Survivor returns tonight for it’s 23rd season, South Pacific, where a group of 18 castaways will battle it out to become the latest sole survivor. So, what better time to rank all the previous winners?
Survivor debuted in the year 2000 on CBS, instantly becoming a cultural phenomenon, reaching an audience of over 50 million, and made house-hold names out of contestants such as Richard Hatch, Rudy Boesch, Sue Hawk, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Jerri Manthey, and Colby Donaldson. The game has evolved over the years, new twists have been added, and viewers have dropped off, but Survivor still holds a loyal audience of around 13 million, who tune in week after week to see whose torch will be snuffed next, and who will be crowned the latest sole Survivor.
There have been 22 seasons of Survivor, and 21 different winners. Each winner brings something different to the table, their strategies (or lack thereof) vary, and every one of them has had the ability to outwit, outplay, and outlast their fellow competitors. But who are the best winners? Who out of all 21 would have the best chance of winning over and over again?
I have tried to be as objective as possible in my ranking, putting aside personal favourites, and looking at who had the best overall game. There are three key factors that I have focused on when ranking a winner: strategy, social, and control. I have trawled the internet, reading various blogs, and Survivor related websites, such as Survivor Sucks, Digital Spy, and Survivor Skills, and have taken in to account the wide variety of opinions on who they believe are the best winners.
So with that, on to the list…