Survivor’s Best and Worst Winners, Ranked: Who’s the No. 1 Champ?
The conclusion of Survivor 45 has us moseying down memory lane, so we’re looking back at the show’s 23-year history to recap and rank the best and worst winners of all time.
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Sure, Tony Vlachos came out on top of Season 40’s Winners at War, but does that necessarily make him the best? As you scroll through our list below, you’ll find our answer is… no. (But he does crack the Top 10!)
Comparing the new era seasons to some of the series’ earliest days can sometimes feel like apples and oranges, but we did our best to consider strategy, social game, challenge wins and overall season dominance. To a lesser degree, we took likability and entertainment value into consideration. (Hey, we’re only human, people!)
So where did some of the greats like Sandra Diaz-Twine, Tina Wesson, Rob Mariano and Denise Stapley land? And where did we place our brand new winner from Survivor 45 (which will be spoiled below — this is your only warning!)?
Read on to review our ranking, then hit the comments below to tell us what your list would look like.
43. Amber Brkich, Survivor: All Stars
This is the season Boston Rob should’ve won. As for Amber, she only pulled out the win because the jury hated Rob so much.
42. Natalie White, Survivor: Samoa
Another result of a bitter jury, Natalie’s greatest move was teaming up with the season’s biggest villain. And even though it pains us to say this: Russell ran circles around Nat and deserved the win.
41. Danni Boatwright, Survivor: Guatemala
Are we a little bitter ourselves after watching Stephenie LaGrossa lose a game she absolutely deserved to win? Yes. But was Danni’s performance mostly forgettable and tame? Also yes.
40. Fabio Birza, Survivor: Nicaragua
Fabio’s “play dumb” technique may have worked, but the season — including his four-immunity run to the finish — was a snooze to watch.
39. Mike Gabler, Survivor 43
The most shocking aspect of the new era’s worst installment is that Gabler somehow became the Sole Survivor. We never once thought he had it in the bag, so consider his win an underwhelming finish to a less-than-stellar season. He did donate 100% of his winnings to charity though, so cheers to him!
38. Tommy Sheehan, Survivor: Island of the Idols
We were admittedly a little distracted when Tommy was inching closer and closer to that million-dollar check, but having said that, we still don’t see any reason to notch him higher.
37. Mike Holloway, Survivor: Worlds Apart
He may have “outlasted” a majority of his competition (while winning a boatload of challenges in the process), but did he really “outwit” or “outplay”?
36. Brian Heidik, Survivor: Thailand
Brian did dominate most of the season, so credit where credit’s due. But was he one of the show’s most unlikable winners while doing it? Yep.
35. Ben Driebergen, Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers
CHRISSY WAS ROBBED.
34. Bob Crowley, Survivor: Gabon
The best fake idol creator of all time! Crowley still holds the title for the oldest Survivor winner ever, so despite his modest showing in this list (the competition is fierce!), at least he has that.
33. Chris Underwood, Survivor: Edge of Extinction
The Edge of Extinction twist is a highly polarizing one, but Chris played the best hand with the cards he was dealt. Don’t hate the player, hate the game!
32. Jenna Morasca, Survivor: The Amazon
Jenna walked so Parvati could run. Her cutesy, flirt-with-the-boys strategy paid off, though it did wear thin after a while. But she stayed loyal to her tribe and won when she had to, outlasting her biggest competition, the strategically dominant Rob Cesternino. Not bad for a 21 year old from Pennsylvania.
31. Nick Wilson, Survivor: David vs. Goliath
Nick linked up with the right people (Mike and Angelina), and through his combined immunity wins, strategy and social game, found himself sitting at the very end. While he may not be one of the most exciting winners ever, we’ve got to admit: The Davids’ Hail Mary play of combining Christian’s idol, Nick’s steal-a-vote and Carl’s idol nullifier? Pretty great.
30. Adam Klein, Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X
Adam flipped on the Millennial tribe, misplayed two hidden immunity idols and somehow still made it to the end. He did help orchestrate David Wright’s ouster though, which paved his path to the million. Fantastic season, OK winner.
29. Aras Baskauskas, Survivor: Panama
We have to admit, watching his beef with Terry was quite amusing, but ultimately, Aras’ bad attitude left a sour taste in our mouths. If not for a poorly executed last immunity challenge that sunk Terry’s game, Aras may not have even made the Final 2 seats.
28. Erika Casupanan, Survivor 41
Don’t blame Season 41’s hourglass fiasco on its destroyer. Sure, the season had a lot of wonky gimmicks, but Erika was able to weave in and out of the new era’s advantage-palooza, influencing key votes on the downlow. The edit seemed to do her game a disservice, but at the end of the day, she deserved the cash.
27. Maryanne Oketch, Survivor 42
Maryanne said it herself: You don’t have to be the best player in the season, you just have to be the best player to make it to the end. She was fun, likable and wore her heart on her sleeve, even during the savage blindside of her island bestie Omar. In a season full of gamers and strategists, Maryanne not only came out on top, but was a hoot to watch.
26. Tina Wesson, Survivor: The Australian Outback
Tina’s loyalty to her original Ogakor tribe and powers of persuasion helped her become the very first woman to win the game of Survivor. Luckily, she attached herself to the castaway winning most of the late-game immunities (Colby Donaldson), so her social prowess paid off in spades.
25. Yam Yam Arocho, Survivor 44
Yam Yam’s strong connection with the Tika 3 gave his group of underdogs a leg up once the tribes merged into one. Despite being on the bottom, he helped his alliance make it to the Final 4, and when he sat in one of the finale’s hot seats, he was rewarded for being the strategist of his crew. If this was a list of the funniest or most likable winners, he’d surely crack the Top 10.
24. Chris Daugherty, Survivor: Vanuatu
In a season that pitted men against women, Chris had to outlast six ladies as the lone male left in the game. The fact that he was able to convince them to eat each other as he slid into the Final 2 more than earns his mid-level spot here.
23. Dee Valladares, Survivor 45
Dee proved to be a solid winner for the game’s new era. She made close bonds early in the game that carried her deep, while securing her safety with three individual immunity wins, including arguably the most important one — the Final 4 challenge. While she technically was a part of a showmance, she never let her feelings for Austin cloud her judgment; she continued making moves and decisions that benefitting her game over his. And that final Tribal Council performance? Not too shabby!
22. Vecepia Towery, Survivor: Marquesas
Underrated. Vecepia knew exactly when to lay low and when to jump ship, eventually helping the season’s outliers overtake the majority alliance. Can we put some respect on her name?
21. Earl Cole, Survivor: Fiji
Yes, it was a lackluster season, but Earl’s dominating game was impressive and no one can take that away from him. Bonus points for being the first person to win in a unanimous jury vote!
20. Wendell Holland, Survivor: Ghost Island
Wendell played against a very formidable opponent in Domenick, but his smartest move? Recognizing his competition and teaming up with him. Using each other as shields and for votes, the men slid into the Final 3 together and in a nail-biting tie-vote finish, Wendell eked out the win. Plus, he won the fire-making challenge, so put another feather in the cap of this very capable, strong winner.
19. Michele Fitzgerald, Survivor: Kaôh Rōng — Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty
We get it. We all wanted Aubry to take home the season, but Michele was no slouch! She played a killer social game and remained extremely adaptable in sticky situations. Plus, she used inner tribe drama to her advantage. So while she maybe wasn’t our first choice, she’s generally undervalued as a winner.
18. Rob Mariano, Survivor: Redemption Island
Rob played a stellar game, yes, but it took him four tries to perfect it. Plus, he played against one of the weakest and worst casts of recruits the show has ever seen. In our opinion, this W deserves a bit of an asterisk.
17. Sophie Clarke, Survivor: South Pacific
Sophie doesn’t get enough credit for her strategic thinking, power of persuasion and overall smarts. Plus, she had to deal with Coach that entire time!
16. Ethan Zohn, Survivor: Africa
Not only did Ethan adeptly navigate the game’s first-ever tribe swap, but his social skills were solid enough to earn him a finalist spot despite losing the last two immunity challenges to Kim Johnson. But at the end, he accomplished what he set out to do: prove that the game can be won with honesty.
15. Todd Herzog, Survivor: China
A strategic threat? Check. Part of a dominating alliance? Check. But that final Tribal Council performance? To quote host Jeff Probst: “That’s how you do it on Survivor!”
14. J.T. Thomas Jr., Survivor: Tocantins
Zero votes for elimination and winning by a unanimous jury vote? No one can take J.T.’s flawless game from him. He also co-created one of the best partnerships the game has ever seen with his alliance-mate Stephen Fishbach. We’ll just pretend his Game Changers and Heroes vs. Villains performances never happened, so we can bask in his very respectable victory here.
13. Sarah Lacina, Survivor: Game Changers
We always felt that Sarah was voted off Cagayan far too soon, and her second appearance on the show proved us right. In Game Changers, she was more assertive and strategic than ever, finding and correctly playing advantages when it mattered the most. By the time she sat in the finals next to Brad and Troyzan, her win was more or less a done deal.
12. Jeremy Collins, Survivor: Cambodia — Second Chance
Not even a season of consistently shifting voting blocks could prevent Jeremy from perfecting his second shot at the million. With the help of some cleverly played idols and meat shields Joe and Savage, Jeremy was able to slide right into the Final 3, winning out unanimously against Tasha and Spencer.
11. Natalie Anderson, Survivor: San Juan del Sur — Blood vs. Water
Despite her sister Nadiya becoming the first player voted out of the game, Natalie was able to regroup, forming strong bonds that carried her far in the game. After her ally Jeremy was blindsided, she relied on her physical strength, smarts and tactical gameplay to get to the end and best the competition.
10. Denise Stapley, Survivor: Philippines
The woman attended each and every Tribal Council this season and still survived to tell the tale! She was also a great observer and a master strategist who cut her No. 1 ally Malcolm when he wouldn’t promise her the endgame.
9. John Cochran, Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites
From his surprising challenge performances to his management of big (and we mean BIG!) personalities, Cochran effectively worked with the Stealth R Us alliance to knock out power players like Andrea and Brenda, and sail his way to the end. While his ally Dawn’s game was largely under-appreciated, nothing could’ve possibly prevented Cochran from running away with the win.
8. Tyson Apostol, Survivor: Blood vs. Water
Third time was the charm for Tyson, who after essentially voting himself out of Heroes vs. Villains, came back to play in a big way. He never once took his eye off the prize, playing a bold and fearless game once his girlfriend Rachel was voted out. He even faced one of the most dangerous rock draws in the game’s history, which gave him a 1-in-3 chance of being automatically sent to Redemption Island. Ultimately, he survived and his gutsiness inched him even further toward his eventual payday.
7. Yul Kwon, Survivor: Cook Islands
Yul is quite possibly one of the most intelligent players the show has ever seen, which makes it surprising that no one tried to take him out early. He successfully found a hidden immunity idol on Exile Island, which he smartly used to get Jonathan Penner to flip. The pivotal move changed the course of the game for the Aitu 4, and in the end, he narrowly cinched the victory, defeating challenge beast Ozzy by a 5-4 vote.
6. Tom Westman, Survivor: Palau
Following in Ethan’s footsteps, Tom set out to play an honest game, and for the most part he was successful. As Koror absolutely decimated the opposing Ulong, Tom led his tribe using fairness and openness, despite competing in such a vicious game. His five individual immunity wins was impressive as hell. As for his social game? Ian threw the final immunity challenge to him simply because he liked the guy! And it lasted nearly 12 hours. When we talk about what playing a clean Survivor game looks like, Tom’s a prime example.
5. Tony Vlachos, Survivor: Cagayan — Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty and Winners at War
Tony’s game was manic, aggressive and turned up to 11, which is exactly what helped him win the game twice. From eavesdropping in his “spy shacks,” to double-crossing allies and finding a super idol, he was able to conquer one of the best casts Survivor has ever seen (Cagayan). When he returned for Winners at War, he learned from his mistakes on Game Changers and adapted accordingly, solidifying strong bonds and keeping a lower profile. After winning the fire-making challenge and rightfully earning his spot in the finals, not even a returning Edge of Extinction player could diminish his accomplishments. (Plus, he was top notch entertainment!)
4. Richard Hatch, Survivor: Borneo
Hatch may have been the first reality TV contestant to ever utter the genre-defining word “alliance.” Playing a brand new game no one had ever seen before, he knew he needed allies, and that if a core group of people stuck together, they could carry themselves to the end. And that’s exactly what he did alongside Sue Hawk, Rudy Boesch and Kelly Wiglesworth. He also knew that come merge, he’d need to eliminate Pagong’s most powerful players right off the bat — sorry, Gretchen! — in order to ensure a smooth path to the end. In short, Hatch wrote the blueprint for how to win a competitive reality TV season and frankly, we’re still shocked he didn’t make the cut for Winners at War.
3. Sandra Diaz-Twine, Survivor: Pearl Islands and Heroes vs. Villains
With her “anyone but me” strategy, Sandra stayed adaptable during her first outing, persuading her tribe to always look at larger targets in the game instead of her. Her social savviness and cunning gameplay quickly made her a legend, and when she returned for Heroes vs. Villains, she was up for the challenge of taking on some of the show’s biggest and baddest characters, including Russell Hantz, Parvati Shallow, Colby Donaldson and more. Plus — and it’s a biggie — she became the show’s first two-time winner. The queen will always stay queen.
2. Parvati Shallow, Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites
Micronesia is ranked very high on our list of Survivor’s best seasons, so it makes sense that Parvati would be near the top here, as well. Helping form the Black Widow Brigade, she established one of reality TV’s only successful all-female alliances, blindsiding an idol-holding Ozzy, while later setting her sights on the rest of the game’s men. She was charming, flirty, manipulative, and oh-so-fun to watch. Her third attempt in Heroes vs. Villains may have been even more impressive, leading many to debate whether Parvati instead of Sandra should’ve become the show’s first two-time winner.
1. Kim Spradlin, Survivor: One World
While her game may not have been as flashy as some of the others in this Top 10, Kim proved herself to be a triple threat thanks to her well-rounded mix of strategy, social skills and challenge performance. One could compare Kim’s game to Tom’s, but she had far more twists and turns to contend with. Despite One World’s chaotic theme, she stayed the course, aligning herself with other powerful women, while maintaining control the entire time. All of our hats are forever off.
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