Every Survivor Season Ranked from Worst to Best

I would guess about 1% (or less) of the world’s population has seen every single second of every single episode of Survivor US. I am in that 1%. “But Jake, who cares? We’ve all binged TV shows before. What makes you so special?” There are 46 seasons, with the 47^th season airing currently. Each season contains 13-15 episodes at 43ish minutes per episode, and after doing some simple math, that is about 19 full days and 4 hours of binge-watching Jeff Probst run the best reality show to ever exist.

This is my first official “rankings” list that has gone public to the many readers I hope find the motivation to share in my obsession with Survivor. If you know me, I love to rank, and I plan to have many more series like this one moving forward. For those that have watched Survivor in the past, great, you know exactly what to expect and will know exactly what I’m talking about in each of these synopses. For those who haven’t seen an episode in their lifetime, at a glimpse, Survivor is a reality game show competition where 16-20 contestants are “marooned” on an island, live in the elements, participate in reward and immunity challenges to avoid going to tribal council where you have to vote out members of your own tribe. The overall goal is to try to make it to the end where one “Sole Survival” is voted on by the Jury of people who also participated in the season, and the reward is $1,000,000.

I’ve applied to be on the show 7 times and attended an in-person casting call in Minneapolis. I’ve failed to get on the show thus far, but that’s what dreams are for, right? Therefore, you know I am a credible source when it comes to these rankings as a Superfan. We are in the middle of the 47^th season of Survivor as it stands, so I will keep this list updated at the conclusion of this season and future seasons. So, without further ado, let’s get into each Survivor season ranked from worst to best (no spoilers in case any of you wish to partake in this journey).

46. Survivor: Nicaragua (Season 21 – 2010)

Man oh man, Survivor: Nicaragua is by far my least favorite season, but it was already dealt a poor hand because it had to follow arguably one of the best seasons Survivor has ever seen. Season 21 started off poorly by separating the two tribes by age, and while the “Medallion of Power” was supposed to balance the advantage of the younger tribe, that dumb twist flopped and wasn’t seen again.

The cast felt unmemorable, with many players lacking the depth and charisma that typically make the game exciting. Additionally, the final Tribal Council felt anti-climactic, as the winner’s gameplay didn’t resonate with me whatsoever, making it hard to root for this person whose victory felt more about the other players’ mistakes than their own standout moves.

45. Survivor: Island of the Idols (Season 39 – 2019)

Survivor: Island of the Idols was a tough one to rank because yes, it was such a poor season, but there were a few interesting things that kept it from being my least favorite season. Two former Survivors were “mentors” for contestants who got sent to the Island of the Idols, which felt more distracting than beneficial. We also saw our first contestant ejection which was both disturbing and entertaining.

The pacing was uneven, with several episodes dragging on and key moments overshadowed by the presence of the mentors. While there were some interesting characters, many felt underdeveloped, leading to a lack of investment in their journeys. Ultimately, the season finished in a victory for a winner whose win felt somewhat unearned compared to the more strategic gameplay from others in the final four.

44. Survivor: Thailand (Season 5 – 2002)

Survivor: Thailand sits as my third least favorite season largely due to the negative dynamics among the cast, with many players prioritizing personal grudges over strategic gameplay. This led to one REALLY funny moment, but overall, just distracting from the game.

The overall pacing felt uneven, and several episodes dragged on without delivering significant developments. However, the season did provide some entertaining challenges and moments of extreme tension. Ultimately, the winner really stood out to me as their strategic gameplay and ability to manipulate the game were incredibly impressive, making this person the highlight of an otherwise lackluster season and my favorite winner through the first 5 seasons.

43. Survivor: Vanuatu (Season 9 – 2004)

While Survivor: Vanuatu ranks low at 43 on my list, the intro clip introducing the players is fantastic and memorable. The season starts by dividing the tribes by gender, and while Survivor: Amazon was successful in doing this the first time, Vanuatu had an overwhelming focus on gender dynamics, which often overshadowed the gameplay and strategic moves.

The cast felt uneven this time as well, with some players lacking depth and others dominating the narrative without much challenge. While there were a few memorable moments, like the fierce competition between the tribes, they were often eclipsed by the drama. Ultimately, the winner was the only standout of the season; after a horrible start in the early days on the island, this player’s resurgence in the final episodes added a layer of intrigue that helped redeem the season in some capacity.

42. Survivor: Fiji (Season 14 – 2007)

Talk about a mediocre season, Survivor: Fiji had a lot of things going for it, but the gameplay was horrendous. The first half of the season was horrible, and the cast was boring minus a few interesting characters. A major alliance was dismantled, and nothing else really happened until the last few episodes, where one of the biggest and most infamous betrayals occurred. That moment still lives on today.

The winner was the standout of this boring season once again, as they were an alternate before the season and called the day before the contestants set sail for Fiji. They never watched one episode of Survivor before going on, and this player was the first ever unanimous winner in Survivor History. The winner’s journey from the first episode to the last makes the season a worthwhile watch.

41. Survivor: South Pacific (Season 23 – 2011)

Season 23, Survivor: South Pacific, ranks as my 41st favorite mainly due to its frustrating elements, like the presence of religious themes that overshadowed some of the gameplay. This is the second season where Survivor experimented in bringing back two memorable players from past seasons to lead the two tribes; a fun idea, but the two brought back this season were meh.

South Pacific often felt predictable and repetitive. However, the ultimate winner emerged as an underrated player who showcased strategic depth, adding a redeeming quality to an otherwise uneven season. Overall, it had its entertaining moments, but the negatives kept it from climbing higher on my list.

40. Survivor 42 (2022)

Survivor 42 ranks as my 40th favorite primarily due to its overall disappointment, especially as the second season after COVID where there was still some excitement. While there were some decent personalities on the cast, many of the strategic moves felt underwhelming, leading to a predictable outcome. There really hadn’t been any dominant strategic players up to this point in the New Era of Survivor, and there definitely was not one in this season.

Ultimately, the winner seemed to secure their victory by default, as no one (in my opinion) played a good enough game to secure the title of Sole Survivor. Despite some exciting moments, the season fell flat, leaving me wanting more from both the gameplay and the final results.

39. Survivor: Guatemala (Season 11 – 2005)

Overall, Survivor: Guatemala, I thought, was a pretty good season with two returnees from the season before being the spotlights. There was solid gameplay, a good cast, and this was the first ever season with the Immunity Idol (which is played at tribal council to protect yourself against votes). However, to me, there was just something missing. The execution and development of the season really never reached its full potential.

While the winner was the right choice in my opinion, the path to victory lacked the drama and intensity you enjoy in a great season. Ultimately, it feels like the season had the chance to be great but didn’t fully deliver.

38. Survivor: Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers (Season 35 – 2017)

Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers sits at 38th on my list mainly because, while the cast was decent and had some intriguing dynamics, how the season played out felt average overall. The introduction of the “super idol” added some excitement but didn’t significantly elevate the gameplay for any particular player.

I think the jury made a mistake in their final vote, as the winner’s gameplay didn’t seem deserving compared to the runner-up. Despite having its moments, the season lacked the memorable highlights that would have pushed it higher on my list.

37. Survivor 43 (2022)

Another disappointing season in the New Era of Survivor is Survivor 43. Two New Era seasons fall in my bottom 10 seasons – and for good reason. It was a disappointing cast and bad gameplay with the exception of two players, neither of whom made the final 3. After the merge, there were some really good episodes, but pre-merge, as well as the final few episodes, drug on big time.

The winner didn’t deserve it, but neither did the other finalists honestly, so an anti-climactic finish to an anti-climactic season felt right for Survivor 43.

Come Back Next Week to See Cinephile Corner’s Next 10 Choices in its Ranking of Survivor Seasons from Worst to Best