Sehen Sie sich Survivor

Each season, ethical strategies are pitted against one another. Subtle conversations can have a far bigger impact than the most intense physical challenges. Part of the appeal of the show is finding heroes to root for and villains to hiss, and understanding from the get-go that the bad guys sometimes—no, often—win...It is truly a Darwinian premise we're dealing with here—only in this incarnation, the fittest don't always survive. Those who "outplay" the others (that is, excel in the challenges) can be perceived as threats. True power, however, lies not in the individual, but in the clique: Alliances form, then shift and crumble, only to rise again...This is a game, we tell ourselves as we watch, transfixed by the nearly Shakespearean interplay of personalities. And then, hopefully, we start to doubt our easy assessment, wondering, How much does this game reflect real life? Is that the way I need to act to get ahead? Do nice guys really finish last? Because in "Survivor", the nice guys can finish first. But not often.--Paul Asay, PluggedIn