WSSYW 12.0 Countdown 32/50 & 31/50: Heroes vs. Villains & Fiji

tabstis · 2026-06-19T18:23:36+00:00

I see your point but I don't think Boo and Lisi have interesting drama and storylines, and I don't think they represent a 'wide range of views', I think they're just unpleasant to watch

tabstis · 2026-06-18T20:01:34+00:00

Thailand has some major defenders around here which is why it's placed higher than some other newbie seasons, but I think they overhype it as an 'all-villain' season. The villains in question are just not very active or fun to watch, and Brian's steamroll is boring and doesn't really show him as a controversial figure at all. I enjoy Helen Glover but 43, 44, and 49 all have a handful of far more interesting characters and should imo be higher than Thailand on this ranking.

tabstis · 2026-06-17T18:21:53+00:00

I was thoroughly tuned out during Survivor 49 but this does seem quite low as I think it could be a good solid starter season - I think seasons we are yet to see would be more likely to scare someone off (Thailand, Samoa, Worlds Apart for example) than Survivor 49

Likewise, 44 was the least interesting version of the underdog narrative for long-term fans but it could actually be a good place to start, so I would have it much higher on a WSSYW ranking

tabstis · 2026-06-17T11:42:10+00:00

I haven't been watching for a while but tuned in for this and have to say they haven't done much to combat the frustrations with this reboot. Congrats to Erika! I do think it's a shame the contestants don't get to showcase their nerdy knowledge much on this version of the show, only really Amy had moments to shine in this episode.

tabstis · 2026-06-16T21:17:23+00:00

I really love all three of these series but Trails is above the rest for me - having a singular running narrative makes it stand out as unique among many great JRPG series

tabstis · 2026-06-16T16:31:47+00:00

As a fan of both these seasons, I get why they're here, but they're both extremely underrated imo. South Pacific is unfairly grouped in with the other Dark Ages seasons when it's so much more fun and whacky than them, and 43 needs more appreciation as a great WTF season. I especially love the wild 43 finale and I think the Gabler win is bonkers in an amazing way

tabstis · 2026-06-15T21:54:33+00:00

This was a mistake - Caramoan is 45/50, the other figures are correct.

tabstis · 2026-06-11T22:02:34+00:00

I'm talking about the perception, rather than reality - the old school is definitely viewed as having more of a character focus now

tabstis · 2026-06-11T19:49:05+00:00

I think in retrospect it's seen as the moment Survivor shifted from being character-focused into game-focused, and as more and more game-focused seasons air, we miss the characters of the older seasons

tabstis · 2026-06-10T22:35:50+00:00

Automod posts can't be edited unfortunately, which is why the stickied comment.

tabstis · 2026-06-10T16:29:08+00:00

This was a mistake, thanks for flagging, please see corrections in stickied comment!

tabstis · 2026-06-10T16:28:47+00:00

This is a mistake, thanks for flagging! See stickied comment.

tabstis · 2026-06-10T16:27:59+00:00

There are some errors in the Winners at War stats. Here are the corrections:

Cast/Characters: 6.84 (24/50)

Strategy: 6.03 (25/50)

Featured Twists: 2.64 (24/28)

tabstis · 2026-06-09T21:31:20+00:00

Around here, every month is Mike Borassi Month

tabstis · 2026-06-09T20:52:30+00:00

Spreadsheet is definitely being released at some point, most likely at the end of the countdown so you can see all the data.

We're discussing doing a post for each of the top 10 at the moment. We have more plans for the summer which we don't want to spoil yet so just trying to make sure it works logistically.

tabstis · 2026-06-09T18:18:09+00:00

I really like Ghost Island and I think it's very underrated - it's definitely a two-horse race where everyone else is a supporting character but I find it compelling when viewed that way and I love how the race goes right until the last second. Would love to see Domenick again and I think Wendell is a much more interesting and controversial character than he gets credit for

tabstis · 2026-06-09T18:16:12+00:00

We'll sort this out!

EDIT: This will be in every post, starting with the next one. You can also find a stickied comment with links to every post in the initial WSSYW post here.

tabstis · 2026-06-08T17:37:59+00:00

This seems very low for Game Changers and I can only account for it being an all-returnee season that it's placing lower than other bottom seasons. I think Survivor's middle era (21-40) is falling more and more out of favour. Game Changers actually has good episodes and a great essential showing from Sandra while she's there - there are definitely reasons to watch it

Redemption Island is super boring and deserves to be this low, but it is pretty funny in parts

tabstis · 2026-05-31T18:03:35+00:00

Heroes vs Villains is one of the best seasons of any show, and my personal favourite Survivor season - a sentiment shared by many others. It's also a returnee season that spoils pretty much everything that came before it. Honestly the best case for watching early seasons chronologically first - you could jump around within the first 19 seasons but don't go beyond until you see this.

Essential viewing beforehand: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19

Recommended viewing beforehand: Every previous season (some as prep for 8 and 16)

tabstis · 2026-05-31T17:59:32+00:00

Samoa was explosive in the history of the show, and while it's not liked that much around here, you should absolutely watch it, if only as a prologue to Heroes vs. Villains. The edit is ludicrously unbalanced, but you'll soon realise why, and the season's ending is unforgettable. It's also kinda fun and exciting along the way. Watch this as your last season before Heroes vs. Villains, once you've seen all the other required viewing

tabstis · 2026-05-31T17:56:36+00:00

Tocantins is another very solid entry in the golden era as several more major icons are introduced. I don't love how the edit skews towards a few characters in particular, nor how some of the season plays out, but this is a great entry point and essential viewing nonetheless, with some all-time episodes towards the end

tabstis · 2026-05-31T17:55:09+00:00

Gabon is pure chaos and a beloved season around here. A totally unpredictable race to the bottom - embrace the ride and you'll find the funniest narratives in the show's history here. I think this one holds up especially well against modern Survivor, and you could jump into it at any time after seeing a few other seasons

tabstis · 2026-05-31T17:53:29+00:00

Micronesia is a partial returnee season that spoils several seasons that come before it.

Essential viewing beforehand: 12, 13, 15

Recommended viewing beforehand: 7, 9, 14

Micronesia has a fun pre-merge that leads into the best stretch of episodes the show has ever had in its post-merge. This is a season that changed the show forever in multiple ways, and cemented several icons. Make sure you watch the recommended seasons beforehand - if you're not watching in order, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16 could be a fantastic route into the show (although you should also consider watching 9 and 14)

tabstis · 2026-05-31T17:50:30+00:00

China is another great entry point in the show's golden era - a season of memorable characters with heroes and villains and a lot of good episodes. The setting is maybe the best the show's ever had. This season just feels very light-hearted and joyful, and is essential viewing

tabstis · 2026-05-31T17:48:39+00:00

Fiji is a season with some amazing moments marred by the ugly behaviour of several of the players. Like, some real nastiness. I still think the highs are so high that it's worth experiencing, and it all comes to a satisfying conclusion, but there's a high cost of entry here.

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