While it might appear that the allure of Survivor rests in its personification of the Swiss Family Robinson, little focus is actually paid the actual survival aspect of the series. Rather, the shows writers choose to edit together stories that deal more with human nature. Obviously the contestants' enduring of the tribulations presented by their remote location is a key aspect of a given episode, the driving force each week is typically the interactions of the cast.
In the most recent episode of Survivor, a disgruntled teammate steals food from her tribe's cache and hides it in a secret location. Naturally for a real survivor, such a provocation would be of of the utmost importance, however this incident took up only a small portion of the episode. Instead the editors chose to focus on the competing alliances and individual conflicts between a core group of characters. Like other reality series that film each season in a different location, the environment is secondary to the characters in dictating the story's progression. The culture and ecosystem of Nicaragua play virtually no role in the story, with the exception of inspiring team names or the basis of a challenge, therefore the story never really changes.
It is because of these repetitive storytelling practices that Survivor is able to captivate such a large and devoted fan-base. While each new season of the series promises new drama in a new environment, only the casts' surroundings appear to change. Unlike scripted television series where a new direction in the story arc can antagonize the audience, Survivor essentially repeats the same narratives each and every season, placing new characters in a new setting. This repetition is comforting the audience however, as they're initial interest in the show will therefore not be challenged. Furthermore by being exposed to the same types of situations over and over again, the audience gains experience that becomes fundamental in dictating their experience.
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