Have you seen ´Survival?´ If so, you would recognize ´Robinsonekspedisjonen´as Norway´s version of this reality show.  Norway obtained the rights to air their own version of the show in 1999 after its success in Denmark and Sweden.  It is aired on TV3.  As you might imagine, the name derives from Robinson Crusoe and Swiss Family Robinson, of which both of the premises were people marooned on an island by shipwrecks.  After a two year break in 2005-2006, Robinsonekspedisjonen returned in 2007 and has seen significant growth in ratings since.

Similar to ´Survivor,´each episode consists of 16 contestants who are split up into 2 groups (in this season North vs. South) who compete against each other through physical challenges in survival situations.  At the end of each episode, one contestant gets voted off the show by the ´island council.´  After a ways into the season, the competitions become individual vs. individual.

This season is especially exciting because the 2 teams, as mentioned above, are North and South.  Finally a TV series that plays off of the very apparent, I would say almost rival, between nordlendinger (northerners) and sørlendinger (southerners).  The show examines typical stereotypes of the two groups.  Are nordlendinger as gruff and boastful as sørlendinger are sleek and snobby?  Here you can see pictures and bios of all of the participants in this years Robinsonekspedisjonen.  Christer Falck is once again the director.

The beginning of the season brought with it some real drama.  There was an outbreak of Dengue Fever on the island where the show was to be filmed.  Luckily, Falck was able to find another island that would also serve the purposes of Robinsonekspedisjonen well.

Here is a very entertaining video showing stereotypes and characters from the north and the south-in a rap!

Try to catch the show sometime on TV3.  It´s aired in Norway on Sundays at 8 pm.