I love Survivor. I decided to rank every season of the show from worst to best. Flip through the next 8000 or so words and enjoy amidst the real life chaos. Major spoilers for every season ahead. These rankings are based on:
Watchability (Is it entertaining? Will I understand it if I've never seen the show?)
Entire run of the season (No singular moment will propel a season many spots ahead)
Taking into account editing, story structure, and episode structure
Did Ben Kessler enjoy it?
This is obviously biased and up for interpretation. Starting on the next page you can scroll through and see all 41 seasons of Survivor, ranked. I also included clips of some moments from each season if you are interested.
Do you agree with any of my rankings? Disagree with any?
Let me know your thoughts on Twitter @BenKesslerInc
42) Survivor: One World
Season 24; Aired February 15 – May 13, 2012
I cried after the premiere of this season. No joke. I was eleven years old and I weeped. Out of shame and fear. This was the only season that after watching I feared Survivor would be cancelled. The craziest part of this is that Kim may be the most dominant winner ever. Watching her game was so masterful it was boring. Her win was inevitable. And yet what makes this season the worst ever is that episode to episode the obvious became even more obvious. The challenges were disappointing. The strategy was mundane (outside of 1-2 contestants). The twists flopped.
A lot of the casting choices flopped, as this and the next entry on the list will be the only two seasons of Survivor you will watch and wonder if you are a genius and everyone else is stupid. All women going all the way to the end was exciting for a moment, but Kim’s utter dominance made majority of the post merge unwatchable, and the pre-merge unwatchable due to sheer stupidity. Thank god for Tarzan.
41) Survivor: Thailand
Season 5; Aired September 19 – December 19, 2002
The fifth installment is the only other season of Survivor in which you will feel lightyears ahead of the majority of the cast. There’s not much else to say because most of it is forgettable. Brian Heidik was, at the time, a solid winner and a villain in his own way. Google him at your own risk. Watching Shii Ann Huang’s social commentary was the only high of this season and she excelled even more in All Stars. This season is remembered most for its “fake merge” twist which seemed less like a merge and more along the lines of a gotcha moment, exposing lines and alliances that could have made for more intriguing gameplay and storytelling.
40) Survivor: Nicaragua
Season 21; Aired September 15 – December 19, 2010
Coming after the high of Survivor: Heroes vs Villains put Nicaragua in a tough position immediately. While it ranks as my third least favorite season ever, from here on out I believe all the installments of Survivor are respectable and entertaining for one, if not more, reasons. In hindsight, this season’s reason is the man named Fabio. At the time, he was just there until he ended up winning being the lesser of three evils. In some ways, you could argue he redeemed a lot of this season.
This season also saw the creation of the “purple” edit, a switch to Wednesdays, and a few players I wouldn’t mind seeing back. As I watched this season live, the twists and theme flopped but did make for some spontaneous moments such as Jimmy Johnson somehow being on, Marty and Brenda, and for some reason I was constantly looking for the ring leader or mastermind as I watched it live. At first I thought it would be Benry. Then I thought it might be Brenda. In the end, sometimes there isn’t a mastermind. Once in a while, everyone just needs a Fabio and that’s ok.
39) Survivor: Fiji
Season 14; Aired February 8 – May 13, 2007
While this season is most remembered for the odd “haves vs have nots” twist and Yau Man’s deal with Dreamz, Earl Cole’s subtle dominance breaks through in the end game. While Yau Man looked like the man to beat, Earl set himself up perfectly, and if he had played on a more modern season I believe he would be a two or even three time player. The main twist is one of the reasons Jeff Probst has said watching people just starve is no longer interesting to viewers.
At times it feels like manipulation and other times the highs and lows of players make the situations feel more perilous (if not too dangerous). Alliances stick out and not watching this live, still having no idea who wins, the season does keep you guessing as long as possible.
38) Survivor: Redemption Island
Season 22; Aired February 16 – May 15, 2011
Boston Rob. This is the season of Boston Rob. Most of my friends love Boston Rob. Too much. And so they love this season. The only reason I have it in my bottom five is because when any good or great season should be hitting its stride, this one takes a backseat...unless you are in love with Boston Rob. Russell’s return makes for some fun TV for a few episodes.
As someone anti any twists of players coming back into the game, redemption island (which was 100% used to make sure the returnees stay longer) took up way too much air time for challenges, returns, and strategy that both doesn’t pay off and feels pretty pointless. This season provided some great characters and returning players, but their time in this season all came down to one thing: a Boston Rob win. I love Boston Rob, but not enough to love Survivor solely because he is winning everything.
37) Survivor: Worlds Apart
Season 30; Aired February 25 – May 20, 2015
For better or worse, Survivor did not do anything monumental for its thirtieth season. Whether that was smart or not, Worlds Apart is only ranked this low because of the cast and interactions. Much of what jumps out to me about this season was grown adults throwing insults at each other and Joe Anglim simply being the best challenge competitor ever on the show. Mike’s win is similar to Fabio’s but I’d rank it higher, and some of that plays into why this season is ranked higher overall. It is as if Mike recognized viewer perception and knew where he needed to be in order to be well liked.
His idol play might be the best moment this season and I could rewatch that any day and be just as satisfied. It is what he did after that makes this season stick out. Alas, sometimes I think the pre-merge of this season was better than the post-merge and personally that combination can never create a great season. Carolyn is also criminally underrated.
36) Survivor: Island of the Idols
Season 39; Aired September 25 – December 18, 2019
Season 39 will always be remembered for one reason. I’m not even going to talk about that. But in ranking these seasons you can’t look past it. Tommy’s win will always be somewhat tainted, but boy what a win it was. He needed no advantages! And the twist worked out well! I thought Island of the idols had a perfect balance of influence on the game, entertainment, and airtime. Somehow everyone started leaving with idols in their pocket and that was super entertaining. Janet and Kellee need to come back and play Survivor again.
Dalton Ross had this season ranked dead last and for good reason. But I believe the pre-merge may actually be one of the best ever and for that reason alone it is not dead last. As I’ve said before, any season with a greater pre-merge than post-merge cannot be a great season of Survivor in my book. This one clearly stands out in that regard.
35) Survivor: South Pacific
Season 23; Aired September 14 – December 18, 2011
If people are not upset with me for where I placed Redemption Island, I think it is fair to be upset with me for this one. But when I look at every season ranked higher than this I just couldn’t put this above any other. A strong battle of two dominant alliances. This season did have a stronger post than pre-merge, and redemption island actually came into play for better or worse, but the religion talk and crazy characters lead to some bewildering sequences and characters that you don’t love to hate, you just wouldn’t like to see them on your screen. Sophie’s victory is another redeeming arc in this sense, as even Ozzy’s victory would have been redeeming for him personally. Cochran decided this season, and his flip is really the best episode.
This led to a domino effect of too many bland episodes in a row. At the time, I believed Coach should have won but I have changed my stance and Sophie’s win is thrilling as she did something that I’m surprised doesn’t happen more often: went to the end with a big player and used that to her advantage. All too often players like Sophie go to the end and cannot articulate why they actually used the big game player to their advantage and not vice versa. She may be the best to have done this. So huge kudos to her.
34) Survivor: Tocantins
Season 18; Aired February 12 – May 17, 2009
Is J.T. a great Survivor player? At this point I am not really sure. But that doesn’t matter, because Tocantins is just a lot of fun to watch. From beginning to end the arcs come full circle, there is a great mix of emotion and strategy (if Taj at the auction doesn’t make you cry you are a monster) and a lot of players step up in their own regard. Stephen played a terrific game. While this season is not the whodunnit style you may expect from the show, it provides a look into great characters, challenges, and deep social bonds and relationships more so than Survivor had done for a while.
33) Survivor: Marquesas
Season 4; Aired February 28 – May 19, 2002
I’m not going to lie, most people only remember about two things from this season. Those two things (purple rock and Boston Rob) and everything else about this season are wildly entertaining. And some of the reason it is ranked this low may be because a lot of it was lost to history. The purple rock and the bottom of alliances banding together was a turning point in the show’s strategy. I refuse to mention Boston Rob again. Sean was really funny. Kathy was great. The editing turned a bit in this season as well and that really helped push the show forward.
32) Survivor: Vanuatu
Season 9; Aired September 16 – December 12, 2004
The first time Survivor split up the tribes by gender it worked very well. Maybe too well. Because they brought it back and while the season overall was not as great (according to me), the gender divide played a much more pivotal role in this time. Watching Chris survive week to week is thrilling and watching the battle not just between women but between generations is really intriguing and in many ways subtly brings up the real reason behind strategy: some people just do not like each other.
Chris’s final tribal is impeccable, Eliza is crazy in the best way possible, and if you dissect the season in this way it could vault up a list like this. The reason it is this low is because the moments I’m mentioning are small slices of an overall pie. I can barely remember the pre merge at all, and many of people’s characters come down to one or two small traits. These are tiny complaints to pick at an otherwise truly great product, really stretching the theme to its core.
31) Survivor: Game Changers
Season 34; Aired March 8 – May 24, 2017
When the cast for Game Changers was first announced I remember being awestruck but also worried. That worry turned out to be for good reason, as in the first few weeks of the season big name after big name were sent packing. While Vanuatu passes the test of the post merge excelling beyond, I honestly cannot tell if this season does. The pre merge is filled with “big moves”, but Sarah’s win builds every episode and, as much as I hate to say it, Brad Culpepper does put up a solid showing. It ends up coming in at number twenty seven because the hype did not warrant the result. I still cannot believe how far Cirie went and her ouster; it makes me upset and frustrated every time.
This season was definitely the beginning of advantage-geddon for better or worse. For all these reasons, Game Changers fulfills some of the hype in the pre merge but does not take that momentum and propel the storytelling forward as some episodes blend together, which other times is exactly what you would like. This season also highlighted specific player/character edits more so than previous all star seasons to have the viewer feel compelled in certain ways as opposed to revealing the story. Again, in some cases this is wanted, but here it feels a little forced and overall doesn’t hold up to the all star standard.
30) Survivor: Ghost Island
Season 36; Aired February 28 – May 23, 2018
Survivor’s 36th installment concludes with the first ever tie final vote. For that payoff alone it is worth watching. Add on top the Domenick vs. Chris battle and the Malolo tribe (and the color orange in general) losing what seems to be every single challenge, and the season contains the bare minimum of everything you’d want in a great season of television. The only problem is that once the season dips and becomes predictable, it stays in that ditch until the bitter end. Yes, the end is worth it. Yes, the journey there is great. But, it seems fairly evident that once the whodunnit aspect of the show is removed, something must fill its void, and unfortunately Ghost Island was not it.
I could see myself moving this season as high as number 19 for all of these reasons, but it will not be a season I gravitate towards rewatching. The pre merge is exciting and the post merge double boot and advantages are thrilling at times, but having Wendell and Domenick control the game socially AND strategically makes you wonder why the other contestants are letting them get so far.
29) Survivor: Australian Outback
Season 2; Aired January 28 – May 3, 2001
I hadn’t even turned one year old by the time this season finished airing. When I initially watched it, I knew a lot of the big names. Colby. Tina. Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Amber. Jeff Varner. Kimmi. A lot of huge Survivor names and returning players originated here. The season transitions really well from the hype of Borneo, and Colby becoming Captain America definitely helped. The only flaw, if you can call it that, is the way airtime is used and the 2001 editing. Even that is still enjoyable. Sometimes older seasons get lost to time, and while Australian Outback does not, it does not expand upon the format except for the location change.
28) Survivor: Guatemala
Season 11; Aired September 15 – December 11, 2005
I’m pretty sure no one else I know would have Survivor Guatemala ranked this high. But, here’s why I love it. This was the first time the show brought back two contestants and it worked really well. The actual first use of the meat shield strategy from Danni Boatwright. A unique camp life, Australian Survivor level of challenges, and the first immunity idol search combined with lies about its location and who may have it. Normally in seasons that have one large alliance devouring a minority alliance there is a lull in episodes, but here you still have contestants jockeying for positions, trying to find cracks in the alliance, and the majority alliance picking itself apart slowly. Judd’s elimination still cracks me up, and there is a very strong and savvy final three and final two that resulted in a heated final tribal and winner pick.
From the start with an insane hike to the end, Guatemala looks like it may have been the toughest season ever and this impacted strategy in a way that hadn’t been brought up in a few seasons. With All Stars being the start of players not voting based on tribe strength or who they dislike, Guatemala combines the newer style strategy with older mentality and provides entertaining episodes the entire time.
27) Survivor: Kaoh Rong
Season 32; Aired February 17 – May 18, 2016
Survivor Kaoh Rong is brutal. Intense challenges, polarizing gameplay, and crazy medical evacuations. Also, this season was the most I have ever been shocked at the winner announcement. Generally, I believe I know who is going to win by the time final tribal is over. I had barely gotten over Cydney’s heartbreaking loss. Then boom - Michelle wins. Did she deserve it? Does that even matter? What is most likely the most polarizing result in any recent season capped off a season that teetered on the edge of pushing people’s buttons too far. Was it a bitter jury? Sure. But what jury isn’t bitter? Michelle’s win is deserved, Aubry loses.
Tai’s idol play (or should I say him not playing the idol) against Scott decided the season, one that brought the brutality of the show back to its roots. The only other reason it lands at spot twenty-five is because Michelle winning isn’t really payoff in the same sense of Natalie in Samoa. The story builds in a scattered, whodunnit adjacent style that I appreciate, but every season above this I just enjoyed more. Here on out I’d consider every single season great or better.
26) Survivor: San Juan Del Sur - Blood vs Water 2
Season 29; Aired September 24 – December 17, 2014
Watching this season live I already was not the biggest fan of the Blood vs Water twist. Then something stupendous happened. The merge hit. And this season kicked into overdrive in a way I hated at first and grew to love. Having seen Natalie and Nadiya on The Amazing Race I was expecting them to be the first ones voted out. I was half right. In a season that capitalized on the “let’s get rid of big threats first” strategy, leaders of alliances fell episode after episode. Josh. Jeremy. Jon. Baylor. Leaving Natalie, the real mastermind, to use her under the radar strategic and social maneuvering to take out every “big” threat and come out victorious with huge moves including some of the names I just mentioned . Also, if you don’t love Keith Nale we have a problem. Stick to the plan.
25) Survivor: Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers
Season 35; Aired September 27 – December 20, 2017
Another polarizing season and winner. The start of the final four firemaking twist. So many players who I believe will and should return. An electric pre merge even with an awkward sounding title and theme. Yet this was the first season in a long time that made many believe multiple parts of Survivor are fabricated. And I sadly have to agree. Watching Ben randomly find idols in quick montages did not feel legitimate. Then the firemaking twist?!
Somehow, Chrissy turned heel twice and I cannot believe she has not come back yet. Ryan, Devon, Ashley, Mike, Joe, and Lauren made for a really interesting game of cat and mouse, with Ben finding his alliance is going to turn on him and having to out himself as a double agent to become a legit possible alliance partner. His first idol play is magnificent. Joe’s pre merge “I read your face, baby girl” idol play is stupendous. But the season relied too heavily on these big moves when the subtle relationships and getting to know each thread in a web of lies would have sufficed and elevated the season even more.
24) Survivor: 41
Season 41; Aired September 22 –
December 15, 2021
DROP THE 4, KEEP THE 1! Survivor's 41st edition will most likely be remembered for the introduction of so many twists and new polarizing game elements. Whereas the introductions of Edge of Extinction, Redemption Island, and Final Four Fire-Making added one major element to the game, this season added many small twists, in varying degrees, that at times outshined the core of the show. The beware advantage made way for difficult strategies to navigate, as by merge everyone in the game knew who held every immunity idol. The "summit" created diverging human interest stories, segments that were at times the highlight of an episode. The knowledge is power advantage, while seemingly overpowered because of the no longer hidden immunity idols, led to the catalyst and breakdown of an entire tribe. The shot in the dark die was actually a perfect addition, a balance of luck and skill of timing that did not alter the balance of the game. The hourglass and do or die twists, though, brought even more luck based twists that changed the trajectory of both the game and the immediate tribal council. And while you can write on and on whether you were a fan of these twists or not, the sheer amount of time devoted to the explanation and fallout of each twist further took airtime from the main, sometimes monotonous aspects of the show, leading to less developed character arcs and an unclear understanding of how each player fits into the puzzle of the show navigating the viewer to an eventual winner. The most important issue is that the twists proved confusing, and all of them at once was just too much for the amount of time allotted in each episode.
While some will argue that the season was ruined because of these twists, thankfully none of these twists drastically changed the trajectory of the show. From what we saw, the level of strategy around all these added elements and a shorter season was high. And the fewer days did not change the normal arc of the show. Aside from all these add-ons, the major qualm many viewers held was that Erika, the eventual winner, was not a narrator of the season. Shan was the main character, and when she was eventually eliminated, Ricard, Deshawn, and Xander were shown as the prominent figures of the season. I can argue the winner of Survivor does not have to be a main character, but it can understandably leave an unfulfilling taste when the winner of the season was not a driving force in majority of the main storylines.
If 41 is a sign of where things are going in the Survivor franchise, there is a lot of promise for new experimentation in the gameplay, editing, and fun interaction outside of the show with the "Game within a Game" feature. Season 41 proved, though, that every contestant on the show is playing to win. Yes, there can be some meta moments when contestants act and refer to themselves as if they are on a TV show. In many positive aspects, Survivor has far exceeded the jump from TV show about real people to real people crafting a TV show to real people understanding they're on a TV show and knowing how to break the fourth wall without isolating the audience. If anything, this season proved the team behind the show understands how to bring the audience in instead of shunning them out. Gone are the days of contestants not knowing much about the show or the intricacies of strategy and twists. For better and worse, this new era of the show is twist heavy with a mixture of under the radar and over the top game moves and characters. Probst and co. raised the stakes, but did the game have to be more dangerous? 41 begins to answer this question, then breaks an hourglass, gives us Ponderosa pizza, and makes us forget what the question was to begin with.
23) Survivor: Africa
Season 3; Aired October 11, 2001 – January 10, 2002
Survivor Africa took the survival factor of the series and ramped it up a notch. Watching every episode, you are reminded that these people could die in many ways if one thing goes wrong. The beautiful shots of nature and animals matched against what looks like grueling heat and smothering camp life turns gameplay on its head. This season picks up where Borneo left off and has legitimate gameplay, funny moments, and new characters to love and only a few to hate. There is controversy in this season as you can Google yourself, but personally it doesn’t taint an otherwise fantastic showing of how far bonds and friendships can take you. Also, “HE WON’T EAT THE HAM, HE’S A JEW!”
22) Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites 2
Season 26; Aired February 13 – May 12, 2013
In both of Survivor’s Fans vs. Favorites editions the Favorites crushed the Fans. This is no coincidence. So thank God that it is the Favorites who fans love watching. I’ll admit this season has a very weak pre merge, with some “crazy” moments that seem based on the casting of people who are more likely to be stressed and blow up. The Malcolm idol play, Cochran food challenge win, and Dawn and Brenda saga all round out an exceptional level of play similar to that of Guatemala with one majority alliance slowly withering away at itself into smaller and smaller groups. The fans who do make it far do so out of social survival and it pays off. If only Erik didn’t get medically evacuated.
21) Survivor: Edge of Extinction
Season 38; Aired February 20 – May 15, 2019
I am not a fan of the Edge of Extinction twist or how much airtime goes to it, but I understand why production added it. I actually enjoy it more than Redemption Island. If you are able to look past that, and I understand you may not be able to, Edge of Extinction is a classic Survivor whodunnit mystery. Yes, the editing is deceptive. The characters and relationships pop beyond the main storylines. Contestants getting up at tribal is always fun. Rick Devens domination of the confessionals set the viewers up for a crucial loss and heartbreaking final words. Chris’s return and eventual win come out of nowhere, but I believe he needed to play a perfect game to win. He knew what every jury member would vote for. And he knew he needed to execute specific actions. And he did! From his return onward, he played a flawless game.
The returnees played diverse games and really added an extra layer to the season. Wardog was hilarious. Reem was exactly what the edge needed. At the end, I only wish less of each episode had been spent at Edge of Extinction. It was the most entertaining finale in a long time and a really unpredictable season episode to episode, not just the finale. The first time a path to win had been so clearly for every single player. A truly fun, albeit flawed, Survivor experience.
20) Survivor 42
Season 42; Aired March 9 – May 25, 2022
Survivor 42, which started out as Survivor 41: redux, somehow saved itself from falling into the same traps its predecessor did. Yes, 42 had the same twists, including the maligned hourglass & do or die. I can’t tell if the season was better because of the cast, the editing, or due to the fact that the viewer knew what to expect, so expectations could be adjusted along with less needed explanations (and airtime, even removing Omar’s idol nullifier entirely from the show!) of the new twists and turns introduced last season. The number one thing that stands out from this season is allotment of time. Every episode felt like a stand-alone while simultaneously contributing to the overall narrative. Some of this is due to how the game played out: every tribe lost multiple players in the pre-merge phase, and every tribe entered the “fake” merge with four contestants still in the game. This allowed the show to jump around between characters without the need to create narratives out of thin air. Every contestant who made the merge was identifiable beyond their surface level outlook on the game as a whole. Maryanne, who played a similar game to last season’s winner Erika by laying low until the endgame, was shown as a complex player with both highs and lows starting in episode 1. Full circle moments for everyone’s ouster looked so serendipitous it seemed staged.
Jeff Probst talks a lot about making Survivor fun in a post quarantine world, and this season proved that the cast, not the game itself, is what makes the show fun. Three exits in a row were filled with smiles and jokes, while almost every contestant remained focused on winning and not playing/settling for the cash prize of second or third place. Survivor has become so meta that some contestants now view the game as a show and vice versa. I’m honestly not sure what I mean by this, but what started about 10 seasons ago with the pressure of needing a “resume” in the end has completely flipped around Survivor strategy. In the pursuit of “big moves”, the show has fully transformed into less murder mystery than ever. The moves you make in the game no longer fully matter, it can also be the moves you don’t make (Maryanne not playing her idol, Drea not using several of her advantages, Omar helping Mike as opposed to letting Drea steal his idol). 42 proves that Survivor can still be dominated by its character arcs and social strategy and not by the wrenches thrown into the show to keep it fresh. It helps boost a season when the people come off as genuine while wanting to entertain. It’s tough to both look genuine and actually be genuine.
Survivor has fully jumped the shark, giving two sides of a coin with 41 and 42. Both are great! The new era is here to stay. If anyone encapsulates this new era more than anything it is Maryanne and Mike. Maryanne, one of the youngest winners in the show’s history, miraculously mimicked a strategy that been employed for years but has not been successful until recently (both by Erika from 41 and in Australian Survivor’s earlier seasons). She played up her naivety, waiting for the moment to strike, and took advantage of the anxiety of building a resume to forge her own path. She created a resume at the very end, culminating in an incredible speech at final tribal to accurately sway the jury, understanding what they were looking for in a winner and what she was all about in the game. Mike played a game we have seen countless times that used to be rewarded. He had very solid relationships (possibly too many), shaking people’s hands in what he described afterwards as playing poker. His seemingly only stumble was not recognizing that he was the killer he never set out to be. Even though he pivoted at final tribal, and his perception of his own game might not be wrong, it combined two completely opposite set structures of strategy in Survivor. Can you be mad at someone for playing a game that works? Maryanne understood herself and others perception of her more than Mike and in the end that was how she won.
All of this writing and I didn’t even get to weird plurality votes (Jenny leaving! Maryanne making the extra vote matter for the first time ever! Shot in the dark having the desired impact on gameplay!). While I’m still not a fan of many of the advantages and twists, they impacted the actual show less than before while leaning into the game at a level that moved beyond more advantages = more power. This is no longer necessarily true. I don’t judge twists on the result and a Survivor season should not be judged on when your favorite contestants are eliminated. 42 enhanced what is to come with the new era while ingraining the meta nature of Survivor into the show, weaving in and out of character arcs to outline as much as possible along one main story.
19) Survivor: Panama - Exile Island
Season 12; Aired February 2 – May 14, 2006
Watching season twelve of Survivor is the most I’ve ever enjoyed watching individual immunity challenges. Knowing that Terry needed to win and knowing that the majority alliance would not split led to episode after episode of crucial challenge wins. And Terry delivered. Each challenge was unique as well. Endurance. Obstacle course. Puzzle. You name it, Terry won it. Combine that with the off the wall antics of Shane, revolutionary gameplay from Cirie, and competitive edge between Aras and Danielle, you get a hell of a season. Cirie masterminded votes that confounded every player in the game. The twist on the other hand confounded viewers, but the Survivor team knew when to disband it.
After this initial hiccup, and once players are established to the viewer, every single episode is entertaining in multiple facets. Shane’s blackberry. Also, this season has the only episode ever to end without a player being eliminated or removed, leaving viewers with the Cirie vs. Danielle fire making beginning. Surprising vote counts and the best challenge experience ever vaulted this season up my rankings.
18) Survivor: Blood vs Water
Season 27; Aired September 18 – December 15, 2013
When I first heard about the twist for Blood vs. Water I was very skeptical. I believed it would affect gameplay in a negative sense and lead to too many mushy moments for Survivor to capitalize on. Then Rupert left and I knew I was right. But as the season developed something changed. The entire season almost became a Fans vs. Favorites dichotomy in terms of gameplay. A Big Brother player on Survivor?! How good could he be? Well his name is Hayden and he was very very good. It also provided the classic “SHE VOTED OUT HER MOM” moment, but beyond that it led to an entertainment value that combined cheesy moments with Tyson’s odd surgical style game. It worked and it was entertaining.
Yes, there was redemption island. Yes, there was Brad Culpepper. But fortunately for us, there were high level strategic players who knew when to jump ship and how. Even if it was too late for some of them like Ciera, the season provided enough to bring back the twist with new players, and I agree that it was the right move considering how well the twist worked.
17) Survivor: Palau
Season 10; Aired February 17 – May 15, 2005
Koror and Ulong. Watching one tribe dissolve until only Stephenie remained was thrilling in the moment, and immediately after makes the viewer wonder what happens next. This is why the challenges pre merge are so intense and thrilling. Tom Westman, greek God among mortal beings, leads a tribe to battle every episode and never disappoints. And once Stephenie is gone, the real play begins. Betrayals start. Honor is questioned. What happens to strategic players when they haven’t had to use any strategy until the final six?
This is why Ian quitting the final challenge is crushing, moving, and one of my favorite moments of the show ever. You can feel how tired everyone is, the hours ticking away. Ian quitting is more than just gaining respect, it’s prioritizing relationships over winning a game. That puts into question a lot of motives on Survivor and goes against what others would do, but it really matters more than winning any challenge could to Ian.
16) Survivor: Pearl Islands
Season 7; Aired September 18 – December 14, 2003
RUPERT. RUPERT! RUPERT!!! Who doesn’t love Rupert? Aside from the outcast twist, I think this season had a perfect mix of heroes, villains, anti-heroes, and theme. From the beginning we are told it’s a pirate’s life and Rupert embodies this. Nothing is more satisfying than watching Sandra take down everyone, get loud, and never back down. No matter your thoughts on Jonny Fairplay, his fake dead grandmother move worked and is still an iconic moment from the show.
The eventual end of Andrew Savage also wraps up a lot of the pre merge, and Burton and Lill’s return forces a change in the play style. It also spirals into a sweet demise of the season’s bullies in Jonny and Burton. Rupert’s elimination is one of the most depressing ever, but all of this combines so much of the show’s history and future into an exciting season.
15) Survivor: Gabon
Season 17; Aired September 25 – December 14, 2008
I’m not really sure why I love Survivor Gabon. It takes forever to get to the merge. A lot of the gameplay is petty. It is really easy to hate a lot of the main players. But the location is gorgeous and allows for a different look. I can vividly remember every single person from the final eight, their motives, and their relationships with others. Ken and Matty make for great levelheaded players. Even the outrageous moments are fun and not outright shocking. The final three is not formidable in the slightest, but the more I think about it the more I believe Bob played the best game. Corinne, Ace, and Crystal were all fun to watch for their own antics. Randy and Sugar, love or hate them, provide a complicated layer to Survivor in that you are forced to live and play a game with people who hate each other and that forces you to choose a side.
In this season, those sides really do not blur or switch that often. But the way players on both sides interact is classic reality TV and makes for amazing interactions and blow ups without making the viewer feel like they are watching Jersey Shore or a guilty pleasure show. This is also the first season in high definition.
14) Survivor: All Stars
Season 8; Aired February 1 – May 9, 2004
If I were going to watch a season of Survivor right now it would be All Stars. At least one person from every season before this came back on and it was the best of the best. Four winners came back! The decision to split the cast into three tribes worked perfectly. From the get go the season just exudes fun. This is also the end of the “original” Survivor in my book, so no more adventuring or exploring. This is hardcore gameplay. Real relationships and alliances from outside the game spilled into the game and contributed to Boston Rob’s domination of the season. It is heartbreaking to watch Lex and Kathy get betrayed. Watching every player interact is like reading a superhero comic book. Chapera even acted out a mock tribal council!
This season also has the most bitter jury you will ever see on Survivor, punctuated by Big Tom. Rupert winning one million dollars for being everyone’s favorite is exhilarating, and Survivor All Stars is simply fun to watch because of the rollercoaster of emotions it puts you through. Amber’s win is well deserved and the live proposal is a nice and touching end to the entire romantic saga.
13) Survivor: Cook Islands
Season 13; Aired September 14 – December 17, 2006
A controversial theme then and now, splitting tribes up by ethnicity is great in theory and awful in practicality. Survivor recognized this soon enough to salvage this season and thank God they did. But the ethnicity split tribes did give the viewer a snapshot into how each contestant feels they need to represent themselves and a larger group. The mutiny, Penner overall, and creation of great characters including Parvati, Candice, Ozzy, Yul, and Adam created a season full of lively moments (the hot tub), new and unique challenges, and a true underdog story. Yul’s refusal to be the godfather and eventually leaning into the entire caricature slightly more helped cement his win. Players at this time were still jockeying for positions as opposed to going all out, and watching Yul take advantage of this and his idol was a masterclass in finding out how every person thinks and using their own logic against them.
12) Survivor: Samoa
Season 19; Aired September 17 – December 20, 2009
Based on the cast alone, this season should be way lower on this list. But there’s a man named Russell Hantz. Love him or hate him, he made this season as entertaining as it was. After purposefully tanking his tribe's chances at winning challenges and employing a strategy that would get many voted off immediately, he led his tiny group of the Foa Foa Four all the way to the final five. He took over every confessional, monopolized idols, pitted opposing alliances against individuals, and his alliance found every crack possible. Erik Cardona had possibly the strongest jury speech ever.
The Laura and Shambo feud made for exciting shifts in relationships over at Galu, and with Russell as our narrator the edit makes every player look just plain dumb in comparison to his dodging and weaving of votes. I will never forget Mick choosing Jaison for the swimming portion of the first challenge, against every racial stereotype, and Jaison then admitting he swam in college. Every season of Survivor needs one great narrator and as Russell drives the story forward, even though he could never win, it proves that all you need is one. Natalie’s win is not controversial at all in my book, and Survivor Samoa, with a lackluster overall cast, created a story greater than the sum of its parts.
11) Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites
Season 16; Aired February 7 – May 11, 2008
Every year Dalton Ross has this season tied for the best ever. And I understand why. It is unpredictable week in and week out. The strategy is elevated to new heights. The challenges are enjoyable. The black widow brigade takes control and spins everyone else into webs and straight out of the game. I have no flaws with this season and this is why Survivor is incredible; I just enjoyed some seasons more. Points for Ozzy’s fake idol and obviously Erik’s elimination. The only question is if this season were a final three would Cirie have won? I believe so. The theme worked perfectly and the tribals were more live than they had ever been. 10/10.
10) Survivor: Amazon
Season 6; Aired February 13 – May 11, 2003
This is easily my favorite “early” season of Survivor for countless reasons. The theme? Worked incredibly. The cast? A perfect mix of old and young, strategic and social, followers and leaders. The challenges? Used the theme to heighten the challenges even more. There is no substitute for great narrators and Rob Cesternino is one of the greatest to ever do it. No one this season was ever jockeying for one position higher, it seemed as though no one was ever content with where they stood.
This was also the first season with such great social mobility and a pecking order that was constantly changing. When the strategy wasn’t perfect, yes there was some cringey boys versus girls narratives, but a tribe’s shelter also did burn down so there’s that. Amazon took the best parts of the show and combined them to make for an even more consistent product.
9) Survivor: China
Season 15; Aired September 20 – December 16, 2007
Survivor China needed to be great. After the controversial Cook Islands and the flopped Fiji, China needed to find its stride early to win over viewers. And then came Todd Herzog, Amanda Kimmel, and Courtney Yates. And with them came what I consider the first edition of “modern” Survivor. Fast gameplay. Different environments. Changing plans constantly. Getting rid of your own alliance. Blindsiding because it was the best way to vote someone off. There is no shortage of great moments and characters, and these two functions interacted so well throughout the entire season. The Jean-Robert and Courtney saga. Todd’s final tribal. The “stealing a tribe member” twist. Survivor China revitalized the series in a way that could’ve only been done with variety in casting and storytelling. And with perfect narrators throughout, season fifteen went above and beyond.
8) Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X
Season 33; Aired September 21 – December 14, 2016
I thought this season’s theme was going to be cheesy. Early on, I recognized that the theme was not going to overshadow this cast. While I don’t consider Adam a controversial winner, some do. Adam did a great job at using the larger threats to his advantage and advocating for himself at final tribal. His emotional moments with Jay and Brett and Zeke’s emotional sequence were heartwarming and breaking. The difference in generations and tribes at the beginning of the season actually served the rest of the season well in prepping for the main themes.
The cast, even when they were voted out, were so playful, funny, and refreshingly not a bitter jury that the season had such a positive feel and vibe. David’s underdog story. Michaela’s blindside. Jay’s ouster. Zeke’s ouster. Going to rocks! This season had everything and refreshed each week with unpredictable tribals, live and shifting alliances, and some “big threats” going early while others made it oh so close. Adam’s win could represent a new style of win, similar to that of Michelle’s, with both of these seasons cementing the importance of a Survivor resume, but you can only show that resume if you make it to the end.
7) Survivor: Philippines
Season 25; Aired September 19 – December 16, 2012
I vividly remember being twelve years old, on vacation, and checking every day to see if the cast for Survivor had been announced. Then, the one day I didn’t check, it was! And Michael Skupin was back! And Russell Swan? And Jonathan Penner! Survivor Philippines used the three tribe format to bring back players who had something to prove. The pre merge focused on the always losing Matsing, who took that exciting aspect of Palau and elevated it because the two remaining players were like our main characters. Denise and Malcolm were our underdogs, seemingly playing the game for the viewer. Penner’s vote mess up, his talk with Lisa, the good versus evil of Tandang alliances, and Abi-Maria took what would have been an otherwise average season and made it an excellent one.
6) Survivor: Winners at War
Season 40: Aired February 12 - May 13 2020
There generally isn't finality in Survivor. Yes, someone wins and others lose, the jury votes for a winner, everyone reconvenes to discuss the events that led here. But there isn't actual closure. Usually, we are whisked away to a tease at what is next to come. When Survivor: Winners at War began, there was shock and awe. But this wasn't just Survivor blast from the past. The game play was next level. Saying hello to people we hadn't seen for years was thrilling and watching them get voted out one by one was heartbreaking. The mesh between old school and new school revealed how far the show's format has evolved. And, for once, there was closure. Winners at War reminded everyone watching that the people on screen are, in fact, people. And we boil them down to soundbites and story beats and their most highlight worthy personality traits, but they're human: with emotions, bonds, trust, and with different wants and needs.
The strategy was so high level that at times, it felt like we were watching subtle social maneuvers that just can't get across the screen. As if Survivor players were playing so well that it went against what made Survivor compelling to watch. But we watched as week by week, the anxiety mounted. And week by week, some viewers were confused about the overall narrative, or why someone was voted out, or about what happens next. The real dilemma with bringing back twenty winners isn't how to make the story compelling, but how to include twenty main characters into a TV show. All capable of carrying the story on their own, all with their own twist on reality. One week Wendell was a main character, the next week he disappeared. This happened with everyone. And this season of Survivor solved this dilemma. The show is no longer about what happens next, how we get there, or even who gets voted out. The show is about how people interact. How we form bonds and what we do with those bonds. Yes, how this is shown can change perspective, but this season left everyone open-ended enough for the viewer to consider their own thoughts on insight from a player. And, while we are all the main characters in our story, sometimes we take a backseat. The finale proved that Survivor has always been about the people more than anything.
Ben volunteering himself to be eliminated to both help Sarah and fulfill his Survivor goal of leaving happy with the way he played. Tony and Sarah went from a betrayal in Cagayan to a role reversal in Game Changers to the epic Cops R Us finale, with both crying in the other's arms. Michelle went from questioning if she even deserved to be there to playing a magnificent game. Natalie goes from first voted out to final three. It is a miracle Ethan was even on this season. So, while anyone can nitpick, Survivor: Winners at War bookended the main thesis of the series in more ways than one. The editing decisions reflected the people as a whole more than steering the viewer to think one way. There are some gaps that just can't be filled because relationships between people are stronger than your TV screen can show.
In the end, there is a sense of conclusion. An end to everyone's story, a satisfactory feeling that these people, turned into characters, have grown back into people. Survivor has changed along with the people who are on it, work on it, and watch it. And Survivor has recognized that in any story, everyone is a main character, and a side character, and sometimes they aren't even in the story. The "edit" is not a character but the viewer is. Winners at War may be the highest social and strategic level the show will ever achieve, and for good reason. But it is the sense of an ending for everyone, collected from previous episodes, seasons, experiences, and even without a reunion, that this season will hold the test of time.
5) Survivor: David vs. Goliath
Season 37; Aired September 26 – December 19, 2018
It’s insane that in Survivor’s thirty seventh season the show can still be this great. David vs. Goliath took the idea of a theme just being that; no extra twist on top or anything of that nature, and proved that the formula works. Starting with Christian’s first words on the boat all the way until the end of the season, the edit really tried to enhance our knowledge of each contestant and the complexity of decision-making. Natalia’s blindside, Natalie Cole, John’s blindside/the minority vote split, the idol nullifier, Christian’s constant rambling, and the epic challenge showdown between Alec and Christian are all scenes that could fill up a best of Survivor montage and I just remembered all of them off the top of my head. Another underdog story.
The final tribal also saw a real shift in thinking into how much the prize money comes into play, which has not been brought up in many years. It’s a very fun experience to watch these contestants having fun and seeing camp life beyond strategy. All of this made for one of the best seasons ever with tons of players who I am sure we will see in the future.
4) Survivor: Cagayan
Season 28; Aired February 26 – May 21, 2014
Survivor Cagayan is a rollercoaster. In similar fashion to Philippines and David vs. Goliath, this season took the basics and let the contestants shine. I still have no idea how Tony managed to go all the way to the end, let alone how Kass, Spencer, and Tasha went as far as they did. Week to week alliances were shifting, swing votes were pivoting, idols were being found, and Tony used his bag of tricks to scare everyone, no matter if he used those tricks correctly. Kass’s flip is one level beyond Cochran’s as she managed to turn it into a positive. Having three tribes broken down by beauty, brains, and brawn allowed each player to embody or turn against this attribute.
There was a great mix of how people choose to play Survivor and it all collided into a mish mosh of stress and blindside after blindside. And then there was a final two! Trish’s final tribal speech is intense and it caps off a tremendous effort of storytelling through action and narration by having multiple perspectives control the narrative, not just having one main storyline work the show.
3) Survivor: Borneo
Season 1; Aired May 31 – August 23, 2000
Historically and in context, of course Survivor Borneo should be number one. But I didn’t think it should automatically get the top spot. I believe it is still the third most entertaining and enjoyable season to watch. Coming from nothing, the challenges, camp life, and strategy built the show up from the ground. Richard Hatch played a huge role in this, and his interactions with Rudy are hilarious.
The alphabet strategy, Greg Buis in general, and the pride every contestant takes in representing who they are is really intriguing to watch. You can feel the pressure mount as each week takes its toll. Hatch’s final three play to step down from immunity is still brilliant and Sue’s snakes vs. rats speech is still iconic. The old school style of editing actually helps the season as it has an energy that mixes upbeat for the younger crowd with darker tribal council vibes. Every single contestant proves why the format works and it is because of Borneo that Survivor is still on today.
2) Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance
Season 31; Aired September 23 – December 16, 2015
I wholeheartedly believe that the reason this season worked was because fans were able to vote for the contestants who made it on. This season has balls to the wall strategy with “voting blocks”, meat shields, and some really cool retro challenges. There are too many moments and players to mention as amazing, as every episode someone you loved or hated was leaving. The sheer amount of alliance switching, tribe swaps, and targets being safe one week and leaving the next was a thrill ride. Kelley Wentworth’s idol play is one of the best ever and Kimmi’s odd elimination will also go down as one of the craziest moments in Survivor. At the end of the day, the show always thrives on stories about people, how they connect and how important connecting with one another is.
This season embodied the idea of using your second chance to the fullest, and every single contestant came to win: not place second or third or make the jury. Every single move, alliance, or any other action was made out of self preservation and longevity for what that person believed. The story was told in such a way that the airtime was shared and the viewer was able to connect with everyone just like the contestants. If I were to recommend a season of Survivor to anyone, whether they have seen or heard of the show or not, it would be this one. Context is so well explained and shown instead of told that each episode feels like watching a chess game with commentary from the competitors. Jeremy played a hell of a game as did Kelley, and the season ended on as high of a note as it began on.
1) Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Season 20; Aired February 11 – May 16, 2010
I remember I was nine years old and I was still very upset that Disney Channel Games was not coming back on. I had been waiting forever and couldn’t believe it was cancelled. My mom saw an ad for Survivor in TV Guide magazine and told me I should watch it, having a vague idea of what the show is about. Ten years later I type about Survivor in the same spot I first watched it, with a mark on my window shades because of how hard I pushed my foldable TV into my window so I could watch the show every week in bed. Since then, I have only missed an episode for school. Heroes vs Villains begins with an epic introduction and a grueling challenge. From that point on, I was hooked. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t watched the show before because every piece of information I needed was explained. The heroes consistently went to tribal and Russell feuded with Rob. Sandra and Parvati sat at the end, both with incredible games. Tyson and J.T. made idiotic moves. Jerri became a hero and Colby became a couch potato. Banana etiquette was a thing. Every second of this season builds up every moment in a way no other season could. Every player has something different to bring to the table, a unique thought process, and something or someone to represent. Idols were played and misplayed. Not having a tribe swap worked perfectly. Is this all biased? Yep. But this, to me, will always be the gold standard of Survivor. Going beyond strategy, challenges, and camp life, and showing how people are thinking, their actions, and how they interact and form bonds.
Final Thoughts
In about ten years of watching Survivor I have gone from nine year old Ben watching Scooby-Doo to middle school Ben who hated school to high school Ben who was figuring out what he wanted to do and now college Ben who knows exactly what he wants to do. Every Wednesday night, good or bad week, Survivor was there. I have gone from talking about the show with my grandma to discussing and watching it with friends to forming friends through the show to planning a new show at my school based on the format. Amidst the chaos, watching Survivor has always been something to look forward to, good season or bad. So thank you for reading and thank you for talking Survivor with me. I cannot wait to see where the show goes next and where I go next, watching it every Wednesday at 8.