Reality TV exploded with the first season of CBS's show 'Survivor.' It is hard to believe that the show is in its thirteenth season and has been airing since 2000. Although its ratings have dropped since it became a television phenomenon six years ago, the program has been making the news in recent weeks. Richard Hatch, winner of the $1,000,000 prize on the first season has been sent to jail recently for not paying taxes on his winnings. Also, on Thursday the new season premiered with a controversial twist; the castaways are being split up into four tribes based on their race.

The new gimmick is controversial and borderline racist, pitting one ethnicity against another in a game based on deceit, lies, alliances and plotting where people compete for a large monetary prize. This new tribal system is drawing attention because it seems to be promoting a societal step backward: racial separation. Before the premier on Thursday, the host Jeff Probst had been defending the new stance by saying that it is not 'fair or just' to condemn the show before anyone had seen it.

Regardless of the purposefully created racial tension, the stunt reveals something more about 'Survivor' and possibly reality television as a whole. 'Survivor' has jumped the shark.

'Jumping the shark' is a term describing a plot line or stunt that is ridiculous to some unusual degree and generally indicates the series is ending, or should be ending, soon. The term was coined by the classic 'Happy Days.' In the final season, the series tried to regain its waning number of viewers by having Fonzi literally jump over a shark on his motorcycle, an absolutely ridiculous feat.

The new racial tribes on 'Survivor' is the reality television version of Fonzi jumping over oceanic creatures to gain attention. Promoting the new twist has done what CBS hoped for by creating attention for the show. Unfortunately, the stunt reveals that CBS is working extraordinarily hard to keep 'Survivor' on TV with at least acceptable ratings.

With 'Survivor', a large contributor and epitome of the age of reality TV, showing signs of decline, one can wonder if the end of reality TV is near. The six year fad has flooded television with unrealistic 'reality,' from adventurous races to roommates competing in one house to competitors eating unsanitary and disgusting 'food' for money. A person can logically expect for viewers to get bored with these scenerios.

Regardless of whether reality TV is taking its last bow, many enthusiasts are hoping for and would welcome the end of this genre. Simultaneously, there are still fans glued to 'The Amazing Race,' 'Last Comic Standing,' 'Fear Factor' and countless other reality shows and view them religiously. Only time and network executives can tell what is coming next, but as 'Survivor' jumps the shark, one can expect that reality television will not last much longer.