The Survivor 50 cast reveal has been all that us superfans can talk about this offseason. No matter how this anniversary cast broke down in the end, there was going to be controversy. But between the vocal big names who were snubbed, the lack of ANY representation from seasons 19-30, and the new era superstars left on the cutting room floor, there's a niche contingent of players I have a soft spot for that aren't discussed nearly enough.
With every new Survivor season, the odds of certain "old school" (in this case, pre-Heroes vs. Villains) contestants making a return lessen. There are numerous one-time players from this era who I think many fans would get a kick out of seeing return in a modern season to see how they adapt to the game's evolution!
There are plenty of reasons some of the players listed below haven't returned, be it production not wanting them, schedule conflicts, or simply the players themselves having no desire to be stuck on an island again. Regardless, in chronological order, here's a collection of 10 "old school" players we haven't seen since their first season, but still deserve a chance to return, if not on Survivor 50, then hopefully some time in the future before it's too late!
1. Greg Buis (Borneo)
He's been the subject of unhinged online dream casts for two decades and counting. The creator of the coconut phone has practically fallen off the face of the earth since he made millions of people laugh during his stint on Survivor: Borneo in the summer of 2000.
Despite being asked to return several times, and even allegedly almost making it onto Blood vs. Water, Greg has sadly never been back on our screens. In all honesty, I'd take just about anybody from the post-merge of Borneo back on the show to see how the players from the original Survivor season would play in the game they had a part in creating.
What makes Greg a unique choice is that, unlike previous Borneo returnees (Jenna and Gervase), I think Greg could throw a wrench in the strategy-heavy meta game we have today. Greg had plenty of game savvy in Borneo. Richard Hatch saw him as the biggest threat to his game if he took the game seriously. The catch to that is, he didn't.
On a return, would Greg put his intelligence and social savvy to work? Or all these years later, would he still be the man who wrote down Jeff Probst's name at Pagong's first tribal council and asked the final two to pick a number between 1-10 to decide his game-deciding vote? Also, would we get a coconut phone with apps this time around?
2. T Bird Cooper (Africa)
T Bird still loves Survivor, as evidenced by her connections to the Rob Cesternino podcast universe. She still wants to play, as evidenced by her being one of the 32 former castaways chosen for the Survivor: Cambodia fan vote (and tragically missing the final cut).
T Bird was loved by audiences. Her personality shone during her turn on the show's third season in Africa. So, with her deep connection to the Survivor community, ties to a beloved old school season, and obvious desire to prove herself on the island, how have we been deprived time and time again of her return?
3. Sean Rector (Marquesas)
Possibly the biggest question mark in the history of Survivor casting is how Sean Rector has yet to make a return after his time on Survivor's fourth season. A dynamic personality AND strategic mind, Sean helped lead the first great power shift in Survivor history, helping pave the way for winner Vecepia Towery.
In addition, between being Survivor's greatest newscaster (pre-Rick Devens), his equal parts hilarious and emotional reward trip with Paschal, and his iconic "checkmate bruh, you thought you had me" voting confessional, Sean is a superstar in a season that has continued to be viewed more and more favorably by fans as the years have gone on. He was a snub for the All-Stars cast and has somehow slipped through the cracks time and time again. If he'd been auditioning for a new era season, Sean would probably be among Jeff Probst's dream players. So, how has he not made his return yet?
4. Vecepia Towery (Marquesas)
One of the top contenders for Survivor's most underrated winner, Vecepia played a high-level social game as she became Marquesas's sole survivor. She formed the bonds necessary to flip the game on its head in an era where that big a move had never been executed previously.
Perhaps being on a season with personalities like Boston Rob, the aforementioned Rector, and Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien made V the unfortunate odd woman out. But to see her gameplay in a new era setting would be a breath of fresh air! Heck, put her and Sean on the same beach again! Their conversations almost 25 years on would be insightful television gold, I'm sure!
5. Burton Roberts (Pearl Islands)
I would argue that Burton's Pearl Islands game was just ahead of its time. One of the first players to ever return to the game AFTER being voted out, Burton could've pulled off a Chris Underwood-type win 31 seasons early if it weren't for the queen herself, Sandra Diaz-Twine.
Burton took advantage of his return, teaming up with all-time Survivor villain Johnny Fairplay to blindside fan favorite Rupert Boneham and take control of the game through the Final Five. Sandra ultimately turned the remaining women in the game against Burton and Fairplay, and she voted out Burton a second time before his master plan could be completed. Burton in many ways played a "new-era" game before it was cool, so let's give him a chance to play that game nowadays with like-minded players!
6. Ian Rosenberger (Palau)
One of the most emotionally deep stories in all of Survivor. Ian's complex relationship with Tom Westman and Katie Gallagher through the final episodes of Palau is exemplary of Survivor at its most emotionally raw. In feeling great remorse for his actions over the course of the game, and the friendships he felt he'd betrayed, Ian spent the ten-hour-long final immunity challenge thinking about what mattered to him most. Ian came to the decision that his friends and his honor was worth more to him than the chance to win $1 million, and he dropped out of the challenge so Tom could vote him out and take Katie to the Final Two.
In a game where so many people put who they are as people to the side in order to lie, cheat, and steal, Ian saw the two sides merge. I would love to know if, with more life experience, would Ian still feel this way. Or maybe with the benefit of time and an evolving game, Ian could use his social and strategic savvy with full force.
7. Dreamz Herd (Fiji)
Another complex dynamic in the history of Survivor is that of the Dreamz/Yau-Man "truck deal." Probably THE reason we still don't have car rewards on Survivor anymore, Dreamz Herd became a villain both to his fellow castaways and to America when he betrayed Yau Man Chan at the Final Four of Survivor: Fiji after previously making a deal with Yau-Man to give him final immunity if he won in exchange for Yau's hard won Ford Super Duty.
Dreamz, who didn't own a car before playing the game, and who had grown up in hard economic circumstances much of his life, had plenty of reason to do all he could to win the million dollars. But in doing so, he became the subject of Survivor infamy, turning heel on Fiji's biggest star. He lost the Final Tribal vote to Earl Cole and hasn't been on our screens since. Dreamz has done a lot in his life post-Survivor. Now married with a family, what would an older, wiser Dreamz do in the game now? Would he still have the ability to play cutthroat if needed? Would he play to loyalty to redeem his younger self? Regardless, I want to see!
8. Natalie Bolton (Micronesia aka Fans vs. Favorites)
The only member of Micronesia's beloved "black widow brigade" to never return, Natalie Bolton was one of the stars of the "Fans" tribe in a season which focused more on the returning "Favorites." Her and the black widows's convincing Erik Reikenbach to give up individual immunity is still one of the greatest examples of social manipulation in the history of reality television. And beyond that, Natalie played the game with a confidence and intelligence you typically only get out of players playing for a second time.
Despite being a Heroes vs. Villains alternate, we have still yet to see Natalie return. And when even ERIK has had the chance to play again, Natalie's snubs get worse with every year that goes by.
9. Jaison Robinson (Samoa)
Jaison may be too busy being a literal astronaut to play a silly little game like Survivor these days. But dang it, I just love this guy so much and want him back on my screen. In a season hijacked by the Russell Hantz show, Jaison became a second in command of sorts, and the only player who seemed to have some ability to steer the wild man of Samoa. He was a player who seemed much more active in the Foa Foa four's gameplay than we ever really got to see on screen.
Jaison was the first player to buy an advantage for all his money at the Survivor auction, and a player who articulately and artfully exposed Ben Browning's problematic behavior before promptly getting him voted out, Jaison seems like the type of player who could easily become a legend upon a return... again, if he's not too busy going to space.
10. Natalie White (Samoa)
This may be a hot take. The second winner and second Natalie on this list, it seems like an afterthought that Natalie was the winner of this season.
Another victim of the Russell Hantz show, Natalie clocked Russell's game for what it was early on... aggressive and flashy with zero substance. Through Natalie's relationship building and Russell's idols taking all the bullets from the opposing Galu tribe, the Foa Foa four dominated the post-merge of Samoa.
In the end, Natalie found herself in the perfect position between Mick, who had very little game to speak of by day 39, and Russell, who, in all his bombast, seemed to forget basic human decency. This paved the way for Natalie to become Samoa's Sole Survivor and ride off into the sunset. Could this kind of game be repeated in a returnee season? Probably not. Would I be FASCINATED to see what a player like Natalie would do without a Russell Hantz around? Definitely!
There are so many players of Survivor with the potential to return. I can only hope that a few of these underrated, underedited, or forgotten diamonds in the rough get a chance one of these days. Survivor has so much history, and I think some of these players may have a bit more history-making left in them!