LAST EDITED ON 08-15-00 AT 01:42 AM (EST)

Just curious as to whether anyone has an opinion on why we (and millions of other Americans) are hooked on this series...is it the element of suspense? the mystery? the engaging cast they assembled? the idea of "what would I do if I were in their shoes?" psychology? the notion that we can all relate to social politics, whether at work or otherwise? What is it that hooked you to keep watching and analyzing? What did this show do that no other show has been able to do? Does it say anything about America in 2000? I'd love to hear your opinion.

• RE: Why are we Hooked?,BadAs, 02:11 AM, 08-15-00
• RE: Why are we Hooked?,finner, 02:45 AM, 08-15-00
• RE: Why are we Hooked?,jeffox, 09:28 AM, 08-15-00
• RE: Why are we Hooked?,janisella, 10:01 AM, 08-15-00
  • RE: Why are we Hooked?,Naked, 01:43 PM, 08-15-00
    • RE: Why are we Hooked?,DaddyO, 03:42 PM, 08-15-00
• RE: Why are we Hooked?,castaway, 03:55 PM, 08-15-00
  • RE: Why are we Hooked?,It'saWonderfulLife, 09:29 PM, 08-15-00
    • Great answers,jurymember, 10:09 PM, 08-15-00
• RE: Why are we Hooked?,jane, 10:39 PM, 08-15-00

Cause their ain't JACK on TV and Football Season hasn't offically start yet.

It's this weeks Novelty a Pet Rock, or God forbid, "Pokemon". I seriously doubt that the sequel "Survivor Austriala On Crack" will get the viewership of this orginal. Survivor is our OJ Simpson Trail, Monica Lewinski News for the season. Trust me something else will come up and "DA DEVIL" (Mark Burnett if you have figured it out yet) will be a flash in the pan and the only sponsers will be Depends Under Graments, Crazy Eddie's Auto Nation Sale (made that up) and The REFORM Party political ADs.

Gee I can't wait to see those!!

BA "The Critic"

We're hooked because this is the ultimate game of chess/risk/poker. Unfortunately for Pagong, they were playing "Go Fish". The fact that you can throw human emotion and psychology into the mix, makes it that much better. It works for all the reasons you stated above. The only way they could improve on the game, is if the loser at the TC got thrown into a tankful of pirhanna..

I think we are hooked because it's something new on TV and not the same old boring Re-Runs. It's like last summer with Who Wants to be a Millionaire, but they ran that into the ground by having it on everyday until people were sick of old Regis (same problem with Big Brother?). I don't think survivor would have had as big of following if the show had been a 13 day marathon and was over in 2 weeks. Showing it only once a week gets people talking about it and analyzing every last detail, plus you can crack on some of those people. Man I hope Sean isn't really that dumb. I don't think Survivor II dinner at the Outback is going to be do as well cuz there will be so much other new good stuff on TV.

It's a combination of a few things.

1) it's summer and everything else is either Regis or reruns.

2) it's novel enough to hold our attention.

3) we're all pathetic enough to watch, even though we know we're being manipulated.

Survivor II won't do as well because:

1) it will be winter and there will be other things on tv.

2) it won't be novel.

3) once bitten, twice shy.

I personally enjoy Survivor because I get a kick out of trying to figure out what game Mark Burnett is playing with us as much as I enjoy watching the contestants try to outwit each other. If it were more "real", a lot of the entertainment value would be gone.

BTW, why is this thread on the spoiler board?

The thread is on the spoiler board for one reason. There are no new spoilers. My Hat is off to MB and company right now. the info has been so dry that all we can talk about is why we like this show, and believe me we really like this show. Otherwise we would not spend hours of our days tring to figure this thing out. It is a mystery, and an examination in human sociology. It places ordinary people in some extrodinary circumstances. I personally haven't bothered watching TV in years, but I am hooked. Lets enjoy the remaing week or two with each other, and try,try,try to outwit that MB once and for all.....
Naked Phillip

Same here.... I have not watched series TV in 15 years, and even then, I was not consumed. I can only compare my addiction to Survivor with my addiciton to the OJ Simpson trial. I know that they are comeplete opposites in some senses, but they both totally hold the mystery of knowing what will happen in the end. They are a couple of real-life (and not so real) mysteries.

I do have to disagree that we watch Survior for lack of anything else to watch on TV. Why aren't we just watching re-runs of Home Improvement (other than the fact that is is AWFUL)?

My only theory to some of our addictions to the suspense, mystery and intrigue must be that deep down, each of us wish that we could either be on the island, as a survior, or be MB and the crew, KNOWING and HOLDING the answers to all of our questions. We want to know!!! Knowinging all in life is our biggest quest and Survivor and the websites related to it, allow us the chance to KNOW ( and hopefully we can figure it out before all of the others). Any of us would love to say, "I knew from the beginning that XYZ would win."

This is just one of the reasons. But don't forget, it is a blast!

Just a theory - best of luck to us all.

I think this is hilarious. We are a society of obssessive/compulsives I guess. God knows we probably all have other things we should be doing, but this is too compelling. I love reading some of the insights & opinions people have on things. But I think I'll be glad when it's all over, I've got too much to do to keep up with it. And has the board ever tallied the votes for this week's bootie or should we just roll the dice?

The show is kind of a mystery story. Instead of trying to figure out "who done it," we're trying to figure out who wins, using clues. It's almost like one of the great mystery thriller novels that you just can't put down.

It will be bittersweet when it's over. I can't remember when I looked SO forward to a TV show every week. But, it will be kind of a relief, because I really need to get back to my real life. Lurking in the message boards is really time-consuming.

1. Everyone posted great answers here. DaddyO, as usual, I totally agree with you. I haven't been as hooked since OJ! And like everyone else: I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! But I love it.

2. I forgot this was a spoilers board. I just like hearing all of your philosophies...sorry for the mis-post!

3. If they get intriguing people for Australia, then I think we may be just as hooked.....

4. Maybe I'm the only one, but i kind of love that MB (the Devil, per BadAs) interacts with the shows fans by planting clues, even when they point the wrong way. Makes this like the ultimate game.

Sooooo... all of you that claim Survivor II won't do as well... are you NOT going to watch it?? Yeah right!!

I will definitely be watching, as will millions of others. When Millionaire was on for a couple of weeks last summer, their viewers were back when it returned in the fall.

I'm fairly confident that, again, Survivor will be THE show to watch come January (right after Football season ends, isn't it?) People will watch, even WITH cheesy-Jeff back as host.