“Come on in!” “You gotta dig deep!” “The tribe has spoken.”
These are just a few of the iconic phrases that my favorite tv personality Jeff Probst will say every episode of “Survivor.” Watching the challenges that occur in each episode was what initially drew me in; my parents watched “Survivor” after it first came out and were quickly sucked in. When my brother and I got a bit older, they would call us to their room to watch the challenges. As we got even older we would stick around to see what was happening next. We got deeply invested in the social politics of the show, and before we knew it, we were completely invested.
During lockdown, I continued to fall more deeply in love with “Survivor.” When filming shut down and the prospect of a new season was no longer available, my family watched a couple of the oldest seasons from when the show began in 2000. In a time when we couldn’t connect with strangers, we were able to watch their interactions and live vicariously through the show. My father and I grew so invested that recently we both applied to be on the show. Who knows if anything will ever come of it, but that is just to say that our love for the show runs deep. I love “Survivor” for so many reasons and honestly could talk about it for hours, but here are just a few reasons why I love the show.
Genre versatility:
“Survivor” is great because it spans so many genres, which means it has a little bit of something for everyone. Of course, first and foremost it is a reality show, dishing up plenty of drama. If you’re a person who likes action, you can look forward to the challenges. Looking for some romance? Yes! “Survivor” even has that, here and there. “Survivor” is also a very funny show, whether it’s the zany personalities, the editing, the quips players make at each other or Jeff Probst being sassy, there’s always something to laugh at. “Survivor” is chock-full of complex relationships and strategy, making it a bit of a puzzle to figure out. And strangely enough, “Survivor” is pretty educational. If you are looking to learn about people who are different from you, look no further. I know I’ve learned a lot about identity through watching the show. Because “Survivor” has so much going on all the time it does not rely too heavily on any of these genres.
Longevity:
“Survivor” is so good in its current era because it has been running for so long. With over 20 years and 40 seasons in the books, “Survivor” has only leveled up. While some of the concepts and ways of running in the earlier seasons don’t work, now it has blossomed into a fantastic show. Also, due to its longevity, if you’re itching to remember what popular culture is like at any time in the last two decades you can look to “Survivor” to find a snapshot. The show is constantly innovating and trying new things, but it has found a format that works.
The Format:
As every episode follows the same general pattern, there is familiarity. Nonetheless, every season brings new contestants, challenges, relationship dynamics and even Probst evolves, keeping it fresh. As the season goes on the players evolve and the gameplay is constantly changing. Even when you think a vote out is going to be simple, or a player is going to keep acting in the same ways, “Survivor” surprises you. Additionally, themed seasons like David vs. Goliath, Blood vs. Water and Beauty vs. Brains vs. Brawn bring up interesting questions about what characteristics make you successful in life and add a twist to every season.
Editing:
One of my favorite things about the show is the editing. The editors find new ways to express the familiar format that keeps you guessing. The way that they play with sound, visuals, framing and narrative timing keeps the show moving and dynamic. The editors also do not draw out tense moments in the same ways that other reality shows do. The editing is also just really funny, they are always finding new ways to make fun of the players and find the best phrases to describe what’s going on.
Casting:
“Survivor” would not be the show that it is if it didn’t have such fantastic casting. The process to get on the show is rigorous, but this allows for truly unique and interesting people to be cast. Each season has a new range of characters that are mixed together in new ways. The show has also become diverse across age, gender identity, sexuality, race, ability and so much more; the show truly captures a full range of American identities. This teaches you about things that you may not have been able to learn about in your own community. But at the core of these people, they are just regular Americans with interesting stories.
Now that you know why “Survivor” is so great, there’s just one thing left to do. Go watch the show and see for yourself!