Highlights: Can't remember any.

Highlights:

• NaOnka lasting long despite shoving a girl with a prosthetic leg and stealing socks and food.
• Marty playing decently but then inexplicably giving away his hidden immunity idol.
• Chase lasting long despite constant indecision and broken promises.

Highlights:

• The gender-divided tribes feuding over axe, chicken, fire, and immunity snafus.
• Colton remaining selfish to the bitter end, clutching his immunity idol as he exited.
• The best strategic player, Kim, actually winning (even though for this season that didn't strike me as much of an accomplishment).

Highlight: Rooting for Terry in individual immunity challenges.

Highlights: Can't remember any.

Highlights:

• Jaime finding both hidden immunity idols in James' bag; then inexplicably mistaking a plaque for a hidden immunity idol.
• James getting voted out holding both hidden immunity idols.

Highlights:

• The pivotal power shift.
• The infamous "purple rock" tiebreaker.

Highlights:

• Russell Hantz's contradiction of a nephew, whom I once deemed the worst Survivor player of all time thanks to his unsolicited self-sacrifice when we won individual immunity.
• The exciting (but disappointing) Trojan Horse plan and Cochran playing double agent.
• Ozzy's distinctive "Redemption Island" strategy which made him the only player to get voted out thrice in the same season.

Highlights:

• Rooting for Andrew Savage's team in immunity challenges.
• Rupert Boneham's victory scream.
• Jonny Fairplay lying about his grandmother's death...except I didn't see how that helped him in the game.

Highlights:

• The interesting matriarchal alliance.
• The two most deserving players making the final two. :)

Highlights:

• The contrast between one tribe's younger and older players.
• The first ever tribe swap that fractured the young folk alliance.

Highlights:

• The contrast and socialization between the male and female tribes.
• Rob Cesternino's levity and shrewd moves.
• Multiple blindsides.

Highlights:

• Alliances implementing "Plan Voodoo" a couple of times; one of them backfiring on a tribe because the runner-up defected.
• The tribe deciding to toss one of the immunity idols into the ocean.
• Kenny and Crystal overcoming the majority three times in a row (twice by unexpectedly swinging Sugar and Susie).
• Bob and Sugar swerving voters with their idols.

Highlights:

• A "first impressions" poll that led the two stigmatized castaways to choose between high and low roads.
• A curiously well-liked player that various castaways wanted in their alliance.
• A crossroads where a three-person alliance had to choose between a "Warrior" alliance and an unprecedented "Exile Island" alliance.
• One case of poetic justice where a desperate outcast outlasted a cocky nemesis.
• An interesting exploration into whether a million dollars should outweigh a close month-long friendship.

Highlights:

• The sad contrast between the "jocks" and the "nerd". blog
• The pivotal tribal council where the minority alliance plotted to use their hidden immunity idol.
• The suspense over the tribal council where Yau-Man used the hidden immunity idol.
• The suspense and outrage over Yau-Man's deal with Dreamz.

Highlights:

• Colluding tribes, i.e., the reward challenge bargain and the interesting merge wherein rival tribes conspired in a Plan Voodoo against Jonathan (first time I ever saw that work).
• Michael Skupin defecting during a crucial tribal council.
• The winner becoming the first and only player to attend (and survive) every tribal council of the season.

Highlights:

• A clean sweep of immunity challenges that reduced one tribe down to one member, Stephenie.
• Ian forfeiting the final immunity challenge for Tom.
• The most deserving player winning. :)

Highlights:

• Jerri convincing players to vote out Kel based on suspicion rather than proof.
• The aftermath of Michael Skupin's accident. I remember re-watching that scene over and over. :)
• A pivotal tribal council where the rival tribes tied their votes.
• A memorably heartwarming scene where castaways cyber-chatted with loved ones.

Highlights:

• Rob betraying Lex, Kathy, Alicia, and Tom. The emotional backlash brought up an intriguing controversy about whether real-life friendships factor into the game.
• A bizarre coincidence where the tribal swap only affected one player.
• Rob courting and then proposing to Amber in the live finale.
• Rupert Boneham winning the million dollars as the show's favorite contestant.

Highlights:

• Francesca Hogi clinching "worst Survivor player ever" by getting voted out first twice! blog
• Brandon Hantz melting down and forcing me to reconsider him as "worst Survivor player ever". blog
• Corinne forging a secret counteralliance during an entertaining tribal merge.
• Malcolm dominating the hidden immunity idols from playing Reynold's own idol to playing two idols in one tribal council (until Andrea finally foiled his streak by hovering over him).
• Cochran, the ultimate underdog story, going from South Pacific outcast to heavyweight champion.

Highlights:

• Rudy Boesch's curmudgeonly remarks.
• Sean Kenniff's alphabet strategy.
• The riveting final episode.
• The most deserving player winning. Too bad that he neglected to pay his taxes. :)

Highlights:

• Russell finding two hidden immunity idols with zero clues, and finding a third one with only one clue.
• A torrent of rainstorms that depressed the castaways and kept them from strategizing.
• One particularly suspenseful tribal council where Russell saved himself with a hidden immunity idol, followed by another suspenseful tribal council where the tide turned. Say what you will about the "purple rock", I've yet to see a deadlock after the first time the show used it as a tiebreaker. :)
• A thrilling final immunity challenge that came down to Russell vs. "bump on the log" Brett. Man, a victory by Brett would've ruined the season for me. :)

Highlights:

• Rob playing the best strategic game I've ever seen, including keeping kooky "Former Federal Agent?" Phillip to the end, making up the "Royal Treatment" game so he could scramble for the hidden immunity idol (then hilariously sabotaging the clues), segregating the tribes, inventing the ingenius buddy system, and even preventing his starving tribe from eating the enemies' fish.
• Russell's tribe throwing a challenge (and dooming themselves) just to get rid of him. blog, blog
• Matt returning to the game after winning six out of six duels on Redemption Island; then getting voted out again at the very next tribal council! Das cold. blog
• Rob pulling out an emotional, clutch victory in that final nail-biting immunity challenge.
• Rob, arguably the best player never to win the game, finally winning the game. blog

Highlights:

• Cao Boi campaigning "Plan Voodoo" to flush out the immune player. Amusingly, Cao Boi was the one voted out. blog
• The unprecedented mutiny of Candice and Jonathan.
• The intellectual "business deal" between Yul and Jonathan.
• A nail-biting final vote. I felt that the most deserving player won even though some would dissent that the most athletic player should've won. :)

Highlights:

• The ridiculously false immunity idol...that got played!
• Multiple blindsides...most of them orchestrated by that conniving female alliance.
• The ridiculously bold plot to vote out an immune player...that worked!
• A sappy but entertaining public declaration of love from Ozzy.

Highlights:

• Boston Rob rebounding from his physical collapse, and pretty much carrying the Villains tribe on his shoulders.
• "Plan Voodoo" backfiring on Cirie when she went up against another top player, Tom, whom I viewed as a total antithesis of her.
• Russell feuding with Boston Rob, including such highlights as Russell unapologetically looking for the hidden immunity idol despite the taboo against it, Russell thwarting Rob's "Plan Voodoo" by tricking his top ally Tyson into eliminating himself, Russell casually suggesting to Rob that they vote out the two people sitting with them, and a final showdown wherein Russell successfully corrupted Jerri and Coach against Rob. Rob's parting words to Coach: "You're a little man." Wow. blog
• Sanda standing up to Russell and plotting against him; poisoning him against Coach and trying to stage a coup (then eventually resorting to burning Russell's hat; haha, the irony).
• J.T. tragically smuggling a hidden immunity idol (packaged in a written letter) to the last person he should ever entrust an idol to, Russell, based on the Heroes' misconception of an all-female Villains alliance!
• Parvati headlining the greatest episode in Survivor history (the one where the Heroes and Villains merged). blog
• Amanda and Danielle wrestling for possession of a game-changing clue to the next hidden immunity idol (unprecedented and reminded me of Barry Bonds' 73rd home run baseball). blog
• Rupert faking a hidden immunity idol by hiding a rock in his pants. Brilliant way to save himself, and I'm surprised that no one ever thought of that before.
• Russell spearheading the unexpected self-destruction of the Villains alliance. blog
• The final immunity challenge (a maze) coming down to a climactic photofinish.
• The final three actually coming down to the best three players. blog