Is ‘Survivor’ losing to competition?

Does “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS) still matter? It certainly attracts a large audience, but does it resonate? Does it inspire passion and conversation anymore?

As anyone within screaming distance of a TV commercial already knows, one of the players on “Panama: Exile Island” has already begun to freak out and wants to go home. Been there. Done that.

And last week, the first losing “tribe” ditched a provider of fire, fresh water and fish simply because she was forthright and loud. Meanwhile, they saved a self-proclaimed couch potato with a leaf phobia who admits to having never slept outdoors before.

Have the fans taken over the island?

So far the tribes don’t even get one of those absurd, nonsensical summer-camp names. In fact, they’ve been broken down by consumer demographics, into four quartets composed of older men and older women, younger men and younger women.

Have the marketing people taken over the island?

Seriously, what’s next? Let’s cut to the chase and work product placements into the tribe identities. How about pitting Tylenol against Advil? Bufferin vs. Excedrin? Leave a downscale section of the island for the store-brand, generic crowd.

And while this reality show has become just a tad self-referential, its comedy-and-drama competition has stolen pages from the “Survivor” playbook. The desert-island sandbox has been occasionally animated by eccentric characters, but only some “Survivor” seasons deliver. Others have been duds. Why wait for the next Hatch, Hawk, Rupert or Johnny Fairplay to arrive when you know Hurley is always going to show up on “Lost,” and at least every other “24” features awkward moments between Edgar and Chloe? These characters might not have won big money on “Survivor,” but they would have made the game more interesting.

Tonight’s other highlights

Tom Bergeron hosts “Dancing with the Stars” (8 p.m., ABC).

A victim of medical experiments expires on “CSI” (9 p.m., CBS).

Earl finds love but is stalked by trouble on “My Name is Earl” (9 p.m., NBC).

Tragedy and reflection on “The O.C.” (9 p.m., Fox).