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Throughout its history, CBS has produced many iconic TV shows that have made their mark on society. One genre that the network has excelled in is reality TV, as proven by the many beloved reality show stars its series have spawned. Now, one of CBS' most iconic reality shows, Survivor, has earned a major accolade as it has been recognized among the most groundbreaking shows of the modern era.
Who Named Survivor One of the 'Most Groundbreaking Shows of the 21st Century'?
On July 18, 2026, the website L'Officiel published its list of the "Most Groundbreaking Shows and Movies of the 21st Century," which included 10 films and TV series each. The shows that made the cut included Gilmore Girls, The Wire, The Office, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Orange is the New Black, Succession, and Ted Lasso. Alongside those acclaimed and beloved scripted series, one reality show was named, Survivor.
The outlet explained choosing the series hosted by Jeff Probst by noting that it "pioneered a new reality competition format that proved that unscripted competition could be multilayered and fascinating." It also credited the CBS series for introducing the concept of "social strategy for entertainment." Most notably, the website argued that Survivor influenced the formats of "countless" other reality shows, specifically naming Big Brother.
What Makes Survivor Such a Groundbreaking Show?
There are several reasons why Survivor deserves to be considered a remarkably groundbreaking show. One of the most obvious is how the popular series changed television.
Before Survivor premiered in the year 2000, there had been other successful reality shows on television. Some of the most legendary examples include Candid Camera, An American Family, Cops, and The Real World. There had even been other competition series, with The Challenge and Eco-Challenge being notable examples. While those shows all deserve their place in television history, none of them changed the medium the way that Survivor did.
Since Survivor is currently a show that gets solid numbers in the ratings, it is easy to forget that it was once an absolute behemoth. In December 2009, CBS News published an article that chronicled the most-watched TV episodes of the 2000s. It noted that the finale of the first season of Survivor was No. 2 on the list since it attracted 51.7 million viewers. The only episode of television that got more viewers in the entire 2000s was the finale of Friends, which was watched by 52.5 million people.
A May 2025 Entertainment Weekly article argued that the show becoming a gigantic success resulted in it changing television more than any other series in the last 50 years. It noted that after Survivor became a sensation, the networks all rushed to produce their own reality shows. The outlet listed many examples of series that began production soon after Survivor proved viewers loved reality TV. Those examples included The Bachelor, American Idol, The Amazing Race, The Mole, Dancing with the Stars, Temptation Island, and Fear Factor.
In addition to inspiring the reality show boom that continues to this day, there are other reasons why Survivor is a groundbreaking show. The first is related to its onscreen gameplay. When the first season of the CBS show premiered, it had a bare-bones approach with basic challenges, no twists, and a major focus on the castaways having to survive in the jungle. In the years that followed, the series introduced a long list of twists that changed not only Survivor, but other shows that followed in its footsteps once again.
The other notable way that Survivor has been groundbreaking involves its host, Jeff Probst. When he was originally hired on the reality show, his only job was to serve in his on-camera role. In the years since then, he has arguably become the most important reality show host of all time because of the behind-the-scenes role he has taken on. Eventually, Probst became Survivor's executive producer and the person who many fans believe has the most control over the show that they see today. It is absolutely groundbreaking for someone to go from a reality show's host to its boss, and it will be fascinating to see how many others will follow in his footsteps in the years to come.
