Two seasons and she’s out. Siggy Flicker announced this morning that she is quitting The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Siggy confirmed to Bravo’s Daily Dish that the rumors of her departure from the show are true. “After much reflection and Bravo’s support, I have decided that this will be my last season on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. I am grateful to the network for allowing me to be part of this successful franchise and wish only the best for Teresa, Melissa, Dolores, Danielle and Margaret. At this time, I want to focus on my beautiful family, my growing business and some exciting new projects.”
After breezing her way into our hearts in season 7 with a kooky face-lift-bandaged entrance, Siggy has had a rough season 8 as she battled with several cast members. After the cake debacle with Melissa Gorga, pissing off some of her co-stars by walking in Kim D‘s charity fashion show, Siggy also argued with new cast member Margaret Josephs. Although Siggy says she wants more time for family and business, you have to wonder if this tumultuous season has contributed to her saying goodbye.
Siggy will still finish out this season and will also be seen in the season 8 reunion episodes.
TELL US – ARE YOU SHOCKED THAT SIGGY FLICKER QUIT? WILL YOU MISS HER ON REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY?
Photo Credit: Rodolfo Martinez/Bravo
The post Confirmed: Siggy Flicker Quit The Real Housewives of New Jersey appeared first on Reality Tea.
Don’t Be Tardy stars Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann headed to L.A. ahead of the holiday weekend. They were spotted landing at LAX this week.
Yolanda Hadid was spotted on a coffee run in NYC while Danielle Staub was spotted on the red carpet, snuggled up to her fiance Marty at the “Cruel Intentions” performance. And Kanye West came out of hiding in a rare sighting as he was out and about in NYC.
In our latest gallery below you’ll also find Lisa Vanderpump, Luann de Lesseps and many more! Check them out and tell us who looks the best this week!
Photo Credit: Starzfly/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty
The post Reality Star Sightings: Kim Zolciak, Danielle Staub, Yolanda Hadid, Survivor Winner and More appeared first on Reality Tea.
Given the incessant side-eyeing Kenya Moore’s received over her “secret” nuptials to restauranteur Marc Daly, the Real Housewives Of Atlanta star thinks she has something to prove. And apparently, prove it she will – in a second wedding to Marc slated for 2018! Yup. Kenya will be technically renewing her vows only one year into the marriage. It’s a new Housewives record, people! (And we all know how well multiple weddings/vow renewals go for our beloved Bravolebrities. See: Shannon Beador.)
Kenya shares her appreciation for her phantom husband during the tough time of her grandmother’s passing. She reflects, “It was just a few weeks since Marc actually met my grandmother in Detroit and she smiled so big when she met him. I knew she was happy that I finally had someone to share my life with.”
Kenya admits that her grandmother’s passing was expected, but obviously painful. She remembers, “Once my grandmother’s Alzheimer’s condition worsened, I was always nervous to get calls from my Aunt Lisa who is her daughter that I was raised with. I was with Marc when I got the phone call. I always measured the sound of her ‘hello’ first. When she called that day I knew it was ‘the call.'”
Despite only seeing him on the weekends, Kenya claims that Marc was her rock during her time of grieving. “I was so grateful to be with him in that moment. It was only two months into our marriage to deal with something so devastating but he was supportive, loving, and kind. Most of all he was there in every way he could be.”
RELATED: Kim Zolciak Thinks Cynthia Bailey Is A Puppet Who Follows Anybody
Turning her attention to Cynthia Bailey next, Kenya says she understands why her friend was upset to not be at her wedding. “Cynthia has every right to be upset,” she shares, “I feel badly for her being one of my best friends and for the other people in my life that are so close to me that could not witness my wedding day. Imagine how my own father feels? He didn’t get to walk his first daughter down the aisle I never want to hurt anyone who cares about me.”
So – how does one solve the problem of everyone resenting your secret wedding? Throw ANOTHER wedding, of course! Kenya announces, “We will be planning a big wedding in the summer of 2018 so all of our closest friends can celebrate with us and Miss Bailey will definitely be Mrs. Daly’s bridesmaid.” Mmm hmm. I’ll just be sipping my tea over here, waiting on that 2018 wedding…
Since she knows what it’s like to be questioned about her relationships, Kenya offers Sheree Whitfield words of support regarding her prison boyfriend. She notes in her blog, “I know how it feels to initially keep something special private because miserable and judgmental people really don’t want to see you happy. She’s in love with a convicted man who is still incarcerated. I’m certain she was afraid of their negative opinions. But clearly, Sheree is in love and no longer concerned about what people think. Good for her! If she’s happy, I’m happy!”
TELL US: WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS SECOND WEDDING IS ALL ABOUT?
Photo Credit: Bravo
The post Kenya Moore Planning Second 2018 Wedding To Marc Daly; Says Cynthia Bailey Will Be Her Bridesmaid appeared first on Reality Tea.
Elizabeth Vargas may be leaving ABC News, but "this is not goodbye." The longtime 20/20 co-anchor and former co-anchor of World News Tonight will be exiting the network at the end...
Siggy Flicker is saying goodbye The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Siggy, who joined the show in season seven, announced she will not return after the current eighth season wraps. However, she...The Season 8 premiere episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was just like the premiere episode of any other Real Housewives show: not much happened, but it’s nice to “catch up with” the cast members that you missed during the off-season.
We got to “meet” the newest Housewife Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave. She has a famous father, a very L.A. career (she’s a wellness accountability coach), and she definitely looks the part. The only thing that is a little awkward about her casting is that she wasn’t genuinely friends with anyone before she joined the show, so it will be interesting to see how she fits in with the ladies.
Teddi opened up about the episode in her first Bravo blog post. She wrote, “I love spending time with my family and am always looking to make new friends with moms who have similarly aged kids. So when a mutual friend suggested I invite Dorit [Kemsley] and the adorable Jagger to The BeatBuds’ music class, I said of course!” A mutual friend? I’m pretty sure that was just a casting director who arranged that meeting, but after Dorit got so much shit last season for her army of nannies, it made perfect sense to attend this kids music class. They kill two birds with one stone: Teddi gets an introduction and Dorit gets to improve her image while she spends nanny-free camera time with her kid.
Teddi continued, “Dorit and I hit it off immediately, and the conversation flowed nicely, so when she told me about Lisa Vanderpump and her love of horses, I knew I had to meet her as well.” Yes, the love of horses and that contractual obligation to be at cast events. Teddi also remarked, “Sometimes I think I like horses more than people!” And I’m sure this is a thought she had a lot while filming with this group of women.
She wrote, “Lisa Vanderpump was so warm and welcoming, and I think our sense of humor is very similar, although she probably can get away with more with that accent.” She can and she does. LVP disguises a lot of insults with her constantly referenced “British humor.”
Teddi continued, “The two of them wasted no time filling me in on some of the girls. I listened and gave a bit of advice as if it were me in the situation, but I definitely wasn’t going to allow that to cloud my judgement. Besides, I’ll be able to make my own impressions when I meet the rest of the girls—in Vegas! I thought it was so great of Dorit and Lisa Vanderpump to invite me on this trip and share in celebrating my birthday.”
The new girl admitted, “I already get a bit anxious meeting new people, and I tend to try and observe first and not force friendships, but these ladies move fast.” I wonder if that observation included watching previous episodes of the show.
Teddi shared, “When I met Kyle [Richards], Camille [Grammer], and Erika [Girardi] at the airport, they all seemed nice and open. I may have lost them a bit when Dorit revealed my dislike for shopping, but hey, at least Lisa Vanderpump now has somebody to carry her bags. And from what she says about me, looks like I may be carrying them naked.”
Teddi concluded, “There’s a lot of underlying tension within this group from previous issues and it starts to get resolved next week when Lisa Rinna joins us in Vegas. But new issues also start to arise, and they definitely don’t stay in Vegas.” Of course they don’t. Those issues will end up on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TEDDI SO FAR?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
The post Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave Teases On The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Las Vegas Trip appeared first on Reality Tea.
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Get ready to welcome back a familiar face, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans! In tonight's new episode of ABC's Marvel series, an hour that will finally shed some light on what poor...
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The last Real Housewives of Atlanta episode was pretty awkward for Cynthia Bailey. She worked on a business venture with her ex-husband Peter Thomas, who used that as an opportunity to ask questions about Cynthia’s new flame Will Jones. Then Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker questioned Will’s intentions with Cynthia.
The whole episode was total overkill considering that Will wasn’t even Cynthia’s boyfriend at the time and they only went out on a couple of dates. Cynthia was still trying to figure out how she felt about Will, so it was a little too soon for other people to insert their opinions.
The model opened up about the last episode in a Bravo blog post. Cynthia explained, “I invested in Bar One Atlanta when Peter and I were still married. The bar was doing amazing when we closed due to issues beyond our control with the owners from whom we were renting.” Props to her for sticking with her commitment, but it has to be awkward since the divorce still feels so fresh and they are both trying to date other people.
Cynthia continued, “I believe in the Bar One brand, and since I am already invested and a 25% partner, I am excited and looking forward to being a part of the success of opening the Auburn Avenue location. Bar One Charlotte and Club One are doing very well, and I am confident Atlanta will be no different. In my eyes, it’s unfinished business, and I guess you can say I already have some skin in the game.” It also makes for an interesting story line. Well, a semi-interesting story line. I would rather see the ladies arguing than Cynthia’s awkward tension with Peter at a business meeting, but I’ll take what I can get.
Cynthia wrote about her talk with Peter: “Yes, of course it was a little awkward talking to Peter about Will. Although we are divorced and are no longer together, we are still friends. When I met with Peter at Bar One to discuss the plans for the bar, my dating life with Will was already in the blogs and a hot topic on The Wendy Williams Show. So since the information was already out there, I respectfully wanted Peter to also hear it firsthand from me.”
After the hard time that everyone gave Todd when he first started dating Kandi, it was interesting to see him go in on Will. Then again, he is boys with Peter, so he might not have done that otherwise. Cynthia admitted, “Yes, I was surprised that Kandi and Todd gave Will such a hard time. When we all went on the boat ride, Will and I had only been on a few dates and were still getting to know each other.”
She revealed, “He had mentioned the dating shows to me that Kandi brought up, but all this was before we met, so I didn’t really think anything of it. ” She added, “Although I appreciate Todd and Kandi looking out for me, I honestly think Will is a really great guy. My only concern is whether or not he is a great guy for me. However, I must admit that I am having a great time trying to figure that out.”
RELATED: Cynthia Bailey Reacts To NeNe Leakes & Kenya Moore’s Dating Advice
TELL US – DOES WILL SEEM LIKE A GOOD MATCH FOR CYNTHIA? WERE KANDI & TODD BEING TOO HARD ON WILL OR WERE THEY JUST LOOKING OUT FOR CYNTHIA?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
The post Cynthia Bailey Was Surprised Kandi Burruss & Todd Tucker Gave Will Jones A Hard Time appeared first on Reality Tea.
E! News viewers were shocked by Catt Sadler’s sudden exit from the network this week. When Catt revealed that the reason she left the network was because her male coworker Jason Kennedy was making TWICE her salary for the same work when they started at the same time, people were livid on her behalf.
Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Meghan Edmonds is one of those people and she took to Instagram to express her thoughts. Meghan was very well-spoken and on point with her post, but it was a very interesting move since RHOC is a Bravo show and E! and Bravo are both sister networks under the NBC Universal umbrella.
Meghan shared a screen shot from an article about Catt’s exit from the network on Instagram. She accompanied the photo with, “As a reality tv personality on @bravotv , sister network to @eentertainment, I am outraged and disgusted that such a pay disparity between male and female exists, especially on a network that MAKES THE MAJORITY OF ITS MONEY OFF AND FROM WOMEN. For E! to dismiss @iamcattsadler request for equal pay is more than a shame, it shows us all how little they value women.” No one could disagree with Meghan’s point here. How does a network that primarily caters to female viewers not value the female talent on its own network?
RELATED: MEGHAN AND JIM EXPECTING TWIN BOYS
Meghan continued, “I am proud of Catt for sharing her story of persecution based on her gender and for leaving the network. Bigger and better things are on the horizon for those who speak up and stand up! (Catt and Jason started at E! at the same time and generally share the same responsibilities however he makes almost double her salary. When confronted, E! refused to increase Catt’s pay to reflect her equal talent and service to Jason’s so she resigned.) #StandUpToThePatriarchy#equalWorkEqualPay.”
It was a daring move for Catt to leave E! and it was very bold for her to share her reasons when E! is such a powerhouse in her industry of choice. It was also very brave or Meghan to speak out against Bravo’s sister network. It will be interesting to see if Meghan faces any repercussions when she was only trying to do the right thing and speak up for someone who could use the support.
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MEGHAN’S POST?
[Photo Credit: Nicole Weingart/Bravo]
The post Meghan Edmonds Disses E! In Instagram Post After Catt Sadler Left The Network Over Pay Gap appeared first on Reality Tea.
There's nothing better to do on Christmas Day than watch TV. Sure, you could hang out with your family and eat and open presents, or just go about your normal Monday if Christmas...
The post Scheana Marie Insists That She Did Not Intentionally Discredit Her Marriage With Mike Shay On Vanderpump Rules; Shares Friendship Insights appeared first on Reality Tea.
No season of Survivor would be complete if we didn’t compile the all-time list of winners each season. With 35 seasons now in the rear-view, we just witnessed Ben Driebergen becoming the latest person to win Survivor…but where does this heroic Marine sit on the all-time list?
Each season of Survivor is unique, featuring its own set of rules, and players. Sometimes, comparing who is “best” comes down purely to one’s own personal opinion.
All 34 people who won Survivor obviously did something right in their season to have won. So this ranking is based on three things, and it’s quite simple: How the person played the game – their particular winning season – according to Survivor’s moniker of “Outwit,” “Outplay,” “Outlast.” Read on in order to see the Top 10 Survivor Winners of All-Time and where Sarah Lacina ultimately ranks.
#1: Sandra Diaz-Twine – ‘Survivor: Pearl Islands’ – Season 7, ‘Heroes vs. Villains’ – Season 20
Sandra won the game not once, but twice. In my mind, there is no better or clearer argument. It is hard to debate against the cold hard fact that Sandra has now won Survivor twice. It can’t be called a fluke, and it was done in two different seasons, with two different groups of people. Even Richard, even Rob, couldn’t win twice. Nobody has, which by default puts Sandra in a league of her own. Is her strategy of “anybody but me” the key to winning Survivor? Only partially. It basically comes down to knowing, and using, your strengths. And no, her losing during “Game Changers” does not taint or tarnish the Queen’s legacy.
Sandra is not a physical threat, so is not often targeted early. She has a rare quality (Hatch and Rob had it too) where she knew when to speak, and also knew when not to. Information is power in Survivor, and her tribe mates were always kept on a “need to know” basis. She also possesses a strong ability to sniff people out, like she did with Russell very early on in Heroes vs. Villains. Until another player wins twice (will that ever happen?), it is hard to argue against calling Sandra the top Survivor to have ever played the game.
#2: Boston Rob Mariano – ‘Survivor: Redemption Island’ – Season 22
Dominant. Absolutely masterful. There is no better way to refer to Boston Rob‘s performance during this season than that. All winners require a degree of luck (can you imagine of Rob had started off on Zapatera instead of Ometepe?) but Rob re-defined what it meant to play a “social game.” Others described his control over his alliance as “cult-like” and indeed he brought a Final 6 with him to the end, all of which firmly believed that Rob was taking them with him to the end. Even that phrase – “taking them” – shows the control Rob had… nobody was taking Rob with, he was “taking them.” He kept control of the game by constantly checking in, and not allowing opportunities for his alliance to discuss things with one another. He made all the right moves, said all the right things. He simply put on the best strategic performance the game has ever seen.
Critics will point out that at the time Rob played, he was also the only person ever to have played the game four times. But he lost “All-Stars” to his future wife Amber (although he dominated that season and should have won) and he could have won “Heroes vs. Villains” if it wasn’t for the opposing force, Russell Hantz (and a goofy, inexplicable vote from Tyson). His resume puts him nearly in a league of his own. So what hasn’t he done that keeps him from being the best winner in history? See #1.
#3: John Cochran – ‘Survivor: Caramoan’ – Season 26
The man who earned being called only by his last name, Cochran is the unlikeliest of Survivor winners on many different levels. There has also been growing backlash against Cochran, as many let their annoyance of him get in the way of the big picture. First, his win has created a new “type” of Survivor winner: Looking at Cochran and comparing him to the types of people who have previously won, there is nobody like him. A life-long Survivor-obsessed, self-proclaimed Harvard nerd, Cochran came into this season with a surprising amount of confidence. His in-game awareness was off the charts and his physical demeanor made him nearly invisible to others early on. But then Cochran began winning physical challenges too.
Cochran never ran into too much danger all season, but it was because he had mastered the timing of Survivor: knowing when to strike, before being struck. He orchestrated big moves and was in control of the game from start to finish. His game was only the second “perfect game” ever (after J.T. in Tocantins) where a winner won by a unanimous jury vote while also never having a single vote cast against them the entire game. What separates Cochran’s game from J.T. is that Cochran orchestrated his game, whereas J.T. relied heavily on Stephen Fishbach to navigate his way to the end. A true student of the game, Cochran pulled off one of the most impressive and unlikely Survivor wins the game may ever see.
#4: Brian Heidik – ‘Survivor: Thailand’ – Season 5
After Richard Hatch miraculously won the first season of Survivor, the next three winners were Tina, Ethan, and Vecepia: all well-liked, stand-up “good” people and players. At that time, it was thought that no one “villainous” like Hatch could ever win again, now that people know the game and what sort of people to look out for. And then there was Brian Heidik. He manipulated, lied, and outplayed everyone. Like Richard, he seemed to be a step ahead of the competition and had it all figured out. Unlike Richard, he seemed to drift through the season without even caring, like it was easy. Maybe it was for Brian, the self-proclaimed “Ice Man.” He is so despised that he has never been asked to play again, which I for one thinks is a shame. His game is the blueprint that all “schemers” have hoped to achieve since. Now that I get a vote for the “Survivor Hall of Fame,” Brian will be on my ballot every single time. Survivor guru Dalton Ross of EW.com also had Brian on his ballot in 2012 and in 2013 Rob Cesternino added his name as well. Is there a Brian Heidik revival going on? Jump on the Heidik bandwagon people. He remains the last true “villain” to play a villainous, cut-throat game… and actually win.
#5: Kim Spradlin – ‘Survivor: One World’ – Season 24
2013 Survivor Hall of Fame inductee Kim Spradlin was another example of an ideal triple-threat – with a strong social, physical and strategic acumen – and cruised to victory like few have ever done in the show’s history. Like Yul, she found an Immunity Idol early on and never found a need to play it. Like Todd, she knew how to read the jury to tell them what they wanted to hear. Most impressive at all, she managed to win by taking two other respectable players with her to the end in Sabrina and Chelsea, and she still won. Along the way she won four individual challenges tying her all-time amongst female players with Jenna Morasca (Amazon) and Kelly Wigglesworth (Borneo). She made the incredibly complex game of Survivor look easy, and that folks, is not easy. As a first-time player, she played one of the best games a woman has ever played, although her understated style also resulted in a boring run of episodes down the stretch. Boring to an audience salivating for drama, but still about as near-perfect of a game that one can play.
#6: Richard Hatch – ‘Survivor: Borneo’ – Season 1
The original winner, and arguably (?) the best… Rich tops nearly every “Survivor List” as being the original snake, the original strategist and the father of the “alliance” that has become a staple of every reality competition show, even outside of Survivor. He is certainly the most important player ever to play the game, for his contributions to all of reality television and for birthing the Survivor strategic blueprints. But nobody would call the “Model T” the “best” car out there: Surely there have been faster, better models made since then, even though they all owe their existence to the grand-daddy. There have been better overall games played on Survivor, but few have been able to win over a jury while simultaneously being seen as a villain.
#7: Tom Westman – ‘Survivor: Palau’ – Season 10
Tom dominated his season, and is among the most well liked Survivors in history. It was hard not to root for Tom, and his game play in Palau changed the game forever… here was a guy who yes, played strategic, but somehow did it with a sense of honor and always looked people in the eye. The game continues to evolve, but Tom was a rare example and reminded us that you don’t have to “lie, cheat, and steal” in order to “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.”
#8: Parvati Shallow – ‘Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites’ – Season 16
Parvati, in this her second season, was masterful at keeping together her “girl-power” alliance. Her best move was the Ozzy blindside, one of the best in history. She was also up against Amanda in the end, which is a sure-fire way to win the votes. But Parvati is without a doubt one of the best female competitors the show has ever seen and had she been able to sneak some votes away from Sandra during “Heroes vs. Villains,” it could be Parvati who is known as the greatest player ever. She is definitely one of them.
#9: Yul Kwon – “Survivor: Cook Islands” – Season 13
Yul Kwon was intelligent, calculating, and well liked by his tribe – a rare mix for a Survivor winner. He had an Immunity Idol, yet never had to play it. His own tribe called him “Ringleader,” yet he went to the end and won. He is the rare Survivor winner who was well-liked despite the strategic moves he made and he was ultimately rewarded for his hard strategic game play. He is the text-book definition of the Survivor “triple-threat”: a strong social, strategic and physical specimen.
#10: Tyson Apostol – “Survivor: Blood vs. Water” – Season 27
Tyson Apostol, in his third try at the game, put in one heck of a performance. He gets kudos for winning the strategically rejuvenated “loved ones” season, the first of its kind. He came in a very big target but was able to shift focus away from him. He found two hidden Idols and controlled the game. Tyson ran into a bit of trouble when he had to draw rocks to stay in the game, but fate was on his side. Down the stretch, he won the last two Immunity challenges when he had to and won in a convincing 7-1-0 vote. His game was not without hiccups (he unnecessarily played a hidden Idol and drawing a rock isn’t an ideal way to advance), but it was a powerful strategic performance in a season like none other.
#11: Jeremy Collins – “Survivor: Cambodia” – Season 31
When looking at Jeremy‘s game, the most impressive feat was who he was up against: a cast of all-returning players voted in by the fans and given a second chance at the game. Still, he turned in a dominating performance. His game was the third ever Survivor “perfect game” in that he won by unanimous jury vote and had no votes cast against him the entire game… but his perfect game comes with an asterisk, because he did have three votes against him that were negated by one of the two hidden Idols he had found. But Jeremy relied heavily on strong players around him, instead of really willing his way to the end on his own. He second-guessed several decisions he made (like voting out Joe Anglim) and was almost done in by Kimmi Kappenberg, only to be saved by his alliance. He was never in any real danger save for that vote, and while he was a master of subtle strategic game-play this season – in a cast full of “go big or go home” players – he also benefited greatly from a strong initial tribe, the luck of the draw (his main alliance stuck together even through several early tribe swaps) and by surrounding himself with other strong players. For me, a great, awesome performance that falls just shy of the Top 10 of all time.
#12: Sarah Lacina – “Survivor: Game Changers” – Season 34
There is definitely a lot to like about Sarah‘s game, and it has to be factored in that she was playing among some of the all-time greats of Survivor. She was determined to play a more cutthroat game this time out, and boy did she ever. She made big, bold moves and swayed the game in her direction. She had a great social game, but it was helped greatly by the fact that she won the first five tribal Challenges, and didn’t have to go to a Tribal Council until Day 16. Her in-game social awareness was good but not great, as she mistakenly put all of her trust in Tai, who nearly sent her home had Cirie not intervened. But Sarah was unapologetic in her actions and had awareness in other ways, like when she spotted and nabbed the Secret Advantage right out from underneath Michaela during a Challenge. She decided at every turn to “play the game” instead of standing pat. It worked out for her in the end, and despite never having won an Individual Immunity, Sarah’s win was among the best female performances of all-time, especially in a returnee season.
#13: Adam Klein – “Survivor: Millennials vs Gen-X” – Season 33
Adam came out on top of what was one of the most competitive group of ballers ever assembled on Survivor. His was an emotional journey, but when it came to the game of Survivor, he was all business. Adam had the unique ability to relate to even his enemies, and his brotherly love-hate relationship with arch nemesis Jay stands as a great testament to Adam’s social game. That being said, Adam did find himself on the wrong end of several votes, and post-merge he had seemed to have burn a lot of bridges. But he ultimately navigated his way through the game by adapting and positioning himself perfectly behind other, bigger, threats. He found a few hidden Idols, but played them at incorrect times in incorrect ways. Yes, Adam became only the fifth person in Survivor history to win by unanimous vote, but his game was far from perfect, and of the other unanimous winners, Adam received the most votes against him out of them all. At the time of his win, Adam became the youngest winner ever, and when you consider who he was up against and the season that he played in, Adam definitely deserves upper echelon Winner status.
Wondering who landed outside of the Top 13?
Here is the Rest of the Best:
#14: Todd Herzog – “Survivor: China”
#15: Tony Vlachos – “Survivor: Cagayan”
#16: Natalie Anderson – “Survivor: San Juan del Sur”
#17: Chris Daugherty – “Survivor: Vanuatu”
#18: Denise Stapley – “Survivor: Philippines”
#19: Ben Driebergen – “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers”
Explanation: It is not easy to win the game of Survivor, especially when you are targeted as the “leader” or “king” early in the game…it rarely, if ever, has happened. Ben‘s win will always be mentioned as controversial, with some fans calling BS on the fact that he found three Immunity Idols late in the game, and that the Final Four fire-making twist ended up working out in his favor. Add to this, Ben didn’t win a single Individual Immunity Challenge himself, and also received a record-number of votes against (11) for a Sole Survivor. This being said, few other winners have willed themselves to the end playing such a bold and “out front” game, and the other players had every chance to keep an eye on Ben or to try to look for the Idols themselves. His determination and winning despite being on the center of the radar for most of his game puts him just outside the upper echelon of Survivor winners.
#20: Jenna Morasca – “Survivor: Amazon”
#21: Jud “Fabio” Birza – “Survivor: Nicaragua”
#22: J.T. Thomas – “Survivor: Tocantins”
#23: Bob Crowley – “Survivor: Gabon”
#24: Mike Holloway – “Survivor: Worlds Apart”
#25: Danni Boatwright – “Survivor: Guatamala”
#26: Aras Baskauskas – “Survivor: Panama”
#27: Sophie Clarke – “Survivor: South Pacific”
#28: Michele Fitzgerald – “Survivor: Kaoh Rong”
#29: Earl Cole – “Survivor: Fiji”
#30: Amber Brkich (Mariano) – “Survivor: All-Stars”
#31: Ethan Zohn – “Survivor: Africa”
#32: Tina Wesson – “Survivor: Australian Outback”
#33: Natalie White – “Survivor: Samoa”
#34: Vecepia Towery – “Survivor: Marquesas”
Be sure to follow me on Twitter, @tomsantilli!
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS LIST? WHERE WOULD YOU RANK BEN DRIEBERGEN?
Photo Credit: CBS/Monty Brinton/Robert Voets
The post Top Survivor Winners Of All-Time – Updated Through Season 35 appeared first on Reality Tea.
Season 35 of Survivor, Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, is a thing of the past, having ended this past Wednesday night. So where does this past season fit in to my list of most memorable?
When ranking the most memorable seasons of Survivor, “best” can mean a lot of things, so my list takes into consideration not only the “best” season but the most “memorable” seasons of all time, as they may eventually be remembered from our current vantage point. Obviously the most recent season is freshest in our minds, so the list also takes that into account. Determining factors include memorable players, situations, Tribal Councils, the impact the season had – or will have – on future seasons, and just overall where I feel the season ranks. Everyone has their opinion, so be sure to voice whether you agree or disagree with my rankings. Here goes!
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#35: Fiji: The Big Brother-esque “Haves vs Have nots” was one of the rare Survivor innovations that completely fell flat. Add to it that the cast was made up of mostly unmemorable clueless players (with the exception of likable Yau-Man), and this season was clearly the least memorable of all, which still makes it better than most everything else on television! In a flat-liner Finale, we witnessed a yawn-inducing final vote, where winner Earl Cole was unanimously selected as winner.
#34: Gabon: If you like strategy and was mad that Russell Hantz didn’t win either of his two seasons, then you probably despised Survivor: Gabon. Unlikely bow-tie wearin’ Bob Crowley emerged victorious, but never have more “unworthy strategic players” gone so far in Survivor. His awesome looking fake Immunity Idol was about the only memorable thing from a very unmemorable season.
#33: Nicaragua: So it wasn’t the worst season ever, it just felt that way. It featured an unlikable batch of players, the first celebrity (Jimmy Johnson), and was topped off by unpredictable NaOnka who was memorable for all the wrong reasons. It featured some of the most head-scratching gameplay in history, and the show’s first ever double-quit, when both NaOnka and Purple Kelly left the game on Day 28. But it will have a lasting legacy: all future versions of Survivor will institute what I’m calling the “Purple NaOnka clause” (where Survivor producers will have the power to place or remove any person from the jury who quits the game of their own free will). And for that reason alone, it will be remembered slightly higher than a few other seasons.
#32: China: Mostly remembered for the bone-headed blindside of James, who was sent home with two Immunity Idols in his possession. It also introduced us to Amanda and Courtney, but aside from that was a ho-hum season overall. Winner Todd Herzog played a very good strategic game, but Todd unfortunately doesn’t stand out all that much… until his recent troubles with alcoholism led him to being featured on a November 2013 episode of Dr. Phil. And again in 2016.
#31: Guatemala: Danni Boatwright won the final vote by flying under the radar to defeat the tough Stephanie LaGrossa, who was playing Survivor for the second time along with Bobby Jon Drinkard. Another example of someone winning by playing a better social game instead of the harder-fought game played by Stephanie. It also featured former NFL player Gary Hogeboom, who tried to keep his identity and occupation secret. Yes, this was one of the most “memorable” plot-lines in this uneventful season.
#30: Africa: I may get some flack for ranking this so low, but I remember watching this season, following Australia and Borneo, and just remembering that it was a complete dud at the time. Sure, there was Lex, and “Big” Tom, but winner Ethan (who later was diagnosed with cancer) was just so-so and not that interesting. Part of it may have been the move to Africa. This cast reportedly had it worse than any other season, and their lethargy showed on screen. However, Africa did present one of the first “twists” in Survivor history, when the tribes were switched, and also had the first tiebreaker challenge.
#29: Panama – Exile Island: Not to be confused with the Panama-based Pearl Islands season, Panama: Exile Island featured a number of memorable players (among them “villain” Danielle DiLorenzo, Cirie Fields, and cigarette-jonesing Shane Powers), but the season itself was just blah. Aras won this season, one of the least memorable winners. There was a late fire-making challenge between Cirie and Danielle, but not much else stands out.
#28: One World: It was an interesting concept that hadn’t been attempted before, and it featured a dominating winner in Kim Spradlin. The “men versus women” thing had been done a few times prior, but never did the tribes share the same beach. In theory, this seemed great, but the results didn’t bring the expected drama. It was as straight-forward a season as there maybe ever has been, save for the male Manono Tribe’s decision to voluntarily go to Tribal Council (one of the biggest, dumbest group-decisions in the show’s history).
There were some memorable characters who may get another chance to play the game – such as winner Kim, villainous Colton, the bitter Troyzan, and the eccentric Tarzan. Not to mention arguably the two most impressive (hot) physical specimens in the show’s history in Jay Byars and Chelsea Meissner. But Kim’s breezy path to victory will do little for the show’s legacy, and a boring stretch of episodes concluding in one of the most bland Final Tribal Councils ever sticks this season towards the bottom of the barrel.
#27: Tocantins: Who doesn’t remember Coach or Tyson? Truly some of the most standout “characters” ever to play, this season really didn’t deliver overall. Stephen Fishbach reminded us of Rob Cesternino from the Amazon, a very strategic player, good sense of humor, who really knew the game and went far. People don’t remember that he, not J.T., made a majority of the decisions as the two went all the way to the finals, where J.T. won the final vote unanimously without a single vote ever being cast against him. J.T. definitely was good in physical challenges, but Stephen was another example (like Russell) of a player falling victim to a jury that chose to reward social game play over deceptive strategic maneuvering.
#26: Cook Islands: The controversial division of tribes into ethnic groups started this season, although it didn’t quite bring the drama I think the producers were hoping for. That aside, Yul Kwon won this season, maybe the most underrated winner in all of Survivor. He was overshadowed by the emergence of other Survivor personalities this season, with the introduction of Parvati Shallow, Jonathan Penner, and crazy-physical Ozzy Luszth. And I know you remember Cao Boi (“Cowboy”). The final vote was one of the rare seasons where it was close, when Yul’s smart game play was rewarded over Ozzy’s strength, 5-4.
This season also featured the mutiny, where Candice Woodcock made the memorable switch of tribes. Maybe the most lasting imprint this season had (which was the 13th season of Survivor), was it was the first season to feature a Final Three instead of Final Two, a controversial decision that is still talked about today. Only 6 of Survivor’s first 20 seasons (Cook Islands, Fiji, China, Gabon, Samoa, Heroes vs. Villains) featured a Final Three…but every season since Samoa has as well.
#25: Vanuatu: Famous mostly for its female alliance, this season the tribes were divided by gender. It was the villainous Ami Cusack who engineered what could have been one of the best female alliances of all time. And who could forget Eliza’s gaze. It was one of the most unbelievable underdog victories in Survivor history when lone male Chris Daugherty survived by keeping a low profile, and waiting for the women to devour each other. He awaited cracks in the female alliance and then worked his way in, ultimately winning the last few immunity challenges, bringing Twila with him to the end. Where he miraculously was voted Sole Survivor 5-2. It was a rare case of the jury rewarding the winner for accomplishing his feat against all odds.
#24: Thailand: Many rank this season as one of the worst, or least memorable. To me, this season is memorable for the same reason people loved Samoa: it featured one of the all-time great Survivor villains, Brian Heidik. Brian was Richard Hatch 2.0, a strategic, masterful social player who did whatever was necessary to advance. Years after Survivor, he was arrested for shooting a dog with a bow and arrow, and is so bad that Jeff Probst rarely likes to even mention him. Probst described the Final Four of Thailand the “least likable final four ever.” People normally name Richard Hatch and Russell Hantz as two of the most notorious villains of all time, but Survivor history buffs would have to include Brian wedged between those two. And unlike Russell, Brian’s crafty game play made him a winner in the end, in part only because he brought even less-likable grump Clay to the final vote…the first “goat” to be dragged to the end. People don’t like this season because people despised Brian so badly, but I loved the villainous, back-stabbing game play, and Brian was among the best to ever pull it off…and win.
#23: Worlds Apart: Big personalities and controversies will be how this season goes down in the history books. But despite some absolutely delightful, unpredictable Tribal Councils in a season full of “gamers” and “super-fans,” there really weren’t many likeable players. From loud-mouth Rodney to polarizing Dan and Will, to the annoying Shirin and Max Dawson, the whole “blue collar, white collar, no collar” theme seemed beaten to death after the first few episodes.
The season did produce “Second Chance” fan-favorites Joe Anglim and Shirin Oskooi, and an underdog winner in Mike Holloway (who won a record-tying five Individual Immunity Challenges), but Mike is not regarded as a strong winner. This season also had a Survivor first: Dan’s “double vote” advantage. A very strong Finale Episode (that saw Carolyn win an hour-long fire-making tie-breaking challenge over Rodney) really helped the season end on a high note, but the fan-vote “Second Chance” season really over-shadowed not only the Finale, but the final stretch of episodes. Ultimately, a strong start and strong finish wasn’t enough to save the season overall.
#22: Kaoh Rong: It was no easy task following the “Second Chance” season, even though this season actually was taped first. It gets a lot of credit for giving us several great personalities, from crazy Deb Wanner, to villainous super-duo Kyle Jason and Scot Pollard, to neurotic runner-up Aubry Bracco, to gentle-spirit-but-deeply-conflicted Tai Trang. It also will be remembered for living up to its billing as the “most grueling” season ever, where three players were medically-evacuated. And it maybe ticked up a spot or two on this list after Finale, where for the first time in history, a player earned the power to vote off a jury member. This was an exciting season to watch due to the truly chaotic game-play that left us never quite knowing what was going to happen or who was going to be voted out next.
But upon deeper examination, the “Beauty vs. Brain vs. Brawn” twist had been done before and already felt stale upon arrival, and there were several missed opportunities for excitement this year, like the potential “Super Idol” and the three hidden Immunity Idols that never came into play. The medical evacuations of Caleb, Neal, and Joe were all dramatic but took the wind out of the game each time, robbing us of what is usually the very best Tribal Council of the season right after the merge (it also changed the game in a major way, paving the way for Michele Fitzgerald to win over Aubry, when Aubry’s main ally Joe was evacuated at Final Five). And when “Mark the Chicken” starts eating up air-time down the stretch, you know there has to be some sort of problem with the entertainment value as a whole for the season. Kaoh Rong was one of those “good not great” seasons, that culminated in a winner that many feel was not as deserving as Aubry. A season full of potential that didn’t quite realize all of it.
#21: The Australian Outback: It was the second season of Survivor, and though it was much anticipated, nobody quite knew at the time what to expect, or if Survivor could re-invent itself. We would soon learn that with different personalities, and a different setting, the game of Survivor would evolve just fine. And although we all assumed Survivor was real, Australia’s most memorable moment reminded us just how real it was, when Michael Skupin inhaled smoke and passed out into the fire, receiving severe burns and being evacuated from the game. The image of him in the river holding his hands up, is a lasting one that may never leave my mind. The game itself changed drastically at that moment, not only the seriousness of the game, but this season specifically, as it was Michael and Jeff’s alliance that was in power at that moment. With Michael gone, Tina, Jerry, Keith, and Colby had the advantage, and went down as very well-known Survivors. It could have all gone down differently had Michael not suffered such tragedy.
#20: South Pacific: Returning players Coach and Ozzy shouldn’t have stood a chance coming back the season right after Boston Rob dominated the game (Redemption Island). But miraculously, both made it to the Final 4. Nobody will forget Coach’s morphing into a real strategic threat compared with his past attempts, and nobody will forget Ozzy’s absolute physical dominance, winning 9 straight competitions, including 8 straight Redemption Island Duels. It will also be remembered for introducing us to Harvard nerd (and future winner) Cochran, and Brandon Hantz, nephew of Russell. The overly religious tones of this season though, turned a lot of people off, and the predictable Tribal Councils post-merge both negatively impact South Pacific, making it a “good” not “great” season.
#19: San Juan del Sur: The second-ever “Blood vs. Water” season had a ton of memorable moments and huge blindsides, but mainly consisted of a cast full of people who could be only considered as “non-gamers.” John Rocker‘s inclusion in the cast was a huge distraction away from the game for the first stretch of episodes, and many of the best strategic players (Jeremy and Josh most notably) were voted out soon after the merge. This season featured a quit (Rocker’s girlfriend Julie) and some exciting Tribal Councils, like the blindsiding of Jon Misch with an Idol in his pocket, and also a Tribal where two Idols were played, and accomplished the very rare feat of being unpredictable from week to week. There was drama down the stretch, even into the Finale where eventual winner Natale blindsided Baylor by playing an Idol an Jaclyn. But something about this season didn’t quite click, and I’m afraid that most of it will be forgotten over time. One thing I’ll never forget though from this season: Keith Nale, whose Southern drawl and hilarious one-liners made him one of the funniest players ever to appear on Survivor.
#18: Samoa: Some argue against an entire season being remembered for only one player, but that is and will always be what Samoa will be remembered for…the introduction of Russell Hantz to the masses. Give him credit for memorable moments, as his idea of looking for hidden Immunity Idols prior to receiving clues seemed so simple yet nobody had thought if it before. Others before him have been strategic, and have dominated the mental game, but unlike many before him, he pretty much willed himself into the finals, finding an unprecedented amount of Immunity Idols along the way and manipulating how his tribemates felt. The deconstruction of the Galu Tribe will also be remembered as one of the worst Tribal downfalls ever…something credited to Russell’s tight grip on the game.
#17: Redemption Island: Say what you want, I am a lover of Survivor strategy and Redemption Island will go down in Survivor history as one of the best strategic performances EVER. You can fault Boston Rob‘s masterful game by saying he had an unfair advantage by having played for a record 4th time against a bunch of rookies, but haters can take something away from every winner…”Hatch wouldn’t had won if there had been more lawyers on the show,” “NaOnka would have won if there were 15 other quitters on the island.” Make your excuses, Rob mastered the group of people he was given the opportunity to play against. That includes Russell Hantz, and a very memorable moment when Russell broke into tears upon losing his Duel and experiencing elimination for the very first time. Although kept out of the top spots on this list by some ho-hum, predictable Tribals as the season wore on, there is one reason above all others that this season will be remembered for years to come: Phillip Sheppard, the secret former federal agent.
#16: Caramoan: The second attempt at a “Fans vs. Favorites” season, Caramoan had everything that a season of Survivor should have. First, there were larger-than-life personalities such as Shamar and Brandon Hantz, that filled up the first portion of the season (Shamar ultimately left the game with an eye injury and Brandon was voted out at an impromptu Tribal Council on the heels of Brandon dumping out the tribe rice). There were likeable characters worth rooting for, like Cochran, Brenda, and Malcolm, playing for his second-straight season. There were huge strategic moves and what seemed like a record-breaking number of blindsides, like the ousting of the “Stealth-R-Us” CEO Phillip Sheppard when Malcolm produced not one, but two hidden Idols at Tribal. There was the incredibly harsh blindside of Brenda from the emotional Dawn Meehan, who started the season as a hero and ended being seen more as a villain. But this season will live in infamy mostly because of the season’s winner: Cochran, who went from bumbling Harvard nerd on South Pacific to a masterful, confident challenge beast by season’s end. He became the second winner ever (after J.T. of Tocantins) to win by unanimous vote and not have one vote cast against him the entire game. His win will stand out, because he represents the dream of many Survivor fans, that truly anybody can win against all odds or preconceived notions.
#15: Game Changers: For me, this season jumped up a few notches based solely on the epic Finale Episode, where the legendary Cirie Fields left the game after being the only person eligible to receive votes. Say what? Yes, three Idols were played (a record at the time), and five total people were Immune (also a record at the time), sending Cirie home. But this season’s biggest moment of all overshadowed the game entirely: Jeff Varner viciously outing Zeke Smith as being transgender, and bringing Survivor to headline news across the country. Even though this was spun into a positive experience, it will pretty much hang over this season forever. But underneath this cloud of controversy, there were several big moments that lived up to the season’s title. Some titans of the game – like Tony Vlachos and two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine – had their torches snuffed for the first time ever. There were massive blindsides and blunders galore, leading to the phenomenon of getting up and whispering to one another during Tribal. And lastly, the game itself changed with a new “open conversation” style of Final Tribal Council, that got rid of the one-question per jury member format and replaced it with a forum discussion focusing on the game’s moniker of “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.”
#14: Amazon: Re-constructed the show yet again, this time adding strong doses of comedy into the mix. Rob Cesternino was the stand-out here, as I can’t remember ever waiting for one-on-one interviews more from a single contestant than I did from Rob. He was Richard Hatch as stand-up comedian…strategic and sly, yet hilarious. This season also gave us one of the most beautiful casts in memory, with the likes of Jenna and Heidi. Who can forget the oreo cookie and peanut butter challenge? Probst jokes that since this season, peanut butter and oreos are on hand at every single challenge, just in case. As far as the game goes too, Rob Cesternino gave us a very memorable Survivor moment when he tried to strike a deal with Jenna DURING the last Immunity Challenge (which she did not accept).
#13: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: Season 35 of Survivor received a lot of backlash for what seemed like an over-abundance of secret advantages and Idols (the season’s winner, Ben Driebergen, found three straight Idols to close out the game). It also had a pretty slow start out of the gate as the pre-merge episodes were not all that memorable. However, the last third of the season really took off, culminating in one of the great Survivor Finales of all-time. There were great challenges down the stretch, and Chrissy Hofbeck became one of only a handful of women to win four Individual Immunity Challenges. This was a strong, likable cast, from the aggressive play of Joe Mena to the funny one-liners from Ryan Ulrich…and who will ever forget Dr. Mike? Ben had some epic blindsides with his hidden Idols and acted as a double-agent during one of the best stretches of the game. This season also gave us the controversial fire-making challenge at Final Four, which looks to be the future of how the game will play out. Add to this, the model Survivor jury: Not a bitter bone to be found, showing all future seasons exactly how it should be done.
#12: Philippines: A very strong season that had all of the elements of a great Survivor game. It featured three memorable, popular returning players: Michael Skupin, Jonathan Penner, and Russell Swan, all of whom were medically evacuated from their prior seasons. It featured one very memorable villain (Abi-Maria) and several strategic players such as former MLB star Jeff Kent. Perhaps most notably, it was the first (and presumably not the last) appearance of instant all-star Malcolm Freberg. The winner of this season, Denise Stapley, appeared at every single Tribal Council of the season and still won the game. But the lasting memory of the Philippines has to be Lisa Welchel. The former teen TV star (she starred as Blair Warner on “The Facts of Life”) went through a personal transformation as the season played out…not ideal for the game of Survivor but more than what you can ask for when it comes to television entertainment. Overall (besides Abi!) it was perhaps one of the most likeable casts ever, featuring players who knew how to play the game and it ended with one of the most satisfying Final 4s (Skupin, Lisa, Malcolm and Denise) perhaps ever.
#11: All-Stars: Memorable for all of the wrong reasons, this season also was the first fulfillment of every Survivor fans dream: to have our favorite players return to play again! The ratings for this were great, and has led to the producers using returning players many times (South Pacific, Redemption Island, Fans vs. Favs, Heroes vs. Villains, and also Guatemala which saw the return of Stephanie and Bobby Jon).
Ultimately though, this season is much better known for the toll it took in it’s returning contestants. There was previous winner Jenna Morasca, who left the game for her sick mother who passed away shortly after. There was Sue Hawk, who melted down after an alleged “inappropriate” incident with a naked Richard Hatch during an Immunity Challenge.
On the upside, this season gave birth to the “show-mance” between Boston Rob and Amber, who fell in love on the island and worked their way to the Final Two and a million dollars. Who can forget Richard Hatch’s “I’ve been bamboozled!” line? And quite possibly the most memorable and uncomfortable Reunion show followed…who can forget Lex’s utter feeling of betrayal by Boston Rob, or Jerri literally getting booed off the show?
#10: Marquesas: Overlooked because of the one of the least memorable winners EVER (Vecepia), Marquesas was the first season where it seemed the contestants had actually seen Survivor before appearing on the show. To Vecepia‘s credit, she did make some moves toward the end that furthered her game, but she was as uninteresting a winner as ever portrayed on the show. Strategy was the flavor of the day, and most memorably, Marquesas gave us “Boston Rob” Mariano, one of the best to have ever played, although he was eliminated post merge. Neleh and Paschal for me, were two of the most memorable players to never play Survivor again.
It was the first season where you could “give away” the immunity necklace (nobody did this season). By far the most memorable and controversial event this season was the “Purple Rock” tie-breaker. With the first “tie-vote” at 2-2, Paschal, having not received a single vote throughout the game, and in a good position to make it to the end, was forced to pull colored stones out of a bag along with the other 2 Survivors (Vecepia had immunity and did not have to pick a stone.) Paschal pulled the Purple Rock, meaning he was out of the game, despite the fact that the 2-2 tie was between Neleh and Kathy. This proved how “luck” plays into Survivor, but this “random” tiebreak method was also a big factor in following seasons, as people would change their vote whenever a possible tie could have occurred, for fear of leaving the game on account of a Purple Rock.
#9: Blood vs. Water: 27 seasons in, Blood vs. Water added a whole new dimension to Survivor…and that was before the show had even started. In concept, it was interesting, but none of us expected the complex wrinkles of strategy that were created when blood and water mixed in the game. Redemption Island was put to its first good use, adding even more layers of drama to the already intense game. Best yet, it included a fine cast of 10 returning players, each of whom delivered on the memorability scale and some the new players were instantly popular, potential future all-stars (Brad Culpepper, Ciera Eastin, and Big Brother winner, Hayden Moss come to mind immediately).
But it was the dominance of winner Tyson that made the season end on a strong note, a deserving winner who controlled the game nearly from the start. The season included a quit (Colton) and for only the second-time ever, a rock draw at Tribal Council. The Tribal Councils throughout the season were arguably the show’s strongest ever and featured an unpredictability we hadn’t experienced since earlier seasons. The storylines for each character were mesmerizing: Rupert sacrificing himself early on, brothers Aras and Vytas’s rivalry, the mother/daughter drama between Ciera and Laura Morett that led to Ciera voting out her own mother. There were a few slow spots post-merge, but overall Blood vs. Water was a massive success…and undoubtedly it was the first in what will be many “loved ones” formats that will be used in the future.
#8: Palau: Unfortunately and sadly, Palau is remembered most for having featured Jen Lyon, the first Survivor to have passed away, and at the young age of 37 (breast cancer). Inside the game of Survivor though, the season was one of the strongest, and featured a very memorable overall cast, including Jen, but also Stephanie and Bobby Jon. It was the first and only time in Survivor history where a tribe was whittled down to only one…with Stephanie winning a fire-making challenge against Bobby Jon to remain in the game. Her night spent alone at her tribe may be one of the saddest moments in history, and cemented Stephanie in the hearts of many fans. It also had a “happy” ending with fan favorite Tom Westman, the heroic firefighter, winning it all after playing a (by Survivor standards) a morally sound game, and outlasting Ian in the final immunity challenge by remaining on a buoy for over 12 hours.
#7: Panama (Pearl Islands): Panama is best remembered for giving us the big-hearted loyal pirate, Rupert Boneham. At the time, he was like no other contestant before him, and he had a captivating quality much like Russell Hantz, although their game play could be described as polar opposites. Rupert embodied the spirit of his season, which was all about pirates. Unfortunately, this theme also led to perhaps the worst and most controversial idea in Survivor history: the Outcast Tribe, where members who were voted out of the game were allowed back into the game…and one of them (Lill) made it to the Final 2. Apart from all that, this season gave us Sandra, who went on to become the only two-time winner in history. And it also introduced Jonny Fairplay to the masses…one of the game’s most notorious villains, he will always be remembered for his big lie, conspiring with his best friend that if he reached the loved ones challenge (he did) the friend would inform Jonny that his grandmother had passed away (she had not). This move was concocted to gain sympathy, and it worked wonders for him in the game.
#6: Micronesia (Fans vs Favs): A great concept, to pit favorite players against those who supposedly “knew the game” and were big fans. If this were only true! One such “fan” made the stupidest move EVER (sorry J.T. your move in Heroes vs Villains was not as dumb as this), when Erik won immunity and gave…yes gave…his Immunity Necklace away, which promptly got him voted off (this was with five players left in the game!!!….ugh). We saw James get evacuated, Jonathan (one of my personal fav players) leave with a knee injury, and Kathy basically quit. We also saw perhaps the worst looking fake Idol ever, although Jason thought it to be real. The season is now remembered for the emergence of Parvati and the power-female alliance as well.
#5: Cagayan: At the time of its release, this was hands down the best season of Survivor featuring an all-new cast since the show’s inaugural season. Featuring a twist that separated the 18 contestants into tribes of “Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty,” even the early boots were memorable characters. This season featured what has to be (unconfirmed) a record number of blindsides, even blindsiding the audience a few times (How about a Final Two instead of a Final Three? Throwing in an unannounced and unpublicized loved ones visit during the Finale?) Above all though, it featured a cast full of memorable characters that all seemed in it to win it.
Winner Tony Vlachos was an instant All-Star, building his spy shack, giving us several memorable one-liners and finding three Immunity Idols, including the seasons’ “Special Idol” without a clue. Then there was “Chaos Kass,” an individual player whom everybody loved to hate. There was the underdog Spencer, whose roller-coaster experience of highs and lows ranks as one of the game’s best journeys from start to finish. Even the challenges this season were infused with inventiveness, close finishes and come-from-behind victories. It was topped off with a hurt jury that kept their bitterness in check, rewarding the season’s best player instead of voting out of spite. Rarely has there been such a group of players that you root for simultaneously. Maybe most importantly (time will tell), Cagayan – the show’s 28th incarnation – will eventually become even more important in that it reminded the viewers, the producers and CBS alike, that returning players are not a requirement in making this show an overwhelming success.
#4: Millennials vs. Gen-X: Take everything I just said about Survivor: Cagayan and up the intensity by a few notches. In this, the show’s 33rd Season, we witnessed again one of the greatest casts of new players ever assembled, and add to this that they had to be the most likable overall group. Has there ever been more players to cheer for? Personal stories of transformation defined the season, and really got the audience invested in these players. Even the “generational” hook and theme of the season pulled in interested viewers who had maybe turned away from the show over the last few years. But this group played hard, and evolved the “voting bloc” strategy into something a bit more, referred to as a “trust cluster.”
Power players like David, Jay, and Adam all found themselves reaching the epic Finale episode, where things only get more intense. Other power players and future All-Stars, like Zeke and Michaela, were ousted with epic blindsides. Jessica drew rocks mid-season in one of the greatest all-time Tribal Councils the show has ever seen. For the first time in show history, both tribes had to be evacuated early in the game when a cyclone hit the Fiji Islands. This season was so unpredictable, even a wave knocked Jeff Probst on his ass in what has become one of my favorite Survivor GIFs ever. Every single player played hard and came to win, and it ended with another un-bitter jury who was most interested in crowning a deserving winner to what was by far – episode to episode – one of the most enjoyable, strategy-centric seasons the show has ever had.
#3: Cambodia – Second Chance: What an amazing incarnation of the show. 15 years after its debut, this season shows why people love Survivor and are watching after all of this time. It began with hype, excitement, and momentum and never let up, starting well before the season ever began with the first-ever fan vote that determined the cast. With that pressure, all of these “Second Chancers” came to play, and from the first boot to the last, we were treated to unbelievable, wild, unprecedented, and unpredictable blindside after blindside. Each person had a story to tell, a story that we were all already familiar with coming in.
There was the early shenanigans from Jeff Varner who really set the tone for the season. There was incredible use of Immunity Idols, from the blindside of Andrew Savage (when Kelley played one of her two Idols), to the historic Tribal Council (forever memorable) that occurred during the Finale, where two Idols were played, cancelling out ALL votes and resulting in the first-ever 0-0 vote. It was followed by a crazy series of tie-breaks and re-votes that tested the knowledge of even the most stringent Survivor gurus. You can’t ask for much more than all 20 contestants playing hard and playing to win.
But most memorable of all, might be the evolution of the game – 31 seasons and 15 years later – where the “alliance” became replaced by the “voting bloc.” Time will tell if this new way of playing has any legs in the game, but when you see something new – several things – after 32 seasons? You know that Survivor is firing on all cylinders.
#2: Heroes vs. Villains: It was quite possibly one of the best seasons. Love him or hate him, Russell Hantz is captivating to watch, and his presence on the island increased the drama ten-fold. Seen as playing with “weaker” players in Samoa, here he was now with some of the best to ever play. His showdown with Boston Rob may be the most memorable stretch of Survivor episodes EVER.
My favorite part to watch was simply the evolution of the game of Survivor…unlike previous All-Star seasons, nobody quit, nobody was held in a negative light for having won before, and it was game on for all.
Russell‘s ability to talk Tyson right out of the game, the seemingly 50 Hidden Idols that were played, and shared. The game is no longer about providing for others, or one-on-one interaction. Much of the game is now the alliances you form on day one, and your ability to stay true to that alliance. Russell’s finding of Hidden Idols has led to a change in the way future seasons will handle them, calling it the “Russell Factor,” says Jeff Probst. But let it be said again: Yes, an interesting season without Russell. But with Russell, one of the best, and truly memorable seasons Survivor has ever had.
#1: Borneo: Nothing can top the original. The original season of Survivor was interesting to look at, it was unlike everything else on television, and was aired in the summer during a time with little other original programming. The game’s concept was brilliant, but even producers couldn’t have counted on Richard Hatch.
Hatch, the openly gay and often naked original winner of Survivor, birthed the idea of “alliances” in a game where only one player can win. There were many very interesting players, like Greg, Sue, Colleen, and most of all, Rudy, the grizzled vet who befriended of all people, Hatch. Speaking of Hatch, he seemed to have figured out the rules of the game prior to the game starting. The other tribe was dancing around, having fun, and vacationing. When players were voted off it was always simply: Who is not pitching in at camp? Who is the weakest in challenges? When the tribes merged and Richard voted off Gretchen everything changed. Gretchen was strong – why would they vote her off? “She’s a huge threat” Richard would say. It seems silly now, but at the time this was innovative Survivor thinking. Hatch’s game would forever be the blueprint used by all future contestants: Be strategic, be friendly, trust your instincts, and know when to be quiet. Some have done it better than Hatch, many have done it worse. But he was the first, the most memorable part of the best and most memorable season.
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Photo Credit: CBS
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