Survivor 49 has definitely been a rollercoaster of a season. We've seen two tribes pretty much hanging out in the game's waiting room while the third was just completely annihilated by challenges, a poor camp life, and general misfortune. And as hard as it is to watch, it's also one of the reason we love Survivor—seeing people experience the lowest lows and figure out how to come back from it.
Because by no means is this the first season that we've seen castaways hit this many hard times in the game. This isn't even the worst it's been in the history of Survivor! But if you're loving the drama this current season is bringing, then you're definitely going to want to check out our recommendations below.
If you like cursed tribes...
Kele may be one of the worst starting tribes in Survivor history, but there are plenty more who came before them that set the bar even lower:
- Survivor: Phillippines - The 25th season of the show gave us the Matsing tribe who fans, to this day, still refer back to when a new starting tribe goes down a trail of continuous, epic losses. We call it the "Matsing Curse."
- Survivor: Palau - Season 10 introduced a fan favorite—and Survivor 50 returning player—Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, who made history as the only player ever to be on a tribe consisting of one person.
- Survivor: Fiji - The show's first trip to Fiji, in season 14, came with a twist. The castaways all started together, building a luxurious campsite with endless amenities before finding out they would be split into two tribes and the winner of the first challenge would get the site while the losers would be send to a desolate location with nothing.
If you like rivalries...
We've seen some budding rivalries from Matt Williams awkwardly inviting MC Chukwujekwu into the Hina majority and Jawan Pitts "accidentally" using Savannah Louie's things, but nothing compares to some of the rivalries of Survivor past:
- Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains - Season 20 brought one of the greatest rivalries in Survivor history: Sandra Diaz-Twine vs. Russell Hanz. Russell's need for control and Sandra's quiet refusal to let him have it gave us some of the best confessionals and one-liners, including the iconic, "I'm against you, Russell."
- Survivor: Cagayan - The first season to feature the brains vs. brawn vs. beauty theme, and the 28th season of the show gave us the infamous Spencer Bledsoe vs. "Chaos" Kass McQuillen rivalry. The two both started as allies on the brain tribe, but a series of moves on Kass's end led to the moment where Spencer publicly declared, "Kass, zero chance of winning this game."
- Survivor: Cambodia - The Spencer vs. Kass saga continued in season 31, but it also introduced my personal favorite rivalry in all of Survivor: everyone vs. Kelley Wentworth's idols. Through a series of history-making advantage plays, the phrase, "Wentworth, will not count," became a classic quote among fans.
If you like medical drama...
No one wants to see anyone get hurt, especially in a game as taxing as Survivor. But we have to admit that when it does occasionally happen, it adds a level of investment for us as a viewer because we care about the players. And there are definitely some seasons that had us genuinely worried about the castaways:
- Survivor: Kaôh Rōng - Nothing compares to the heart-pounding intensity of season 32's medical emergencies, including the first time in Survivor history that a challenge ended in an "all hands on deck" predicament that had everyone watching at home feeling panicked, too.
- Survivor: Micronesia - The first iteration of Fans vs. Favorites, season 16 hit us with two back-to-back medical exits that left castaways and fans shocked as we not only had to see two beloved players go home, but their exits also changed the trajectory of the game.
- Survivor: The Australian Outback - The second season featured the first ever—and one of the scariest—medical evacuations in the show's history when a castaway passed out and fell into the fire, burning their hands.