There's Dan's sexist comments, which he tried to blame on editing (and led to Jeff playing an extended clip of him during the reunion). There's Will bullying Shirin about being the victim of domestic violence.
This season is a grab bag of worst case scenarios for Survivor. When it comes down to Mike and the dominant alliance at the final seven, it's a little fun to watch the unsavory top dogs have to vote out one another, but it's a Pyrrhic victory for the viewers who then have to watch Mike win solely based on Immunity Challenge wins and Idol plays. Jenn does provide an impressive Idol move to knock out Kelly post-merge, but then her alliance is picked off one by one (something termed "Pagonging" in Survivor, named after the Pagong tribe that was voted out in succession on the show's first season). Rather, the cast is made up of unlikeable know-it-alls (Max, Will, Joaquin), angry alpha men (Mike, Rodney, Dan), and people who seem indifferent to being there (Jenn, Hali). The premise (like many in the 30s) is a bit wacky, but doesn't hinder the season as a whole much. I'm listing it as the worst season because the cast, as a whole, is so unlikable that as you're slogging through Worlds Apart, you don't care what the outcome will be because nearly every outcome is bad. Spoiler-filled thoughts: I'm putting the Dirty 30 in dead last not because the season is boring (it's not), or because there isn't interesting gameplay (although that is few and far between). The season's theme is fine (if a bit goofy), and there are some intriguing moments, but with very few people to root for and a couple of problematic figures in the mix, it's not particularly enjoyable.
#BEST SEASONS OF SURVIVOR FULL#
Spoiler-free overview: This is a season full of unlikeable people split initially into tribes of white-collar castaways, blue-collar castaways, and no-collar castaways. How satisfying is the end result? (Do we like the winner? Did they deserve to win? While not always indicative of a great season, the winner certainly can tint our view on the proceeding episodes.) How strong is the season's theme, the twists, and the game mechanics? (A well-executed season can help it stand out from the pack.)Ħ.
#BEST SEASONS OF SURVIVOR TV#
Are there iconic moments? (If classic TV moments are created, then that gets some extra points.)ĥ. Is there inventive gameplay? (New and interesting strategy is fun to watch and keeps us on our toes.)Ĥ. How strong is the cast? (Are they mostly forgettable, or are there big characters both pre- and post-merge? Great castaways can cover a multitude of sins.)ģ. How interesting is the season on an episode-by-episode level? (How many of these Tribal Councils feel predetermined, and how many are actually suspenseful?)Ģ. Even the worst seasons of the show are still better than most things on TV these days, so ranking them is certainly a challenge, but if you're a Survivor nerd and you don't have a season ranking then I must ask: What are you doing with your life?ġ.
I know that's a hyperbolic statement, but the longevity of this franchise certainly speaks to its quality and ability to evolve over time to consistently create compelling, ageless television.Īnd so because I love the show so much, I decided to rank the 43 seasons from worst to best. I have watched every single season of the show (many more than once) and believe Survivor to not only be the greatest reality television show ever aired, but perhaps the greatest television show ever (period). We've even watched a bug build a nest in a castaway's ear. We've seen a castaway vote out her mom, a castaway pee on another's hand, and dozens be medically evacuated. With 635 episodes having aired, we've seen hundreds of Immunity Challenges, Tribal Councils, and salty goodbye messages. And they've begged fellow castaways for their jackets after booting them. They've stripped naked for peanut butter. They've pretended their grandmothers were dead to win rewards. We've seen castaways create fake Hidden Immunity Idols, poop in the ocean, and compete for Pringles. Castaways have built huts out of bamboo, run off to strategize at the well, and eaten all manners of disgusting food. For 23 years and 43 seasons, Jeff Probst has been out in the jungle (with the snakes and rats) snuffing the torches of retired Navy Seals, barrel racers, and pageant coaches. I plead to the jury tonight to think a little about the 644 Survivor castaways who have competed for the million-dollar prize.
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