The Summit In The Media

[snarts]

The Summit

Reality Competition

CBS

September 29, 2024

Sixteen strangers embark on a 14-day trek through the perilous New Zealand Alps to reach a distant peak. Each holds part of a $1 million prize, but only those who survive the harsh terrain, Antarctic winds, and intense challenges will win. They face eliminations and twists from the "Mountain's Keeper," testing their morale and unity. Their greatest challenge is to stay together and reach the summit on time—failure means losing the entire prize.

https://www.cbs.com/shows/the-summit/

[SoMuchTV]

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Edited October 1 by SoMuchTV
deleted - no longer relavent

[tv echo]

‘The Summit’ Host Manu Bennett Breaks Down Behind-the-Scenes Secrets: Safety Procedures and More (Exclusive)
By Yana Grebenyuk    September 29, 2024
https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/the-summit-host-manu-bennett-breaks-down-behind-the-scenes-secrets/ 

Quote

“They waltzed into that valley in the middle of this incredible terrain in New Zealand. I don’t believe that they knew as far as I was told. I was under the impression that they arrived without knowledge of being on a show called The Summit,” he revealed. “So they didn’t know that they were going to be scaling a mountain — that was going to be their surprise. And they didn’t know there was a million dollars involved.”

Bennett pointed out that the contestants “are not athletes,” adding, “These are just ordinary people. Like, one guy works at Trader Joe’s and nobody is a mountaineer. When you look at something like that, you try to figure out how is it possible? [The prize money] is a dream aspect for most people’s lives. That’s the big game changer. Suddenly you see the motivation.”
*  *  *
“On any of these mountains, you take a wrong turn and you go up the wrong side and either somebody’s going to fall or something’s going to fall on you. Gravity is probably one of the main determinants of our show — and people fall each season figuratively and literally,” he teased. “As far as safety is concerned, there was an international group of well-versed mountaineers involved in our show. We had one of the best coordinators of obstacle courses. … We had some pretty admirable mountaineers that were making sure that nobody stepped too far off track.”

Manu Bennett Calls 'The Summit' a 'Beautiful Social Essay'
Mike Bloom   Sep 29, 2024
https://parade.com/tv/manu-bennett-the-summit-interview

Quote

But, at the same time, much like the One Ring, the idea of greed is going to tempt people to want to act selfishly and turn on their own.
Who's going to be Samwise Gamgee? Who's going to be Gollum? I mean, listen, everybody for a second thinks about how they'll push somebody off a cliff. There's this moment of greed. And that's the setup. What is it about human nature that's going to make a difference between these 16 people, and who's going to make it to the top and who's not going to make it to the top? And I'm not a person who judges. I'm kind of like the underdog supporter. So, as we go up that mountain, I'm kind of wrestling, as I interview all these people each and every day. Who it is that's going to be that Cliffhanger moment where Stallone's holding onto that hand and the glove slides off slowly and somebody falls?

By the time everyone's gotten to know each other, there's a degree of honesty. Everybody tries to get the empathy; they tell this story. Eeryone's telling the hard luck story, and everybody's trying to survive and say how they can help manifest this climb up this mountain. Because, if you can't do it, then goodbye. So there's this kind of toing and froing. It's beautiful social essay. And again, when it comes down to humanity, I think The Summit is a great, a great way of watching human behavior and ultimately seeing how things either succeed or fail.

Edited October 1 by tv echo

[ChiCricket]

@tv echo thanks for that article.

This part made me laugh:

"Bennett didn’t have any concerns while working on The Summit, joking, “Inherently the American productions have much more safety and much more in place than what we do in little old New Zealand where if you fall, you just hope you land on a sheep.”

[tv echo]

No One Told The Summit Contestants That They Had to, Uh, Summit
By Roxana Hadadi   Oct 2, 2024
https://www.vulture.com/article/the-summit-review-contestant-ignorance.html 

Quote

This blank-slate quality gives The Summit a grimly fascinating voyeurism — and prompts ageism and ableism in both its younger, slimmer contestants (who assume they’ll succeed automatically) and viewers (who might reflexively judge the older, less-thin contestants for their slower pace). “You must travel together,” Bennett instructs, yet the challenges are set up to sow division. Contestants who walk slower are blamed for reducing the group’s pace. At the first rope-bridge crossing, they must vote for a leader to choose which pairs cross the bridge together, a decision-making process that inspires comments on each other’s weight and size. On the second bridge, which individuals cross alone to lay down wooden planks for those who follow, one contestant says she’s too petite to handle the plank, while another says he’s so fit he can handle two boards. (He drops both.)
*  *  *
The problem with The Summit falling into a fat-thin, young-old binary is that, in reality, none of these people should be tasked with climbing through “lung-burning altitudes, a freezing alpine lake, and a dangerous glacial traverse” toward a “final icy ascent,” as Bennett puts it. I don’t think this show is going to kill anyone. But I do think The Summit is guilty of the exact flattening of a perilous experience Krakauer warned against in Into Thin Air, a first-person account of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster that left numerous climbers dead and others stranded on the mountain in the middle of a devastating storm. Krakauer wrote about how mountaineering’s sudden mainstream popularity led people to believe they were physically and mentally capable of doing things they probably shouldn’t. Bubble-wrapping an extreme activity into something neat and approachable for a group of people with no experience makes for entertaining television that follows the rhythms of reality-TV scheming and strategizing. But when one of the series’s early villains, a 28-year-old woman bragging about how well she did on her SATs (suspiciously without naming the actual score), describes The Summit’s challenge by way of Legally Blonde — “What, like it’s hard?” — I can’t help but think, yeah, it probably should be.

[tv echo]

How The Summit’s cast surprised its producers, and led to a major episode-one change
Andy Dehnart   October 2, 2024
https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/10/summit-cbs-kevin-lee-interview/ 

Quote

Andy Dehnart: The more of the show that I watch, the more I love it, and also the more I get infuriated by it, which is a good sign. Not by the show, but by some of the gameplay.

[Showrunner] Kevin Lee: Some crazy decisions, yeah!
*  *  *
Exactly. One thing you talked about a little bit at TCA was making sure that everyone was able to do this course. (Lee said: “We wanted everybody with different body types and different ages, all regular Americans to be able to achieve this, but we also wanted it to be really hard.”)

But obviously, there’s a wide variety of skill sets. Was that intentional? Having someone who may be good at mountaineering and then someone who’s not at all?

The format has this weird thing: I want to eliminate people because I want to win more money, but I don’t want to eliminate some people because they might be able to help me get to the top. But then I maybe want to eliminate them because if they make it, they are stronger than me, and maybe they might beat me later in the season.

There’s not just one way to strategize on this. If you’ve seen four episodes, you’ve seen they make some counterintuitive decisions [about] who to eliminate.

But I think it all comes down to balancing. They don’t even know: Is there going to be one winner? Or multiple winners? There’s a looseness to the format that allowed them to make unpredictable decisions.

We were very surprised, by the way, with what happened multiple times.
*  *  *
It seems like they’re operating on a lot of assumptions about what might or might not happen. Obviously, they know if someone gets eliminated, they gain their money, so everyone remaining gets a little more.

But beyond that, it feels like they just are making up what could possibly happen.

Definitely. They’re trying to see into the future about what they’re gonna be up against at the end. That’s a big part of their decision making—which, personally, I don’t like. I always prefer that their decision making is based on what’s happening, the immediate, where they are and what’s going on.

But part of it is, like, What’s the endgame? They’re thinking about that a little bit more than I want them to. But they do what they want. They’re thinking about who can help me, but they’re also thinking about who could beat me, which is not what I would do. I don’t think I would be a good cast member.

It was counterintuitive and surprising, and it continues like that, too, even in the episodes you haven’t seen.

Yeah, I mean, again, it makes for good TV, even when it’s frustrating. [Speaking of,] I guess I’ll ask you about Dennis now. Is he a sociopath? Yes or no? (both laugh) He’s just the most unexpected character.

Completely. You know, we got a small taste of that in casting, but we didn’t realize he would go that hard. And he does it with a smile on his face. Coming from a nurse, it’s just it’s just so unexpected and fun.

As the producer, I appreciate somebody like that because he’s just willing to own himself in an authentic way, and not really worry about what people are going to think. So he’s a good cast member in my book.
*  *  *
To get into Manu’s role as host: it feels like he came in a little bit more in those second, third, fourth tribal councils. He came to guide those more rather than letting them do it, like in the first one.

And I’m curious if that was an in-the-moment decision to figure out what their thinking was.

Good question. It was always the plan that he would be sitting around the campfire with them.

They were so late getting to the first camp—and the helicopters can’t fly at night. So the sun was setting and we’re like: We don’t have time for Manu to sit around the campfire with them.

Ultimately–and this is the scary part—all the producers and crew that weren’t sleeping on the side of that mountain also left. So that first [vote] is shot just with the night crew and the night crew producers.
*  *  *
Wow. Going back to Manu for a second. I know the Mountain’s Keeper was part of the original format. I’m curious if there was ever a thought of like just having [Manu] do those things, since it ends up being the producer’s stand-in, this creepy helicopter that flies in. Were they always separate?

That’s something we’ve talked about a lot. I don’t think the Australian version really answers that question either. Does the Mountain’s Keeper work for Manu? Or is he the alter ego of Manu?

Manu likes to think of it as he’s, like, releasing the dragon. In that sense, he’s kind of controlling the Mountain’s Keeper.

We’re kind of inventing the origin story. The Mountain’s Keeper is meant to protect the top of that mountain, and make sure that whoever gets up there is worthy—both physically and from a character point of view. 

So the Mountain’s Keeper is associated with that specific mountain, and while Manu works with the Mountain’s Keeper, they’re not the same entity.
*  *  *
For subsequent days, I’m curious: With all the testing you did of the course, why were they falling behind in the ways that they were? 

When we made the course, it’s an inexact science in the sense that, you’re like, I think this is how far they can go in a day. We built in all of the TV part of it, [such as a] stop for interviews. That was all accounted for in the course.

The first day, even before the medevac, they were very far behind. A big part of it was they got lost. They took the wrong route and that set them back.

Subsequent times when they’re running behind, it’s more about an individual that’s holding them back. That’s the push and pull of the format. It’s a little bit cutthroat in the sense they have this amount of time and they want to get up there with these certain people that they’re aligned with. But if that person can’t make it, what are they going to do?

Edited October 6 by tv echo

[tv echo]

New CBS reality show 'The Summit' resembles 'Lord of the Rings' host Manu Bennett says
BRUCE R. MILLER Sioux City Journal   Oct 6, 2024 
https://www.applevalleynewsnow.com/news/shareable-stories/the-summit-cbs-competition-manu-bennett-kevin-lee-new-zealand/article_366b4684-a4f5-592d-9472-7b2dae8aec4a.html 

Quote

“The Summit” looks like it’s a game of strength and endurance but it’s really a test of strategy, its host says.

“You have to watch and see how they strategize when it comes to a strong week in the middle,” Manu Bennett says of the new competition show. “It’s a very deliberate game.”

Some could exit because they’re likely to win; others may disappear because they’re too weak to endure the physical tests. Some share everything about their lives; others are cagey.

“Manu would have done really well on the physical aspects, but he might have gotten voted off because … he might have rubbed some of them the wrong way,” Executive Producer Kevin Lee adds.
*  *  *
Because helicopters can’t be used at night in the region, persons voted off aren’t immediately whisked to a hotel in Queenstown, Lee says. “They’re sleeping in a tent on the side of the mountain.” The next day, they get the ride back to the hotel, where they can enjoy the amenities and visit areas not on the trek. That’s a switch from many competition series.

Also, the American version is more structured than the Australian one. “American audiences like to know when they’re going to get their meat, when they’re going to get their potatoes, when they’re going to get their dessert,” Lee says. “They want it to be like that each week. We also changed some of the route that the cast members took to the top of the mountain in order to showcase some different obstacles that we thought would be more exciting for the American audience.”

Producers, for example, added a rope bridge across a canyon that upped the stakes for American audiences.

Bennett likens the journey to something out of J.R.R. Tolkien. “You’ve got your Frodo characters, your smart guy – the Gandalf – and then you’ve got your Gollums,” Bennett says. “There’s a real analogy to the whole of the ‘Rings.’” The million-dollar prize is just like the ring.

Edited October 7 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Titles and synopses for next three episodes (Episodes 3, 4 and 5) - also some preview photos posted at the below links may be a bit spoilerish...

AS ALLIANCE DIVISION BECOMES NOTICEABLE, THE MOUNTAIN’S KEEPER OFFERS A PROPOSITION TO HELP THE TREKKERS STAY ON TRACK, ON “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16
10/10/24
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110404-as-alliance-division-becomes-noticeable-the-mountains-keeper-offers-a-proposition-to-help-the-trekkers-stay-on-track-on-the-summit-wednesday-oct-16 

Spoiler

“Snakes and Ladders” – As the trekkers struggle with the arduous terrain, the division of alliances among them becomes noticeable. When the Mountain’s Keeper observes the group’s slow pace, she offers a proposition to help them stay on track to reach the summit in time, but not without both individual and collective consequences, on THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Oct. 16 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

WHEN THE GROUP IS FORCED TO SPLIT UP INTO PAIRS TO TRAVERSE A STEEP CLIFF, ONE TREKKER IS LEFT TO FACE THE CHALLENGE ALONE, BRINGING ALLIANCES INTO QUESTION, ON “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23
10/10/24
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110410-when-the-group-is-forced-to-split-up-into-pairs-to-traverse-a-steep-cliff-one-trekker-is-left-to-face-the-challenge-alone-bringing-alliances-into-ques 

Spoiler

“An Unexpected Storm” – After a weather delay pauses the group’s progress, they set out to try and make up for lost time. When they reach an obstacle that forces them to split into pairs, one Leader and one Follower, to traverse a steep cliff, one trekker is left to face the challenge alone, bringing alliances and connections into question, on THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Oct. 23 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

THE TREKKERS FACE GAME-CHANGING CONSEQUENCES AFTER IGNORING REPEATED WARNINGS FROM THE MOUNTAIN’S KEEPER, ON “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, OCT. 30
10/10/24
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110417-the-trekkers-face-game-changing-consequences-after-ignoring-repeated-warnings-from-the-mountains-keeper-on-the-summit-wednesday-oct-30 

Spoiler

“Succeed Together, Fail Alone” – As the trekkers hit the halfway mark on their journey and venture toward the snow line, a divide in pace emerges within the group. After a daunting rappelling obstacle down a 500-foot vertical rock face, the group learns that they have broken a fundamental rule of THE SUMMIT – that the group must travel together at all times – and having ignored the Mountain’s Keeper’s repeated warnings, must endure the game-changing consequences, on THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Oct. 30 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

Edited October 12 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Was Agatha Needle Drop Bewitching? Did Superman & Lois Channel Saw? Did Ghost Tease Force Swan Song? Did Summit Sendoff Shock? And More Qs!
By Vlada Gelman, Matt Webb Mitovich, Kimberly Roots, Dave Nemetz, Andy Swift, Rebecca Iannucci, Ryan Schwartz, Nick Caruso, Charlie Mason   October 11, 2024
https://tvline.com/features/agatha-all-along-teen-wiccan-reveal-billie-eilish-you-should-see-my-crown-1235348647/

Quote

21 | How surprised were you by villain-in-training Shweta’s early ousting on The Summit? Speaking of villains: Is this season serving as Dennis’ official audition tape for a future installment of House of Villains? ?

[tv echo]

Includes sneak peek video at tonight's new episode...

The Summit Has Contestants Struggling Over A Huge Trade-Off In Exclusive Clip, And I Think The Decision Is Simple
By Mick Joest   Oct 15, 2024
https://www.cinemablend.com/television/the-summit-has-contestants-struggling-over-huge-trade-off-exclusive-clip-i-think-decision-is-simple 

Spoiler

As mentioned in the above clip, the Mountain Keeper offered to let two contestants travel to the next checkpoint via helicopter. If the contestants sent two of their struggling people via helicopter, there was a chance they'd reach the next checkpoint on time and avoid another night of roughing it.

The downside is that they'll all go without food that night in exchange, and going hungry is obviously a big price to pay. The clip ends before fans see what is chosen, but we'll get the answer when tuning into The Summit on CBS on Wednesday, October 16th at 9:30 p.m. ET or on streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.

Edited October 16 by tv echo

[tv echo]

FWIW, the Australian version of The Summit has already completed two seasons (2023, 2024). I don't know if the US version will copy that one exactly. But it's interesting to read how those Australians seasons ended...

Spoiler

At the end of the first season, there were 3 people who made it to the summit and split the remaining balance of $490,000, but not equally. The eliminated people decided how the money would be split.

At the end of the second season, there were 3 people who made it to the summit and split the remaining balance of $536,000, but not equally. The eliminated people initially decided how the money would be split. But then in a twist, the Mountain Keeper dumped a duffel bag and whichever of the final 3 opened the bag first got the power to decide how to split the money.

(source 1) (source 2)

Edited October 18 by tv echo

[Ellee]

Thank you @tv echo for this along with all that you do for other forums. 😁

[tv echo]

The Summit - An Unexpected Storm (Sneak Peek 1)
CBS   Oct 20, 2024

[tv echo]

The Summit - An Unexpected Storm (Sneak Peek)
CBS   Oct 22, 2024

[tv echo]

Recap of last night's episode...

The Summit gives a massive advantage to one player after a snow day
Andy Dehnart   October 23, 2024
https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/10/summit-episode-4-an-unexpected-storm-recap/ 

[tv echo]

Is Tracker Going Sci-Fi? Was DWTS Donkey Disturbing? Was Chicago Med Doc a Perfect Ken? How Touching Was Blue Bloods Gift? More TV Qs!
By Vlada Gelman, Matt Webb Mitovich, Kimberly Roots, Dave Nemetz, Ryan Schwartz, Nick Caruso, Charlie Mason, Andy Swift   October 25, 2024
https://tvline.com/features/tracker-season-2-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-ufo-twist-sci-fi-1235370749/ 

Quote

19 | We understand that The Summit has a social/strategic component, too, but how could these people expect to complete their mission if they keep voting off strong climbers like Geoff and Robert? And are you surprised that the villainous Dennis keeps weaseling his way through every vote?

[tv echo]

'The Summit' Isn’t the Grueling Competition It Wants You To Think It Is
By Dustin Rowles | TV | October 25, 2024 
https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/the-summit-isnt-the-grueling-competition-it-wants-you-to-think-it-is.php 

Quote

I wanted The Summit to be about players clawing their way to the peak, where the mountain truly shaped their strategies. Instead, it’s morphing into yet another run-of-the-mill reality show with eliminations, though I’ll stick around to see if the heat turns up toward the season’s end. If they continue to eliminate the stronger players, I hope there are also real consequences: No one makes it on time, and no one wins what remains of the $1 million prize.

Edited October 27 by tv echo

[tv echo]

THE TREKKERS CONTEND WITH A DIFFICULT BUT ALTRUISTIC DECISION PRESENTED BY THE MOUNTAIN’S KEEPER, ON “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6
10/28/2024
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110510-the-trekkers-contend-with-a-difficult-but-altruistic-decision-presented-by-the-mountains-keeper-on-the-summit-wednesday-nov-6 

Spoiler

“Never Show Your Weakness” – After an unexpected checkpoint elimination, the group struggles when they must cross a precarious deep ravine by crawling over a bridge made of two parallel ropes to stay on their route. During the obstacle, one of the trekkers’ injuries is revealed to be much worse than they’ve expressed, and other members start to question if they can truly make the journey to the summit. When the Mountain’s Keeper offers a difficult but altruistic option, the group must decide if a few of them should carry heavy food bags so the entire group can benefit at checkpoint camp, on THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Nov. 6 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

 

Edited October 30 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Sneak peeks at tonight's new episode...

The Summit - Succeed Together, Fail Alone (Sneak Peek 1)
CBS   Oct 28, 2024

The Summit - Succeed Together, Fail Alone (Sneak Peek 2)
CBS   Oct 28, 2024

[tv echo]

For Nov. 6 episode...

The Summit - Never Show Your Weakness (Sneak Peek 1)
CBS   Nov 1, 2024

The Summit - Never Show Your Weakness (Sneak Peek 2)
CBS   Nov 1, 2024

[tv echo]

THE MOUNTAIN’S KEEPER ISSUES AN OMINOUS WARNING TO THE TREKKERS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO CROSS A MASSIVE CHASM TO REACH THE SNOWLINE, ON “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13
11/4/2024
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110566-the-mountains-keeper-issues-an-ominous-warning-to-the-trekkers-as-they-attempt-to-cross-a-massive-chasm-to-reach-the-snowline-on-the-summit-wednesday 

Spoiler

“The Snowline” – Tensions rise among a trusted alliance following an argument regarding the checkpoint vote before the group sets out to reach the snowline. After crossing a frigid alpine lake by kayak, the trekkers must pass a massive chasm using a gravity line to get to the next camp. However, their journey comes with an ominous warning from the Mountain’s Keeper … Should any of them fall, they will face consequences at the next vote, on THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Nov. 13 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

Pics:
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/photos/ 

[tv echo]

The Summit - The Snowline (Sneak Peak 1)
CBS   Nov 8, 2024

The Summit - The Snowline (Sneak Peek 2)
CBS   Nov 8, 2024

[tv echo]

AS THE FINAL SEVEN TREKKERS REACH AN ICY GLACIER, THE MOUNTAIN’S KEEPER ARRIVES WITH

Spoiler

ENOUGH GEAR FOR ONLY SIX OF THEM, FORCING A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR ONE MEMBER OF THE GROUP

, ON “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 20
11/14/2024
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110619-as-the-final-seven-trekkers-reach-an-icy-glacier-the-mountains-keeper-arrives-with-enough-gear-for-only-six-of-them-forcing-a-difficult-decision-for-o 

Spoiler

“Necessary Evils” – As the final seven trekkers confront a new phase of their journey – an icy glacier – the Mountain’s Keeper arrives with the necessary gear to traverse it, but it comes at a cost, as there is only enough equipment for six of them. After it is revealed that the first person to touch the Keeper’s bag has the sole power to eliminate a member of the group along with their money on the spot, the group faces an arduous ascent with ice axes up a glacial cliff, testing their strength, on THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Nov. 20 (9:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

Edited November 15 by tv echo

[MarylandGirl]

Hm, interesting

Spoiler

I wonder if they have an option of not eliminating someone? Or maybe it's impossible to do the climb without the gear for everyone? Not sure if discussion is allowed here.

 

[tv echo]

Preview pics for the next episode (Nov. 20)...

https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/photos/ 

[tv echo]

The Summit - Necessary Evils (Sneak Peak)
CBS   Nov 18, 2024

[tv echo]

Someone wrote this article last month, but I think it still applies today...

TV Time: The Summit makes no sense.
by Lisa Oct. 19, 2024
https://bookshelffantasies.com/2024/10/19/tv-time-the-summit-makes-no-sense/ 

Quote

CBS’s newest reality competition show The Summit has now aired three episodes. I’ve watched them all… and I’m firmly convinced that this show makes no sense.
*  *  *
Okay… so keeping in mind that the goal is to reach the summit within 14 days or they all get nothing, as well as the endless reminders that they’re already behind where they should be, wouldn’t it make sense to start cutting the slowest players? The group has to stay together — it would make no difference if the most fit people forged on ahead and reached the summit early. They either make it as a group, or they all fail.

But no, apparently my logic isn’t the group’s logic. Instead, this becomes a game of alliances, just like every other reality competition on TV. Let’s break up the people who are loyal to each other! Let’s cut someone whose negativity is annoying! And in a later episode, let’s cut one of the strongest people because… reasons?

By the 3rd checkpoint and vote-out, the group has clearly split into factions, and there’s a lot of talk about getting out the big dogs, the ones who are strongest and tend to take the lead. But why? The 3rd person voted out had just done an excellent job of reading the map (different people take the leader role each day, with varying levels of success and/or getting the group lost) — but apparently doing a good job as leader made him a target. Again, why? Isn’t it in the group’s best interest to keep the capable people, who help the entire group succeed?

Apparently the logic in taking out the stronger people is that the weaker folks want to target the strong folks first, to keep the strong folks from picking off the weaker folks one by one. Okay… but if you’re left with the people who are struggling to keep up and who hold the pace back, how will they ever reach the summit?
*  *  *
Ugh. I’m annoyed now that I’ve watching three 90-minute episodes of this nonsense. Sure, a part of me is curious to see what happens next… but it’s also so ridiculous a premise that I don’t think I can actually stand to watch a moment more.
*  *  *
Reading more about the Australian seasons gives me a pretty good idea of how the rest of this American season will go, and reinforces my inclination to just give it up. The scheming and manipulation don’t sit well with me. Before I started the show, I was drawn to the idea of seeing people rise to meet the physical and emotional challenges of the climb — but as it’s playing out, it’s just one more reality competition show about alliances and blindsides. Even with an awesome mountain as the goal, too much of this feels like a “been there, done that” setup. I don’t think I’ll give it any more of my time.

Edited November 22 by tv echo

[tv echo]

'The Summit' Reveals Eliminated Players Will Return In Game-Changing Finale Twist (Exclusive)
The trekkers who didn't make it all the way are back to play a part in the endgame of the mountain-climbing reality show.
Mike Bloom   Nov 20, 2024
https://parade.com/tv/the-summit-eliminated-players-finale-exclusive 

Quote

Well, evidently, that past will come back to haunt them. Parade can exclusively reveal that the finale of The Summit will feature the eliminated players returning to play a part in the season's endgame. The last episode, airing Dec. 4, will feature the remaining group of trekkers finally completing the titular summit. But they'll have to come down emotionally from the high altitude, as they'll be met with the faces of those left behind, who we're told will have a large role to play in the final outcome.

Spoiler

For fans of the original version of The Summit that aired in Australia, this doesn't come as a complete surprise. The down under variety, which aired two seasons in 2023 and 2024, also brought eliminated players in for the finale. The first season had them determining the split of the $500,000 prize. The second, which featured a handful of celebrities, eschewed expectations when one of the finalists was given the power to split the pot. Despite precedence, according to showrunner Kevin Lee, it wasn't a guarantee that we would see the Ghosts of Trekkers Past appear in the end.

Edited November 22 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Synopsis for next episode (second to last episode)...

THE TREKKERS FACE A DAUNTING OBSTACLE AS THEY ATTEMPT TO REACH THEIR FINAL CHECKPOINT, ON “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27
11/21/2024
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110654-the-trekkers-face-a-daunting-obstacle-as-they-attempt-to-reach-their-final-checkpoint-on-the-summit-wednesday-nov-27 

Spoiler

“The Final Checkpoint” – As the group resumes their journey after a storm forced them to evacuate to lower elevation, they face a daunting chasm known as King’s Leap, which they must cross by pulling themselves to the other side using a single rope to arrive at their final checkpoint. When the Mountain’s Keeper surprises the group with a bag drop that leaves everyone reinvigorated in their goal to make it to the summit, some of the strongest alliance loyalties are called into question, on THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Nov. 27 (9:30-10:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

Preview pics:
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/photos/

ETA:
The final episode (episode 10), "Season Finale: Judgment Day," will air on 12/4/2024. Its synopsis has not been posted yet.

Edited November 22 by tv echo

[tv echo]

The Summit - The Final Checkpoint (Sneak Peek)
CBS   Nov 22, 2024

[tv echo]

Finale synopsis...

THE JOURNEY TO THE TOP REACHES ITS PEAK AS THE FINAL TREKKERS MUST FACE THOSE THEY ELIMINATED ALONG THE WAY, ON THE SEASON FINALE OF “THE SUMMIT,” WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4
11/28/2024
https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/releases/?view=110649-the-journey-to-the-top-reaches-its-peak-as-the-final-trekkers-must-face-those-they-eliminated-along-the-way-on-the-season-finale-of-the-summit-wednesd 

Spoiler

“Season Finale: Judgement Day” – As the final four trekkers reach an impassable chasm at the peak of their journey, they must use a helicopter long line to cross one by one. During the obstacle, they discover a devastating twist from the Mountain’s Keeper: the last person will be left behind as payment for the assistance. Another surprise awaits the final three on the other side as Manu arrives with a shocking revelation involving the return of all 13 eliminated members of the group, on the season finale of THE SUMMIT, Wednesday, Dec. 4 (9:30-10:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Manu Bennett serves as host.

[MarylandGirl]

Spoiler

Ugh, that sucks about leaving the last person behind. I wonder if they find that out before it starts or after three have gone across? Just thinking how Jeannie volunteered to go last recently. Thanks for sharing though!

 

[tv echo]

Preview pics for Season 1 finale - if you read the episode synopsis (previously posted above), then these pics are maybe spoilery...

https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-summit/photos?episode=25205 

[tv echo]

Near the end of this interview, Manu Bennett said that he thought it was "diabolic" that Dusty was eliminated after the contestants sang 'happy birthday' to him. Manu revealed that he's in the helicopter with each eliminated contestant when they're flown off the mountain. He said that Dusty was very upset over being eliminated on his birthday ("he was a destroyed man"). So when they got to the little town at the bottom of the mountain, Manu and their driver ("Big Boy Rick") bought Dusty a greenstone (type of Mauri necklace) and did the haka for him. Rick did a Mauri blessing on the necklace and Dusty was teary. 

The Summit Episode Interview with Manu Bennett
RHAP: We Know Reality TV   Dec 3, 2024

Edited December 4 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Questions about The Summit, answered
Andy Dehnart   December 3, 2024
https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/12/summit-cbs-season-one-questions-answers/ 

Quote

Is the map real? How did they navigate?
*  *  *
That’s because the route isn’t as direct as it appears in the on-screen map, which is simplified for TV. “A lot of the scouting ahead of time was to find the most interesting natural obstacles. So the path is very indirect in order to hit those,” Kevin Lee told me.

Thus, the actual route is “more indirect than it’s shown on the map and the show. The map on the show is correct, but it doesn’t have every turn.”

How did the cast navigate every day? Kevin said there were three possibilities:

1. A guide. “For safety, oftentimes there was a guide walking in front, and they would look and see where that person was walking and make sure to kind of walk in the same terrain,” he said.
2. An overview map. That’s “the big, colorful map that you see that they’re looking at pretty often,” he explained.
3. More detailed maps. “On the backside of that colorful map is a more of a detailed topographical map that we would swap out each day, that featured the details of that route,” Kevin said. “We would glue the topo map on the back. You have to look at the shots closely, but you see there’s the details on the back, and that’s the details of that day.”

Did the cast actually walk 100 miles?

Yes! “In terms of the actual mileage, they walked the whole thing. They climb the whole altitude,” Kevin Lee said. “Mount Head’s not that high, but it’s all kind of relative. It’s about 8,500 feet, but they’re starting from almost sea level.”
*  *  *
“I would say that they probably walked for about six or seven hours a day,” Kevin told me. “We just show a few minutes, and it’s usually story related minutes.”
*  *  *
How long did obstacles take?
*  *  *
Because this is a network reality TV show, there’s a lot of safety involved. A few times, the show broke the fourth wall to show a crew member on the safety team, but most of the obstacles were not included, whether that’s the cast getting into harnesses, the crew resetting an apparatus, or the cast getting briefed on how things work.

Because of all that, while the actual obstacle may have taken a few minutes for one cast member, it took hours to film. That time changed based on the number of cast members left.

“When they had big numbers, it would take three or four hours; when they had smaller numbers, it would take a couple hours,” Kevin said.
*  *  *
Were they at risk of not making any checkpoints?
*  *  *
“You’re right in the sense that most of the time they weren’t in serious jeopardy,” Kevin told me. “If we’re lucky enough to do a season two, I think we’re going to add some distance between checkpoints to make it a little bit harder.
*  *  *
“They really struggled on the glacier. They just were going so slow and their legs were falling into the snow and they couldn’t move. A lot of that came down on Amy, but that all of them were going so slow. That was probably the only time on the show where I was like, they may not make it—actually, not just to that checkpoint camp, but the whole thing.”
*  *  *
Are twists determined in advance?
*  *  *
Not all of them! “We’re adjusting as we see the story unfolding and that’s one of the good parts of the format,” Kevin Lee said. “It makes it more fun to produce, because you’re trying to fit the format with the story that’s happening. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s a lot of fun to do it that way.”
*  *  *
“Those decisions need to be made before the events of the day for fairness,” Kevin said. “CBS has a person who’s on site to make sure everything’s fair.”

Kevin said any twists “had to be set in stone before they started”—that’s “not like a month before we started filming,” but before they started for the day. “We couldn’t give an advantage to anybody.”

For example, when the players had to vote off either the first or last person, producers didn’t make that decision while watching Pati fall behind and Dusty take the lead.

“Because of the fairness rules, with the CBS compliance person, we couldn’t see Pati way behind and then immediately drop a bag that would endanger her,” Kevin said. “It had to be dropped the next day after we [told] CBS compliance, this is our plan. We’re going to do it and we’re going to do it tomorrow. So whatever happens tomorrow is fair game.”

Why didn’t we see more cast bonding?
*  *  *
“For better or worse, the audience is interested in seeing strategy and player versus player maneuvering,” Kevin said. “We did show, I think, as much of the relationships as we could, but it is limited. You see like someone like Amy and Dusty bonding, and you see someone like Jeannie and Nick bonding.”

Edited December 4 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Interview with showrunner Kevin Lee...

'The Summit' Showrunner Breaks Down That Twist-Filled Finale
Mike Bloom   Dec 4, 2024
https://parade.com/tv/the-summit-season-1-finale-kevin-lee-interview 

Quote

What made you decide to go with the jury of eliminated players deciding who wins the extra $250K via vote? Were there any other ideas for what they would do that you nearly went with?
No, this was our favorite idea. We wanted to bring back the eliminated climbers because climbing a mountain is a social process as much as a physical process. It’s about teamwork, so the eliminated members of the team should have some input into the final prize. But with that said, we did not want the eliminated climbers to choose one single winner and send the other two home empty-handed because three climbers made it to the top of the mountain. So we let the eliminated climbers make a different decision to reward one deserving summiteer, but leave the other two’s prizes intact. Punkin, Therron and Nick each earned their 250K by carrying it to the top of the mountain. It wouldn’t have been fair to take that away from them. Instead, it made sense to have the eliminated climbers choose which one of the three summiteers to give the extra money to.
*  *  *
Which final vote surprised you the most, and why?
Jeannie had every reason to vote against Nick. So I was surprised and emotionally moved when she chose forgiveness over vindictiveness.
*  *  *
Some reality TV fans say that the winner can be a reflection of the season as a whole. Talk to me about your thoughts on Nick, and whether he serves as that representation of The Summit Season 1. 
I think Nick is a good representation of this first season. He had a rare combination of physical prowess, strategic gamesmanship and likability that elevated him to the top. That’s what it takes to win The Summit.
*  *  *
Finally, if The Summit were to get renewed for a second season, what's the biggest change you would make, either to the game structure, stylistically, casting-wise, etc.?
Of course, we will change the end game and throw a new twist at them in the final episode. Also, we’ll make sure the Mountain’s Keeper has a new batch of yellow duffel bag dilemmas to drop on them. But the biggest change is that we are going to find a taller and more difficult mountain for them to face. We’ve already started the search. There is no way three of them will make it to the top in Season 2!

[tv echo]

‘The Summit’ Winner Nick Morgan Reflects on ‘Unbelievable’ Experience and His Biggest Regret (Exclusive)
By Megan Behnke   December 5, 2024
https://popculture.com/reality-tv/news/the-summit-winner-nick-morgan-reflects-on-unbelievable-experience-and-his-biggest-regret-exclusive/ 

Quote

PopCulture: First off, congratulations on making to The Summit and winning! I know that you probably hoped that you’d see it through, but did you actually think that you’d be able to make it during the whole journey when you first signed on?
Nick Morgan: If I would have known what I have signed up for, I’m not sure if I would have continued. Once you’re out there, though, in the middle of it, I’m an athlete. I grew up playing sports and flipped the switch in my head. It was game on once that bounce started.

PC: Was there ever a time where you almost gave up or you truly thought you were gonna be eliminated, especially since you had to face your fear of heights a lot?
Morgan: At every single obstacle, I think it’s at the end. As far as the challenges, I mean, I am terrified of heights. I don’t go on the balcony if we take a trip to the beach. So I don’t want anything to do with them. So every time we pulled up to a note, I’m going, “What is happening now?” As far as the vote-outs, I felt really good all the days, and I felt like I was trying to think one step ahead. I knew when we had 10 people, I need six folks. Seven, I need four. When we had five, I need three. And I tried to just make sure I was thinking at least a day or two in advance to make sure that I always have the numbers needed to stay in.
*  *  *
PC: Is there anything that you regretted during the journey?
Morgan: Watching [the finale] back last night was tough with Jeannie. The toughest decision I had to make in the entire thing was whether to take Therron or Jeannie. I’ve been working with both of them since Day 1. Therron was like my best friend on the mountain, and Jeannie was like my mother. We had such a close relationship, and this has been Jeannie’s dream forever. She’s one of the most genuine people, and I’ll probably never get over that decision.

PC: Other than the money, what motivated you to continue?
Morgan: I grew up playing sports my entire life. Football, basketball, baseball. I played baseball in college. And I just felt like I always came up just short. I’d make it to the end whether we made it to the World Series and ended up not winning it or we made it all the way to the championship game and lost. And that’s honestly how I felt for the mountain. Every day we got closer, I’m like, “I’m getting closer and closer, but is the rug gonna be pulled out beneath me?” And I finally felt like I got to the top and made it. And then, of course, they bring the twist back to the contestants and I knew I was just short, but it didn’t end up working that way, and I finally came out on top.
*  *  *
PC: If you had to do it all again, would you or would you do anything differently?
Morgan: That’s a good question that a lot of people are asking. If I would have known, I’m not sure it’d be a show I would have applied for. So, looking back at the gameplay, first off, it was an unbelievable experience. Everything was done top-notch. I love the cast. The production team was phenomenal. It was a really cool show to be a part of. Not over my fear of heights, so don’t be calling me for another season. But it was such a good time. And as far as what I’d do differently, there’s some people I might have tried to get out a little earlier, but it all worked out in the end.

PC: So when you initially signed on, what did you think that you were going on for?
Morgan: We didn’t know the name of the show, what we were doing. I barely knew where I was going. I think I’ve never been out of the country, so I gotta get a passport. I’m like, “Can somebody tell me what’s going on here?” And I remember the night before I flew out going, “What am I getting myself into?” I’m so scared that it’s gonna be what it ended up being, and that’s a lot of heights and challenges, and it was just surreal.

Edited December 6 by tv echo

[tv echo]

The Summit’s winner and producer on that ‘huge shocker’ of a finale
Andy Dehnart   Dec 5, 2024
https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/12/summit-winner-producer-interviews/ 

Quote

Andy Dehnart: When you heard Manu say that basically, you know, you all were competing for this extra $250K, did you think you had a chance at it?
Nick Morgan: Yeah, for all the viewers out there that were surprised to see it be me: Trust me, you weren’t as surprised as I was.

I did not think there was a shot when I heard that the remaining contestants were gonna be deciding who gets the extra 250. 

What was the thing that you thought was going against you? 
Strategically, I was probably more involved in a lot of the eliminations than maybe the two sitting next to me, and I felt like I had probably more blood on my hands.

There were a lot of people that I had genuine relationships with, and unfortunately, also had to be involved in getting them out. So I was a little worried about that, and it was just truly hoping that they could see that it was far more than a game, and just an unfortunate ending to what had to come.

When people started voting, you did get a lot of credit for that game. I’m curious if you can describe it. Going into a game in which you don’t know what the rules are, how did you approach this?
I think they caught me saying it earlier in the season [that] my strategy was to go in and lay low early, and then later on in the game, really start taking some shots.

And I think you saw that kind of with Becky and some feuds with Amy and some other things like that.

I wanted to let people fight for it early, and then wait to start swinging there towards the end and really hit my stride. 

Was your assumption that you would eventually face a jury like this or face some kind of vote and, therefore, you needed to have a resume or whatever?
That’s a great question. Honestly, we had really no idea. We didn’t know where people were going when they got taken off the mountain. I’m thinking maybe they’re going home; maybe this is the end of the road, I’ll never see them again.

Obviously we’ve seen other CBS shows, and there was still something in the back of our mind wondering maybe if there was. 
*  *  *
Hopefully, we’ll see some of you show up on other shows like The Challenge or The Traitors in the future. 
Put a word out there for me, Andy. I’m coming for The Traitors, Big Brother. Get me on something. 

Okay, will do! Speaking of relationships, Amy said when she voted there was no way she could have made it up the mountain without you. Can you talk about that support? Was it mental? Was it physical?
Honestly, I had very good relationships with a lot of people out there and genuine relationships. I know people do this at the end where they’ll name personal things about their lives but I wanted people to understand that those conversations were real. I was not trying to manipulate anybody in those moments.

Now, of course, I did some manipulation in other moments, but it was genuine. So Amy and I, Jeannie and I, Dusty and I—we had really good talks. With Amy, we were so much like a mother-son relationship. We would fight, bicker, argue, but we did love each other.

And every night we’d have some really serious talks about family and I’d talk about my now fiance. Watching it back, and seeing Jeannie and Amy vote for me, meant so much more than just the game because I did care about them as humans, and I truly was worried that they might not forgive me. 
*  *  *
The related question is [about] switching up from the Australian format, and not just having them divide the cash.
Kevin Lee: Well, first of all, I wish I could have told you earlier, because I knew that bothered you. I had to resist the urge.

It bothered me when I was watching the Australian version, because I had the same reaction. I was like: They’re just trying to save money. This is garbage.

It didn’t feel right that two or three would make it to the top and then everybody would just be like, Oh, well, that doesn’t matter. We’re going to decide who gets the money anyway. Because it’s like, well, then what’s the point of climbing the mountain?

We wanted to have our cake and eat it to: honor the people that made it to the top, but then reward the social game. [This format] allowed us to do that.

Also, we wanted to differentiate from other shows. As you know, a lot of shows have the cast come back at the end and make the decision of who gets all the money.

But the main reason was, we didn’t want to devalue making it to the top of the mountain.
*  *  *
One thing I found pretty profound, at the very end. First of all, we had no idea. And Amy had no idea when Amy started talking.

You know how these shows work: producers are constantly talking to them like, Hey, Amy, which way you’re going to vote? Hey, Jeannie, which way you’re going to vote? so we can get the right cameras and stuff like that.

Jeannie, we kind of got a sense, but Amy was like, I don’t know. And even until the words are coming out of her mouth, she didn’t know. So it was a huge shocker for us.

One of the things that I was proud of is—I found it kind of profound and moving when Jeannie chose forgiveness instead of vindictiveness. That was unexpected, and rare in reality TV.

Edited December 6 by tv echo

[tv echo]

CBS's 'The Summit' Was One of Reality TV's All-Time Biggest Flops
By Dustin Rowles   December 6, 2024 
https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/cbss-the-summit-was-one-of-reality-tvs-alltime-biggest-flops.php 

Quote

... The finale required little actual hiking to the peak. Instead, the first half of the episode featured a helicopter ferrying the three remaining contestants to the summit, leaving a fourth eliminated player behind. Yes, this “treacherous” trek—hyped as a battle against harsh terrain, Antarctic winds, and grueling challenges—culminated in a f***** helicopter ride. Earlier in the season, there was hand-wringing about whether they’d reach the top in 14 days. But with at least two days lost to bad weather, they somehow made it right on schedule, as if required from production lest the series be left with no finale.
*  *  *
There was no tension because, after ten weeks, we weren’t invested in anyone. The casting was abysmal. The only remotely interesting player was a self-proclaimed “Asian cockroach,” who stood out merely for being mildly obnoxious. Gameplay? Virtually nonexistent, dictated by arbitrary decisions rather than strategy. The much-touted mountain climb boiled down to uninspired challenges that contestants grumbled through but easily completed. These weren’t skilled climbers, and if any task had been as punishing as advertised, the entire cast would’ve tapped out in week one.

Edited December 7 by tv echo

[Auntie Anxiety]

Thank you @tv echo. The interviews and excerpts you posted were more interesting than the hours I wasted watching the show. 

[Quilt Fairy]

From the end of the above linked article:

Quote

 It’s baffling that CBS sidelined their consistently entertaining The Amazing Race for this. Let’s hope they never make that mistake again, which is unlikely considering that it held on to less than 40 percent of its Survivor lead-in. The Summit should be canceled immediately and helicoptered out of our collective memories.

 

[tv echo]

I have not seen any official confirmation or other unofficial reporting of this renewal, so fwiw...

The Summit Renewed For Season 2 at CBS
Upamanyu Biswas   December 11, 2024
https://thecinemaholic.com/the-summit-season-2/ 

Quote

Adventure enthusiasts can rejoice at the return of a beloved game show! The Cinemaholic has learned that CBS has renewed the reality series ‘The Summit’ for its second season. Auditions for the upcoming installment are currently underway, with the production department seeking adventurous, daring, and resilient individuals who can deal with various physical and mental challenges.