Due to circumstances beyond my control, I watched the last episode of "Survivor." This is the latest in "reality" TV. A group of people are "stranded" on an island. The group is divided into two tribes. Every so often, one tribe or the other have to vote a member "off" the island. The last person on the island wins $1,000,000.

The cameras follow the people in the daily struggle to "survive." The groups are mostly Gen X/Yers with two older men representing the over 25-crowd. During the last episode, one of the older guys was voted off. It wasn't hard to predict this turn of events because the guy was terminally cranky and basically said he wanted off the damn island.

Personally, I found the program silly... particularly the nonsense at the end where the "tribal council" extinguished the guy's "flame of life" at a "sacred ceremony." For fans of "survival" literature, the series would seem a great disappointment... an MTV version of "Lord of the Flies." Your thoughts?

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), June 08, 2000

Answers

Here's a completely unqualified opinion from someone who hasn't even watched the show.

The reason I hadn't chosen to watch it was mostly because I never cared for "reality" based programming and this one seemed much like the usual fare, only that we'd get to see people eating rats. I really didn't want to see people eat rats. Anyway, I was under the impression that it was simply a group of people with limited food and water having to forage for both in a completely unknown environment and survive by their wits alone. They'd also have to build shelters, eat rats, and try not to piss each other off enough to get them kicked off the island.

Then a friend watched it and I discovered, to my dismay, that there were, in fact, two TEAMS of people competing against each other in this "game." In addition, the water "supply" was apparently artificial and provided to them by the people who ran the show, and a MAP to the water supply was provided to a member from each team. So much for surviving by one's wits.

If it were simply a competition to see which team had better survival skills or teamwork, that probably would have been okay. But then I find out that each team has to engage in some completely contrived "competitions" in order to win "prizes" like blankets or food or, apparently, the chance to NOT have to kick someone off your "team". These competitions seem to involve nonsense like swimming races.

The MTV reference is right-on. This isn't survival. This is Road Rules.

Except with rat-eating.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), June 08, 2000.

Ken

Most definitely a fairly stupid little show. Unfortunately, I'll more than likely watch next week's episode too.

Hey, Wednesday night's are just batting practice and it's over by 7:30.

Ya know, that old guy that got voted off last night (BB?) actually seemed to do most of the 'labor' for his tribe. If it wasn't for him they would've had to wait a few more days for fire and they wouldn't have that Gilligan's Island hut thing going.

I can't believe I admitted to watching that show.......

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), June 08, 2000.

Ahoy Ken,

I think the show is great fun! 16 people dropped off on an island for 30 days to see who will be the sole survivor...cool! I wouldn't do it for 10 million, never mind 1 million. (The snakes, the rats, shudder...no thanks...grin)

The show has quite a variety of age ranges, not just y'ers and x'ers. The 39 yr old, Philly Truckdriver (woman) is one of my favorites.

The navy seal on one of the teams is a total hard ass and it's fun to watch him complain. Actually, we find it pretty hysterical in my house. Each week it seems we're liking or not liking someone different. Stacy is on our "outta there" list this week .

Eating those beetle lava last night was disgusting; but, it *was* also funny. Amazing what people will do. Simply amazing.

Of course it's just stupid entertainment, that's what television is all about...! It's not a good Robinson Carouso (sp?) story or anything near that, but all in all, it's good fun.

-- Not now, not like this (AgentSmith0110@aol.com), June 08, 2000.

There are almost too many offensive themes to count. The producers have created a Jerry Springer environment guaranteed to maximize back- stabbing and dirty dealing. This is almost a parody of modern society. Screw your partners and win the big prize.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), June 08, 2000.

Bye George, I think you've got it...!

-- Not now, not like this (AgentSmith@aol.com), June 08, 2000.

Gilligan's Who Wants to be a Millionaire Island. Enjoyable for the human interactions and conflict (which seem at this point to run mostly between generations), but not at all what I expected. When I first heard about the idea for the show I was hoping for a true test of survival, this ain't it.

One thing I did find interesting was that BB, the hardest worker, got the boot over that slouch who slept in the tent all day because he was abrasive. I guess hard work only counts when you are a nice guy too.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), June 08, 2000.

Several nights ago, David Letterman did a siily take off on this silly show. He called it Pizza Survivor. The roving cam went into a pizza parlor next to the Sullivan Theatre. Dave interviewed 4 or 5 customers. One by one, a person was voted off. Finally, one middle aged guy remained as THE survivor. He was awarded a 24" pizza.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), June 08, 2000.

Thanks for the report Ken. It is everything I thought it would be. I was reminded of a quote the other day, "We truly can't "observe" an experiment because our presence changes the outcome". I guess reality TV is anything but. MTV sounds like a good analogy. Heehee

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), June 08, 2000.

I've missed seeing every episode for various reasons, but now I don't feel so bad about it. I did hear a talk show where they were talking about what whiners the whole bunch is.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), June 08, 2000.

Ive not seen the show but the trailers are all over the place so its difficult not to be aware. This is just a natural progression for our modern day entertainment desires. We will see more and more of the bizarre and unusual until some of the more popular futuristic projections come to pass. Rollerball anyone?

-- The (fact@fan.attic), June 08, 2000.

I'll say onething...it's very American.

You may now return to your cheeseburgers and automibiles.

-- Will (righthere@home.now), June 08, 2000.

How long before we start having "Running Man" games?

-- Lurker2 (lurking@for.good.reason), June 09, 2000.

I have what may be a silly question but there is something about this show I really don't understand. If every week they vote one person off the show then won't they eventually get down to 2 people left? So then if each one votes for the other one to leave????????? Well, you see the problem. How do you get down to a "last" person?

By the way I read somewhere that this island actually has a very plush resort at the other end of it and the "natives" think that trying to portray the island as being dangerous is very silly.

-- The Engineer (spcengineer@yahoo.com), June 09, 2000.

I read that the final person will be chosen by all of the folks who were booted.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), June 09, 2000.

Lurker2,

Very intuitive question.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), June 09, 2000.

This whole forum mirrors "Surviors".

And it's sinking.

-- -- -- (ants@kicker.com), June 09, 2000.

Think about all of us together on an uncharted island in the South Pacific! What a trip. Who would we make "walk the plank" first?

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), June 09, 2000.

Please, not me. I promise to work very hard and not to piss anyone off. He who helps everyone else win as much as possible and makes them laugh gets to stay the longest??

I like the comment earlier in this thread about working hard is not enough; they gotta like you too. Reality bites. Btw, I believe when it gets down to two people, the last 7 booted off the island get to put in their own votes too. Just another element to juggle around when you are kicking them off, one by one.

Since we live in a time of dysfunctional group dynamics, I find this whole series to be somewhat instructive.

And since all but one of these people share the same fate, their votes each week only mirror their own mortality. I think it beats Friends.

-- Normally (Oxsys@aol.com), June 10, 2000.