Who knew that setting up a few tiki torches on the tiny island of Palau Tiga and filming 16 American "castaways" playing a little game would become an entertainment phenomenon? Not to mention spark an entire new genre of programming: reality TV.
Thanks, Survivor. Where would the Bachelors and the Apprentices be if the tribe hadn't spoken first?
Luckily, it did. And what tales former tribemembers have to tell, as you'll find out in this rather exposing episode of Survivor: E! True Hollywood Story. Apparently, there are plenty of rats, snakes and naked contestants on the road to a million clams.
And there are millions of hooked viewers, too. When the first Survivor finale aired on CBS in August 2000, an astounding 50 million people tuned in, making way for the reality-TV revolution and all its spawn.
Series creator Mark Burnett prefers to call Survivor "unscripted situational drama," but whatever.
This cutthroat game of strategic elimination has become the most honored and highest-rated reality show on television, oozing with Emmys and pulling in the big advertising bucks. It has also contributed such important concepts as Immunity Challenges and Tribal Councils to our collective pop-culture vocabulary.
This True Hollywood Story invites you on quite a voyeur voyage, where we promise not to leave you stranded. But before we delve into the fine art of outwitting, outplaying and outlasting, see if you're really a champion castaway with our THS I.Q. quiz.
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