We’re not quite on pace in the 20s seasons concerning returning, repeat players, but Survivor’s burnout rate of its best and brightest is concerning.
When I first saw the revealed cast of Survivor: Edge of Extinction, I was perplexed about one of the four returning players; Aubry Bracco. Despite her run in Kaoh Rong being one of my favorite underdog stories in the show’s history, she had already come back to the game as recently as four seasons prior in Game Changers.
We’ve all seen the result of such a rushed Survivor journey on Aubry both in and out of the game, with a once-promising legendary player after her first season being edited to a backbench finalist in Game Changers two seasons later and a pre-merge boot in Edge of Extinction, eliminated after holding an idol and an extra vote. Being in purgatory for weeks afterward didn’t help, and it looks like she’s done playing the game for good.
She’s not the first player to come back to Survivor too early and too often after their first season, but it’s emblematic of a key problem the show’s returning player casting has seen; it goes to its well of star favorites too often in a shortened period, effectively killing their longevity with the show.
Seeing familiar faces in quick succession dates back to a pre-HD era, with a shorter shelf life but not quite as repetitive in the long run. Guatemala introduced us to tribe captains in Bobby Jon and Stephenie LaGrossa, representing the last two members of the infamously dreadful Ulong tribe. While that turnaround was rather quick, the show brought Steph back a third time much later, allowing a more breathable reset in Heroes vs. Villains.
The teenage Survivor seasons is where we started to get big pushes from stars players, with both Amanda Kimmel and James Clement appearing in 15, 16 and 20 to round out their careers. Parvati had a similar window, showing up in seasons 13, 16 and 20. Finally, Cirie Fields’ first run came three times through seasons 12 through 20 before getting an impossible-to-win scenario in Game Changers 14 seasons later.
It was the late teens and early 20s where things went a bit overboard with its most popular and “personality-driven” characters. Russell Hantz competed in seasons 19, 20 and 22, and the fact that he was so dominant in his first two seasons he became a dud in all future attempts (including Australian Survivor). Similarly, Coach Wade was on three times out of seven seasons, finding near-success only when being one of two returnees.
Some will argue that their fast flameout in Survivor adds to their legacy, as their longevity in conversations surrounding the best and most enjoyable to watch might be indicative of their fandom. However, I’d argue some of the greatest and most enjoyable to play enjoy a legacy spread out over more extended periods.
Think about some of the returning player winners, for example. Boston Rob is a divisive winner among those who can’t comprehend separating entertainment value with how obnoxiously they were edited (out of their control), but his arc from Marquesas to All-Stars, then Heroes vs. Villains and Redemption Island, peppered in one of the most popular characters of the show’s history in bursts.
Snarky winners have also enjoyed being spread out over the years, too. Sandra Diaz-Twine was great winning in season 7’s Pearl Islands and season 20’s Heroes vs. Villains, and the separation between then and her most recent season 34, Game Changers, shows how well one of the most iconic players can evolve over the years.
Same goes with Tyson Apostol; one of the most hilariously opinionated and comedic winners in Survivor history. His evolution from Tocantins in season 18 through season 27’s Blood vs. Water shows his change from a cocky, overconfident player to a strategic, but selfish, sarcastic narrator to a stealth trickster driven to win and prove he’s as good as he was funny.
Edge of Extinction leaned on Joe, Kelley, and Aubry rather than drawing on some of its other recent standouts who debuted in seasons 32, 35, and 36 (getting David Wright was a great choice), showing that Survivor would rather go with a surefire deal with players appearing three times in five years. Now it seems almost inconceivable that the fan favorites of the 30s are shelved, each ending with arguably lessened legacies for their efforts.