With rumors speculating that Survivor season 38 will bring back returning players, we take a look at which former castaways should make the cut.
With the recent rumors speculating Survivor’s 38th season will see the return of former castaways, fans began to wonder what the theme might be and who would return to the island for another shot at the million-dollar prize. One of the most popular theories is the return of Fans vs. Favorites; a theme that hasn’t been seen since Survivor: Caramoan.
After a lukewarm reception to the Favorites who returned in Caramoan, I began to think about which former players would be perfect for the third iteration of Fans vs. Favorites. While plenty of veterans would be a great addition to the cast, these ten stand out as deserving of another shot at the title.
Devon Pinto, Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers
Devon began his Survivor tenure on the Hustlers tribe. However, the surfer dude seemed to fade into the background during most of the pre-merge episodes due to the big personalities of his tribe. The ongoing drama surrounding Patrick, Lauren and Ali overshadowed Devon’s early gameplay, but his alliance with Ryan would prove to be vital for the rest of the game.
Following the tribe swap and merge, Devon’s game revved up, and his unassuming nature gave way to a social and strategic threat who was able to form important bonds with Ben, Ashley and Chrissy. Devon helped orchestrate multiple blindsides, including JP and Dr. Mike, proving he had the chops to be a serious contender for the title of Sole Survivor.
While his confidence going into the Final Four fire-making challenge against Ben may have cost him the million, Devon’s likable personality paired with his strategic gameplay would serve him well in a Fans v. Favorites season (even though he said he’d only return with his mom, but, you know, we can dream big).