixteenth season. CBS has ordered a seventeenth and eighteenth season and Probst has signed a contract to host the show until its twentieth season.^[1]

[edit] Format and rules

Main article: Format and Rules of Survivor

The first US season of Survivor followed the same general format as the Swedish series, but since then, the show has introduced several twists to the core rules to keep players on guard in newer seasons from relying on strategies present in previous seasons. These changes have included tribal switches, seasons starting with more than two tribes, the ability to exile a player from their tribe for a short time, and a hidden immunity idol that a player can use to save themselves at the tribal vote.

[edit] U.S. Survivor seasons

The United States version is produced by Mark Burnett and hosted by Jeff Probst. It airs Thursdays on CBS.

1. Survivor: Borneo (originally titled Survivor; later known as Survivor: Pulau Tiga or Survivor 1) was set in the South China Sea on the remote Malaysian island of Pulau Tiga. Corporate trainer Richard Hatch was its winner in a 4-3 vote over river raft guide Kelly Wiglesworth. This is the only season to have aired on Wednesdays; subsequent seasons would lead off CBS's primetime schedule on Thursdays with the finale on a Sunday. This season was also the only season to reveal the winner on location rather than live.
2. Survivor: The Australian Outback was set in the Australian Outback (though the location was by Australian standards not particularly remote, nor was it arid). Registered nurse Tina Wesson won 4-3 over custom car designer and actor Colby Donaldson. During this series, Michael Skupin suffered burns and became the first contestant evacuated due to injuries. This is the only season to last more than 39 days (to date), running 42 days total. Also this is the most watched season to date.
3. Survivor: Africa was set in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve,^[2] (previously home to the film Born Free^[3]). This was the first season to feature a tribal swap. Former USL player Ethan Zohn won, defeating retired teacher Kim Johnson by a vote of 5-2.
4. Survivor: Marquesas was set on Nuku Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia marking the series' first return to a beach location since Season 1. For the first time the finalists were all women. Office Manager Vecepia Towery won by a vote of 4-3 over student Neleh Dennis. This season was the only time the infamous Purple Rock tie breaker was ever used.
5. Survivor: Thailand was set on the island of Ko Tarutao off the coast of Thailand. For the first time the tribes were not predetermined by producers, but were rather picked by the two oldest players, Jake and Jan. Also, this season was the first to feature a fake merge and a delayed merge. Also, two opposing tribes lived together on the same beach. For the first (and so far only) time the finalists were both men. Used car salesman and former soft-core porn actor Brian Heidik beat restaurant owner Clay Jordan by a vote of 4-3.
6. Survivor: The Amazon was set in the jungles of the Amazon River region of Brazil. This was the first time the two tribes were divided up by males and females. It was also the first time a reality show contestant competed with a disability, the hearing impaired Christy Smith. Student and swimsuit model Jenna Morasca won by a vote of 6-1 over restaurant designer Matthew Von Ertfelda.
7. Survivor: Pearl Islands was set in the Pearl Islands off the coast of Panama. This season was the first and only time players who had been voted out were allowed to return to the game as part of the Outcast Tribe. The winning tribe in the Reward Challenge was able to loot one item from the losing tribe. Office assistant Sandra Diaz-Twine defeated Boy Scout leader Lillian Morris by a vote of 6-1.
8. Survivor: All-Stars was again set in the Pearl Islands, Panama. The game featured eighteen past Survivor contestants divided into three tribes (the first season to use more than 16 contestants). This is the first season that featured an early merge of the 3 tribes down to 2. Administrative assistant Amber Brkich won by a vote of 4-3 over construction worker and bartender Rob Mariano. Just before the live vote was revealed, Rob proposed to Amber. Survivor: America's Tribal Council was held four days later, and a second million-dollar prize was awarded to Rupert Boneham for being voted by the viewers as their favorite contestant (making him the only player in the show's history to win a million dollars on the show without actually being the sole survivor).
9. Survivor: Vanuatu - Islands of Fire was set on islands in the archipelago nation of Vanuatu, located in the South Pacific Ocean. The tribes were also divided by gender. It featured the first "double tribal council", when both tribes voted a contestant out in the same episode. Highway construction worker Chris Daugherty, the last male in the final seven, defeated highway repair worker Twila Tanner by a vote of 5-2.
10. Survivor: Palau was set in the island nation of Palau, located in the Philippine Sea. The season started with 20 contestants, but on day two the number was reduced to 18 in a tribal selection process. The season concluded with firefighter Tom Westman prevailing over advertising executive Katie Gallagher by a vote of 6-1. This season was the only one in which one of the tribes, Koror, won all the immunity challenges. Due to this streak and the lack of any tribal swap, there was no usual tribal merge, instead the last member of the defeated tribe, Ulong, simply became a member of Koror. This season was first to feature Exile Island, though was only used once during the show.
11. Survivor: Guatemala - The Mayan Empire was set in the Yaxha National Park. 18 Survivors (16 new contestants plus Stephenie LaGrossa and Bobby Jon Drinkard from Survivor: Palau) were stranded amongst the ruins of the Maya civilization. This season was first to include a hidden immunity idol, hidden near camp, though was only available post-merge, and was not rehidden after its use. This idol was found by Gary Hogeboom, a retired NFL quarterback who sought to conceal his past profession from fellow contestants, believing it would increase his chances of being voted off. The season concluded with sports radio host Danni Boatwright defeating pharmaceutical sales representative Stephenie LaGrossa by a 6-1 vote.
12. Survivor: Panama - Exile Island was set again in the Pearl Islands of Panama, marking the third time this location has been used for Survivor. This is the first time the contestants were divided into four tribes: Younger Men, Younger Women, Older Men, and Older Women. This was also the first season to include Exile Island throughout the show, and to offer the hidden Individual Immunity Idol throughout. The idol could only be found by being exiled to Exile Island. Bruce Kanegai became the second person in the history of the show to leave due to a medical emergency. The season concluded with yoga instructor Aras Baskauskas defeating medical sales representative Danielle DiLorenzo by a vote of 5-2.
13. Survivor: Cook Islands took place on the Cook Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. Tribes were initially grouped into four tribes by ethnicity: African Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, and Asians. Both Exile Island and the Hidden Immunity Idol were used throughout the season. This is the first time three castaways were involved in the final vote, with a jury composed of nine members (with some entering the jury before the merge). The season was won by management consultant Yul Kwon, who edged out waiter Ozzy Lusth and attorney Becky Lee by a vote of 5-4, with Becky receiving no votes.
14. Survivor: Fiji, the fourteenth season, took place on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific Ocean. For the first time, the total number of castaways starts with an odd number (19 total) due to the last minute withdrawal of one contestant.^[4] As part of the twist to this season, one tribe enjoyed much better living conditions (such as ready-to-assembly structures, furniture, dishware, and a working shower) than the other tribe prior to the merge. Both Exile Island and the Hidden Immunity Idol returned, with 2 Idols in play, initially one on each beach. The same final three with a jury of nine format from Cook Islands was also used in Fiji. The season concluded with advertising executive Earl Cole defeating civil engineer manager Cassandra Franklin and cheerleading coach Dre "Dreamz" Herd by a 9-0-0 vote, the first unanimous vote in the show's history.
15. Survivor: China was the fifteenth season of the show, taking place in remote China. A twist involving kidnapping players from the opposing tribe was introduced, replacing Exile Island from the prior three seasons. There were two Hidden Immunity Idols, which were hidden in plain sight at each tribe's camp. Flight attendant Todd Herzog defeated waitress Courtney Yates and hiking guide Amanda Kimmel with a vote of 4-2-1.
16. Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs Favorites was the show's sixteenth season, taking place in the Micronesian archipelago. This season's twist was that ten self-proclaimed Survivor superfans competed against ten popular past contestants. Exile Island made a return after being absent for the China season, now with two contestants, one from each tribe, being sent to exile on occasion. This was the first season to have three castaways leave due to reasons other than being voted out. Charity organizer Parvati Shallow defeated aspiring designer Amanda Kimmel with a vote of 5-3.
17. Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden had opened for applications which closed on January 24, 2008. Casting is now taking place with the interviews in Los Angeles in April. Production will begin in late June using high definition cameras, making this the first season shot and aired in HD. ^[5] On May 11, 2008, it was announced that Season 17 will take place in Gabon, Africa and will air on CBS starting September 18.
18. Season 18 will be produced in 2008 and air in Spring 2009.^[6] For this season, the minimum age requirement has been lowered to 18 in most states. ^[7]

• Survivor: Marquesas was not shown in Australia as the network was showing a series of Australian Survivor instead. The latter was not a ratings success, and afterwards the American edition of Survivor resumed airing.
• Beginning with Survivor: Vanuatu - Islands of Fire through Survivor: Fiji, an internet talk show called Survivor Live has aired the day after a show on CBS.com.
• Since late 2000/early 2001 the Irish TV station TG4 has broadcast Survivor. The show is narrated in the Irish Language, but all of the contestants' voices, including Jeff and any other person shown, are broadcast in English.

[edit] U.S. television ratings

Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of the United States version of Survivor on CBS.

Note: Each U.S. network television season starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.

Survivor: Borneo doesn't have a ranking because it aired in the summer of 2000. It would have ranked #2 in the 1999-2000 U.S. television season, assuming it would have attained the exact same viewership numbers as it did in the summer of 2000.

^sb The season premieres of Survivor: The Australian Outback and Survivor: All-Stars each aired after a Super Bowl. Seasons broadcast in winter/spring have had episodes moved to Wednesdays at 8:00pm to avoid conflicts with broadcasts of the first two weeks of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. For Survivor: Marquesas and every series beginning with Survivor: The Amazon, the finale was broadcast Sunday Night at 8:00pm; in particular, for the spring season, this finale has always coincided with Mother's Day in the United States.

[edit] Locations

Locations of the different seasons

The American version of Survivor has been shot in many locations around the world since the first season, most favoring warm, tropical climates.

[edit] Survivor auctions

At the end of each U.S. Survivor series from Survivor Africa onward, various Survivor props and memorabilia are listed on eBay to benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Items up for auction have included: flags, mats, tree mails, contestant torches, contestant clothing, autographed items, immunity idols and the coveted voting urn.

[edit] Controversies and legal action

Turmoil between players is commonplace for any reality series, but Survivor has had a few instances which went beyond mere intertribal squabbles. More recently, there have been debates, some even prior to the series' premiere, regarding the formatting of the show:

• In February 2001, Borneo player Stacey Stillman filed a lawsuit claiming producers interfered in the process of the game by persuading two members of her tribe (Sean Kenniff and Dirk Been) to vote her off instead of Rudy Boesch. Been supported her allegations. Mark Burnett countersued Stillman for US$5 million. The case was eventually settled out of court.^{[citation needed]}
• Colby Donaldson removed corals from the Great Barrier Reef, a crime resulting in a fine of AU$110,000. Technically, he should have been disqualified on Episode 9 due to breaking the local law. The helicopter involved with the reward also flew around sea bird rookeries.^[49] When this episode aired in Australia, the commercial breaks featured advertisements that stated removing coral from the Great Barrier Reef is illegal and results in a fine.
• Graphic violence against living animals has occasionally been shown on the program, to the outrage of animal-rights groups. In an episode from Survivor: Vanuatu, the women's tribe, the Yasur, was filmed killing a live chicken with a spearheaded object; they also cooked the chicken's eggs. During an episode of Survivor: Australia, members of the Kucha tribe were shown hunting and killing a wild pig.
• At the trivia immunity challenge for Africa's final four players, host Jeff Probst asked which female player in their season had no piercings. Kim Johnson answered Kelly Goldsmith, got the point, and went on to win the challenge, which pushed her to third and ultimately (after another immunity win) second place. Tom Buchanan was eliminated. Months later, the cast and producers (who were preparing for the live finale and reunion) watched the episode backstage. During the rebroadcast of the challenge, Lindsey Richter shouted to the TV that she had no piercings. Lex van den Berghe's answer had been Lindsey, yet the show had not awarded him a point, thus significantly changing the outcome of the game (van den Berghe was eliminated in third place). CBS later paid van den Berghe and Buchanan a settlement.^[50]
• In the fifth episode of the All-Star season, a naked Richard Hatch may or may not have come into contact with Sue Hawk after she blocked his path during an immunity challenge. Hatch was voted out that day for other reasons; Hawk quit the game a few days later (episode six). Hawk considered filing a lawsuit against the parties involved, but appeared with Hatch on The Early Show the morning after the sixth episode aired, stating she opted out of legal action because CBS had helped her "deal with the situation".[1]
• In order to be sure to win a Reward Challenge in which the castaways competed to win a visit from their friends or loved ones, Pearl Islands Survivor Jonny "Fairplay" Dalton conspired beforehand with friend Dan Fields in what has been described by Probst as the greatest lie on Survivor to date. Fields told Dalton that his grandmother, Jean Cooke, had died, in order to win sympathy from his tribemates and subsequently the reward. In reality, Cooke had not died, a fact that only emerged to his tribemates once the episode had aired. When the show staff heard about Cooke's "death," they called Dalton's family to offer condolences, only to have Cooke herself answer the phone. Dalton admitted in confessional after the challenge that his grandmother was alive and "probably watching Jerry Springer right now." On that season's reunion show, Jeff Probst had a short interview with Cooke, who was indeed alive and well.
• Rupert Boneham, originally on Survivor: Pearl Islands and then part of Survivor: All-Stars was an extremely popular player with television audiences, but finished eighth and fourth, respectively, in his appearances on the show. As part of Survivor: All-Stars, a special Survivor: America's Tribal Council contest for the 18 players was created, where the winner would be selected by the viewing audience and would receive $1 million US prize; Rupert won this prize, unsurprisingly, with more than 80% of the votes cast. Many long-time Survivor fans saw this as a way of diluting the overall concept of the show, that instead of outwitting, outplaying and outlasting your fellow tribe members to win the game, a player could now play specifically to gain popularity with audience of the show, regardless of how well he played the game, and still would be rewarded with a large prize.^[51]
• Richard Hatch, the winner of the first season of Survivor, was charged and found guilty in January 2006 of failing to report his winnings to the IRS to avoid taxes. He has been sentenced to four years, three months in prison.^[52]
• The 13th season of Survivor, known as Survivor: Cook Islands, began with tribes grouped according to race. Host Jeff Probst claims the choice "came from the criticism that Survivor was not ethnically diverse enough."^[53] Several long-term sponsors, including Campbell's Soup, Procter & Gamble, Home Depot, Coca Cola, and General Motors^[54] dropped their support of the show shortly after this announcement, leading to speculation that the decisions were in response to the controversy. Each of the companies has either denied the link or declined to comment.^[55] The controversy did attract the ire of certain community activists, such as Fernando Mateo.
• Mark Burnett has also received criticism for "reenacting" scenes with actor "stand ins" which he claims were used to increase production value and did not affect the outcome. ^[56]
• The program angered its fan base when Jeff Probst revealed that Survivor: Fiji ignored the thousands of viewer applicants and instead used their own recruited players. It was revealed that Gary Stritesky was the only actual applicant chosen, while the rest used on the show were recruits. ^[57] While Probst defended the process by claiming they wanted to find more “diverse” players, 10 of the recruits were from California (13 the previous season) and many were young unemployed actors and found in places like bars and MySpace.com. ^[58] Many fans felt that going away from the original selection process of using people of all ages from around the country produced inferior and uninteresting players. One example was Melissa McNulty, a Fiji recruit, who was unable to even make it to the island, quitting because of a panic attack merely five hours before departing. ^[59]
• At the Survivor: China reunion show, Denise Martin told producers and the audience her unfortunate story of being demoted to a janitor from a lunch lady because of the distraction she was to students. Because of her claimed misfortune, Mark Burnett awarded Martin $50,000. Martin ultimately recanted the story after the school district publicly stated that she had taken the custodial position before appearing on the show.^[60] She also decided to donate the $50,000 to charity. ^[61]

[edit] Merchandise

The wild success of Survivor spawned a wide range of merchandise from the very first season. While early items available were limited to buffs, water bottles, hats, t-shirts, and other typical souvenir items, the marketability of the franchise has grown tremendously. Today, fans can find innumerable items, including computer and board games, interactive online games, mugs, tribal-themed jewelry, beach towels, dog tags, magnets, multi-function tools, DVD seasons, Survivor party kits, insider books, soundtracks, and more.

One of the more novel merchandising items has been the interactive Survivor: The Ride thrill ride at Great America in Santa Clara, California. The ride includes a rotating platform on which riders are divided into one of four "tribes." As the ride moves along an undulating track, riders can be sprayed by water guns hidden in oversized tribal masks while drums and other familiar Survivor musical accents play in the background. Other theming includes Survivor memorabilia throughout the queue line and other merchandise for sale in nearby gift shops.^[62]

[edit] DVD releases

Best of

Full seasons

Complete seasons on iTunes

[edit] See also

• Expedition Robinson
• Survivor (UK TV series)
• Survivor BG
• Australian Survivor
• Celebrity Survivor
• Obstacle course
• Survivor South Africa

[edit] References

[edit] External links