Simplify the following text for a Grade 5 native English-speaking person.
Original: As NBC 's answer to the successful series Survivor , the show was initially a hit for the network in the summer of 2001 , and built strong ratings for the next couple of seasons , but as the years passed , the ratings declined .
Simplified: The program was very popular for the network in the summer of 2001 . It had strong ratings for the next couple of years , but in later years , the ratings were not as good .