Have you been watching Survivor this season? If not, you should be. "Villain" Russell has been playing the game with more passion and gusto than anyone I've seen in a long time. Not only is he manipulating every single person on the island, but he's managed to find two hidden immunity idols so far, without a single clue. Without, in fact, even knowing for sure they were there.
If you think you've got what it takes to outwit, outlast and outplay every other contestant out there then you can try out for the 21st and 22nd seasons of Survivor right now. Sure, CBS hasn't officially renewed the series yet, but they always begin the casting process before the renewal comes. That way they can have a good lead on finding their next breakout star when the good word comes down.
I'd say it's a pretty safe bet the series would return. It still brings in solid numbers for CBS and is a major part of their continuing success on Thursday nights. The bigger question for me would be if Jeff Probst will return; his current contract expires at the end of this winter's 20th season. You have to figure the filming schedule of Survivor is pretty grueling, and Probst has been at this almost a decade now.
At the same time, he genuinely seems to love what he does. Could the show survive if Probst decided to hang up his khaki shorts for the last time? It's hard to say, he's been the face of the series since the beginning. But The Price Is Right replaced Bob Barker and that show's hanging in there. Maybe if they found a charismatic former player to do it. I think former contestant Rupert Boneham would make a very fun and charismatic host, and he certainly loves the show. I'm just not sure if I could take him seriously in that role. Then again, who knew we could take the host of Rock & Roll Jeopardy seriously either.
With or without Jeff Probst, filming would begin next summer, so you'll have plenty of time to practice not eating, swimming and fishing with vines and dirt as bait. But you only have until January 6, 2010 to put together the most amazing video montage of why you'd be the best contestant ever. I'm going to say it's because I write about TV. That'd have to get me in, right?
