Survivor is the grandfather of all reality series. This is undeniable. Survivor was the instigator in what can now be considered TV's reality era. What I don't understand is how Survivor doesn't receive its just due. It deserves far more critical credit than it has received. Why is this? Why is this gem of a TV show being taken for granted?

Along with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", Survivor was the origin of the reality TV boom that has resulted in the creation of everything from "The Osbourne's" to "The Simple Life" to "The Apprentice". This is an undeniable fact. Survivor, however, has remained on the air, remained popular, while so many past reality shows have faded into oblivion. Survivor is forever, because it is pure. It is the purest of all competitive reality shows. I suppose the reason for this is that Survivor is primal by nature. It exists in a world that boils down human existence to the basics. Literally surviving is a key component in the game. Can you think of another reality show where this is true?

Survivor suffers from the curse of the consistent. It is omnipresent in the Nielsen top 20 and, therefore, people take it for granted. While its ratings have dipped significantly from its first few seasons, this was to be expected. Ratings have plateaued at a good clip, allowing it to be a TV stalwart. Now in its thirteenth season, Survivor has no end in sight. As long as there is reality television, it looks like there will always be Survivor.