MovieChat Forums > Survivor (2000) Discussion > In watching episodes of this, I wonder h...

In watching episodes of this, I wonder how much is scripted....

posted 2 years ago by [deleted]
6 replies | jump to latest

I've been watching early episodes of this show and it makes me wonder just how much is scripted.

For example, I wonder how much food and water they are given off-camera because contestants often don't seem to be really struggling. So many of these contestants claim they are starving, but even after winning fishing gear, it seems they barely use it in episodes. Also, with the seasons being during rainy seasons on tropical islands and plenty of hollow bamboo around, why have none of these people created some sort of water collection apparatus that behaves like roof gutters? Or for that matter, using the huge leaves that are all over to create funnels for rainwater collection?

Then, there were two seasons that had steller twists that just seemed too good to be true (in Season 19 the one guy found three hidden immunity idols from no clues).

Still, it is kind of a fun show to watch...just mindless entertainment.....

[–] PaladinNJ (21771) 2 years ago

Stacey in the first season claimed a lot of scripting took place. The producers threatened to sue her if she discussed it.

I think for the most part they don't put words in the contestants' mouth so much as arrange them to fit the story they want to tell. For instance, the order of the final vote is rearranged after it is counted so that suspense is built. Another time was when Jeff asked the contestants about changing the greeting from "Come on in, guys." The contestants overwhelmingly voted to keep it. The producers overrode the decision and had Jeff redo his response to make it seem that a contestant was offended by it.

There's also the issue of reshooting scenes "Which do no affect the outcome" (I believe that's how it is worded in the credits). In one episode, the footage from a water challenge was considered bad. They dressed a bunch of actors to look like the contestants and reshot the challenge.

[–] TandyMan (11343) 2 years ago

They definitely recreate challenges for pickup shots. That's been disclosed several times over the show's run. This is still a tv show at the end of the day.

[–] TheLonelyOne86 (250) 2 years ago

I think, like in Big Brother, they must be told to do certain things to change how the game goes. For example, certain contestants swear they won't tell anyone they have an idol, and then before the day is over they've already blabbed about it to...whoever. I can't imagine over ALL the seasons that not a one kept it a secret after saying they would.

In the earliest seasons of Survivor I do think they struggled with food. That one girl got SUPER thin (some blonde girl) and it was a huge controversy, I think, and I think that's when they started adding more auctions and food reward challenges and such.

As for doing what you said regarding rainwater and such - I think they're just not very creative or willing to put in the effort. At one point I remember Jeff saying they get sent to areas where a lot of items are edible - roots and such, and I believe they receive some sort of training before going out there, but nobody puts it to use.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

I read up on some of the background items and you can see how some are affected by weight loss more than others, but still, plenty of gaps. I read that they get more exposure to challenges off-camera and many of their long walks are

I've been watching the 25th season and in one episode they are going on about needing an initial fire to boil water and in the next scene they all have bottles of water (and still no fire).

And in too many episodes after winning fishing gear, it is barely used.

I did read that producers shuffle the votes in the best ways to build suspension and surprise and that Probst knows the results before reading the ballots.

Still, it is fun to watch.

[–] strntz (12773) 2 years ago

It became obvious in the second season it was all scripted "drama".

Naked and Afraid was kind of an interesting show but they just switched to the same format and we stopped watching that show.

[–] R_Kane (15828) a year ago

You have to be stupid to think that “reality shows” are not scripted up the ying-yang, but “stupid” describes the demographic for this feces.

Also, this kind of crap is WICKED cheap to produce. The networks are happy.