Survivor 51 is almost upon us, and the anticipation is at an all-time high. Longtime host Jeff Probst is calling this the start of the Open Era – all previous formats and advantages are a possibility going forward. It marks a shift from the now-finished New Era, a.k.a. seasons 41 through 50.
In a show that relishes in creating legends, Survivor has seen its fair share of memorable players in recent seasons. Prior to Wednesday’s season premiere, let’s take a look back at the New Era players that separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
Note: Selections on this list are limited to players who made their debut between Seasons 41 and 49.
Survivor Rankings: Best New Era Players
#10: Charlie
If this list was written one year prior, Charlie may have ranked inside the top five. Instead, a disappointing run in Survivor 50 sends him to the back of our list. Still, don’t let one pre-merge boot diminish all of this Swiftie’s accomplishments. Charlie’s work on Season 46 was nothing short of terrific, and there’s a case to be made he deserved the win. Controlling a dominant Siga tribe during pre-merge, the Boston native helped orchestrate three straight vote-outs. Each person that went home was in possession of a Hidden Immunity Idol. Then, he blindsided former number one ally Maria at the Final Six.
Season 46’s Final Tribal Council is where things fell apart. If not for a strangely bitter Maria on the jury, Charlie likely forces a 4-4 tie with eventual winner Kenzie. If that were to occur, third-place finisher Ben likely gives his buddy the deciding, million-dollar vote. Still, we can’t delve completely in what-ifs. There’s a case to be made Charlie placed his trust in too small of a circle, leading to him coming up just short. Regardless, no player this season had stronger control of the game on a strategic level. That gives Charlie the edge over Kenzie, at least for the purpose of this list.
#9: Rizo
When fans got their first glimpse of the Season 49 cast, there was one early standout: Rizo a.k.a. RizGod. Despite his first impression being that of a total goofball, the New Yorker soon proved to be an all-around threat. Whether it was his affable personality or strong strategic mind, Rizo made the best of almost every situation. To kick things off, he and number one ally Savannah (more on her later) were power players on the Uli tribe. However, the two soon found themselves on the bottom post-merge. Instead of getting picked off one by one, Rizo successfully bluffed his Hidden Immunity Idol all the way to the Final Four. Unfortunately, an inability to make fire sent him home against none other than Savannah.
Rizo was a bit of a controversial choice to return mere months later for the star-studded Survivor 50. Regardless, he proved his worth relatively quickly. Despite offering next to nothing at camp, the Gen Zer warmed up to old school legends such as Colby, Cirie and Ozzy. It was with the latter two that he formed one of the season’s most important post-merge alliances as well. Unfortunately, another dismal showing in fire making doomed RizGod to a second consecutive fourth place finish. All things considered, not the worst pair of outcomes for a guy that was written off by plenty of fans.
#8: Erika
Perhaps the most difficult player to rank, it feels like we don’t fully know the extent of Erika’s winning game. Season 40 featured one of the show’s worst edits, deliberately leaving out key information for viewers. That’s a shame, because Erika was truly a force on the beaches of Fiji. As a member of the Luvu tribe, the Canadian was fortunate enough to avoid Tribal Council during the pre-merge. Then, an Earn the Merge twist granted Erika the infamous Hourglass advantage. She was essentially able to determine which six players, including herself, would be granted immunity at a pivotal Final 12 vote.
From there, Erika managed to form new alliances while pulling strings on several key vote-outs. Together with best friend Tiffany, she directed votes without drawing too much attention. In many ways, her knack for staying under the radar provided a blueprint for other New Era winners. This culminated in a dominant 7-1-0 victory at Final Tribal Council over Deshawn and Xander. Admittedly, an eighth-place ranking falls on the lower end. However, it’s also difficult to justify anything higher. This was a perfect set up: dominant starting tribe, game-breaking advantage and several big players that possessed limited strategic ability. I’d love to see Erika in a returnee season, this time with a much bigger target on her back.
#7: Genevieve
The best players don’t always win Survivor. Even Jeff Probst has said just as much. Few New Era players prove that statement better than Genevieve. On Season 47, she served the role of ‘Dragon’: the massive threat that any other potential winner would need to take out before Final Tribal. Despite operating from a disadvantageous position for much of the jury, Gen used ever-shifting alliances to prolong her stay in Fiji. Shocking blindsides of Kishan and Caroline (the latter move referred to as Operation Italy) turned plenty of heads. However, Genevieve’s position at the bottom of her tribe proved insurmountable; an immunity loss at the Final Five essentially ended her game.
Brought back for Season 50, Genevieve went to work building a strong alliance on the Beka tribe. Unlike Season 47, she was operating as a favorite rather than an underdog. Unfortunately, a string of bad luck ruined the Canadian’s chances at winning the game. She maanged to find two different idols…but they were of the Boomerang variety and had to be sent to another tribe. Even worse, the devastating Blood Moon twist broke her off from her allies. It was a cruel twist for someone that positioned themself better than almost everyone else on an all-returnee season.
#6: Rachel
Genevieve may have been the greatest threat force on Survivor 47, but Rachel was the ultimate all-around player. Despite playing on cruise control for most of the pre-merge on Gata, a shocking vote out of close ally Anika served as a wakeup call. From that point on, she managed to stay afloat through several factors, including a savvy immunity idol play at Final Six. Even more important, Rachel managed to spearhead the elimination of top rival Genevieve at Final Five. It was a much-needed development for a resume that lacked one massive strategic move.
A physical and puzzle threat, Rachel eventually tied the record for individual immunity challenge wins by a female competitor. That’s often used as a critique of her game, however; if not for challenge wins, she likely goes home. Still, that sells short Rachel’s social and strategic game quite a bit. She was the last person on this entire cast to receive a vote. She also became the first female Sole Survivor to save herself in a vote thanks to a Hidden Immunity Idol. The end result was a dominant 7-1-0 victory in Final Tribal Council, leaving little debate over who deserved $1 million dollars.
#5: Savannah
As previously mentioned, Rizo was a power player on Season 49. However, he wasn’t the main catalyst that season. Close ally Savannah was the biggest threat for much of the post-merge, with her name seemingly tossed out every week by rivals. However, a combination of strong strategic moves and physical prowess earned the newscaster a dominant victory down the stretch. Her four individual immunity wins were tied for the most ever by a female contestant, making history en route to a FTC win.
With that being said, Savannah’s greatest drawback was a lack of connections with the rest of her cast. Survivor is a social game, after all. Still, there are always exceptions. That didn’t quite pay off on Season 50, but it wasn’t exactly an ideal scenario. Despite being the third person voted off, fellow cast mates questioned Savannah, due in part to a lack of information on who won her season. It was a perfect storm of bad vibes, making it nearly impossible for her to reach the merge. If she came back on a future season, Savannah would have all the tools needed to make a run.
#4: Jesse
This might be a bit too high for Jesse in the eyes of several fans. For starters, Season 43 is often discredited (foolishly) as a subpar edition of Survivor. In the eyes of many viewers, this wasn’t a Murderer’s Row of players. That last point might have some merit, but it doesn’t discredit an overall impressive game being played by this strategic mastermind. Alongside number one ally Cody, Jesse determined who went home on pre-merge tribe Vesi. Following the merge, he helped dictate the blindside of several key players such as Dwight and Noelle.
Most of the praise for Jesse’s season is due to his shocking blindside of Cody at Final Six. While cutthroat, it was the kind of bold gameplay that made sense on paper. It removed a massive winner threat, placed an advocate on the jury, and netted a much-needed Immunity Idol. The plan was almost foolproof. The downside for Jesse was a complete inability to win challenges, eventually proving to be his downfall. During the Final 4 fire-making challenge, he was taken out by fellow ally Gabler. It was an unceremonious end to an otherwise pristine game. Had the fire-making twist not been added back in Season 35, there’s a good chance Jesse secures a spot in Final Tribal Council. Alas, a fourth-place finish on this list will have to suffice.
#3: Yam Yam
Survivor history is littered with players that have conducted all different kinds of winning games. While some have gone far due to physical strength or well-played advantages, others have played a relatively laid-back game. That was the case for Yam Yam, who rode the underdog Tika Three alliance all the way to $1 million dollars. Season 44 co-conspirators Carolyn and Carson had their moments, to be fair. The former was a big personality that grew into a fan favorite, while the latter was a puzzling (literally) strategic threat.
However, it was Yam Yam that was the most well-rounded. The Puerto Rican, a character in his own right, did the best job of the three in forming connections with the rest of the jury. In addition, unlike several other winners, he didn’t need much in terms of immunity challenge wins or hidden advantages. That was despite starting out in a clear minority alliance, a fact that shouldn’t be overlooked. Although a couple other players have surpassed him in recent years, Yam Yam remains an elite New Era player.
#2: Kyle
Survivor 48 isn’t looked at too fondly, and for good reason. Still, that shouldn’t prevent fans from recognizing one of the best winning games in recent memory. On a cast loaded with big names, stubborn players and ever-changing alliances, Kyle navigated it all better than anyone. Perhaps his most savvy move was a secret alliance, formed with another quality player in Kamilla. Together, the two kept their pulse on almost every corner of the game, all while shielding the other from outside threats. A massive Final Four win set up a dominant late game win. At Final Tribal Council, Kyle successfully painted allies Joe and Eva as passive players, earning a 5-2-1 vote in his favor.
One year later, Kyle made his return for Survivor 50. Unfortunately, his stay would be short-lived. A crushing early injury led to a med-evac at the end of episode one. Prior to his untimely exit, Kyle had positioned himself well within the Beka tribe. A strong bond was formed with fellow power players such as Colby, Genevieve and Q. Had he not exited, a second consecutive merge appearance would have been within reach. Given what a high-profile target Kyle was entering the returnee season, it’s quite the accomplishment. Hypotheticals will only take you so far, but it was a brutal blow for one of Survivor’s most promising new winners.
#1: Dee
There wasn’t much doubt as to who would take home first place on this list. With respect to the likes of Kyle and Yam Yam, Dee is unquestionably the New Era’s most dominant player. Never the flashiest name on Survivor 45, Dee led the Reba Four alliance all year en route to a Final Tribal Council appearance. Combining remarkable social skills with opportunistic challenge wins, the Miami native left little doubt for the jury when positioned against ally Austin and goat Jake. The end result was an easy 5-3-0 vote in her favor.
As is the case for any returning winner, Dee was a massive target on Survivor 50. However, she still managed to reach the jury in a season that wasn’t very kind to previous winners. She exercised a decent amount of control on the Kalo tribe, including a pre-merge blindside of Charlie. However, revealing Rizo’s hidden immunity idol to Emily ultimately proved costly. That, coupled with the distrust of Coach’s alliance, ultimately led to her downfall. Still, a second appearance on the jury doesn’t diminish the most dominant New Era win; in fact, it bolsters it. No player in the previous ten seasons of Survivor has combined this level of social, strategic and challenge prowess.
