by Thinus Ferreira
If you haven't had a chance yet to watch the first episode of the new 9th season of Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts on M-Net (DStv 101) that aired on Monday night, I've got some bad news for you - M-Net and MultiChoice already have another episode on the way on Tuesday night. And another on Wednesday. And another on Thursday.
Besides your daily work and chores, and you know - living - including Eskom electricity blackouts in the evening and all your other must-do's and must-give-attention-to's, M-Net now expects you to watch Survivor South Africa daily... and if you don't ... well, sorry for you.
No more getting a breather to discuss - you know - castaways' strategies, potential power rankings, foolish and accidental mistakes, germinating alliances, would-be-could-be alliances, alliances, backstabbings and betrayals, and what actually happened in an episode for a few days.
M-Net and MultiChoice are now giving you just 24 hours to watch a Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts episode - or you fall behind.
And even worse: Perhaps getting last night's Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts episode spoilt through things like who-got-voted-out spoilers or other details which all make you less, not more inclined to watch an episode, or to keep following and watching the season.
It's not clear what exactly whoever at M-Net was thinking, but a show like Survivor - just like the torch of the final winner - is a slow-burn.
Survivor SA is not a show like MasterChef with M-Net that also switched that show to a daily programming schedule on its linear TV channel line-up earlier this year.
For a show like MasterChef South Africa daily episodes are fine. MasterChef is about individual chefs competing against each other, yes, but much more competing against themselves.
They don't huddle in whispers, they don't disappear two-two to a beach or secluded spot to gossip, create alliances or fight for their chance to remain in the show at a Tribal Council.
M-Net doesn't seem to fundamentally grasp the difference.
With Survivor SA, M-Net seems to now want to mindlessly burn off Survivor SA episodes like Netflix dropping a stacked full season of a show, to be binge-watched and be done over a weekend.
The approach of Disney+, dropping an episode of Star Wars: The Mandalorian per week works much, much better - letting the audience congregate around a single episode, letting all viewers get up to speed with the narrative-building story and enjoying the single-episode release buzz together.
For a week viewers get to buzz, speculate and TV commune together about Baby Yoda, possible easter eggs and clues, foreshadowing symbolism, characters and the story.
With some shows, what happens after the broadcast or release of an episode is often as important and as integral to building and growing audience retention as the episode itself.
When exactly are DStv subscribers supposed to talk about an episode of Survivor South Africa: The Return of the Outcasts? On the night after broadcast when not everybody has yet seen it? The next morning? The next afternoon? The weekend when there are already the four episodes of that week in existence?
M-Net and Survivor SA made a big mistake this season by diluting the value of the potential community and buzz around the show by deciding to apparently burn through it roughshod with little or no thought of how the South African and global community following Survivor SA consumes episodes.
Even very ordinary viewers will struggle to keep up as casual or moderately interested DStv subscribers. And if you've missed Wednesday evening's episode, will you be less or more likely to tune in on Thursday if you haven't yet had any chance to watch Wednesday's episode?
M-Net and MultiChoice will also be getting way less press and coverage for Survivor SA. Show me the journalist that's going to sit and do exit interviews every single day, instead of trying to fit in weekly interviews with whoever left Survivor SA (which was already a tall order) like before in previous seasons?
Who wants to hear from Contestant C, voted out Tuesday, in an interview on Wednesday when Contestant D and Contestant E have also been already voted out on Wednesday and Thursday irrevocably altering the balance of power dynamics throughout the whole game? It's old news.
How many journalists covering television and TV critics are going to simply be able to fit in yet another hourlong daily show into their already packed schedule of watching and reporting about TV? Even the most ardent, hard-working journos simply don't have the time, even if they have the willingness.
M-Net really shortchanged Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts by making it a Days of Our Lives Beach Life daily show, reducing its potential traction under fans, the ability of ordinary viewers and DStv subscribers to keep up, and the media.
A TV show - any show - shouldn't make the viewer or the fan like it's homework and a type of "you better watch this now because you're going to fall behind". It's supposed to be something to enjoy, to treasure and to savour. To get a chance to talk about with friends or fans who are also watching it.
Maybe if there's a 10th season from Afrokaans sanity will prevail and Survivor SA will be turned back into a weekly show the way it's supposed to be - with time to breathe and discuss the intricacies, strategies, alliances and blindsides of a wonderful and genius TV show.
