The first season of CBS's ratings-juggernaut Survivor changed the face of television for years to come. As the first big hit network reality game show, the program immediately became an American institution, inspiring countless rip-offs and making minor celebrities out of its contestants. The Mark Burnett-produced show began on May 31, 2000 with 16 castaways, including retired Navy Seal Rudy Boesch, future Rob Schneider co-star Colleen Haskell, and the infamous Richard Hatch. By the concluding episode on August 23, the number of contestants had been whittled down to four after weeks of challenges, alliances, manipulation, and backstabbing. By the end of the two-hour finale, one contestant was named the "sole survivor" and was awarded one million dollars. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi