[Survivor Theme]
IF A TV SHOW GETS RENEWED FOR A 45TH SEASON, IT MUST BE GOOD RIGHT…RIGHT? WELL THAT’S WHAT THE EXECUTIVES AT CBS SEEM TO THINK WHEN IT COMES TO SURVIVOR — THE LONGSTANDING REALITY TV SHOW THAT THROWS A DIVERSE BATCH OF CONTESTANTS INTO THE JUNGLE WITH LITTLE FOOD AND A LOT OF PARANOIA.
IN FACT, SURVIVOR IS SO POPULAR THAT IT’S BEEN REPLICATED AT NORTHWESTERN. NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING…WOULDN’T CONTESTANTS JUST BE ABLE TO GO TO ALLISON OR SARGE WHEN THEY START TO GET HUNGRY? AS A LONG-TIME SURVIVOR FAN, I HAD THE SAME QUESTIONS…I MEAN HOW CAN YOU DUPLICATE A SHOW ENTIRELY BASED ON MANIPULATION AND SURVIVAL IN THE SUBURBS OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS?
[Emma Nelsen] We have a whole spreadsheet where we plan the season week by week of what the challenge is going to be that week…And then in winter, winter we actually start to play so we usually have a weekly challenges that are weekly…And afterwards, whichever team last, we set up a time to meet for their counsel, which is when they have to meet and vote somebody off.
THAT’S EMMA NELSEN — THE CO-HOST OF THE UPCOMING SEASON OF NU SURVIVOR. DESPITE HAVING NEVER WATCHED A FULL EPISODE OF THE REAL THING, NELSEN SAYS SHE LOVES THE NU EDITION OF THE SHOW.
[Tribal Council Theme]
[EN] So funnily enough, I’ve never seen a full episode of survivor I. My interest in the club sort of just came out of pure curiosity when I saw them at the club Fair last year, and it’s a really great group of people. And I really liked the concept of the show. I have seen the first season of Total Drama Island which is based off of Survivor.
NU SURVIVOR IS ENTERING ITS FIFTH SEASON AFTER STARTING IN 2019. CONTESTANTS RECORD EVERY INTERACTION THEY HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THE PRODUCTION TEAM WATCHES EVERYTHING OVER. SEASON 1 IS ON YOUTUBE FOR ANYONE TO WATCH, AND NELSEN HOPES TO MAKE THE SHOW MORE ACCESSIBLE TO VIEWERS.
[EN] Yeah, one thing I’m definitely hoping for is we’re working on getting editors to get all the seasons we’ve recorded up on YouTube because as of now I think Northwestern survivor season one is on YouTube, but there are a season 234 And then last year it was five that are yet to be edited and put together. So that would be really cool to see them actually go up because I know for the people who played and possibly for people who haven’t played but maybe their friends were in it, it would be cool for them to actually watch it.
[Blindside Theme]
OPPOSITE OF THE PRODUCTION TEAM ARE THE CONTESTANTS. I SAT DOWN WITH ALEX ARNOLD — A SEASON 2 PARTICIPANT — TO GET HIS TAKE ON THE EXPERIENCE.
[Alex Arnold] Yes, I think it feels a lot like Survivor. The challenges kind of changed quite a bit because you can’t make giant obstacle courses. So one time it was like the logic puzzles we had to do. One was just trying to get a number between zero and 10,004. Got it first. Got it.
ARNOLD WAS ULTIMATELY VOTED OUT JUST BEFORE THE TWO TRIBES MERGED. IN FAIRNESS, HE WAS THE ONLY FRESHMAN PLAYING AND WAS CONFINED TO ZOOM INTERACTIONS. THE REST OF THE PLAYERS, MOSTLY UPPERCLASSMEN, WERE ON CAMPUS AND COULD INTERACT MORE DYNAMICALLY.
[AA] It was cool to meet new people because especially because I did it online. I hadn’t met anyone yet. But it’s a good way to meet people who you wouldn’t really meet other ways, even if they’re also lying to you.
AFTER TALKING WITH ALEX AND EMMA, IT FEELS LIKE NU SURVIVOR ISN’T ALL THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE REAL SHOW. THERE’S DECEIT, CHALLENGES, AND…WELL…NO STARVING OR BUG BITES.
THE SHOW CERTAINLY ISN’T FOR EVERYONE — IT’S A TIME COMMITMENT AND CAN BE A MENTAL LOAD. BUT FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE, THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO EARN BRAGGING RIGHTS AND PSEUDO-REALITY TV EXPERIENCE.
OH, AND BEFORE I LET THEM GO, I HAD TO ASK ALEX AND EMMA HOW THEY THINK THEY’D FAIR ON THE REAL SURVIVOR.
[AA] It’s really it really takes even online it kind of takes a toll on you just emotionally. And I can’t imagine doing that while I’m also starving and not sleeping. So I think it’d be fun but also really hard. So I don’t know if I would think I was there. I think it would be well I think I can make it as long as I do with the whole starving thing.
[EN] I think it would be super fun. In terms of far I’d get. I think I’d be sort of a middle of the pack, because I think I do well enough and challenges where people want to keep me around. But I don’t know if I have the sort of manipulative tactics that are sometimes needed to make it to the end.
FOR WNUR NEWS, I’M JOHN FERRARA.
[Survivor Theme]
