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Survivor: Cook Islands - Recaps, Commentaries, Scoreboard
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Survivor Cook Islands: Will Survivor Survive The Race Card?
Report by Quinton Carroll
August 28, 2006
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Politicians for years, when needing an edge to grab voters' attention, have reached their corrupt hands into their cold dark toolbox to pluck from it's depths a nifty two edged instrument that has the power to unite and segregate. This nifty two edged instrument is called the "race card." Luckily, these cruel and divisive people are many times "voted off the island."
Now it looks like our beloved Survivor needs an edge to grab viewers' attention has turned to the same devises. Why? Last season's Survivor posted its lowest ratings ever. For the most part, Survivor hasn't changed its format to keep the program fresh since season one. There have been complaints, as reported by the media, about the lack of ethnic diversity of the cast. Entering all these variables into the equation we get a racially segregated season of Survivor. Should the producers have stooped so low as to play the "race card?" No, because it didn't need to in the first place.
Survivor has been on the upper echelon of reality television since season one. It's true that last season's ratings may have not been its best, but it is still a very popular program. I have been frustrated for several seasons about the same-old-same-old format of Survivor. They have introduced a few different twists but basically it's the same-old-same-old. But if you have strong characters plus conflict you have a program that's interesting to watch. This is what Survivor has brought to the table season after season and this is why I watch it. Did Survivor have to pull this stunt of race against race to keep me interested? No!
There are several reasons why I think this is a bad concept for Survivor to endeavor. The first reason is bad timing. We live in an era of post 9/11, Katrina, border wars, immigration issues, racial profiling, to name a few, that stir racial tension. We don't need a popular television program to rub salt in the wound. Secondly, I don't like the idea of segregation. Warning, this next sentence may contain a spoiler. What the program is going to feature first are the conflicts within each racial group in some stereotypical fashion. It's true we have conflict, but anytime race is introduced simply for viewer enjoyment and ratings is just plain unethical.
Just for the fun of it, here are some suggestions for the producers to make the program more interesting for the castaway voted off the island. For the black tribe, the voted off castaway will have access to the Rev. Jessie Jackson to mediate their case for readmission to the island For the Hispanic tribe, if the voted off castaway can sneak illegally back into the tribe without detection by Survivor's "border patrol," they can have readmission to the island. For the white tribe, how 'bout a credit card immunity necklace given to the castaway with the riches daddy to buy their way back on the island. For the Asian tribe, the castaway with the highest I.Q. score gets a free pass to the next round. These suggestions may seem silly but I feel the same way about the race against race concept.
So, will Survivor survive the playing the race card? I think Survivor will take a lot of heat from the media and sponsors before the merge because of the segregation issue. For this reason, I think we will see the quickest merge in Survivor history. After the merge, the dust will settle and everything will get back to the same-old-same-old.
Quinton Carroll is an up-and-coming writer. His reality submissions have gotten attention by producers and his sitcom pilot has caught the eye of a production company with network contacts. He can be contacted at Qcarroll@aol.com.
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