On May 31, 2000, the television show Survivor premiered on CBS. A derivation of the Swedish reality show Expedition Robinson, the premise of the show was simple: Take 16 to 20 people from different walks of life, strand them on an island with minimal resources for 39 days, and have them play a game of social politics for the grand prize of $1 million. The show immediately became a hit and remains one to this day for a very simple reason: It’s the most compelling show on television.
Twenty castaways – hand-picked by producers to create the perfect blend of volatility, cunning, and charisma – suffer starvation and exhaustion.