Through 32 seasons of Survivor we have seen 32 different winning games get awarded with $1 million checks. Having not watched Survivor: Palau and Survivor: Guatemala, please below find my rankings of the 30 other winning games, 30th-1st!
30th) Natalie White (Survivor: Samoa)
As I touched on in a recent essay, I generally believe that the best finalist wins the season. Survivor is about finding a way to get to the end while still having an impressive enough resume to win and having enough relationships with the jury members to make them want to award you a million dollars. If someone gets to the end and earns the jury respect, they have pretty much done that. However, once in a GREAT while I believe the jury makes the flat out WRONG decision. Yes, Samoa jury, I'm looking at you. Russell didn't play the best social game. I understand that. Yet he did play one of the best strategic games in Survivor history. Add in the fact that he was next to someone that should be considered one of the biggest goats ever, yes, in my opinion, the jury did make the wrong decision. Natalie was a goat that did not deserve to win a million dollars but did. For that she IMHO earns the title of worst winner in Survivor history.
29th) Bob Crowley (Survivor: Gabon)
Bob definitely did more than Natalie and although I would not have voted for him if I was on the Gabon jury (I believe that Sugar played the best game that season) I do not believe he is an "unworthy" winner. Kudos to him for being so old yet doing so well in challenges and creating an impressive fake idol, but that's about it. Overall unforgettable and lackluster, which to me speaks for most of the Gabon cast.
28th) Tina Wesson (Survivor: The Australian Outback)
I am almost certainly in the minority of Survivor fans ranking Tina this low. Her performance in Blood vs Water was impressive but in Australia she coasted along on her social game but had essentially no strategy and no physical prowess. Her social game was not OUTSTANDING either, just solid. If I had been on the Australia jury I would have voted for Colby. Moving on.
27th) Aras Baskauskas (Survivor: Panama)
Ahh, the first winner on this list that I would have actually voted for to win! He was certainly better than Danielle, but that is not saying a whole lot. He was carried along by Cirie for most of the game and his main resume point is "beating Terry" but it was actually Danielle that won that final immunity challenge. Cirie or Terry would have been much worthier winners of Panama, but alas they did not make FTC.
26th) Jenna Morasca (Survivor: The Amazon)
Jenna flirted and then won her way to the top which has to be commended but the fact is Heidi and Cesternino did most of the strategizing in The Amazon and Jenna was along for the ride for most of the game. C- strategy, B social, A- physical. In a tough crowd, that lands you 26th spot.
25th) Ethan Zohn (Survivor: Africa)
Ethan played an incredible social game, did well physically but was carried by Lex strategically. Certainly deserved to beat Kim Johnson at the FTC but it is a real shame that Lex did not make the FTC as he would have been a much worthier winner.
24th) Sophie Clarke (Survivor: South Pacific)
Another situation where I would have voted for a different person, however that does not mean Sophie played a bad game. She was a Coach follower strategically 100%, did not play a brilliant social game but was decent physically including BEATING OZZY. That is certainly enough to consider her a "worthy winner", just not one of the best ones.
23rd) Amber Brkich (Survivor: All Stars)
A lot of fans consider Amber to be at the bottom of the rankings with Natalie White but I strongly disagree. Amber played a very good social game playing Rob and knowing when to let him call the shots, won a couple challenges and had some underrated strategy (the Cesternino vote out was her idea). Yes, Rob dominated strategically and I probably would have voted for him but by no means is Amber a goat and she is a worthy winner.
22nd) Sandra Diaz-Twine (Survivor: Pearl Islands)
Most people would now never rank a Sandra performance this low but when ranking individual games you have to remember what her reputation was pre-Heroes vs Villains. Her "anyone but me" strategy was valid but in the Pearls she did not play a great social game and she is squat in the challenges.
21st) Vecepia Towery (Survivor: Marquesas)
Vee played a VERY good social game in Marquesas but Kathy dominated strategically and physically and also played a good social game. Another case of "last boot should have won" but of course Vecepia deserved to beat Neleh.
20th) Earl Cole (Survivor: Fiji)
Earl certainly deserved to beat Cassandra and Dreamz but Fiji is ANOTHER case of "last boot should have won". Yau-Man dominated physically and strategically and both Yau and Earl played great social games. Not a goat, but a follower for most of the season.
19th) Jud "Fabio" Birza (Survivor: Nicaragua)
I am probably in the minority ranking Fabio this high but I loved him, thought he played a great game and was a worthy winner. His "goofiness" was a legit STRATEGY, he had some other underrated strategy and was quite decent physically. Certainly not one of the best but by no means one of the worst winners.
18th) Natalie Anderson (Survivor: San Juan del Sur)
We are now really in the group of winners that deserved to win, played very good games and was the best player in the FTC (and usually, the season). Natalie is no exception. Despite a quiet start appearing to be a Jeremy pawn, she really kicked it into gear mid-season and dominated strategically, socially and physically. Would be higher if she had played at such a high level all season.
17th) Chris Daughtery (Survivor: Vanuatu)
Chris started out slow, performing poorly in challenges and following Bubba and Sarge but sped up at the end of the game winning challenges and manipulating the women (Twila, Leann and Scout) to turn on the other women (Ami, Eliza and Julie) which was VERY impressive. Chris also made some other subtle moves (convincing Twila to be hostile towards the jury was brilliant). He was certainly a worthy winner and deserves all the credit he gets but we cannot ignore that he was a bit of a "one trick pony" and that is why he is not higher than he is on this list.
16th) J.T. Thomas (Survivor: Tocantins)
J.T. certainly played a masterful social game and has to be commended for playing the first ever "perfect game" in Survivor history but like Chris he was a bit of a one trick pony in that he was surprisingly weak physically and Fishbach did most of the strategizing. Certainly a worthy winner just not one of the best.
15th) Brian Heidik (Survivor: Thailand)
Brian is yet another winner that fits the mold of a very talented "one trick pony". His strategic game was, arguably, the best we had seen up to that point in Survivor history but his physical game was lackluster and his social game had its huge flaws (that's why Clay ALMOST beat him).
14th) Todd Herzog (Survivor: China)
Todd dominated strategically and had what may have been the best FTC performance EVER and built great social relationships with Amanda and Courtney which held his alliance together but overall he didn't build as many social friendships as Amanda which almost lost him the game. He would be higher except some of the players above him had more balanced social/strategic/physical games.
13th) Michele Fitzgerald (Survivor: Kaoh Rong)
Following Michele's win there was a lot of backlash about how Aubry should have won and people were even comparing her to Natalie White. That could not be farther from true. Michele played a very good game and was a very well-rounded player with a very good social game, 4 individual challenge wins (more than anyone else in Kaoh Rong) and some underrated strategy including voting out her best friend. The case could be made that she should be higher than this but for now she sits here, solidly in the top half of winners and beating out some big names.
12th) Sandra Diaz-Twine (Survivor: Heroes vs Villains)
Sandra is certainly one of the greatest players ever but looking at individual games, her better game in HvV cannot be considered better than 12th. She perfected the "anyone but me" strategy, played a decent social game but of course was squat physically. I firmly believe that Parvati SHOULD have won that season and although by no means a terrible game it is too bad that she won HvV as if Parvati had "Parvati Shallow (Survivor: Heroes vs Villains)" would be at the TOP of this list.
11th) John Cochran (Survivor: Caramoan)
Overall I consider Cochran similar to Michele having played a "balanced" game winning several challenges and playing a social game though I feel his strategy was just a little clearer and more well-defined than Michele's. Certainly a fan-favorite, good player and worthy winner.
10th) Mike Holloway (Survivor: Worlds Apart)
I am probably in the minority ranking Mike this high as he is often seen as an amazing challenge beast, and nothing more. But there is way more to Mike. In addition to being one of the best challenge competitors in Survivor HISTORY, he had legit strategy (successfully throwing the challenge to save Kelly, finding and successfully using an idol etc) and an underrated social game. A worthy inclusion in the top 10 winners of all time.
9th) Jeremy Collins (Survivor: Cambodia)
Although he was pretty poor physically (winning the final immunity challenge was impressive though) his social game and unique strategy ("meat shields", playing idol for Fishbach, finding two idols to begin with etc etc) as well as the fact that he basically steered the entire direction of the game in Cambodia make him a worthy inclusion to this elite league of winners.
8th) Denise Stapley (Survivor: Philippines)
Denise did not play an in control game like someone like Jeremy however she was the ultimate underdog earning the title as only person in Survivor history to go to every. tribal. council. She used a great social game and some serious strategy to fight from bottom to top and was also no slouch in challenges. An absolutely worthy and great winner.
7th) Tyson Apostol (Survivor: Blood vs Water)
If this were a ranking of Survivor PLAYERS, Tyson would never be this high. His first two games were train wrecks including voting himself out in Heroes vs Villains. However when he returned for Blood vs Water we saw a complete 180 and it was a joy to watch. His winning game was a work of art managing a dominant alliance, injuring himself early but continuing on, winning the last two immunity challenges, finding two idols and successfully using them etc. Would be even higher if this had been his first go-round.
6th) Rob "Boston Rob" Mariano (Survivor: Redemption Island)
Unlike Tyson, Rob's first games were not trainwrecks, however it still took him four times to finally win and his winning game was against one of the worst casts in Survivor history in a season that may have even been created to give Rob the best chance of winning. All of those things though do not take away from the spectacular game that Rob did play in Redemption Island but he would be even higher if it had been on his first, second or third go-round or against a better cast.
5th) Richard Hatch (Survivor: Borneo)
On Season 32 Rich Hatch would never win with the game he won with on Season 1 and now he would be seen as boring, underwhelming and totally undeserving. However backtrack 16 years and 32 seasons and this man "created" the game that we still love today. Who knows how Survivor would be played now, or even if it would be played now at all, if Hatch hadn't created the concept of alliances. Although one of the least exciting, absolutely deserving of a spot in the elite tier of all-time winners.
4th) Parvati Shallow (Survivor: Micronesia)
If this were a ranking of all-time best PLAYERS, I'd have Queen Parv at Spot #1. If the jury had made the RIGHT decision in Heroes vs Villains, three entries further down this list you would be seeing ANOTHER Parv entry, at Spot #1. Se la ve', Sandra won HvV and Parv's only winning game comes in at #4. Parv played a fantastic game in Micronesia flirting, strategizing and winning her way to the end pulling off some of the biggest and best blindsides in Survivor history along the way. However, I can't put her above #4 as she wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of the BEST player in Micronesia, ms. Cirie Fields.
3rd) Kim Spradlin (Survivor: One World)
One World is often tainted as having a bad cast. I disagree. The cast is flat out SOLID. But when you're playing with Kim Spradlin, just about anyone would look bad. Kim played FLAWLESSLY in One World dominating an alliance, making everyone trust her and winning her way to the end. Truly one of the best of the best.
2nd) Tony Vlachos (Survivor: Cagayan)
Ever since Cagayan aired I have been back and forth with Tony and Kim for second and third spots. In the end Tony edges out Kim for the fact that he had a slightly more balanced game dominating strategically, socially and is underrated physically whereas Kim heavily relied on her social and physical games. Tony's ability to build spy shacks, find idols and lie and make people believe him but still convince them to give him their jury vote showcases what an absolutely amazing player he really is.
1st) Yul Kwon (Survivor: Cook Islands)
I am certainly in the minority ranking Yul this high but to me he truly played the very best winning game in Survivor history. He single handedly (in terms of strategy) led the Aitu 4 through one of the (dare I say BIGGEST) biggest comebacks in Survivor history. His use of his idol was the most unique but arguably successful use of an idol in history. Many people paint him as a "bad physical player" for only winning one individual immunity but you must remember that the entire time he was competing against one of the, if not the very, best individual challenge competitor in Survivor history, Ozzy. Remove Ozzy from the scenario I guarantee you Yul wins WAY more challenges. Add in the fact that Yul played against one of the very best casts ever including five Survivor "legends" and yes, to me he is the very best. winner. ever!
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Ranking the Survivor Seasons 30-1
32 seasons of Survivor have each been unique and have been highly talked about by fans. Some are iconic, some are unforgettable and some are some of the best TV in history. Having not watched two seasons, Survivor: Palau and Survivor: Guatemala, please find my rankings of the other 30 seasons, 30th-1st!:
30th) Survivor: Redemption Island (winner: Rob "Boston Rob" Mariano)
To me every episode of Survivor is enjoyable. In fact only the episodes of Survivor: Borneo, season 1, were at all boring, but it is still fun to watch because it is the first. season. ever. However, compared to a lot of other seasons, Redemption Island is a snooze fest. It's premiere was decent, the "Rice Wars" episode was iconic, seeing Redemption Island for the first time was fun but other than that it was boring. The casting was BAD, there were no real blindsides, Ometepe kept winning, the challenges were lame and it felt like the season was created to finally give Boston Rob a win. However, what made this the worst season of Survivor in history is that from Day 1 the editing made it clear that Boston Rob would indeed win. He practically got HALF the confessionals the whole season! Add in the fact that Phillip Sheppard and Matt got a WHOLE bunch tons of people including end-gamers Natalie, Ashley and Grant got VERY little airtime.
29th) Survivor: Fiji (winner: Earl Cole)
Unlike Redemption Island, Fiji had okay editing and was not rigged for a specific person to win. However, Fiji did have THE WORST twist in Survivor history (Haves vs Have Nots which was more like Hotel and Restaurant vs Backpacking with no food) which meant that one tribe won ALL the pre-merge challenges, which led to a pagonging making for a boring pre-merge and post-merge! In addition, the casting was lackluster except for Earl, Yau-Man and Dreamz and the entire Car Deal was so awkward that it was the last time there was ever a car reward, which is a real shame. Yau-Man and his awesomeness save this season from being dead last.
28th) Survivor: Panama (winner: Aras Baskauskas)
You may start noticing a theme here, but one of the reasons Panama is so low is the casting. You truly need a good cast for a good Survivor season and Panama's cast was lackluster. Cirie was gold, Terry was great, Shane was entertaining but everyone else including the winner Aras were pretty boring. In addition, there were no real iconic moments from this season (oh wait, Shane's blackberry was iconic) and the editing was fairly poor. The main storyline was Terry vs Aras which I never really got into. The first ever hidden immunity idol was cool but it was never played and first Exile Island was fun (though I have never been a huge Exile fan) but overall it just does not compare to the seasons above it.
27th) Survivor: Tocantins (winner: JT Thomas)
I am almost certainly in the minority ranking Tocantins this low. Somebody once put it pretty clearly: if you love Coach, you love Tocantins, if you hate Coach, you hate Tocantins. Pre-South Pacific I more or less hated (well, strongly disliked), Coach. That means that I dislike Tocantins because Tocantins was the Coach show. Tyson was a A-hole in Tocantins too. JT was fine but I have never been his biggest fan and I DO NOT get the Fishbach love. Taj was awesome but she was one of the only bright spots this entire season. Overall unforgettable.
26th) Survivor: Thailand (winner: Brian Heidik)
Brian was a great winner and it was very entertaining to watch him on his "business trip". Other than him the casting was terrible, the editing highlighted Brian's win from very early on, the culture did not have a nearly large enough influence for such an awesome location, and the entire Ted/Ghandia thing was one of the most awkward storylines in Survivor history. Moving on.
25th) Survivor: Marquesas (winner: Vecepia Towery)
To me there are several "groups" of seasons, and Thailand represents the end of the "worst" group and Marquesas is the beginning of the next group. I have much less negative to say about Marquesas but still not too much positive to say. The rise and fall of the Rotu 4 was one of the first power shifts in Survivor history, it was fun to watch Vecepia play a brilliant social game, Paschal and Neleh's bond was neat but overall it wasn't classic "awesome" Survivor. ALL the religious influence in this season is what puts it on the bottom of its "group" of seasons.
24th) Survivor: The Australian Outback (winner: Tina Wesson)
Overall I for one find Australia similar to Marquesas. It had a few more iconic moments (Skupin falling in the fire, Colby's immunity run, Colby's dumb move) but it had a bit too much Colby for me and not enough of the other players, especially given the (good) quality of what could have been a more evenly-edited cast. With it only being season two Jeff was lackluster and the editing was rough which prevents it from climbing higher on this list.
23rd) Survivor: San Juan del Sur (winner: Natalie Anderson)
I am a HUGE fan of the Blood vs Water theme but it definitely seems to work better with half returning players. The return of Exile Island was disappointing after the success of Redemption in the first BvW season. The editing was weird, not over-editing Natalie which was good but certainly under-editing Jaclyn and Missy and over-editing Jeremy. Keeping it this high is Natalie. She played a very good and EXTREMELY entertaining game and made the last few episodes quite decent.
22nd) Survivor: Borneo (winner: Richard Hatch)
As I mentioned the ONLY episodes of Survivor I find somewhat boring are some of the Borneo episodes. It would be DEAD LAST if it wasn't the season that created the show we love. I don't have much more to say about it, except that it is almost not a "typical" season. To me it is more a "test run" season that had to be ranked somewhere. This was arguably the hardest season to rank. The case can be made that it must be first, because it is the first ever season or that it must be last because it is the most boring season ever. In the end I put it 22nd. Moving on.
21st) Survivor: One World (winner: Kim Spradlin)
Although there is a fairly small jump, I do consider One World the start of the next "group" of seasons. I consider myself a One World fan. Well, not a FAN, but a fan. Compared to other Survivor fans, that is. One World is very often ranked in the "dreaded three" with Redemption Island and Fiji. I cannot for the life of me understand why. Yes, Kim's win was somewhat predictable and the challenges were somewhat lackluster but Chelsea, Sabrina and Troyzan were much better edited than any non-Rob people in Redemption Island and overall the editing was much more even. The casting was average at worst at the One World twist was a great experiment that I wouldn't mind seeing again. Overall a season I think of in positive light.
20th) Survivor: Caramoan (winner: John Cochran)
Caramoan is a very interesting season and represents the best and the worst of Survivor all at the same time. Cochran was a fantastic winner that played a great game, was entertaining and easy to root for. Watching him was some of the best TV possible therefore he obviously got a large edit. Too large, however, as most of the other people were under-edited. The casting to begin with was weak. The fans (except for Laura, Michael and maybe a few others) were not fans and the favorites (except for Cochran, Malcolm, Brenda and Erik) were not favorites. There were too many water challenges and camp life was often boring. In addition to Cochran and his awesomeness the only other thing that brings this season up (and in a big way) is that the tribals were super entertaining with a string of great blindsides.
19th) Survivor: Nicaragua (winner: Jud "Fabio" Birza)
Fabio is one of my favorite players ever and although I do not by any means consider him one of the best winners he was very entertaining and fun to watch. Brenda was a fan-favorite as was Jane. Marty was TV gold but Chase and Sash totally got on my nerves. The double quit was a buzz killer but the unpredictability was good. The editing was average. This all results in an average season.
18th) Survivor: Samoa (winner: Natalie White)
Samoa is one of those seasons that could have been a very good season had the editing been better. It's cast was certainly underrated but they all got very little airtime except for Russell and Shambo. Russell and Shambo were so entertaining that I cannot possibly rank this season lower than this, despite bad challenges and bad editing. A buzz killer at the end of the season though when Natalie beat Russell in one of the only wrong jury decisions in Survivor history.
17th) Survivor: All Stars (winner: Amber Brkich)
All Stars was a fun season with all the twists and turns and of course it being the first returning player season in Survivor history. The powerful duo of Romber that was bound to break at somepoint never did which was fascinating TV. Bringing this season down is slightly below-average editing, all the controversy surrounding Sue's & Jenna's quits, Rob and Lex's fight, plus several tarnished legacies (Cesternino, Jenna, Sue, Colby).
16th) Survivor: Gabon (winner: Bob Crowley)
Gabon is a season that has been discussed in length with some people claiming it is the best ever and others claiming it as one of the worst. To me I just don't get the Gabon love nor the Gabon hate. It's just an average season of Survivor. There is really no iconic moment associated with it and the cast was meh. The unpredictability and all the tribe swaps keeps it this high.
15th) Survivor: Worlds Apart (winner: Mike Holloway)
Worlds Apart is definitely the start of the next "group" of seasons in my opinion. I enjoyed it considerably more than Gabon and only slightly less than South Pacific. Mike was a fantastic winner that was a joy to watch and overall the final 5 of that season was pretty strong (Mike, Carolyn, Will, Rodney and Sierra) with only Will playing a bad game. The editing was quite decent, building up both Mike and Carolyn equally with enough attention to Rodney and Sierra that they both were considered winners candidates going into the finale. The challenges were pretty good and there was some fun strategy. Oh and the cast? Killer. Jenn and Shirin didn't last all that long but were SO MEMORABLE. The only real thing bringing this down (and fairly far down) is all the negative attention/bullying surrounding this season with Dan, Will, Rodney, Shirin and Sierra.
14th) Survivor: South Pacific (winner: Sophie Clarke)
I may be one of the only Survivor fans on the planet to rank South Pacific in the top half of seasons but it bewilders me why so many people HATE it. To me it is hands down the most underrated season in Survivor history. The editing was great, cast quite decent, pre-merge even and fun and Ozzy sending himself to Redemption was so much fun to watch. Cochran's flip and the pagonging does bring it down but not to the BOTTOM! Slightly better than average is the worst I can possibly rank South Pacific. In fact just writing this makes me want to rewatch it!
13th) Survivor: Africa (winner: Ethan Zohn)
We are now really in the stretch of seasons that are pretty darn good and that I would never get tired of rewatching. Survivor: Africa is definitely SOLID Survivor! Ethan may not be the best winner but Lex, Kathy, Little Kim, Big Tom, Goldsmith and so many others make this cast one of the better ones. All the attention on the location was awesome and some underrated strategy took place. GOOD SEASON!
12th) Survivor: The Amazon (winner: Jenna Morasca)
The Amazon really represents so much of what we love about Survivor from Cesternino's brilliant strategy, the Jaburu girls and their drama (who could forget THAT peanut butter moment?), Deena and Christy's gold TV moments, the men vs women theme, some awesome challenges and great editing. There is hardly anything bad to say about this season but in the end 11 others edged it out.
11th) Survivor: Vanuatu (winner: Chris Daughtery)
This is another season that I probably rank slightly higher than most Survivor fans and I am also in the minority preferring it to The Amazon. The opening ceremony was epic, the men vs women battle was just as evident as it was in the first season, the cast was awesome, the all girls alliance dominating and then crumbling coupled with Chris' amazing come from behind victory was just gold. It just is not as AMAZING as the Top 10 but it is certainly Survivor in all its glory.
10th) Survivor: Philippines (winner: Denise Stapley)
The start of the second-to-last "group" of seasons starts with the Philippines. After a string of seasons (Nicaragua, Redemption Island, South Pacific, One World) that were mostly below average Philippines is truly the season that "saved" Survivor. Denise was an awesome winner, the editing was perfect, the disaster that was Matsing was entertaining and the cast was killer. Definitely a legendary season of Survivor.
9th) Survivor: China (winner: Todd Herzog)
China was an extremely entertaining season worth a re-watch any day. The editing and especially casting were some of the best in Survivor history, watching Courtney's underdog storyline unfold was fantastic, James made his first appearance on Survivor and delivered including THAT double idol vote out and all the cultural reference was nothing short of fantastic.
8th) Survivor: Kaoh Rong (winner: Michele Fitzgerald)
People can scream "recency bias!" all they want but I truly believe that Kaoh Rong is an all-around AWESOME season. Throughout the season Kaoh Rong seemed similar to San Juan del Sur with power shifts at similar times, a similar merge and an under-the-radar female winner. However, if San Juan del Sur came from hell Kaoh Rong came from heaven. The cast was SPOT ON, editing much more even, better challenges and more unpredictability. A few years down the road I think we will still be talking about Kaoh Rong in very high regard.
7th) Survivor: Pearl Islands (winner: Sandra Diaz-Twine)
Survivor fans often differ in terms of opinion of how good a season is but MOST fans can agree Pearl Islands is a VERY good season. The pirate theme was so intriguing, the cast was amazing (Rupert, Sandra and Fairplay, need I say more?), the dead grandma lie was so iconic, the editing was great and the challenges were some of the best in Survivor history. So, so, so good.
6th) Survivor: Cook Islands (winner: Yul Kwon)
Cook Islands is right up there with South Pacific for me as the most underrated season in Survivor history. It gets a bad rap for the racial divide twist but for me that was not a bad thing. If that is seen as racist, why aren't men vs women seasons seen as sexist? Doesn't make sense to me. And that only lasted for TWO episodes anyway! EVERYTHING about this season was amazing. The casting (it gave birth to five legends!: Parvati, Penner, Ozzy, Yul and Candice), the comeback of the Aitu 4, the mutiny, and of course the Billy and Candice moment. #MoreLoveForTheCooks
5th) Survivor: Cagayan (winner: Tony Vlachos)
Cagayan is in my opinion the beginning of the final "group" of seasons--the true legends. It also receives the distinct honor as the best all-newbie season in Survivor history. The cast was probably the best all-newbie cast ever, the editing was amazing, the challenges weren't great but also not bad but the unpredictability yet defined and compelling strategy made for a truly fantastic season. Tony is one of the best winners ever and will surely return to the game one day but we have already seen 4 other Cagayan players return to the game.
4th) Survivor: Heroes vs Villains (winner: Sandra Diaz-Twine)
Very often considered the best season ever, Heroes vs Villains is certainly a Survivor gem. The cast is one of the best ever, the game play is hard to beat (Parvati's double idol play MAY be my favorite moment in Survivor history) and of course we had our first ever two-time winner (though it should have been a different person, but that's another story).
3rd) Survivor: Micronesia (winner: Parvati Shallow)
Micronesia's cast, like Cambodia, was FULL of people there to PLAY the game. The final 4 Black Widow Brigade members (Parvati, Amanda, Cirie and Natalie) almost certainly comprise the best final four ever. The string of Ozzy/Jason/Erik blindsides was amazing and the pre-merge is certainly underrated. It was the best season ever for a long time but then came:
2nd) Survivor: Blood vs Water (winner: Tyson Apostol)
When Heroes vs Villains did not trump Micronesia and then we had that string of bad seasons many fans were starting to believe that Micronesia would forever hold the title of best season ever and that Survivor would never return to it's glory days. Well then came along Season 27, Blood vs Water. To me it became the best season in history. The loved ones twist was so refreshing, Redemption Island redeemed itself, the cast was amazing (Ciera is my all-time favorite Survivor player) and we had someone vote their mom out. Oh yeah, there was a freakin' rock draw too! Truly a season to be remembered for a long, long, long time.
1st) Survivor: Cambodia (winner: Jeremy Collins)
Blood vs Water did not hold its title for too long because along came Survivor: Cambodia--Second Chance. Because the fans voted the castaways in they felt the need to PLAY hard not only for themselves and their family but for America. Every single person came to play their own game. We had two tribes become three tribes. We had a record number of tribe swaps. We had one of the harshest seasons in terms of conditions. And through it all the season gave birth to "voting blocs" which will forever change the way Survivor is played. Ladies and gentlemen, for now, Survivor: Cambodia--Second Chance, Season 31 is the very best season in Survivor history!
30th) Survivor: Redemption Island (winner: Rob "Boston Rob" Mariano)
To me every episode of Survivor is enjoyable. In fact only the episodes of Survivor: Borneo, season 1, were at all boring, but it is still fun to watch because it is the first. season. ever. However, compared to a lot of other seasons, Redemption Island is a snooze fest. It's premiere was decent, the "Rice Wars" episode was iconic, seeing Redemption Island for the first time was fun but other than that it was boring. The casting was BAD, there were no real blindsides, Ometepe kept winning, the challenges were lame and it felt like the season was created to finally give Boston Rob a win. However, what made this the worst season of Survivor in history is that from Day 1 the editing made it clear that Boston Rob would indeed win. He practically got HALF the confessionals the whole season! Add in the fact that Phillip Sheppard and Matt got a WHOLE bunch tons of people including end-gamers Natalie, Ashley and Grant got VERY little airtime.
29th) Survivor: Fiji (winner: Earl Cole)
Unlike Redemption Island, Fiji had okay editing and was not rigged for a specific person to win. However, Fiji did have THE WORST twist in Survivor history (Haves vs Have Nots which was more like Hotel and Restaurant vs Backpacking with no food) which meant that one tribe won ALL the pre-merge challenges, which led to a pagonging making for a boring pre-merge and post-merge! In addition, the casting was lackluster except for Earl, Yau-Man and Dreamz and the entire Car Deal was so awkward that it was the last time there was ever a car reward, which is a real shame. Yau-Man and his awesomeness save this season from being dead last.
28th) Survivor: Panama (winner: Aras Baskauskas)
You may start noticing a theme here, but one of the reasons Panama is so low is the casting. You truly need a good cast for a good Survivor season and Panama's cast was lackluster. Cirie was gold, Terry was great, Shane was entertaining but everyone else including the winner Aras were pretty boring. In addition, there were no real iconic moments from this season (oh wait, Shane's blackberry was iconic) and the editing was fairly poor. The main storyline was Terry vs Aras which I never really got into. The first ever hidden immunity idol was cool but it was never played and first Exile Island was fun (though I have never been a huge Exile fan) but overall it just does not compare to the seasons above it.
27th) Survivor: Tocantins (winner: JT Thomas)
I am almost certainly in the minority ranking Tocantins this low. Somebody once put it pretty clearly: if you love Coach, you love Tocantins, if you hate Coach, you hate Tocantins. Pre-South Pacific I more or less hated (well, strongly disliked), Coach. That means that I dislike Tocantins because Tocantins was the Coach show. Tyson was a A-hole in Tocantins too. JT was fine but I have never been his biggest fan and I DO NOT get the Fishbach love. Taj was awesome but she was one of the only bright spots this entire season. Overall unforgettable.
26th) Survivor: Thailand (winner: Brian Heidik)
Brian was a great winner and it was very entertaining to watch him on his "business trip". Other than him the casting was terrible, the editing highlighted Brian's win from very early on, the culture did not have a nearly large enough influence for such an awesome location, and the entire Ted/Ghandia thing was one of the most awkward storylines in Survivor history. Moving on.
25th) Survivor: Marquesas (winner: Vecepia Towery)
To me there are several "groups" of seasons, and Thailand represents the end of the "worst" group and Marquesas is the beginning of the next group. I have much less negative to say about Marquesas but still not too much positive to say. The rise and fall of the Rotu 4 was one of the first power shifts in Survivor history, it was fun to watch Vecepia play a brilliant social game, Paschal and Neleh's bond was neat but overall it wasn't classic "awesome" Survivor. ALL the religious influence in this season is what puts it on the bottom of its "group" of seasons.
24th) Survivor: The Australian Outback (winner: Tina Wesson)
Overall I for one find Australia similar to Marquesas. It had a few more iconic moments (Skupin falling in the fire, Colby's immunity run, Colby's dumb move) but it had a bit too much Colby for me and not enough of the other players, especially given the (good) quality of what could have been a more evenly-edited cast. With it only being season two Jeff was lackluster and the editing was rough which prevents it from climbing higher on this list.
23rd) Survivor: San Juan del Sur (winner: Natalie Anderson)
I am a HUGE fan of the Blood vs Water theme but it definitely seems to work better with half returning players. The return of Exile Island was disappointing after the success of Redemption in the first BvW season. The editing was weird, not over-editing Natalie which was good but certainly under-editing Jaclyn and Missy and over-editing Jeremy. Keeping it this high is Natalie. She played a very good and EXTREMELY entertaining game and made the last few episodes quite decent.
22nd) Survivor: Borneo (winner: Richard Hatch)
As I mentioned the ONLY episodes of Survivor I find somewhat boring are some of the Borneo episodes. It would be DEAD LAST if it wasn't the season that created the show we love. I don't have much more to say about it, except that it is almost not a "typical" season. To me it is more a "test run" season that had to be ranked somewhere. This was arguably the hardest season to rank. The case can be made that it must be first, because it is the first ever season or that it must be last because it is the most boring season ever. In the end I put it 22nd. Moving on.
21st) Survivor: One World (winner: Kim Spradlin)
Although there is a fairly small jump, I do consider One World the start of the next "group" of seasons. I consider myself a One World fan. Well, not a FAN, but a fan. Compared to other Survivor fans, that is. One World is very often ranked in the "dreaded three" with Redemption Island and Fiji. I cannot for the life of me understand why. Yes, Kim's win was somewhat predictable and the challenges were somewhat lackluster but Chelsea, Sabrina and Troyzan were much better edited than any non-Rob people in Redemption Island and overall the editing was much more even. The casting was average at worst at the One World twist was a great experiment that I wouldn't mind seeing again. Overall a season I think of in positive light.
20th) Survivor: Caramoan (winner: John Cochran)
Caramoan is a very interesting season and represents the best and the worst of Survivor all at the same time. Cochran was a fantastic winner that played a great game, was entertaining and easy to root for. Watching him was some of the best TV possible therefore he obviously got a large edit. Too large, however, as most of the other people were under-edited. The casting to begin with was weak. The fans (except for Laura, Michael and maybe a few others) were not fans and the favorites (except for Cochran, Malcolm, Brenda and Erik) were not favorites. There were too many water challenges and camp life was often boring. In addition to Cochran and his awesomeness the only other thing that brings this season up (and in a big way) is that the tribals were super entertaining with a string of great blindsides.
19th) Survivor: Nicaragua (winner: Jud "Fabio" Birza)
Fabio is one of my favorite players ever and although I do not by any means consider him one of the best winners he was very entertaining and fun to watch. Brenda was a fan-favorite as was Jane. Marty was TV gold but Chase and Sash totally got on my nerves. The double quit was a buzz killer but the unpredictability was good. The editing was average. This all results in an average season.
18th) Survivor: Samoa (winner: Natalie White)
Samoa is one of those seasons that could have been a very good season had the editing been better. It's cast was certainly underrated but they all got very little airtime except for Russell and Shambo. Russell and Shambo were so entertaining that I cannot possibly rank this season lower than this, despite bad challenges and bad editing. A buzz killer at the end of the season though when Natalie beat Russell in one of the only wrong jury decisions in Survivor history.
17th) Survivor: All Stars (winner: Amber Brkich)
All Stars was a fun season with all the twists and turns and of course it being the first returning player season in Survivor history. The powerful duo of Romber that was bound to break at somepoint never did which was fascinating TV. Bringing this season down is slightly below-average editing, all the controversy surrounding Sue's & Jenna's quits, Rob and Lex's fight, plus several tarnished legacies (Cesternino, Jenna, Sue, Colby).
16th) Survivor: Gabon (winner: Bob Crowley)
Gabon is a season that has been discussed in length with some people claiming it is the best ever and others claiming it as one of the worst. To me I just don't get the Gabon love nor the Gabon hate. It's just an average season of Survivor. There is really no iconic moment associated with it and the cast was meh. The unpredictability and all the tribe swaps keeps it this high.
15th) Survivor: Worlds Apart (winner: Mike Holloway)
Worlds Apart is definitely the start of the next "group" of seasons in my opinion. I enjoyed it considerably more than Gabon and only slightly less than South Pacific. Mike was a fantastic winner that was a joy to watch and overall the final 5 of that season was pretty strong (Mike, Carolyn, Will, Rodney and Sierra) with only Will playing a bad game. The editing was quite decent, building up both Mike and Carolyn equally with enough attention to Rodney and Sierra that they both were considered winners candidates going into the finale. The challenges were pretty good and there was some fun strategy. Oh and the cast? Killer. Jenn and Shirin didn't last all that long but were SO MEMORABLE. The only real thing bringing this down (and fairly far down) is all the negative attention/bullying surrounding this season with Dan, Will, Rodney, Shirin and Sierra.
14th) Survivor: South Pacific (winner: Sophie Clarke)
I may be one of the only Survivor fans on the planet to rank South Pacific in the top half of seasons but it bewilders me why so many people HATE it. To me it is hands down the most underrated season in Survivor history. The editing was great, cast quite decent, pre-merge even and fun and Ozzy sending himself to Redemption was so much fun to watch. Cochran's flip and the pagonging does bring it down but not to the BOTTOM! Slightly better than average is the worst I can possibly rank South Pacific. In fact just writing this makes me want to rewatch it!
13th) Survivor: Africa (winner: Ethan Zohn)
We are now really in the stretch of seasons that are pretty darn good and that I would never get tired of rewatching. Survivor: Africa is definitely SOLID Survivor! Ethan may not be the best winner but Lex, Kathy, Little Kim, Big Tom, Goldsmith and so many others make this cast one of the better ones. All the attention on the location was awesome and some underrated strategy took place. GOOD SEASON!
12th) Survivor: The Amazon (winner: Jenna Morasca)
The Amazon really represents so much of what we love about Survivor from Cesternino's brilliant strategy, the Jaburu girls and their drama (who could forget THAT peanut butter moment?), Deena and Christy's gold TV moments, the men vs women theme, some awesome challenges and great editing. There is hardly anything bad to say about this season but in the end 11 others edged it out.
11th) Survivor: Vanuatu (winner: Chris Daughtery)
This is another season that I probably rank slightly higher than most Survivor fans and I am also in the minority preferring it to The Amazon. The opening ceremony was epic, the men vs women battle was just as evident as it was in the first season, the cast was awesome, the all girls alliance dominating and then crumbling coupled with Chris' amazing come from behind victory was just gold. It just is not as AMAZING as the Top 10 but it is certainly Survivor in all its glory.
10th) Survivor: Philippines (winner: Denise Stapley)
The start of the second-to-last "group" of seasons starts with the Philippines. After a string of seasons (Nicaragua, Redemption Island, South Pacific, One World) that were mostly below average Philippines is truly the season that "saved" Survivor. Denise was an awesome winner, the editing was perfect, the disaster that was Matsing was entertaining and the cast was killer. Definitely a legendary season of Survivor.
9th) Survivor: China (winner: Todd Herzog)
China was an extremely entertaining season worth a re-watch any day. The editing and especially casting were some of the best in Survivor history, watching Courtney's underdog storyline unfold was fantastic, James made his first appearance on Survivor and delivered including THAT double idol vote out and all the cultural reference was nothing short of fantastic.
8th) Survivor: Kaoh Rong (winner: Michele Fitzgerald)
People can scream "recency bias!" all they want but I truly believe that Kaoh Rong is an all-around AWESOME season. Throughout the season Kaoh Rong seemed similar to San Juan del Sur with power shifts at similar times, a similar merge and an under-the-radar female winner. However, if San Juan del Sur came from hell Kaoh Rong came from heaven. The cast was SPOT ON, editing much more even, better challenges and more unpredictability. A few years down the road I think we will still be talking about Kaoh Rong in very high regard.
7th) Survivor: Pearl Islands (winner: Sandra Diaz-Twine)
Survivor fans often differ in terms of opinion of how good a season is but MOST fans can agree Pearl Islands is a VERY good season. The pirate theme was so intriguing, the cast was amazing (Rupert, Sandra and Fairplay, need I say more?), the dead grandma lie was so iconic, the editing was great and the challenges were some of the best in Survivor history. So, so, so good.
6th) Survivor: Cook Islands (winner: Yul Kwon)
Cook Islands is right up there with South Pacific for me as the most underrated season in Survivor history. It gets a bad rap for the racial divide twist but for me that was not a bad thing. If that is seen as racist, why aren't men vs women seasons seen as sexist? Doesn't make sense to me. And that only lasted for TWO episodes anyway! EVERYTHING about this season was amazing. The casting (it gave birth to five legends!: Parvati, Penner, Ozzy, Yul and Candice), the comeback of the Aitu 4, the mutiny, and of course the Billy and Candice moment. #MoreLoveForTheCooks
5th) Survivor: Cagayan (winner: Tony Vlachos)
Cagayan is in my opinion the beginning of the final "group" of seasons--the true legends. It also receives the distinct honor as the best all-newbie season in Survivor history. The cast was probably the best all-newbie cast ever, the editing was amazing, the challenges weren't great but also not bad but the unpredictability yet defined and compelling strategy made for a truly fantastic season. Tony is one of the best winners ever and will surely return to the game one day but we have already seen 4 other Cagayan players return to the game.
4th) Survivor: Heroes vs Villains (winner: Sandra Diaz-Twine)
Very often considered the best season ever, Heroes vs Villains is certainly a Survivor gem. The cast is one of the best ever, the game play is hard to beat (Parvati's double idol play MAY be my favorite moment in Survivor history) and of course we had our first ever two-time winner (though it should have been a different person, but that's another story).
3rd) Survivor: Micronesia (winner: Parvati Shallow)
Micronesia's cast, like Cambodia, was FULL of people there to PLAY the game. The final 4 Black Widow Brigade members (Parvati, Amanda, Cirie and Natalie) almost certainly comprise the best final four ever. The string of Ozzy/Jason/Erik blindsides was amazing and the pre-merge is certainly underrated. It was the best season ever for a long time but then came:
2nd) Survivor: Blood vs Water (winner: Tyson Apostol)
When Heroes vs Villains did not trump Micronesia and then we had that string of bad seasons many fans were starting to believe that Micronesia would forever hold the title of best season ever and that Survivor would never return to it's glory days. Well then came along Season 27, Blood vs Water. To me it became the best season in history. The loved ones twist was so refreshing, Redemption Island redeemed itself, the cast was amazing (Ciera is my all-time favorite Survivor player) and we had someone vote their mom out. Oh yeah, there was a freakin' rock draw too! Truly a season to be remembered for a long, long, long time.
1st) Survivor: Cambodia (winner: Jeremy Collins)
Blood vs Water did not hold its title for too long because along came Survivor: Cambodia--Second Chance. Because the fans voted the castaways in they felt the need to PLAY hard not only for themselves and their family but for America. Every single person came to play their own game. We had two tribes become three tribes. We had a record number of tribe swaps. We had one of the harshest seasons in terms of conditions. And through it all the season gave birth to "voting blocs" which will forever change the way Survivor is played. Ladies and gentlemen, for now, Survivor: Cambodia--Second Chance, Season 31 is the very best season in Survivor history!
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Defending Michele's win
Since Wednesday night's Survivor: Kaoh Rong finale MOST of the talk on the Survivor Facebook page and other social media has been about how Aubry should have beaten Michele at the FTC. Let me be clear for a second. If I was on that jury I too would have cast my vote for Aubry. In my opinion she played a SLIGHTLY better game than Michele.
However, I believe that they were far and away the two best players this season. No question. It was wonderful to see them both make the FTC. And the jury decided that Michele was more worthy. I do not question that decision and have ranked Michele just inside the top half of winners.
In fact, I rarely "question" a jury's decision. They were out there, experienced the contestants' game play first hand, 24-7. We get a tiny 45 minute peak for every three days. Based on those tiny 45 minute peaks alone there have been 7 seasons where I would have voted for a non-winning finalist (name of season, then who I would have voted instead of who actually won) (Australia--Colby instead of Tina, All Stars--Rob instead of Amber, Gabon--Sugar instead of Bob, Samoa--Russell instead of Natalie, Heroes vs Villains--Parvati instead of Sandra, South Pacific--Coach instead of Sophie, Kaoh Rong--Aubry instead of Michele). However, only two of those times, do I believe the jury actually made the WRONG decision: Samoa and Heroes vs Villains. Both those seasons it was EXTREMELY clear to me that the wrong person won and the winner played a MUCH more lackluster game than the runner up. In fact, both seasons several jury members that voted for the winner admitted that if they had a chance to redo their vote they would have voted for the runner-up.
However, the other five seasons I mentioned I do not think that the jury made the wrong decision, and if I was actually out there, I very well may have voted for the winner too. This season is absolutely no exception. Michele and Aubry both played very good games. From my armchair, I preferred Aubry's style of play. It was flashier and she had more moves that were "hers". However, Michele was truly a triple threat (physical, social and also strategic) and deserved the win. Hands down, no question.
When someone wins four challenges, makes relationships with everyone on the jury including people she wasn't voting with (Scot and Jason), successfully rides the middle ground, makes several subtle and one not so subtle (voting out her ally Julia) strategic moves, evicts the correct person off the jury and performs well at FTC but people still rant about her being an "unworthy" winner, it bugs the heck out of me. Natalie White rode Russell's coattails and SORT OF blindsided Erik C. Russell played one of the most masterful strategic games ever in Samoa. Natalie W is an unworthy winner. Comparing Michele to Nat White is like comparing a Holiday Inn to a Motel 6 because you are bitter that the Hampton didn't win. C'mon people, we just had a great season of Survivor, a great finale and a WORTHY winner. Let's celebrate like we have all season and not pout that the second (or arguably first) best player won!
Final thoughts: Michele played a very good game and was a deserving winner of this excellent Survivor season. Aubry also played a very good game and would also have been a deserving winner. Because Aubry was better TV a lot of people wish she had won but all things weighed, they overall played equally well. Michele would be a worthy inclusion on an all-winners season.
However, I believe that they were far and away the two best players this season. No question. It was wonderful to see them both make the FTC. And the jury decided that Michele was more worthy. I do not question that decision and have ranked Michele just inside the top half of winners.
In fact, I rarely "question" a jury's decision. They were out there, experienced the contestants' game play first hand, 24-7. We get a tiny 45 minute peak for every three days. Based on those tiny 45 minute peaks alone there have been 7 seasons where I would have voted for a non-winning finalist (name of season, then who I would have voted instead of who actually won) (Australia--Colby instead of Tina, All Stars--Rob instead of Amber, Gabon--Sugar instead of Bob, Samoa--Russell instead of Natalie, Heroes vs Villains--Parvati instead of Sandra, South Pacific--Coach instead of Sophie, Kaoh Rong--Aubry instead of Michele). However, only two of those times, do I believe the jury actually made the WRONG decision: Samoa and Heroes vs Villains. Both those seasons it was EXTREMELY clear to me that the wrong person won and the winner played a MUCH more lackluster game than the runner up. In fact, both seasons several jury members that voted for the winner admitted that if they had a chance to redo their vote they would have voted for the runner-up.
However, the other five seasons I mentioned I do not think that the jury made the wrong decision, and if I was actually out there, I very well may have voted for the winner too. This season is absolutely no exception. Michele and Aubry both played very good games. From my armchair, I preferred Aubry's style of play. It was flashier and she had more moves that were "hers". However, Michele was truly a triple threat (physical, social and also strategic) and deserved the win. Hands down, no question.
When someone wins four challenges, makes relationships with everyone on the jury including people she wasn't voting with (Scot and Jason), successfully rides the middle ground, makes several subtle and one not so subtle (voting out her ally Julia) strategic moves, evicts the correct person off the jury and performs well at FTC but people still rant about her being an "unworthy" winner, it bugs the heck out of me. Natalie White rode Russell's coattails and SORT OF blindsided Erik C. Russell played one of the most masterful strategic games ever in Samoa. Natalie W is an unworthy winner. Comparing Michele to Nat White is like comparing a Holiday Inn to a Motel 6 because you are bitter that the Hampton didn't win. C'mon people, we just had a great season of Survivor, a great finale and a WORTHY winner. Let's celebrate like we have all season and not pout that the second (or arguably first) best player won!
Final thoughts: Michele played a very good game and was a deserving winner of this excellent Survivor season. Aubry also played a very good game and would also have been a deserving winner. Because Aubry was better TV a lot of people wish she had won but all things weighed, they overall played equally well. Michele would be a worthy inclusion on an all-winners season.
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