Survivor just wrapped up its 42nd season, which once again demonstrated, for better or worse, what makes a successful season of the show: a great cast of memorable players, twists that make the game better and not worse, and a truly satisfying ending with a winner whom most can agree deserves the prize. Not every season of the hit reality show has been a slam dunk, but a good chunk of them over the past 20+ years have met those criteria and are ranked as the best.
According to Ranker, the 10 best seasons all took place between season 13 and 37. Each winner is regarded by fans as deserving and having played a good game, and the blindsides in these seasons are some of the most iconic and historic.
Survivor: China (Season 15)
Survivor: China has one of the best final three contenders in the history of the show. The three finalists (Amanda Kimmel, Todd Herzog and Courtney Yates) dominated the game so completely with their friendship and alliance that viewers found their appearance as a trio at the Final Tribal Council is immensely satisfying.
What's more, the level of play during Survivor: China was game-changing, for better or worse. James Clement was voted out with not one but two idols in his pocket, and Jean-Robert was blindsided and outlasted by Courtney, one of his bitter rivals. Todd's win was also widely celebrated, with fans still hoping he will play again one day.
Survivor: Philippines (Season 25)
Survivor: Philippines gave three medically evacuated castaways a chance at redemption by having them return to Survivor to serve as tribe captains for the 25th season.
Though the lineup of team leaders seemed a little random at first, the season did not disappoint. Russell Swan's Matsing tribe was famously cursed, losing the first four immunity challenges and causing him to be eliminated pre-merge once again. Additionally, the iconic alliance between winner Denise Stapley and Malcolm Freberg was compelling and drove the season to success.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X (Season 33)
Millennials vs. Gen X had one of the closest casts in Survivor history. The group of castaways maintained their friendships outside of the show, and didn't let any hard feelings hinder. their voting in the Final Tribal Council.
The likable cast coupled with the mind-blowing blindsides masterminded by Jay, Adam, and David made the season worth watching. Adam's story coming full-circle by the last episode as he was crowned Sole Survivor after he vulnerably shared that he and his mother had a dream of playing the game together, but due to her cancer he had to live out their dream alone.
Survivor: David vs. Goliath (Season 37)
After a string of unremarkable seasons, Survivor came back with a bang by delivering one of the best seasons in the history of the show. The cast of David vs. Goliath was one of the best the show had ever seen, and resulted in many fan-favorite contestants such as Angelina Keeley, Christian Hubicki, and Gabby Pacuzzi.
David vs. Goliath added new twists to the reality series, such as the idol nullifier. This twist allowed for the Davids to reign victorious, and Nick Wilson to defeat two Goliaths in the Final Tribal Council. Overall, season 37 was fun, entertaining, and had multiple people to root for.
Survivor: Cook Islands (Season 13)
It may come as a shock that Cook Islands ranked so high on Ranker's list of the best Survivor seasons. The 13th season of the reality show was almost the nail in the coffin, with a theme so controversial that it nearly ended the whole thing.
The cast of Cook Islands was split into four starting tribes divided by race. This twist was heavily criticized, and the tribes ended up swapping and merging only a couple of episodes in. However, once the theme was ditched, the season became more watchable and less uncomfortable. It was also the first appearance of many Survivor legends like Parvati Shallow, Ozzy Lusth, Yul Kwon, and Jonathan Penner.
Survivor: Blood vs. Water (Season 27)
Survivor mixed things up for season 27 by introducing the Blood vs. Water twist. This meant that 10 former castaways would be going head-to-head with their loved ones in a game for $1 million.
This twist led to some of the most legendary moments in the history of the show, such as Ciera Eastin voting out her own mother, fan-favorite all-star Rupert Boneham removing himself from the game for his wife, and Candice and John Cody going off on ex-NFL player Brad Culpepper. This season also resulted in Tyson Apostol's win, proving that he wasn't just comic relief but also a really great Survivor player.
Survivor: Cambodia — Second Chance (Season 31)
The first (and so far only) time fans were allowed to vote for whom they wanted to see compete on Survivor was for season 31. The theme was Second Chance, inviting back previous castaways who had played only once and didn't win.
The all-star cast was made up of Survivor icons including Kelly Wiglesworth from the very first season and more recent favorites like Joe Anglim, Spencer Bledsoe and Ciera Eastin. Not only was the season incredible due to the cast, but it also had a satisfying ending with Jeremy Collins being unanimously awarded the $1 million prize.
Survivor: Cagayan — Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty (Season 28)
Survivor: Cagayan began with a strange theme: three tribes divided by brains, brawn and beauty stereotypes. It quickly evolved beyond its premise and ended with one of the best winners in the history of the franchise.
The 28th season of Survivor proved that even if a theme is initially perceived as ridiculous, it can lead to a wonderful cast and an even better winner. Tony Vlachos played the game in the most chaotic (and entertaining) ways, and the idea of him lasting until the final tribal council, let alone winning the whole shebang, always seemed like an outlandish long shot. Until it didn't.
Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites (Season 16)
Season 16 of Survivor saw fans of the games competing against some of their biggest role models: previous Survivor players. The fans-versus-favorites dynamic led to a conclusion that many knew would be true: the returning contestants were much better at the game than their fans.
Micronesia allowed Parvati Shallow, Amanda Kimmel, and Cirie Fields to really shine. They took control of the game, formed the Black Widow Brigade and made it to the end on their own terms. They did whatever it took to win, and after three consecutive seasons with male winners, they reaffirmed that Survivor is a woman's game too.
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (Season 20)
Heroes vs. Villains is not only the best all-star season for Survivor but the best season overall. First off, the cast was incredible. It was composed of players from nearly every era of the show and had them fitting the roles of the hero and villain archetype.
Having all these contestants on one island together led to iconic alliances and heartbreaking eliminations, such as Cirie Fields getting voted out before the merge for the first (and only) time in her Survivor career. The season also crowned the first two-time Survivor winner, making history and going down as the best season of the reality show to this day.