Top 5 Survivor Seasons That Changed the Game

Over two decades with numerous twists, format changes, and entirely new approaches to the game and the show. Survivor continues to evolve and... yeah, we ain’t finished changing just yet.

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[dwcd_]

Cirie went out with so much class in game changers. If it were me, they would’ve needed to build a new tribal set after I was finished

[chargestone]

Cook islands was
1. The first with a f3
2. The first time an idol was used for leverage
3. One of the biggest underdog stories
4. Brought us a ton of fan favourites
5. Was the first time a split vote was brought up

[matthewburdette]

I think Cook Islands deserved consideration for the first time splitting votes was being implemented, a jury voting brains over brawn, and a strategy of using the idol as leverage to get people to vote with you

[rilenaveen]

Man, I usually agree with Jeff, but what happened to Cirie is probably my most hated moment of Survivor. No one should have to go home with no vote against them.

[noahstoner]

Peridiam didn’t mention that Russel was also the first person to find an idol WITHOUT a clue, proving that it was even possible. Which is a big deal

[francb]

Cirie being advantaged out is Survivor's lowest point in term of gameplay.

[Ganychan]

I think the entirety of Survivor was determined by Richard Hatch. He provided for his tribe so they didn't get rid of him, was a social player, strong physically and in the end ruthlessly strategic. If someone else would have won by being the nicest, or the best at survival, it would have set a whole other tone. Richard is problematic as a person, but as a player he showed what could be done with the game, and demonstrated incredible awareness for its first season.

[emmaww]

Cirie was so graceful in that Game Changers tribal where she had to go home... so much respect and admiration to her, it sucked to see a legend like her go out in that way.

[justinmarshall]

Totally agree with 31 in the top spot. Every season before it had a few strategic leaders and many more followers. But in 31, almost every single player had their own agenda in each round. For example, it was easy in season 20 to tell the story of Rob's alliance vs. Russell's alliance. But starting with season 31, you need to understand every person's motivations to make sense of what's happening, which is often impossible to communicate in 42 minutes. The result is the chaotic/sometimes incoherent storytelling of the seasons since. But the show clearly loves the unpredictability, and I think the shift towards casting superfans rather than recruits has been an effort to replicate the dynamic first seen on 31.

[MrTomScavo]

Peridiam, I just want to say a massive thank you for the amazing videos you keep making - and to all of you for commenting and engaging. None of my friends/family watch Survivor and being able to watch/read people discussing my favorite show with the same passion I have myself - it just brings me so much joy 🙏🏻
Btw, the four black widows smiling after Erik is voted out will forever me my favorite moment from the show 🙌🏻

[noahs]

I would add Kaoh Rong to the list. This season might have had the biggest impact on the format of the show and most people don't even realize it. The strategy this season isn't anything special, but the Caleb medivac coupled with the other two medivacs and multiple other injuries really set the tone for the following seasons. Kaoh Rong is one of the reasons they've taken up permanent residence in Fiji, a much safer location, rather than continuing to visit new and dangerous terrains. This saw a rise in themed seasons and twists(which existed before but became the only option to differentiate seasons until the 40's). The following seasons focus less on camp life and the elements and more on advantages and twists. The challenges are safer, more simple, and get recycled often as well. In addition, Michele's win this season was the catalyst for the change of format to FTC that we see in Game Changers onward. Looking back at seasons 1-30 and comparing them to 31-the present, there's a stark difference. It's the same game of course, but you can feel the changes.

[killwaine]

I super agree with Cambodia. The gameplays in that season were so hyper it was difficult to keep up. Voting blocks were also so chaotic, expectedly so, as the cast were returning players with pregame alliances

[Elbridgina]

Totally agree. All great choices, I never thought of the Game Changers / HHH pivot in game play, but your totally right. All of these seasons (or in that case a block of 2 seasons) were pivot points that have lead us to where we are now.

[dylantorchinsky]

This is a really fascinating topic, I think you chose five really solid seasons that changed the GAME, but I'd love to hear what seasons changed the SHOW. In that category, I'd actually pick EoE. EoE is when we see this direction of the game being dangerous really start to pick up; Jeff clearly LOVED the content of people suffering on the Edge, and now that's been incorporated into the main show. Additionally, throughout the 30s, we see an increased in timed advantages; Legacy Advantages that can only be played at certain tribals, idols with expirations, all these mechanics designed for guaranteed certain outcomes (i.e. with the Legacy Advantage, your finale or your merge will ALWAYS have an idol-like advantage played, guaranteeing a huge episode, right?). The show is increasingly dependent on these moments that they think they can guarantee.

[danjones]

I think an Honorable mention needs to go to All Stars, season 8. It’s popularity gave the producers permission to bring back old players.

[lafoonxiii]

I recently watched Second Chance for the first time after hopping around different seasons in no particular order ( Only started watching the show in earnest last year, and have since watched every season but for a few early seasons and Winners at War). It is by far my favourite season of them all. The gameplay is next level to the nth degree, and IMO hasn't been rivaled since. Millennials v Gen-X and David v. Goliath got close, but I was enthralled every second of every episode for Second Chance.

[jessenorwalt]

1.Micronesia: Black Widow brigade, major backstabs that changed the game, another example of someone running most of the show.
2. Heroes vs Villains/ Samoa: Russels moves with the idols in these seasons were unbelievable. Giving up an idol to someone else and manipulating the votes to give the idol away properly were simply amazing.
3. Game changers: Having multiple winners voted off so quickly, an idol elimination, someone using someone else's gender identity as a weapon in tribal, active tribals. This season brought in a lot of intensity.
4. All Stars: first time one person really controlled the entire game. Also first time romance was used as a major building block for an alliance in a game. Still one of the most brutal backstabs of all time. Rob made an alliance with basically everyone in the game to win, which hadn't really ever been done successfully up until that point. This really was the first season that made survivor a more cut throat game. Micronesia and heroes vs villains completed that, but up until this season the show was much more about survival.
5. Blood vs Water season 27: I think it was a big deal having people being willing to go to rocks at such a pivotal point in the game, and having relatives being brought into the season created a whole new dynamic in the game that had never really happened. It also brought in previous people who had played and new players who had not and basically created a fans vs favorites environment, but having them be related and keeping redemption island with the opportunity to switch with loved ones. In normal survivor that would never happen, but when you bring in relationships from the outside world it could.

[ehdiwarldl]

I think every season has its own strategic/game evolution, but Marquesas final 9 is one of few true modern moments we saw in the early seasons.

[anthonymontagano]

The new Survivor trailer at the end had me dead. Great work Peridiam, you recognize the true Game Changers

[nealsidhu]

Great video! I was expecting 4, 19, and 34/35 to be on this list, but you made some great observations about 16 and 31 that I hadn't thought of before.