5 Ways ‘The Summit’ Is ‘Survivor’ 2.0
Opinion
If you’ve been enjoying the new CBS reality adventure series The Summit, you might have noticed that it feels a lot like it could be titled Survivor: Mountain Edition.
The setting for these shows may be different, but the premise (that is, 16 strangers battle the elements and each other for $1 million), along with the mind-blowing scenery and intense competition give The Summit heavy Survivor vibes.
That’s probably not a coincidence. Kevin Hodder, the supervising challenge producer on The Summit, is a mountaineering expert who has worked on both Survivor and Big Brother. Jimmy Quigley oversees story and cast interviews and is a co-executive producer on both shows.
While their DNA is intertwined, this new CBS reality competition series does an excellent job of making its own mark. Here are five ways The Summit takes gameplay elements of Survivor to another level.
It has compelling, mature contestants.
Survivor fans are accustomed to drama, and while that’s seen on screen in The Summit, its unique demographic makes for a different kind of competition. This is not a cast of characters who are fans of a long-running reality show and have been studying the game for years. The contestants on The Summit also have more life experience than their Survivor peers.
The average age of trekkers on The Summit is 36, with eight of 16 participants over the age of 35 (50 percent). On Survivor Season 47, the current season, the average age is 30 with three of 18 players over 35 (16 percent). A diverse age range leads to intense conflict, compelling personal narratives, and enough tears in its first two episodes to fill a bucket.
There’s also an engaging, no-nonsense host who likes twists.
Jeff Probst’s legacy as a first-rate reality TV host has long been secure. That said, one could easily see The Summit‘s host, Manu Bennett, attempting to carve his own spot on Reality Mount Rushmore.
The New Zealand-born actor, well-known for playing rough-and-tumble roles, isn’t as loquacious as his Survivor counterpart but has a presence that commands respect. The twinkle in Bennett’s eye when introducing the dreaded Mountain’s Keeper, the all-seeing eye flying around in a helicopter that tosses out twists like Halloween candy, is an obvious clue that he enjoys toying with players when given the opportunity.
CBS
Strategic play and alliances matter still … but in a different way.
Playing a strategic game and forming alliances is an important part of any Survivor player’s success, and that’s the case with The Summit as well. However, because the goal of trekkers is to reach the summit of a mountain in a certain period and you only move as fast as your slowest participant, every player approaches that goal differently.
The balance between likability and physical strength has proven to be complicated after two episodes. Adding complexity is when players vote someone out in The Summit, everyone participates, and it’s an open vote. There’s nowhere to hide, and because of that, we’ve seen two people get voted off (Rose and Shweta) who initially appeared safe.
There are challenges that you’d want to try but are scary.
Survivor challenges are tough yet fun, while challenges in The Summit are dangerous fun. Working together to cross a ravine? Hard. Crossing a dilapidated rope bridge while getting buzzed by a helicopter? Downright frightening. Having to cut down that same rope bridge while the beloved 52-year-old basketball coach Bo is halfway across because the Mountain’s Keeper told you to do it? Absolutely brutal.
While audiences might be more inclined to say “I want to do that!” while watching a Survivor challenge, there’s bound to be a bit more hesitation about those seen on The Summit.
CBS
Finally, there’s the return of the villain.
It could be argued that Survivor created the reality show villain. Russell Hantz, Jonny Fairplay, and Parvati Shallow are just a few Survivors who became household names thanks to their naughty behavior. But Survivor players have become more even-tempered, particularly since the New Era began. The Summit cast is showing signs it might reverse this trend, though.
Both Rose and Shweta have villain potential, but Dennis, who is more subtle, wants to stir the pot any chance he gets. As The Summit progresses, alliances start to coalesce, and trekkers start to figure out the game even more, so players are sure to be willing to do whatever it takes to win. They are all fighting for $1 million after all.
The Summit, Wednesdays, 9/8c, CBS
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