As a seasoned gamer of reality TV competitions, I have seen my fair share of survival challenges and climbs to the top (or bottom, if we’re talking about Big Brother). But when it comes to The Summit, CBS’s latest offering for the 2024 Fall TV schedule, I am truly impressed.
CBS is planning to air “The Summit” in living rooms as part of their 2024 Fall TV schedule, a project that required considerable effort to achieve. Apart from devising ways to surprise contestants with the challenge of climbing a mountain for a $1,000,000 prize, they also had to find the ideal mountain to make the show feasible. A producer from TopMob inquired about this process, and it turns out to be far more demanding than one might expect.
Producer Kevin Lee, a seasoned participant in shows like “The Challenge,” “Fight to Survive,” and numerous other unscripted series beyond “The Summit,” generously provided insights into the choice of New Zealand Alps as the competition site. Finding the perfect location is crucial in television production, but it’s especially vital when filming a reality show featuring individuals not professionally trained in climbing. As Lee described, this careful selection process was essential to ensure safety and success.
Initially, the mountain should appear awe-inspiring and grandiose. Ideally, it should have an eternal covering of snow, even during summer months. However, it shouldn’t require technical climbing skills that would take too much time to learn. Moreover, it should be situated at a high altitude to ensure continuous snow cover, but not so extreme that untrained individuals would need supplementary oxygen to climb it.
It’s important to find a balance when designing challenges so that they are challenging enough for all 16 competitors without being too risky or dangerous for various skill levels. After all, accidents can easily occur in reality TV shows, and I recall the medical team being called three times during the premiere of Survivor Season 44 alone. Rescuing an injured person from a mountain can be just as difficult as saving them from an island.
Thankfully, The Summit managed to deliver on every front, and having previewed the initial four episodes prior to its debut, I can assure you that it promises an engaging viewing experience, whether you choose to stream it on CBS or through a Paramount+ subscription.
Kevin Lee went on to emphasize the precise specifics required when searching for the title’s peak during our location scouting, noting:
Finding such majestic mountains isn’t easy; there aren’t many locations that match their grandeur. That’s why numerous Hollywood mountain-climbing films are shot in the same region. The mountains are stunningly beautiful and dramatic, but not so high as to require using artificial oxygen like on Everest. A typical person can scale them, yet they have an awe-inspiring appearance that resembles Everest’s towering peaks, making them special despite their relatively lower altitude.
Manu Bennett, host of The Summit, shared with TopMob that he got a sneak peek at the course prior to its official start. Naturally, with his background as Deathstroke in Arrow and other productions, it’s likely his training helped him navigate the challenges. However, among these everyday competitors, which ones will manage to complete this 14-day trek up the mountain?
As a thrilled participant in this exciting game show, I’ll be vying for my share of the initial $1,000,000 pot. However, if I choose to quit or if our team is compelled to expel someone before a checkpoint, the money I’ve accumulated will leave with me. But should elimination occur at a checkpoint, the remaining funds get distributed among the surviving players. It’s an intriguing premise that adds depth to the strategies as we embark on Season 1.
Personally, given the choice between participating in reality competitions and being a viewer, I’d choose the latter, especially with the intriguing new show on air. I wholeheartedly recommend it to fellow viewers, hoping they feel the same enthusiasm as I do. Here’s to an exciting Season 2 of “The Summit”!
At 9:00 p.m. ET, The Summit will air a special preview on CBS. I really appreciate it when networks reveal their new shows before they officially premiere, especially after the unexpected twist in Kathy Bates’ Matlock left me hooked on that series.
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2024-09-30 02:37