With50 seasonsand 751 players in theSurvivorhistory books, our favorite show has given us so many opportunities to watch our favorite players take on the game, season-after-season. In total, 30% of the total seasons have featured at least one returning player while 15% of players have competed on more than one season.
While we’ve still gotten a great variation of new player and season introductions alongside returning players, it’s always fun to revisit some of our favorite themes and watch the best players get a second (or third or fourth…or fifth) chance.
But which ones are the best, worthwatching again-and-again, and which ones are less beloved by fans? Let’s go through the list and see which returning players' season takes the cake.
15.Survivor 45
The only reason this season is counted is because contestant Bruce Perreault was allowed back into the competition after injuring himself in the first twenty minutes ofSurvivor 44and being removed by medical. When he returned, he continued to act high-and-mighty as the “returning” player with “experience” despite the fact that he literally didn’t even stay long enough in the prior season to play the game.
14.Survivor: Guatemala
After Bobby Jon Drinkard andStephenie LaGrossawere the last two players standing on the Ulong tribe inSurvivor: Palau, they were given a second chance in the following season by returning to play against sixteen new players. It was exciting watching them get a second chance after their tribe was steamrolled the prior season, but it felt a little out of place having only two returning players.
13.Survivor: Redemption Island
When the two returning players are one everyone hates—Russell Hantz—and one everyone adores—Boston Rob Mariano—it’s either going to be an incredible season or a rough one. We’ll call this one slightly south of a draw as Russell was quickly eliminated from the competition and Rob went on to manipulate the game so easily it almost wasn’t impressive to see him finally get his win withthisseason.
12.Survivor: Philippines
In a new twist, three players who had previously been medically evacuated—Michael Skupin (Survivor: The Australian Outback), Jonathan Penner (Survivor: Micronesia), and Russell Swan (Survivor: Samoa)—returned alongside 15 new players. It was great to see those who had previously been taken out of the game during some pretty scary moments get a second chance. Especially fan-favorite Penner who’d first won over viewers duringSurvivor: Cook Islandsonly to break their hearts when he had to be evacuated during season 16.
11.Survivor: South Pacific
The second of back-to-back Redemption Island seasons featuring only two returning players,Ozzy Lusthand Benjamin “Coach” Wade returned for their third season attempt at the title and $1 million. Where Ozzy fell back into his provider and protector role with his tribe, Coach took on more of a cult leader-style approach with his tribe which ultimately led to a predictable Pagonging until only Ozzy—who continuously dominated Redemption Island, earning his way back into the game twice—remained.
10.Survivor: All-Stars
The first returning player season, it was exciting to watch 18 of our fan favorites from the first seven seasons of the show come together for a second chance at winning. And while most fans love this season because of the showmance that blossomed between Amber Brkich and Boston Rob, leading to a real-life marriage that’s stood the test of time. And while this season stands the test of time as well, it’s still fairly average early season gameplay.
9.Survivor: Edge of Extinction
One of the most chaotic new twists that included four returning players—Kelley Wentworth (Survivor: San Juan del Sur,Survivor: Cambodia), Joe Anglim (Survivor: One World), David Wright (Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X),Aubry Bracco(Survivor: Kaoh Rong,Survivor: Game Changers)—evenly distributed across two tribes, once eliminated our returnees—along with the new players—got a second, second chance as they waited out an opportunity to win a spot back in the game on the Edge of Extinction.
8.Survivor 50
The most recent anniversary season ofSurvivorbrought back returning players for the first time in 10 seasons—something fans had beenbeggingfor—and threw them into a semi-fan-voted season that allowed the viewers at home to participate in part of the decisions around production elements. While fans wished they could have voted for the players they wanted to return, there was a good mix of old school, new school, and new era favorites who returned and made the season dynamic.
7.Survivor: Blood vs. Water
An unprecedented twist where beloved returning players were on a tribe opposite a loved one, We saw winners battle their daughters, finalists take on their siblings and partners. It truly elevated the already iconic social experiment by removing the element of “only-strangers” and re-asking the questions, “How far are you willing to go for $1 million…and are you willing to take down a loved one in the process?” For some, the answer was a definitive yes.
6.Survivor: Caramoan
The second Fans vs. Favorites season brought back some of the most controversial and beloved players from the previous ten seasons, including a previous Fan turned Favorite, Erik Reichenbach. While there were some great new additions with the Fan tribe, the Favorites really held down the season with casting including a great combination of heroes and villains, ultimately leading to an insaneFinal Tribal Councilthat really showcased how bitter a jury can get.
5.Survivor: Micronesia
The original Fans vs. Favorites gave us some of the best gameplay and blindsides inSurvivorhistory. With the formation of theBlack Widow Brigade, this season definitely painted how dangerous smart, strategic women can be in the game, part of the reason there have only been three Final Tribal Councils featuring all women since this season—out of 34. But just getting to watch Cirie Fields and Parvati Shallow work together on a season that partially secured their legacy in theSurvivorhistory books makes this a top pick for us!
4.Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
The 10th anniversary season,Survivorasked the question, “When pitted against each other, who takes the W? The golden-hearted strong social player or the cunningly calculating strategic player?” And we definitely got a definitive answer of which archetype of player is more likely to win, setting up a lot of future players’ approach to the game. But twenty returning players for the 20th season was an iconic move for the series and this is still regarded as one of the bestSurvivorseasons of all time.
3.Survivor: Game Changers
Uniting twenty fan favorite and legendary players from all eras of the series,Game Changerstruly changed the game. Some of the most virally talked aboutmoments in television—not just inSurvivor—happened on this season, leaving fans sitting at home on the edge of their seats with their jaws on the ground. Before you could stream the show with Paramount+, this was the one season my cable-less self purchased online to watch week-to-week because of how dynamic it was and how badly I needed to see what happened, unable to wait a few days until it was free.
2.Survivor: Winners at War
In the most celebrated anniversary season to date—sorry,In the Hands of the Fans—CBS brought together twenty past winners to compete for $2 million in honor of the 20 year anniversary of the show. To watch that many people who all knew how to play a winning game—and all knew how each other won their game—go against their fellow winners was one of the best experiences fans could have been given. Though the Edge of Extinction twist is still regarded controversially, it allowed us to stay connected to all our favorite winners throughout the season, which is part of the reasonWinners at Warwas so powerful.
1.Survivor: Cambodia
Simply the fact that this “Second Chance” themed season allowed fans to vote in the players they wanted to see makes it the best returning player season of all time. On top of that, the pool of players we got were so much fun to root for since they all fell into the category of castaways who had only played once before and didn’t win their season. Atruesecond chance that threw twenty completely feral players into the ring together to fight for what they’ve been pining after since they lost their first season: to become Sole Survivor.
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