We Can’t Survive Without Survivor

We all have the instinct to keep ourselves alive and survive. So what happens when you put 16+ people on an island and tell them to survive? A reality TV masterpiece. Survivor quickly became one of the most watched shows of the 2000s. Although viewership has been cut in half since then, Survivor continues its reign over reality television. The show has been on the air for 19 years with 38 seasons and counting. They keep the same game new and exciting with different twists and interesting players attempting to be the sole survivor.

If you don’t know, this is how the game works; People are thrown onto an island and split up into two teams or “tribes.” These teams must create shelter, find food/water, and build a fire. Every three days the teams compete against each other in challenges to win immunity and other rewards like food, family visits, and equipment. Then, the losing tribe must go to tribal council where they vote a member of their tribe off the island. Once there are nine people left, others who have been voted off become the jury. The last two remaining explain why they should win to the jury at the final council meeting, and whoever becomes the sole survivor wins $1 million.

It’s much more elaborate than you’d think. Survivor isn’t just a reality show, it is a social experiment. In the first couple seasons the game was centered around the survival aspect, but people quickly realized it’s about the connections they make and the mind games they play more than anything else. The game has developed into a contest of manipulation and wit. Contestants are stripped down to their inner core and forced to make close relationships with strangers, all knowing they have to screw each other over in the end in order to win.

As one of the most-watched reality shows ever, Survivor has everything you need in a TV show: heroes, villains, competition, deceit, and shock value. The best part is, it all happens without a script. The show itself takes after its name—surviving almost two decades with its intense drama and constant entertainment. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, every season is on Hulu. Once you start watching it, you won’t be able to survive without it.