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As a pioneer of modern reality television, Survivor has stood the test of time outlasting many scripted series. Any show that can last almost 10 years with strong ratings is a success. Personally, it is my favorite show and I can count the number of times on my hand that I have actually missed an episode. There are three things that make Survivor great, and they are the contestants, the challenges, and the host.

Over the course of 10 years, there have been many memorable contestants. There are people that you love and hate, and those who make you wonder how the heck they even got there in the first place. Sometimes contestants, such as season two runner up Colby, dominate the game until the very end and don't win. Some make an incredible showing when it counts. When Chris was the last man standing on the Vanuatu season, he won every immunity challenge to make it and win at the end. Sometimes beloved contestants' times are cut short, and it makes your heart ache. When Rupert was voted off, I cried for him because he truly loved the game. Sure he wanted the money, but he was a good man who deserved to win. While the triumphs are great to watch, the lies and betrayals make for great television. Sometimes the things that people do make you gasp in horror. For example Johnny Fairplay told the lie of all lies: his grandmother was dead. She wasn't, but he wanted to spend time with the friend that came to see him. He knew that the others would feel sorry for him and used that to his advantage.

Despite the fact the show has been on for nearly 10 years, there have been very few challenges that have been recycled. Survivor puts the contestants' mind and body to the test. It balances mental challenges with physical challenges, sometimes they combine the two. While some challenges are harder than the rest, they all manage to push the contestants to their limits. Sometimes the contestants stand on a pole for hours, run around a maze trying to find keys, or have to memorize a math equation, and then figure it out after running across a balance beam. All of these challenges are endured because they want to win a million dollars. While the challenges are exciting on a team level, they are kicked up when the contestants begin to compete individually. Then the viewer really gets to see who the best competitor of the group is.

Without Jeff Probst, Survivor would not be the same. Even though the contestants have changed, Probst has remained the voice of Survivor. Since he has been around since the beginning, he knows what makes the contestants tick. He is great at interacting with the contestants, no matter what the situation. He will point out when the contestant is doing something well or when they are overconfident. Last year, he won the Emmy for best reality host. It was a well deserved honor.

Survivor is a show that will continue to be around until one of the above factors cause it go under. It showcases the best that reality has to offer, and continually outperforms some scripted shows. Hopefully, it is around for years to come.

Learn more about this author, Kelly Linman.
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