Survivor has become such a mainstay of the television landscape at this point that it seems almost impossible to imagine a time before it. Before the turn of the millennium, though, the series existed only in the imagination of its eventual creator — and the overseas program he adapted from, of course.
For its latest episode, Dark Side of Reality TV digs into the first season of the show, which became a must-watch and shaped the landscape of the subgenre for decades to come (and continues to do so). Here’s a look at the biggest takeaways from the episode.
1. CBS initially rejected the idea… until Mark Burnett came up with a payment plan.
The episode digs into the initial history of Survivor, including the fact that Burnett was coming off of another reality competition series at MTV called Eco-Challenge. Apparently, Burnett’s military background made him acutely interested in this type of program, so he acquired the North American rights to Sweden’s Expedition Robinson and pitched it across the networks. They all, including its eventual home of CBS, rejected it outright. However, once Burnett secured sponsorships from companies like Reebok, Target, and Visa, the network decided to give it a go.
2. The tryout process was rigorous, and one contestant was typecast right from the start.
Participating in the Dark Side of Reality TV segment were former Season 1 contestants Richard Hatch (who won), Kelly Wigglesworth (the runner-up), Gervase Peterson, and Joel Klug. After they were cast, they went through a 10-day-long psychological test where they were secluded and repeatedly walked in on at all hours of the night to see how they could hack it. During the tryouts, at least one contestant, Klug, felt he had to play a part to get it after an assistant told him they were looking for someone who was a constant flirt with the women on the cast.
3. Jeff Probst was chosen for a very specific reason.
The host of Survivor had to be as adaptable as the cast, and Probst was apparently chosen because he could handle the chaotic atmosphere and deliver his lines in a single take as needed.
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4. The dangers were very real for the contestants.
The contestants revealed that they were given a handbook outlining all of the poisonous plants and dangerous animals in the wild, and they were astounded by just how many threats surrounded them at any given time on the island — including the swarm of rats that attacked them at night and the starvation that came from not foraging enough food.
5. The crew had their own troubles, too.
According to Wigglesworth, at least one cameraman fell off of a cliff while trying to film the crew. The person was reportedly okay, but the incident spoke to the chaotic nature of the shoot.
6. No one knows what happened with a major lawsuit.
Former contestant Stacey Stillman sued Mark Burnett, claiming he intervened to have her eliminated. She claimed Dirk Been gave her information that he’d been encouraged to eliminate her and felt remorse for it. Details about what became of the case weren’t known to the co-stars, but Hatch guessed it must have settled out of court to avoid more discovery and controversy. Of course, Hatch had other legal theories about the show that didn’t pan out — including his rebuffed attempt to use a cheating allegation over food provisions against the show in his tax evasion case.
7. The runner-up is glad she didn’t win.
Although Wigglesworth was initially disappointed that she didn’t win, after seeing Hatch go to jail for his financial misdeeds (and the homophobic treatment he received), she said she considers it a blessing in disguise. However, she still hasn’t bothered to watch Survivor, saying that she wanted to keep her experience on the set of the show “pure” to her own memories.
Dark Side of Reality TV, Tuesdays, 9/8c, Vice TV
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