Hidden Remote
Fansided

What to know about The Summit, CBS' new reality action-adventure competition!

By Sabrina Reed

THE SUMMIT, hosted by Manu Bennett, follows 16 strangers embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through the treacherous New Zealand Alps in an attempt to reach the peak of a distant, towering mountain. With their backpacks containing an equal share of $1 million, the group must traverse an exhausting distance in just 14 days in order to win the cash they are carrying. But not everyone will make it, as these strangers must work together to tackle the dangerous terrain.
THE SUMMIT, hosted by Manu Bennett, follows 16 strangers embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through the treacherous New Zealand Alps in an attempt to reach the peak of a distant, towering mountain. With their backpacks containing an equal share of $1 million, the group must traverse an exhausting distance in just 14 days in order to win the cash they are carrying. But not everyone will make it, as these strangers must work together to tackle the dangerous terrain. /
facebooktwitterreddit

CBS' Fall TV slate will boast a new reality action-adventure competition in The Summit. Set in the New Zealand Alps, the series is not for the faint of heart but that's to be expected from a program set to air its first season after Survivor--the network's longest running unscripted programming in this genre.

The Summit takes 16 strangers and throws them together in what CBS is calling a "once-in-a-lifetime journey" as they do their best to reach the peak of the mountain before them. Host Manu Bennett told Jeff Probst, in a Conversations Between Stars interview, that the contestants were under the impression that they were going to be doing a treasure hunt.

Instead, they learned that the backpacks they'd be carrying each held an equal share of the $1,000,000 grand prize. Over the course of 14 days they would make the treacherous and exhausting trek up the mountain and would need to work together in order to brave the "dangerous terrain, unforgiving Antarctic winds, heart-pounding challenges and gut-wrenching eliminations."

But this isn't just about endurance. Strategy will also play a part. The competition features a "Moutain's Keeper" whose job is to surprise the contestants with twists and force them to make decisions that will make the game eve more complicated. At times the stress will get to them as will the time winding down on the clock because there is a devastating rule on The Summit. In order to win the million dollars they have to make to the mountain peak within the 14 days. If they don't, they will walk away with nothing.

That's why the eliminations are so pivotal. They're based on what the group decides to do when someone falls behind, putting their ability to win in jeopardy. But it's not easy sending people home and the decisions the group make will test their morals and the bonds they've forged in this quest to the top. Here's more on the show!

The Summit premiere date

The series debuts on a special night and time on Sunday, Sept. 29 9 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on CBS. It'll slide into its regular premiere time slot with an encore of its first episode on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 9:30 p.m. Episode 2 will air Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 9:30 p.m. ET. Next day streaming for the show will be available on Paramount+.

Like Survivor and The Amazing Race, The Summit has a 90-minute runtime wherein we'll be audience to all the drama and there will be plenty of it according to executive producer Kevin Lee.

"I’m an avid mountain climber, but the reason I’m passionate about this series has little to do with climbing. It’s the human drama and emotion that arise when ordinary people are pushed to their limits by intense game play that makes this series so compelling."

In his talk with Probst, Bennett also shared what'd surprised him once he saw the 16 ordinary people taking part in the competition. He'd had his misgivings even thinking 'They're all going to die' when looking at the mountain and them and wondering 'Where's the safety team?' But then his opinion changed.

"Extraordinarily. The human determination, when it really comes down to it, when people really dig deep and they search inside themselves. That's why it's such an interesting social study because you take all these different people, with different walks of life and they're all human, there's a key to them that's going to open up some door that they'll walk through--the determination."

Who is Manu Bennett?

Fans of the fantasy genre know the Australian-New Zealand actor of Māori descent well. He played Azog the Defiler in The Hobbit trilogy, stepped into Slade/Deathstroke's shoes on Arrow, and starred as Allanon, the Warlock Lord on The Shannara Chronicles. Bennett is also known for his work on Spartacus as the gladiator Crixus.

The Summit
Manu Bennett, from the CBS Original Series THE SUMMIT, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. -- Photo: Sean Beales/CBS ©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. /

What amazed Probst during their interview was the fact that Bennett is so well suited to this hosting position that when he was told that he was going to be the host, he'd actually been on a summit. He was in Greece at the time and showed the producers the view he was experiencing while on the call. So, he's very aware of the challenges the contestants will be facing.

Get a taste of what they've signed up for below:

The competitors have yet to be announced for The Summit. We'll keep you posted as more information comes in. Stay tuned to Hidden Remote and follow us on X!

feed

Home/CBS