Survivor has been on since the summer of 2000 and has had its ups and downs. Despite this, it takes a special kind of show to last over 20 years and still be going strong. Players are stranded in the wilderness, typically on an island, at first in tribes, then individually, and compete against one another. They slowly vote each other off and create a jury made up of eliminated players who, in the end, vote between the remaining two or three players to decide who wins a million dollars. It’s a game full of complicated strategy and physical competition that can keep you at the edge of your seat. Season 45 of Survivor is currently in the process of airing and there are many mixed feelings about how it’s going so far. So, if you’re not sure about the current season or are just looking for another season to watch between episodes airing, here are my top five seasons of Survivor I always recommend, and don’t worry, this is spoiler-free!
Number 5: Heroes vs. Villains
Heroes vs. Villains, the twentieth season, aired in 2009 and was a major event for Survivor fans, bringing back the greatest heroes and villains from seasons past. This allows for many big, genius moves that create a season full of non-stop great moments. This is often argued to be the best season of the show, but I find that some of the personalities are quite frustrating and unlikable, making it lower on my ranking. However, the big moments do make up for that, allowing the season to shine. While I would recommend this season, it is important to acknowledge that a season of all returning players spoils many previous seasons, so it’s not recommended for someone who hasn’t seen other older seasons of Survivor. (This also goes for any other returning player seasons on this list).
Number 4: Cook Islands
Cook Islands is the thirteenth season of Survivor and despite having a controversial premise, is able to get past that and becomes a highly entertaining season. The season aired in 2006 and begins with four tribes divided by race. This sort of tribe division has not aged well and is even called out by some of the players in their confessionals during the season. However, the theme is mostly abandoned pretty quickly, despite some focus on stereotypes early on. Once they move away from the theme, Cook Islands turns into a fun, interesting season largely due to a hilarious, entertaining cast with multiple people who would become some of the show’s most iconic players! Cook Islands does a good job of giving you players to root for and a story to follow, making it a great season to go back and watch if you want to get into Survivor.
Number 3: Kaôh Rōng
Season 32 aired in 2016 and took place in Kaôh Rōng in Cambodia. This was also a themed season, the second iteration of Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty, creating three tribes of people who fit into one of those specific attributes. The cast is interesting, gameplay is strong, and the narratives created show great development for the players. However, opinions on this season waver largely on whether or not viewers accept who ends up winning it all. If you can watch a season of Survivor and don’t feel like your overall opinion hinges on who wins, Kaôh Rōng is a great season for you (although I personally love the winner of this one)!
Number 2: Cambodia – Second Chance
Season 31 saw the return of an entire cast of players who had played once before and lost, hence the title Second Chance. This cast was also picked by the fans, making it a mostly strong group of people we were happy to see back. The gameplay is especially interesting and it is a great example of a more modern evolution of Survivor. Not only that, but there are many strong narrative arcs for different players who are trying to revise failures of their previous game. In such a strong season, there are a good number of players who would have been great winners, but the person who comes out on top is definitely deserving.
Number 1: Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites
Last but certainly not least, my ultimate favorite season of Survivor is the sixteenth season, Fans vs. Favorites, which aired in 2008. As the title suggests, it consists of one tribe of fans of the show and another of favorite players from the previous seasons. The group of favorites is well-picked and the fans are entertaining enough to hold their own. This season stands out for many reasons. First of all, it’s incredibly funny. The players will make you laugh a lot, whether that’s intentional on their part or not. Second, it’s chock-full of big moves and blindsides, which start incredibly early on. Practically every episode has a memorable moment and the season as a whole consists of numerous moments that have gone down in Survivor history. Top it all off with a winner AND multiple other players that play all-time amazing games, and Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites easily becomes the best season of Survivor of all time.
While some Survivor seasons may not be worth your time, there are still plenty of great ones to choose from. The five listed are my personal favorites and seasons I find myself going back to most often. These are great seasons to watch when you’re trying to catch up on older Survivor and there still plenty more to continue on with once you get through these five (there are 45 seasons, after all)!