What It’s Really Like to Play ‘Survivor,’ From the Season 50 Set

It’s the early 2000s. I’m around 8 years old and watching an episode of Survivor in the dimly lit basement of my childhood home with my mom and big sister. Outside, a storm rages. Onscreen, it’s a nail-biter tribal council. Just as Jeff Probst is tallying the final votes, the rain knocks out our satellite dish signal. I jump off the couch and cry out in shock. How will I know who was voted out? What do my parents expect me to do, wait until next week for answers? This is inconceivable. My sister would later recall, “Wow, she really likes TV.” And yes, I made a career out of it.