Survivor is a stellar reality program, deftly mixing the unique survival elements, social gameplay, and physical domination into one complete package. Its end game is quite unique within the reality TV sphere, as the winner is decided by a jury composed of voted-out contestants.
As such, the eventual winners need to find a way to placate the jury members, ensuring that those they had previously voted out come back to vote for them to win. It's a very unique and endlessly enjoyable gameplay element. It has also resulted in a few perhaps undeserving winners. Sometimes the runner-up actually deserves it more than the actual winner.
Russell Hantz
This may be sacrilege, but Russell Hantz truly deserved to win Survivor Samoa. Russell is arguably the most divisive contestant in Survivor history, and viewers either love him or hate him. Similarly, viewers are split on calling Russell the most robbed runner-up in the history of Survivor, or a deserving runner-up who tanked his own game through abhorrent jury management.
Regardless, there's no denying Russell's strategic prowess throughout Samoa. Poor jury management aside, it was one of the most dominant strategic performances in Survivor history.
Parvati Shallow
Russell returned for Heroes vs. Villains, the immediate follow-up to Samoa. Unsurprisingly, he was placed in the Villains tribe. Unlike Samoa, most people agree that Russell didn't deserve to win (he ended up placing third). And while Sandra Diaz-Twine played a very good social game, Heroes vs. Villains belonged to runner-up Parvati Shallow.
She worked alongside Russell throughout the season, proving herself a strategic mastermind and dominant physical force. Parvati's famous idol play against J.T. should have guaranteed her the win.
Rob Mariano
Despite what the name would suggest, Survivor: All-Stars is typically regarded as one of the weaker Survivor seasons. There are many reasons for that, including the disappointing boot order and the infamous Richard Hatch incident.
But a big reason for its disappointment stems from the undeserving winner in Amber Brkich. Everyone knew that this season belonged to Rob Mariano, and even though he didn't officially win (losing in a close 4-3 vote), many viewers consider him the true winner of the season.
Colby Donaldson
The Australian Outback was the second season of Survivor. In some ways, it was a disappointing follow-up to Borneo. Borneo had a deserving winner in Richard Hatch, and when Jeff read his name, millions of viewers were left satisfied and unsurprised.
Not so with The Australian Outback. Many people thought that Colby Donaldson deserved to win, owing mainly to his likable personality and dominant immunity challenge performances, having won five straight. If he took Keith instead of Tina, he likely would have won.
Aubry Bracco
Michele Fitzgerald is perfectly nice, but many people would agree that she didn't deserve to win Kaoh Rong. She says as much throughout Winners at War, in which she hoped to "redeem" and prove herself a winner following her "undeserving" win in Kaoh Rong.
Most people seem to agree that the deserving winner was Aubry Bracco. This is essentially Samoa all over again, in which the strategic post-merge mastermind (Russell/Aubry) ruffled too many feathers and lost to a more agreeable and social player (Natalie/Michele) owing to a potentially bitter jury.
Ozzy Lusth
Cook Islands is a fantastic season of Survivor, and it contains one of the greatest final twos in Ozzy Lusth and Yul Kwon. Yul may have deserved his win owing to his strategic prowess and "brains", but no one would have complained if Ozzy's "brawn" came out on top.
Ozzy was a major underdog at the beginning of Cook Islands before proving himself a commanding physical competitor. He eventually worked his way up to become the core member of Aitu Four and won five of the six individual immunity challenges. Unfortunately for him, he lost to Yul in a nail-biting 5-4 vote.
Gavin Whitson
Edge of Extinction is oft-maligned within the Survivor community. Many fans didn't care for the Edge of Extinction twist, and even more hated that Chris Underwood beat out Gavin Whitson to take home the million. Chris was the third person voted out, but the Edge twist allowed him to re-enter the game.
And while his performance throughout the final days proved commendable, it was his stellar jury management - a jury that was comprised of fellow Edge castaways - that ensured his win. Many believe that someone voted out on day eight should not have won over someone who lasted all game and didn't receive a single vote against them.
Amanda Kimmel
Amanda Kimmel is a Survivor queen, having appeared in China, Micronesia, and Heroes vs. Villains. The latter season proved the only time she was voted out. In both China and Micronesia, Amanda made it to the final tribal council.
Unfortunately, she was unable to secure the win in either season. She perhaps rightfully lost to Todd Herzog in China, but her loss to Parvati in Micronesia may prove more controversial and divisive. She became the first contestant to make it to day 39 on two separate seasons - that distinction alone could have won her the game.
Chrissy Hofbeck
Chrissy Hofbeck was a contestant on Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, and she proved one of the leading strategic players of the season. Her alliances were commanding throughout the season, and her four individual immunity challenge wins ensured her place in the final tribal council.
Unfortunately, she lost to Ben Driebergen in a controversial 5-2-1 vote. Driebergen's win is one of the most controversial in Survivor history, owing mainly to the bizarre and unforeseen fire-making challenge that ensured his place in the finals.
Stephen Fishbach
Stephen Fishbach was one of the leading strategic players throughout Tocantins. Known as The Wizard by Coach Wade, Fishbach and eventual winner J.T. Thomas completely dominated most of the game through their strategic prowess, and it was them (unsurprisingly) who made up the Final Two.
Unfortunately, Fishbach performed quite poorly in the final tribal council, ensuring Thomas's easy and unanimous win. In another universe, it's very easy to see Fishbach winning Tocantins over Thomas.