That said, I know reality television, and the two-hour premiere of "Survivor 20: Heroes vs. Villains" was good reality television.
For those of you who believe those last three words to be oxymoronic, this review is probably not for you. For the rest of you who find scripts overrated, as I do, I'm thrilled to say that after 10 years and 19 seasons, the show that gave birth to the reality TV boom is back. "Survivor" returned to CBS Thursday in its standard 8:00 p.m. time slot, celebrating its 20th season by bringing back 20 of the more-than-300 former players and giving them a second (or, in a few cases, third) chance at the show's $1 million prize.
After so many iterations, the making of "Survivor" has become an exact science for producer Mark Burnett and his team.
The first 20 minutes of the premiere suggested that "Survivor 20" does not plan to deviate from that formula. Over-dramatic marooning sequence involving military helicopters on loan from the New Zealand military: check. Opening reward challenge featuring professional pin-up model Sugar giving the finger to her opponent while marching topless to the finish line after having her bra ripped off in a scuffle over a bag of sand: check. Multi-Emmy award-winning host Jeff Probst's dimples: check.
Adding to the drama, producers have split the players up into one tribe of "Heroes" (fan-favorites who have succeeded in the past through honesty, loyalty and survival skills) and "Villains" (hard-nosed competitors who back-stabbed their way to victory).
Both tribes quickly lived up to their respective monikers in the first episode. Within two days the "Heroes" had managed to make fire, catch a chicken and craft a sturdy shelter. The greatest accomplishment in the "Villain" camp, in contrast, came from castaway Russell who promised multiple women that he could guarantee them a spot in the final two.
Moreover, the producers' decision to bring back contestants from previous seasons adds an entirely new layer of intrigue to the game. Reputations earned in previous seasons, friendships from the insular Los Angeles-based "Survivor" social scene and alliances between people who have played together before real or perceived are all major factors this time around.
I don't mean to say that the decision to recycle castaways is an automatic equation for success. On the contrary, "Survivor All-Stars" (2004) the show's first attempt at bringing back past contestants during season eight was a mess.
That season, the tiny Pearl Islands were not nearly big enough to handle the oversized egos of the 18 contestants who were brought back. At the time, reality TV contestants from Omarosa to Joe Millionaire enjoyed their full 15 minutes of fame. Elizabeth Hasselbeck, originally a castaway on Survivor's second season, had recently secured a place on "The View." It was a time when reality TV stars still thought they were legitimate celebrities. Throughout the season, there was a general sense of entitlement as castaways mugged to the camera. They whined, they were bitter and two people quit.
Now, however, the egos of most reality TV personas have diminished with the possible exceptions of contestants on VH1's and MTV's "celebreality" programming, including "Flavor of Love" and "Jersey Shore."
Season 20's castaways do not harbor illusions of future fame. They are very clearly on that island to win. Except for a few clear gaps in this season's casting quintessential "Survivor" villain and season one winner Richard Hatch was unable to return, due to legal issues over a failure to pay taxes on his original "Survivor" winnings the producers chose a dynamic assortment that includes the most entertaining characters ever to play.
Even after a decade on television, "Survivor" is consistently first in its time slot more than 14 million people tuned in to the premiere, achieving the highest ratings for a "Survivor" premiere in five seasons. This upswing in ratings is reflective of the show's staying power, illustrated by Entertainment Weekly's Feb. 9 announcement that Probst had signed on for two more seasons, despite earlier indicators that this would be his final year.
While I realize only about six people out of those 14 million were Dartmouth students (especially given that it aired on the first night of Winter Carnival), I suggest anyone who has made it this far in the column jump on the bandwagon.
It may be that no season ever matches the original incarnation of "Survivor," but the show still manages to stay fresh and to surprise me. Last Thursday, for the first time in series history, a contestant actually managed to start a fire simply by rubbing two sticks together. Incredible.
