'Survivor' Renewed for Two More Seasons

The CBS paragon of reality competition series, one that ushered in an era of the genre only to outlast so many of its rivals, continues to thrive and will not be cast aside anytime soon.

Ahead of the season finale of ‘Survivor: Blood vs. Water’ set for Sunday night, CBS announced that the long-running series will return for Seasons 29 and 30, with Jeff Probst, who has won five Emmys for the show, staying on as both host and co-executive producer alongside creator Mark Burnett.

The latest installment, one that has consistently won its time slot in key demographics, is the 27th iteration of the series. Season 28 was shot in the Philippines last summer and will air in spring 2014. Season 29 and 30 will air the following fall and spring.

‘Survivor’ has proved resilient as, among other things, it has regularly tried to subvert and twist the drama on the show. They’ve welcomed back all-stars, pitted so-called heroes against villains, and enlisted fan-favorites. What’s more, they installed various tweaks to the game, which in one way or another allow players to re-enter the game.

In Nicaragua they decided to split the groups between age (referred to bluntly as 'Old vs. Young'), and in Cook Islands, four tribes were divided due to race. While that move generated some controversy (and ratings), the latest decision on ‘Blood vs. Water,’ which set returning players against their loved ones, has been a huge success.

All of that is to say that the next installments of the series will undoubtedly continue to change things up and make the series more compelling and intricate. What is to come is hard to say (just no 'Celebrity Survivor,' please), but with Season 30 marking the 15-year anniversary of the series, surely something exciting is in store.

The two-hour finale of 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water' will air on Sunday, Dec. 15 on CBS, followed by a one-hour live reunion show.