All the winners of Survivor, CBS‘ historic reality series created by Charlie Parsons, are iconic in their own right. Each one conquered their time in this pulse-pounding game and, through their unique means, managed to snatch that $1,000,000 prize and the title of ‘Sole Survivor’. Yet even in this pantheon of the series’ most accomplished competitors, some individuals aren’t appreciated for just how much of an impact they had – not only on their season but the series as a whole.
These people may not be as commonplace for fans as winners like Sandra Diaz-Twine or Tony Vlachos are, but that doesn’t mean their wins aren’t just as astounding (if not more). These are the players whose mastery was unmatched, whose unique style broke new ground, and whose time on the game saw them overcoming things no other person in the program’s history has ever had to endure. They are underappreciated, in every sense of the word, and it’s time they were recognized for just what they managed to accomplish in their tenure on the show.
Survivor
- Release Date
- May 31, 2000
- Cast
- Jeff Probst
- Seasons
- 46
- Studio
- CBS
- Creator(s)
- Charlie Parsons
8 Natalie White
Season 19: Samoa
One of Survivor’s most controversial winners, it’s often forgotten just how much of an impact Natalie White had on her season. Her time on Survivor: Samoa saw the woman quickly be recruited into the diabolical plans of notorious villain Ruseel Hantz; her partnership with this man (who’s considered by many as the series’ biggest villain) saw Natalie become a core member of what quickly became the season’s power alliance. While many claim that Natalie ‘rode coattails’ the entire game and only made it to the end because of Russell, it’s unfair that he’s lauded for his rampant deceit, but the essential relationships she made with other players are ignored.
Many people on the island considered her a friend and this meant she was almost always aware of tribal dynamics, key information that proved essential for many of Russell’s plans and making her just as much of an asset to him as he was to her. As Erik Cardona surmised in Final Tribal, Natalie used kindness and genuine care for others to get to the end of the game, a unique approach that definitely deserves appreciation.
7 Sophie Clarke
Season 23: South Pacific
Sophie’s win is historic because, while the young woman was not the most offending force, she is arguably one of her season’s major villains. Competing in Survivor: South Pacific, Sophie quickly found herself in alliance with the infamous Benjamin ‘Coach’ Wilson; while this early alliance with him and some other tribe members was an asset, many on the island (and at home) were unnerved by the religious tone their group quickly took on. While Coach and the others used the wrath of God to keep each other in line, Sophie utilized this fanaticism and took subtle control of the overconfident men she was working with by becoming one of their lead strategists.
This alliance brought her to the top three – where the trio was criticized for their creepy cultish behavior and their brutal backstabbing of many people on the jury. Sophie especially was criticized for her perceived ‘bratty’ behavior, something she apologized for and said she would work on, but her attitude did not take away from the fact that she was able to corral a group of men into acting as her shields and muscle. She succinctly detailed how, yes, she may not be the heroic figure they wanted, but her prowess in the game was unmatched and her ‘sins’ were much more digestible than those of the men sitting next to her. This eloquence won her the game, and though most like to focus on just how wild this season became, it can’t be forgotten just how exceptional Sophie was in it throughout.
6 Erika Casupanan
Survivor: Season 41
The first winner of Survivor’s ‘Modern Era’, Erika’s game was unlike any that came before her. A part of Survivor 41 who were the first group of players after the show’s Covid-19 hiatus, Erika had a target on her back early into her run that she managed to foil at every step. With a mixture of good luck and great reads on the surrounding individuals, Erika evaded multiple attempts to target her (even a failed try to throw a challenge) and made it to the merge despite her growing reputation as a strategic powerhouse.
From there, she subtly began to manipulate those in the power alliance, forming deep relationships with anyone she needed to, so she and her main ally, Heather Aldret were safe. She was a key mastermind in getting arguably the season’s strongest player, Shan Smith, out, by turning her alliance against her, and from there Erika gathered the group’s underdogs to completely dismantle the alliance that had run the game for half the season. Her game was an understated one that focused more on subtle control of her situation rather than flashy moves, a quiet conquering that paid off exceedingly well when she was voted as Sole Survivor. Erika had to overcome so much both within the game and outside of it, and she deserves credit for playing so proficiently with so much stacked against her.
5 Earl Cole
Season 14: Fiji
Earl Cole is a truly unique winner when it comes to Survivor because of just how calm and collected he managed to stay throughout his tumultuous season. What got Earl to the end of Survivor: Fiji was a simple truth: the man was liked, and he knew it. His close relationships with others in his tribe, like Yau-Man Chan, meant that he was rarely on the outs of their majority alliance and, on a season filled with macho men intent on asserting their dominance, his easygoing personality was a boon that attracted many of his tribemates.
He used this affability to become a core member of the game’s power alliance and worked with his closest allies to take out anyone who posed a potential threat – a smart strategy that unfortunately made him vote out Yau-Man in the final four. The final tribal council is the only time people truly began to understand just how cunning this kind man was; his ability to succinctly respond to all their questions swayed anyone who was questioning his expertise to his side. Even when being called out for voting Yau-Man off, his simple explanation of ‘If you made it to the top three, I wouldn’t win’ emphasized his soft-spoken grasp on the game, an exceptional playing style that is rarely seen and led to the show’s first Survivor to win every vote to win.
4 Kim Spradlin-Wolfe
Season 24: One World
A chaotic season of Survivor often produces the best winners, players who have to overcome the usual gameplay along with whatever mess their fellow players manage to create. While she had some setbacks, Kim Spradlin-Wolfe was able to do just that, winning Survivor: One World with a level of skill that has rarely been seen since. Always poised on a season filled with numerous players whose outspoken cruelty would make modern audiences gasp, she quickly rose in the ranks in this gender-divided season to lead the game’s most stable alliance (though that’s not saying much).
She was liked and trusted by a majority of the people in her tribe and even after a merge saw the genders combine, she used her friendly nature to turn many of the men against their former teammates. This control allowed her to pick off players as she wanted, with a group of loyal followers supporting her along the way. From convincing players like Kat Edorsson and Alicia Rosa to destroy their games (and helping her in the process) to becoming a certified challenge beast by winning 4 immunity challenges during her time on the show. With that many accolades and clear mastery of the game, it’s no wonder she eventually wins the season, pulling off numerous impressive feats most players are lucky to achieve one of.
3 Vecepia Robinson
Season 4: Marquesas
Vecepia Robinson, winner of Survivor’s 4th season Marquesas, was a first for this series in so many ways. Not only was she the first Black person to ever win the show, but her strategy of silently shifting among existing alliances to secure herself the safest place in the game was an unheard-of tactic at the time she played (more than two decades ago). She was an amiable character who was discounted by many for her goofy yet gentle demeanor; despite this assumption, she was always watching, taking notes in the journal she was allowed to bring and learning vital information about the lives (and strategies) of her fellow players.
This knowledge and ability to meld into any group helped her make it far in the game and her willingness to vote out anyone – even allies like ‘Boston’ Rob Mariano – allowed her to appear docile to all the players with power. Because of this, it wasn’t until the final four they finally realized what a threat she was, as her immunity challenge win secured her final 3, her kindness throughout the season secured her final 2, and finally, the way she successfully played under the radar secured the jury’s votes for her to eventually win the season. She developed some of the ingenious strategies modern players still try to replicate today, making her a player of many firsts who’s to thank for so many of the iconic strategies fans love today.
2 Todd Herzog
Season 5: China
On Survivor: China, Todd Herzog found himself as one person in a cast of many loud personalities who each seemed convinced that this season was theirs to win. Todd recognized this – especially from the large men in his starting tribe – and saw one thing: an opportunity. He formed tight bonds with the visibly dominant players and used their trust and status as visible threats to shield his fierce strategy. He gained his footing quickly and, with his historic alliance of Amanda Kimmel and Courtney Yates, began to pick off any player who couldn’t help him get closer and closer to that final $1,000,000 prize.
He eventually turned on the same beefy shields he’d used earlier in the game, a style of ruthless gameplay that earned the derision of many; his true accomplishment was working with Amanda to oust their ally James Clement, the season’s physically the strongest player, who was sent home with two immunity idols in his pocket. And while many were angry with him at the final tribal this portion of the game saw him convey these moves in a way that affirmed the jury of their skills while still leaving them in awe of just how exceptionally he played the game. He played the people around him completely, and, in the end, made them jealous of just how well he did it. Todd’s cunning is unmatched by a majority of Survivor’s 45 winners, and he is certainly one of the most underappreciated players for just how deftly he bent the competition to meet his needs.
1 Natalie Anderson
Season 19: Samoa
There is little question that Natile Anderson is the most underappreciated winner in Survivor history. A true winning story shows individuals who overcome hardships, whose Survivor acumen matches their natural wit and allows them to decimate any challenges that come their way. In Survivor: San Juan Del Sur, a Blood vs. Water-themed season, Natalie Anderson faced a monumental loss immediately as the first vote saw her twin sister Nadiya get sent off the island. Despite this loss, Natalie soldiered on, her fierce personality leading her to confront offensive players like John Rocker and refuse to stay silent when her tribe’s men tried to team up against the women.
Eventually, she found a new ally (her honorary twin) in Jeremy Collins – which makes his blindside to those they’d been aligned with that much more devastating. While Natalie’s first half of the game is filled with losses like these, the woman never gave up and instead fell in line with the leaders of her alliance, making her appear as an obedient number while the entire time plotting her revenge. Eventually, she stopped hiding, orchestrating 2 game-shattering blindsides, convincing other players to let her control their votes, and somehow downplaying her threat level to make it to the final 3. There, she was recognized publicly as one of the game’s most strategic players who started this game of pairs alone but still managed to dominate in every sense of the word. Her path to ‘Sole Survivor’ is one of the most inspiring, yet is also one of the most forgotten. It’s about time Natalie (and everyone on this list) received the recognition she deserves for playing such a dynamic and triumphant game.
Survivor is Available to Stream on Paramount Plus in the U.S.
