Steve's Survivor Season Rankings (Worst to Best)

17. Survivor: Thailand (season #5)
A painfully boring season that best exemplified why I almost stopped watching the show. The cast bored me, and the token Asian woman (Shii Ann) annoyed me. This season also featured the lamest twist ever: rival tribes cohabitating instead of merging. blog

Highlights: Can't remember any.

16. Survivor: Panama - Exile Island (season #12)
I considered this season the flukiest in that the most annoying people seemed to dominate the game instead of getting voted out at the beginning (admittedly, Cirie Fields eventually impressed me in a later Survivor season). The only player that I liked (Terry) made it pretty far only to get betrayed and eliminated after the final challenge. That reinforced my disdain for the unpredictability of the final challenge--and unfortunately, the expansion of a final two into a final three didn't start until next season. :(

Highlight: Rooting for Terry in individual immunity challenges.

15. Survivor: Guatemala - The Mayan Empire (season #11)
I just remember this season for the returning Stephenie LaGrossa. Although I enjoyed rooting for her, I lamented how she tarnished that "America's sweetheart" image from "Survivor: Palau".

Highlights: Can't remember any.

14. Survivor: Marquesas (season #4)
A dull season except for the pivotal power shift and the infamous Purple Rock tiebreaker.

Highlights:

  • The pivotal power shift.
  • The infamous Purple Rock tiebreaker.

13. Survivor: Pearl Islands (season #7)
I hated the twist in this season where eliminated castaways voted two outcasts in. I also hated how two of my favorite castaways, Rubert and Andrew, got voted out while two of my least favorite castaways, Jonny Fairplay and Lillian, made it all the way to the final episode.

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.

12. Survivor: China (season #15)
A season highlighted only by the bizarre coincidence of one castaway (James) ending up with both hidden immunity idols.

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.

11. Survivor: Vanuatu - Islands of Fire (season #9)
A female-dominated season where the last man managed to win against all odds. I remember a lame controversy about whether a player crossed the line by swearing an oath on her son.

Highlights:

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

10. Survivor: Africa (season #3)
I loved the generational clashes in this season. Didn't care much for the self-righteous winner though. :(

Highlights:

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

9. Survivor: The Australian Outback (season #2)
This season had a good villain (Jerri) and a memorable tragedy where Michael Skupin passed out into the fire.

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.

8. Survivor: The Amazon (season #6)
The first season to divide tribes into all-male and all-female castaways. Made for some interesting social dynamics.

Highlights:

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

7. Survivor: Gabon (season #17)
A veritable encyclopedia of the different "Survivor" strategems, including: a) a player who voted tactifully and constantly lied, b) a player who voted emotionally and felt that "the good guys should win in the end", and c) a "paragon" player, good at challenges, who tricked voters with fake immunity idols. blog

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.

6. Survivor: Fiji (season #14)
This season reminded me of a counter-intelligence thriller because of that one episode where a rival alliance conspired to use a hidden immunity idol. It also featured a castaway that I hated more than anyone in Survivor history, Dreamz, because of a deal with that he infamously reneged on. Granted, back stabs happen a lot on Survivor--but it make me sick how this guy boasted on and on about how he'd honor the deal and show his son a good example. Then he had the nerve to act all proud of the betrayal! Stinking hypocrite. blog

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.

5. Survivor: Borneo (season #1)
Although I remember complaining about the lack of strategy among these castaways, this first season of Survivor kept me on the edge of my seat and led to some interesting talk around the water cooler.

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. :)

4. Survivor: All-Stars (season #8)
This season pitted a lot of renowned Survivor players against each other, stirred some intense emotions, and sparked the romance between my favorite Survivor couple, Rob and "Ambuh" (both of whom I later enjoyed watching in "The Amazing Race").

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.

3. Survivor: Palau (season #10)
A season highlighted by two of my favorite players: Tom Westman and Stephenie LaGrossa. I actually consider Tom the best Survivor player of all time. He inspired such respect in fellow players that the jurors actually took his BS seriously. He even inspired one player to forfeit the last immunity challenge for him! Now that's what I call charisma. blog

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. :)

2. Survivor: Cook Islands (season #13)
One of the only seasons where the player that I heavily rooted for, Yul Kwon, actually won the game. He overcame formidable obstacles too: a mutiny and a popular player (Ozzy) in the final vote. Although this season took a lot of criticism for dividing the tribes by ethnicity, I welcomed the variety. I also loved how this season finally cast some charismatic "intellectuals", i.e., Yul and another favorite player of mine, Jonathan Penner. 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. :)

1. Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs Favorites (season #16)
A refreshing season that cast some of the most diabolical players in Survivor history--most notably, an alliance of women that kept ensnaring men in their traps. This alliance led to my favorite Survivor moment of all time: the final four women managing to persuade the last surviving man to give up his immunity! By the way, props to Cirie Fields. If she had won the game, I probably would've declared her as the new best player of all time instead of Tom. blog

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.


Maintained by Steven Aoki, saoki@iname.com