Survivor: Cook Islands

The show that launched a cultural (and ratings) phenomenon, and still arguably the class of the reality genre, what executive producer Mark Burnett prefers to call 'nonscripted drama.' It began with 16 people marooned on an island, working together to survive, but ultimately trying to 'outwit, outlast, outplay' the others for a $1 million grand prize. The group is whittled down as players are 'voted off' until only one remains.