Television Review: ‘Survivor’ Has Earned its Name through 20 Years and 40 Seasons

After 20 years and 40 seasons of the reality game show Survivor (yes, you read that right), it’s worth contemplating why it has lasted so long. Even as ratings declined from the first seasons, the show has maintained a dedicated fan base, I among it. Long after most of my peers have moved on, I keep watching the show with enthusiasm. At times I have fallen years behind, but thanks to streaming I have always known that I can pick back up right where I left off and catch up. Like an old friend, the show has been with me through times of anxiety and uncertainty. I remember sitting in a lonely hotel room, after years of not watching, as I waited to find out where I would deploy after I was hired as an interpreter with the military. Survivor helped keep me out of my own mind as I wondered what I had gotten myself into; it was a needed distraction. During the coronavirus lockdown, it has again helped me through a rough time as I have caught up on old seasons. The show has always brought my family together, and I have many cherished memories watching with them in high school. If we were going to be away on a Thursday night, a blank tape was in the VCR with a timer set to record the episode.

But Survivor is so much more than just escapist entertainment. It will sound cheesy to those who think that all reality television can be categorized alongside the Kardashians, but Survivor really does encapsulate the human spirit, on par with the world’s best literature or the ancient epics. The million-dollar prize is the motivation for many contestants to give the show a try, but just as many are drawn to the challenge the show presents. The allure of fame and fortune compete with the desire to best the competition in the ultimate physical, social, and mental challenge. The physical aspect is quite obvious to the viewer; contestants who make it to the end are often emaciated, barely recognizable from when they started the game. Players have risked their lives to stay in, and medical evacuations are not uncommon.

About the Author

Sam Sweeney

Sam Sweeney, a writer based in the Middle East, is the president of Mesopotamia Relief Foundation, which works in northeastern Syria.

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After 20 years and 40 seasons of the reality game show Survivor (yes, you read that right), it’s worth contemplating why it has lasted so long. Even as ratings declined from the first seasons, the show has maintained a dedicated fan base, I among it. Long after most of my peers have moved on, I keep watching the show with enthusiasm. At times I have fallen years behind, but thanks to streaming I have always known that I can pick back up right where I left off and catch up. Like an old friend, the show has been with me through times of anxiety and uncertainty. I remember sitting in a lonely hotel room, after years of not watching, as I waited to find out where I would deploy after I was hired as an interpreter with the military. Survivor helped keep me out of my own mind as I wondered what I had gotten myself into; it was a needed distraction. During the coronavirus lockdown, it has again helped me through a rough time as I have caught up on old seasons. The show has always brought my family together, and I have many cherished memories watching with them in high school. If we were going to be away on a Thursday night, a blank tape was in the VCR with a timer set to record the episode.

But Survivor is so much more than just escapist entertainment. It will sound cheesy to those who think that all reality television can be categorized alongside the Kardashians, but Survivor really does encapsulate the human spirit, on par with the world’s best literature or the ancient epics. The million-dollar prize is the motivation for many contestants to give the show a try, but just as many are drawn to the challenge the show presents. The allure of fame and fortune compete with the desire to best the competition in the ultimate physical, social, and mental challenge. The physical aspect is quite obvious to the viewer; contestants who make it to the end are often emaciated, barely recognizable from when they started the game. Players have risked their lives to stay in, and medical evacuations are not uncommon.