SURVIVOR: CARAMOAN -- FANS vs. FAVORITES
CBS, 8:00 p.m. ET
SERIES RETURN: For years, I watched every episode of Survivor. But my enthusiasm ran out a few years ago, about when this show’s novelty and imagination did the same. For a while, Survivor was able to keep things moving with inventive twists and inspired casting – but all of these “all-star” and “fan” retreads, and now re-retreads, just seem tired, and more than a little desperate. Survivor began 13 years ago, and has generated two cycles per season for most of its existence. Few TV series last that long, and there’s a reason. Hence, its inclusion here tonight isn’t so much a recommendation as a question: Isn’t it time Survivor gave up trying to “outlast” every other show on television?