George Mallory’s response to a reporter’s question in 1923 as to why he wanted to climb Mount Everest was “Because it’s there.” Ask the 16 contestants participating in the new CBS reality competition series “The Summit” as to why they want to scale a peak in the New Zealand Alps and the answer will be quite different. It is very clear from the series opener set for 8:30 p.m. Sept 29 that they are doing it for the money. The last person (or persons) standing when the first season ends will take home $1 million. Host Manu Bennett guides the contestants as each must traverse long and rugged distances with an equal share of the $1 million on their backs. They have 14 days to make the journey that features dangerous terrain, unforgiving Antarctic winds and challenges. If no one makes it to the peak in the allotted time, no one wins the money. Producers guarantee the trek can be made in the time frame as they mapped out the course to make sure. Contestants showed up in New Zealand not knowing they would have to climb a mountain in a set amount of time to win the prize. Executive producer Kevin Lee explains the applicants were led to believe the show would be an adventure race. “They were told, and even in their contract, you got to be ready to trek long distances, climb hills, rappel down cliffs, cross streams, climb through snow, all of that sort of stuff.  But they were never told the word mountain,” Lee says. “And the word mountain was not in their contract. “So, they were prepared for everything that they would face, they just didn’t know that they had to get to the top of the mountain to achieve the million dollars.” Taking a page from “Survivor,” the group will vote out players each episode. Also like “Survivor” is the makeup of the players. There are those trying to reach “The Summit” who have more athletic backgrounds than others. The blending of all types of players is a type of social experiment to see if the strong will immediately reject the weak or will compassion and strategy be more important. That makes the competition series more about social dynamics than physical prowess. Along the way, the players get to talk directly to the camera. They also get to spend time with Bennett who will set out each day’s challenge and be around at the end to update them with how far they have come. Bennett was selected as the host because he is a New Zealand native who has a built-in respect for the mountain. He can handle the hosting duties because of his background in acting that has seen him work in “30 Days of Night,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “Arrow.” Lee says, “He has a certain sense of gravity and kind of melodramaticness that comes out that I think kind of suits the format and suits the environment. And him being disappointed and a little bit harsh with them at the beginning, is I think, to be honest, it just kind of happened, so to speak. “But as the series progresses, he gets a little bit closer with them and he becomes more of a supporting person as they prove themselves to him. But he did start a little bit harsh, and I think that’s kind of just his personal gravity a little bit.” One big difference from shows like “Survivor” is that Bennett is not with the players when they get together to vote. The decision was made to allow the contestants to run their own scenes. They were coached before the trek started to make sure everyone gets the chance to talk and share their opinion. The crew was off camera if any of the sessions had gone awry but that never happened. “But to not have a host in there not orchestrating it was challenging, but what I think it did is it made them feel like they’re a group of people around a campfire, sharing their opinions, and it kind of lowered the TV pressure of it all,” Lee says. “I like the roughness of it, and I think it works for this show. “And to be completely honest, we’re on the side of a mountain so it’s very hard to get all the infrastructure that we normally have up there so that was part of the reason why we ran a skeleton crew and let them run their own votes.” There will be a sneak peek of “The Summit” on Sept. 29. After the episode is broadcast on CBS, it will be available the following day on the streaming service of Paramount+.