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CBS to Pay One Million to Desert Island "Survivor"
wilkinsm writes "CBS is starting a new game show this fall called "Survivor." 16 constestants will be sent to a deserted island for seven weeks. Eventually the one that "survives" becomes the winner. It looks like all you get to take with you is your shirt on your back. There are looking for a "diverse" group of contestants, so I thought maybe some of you would like to try. " So, tribal counsels vote people out - I see Lord of The Flies, II: The Revenge of Piggy.
... is the celebrity contestant and "secret" weapons cache. Ahnold anyone? Too bad Richard Dawson's no longer with us...
i heard about this yesterday on the radio. how do they expect the legalities of this ato work, anyway? what if poeple die?
I see a three year old game show called expedition robinson...
I think we should install linux on that island and put it into a Beowulf cluster with neighbouring islands (which I'll be happy to take over, thank you very much).
:)
Oh, yeah. First Post
"What do you mean they're ALL dead. We can't have a show without a winner!" Fortunately the CBS pilot "Christians vs Lions" got good Neilson ratings.
I would definately do it.
i just put in
There was some Swedish show I read about (at least I think it was Swedish) called `Big Brother' where a group of random people had to survive in a house together on only £150 / day. The house was of course full of cameras and I think the idea was that everyone slowly went insane. Or something.
Matthew @ Bytemark Hosting
In sweden we have had this program idé for three years now, they compete against each other and the losers gets to vote whos leaving the island (exept for the one winning the contest). One contest every week or so.. The first time was kind of fun they more or less starved for real, they were forced to eat palmtrees!! Well anyway the first time they had to say why they wanted someone to leave, well one person was so unpopular, and they said it, so well, he kind of commited suicide when he later saw the show...
Tragic, but kind of interesting to see...
I think it would be fun, but no internet? no computers? hmm...
First?
Microsoft aggravates my tourettes syndrome.
so they dont get to kill each other??
Except there probably won't be a cool hacker dude, and if there was he'd be the first to die, err, get eliminated.
Send me! Send me! I've been hoarding away the cheeseburgers and I feel that I could easily survive such a short amount of time on bellyfat alone! Show me the money! GreaseMonkey
Geek dies on deserted island, cause of death net withdrawl..
"as plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee" - Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz. (One man's humorous is another mans flamebait)
This show is a great idea! How better to keep us glued to our sets. It's like MTV's Real World, only the people could actually DIE!
Werd.
The Running Man?
"Gilligan's Island" meets "The Real World".
"So, like, Heather was all in my face because my coconut radio didn't work. I told her she just needed to chill out. I mean, there's bound to be a boat coming by sooner or later. But she was all, 'No way. We're never getting off this island.' And I was all, 'So? We've got coconuts, bananas, and tons of awesome beach. It's all good, you know?' So then she just, like, hit me. So now we're going to have a vote to see if she needs to leave the island and maybe get some counselling or something."
Save the whales. Feed the hungry. Free the mallocs.
Hrmm...troubling precedent. What happens if they get someone with a loose screw??? He gets hungry, there's no food, he breaks another contestants neck, eats contestant...mmmm Crunchy!!
How long before arena deathmatches live and in primetime???
censorship is a form of noise, which actively seeks to drown out content with silence - Crash Culligan
are the other people going to die? WTF is wrong with america?
It reminds me of the Steven King (under the alias Richard Bachman) book "The Running Man" (Excuse me, I never watched the movie).
The idea is, TV Game shows have to get more violent and more shocking to retain viewers. Is this the first step?
Scary.
~jawad
i dont display scores, and my threshhold is -1. post accordingly.
Discuss
Real World must be a bigger cash cow than I figured, given the fact that a major network has decided to rip an idea off a crummy little network like MTV. Will wonders never cease?
Let me guess, the participants won't really have any survival skill (or if they do, it will be pure coincidence), and all contestants will be chosen such that their personalities clash with everyone else's. My only complaint is that there won't be any booze on the island. That would make the "voting" considerably more interesting (read: violent).
I wonder if Abe will be there.
well, how about it CBS? reps from other countries, and the last survivor is obviously from the best country.
Not the movie, the story by Stephen King writing as Bachman. Basically the same story, but better: it's in the city, and the contestant is chased by the police, and I believe there's even a bounty on his head.
24-hour banking!?! I don't have time for that.
-- Steven Wright
Didn't the Swedish just start a show where people were placed in a house (ala MTV's Real World), but had to stay in it for 4-7 weeks? And psychologists were worried they would have a hard time adapting to the real world after it was over?
On a good note, at least they'll survive Y2K. Course the palm trees could fail at midnight, and the monkeys would take over, worse case scenario of course.
logan
The only other inhabitants are ... deadly coral snakes. It seems romantic ...
I tried to come up with a witty comment, but everything I came up with seemed pretty indadequate next to that quote.
Somehow people seem to like the show but I don't care. Anyone who is willing to waste 100 days of his life on this crap and sacrifice his/her privacy must be an utterly boring type. And people who watch the program really should get a life theirselves.
-------
Warning: Slashdot may contain traces of nuts.
- An Iridium phone: Hello... Airdrops R Us? Please deliver 1 metric ton of food to coordinates [blah blah][blah blah] (tatoo your VISA number on your arm!)
- A GPS
- A book on what to eat/not eat in a tropical forest
(damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead)Wow; wonder how many of them can make a spear or filet a monkey. Or will it be more like one big live-action Doom, where you just wander around and find everything you need lying on the floor. Will the monkeys operate the cameras? This has to be the dumbest thing I have seen in some time. I'm putting my money on the morbidly obese housefrau from Des Moines, or the surfer.
ZOMG I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS ON MACINTOSH VERSUS WINDOWS, VI VERSUS EMACS, AND HOW YOU'RE NOT A DORK
Mmmmm.... desserted island. I can sit around with the other 15 contestants eating banana splits and drinking wine from a coconut while sitting under an enlarged cocktail umbrella...
I've heard that somewhere in sweden this kind of show already exists, and that someone that got voted out commited suicide. Anyone from sweden got any info on this?
...Sometimes a name says it all.
;)
/., to send 16 single marketing socialites into Silicon Valley. Who will "survive"? :D Would anyone out there care to brainstorm some of the prizes?
Miserable roll-your-own soap opera bs. I'd rather watch Rollerjam.
In future spinoffs, CBS will form a joint venture with that national "You want a sugar-daddy?" pimp guy posted earlier on
__________________________
Yes, it all started in Sweden, where it was (or still is?) called the Robinson Expedision (after Robinson Crusoe.. duh!).
We also have it in Norway, with the same name, but it does not appear to be very successful. We can also see swedish television channels in Norway, so those who were interested probably have seen it there.
It's interesting, but there's not a lot of exitement. See the Simpsons instead.
Anybody read The Long Walk also by Richard Bachman(a.k.a Steven King). Running man was an alternative to prison(If I remember correctly) These people are choosing their own fate.
"as plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee" - Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz. (One man's humorous is another mans flamebait)
What's to prevent a small group of contestants banding together to "fix" the contest? A group of 6 contestants could easily control the votes in the "Tribal Council" (gosh, this show sounds stupid), set up one of their own group as the eventual winner, and split the winnings 6 ways.
Of course, I suspect it will all come down to the old "Prisoner's Dillema" (if I rat on my cellmate, I go free - we both keep quiet, we both go free), and greed will win out in the end...
Give me a rerun of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" any day over this crap...
________________________
Corporate Jenga: You take a blockhead from the bottom and you put him on top...
Isn't it a coincidence that there are going to be 16 contestants, and there are 16 cities that one can be interviewed in? One contestant from each city? Geographical diversity? On another note, what if a person or persons die? I can see it now, 16 people damn near starving to death, while some fat producer is munching on a candy bar offshore. Hmm. I wonder how I'll convince my employers to let me have a 7 week vacation.
We've had a similar show running is Sweden for 3 years now.
:) like dissing people and gets this warm feeling inside when people behaves like assholes.
Kind of belived that you guys had it first.
Well, to comment on the show I must say It's great fun to watch if you're in to reality soaps.
It does tend to focus on all the bad character traits of the participants so if you (like me
Like the winner the first year. He said he would use the money to buy him and his girlfriend a house. Instead he dumps the girl and buys a sportscar.
He's my HERO!
One person per day is voted off the island. At the end of the contest, there are only two people, and the last seven people (who were eliminated before) pick who the "survivor" is of those two.
The physical survival is easy - the real winners will be the *political* survivors. Each day, the person with the most votes against them are bumped off the island. You have to keep yourself from being that person every day for two weeks, and THEN you have to get 4 of 7 votes from people you helped bump off. Sounds fun.
a little fish in a big pond (thomas weigel)
seasinger@nospam.sprintmail.com
if done right, this could be quite interesting ...
....
but it will probably be stupid crap like the real world
What is really interesting about the Swedish orginal show is that it was a massive success. I believe that last years sesaon finale drew about 2.5 million viewers (the population of Sweden is only 8.5).
Many viewers reacted to the cruel nature of the show, but it was widely held that this was exactly what made it so popular.
The US version is probably going to be a hit as well, unless the reactions get much stronger than in Sweden.
a swiss tv station has begun a show called expedition robinson a month ago on a deserted carribean island, it's quite the same show as the one to be started in march 2000 on cbs. more info about it here: http://www.tv3.ch/robinson/index.htm
;-)
hehe...switzerland: little country big ideas
I can see everyone voting with ulterior motives, just to be the last couple. Alone. On the beach.
What I didn't understand is, how much of it will be on TV. The discussions and voting, how-did-its on hut manufacturing?
~afniv
"Man könnte froh sein, wenn die Luft so rein wäre wie das Bier"
~afniv
"Man könnte froh sein, wenn die Luft so rein wäre wie das Bier"
Richard von Weizs
For real. Only american citizens living in america may apply? What's with that CBS? Any country that recieves CBS should be allowed to enter. Keep it lively, exciting, and diverse.. oh wait, that's Canada, not america.
I knew I should've paid attention to the lecture on food gathering. Oh well. Anybody ever read the story "Dirty George the Roach Eater"? Yum, yum...
"How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?" --BMcC-->
"...For a three hour tour. A three hour tour....."
Sit right back & we'll tell a tale,
A tale of a fateful show,
That started as a ratings ploy,
With an idea that really did blow.
The producer was a slimy weasel,
The director dumb as slop,
16 idiots set sail that day,
For a 7 week flop,
A 7 week flop.
human://billy.j.mabray/
human://billy.j.mabray/
"Every good system has a backup." -- Dale Hanchey
What a load. Like there is really going to be any kind of survival issues during this show. CBS will have film crews there tapeing 24/7 showing the structures and how well people work together. The 'survivors' shouldn't be too concerned for their wellfare, since they can just hop on a CBS powerboat and leave.
... :)
I also bet the people casting their 'secret' ballots will vote for the more popular people in the group as to better their own chances.
This whole thing will have to be rigged, to provide the public with the best viewing product.
Still sounds like some fun though
My Public Key can be found in a fake rock by my front door.
Bachman (well, King) again, but this was the one where contestants were actually competing for survival in terms of endurance, rather than being hunted down like in the Running Man.
...what exactly is Gilligan? I see references to it in American TV shows everywhere, but I never understand them because I have no idea what the show in question is about.
Anyone care to enlighten me?
-Stephen
...there are gonna be some serious lawsuits. I don't care what kind of waivers people sign, somebody's next of kin is going to sue. The legal eagles will never let this thing happen.
"How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?" --BMcC-->
You and 15 other people give as much blood as possible until all but 3 are dead. The 3 survivors get to go on to the bonus round, where appendages are cut off one by one. The last one with a beating heart wins $1M!!!
But then they would not have a soap opera.
I predict they select "survivors" based on:
The good news is that for the girls heroin sheik is in....
Check out the Lance Armstrong Foundation
kayaking
I think an better way to play something like this would be to see what geek could survive for seven weeks without internet access. I had a holiday recently and went without net access for 7 days - it was hell.
--
Everything I know in life I learnt from
Second, a big-ass survival tool. You know, the kind that can be a trenching shovel, a knife, an axe, a saw, has a compass in the handle, fishing line wrapped around the grip, etc. After all, a shovel would be EXTREMELY useful, just from a hygiene perspective.
Third, either a Swiss Army Knife, or a Leatherman. I'd want something smaller than the Survival Tool, in order to skin and gut various creatures I've killed. Would also be useful for scraping hides, sewing monkey-leather ponchos, etc. Definitely get the kind with a toothpick, to clean out my teeth.
An important question though, is how big is the island? If it's small, you might be able to exterminate the coral snakes, which would be nice.
Also, are macaques easily scared, or are they one of the confident primates? In other words, do I have to sneak up on them, or can I walk up and bash 'em in the head with my shovel? I don't want to be reduced to killing their infants . . .
As a Brit who moved to the States to steal your women and take your jobs, I think I should be allowed to gnaw on your sorry-assed bones in this excellent competition! :-(
Has anyone else read The Beach by Alex Garland? Sort of a modern day Lord of the Flies...
if you put it in perspective it gets sort of scary - soon enough this will not attract enough viewers and they will have to push the limit further and further.
expect running man. it will become the reality.
and something completely unrelated - how many more people will be glued to tvs because of more and more thrilling entertainment? scaaaaary...
...sie sind nicht grün
Doubtful that they're going to show each person's quest for the right leaf to wipe their asses. Sounds pretty dull, actually, no car crashes, no-one getting shot. Prediction: bomb.
Read the rules. This tribal-council nonsense is gonna turn into an exercise in the Prisoner's Dilemma. Gee, and I was only thinking of corporate liability when I posted that remark about lawsuits.
"How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?" --BMcC-->
There was an article on this in some UK TV guide last week.
Apparently one of the people who survived eventually killed himself.
Iain
Slightly Off-Topic --
Actually, Richard Dawson is still "with us": ie: still alive... see the Dead People Server.
Think he would do it?
--
Did you see that one show where they almost got off the island?
Save the whales. Feed the hungry. Free the mallocs.
Donner Island
The rules amuse me greatly. Every week, the contestants vote one of their number off of the island. Seems to me that the winner will be whoever is least annoying to their fellow competitors.
There is lots of room for interesting mathematical games as well. A good opening strategy might be to find eight fellow competitors at the beginning and form a voting block. Those joining the block garauntee their own survival for eight rounds. Then, you try to form another voting block. Lots of room for Machiavellian strategy.
The cake is a pie
"You and fifteen other strangers are marooned on a deserted tropical island in the South China Sea..." with only a camera crew, make-up artists and a production team to keep you company. Think about it, what your average person, even an attractive one, would look like after seven weeks in the jungle. CBS will obviously have to intervine in any number of cirumstances (what if someone decides "hell, Im on a desert island, I'll just walk around nude and fling excrament at the camera crew!!").
BTW, is that .sig a reference to Gauntlet? I loved that game...
--
Wow, that's all we need, another popularity contest. This has nothing to do with their survival skills, it has to do with how personable they are (10 bucks says I know who will win after watching the _first_ show). Besides, this means that we nerds have no chance. Some ESFP will come along and win, and all the INTX's will get kicked off the island.
I think it would really be cool, if they let all of them stay on the island and see how they develop a socity, government, city, etc.... Would you end up with a communist `counsil' where everybody did for the state, or would they develop a sence of indiviualism and what they do best? What do you do with crimnals (can there be crimnals without laws?)? Would they work together or work against each other? Would their be specialized labor, or everybody for him/herself?
Anyway, I couldn't do this, it would be too hard to go 7 weeks without computers (unless you got a really small laptop and a cell phone, snuck them onto the island and kept it a secret and got online at night (oh, yeah, and a few hundred batteries (or....maybe you would develop solar panels out of coconuts....)))
That's my $(2^4*3+1/7%3*2/100)
--Justin Mitchell
"2nd Place is a fancy word for losing" --Bender (Futurama)
Umm, this kind of show has been running in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia for I think 3 or 4 years now...
There is some confusion here.
:-)
The people locked up in a house-show is the Dutch "Big Brother".
But this show sounds much more like the Swedish "Robinson", where people go to a deserted island, survive, and are gradually voted out until a winner remains.
It seems to be the media event of the year in Sweden, judging from the internet newspapers I read from my fatherland (which seems to have gone downhill since I left
In the beginning, you could be voted out by your own team - one was - and later killed himself.
Whether this was due to the show, I don't know, but there was all kind of complaints, and the show was called mobbing-tv e.t.c.
They have now changed the rules so it's the other teams which can vote out one from "your" team.
This completely spoiled the show, because the other teams will obviously try to vote out the "best" on a competitive team.
That means that if you try to help your teammates, be a nice guy and all that, you're asking for a ticket home.
So from mobbing-tv, it went to be sissy-tv.
I think they should leave them on the Island with just the clothes on their backs and some camera's with lots of tapes and batteries, thats it. And it someone thinks that that can not handle it they should be picked up and brought off the island. No producers to interfere. Maybe out a webcam in the island with a satalite link.
...is one of my favorite short stories. It's in the Bachman Books and I'm sure many reprintings.
The basic premise: 100 18 yr old men are selected and start walking. They must maintain a pace of 4 mph, if they fall below 4 mph three times, they, um, get their heads blown off my soldiers (it IS King...). For every hour you walk you can lose one of your strikes, but it's always three and you're out. Last man walking wins. The prize, IIRC, is you basically get your every whim until you die.
In the book it was built up as more popular than the superbowl with massive betting on who would be next, first, last to die. Persoanally I think it's some of King's best work (before that computer started writing his books) and would make an excellent movie, if done correctly.
+&x
Oh wait, or do you have to volunteer to build your camera and sound equipment out of coconuts and bamboo and palm leaves and be willing to eat sand and seashells before you're part of the crew for the show?
What tripe. What trash. But people will watch because 85% of the people in the U.S. are blithering idiots who need to get their entertainment spoon-fed by whomever has the loudest marketing. Critical thinking abilities in this country have dropped to critical levels when the networks can pass this sort of stuff off a "real". I might even say this is more insulting to one's intelligence than that "Erkle" show.
-=-=-=-=-
-=-=-=-=-
My mom's going to kick you in the face!
Instead of "Survivor" it should be called "The Real World", or "Road Rules".
Oh wait, those are taken.
Nothing can possiblai go wrong. Er...possibly go wrong.
Strange, that's the first thing that's ever gone wrong.
Tyler's words coming out of my mouth.
Ok, enough with the USA bashing. Canada's not perfect either. *bites toungue*
There is a similar show running in Denmark called
"Robinson" which is a huge success; intriges are
fueled by the tv station and the fact that people
must vote their fellow group members home.
A total waste of time, if you want a real survival
course - be all you can be.
/Soren
Let's get 16 people together and take part in the contest. No matter who's the winner we can share the $. ;D
Given our voting skills we should be able to finish the job most quickly.
Anyone?
Was it 7 weeks? I can't seem to find it again.
Anyway, the point is that this is basically marketing, and designed to grab the USA public and make them watch advertisements.
Something like this has been happening in Australia for a couple years, but much more serious. 2 people (usually a couple) were sent down to the back blocks of Tasmania for a year (yup, 1 whole year) with bugger all. No constant tv crews either.
So it was real physical survival, whereas the TV show is about political surival. Guess most of us geeks miss out then. Still, they'll need people to 'die' early on, so don't give up now.
However, if island 'cliques' emerge, things could get interesting....for example, in-group agreements to support each other (ie, not vote each other out) could emerge. Groups could also collectively target a (possibly random) specific individual in some other group to be 'voted out', thereby preserving safety within the group.
In that scenario, the largest clique wins, and then in-group battles would break out, possibly with the formation of sub-cliques, etc..
What's also interesting is that the ultimate victor has to remain more popular with the last seven contestants than his rival. That's probably why the contest isn't open to CANADIANS! (we're too innocuous/friendly and we'd win every time).
"Is this just useless, or is it expensive as well?"
The swedish show was called expedition robinson as someone already pointed out earlier and it also was on a tropical island, the price there was a measly $50,000.-
In holland (wich is where I happen to live) we are now enjoying a really fun show called (as pointed out) Big brother but their concept is a little different. It goes like this:
Nine people live in a house without any connection to the outside world other than a voice over. no TV, no newspaper etc. They stay in that house (wich, by the way is a sort of pre-fab single story building) for 100 days.
There are some fun elements added too:
Every few weeks each of the inhabitants has to nominate two housemates for removal from the house. After that the viewers (that's us!) get to vote on the nominee's and the one with the most votes has to leave the (and spend the next few weeks in talk shows) and he or she gets nothing. In the end there will be three left and then the public votes for the most popular and that person gets $125,00.- and the other two get nothing. end of show.
They get to spend $250.- every week (with nine people!) but they can raise their budget by succesfully completing assignments such as: cycling 1300km on a hometrainer in five days.
Every day there is a "prime time" summary of all the fun things they did that day on TV and at night it (sometimes) replaces the shopping channel (wich is good). there are also four webcams running all day and night (remember the time-difference)
http://www.big-brother.nl
(Sorry, I'm no good at HTML)
How lame, it's nothing but a popularity contest, but with a sort of political backstabbing twist because there can only be one winner in the end. Like Highlander meets 90210.
Of course, if you rework their premise, it makes perfect sense. Assume the castaways don't have enough food (and assume they're helpless morons, because they're on a tropical island). Each vote is to determine who is sacrificed to be eaten. Now that would be a show worth watching!
You guys all read Snow Crash...you do remember those pirates, right?
"How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?" --BMcC-->
The application alone seems designed to ensure that they all starve to death:
Applications MUST be written clearly or typed and must be accompanied by a videotape which meets the following restrictions:
CONTENT: Who you are and why you would make the ultimate Survivor! Be creative!
So, to be on the show, you must be able to survive a screen test. Something tells me this one will be the most important test of a cantidate, but really, even if they look good on camera, how are they going to look after 5 1/2 weeks on a deserted island with no plumbing?
Some of the other questions are amusing too. The answers most likely to ensure survival in a real marooning situation, are likewise those most likely to scare the producers and cause you not to be hired. Compare them with the typical angst-ridden teen applicant.
In which other occupations, if any, have you been employed (please list your last three (3))?
Tribesman Hunter, Gatherer, Flint knapper
Teen McDonalds, lifeguard, Walmart
What is your level of education and what school(s) did you attend?
Tribesman None
Teen I just graduated from SuperDuper High School in Podunk, Ohio (go Porcupines!)
Name three of your favorite hobbies.
Tribesman Making spears, burning out canoes, skinning game animals.
Teen Going to movies, shopping, talking on the phone
Not including your current place of residence, in which other cities and/or countries have you lived and for what period of time?
Tribesman I have lived in Brazil, Australia, and the Congo at various times. Of course, the tribes didn't call them that...
Teen I've never been outside of the three-state area.
List three adjectives that best describe yourself:
Tribesman Large, brutish, accurate (with projectiles)
Teen Smart, sensitive, ambitious
If you could hold any political office, what would it be and why?:
Tribesman Someday, I would like to lead my own clan into the rainforest and never return.
Teen I would be mayor, so I could beautify our city's streets and parks.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?:
Tribesman I killed my first wild boar when I was 10.
Teen I won the spelling bee my senior year!
Do you have any pets? If so, please list their name and type.:
Tribesman Animals are for eating.
Teen Poofy, my iguana.
Are you a vegetarian or do you eat meat?:
Tribesman See above.
Teen It isn't right to eat animals, they are people too.
What's your favorite movie?:
Tribesman Alive.
Teen Clueless
What's your favorite music to listen to?:
Tribesman The rythmic pounding of drums.
Teen Ska
Describe your perfect day.:
Tribesman Waking at dawn, I rise and gather my hunting equipment. But I find that a deer has fallen into the pit I dug last week, so I bludgeon it and dress it to take back to camp, where I roast a haunch and smoke the rest to preserve it. No tigers attack me.
Teen I get to sleep in till noon, then go and help my grandmother with her garden.
Do you have any body art (piercing, tattoos, etc.)? If so, please describe.:
Tribesman All men in my society have a 3 inch prong stuck through their lip after they make their first kill.
Teen I have 8 ear piercings, a nosering, two eyebrow rings, and one other one, you don't want to see it.
List three (3) items you would take with you to the Survivor! desert island, if allowed, and why?:
Tribesman A knife, a lighter, and a tarp. That's all I own anyway.
Teen A TV, stereo, and VCR so I wouldn't feel so far from home.
What is your favorite topic of conversation at a dinner party?:
Tribesman The upcoming rainy season, or the next expedition into town.
Teen The terrible plight of the suburbs in this country, as they are doomed to fall behind when even more sprawl moves people out from the cities.
What skills do you bring to the island that would make you a useful member of the group?
Tribesman Given a rock, I can provide food for the entire group.
Teen I am a good listener, a caring friend, and a swim instructor at my local pool.
Why do you believe you could be the final Survivor? (please limit your answer to 3 or 4 sentences):
Teen Because I believe in myself!
Tribesman If I am not, I will call down my tribe's medicine man and your corporate headquarters will be left a smoldering ruin in our wake.
Who do you think CBS will pick?
Communication is only possible between equals
I'm not sure of the law, but who controls this island as far as laws?
Umm, I don't know about you but any idiot can handle a gun just fine. Certainly more than 1% of the populace can. Give me a gun and I can most assuredly show you how it is used.
One slight twist and this show could called "Predator".
Here's how it works:
A bunch of us pool our resources and money. After the show starts, we determine the exact location of the island.
Then we hire one special forces operative, preferably an ex-SEAL with impulse control problems. He can be special contestant number 17!
His job is to eliminate, with extreme prejudice, the contestants, the camera crew, the producers and any other humans on the island. And he gets to keep the grand prize for a job well done.
Now *that's* entertainment.
Nothing can possiblai go wrong. Er...possibly go wrong.
Strange, that's the first thing that's ever gone wrong.
Tyler's words coming out of my mouth.
Then, I guess the girl that puts out will have the best shot at the prize.
Did anyone read the description of this show? At first, I thought that people would be eliminated as they slowly starved, or became ill, or seriously injured themselves. Yay! However, they will be eliminated by a vote (after a public debate) involving everyone on the island. In other words, this will be like a long episode of The Real World that takes place on an island. Boo.
What T-shirt will YOU wear?
I'm torn between my:
Netscape
Unixware (obtained by appearing on a promo tape)
FreeBSD (never worn, gift from client)
or the League of Evil Geniuses (but at $30...I'd like to keep it)
I'd prob. wear the FreeBSD shirt...just to upset the local Penguns.
But face it, most of us would never make it past the screening and the physical.
In the netherlands, a similar show is running right now. See www.big-brother.nl
numb
Three things? a chainsaw, a shotgun (the double barreled one) and that lovely BFG9K... (I know that tke 9K uses lots of cells, still one shot should be enough... and it is GPL!) Deathmatch rules apply... that could be fun...
Distant Island Nuke tests also don't help the appearance of people
I remember when I read (and then saw) Running Man, I told people we'd be seeing things like that. Most laughed. A few years later we had American Gladiators. Hmmm...
Who says life doesn't imitate art?
After reading the description of this show, I think I'd rather watch Gilligan's Island reruns. While not particularly smart, it was atleast funny. And heck, it had a great theme song:
l
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip. That started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a mighty sailin' man, the skipper brave and sure. Five passengers set sail that day, for a three hour tour, a three hour tour. The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Minnow would be lost; the Minnow would be lost. The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle, with Gilligan, the Skipper too, the Millionaire, and his Wife, the Movie Star, and the rest, (the Professor and Mary Ann,) here on Gilligan's Isle.
Now this is the tale of our castaways, they're here for a long long time. They'll have to make the best of things, it's an uphill climb. The first mate and his skipper too, will do their very best,to make the others comfortable, in their tropic island nest. No phones, no lights, no motor car, not a single luxury. Like Robinson Crusoe, it's primitive as can be. So join us here each week my friend, you're sure to get a smile. From seven stranded castaways, Here on Gilligan's Isle.
This is a decent site:
http://members.aol.com/SScastaway/Gilligans.htm
no wonder my dental co-pays have been rising! hehehhe :P
Blar.
-----------
"You can't shake the Devil's hand and say you're only kidding."
We're on the third series here in Sweden. First one began in 1997.
/. will be announcing "The Search For The Desert Gold", which is the latest Robinson clone to have been dreamt up by Swedish TV.
... and there was me thinking the US got all the good TV first.
Actually it's a rilly good series. People have almost died on it! Unfortunately, people have also become local TV celebrities here from appearing on the program.
So I guess in about 3 years time,
A little planning goes a long way...
As proved at the Dutch site Fokzine, people are mainly interested in what is not broadcasted. The nine people locked in the isolated house have been forced to sign a contract, that they can't sell their story to any other medium than Veronica, the company which broadcasts Big Brother now. Moreover, Veronica seems to realize that simply "watching people" is too boring, so there is probably a script involved. Even nicer to see is the way Veronica tries to hide this - at the moment something strange occurs, they simply pull the plug out of the studio - even the webcams are censored.
The reactions are funnier than the program itself: a camera team from another TV station landed in the garden using parachutes, there would even have been a fight. And there's the Fish Brother parody, a webcam on nine goldfishes in a bowl, and you can vote them away..
...open doors and chests
Excuse me, how do we know the guy who sent this story in isn't some CBS shill who sent this message to Slashdot because series planners decided they needed some geeks on the show to appeal to the (18-49, male, white, RICH) geek audience? Does anyone other than me think Hemos and Taco and all should be more alert to marketing explotiation?
As far as I've been able to tell TV3 is using the same set of rules & ideas as SVT did the first year. Each program has one (or more) competitions, and the losing team has to vote on of their people out. He/she is sent home. Here in Norway there's two teams, each starting with 8 members (as far as I remember). It's mixed teams.
The Swedes (SVT) are slightly more original this time around though. They have 4 teams, 2 male and 2 female. These teams are again split by age, so there's one "youngster" team and one "oldie" team. So far they haven't put the teams together though, so I don't know what'll happen once they have so few members that they need to combine the teams. In the previous season the teams were put together once they were down to 8 or so total.
The show is quite similar to Road Rules, Real World, and other variations over the theme "Lets put some people together and film them 24/7 and see what happens". Robinson (or "Expedition Robinson" which it's also called) has a competitive nature though, something Road Rules & Real World didn't have (as far as I rememember, been a few years since I last saw them). In Robinson, there will be only one person left to pick up the first price.
Due to the competition there's room for a lot of tactics. There's tactics regarding who you send home and who you don't. I remember in the final stages of the first season on SVT that when there were 3 people left, the winner of the competition got to choose who would be sent home. That's of course easy, you send home the one you think is your toughest competitor. When there's still teams competing you need to send home those who won't make your team win, of course. The team who wins the competitions get various kind of prizes (I've seen food, don't remember anything else).
It's more or less a kind of soap opera. There's competition between people, people like each other, hate each other, argue, eat, sleep, et all... and the camera team follows them around all the time. The most exciting things probably end up being shown (we all remember the guy in Real World SF that got kicked out). The latest big story (/controversy) here in Norway regarding the show was that they showed some of the girls sunbathing with bare breasts, which the TV station had promised not to do. The girls that were shown half-naked are concerned about what will be shown in the later episodes though, since they used less & less clothes as time on the island progressed.
But anyway... (I've been writing a few paragraphs now) The show is slightly interesting if you're into shows like that. I'm slightly disappointed by the Norwegian version of the series, but probably since it's such a copy of the previous Swedish season. The current Swedish show with males against females and oldies against youngsters is more interesting though. Mostly because the battle of the sexes have been going on for a while. :)
It'll be interesting to see what kind of show CBS gets out of it. Hope I have CBS over here (or they stream it on the 'net) when it's done.
Actually, the "Big Brother" show is shot in the Netherlands. They have a web site at:
://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-09 /25/094l-092599-idx.html
http://www.big-brother.nl/
There's also an article about it at the Washington Post site (which is in English).
http
The main difference seems to be that the group nominates the evictees, but the viewing public actually decides. Two are already gone. Out of the remaining eight, five will be booted before the new year. The remaining three get about $118,000US each.
My favorite quote from the article:
Their trips to the bathroom will be on camera in the control room for security reasons and to prevent secret meetings, but not broadcast. Nor will the fronts of showering ladies.
"You despise me, don't you?"
"If I gave you any thought, I probably would."
I have a question, mostly an unacknowledged one, since no one seems to care anymore.
How moral is it to place 16 people on an island, place them in a situation where they will have to stab each other in the back, for money?
Think about this. You are on an island, if you are lucky for 7 weeks. That whole time you could be removed for any reason. All human contact is in direct opposition with you and you are quit aware that when it comes time they will conspire against you, set you up, lie about you and then vote you of the island.
Don't forget that you may also have to rely on them for your very substance.
You will endure 7 weeks of constant torment, for $1,000,000.00 if you are lucky. Most likely you will get a nice parting gift( one year supply of Mac and Cheese ).
I am sure the show will be a hit, and the break room subject will move from Buffy to this.
papageorgio
diverse
Diversity? That's what America was built on.
ABC's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The plot: 16 people stuck on an island, with Regis Philbin shouting "Is that your final answer?" at them repeatedly until all but one go insane.
What do you think, America?
My Blog. Sela Ward can sell me long distanc
This is a complete rip off of a show that is very popular in Amsterdam. There, they have a group of people in a warehouse, completely cut off from society and they vote a person out once a week. Figures that CBS can't think of anything original.
All she would have to do is sleep with the guys and that would guarantee that she would not be voted out most likely. Then all she has to do is get them to turn on each other one by one.
Not trying to be sexist. Just knowing guys and guessing what the situation would be like.
White sand beaches, lush rain forest, crystal clear waters. This is your new home for seven weeks. The only other inhabitants are long tailed Macaque monkeys, monitor lizards, and our crack team of TV cameramen, journalists, and Bob Eubanks! It seems romantic, but you are now part of a bold challenge where only one of you will win the ultimate prize of one million dollars.
You will not bother with shelter - hey, it's the tropics - catch food (see aforementioned monkeys, lizards, and journalists), and establish a new island society. You must work together as a team, but only to lull your competitors into a false sense of security. Each day you will compete in challenges of strategy, guile and bludgeoning to steal your opponent's small luxuries and to preserve your chance for the ultimate cash prize.
You will form a Tribal Council. Here you will openly debate the group dynamics of the previous days, and smash the skulls of those who disagree with you. The council ends with a secret ballot where each of you votes to eat the cameramen and take the prize-winning journalists as mate. The person with the least amount of mates must leave the territory immediately and is elimiated from the gene pool.
Over the weeks, one by one, more are eliminated until only two remain. In order to choose the final winner, a unique Tribal Council is called. This final conflict (refereed by the last seven outcast males) will be a WCW Cage Match Battle Royale, with Jesse Ventura as Guest Announcer. Weeks of surviving the elements and outlasting the other castaways, but it all comes down to one - the Survivor! The winner of the $1,000,000 (less %38 federal tax, 10% millionaires tax, 3% state tax, all applicable license fees, insurances, and transportation fees. CBS owns all trademarks and distributions rights associated with this contest, including books and movie sales, as well as the Survivors persona and image without limit.)
Do you want a chance to win ONE MILLION DOLLARS (see note above)? Do you have what it takes to be the ultimate Survivor(TM)? Click here for information on how to apply for this once in a lifetime opportunity to embarrass yourself in front of the whole world, live!
--
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." -- Darth Vader
Welcome to the hompage for the original, Swedish version.
This is political survival. The winner will be a person who is a good manipulator and should be able to get elected to high office with no trouble whatsoever. Even get free exposure from CBS on the way.
dv
"There's no secret. You just press the accelerator to the floor and keep turning left." -- Bill Vukovich
Kiss ass until you get to the final two, then offer 4 of the 7 judges a cash incentive.
Anyone read Stephen King's short story "Survivor Type" in Skeleton Crew? It's a story about a man who survives a plane crash and is stranded on a desert island with a few kilos of heroin. Now THAT's entertainment. Add a few more people... males and females ... leave them alone for a while come back and you'll see everyday chumps turn into cave warriors. Where men were men and women were sex toys. Everybody running around in loincloths (if not butt-ass naked) killing wildlife during the day and screwing the nearest female after dinner cuz there's no TV to watch. YEA Baby!
You tell ME
Apologies to Tom Smith, ESPECIALLY if I mis-quoted this:
Just sit right back, and you'll hear a tale, . .
.
Of a Federation Ship:
The StarFleet sent it Voyaging, but it didn't send a script. .
The Mate was a surly Injun man:
Ms. Skipper, not Picard
And an Afro-American Vulcan, don't think about that to hard. . .
Don't think about that to haarrrrrrrrrrd. .
A Tempero-Spatial Anomaly was broached in a state of Flux,
Cut out the Treknobabble, and you'll find it really sucks. .
. . . but should make lots of bucks. . .
et cetera ad nauseam. . .
Instead of watching mind numbing sitcoms I can see people fend for their lives like in prehistoric days. It would be an interesting experiment. Hehe, "MTV's Extreme Real World"
Some men are perfectly capable of sleeping with the woman and then voting her off the island immediately thereafter. The equivalent happens every day, right here in the real world.
Voting the other players off the island? Gee, I see everyone voting to get rid of the person they think is going to win instead of the slackers. The winner will most likely be the one that is best at manipulating other people and not necessarily the best outdoor survivor. CBS should just donate the money to a homless shelter to benefit real survivors.
I'm entered and am going to go buy some ammo! Last man standing eh?
:)
I like shooting people
-paul
they got to eat palm trees???
ummm....sign me up!
I was bummer because they only allow Americans to enter...what about Canadians? Swedes? Finns?? Brits?? Aussies??
I guess they know that we'd whip their asses.
Girlies!
They Shoot Horses Don't THey? Anyone familliar with that film? It was an excellent film about the 1920's dance-a-thons where people literally danced for weeks straight just for a little cash. Many people died, the producers didn't give a crap. CBS is doing the same thing. tcd004 production manager of the flake tank
Watch men and women climbing ropes for big cash prizes and to avoid certain, agonizing death in...
Climbing for Dollars!
Thursdays at 9:00 after The Running Man!
You have a deserted island, 16 people, 7 weeks, and they have to fend for themselves, but the winner is determined by democracy??? How boring! I suggest that a special buzzer be placed at a specific spot on the island, and let the people stay there until they get bored, die, or hit the buzzer. Then the last one will get the million. Maybe some idiot will stay there for years just to get it. It would be an interesting expose' on the human drive for money as well as survival. How about a show called "What would you do for money?" where constestants would be asked to do outrageous things for a lot of money... example: "Sir, will you eat a shit burger for $10,000?" "Miss, will you jump from the second story of this building for $50,000? We provide all medical costs!"
This isn't exactly a Robinson Crusoe-like survival contest. It's a simulation of cannibalism.
Several people stranded together. At regular intervals, one of them must go; which one is decided by group will.
The only part that doesn't fit is the last vote, where the ghosts of the eaten decide the fate of the survivors.
Uh, I'm not sure choosing an island with Monitor lizards on it was such a good idea. They're very large, very dangerous. Even supposing the network has some staff waiting in the wings to save anyone who looks like they're going to die of starvation, exposure, or whatnot, a Monitor Lizard can kill someone quite rapidly... Every day that goes by makes me more glad I don't have a TV.
From The Nature of Warfare in Anglo-Saxon England:
Hólmganga literally means 'island going' since duels were traditionally fought on islands. Saxo records a duel fought on an island in the River Eider by the fourth century Anglian king Offa which is also referred to in the Anglo-Saxon poem Widsið.
Seastead this.
They had a show like this in Japan over a year ago where they sent 2 guys to an island to survive. They had to eat whatever they could and try to make a boat and escape. Looks like the US is just copying the Japanese this time!
Maybe he developed the impulse control problems when he was already an ex-SEAL?
All you need to do is to find seven other participants willing to take a guaranteed $125K each and you can rig the whole thing (vote everyone else out, then bow out one by one, at the end split the $1M). It could end up more like Machiavelli (the game) than Robinson Crusoe.
It says: Must be 21 years of age.
What the hell is that about!?
I bet i'd be a better candidate at 20 that any of the over 21 people they put on that island.
. Each day you will compete in challenges of strategy, guile and wits to win small luxuries
well since they have to be over 21 can anyone say...booze? once again...i can make my own cider...i think i would be a good candidate!
. The person with the most votes against him/her must leave the island immediately and is eliminated from the contest.
ok let me take the time to say that this is outright lameness. this is called survivor right? Make them battle to the death! but honestly, they should make people give up not be forced off...this is better because then people who like that character will think they are a wuss instead of them being bullied off. Make them vote to knock them out of their "office", whatever office you can hold on a dessert island.
, more are eliminated until only two remain. In order to choose the final winner, a unique Tribal Council is called. This final council (consisting of the last seven eliminated contestants) will stand in judgment of the remaining two.
oh man this is really wrong...once again...the only judge in a survival situation is nature...not a tribunal of past contestants...what crap.
so basically this is going to be "the REAL WORLD: stranded in paradise" where a bunch of beautiful people jump around all day and look pretty.
JediLuke
JediLuke
-Do or Do Not, There is no Try
I've heard of garbage dumps built on bedrock too...
I've read a lot of the messages on this and I have to say 2 things.
1) Yes this is kind of a a dumb idea, mostly beacuse this has absoultly nothing to do with surviving and therefore the name of the show makes no sense.
2) It would however be very difficult to win this thing. It is not just about being popular. I think to win this you would have to accomplish two things. First you would have to have the others like you, and come off as a nice/fair person. Second you would have to make people think (for whatever reason) that you have little chance of winning.
I think the best way to do this would be nice to everyone and have them like you, but don't be the dominant person in the group. Then near the end become more dominant, and at the same time attempt to bring down the person you see as #1. However you would have to do this in a certain way so the other person looks bad, but you still come off looking like the good guy (so you can win the final vote).
Throughout the whole contest a good idea would be to become friends with everyone, and make them think that you like them best.
Something that came up in a few threads that I agree with, is that you would have to be very good at manipulating people. But while 'popular' people are generally good at manipulating people, I don't think they would win because people would see them as having a good chance to win, and therefore target them early on.
So while this contest has nothing to do with survival and in some ways is stupid, I think it would be interesting to see who won and more importantly how they did it. Although I think if I was there I'd go with the split the money approach.
If you're selected to participate, you
have a 1 in 16 chance of winning $1 million,
if the winner were selected at random.
That means your "expected" winnings are $62.5K
for 7 weeks of admittedly difficult work that
would be your entire life for 7 weeks.
If we convert that to an equivalent salaried
job, participating in this show is the equivalent
of spending 7 weeks working 24 hours a day (with paid overtime)
on a salaried job with a rate of $111K per year.
So financially, you could "expect" to make decent money for doing
this show, although it's risky money. For the
$111K job, you would know you are making that money, whereas
for the Survivor you could end up empty-handed or do much
better than expected. The show also has some elements
of danger that the typical $111K job doesn't.
However, all that doesn't consider the fame and publicity aspects
of being on the show. Anyone who participates
on that show should be a little more marketable for
any job they want to go for, or whatever. And the winner
can probably expect to hit the talk show circuit, and
do endorsements and all that stuff. So, if you don't
get bitten by a coral snake while you're on the island,
you can expect all sorts of crazy stuff to happen due
to the 15 minutes of fame the show would give you.
But then there's the training time involved. Certainly
you would want to study and train before the show to
have the best chance of winning the money. If you don't,
the other participants will, and they'll win the money.
So the training would be an additional time investment, although
a lot of the physical and mental exercise would probably be good
anyway. Then, there's the strategy involved in actually getting the
others to choose you to receive the money. You might have
to promise them a cut of your winnings, or promise to donate
it to charity. Since the teammates doing the choosing have
lost the money anyway and their choice for the money will be
publicized, they should have no problem giving the money to
you to donate to a charity, rather than give it to the other
person who will go back to a cushy job, the talk show circuit,
and major advertising endorsements anyway. In that case,
it could become a battle of the charities, with each participant
having their own charity to donate the money to.
It seems like there are several things that would help you
win:
1. Know a lot that will help everyone to survive in comfort, and
take on plenty of the workload. This way, you will be considered
invaluable on the team, and last until near the end of the show.
It would be helpful to become the leader, but maybe not necessary.
2. Serve everyone on the team all the time, so that when push comes
to shove, people would rather vote themselves out than you.
3. Publicize the charity or giving everyone a cut idea for the
winnings early on, which will increase your "deserving" of
the money.
Well, what do you think? Would CBS choose
someone who plans on donating the money to
charity? Maybe they would have to keep their
true intention secret until they actually
got on the island. Would that person survive to the
end anyway? Would there be a bidding war
at the end?
rbrewer+slash@op.net
This had nothing to do with physical survival -- it's about ``surviving'' the stupid secret ballots -- hell, the might as well do that in some apartment complex in suburbia!
I'd rather watch a show about monkey's picking lice and ticks off each other. Anyone who watches this survivor show should be killed, so should people who watch wrestling, QVC or the 700Club.
The current Slashdot moderation system is made by gay communists!
Forget the Net. I need a vacation and it sounds like great fun. One for Philly
A show like that one is currently running on swiss TV. A number of people selected mainly for their sex (50:50) and apparently not much tested for both social capabilities and knowledge about wilderness has been cast to a secluded island about a month ago, where they need to survive for up to 7 weeks. The only supply they get delivered is just enough rice to make sure they don't starve. There is therefore a big motivation to hunt/fish and forage for other food to fill and enrich their menus. The show has until now been quite fun to watch since they need to innovate fairly often to be able to find food, build houses etc. (just one of these challenges: how does one get to the coconuts hanging some 10 meters above you on a nearly perfectly smooth palm tree, no problem for people living e.g. in the Sahara but for europeans?). The show gives also quite some insights into the life in a stone-age society. Living from mostly the same food (be it rice like in Asia or Corn in America) with few diversities, working with crude tools in an effort to produce a little of luxury goods (even a good fish belongs to that or a stable hut protecting you from the weather). Quite a few of these people apparently misjudged the idea of getting a few weeks of free R&R on an island (together with a lot of /. readers) and were quite shocked when they understood the reality of living in such a way. Anyway, I like the show and I'm sure most of you are also going to appreciate it, be it just for entertainment or for sociological/ethological studies (which it is quite good for...)
Strix Television is producing the show for TV3 Denmark, TV3 Norway og SVT in Sweden. But the Concept was developed by the British company "Planet 24" http://www.mtg.se/eng/press/980401strix_eng.htm
I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!
Get up! Get your lazy ass out of your chair, open your window, and shout it: I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore! I can't hear you. Come on, get up. GET UP RIGHT NOW. Go to your god-fearin congressman, and tell him in no uncertain terms: "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
Say it with me one more time...
--
grappler
Vidi, Vici, Veni
Say, maybe this is all an attempt by CBS to thin out the gene pool! I like it!
--- Dirtside
"Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
A total waste of time, if you want a real survival course - be all you can be.
Yep... Take orders, scream at your underlings and shoot at the funny people with the towels on their heads.
Be all you can be indeed.
Why don't you call it "Expedition Amundsen" and put the contestants on Spitzbergen. Polar-bear-grade shotguns are optional. Of course, here in Sweden we can call it "Expedition Andree", and the 'merkins can use "Expedition Scott".