Will 'Survivor' Go On Forever

Outwit, Outplay, Outlast, anyone who knows these three tasks has probably watched the show that demands them at one point or another. Survivor... the king of all reality TV shows, has been going strong for a solid 18 years now. Airing in the homes of millions of families all across the country, while branching off to different versions all around the world. There probably isn't a single neighborhood in America that doesn't have at least one person who wants their shot at the million dollar prize, and title of "Sole Survivor." Not to mention, it literally just got CBS a win in ratings a couple of weeks back, when it was the most watched show above all the others that air that Wednesday night.

But how long will the reign continue? In 18 years the show has had some extremely close calls on the chopping block. There have been high points, and there have been low points, there have even been moments I would rather not talk about. Yet the show lives on, and as shown last Wednesday night, it does so strongly.

There are plenty of reasons why the show could run on for a long... long time. It is cheap to film, and its audience is only growing due to the fact that it is a show made for families. So there isn't much incentive for the top dogs at CBS to cut it from the roster any time soon. Although, what would happen when Jeff Probst, the face of the show, decides to retire? It has been reported by Entertainment Weekly that his wife has been pushing him to retire for a couple of years now. Hosting the show has been very demanding for the Probst household, with filming requiring him to be away from home for months at a time. With the series on the verge of its 20-year mark, the beloved host's retirement is all too certain.

So what happens then...? Would CBS simply choose a new face for the franchise? Will Jeff have a direct decision in who takes up the mantle like Captain America got to choose Falcon? Can the series even survive such a dramatic change? Probst has been the lifeline of the show since the beginning; fans will not be happy to see him go. Also, due to the impact that he has had on it since he took the reigns as head-producer, it most certainly will not be the same without him.

To this day Survivor is considered one of the greatest social experiments ever concocted. It demands social awareness, athleticism, and raw will from anyone with the intentions of walking away victorious. There have been players who have participated in multiple seasons, and have yet to win even once. I personally consider it to be one of the ultimate challenges anyone can ever undergo, let alone actually win. In its 38 seasons, 570 people have played the game, and only 37 ( We have yet to find out who the 38th is) have left the island acknowledged as "Sole Survivor," and with the million dollar check in hand.

Survivor has given America Boston Rob, Russel Hance, Johnny Fairplay, and those were in its early days. Kelly Wentworth, and The Golden Boy Joe have proven that even the more recently introduced players have become hardcore fan favorites. Time after time, the series brings out the best the country has to offer, and sometimes it even brings us the worst. It also does an amazing job of constantly touching on the day to day issues Americans face every single day. When Jeff Varner outed Zeke for being transgender in front of the entire country... That hit home for millions of viewers. When Tai refused to kill the chicken on his season due to being Vegan, it motivated the iconic pop star, Sia, to write him a check. She even goes on to do this a second time for Donovan, season 36's openly gay country boy from Kentucky. The point I make is that the characters on this show make their way into the hearts of millions across the country one season after another.

The best part of it all is that even you, yes you reading this right now, can find your way onto the show. With an open casting process, anyone can apply to fly out to Fiji, and claim the coveted title of "Sole Survivor" or simply get their torches snuffed. The will and passion that people have for this game may be its saving grace. I know I speak for the entire Survivor community when I say that the show must go on!