Survivor is fittest
Two million viewers, across Canada; seventh place on a week that featured six NHL late-round Stanley Cup playoff games, the deciding leg of The Amazing Race and an Emmy Award-winning outing of The Big Bang Theory.
Those who claim Survivor has outlived its sell-by date won’t bother with the 27th edition, Survivor: Blood vs. Water, when it debuts Wednesday. The season’s central gimmick — former players competing against their relatives — is unlikely to reel in any new viewers, or lure back those who drifted away over the years. It doesn’t really matter, though, because Survivor: Blood vs. Water will still draw a crowd.
Purists complain that Survivor seasons with returning players feature too many twists, because the producers have to counter fans’ familiarity with the players.
Right at the start, 10 couples are sent to 10 different locations to live by themselves for the night. The following morning, the 10 couples assemble before host Jeff Probst, and the game begins with an immediate twist. (CBS, Global — 9 p.m.) ❚ Big Brother wraps its 15th season with a 90-minute finale. (Global — 7:30 p.m., CBS — 10:30 p.m.) ❚ After 16 weeks, America’s Got Talent finally reveals its eighth-season winner. (NBC, City — 10 p.m.) ❚ Elvis Costello goes down a familiar road with a new album, and a live performance with The Roots on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. (CTV — 12:35 a.m., NBC — 1:35 a.m.)