Survivor 50 is finally here, and everyone is ready to sink their teeth into this groundbreaking season. Host Jeff Probst is back with a star-studded cast, filled with 24 returning players representing the past generations and gameplay of Survivor.
Entering this season, there are definitely players I’m eagerly waiting to see play again, more so than others. Find out who I’m excited to see play from least to most down below!
24. Jonathan (Survivor 42)
Jonathan is a competition beast, and that would for sure make him popular with a particular segment of the Survivor audience. However, in Survivor 42, he lacked social skills, and his inability to become self-aware led to him not having as much control as he should have. He fits the buff archetype extremely well and will once again be a competition threat in Survivor 50. If he wants to make the final four again, but actually have a strong shot of winning the game, he’ll have to be more strategic and able to separate himself from his competitiveness.
23. Colby (The Australian Outback, All-Stars, & Heroes vs. Villains)
Colby is an important piece of making Survivor what it is today. He was the first major hero of the franchise, and in many ways, it is cool to see him playing again. However, the last time we saw him play was on Heroes vs. Villains, and while he did finish in fifth place, he was an afterthought and didn’t play up to par. His upcoming appearance on Survivor 50 is also marred due to Jerri Manthey, who played with him on all of his past seasons and was commonly an ally or rival, not being on the cast with Colby this time around. It feels empty to have Colby here without Jerri, and I don’t like Colby’s chances of leaving Fiji as the winner.
22. Joe Hunter (Survivor 48)
Joe seems like a great guy, and he showed that by being extremely loyal during his season. Unfortunately, that blind loyalty distracted him from playing the most strategic game he could possibly play, and there were chances he could execute that during Survivor 48, but he just didn’t take it. I still hope Joe can be a cutthroat player, and maybe with no Eva this time around, he will be able to live up to that persona. But, I fear his competition skills are just going to lead the way again, and he’s going to stay loyal to a fault. I hope I’m wrong.
21. Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick (Palau, Guatemala, & Heroes vs. Villains)
Stephenie made a sharp turn during her transition from Palau to Guatemala. In Palau, she was portrayed as a hero, at one point being a tribe of one, to then becoming a villain in Guatemala, finishing as the runner-up of the season. Meanwhile, Heroes vs. Villains isn’t even worth the discussion, as she was a major disappointment during that go-around. Entering her fourth season now, I’m not thrilled. She’s got some past connections on this cast that may serve her well enough, including with Cirie, whom she recently played on The Traitors. Stephenie just doesn’t feel like a worthwhile character anymore, and her only hope is to dig back into her villainous side.
20. Ozzy Lusth (Cook Islands, Micronesia, South Pacific, & Game Changers)
His story in Survivor has just run its course, and I don’t have much interest in seeing a revival. His first three seasons ranged from good to great, although I’m still conflicted over his game on South Pacific. However, his stint on Game Changers was forgettable, and his arrogance just doesn’t speak for him anymore. I get why he was cast; he’s a big name in the Survivor franchise, but I’m not intrigued to see him play again.
19. Jenna Lewis-Dougherty (Borneo & All-Stars)
I’m very glad to see a representative from Borneo, the show’s first season, on Survivor 50. Jenna was a prominent character during her two runs, and overall, I’m interested in seeing her play one more time. Even so, the game has evolved so much since All-Stars that there’s a fair chance Jenna struggles to adapt to the new game dynamics. She seems to be in a relatively strong opening tribe, so maybe she can avoid being one of the first people voted off, rather than being a simple first boot.
18. Kyle Fraser (Survivor 48)
Let’s just set the record straight, I’m not the biggest fan of Survivor 48. There was too much kumbaya, not enough compelling characters, and a lack of big moments. The winner of that season, Kyle, is good. He was seemingly always in the best position and stayed there throughout. It’s impressive. But maybe that was due to the strength of the cast, and arguably, Kyle’s win gets overshadowed by his partnership with Kamilla. I also just don’t love the idea of very recent winners coming back right away, unless they’re some monumental player or character. Kyle’s good, but I’m not so eager to see him back so soon.
17. Aubry Bracco (Kaôh Rōng, Game Changers, & Edge of Extinction)
Aubry’s a fascinating case study. There’s still debate over whether Aubry should’ve won over Michele in Kaôh Rōng. She was highly analytical and strategic, and going into Game Changers, she was a major threat. However, even though she made it far, which is impressive, she played from underneath all season long because of her threat level. And then, her time on Edge of Extinction was a disaster. A fourth season doesn’t feel needed, and she’s not entering on an upward trajectory. There’s still some faith in me that thinks Aubry can get back to her Kaôh Rōng identity.
16. Charlie Davis (Survivor 46)
Survivor 46 might be my favorite new era season, and Charlie, maybe, should’ve won that season. It was a controversial ending to the season, and Charlie’s placement on Survivor 50 is warranted. Even with that, his personality isn’t exactly my cup of tea and isn’t something I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see. Before, he felt like an innocent player, but now, with a bunch of veterans, his game might catch up to him quicker.
15. Kamilla Karthigesu (Survivor 48)
Kamilla was a strategic assassin at times, but at other moments, there was an underwhelming feeling. She definitely emerged during the post-merge, and her relationship with Kyle did her wonders. Out of the two, I’m excited to see her come back and play more than Kyle, because there’s still a lot of untapped potential I can see from Kamilla. We’ll have to see how she executes her gameplan without Kyle on her tribe.
14. Savannah Louie (Survivor 49)
Savannah’s great and is reminiscent of Parvati. I loved her winning; she deserved it wholeheartedly, and I’m interested to see her back in Fiji. However, back-to-back seasons can be rough to do, so I’m worried for her longevity in that sense. And even though I am interested in seeing her again, I did just see her win, so it takes away some of the luster in having her back as opposed to seeing her a few seasons down the line.
13. Mike White (David vs. Goliath)
I adore this season, and I equally adore Mike White as a player and mind. Of course, a lot of that mind is due to his successful stints in television and film, now known for creating seasons of The White Lotus. He’s just as good on the island, though, and it’s overall pretty crazy to see Mike take a break from Hollywood and come back to play. Although I’m excited to see him, you have to wonder where his head is at and if he’s ready to leave it all on the line. Maybe his celebrity status gets him far, but he’s a strong candidate to be an early boot.
12. Coach Wade (Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, & South Pacific)
What can I say? I’m a sucker for seeing Coach back on my screen. He’s a polarizing character that, to me, is so entertaining to watch unravel. I’ve enjoyed him on every season he’s been on, and his gameplay on South Pacific leaves me with some hope that he might have something still left in the tank. It would be cool to see Coach go realtively far on Survivor 50.
11. Tiffany Ervin (Survivor 46)
I was a huge fan of Tiffany during Survivor 46, and I was rooting for her to get a second chance. I love her personality, dig how she’s not afraid to speak her mind, and she’s crafty too. In a cast like this, I can see her flying under the radar and making it to at least the merge. Even with the possibility of landing with Q at some point, I think she’ll be able to strut her strategic prowess without hesitation.
10. Rizo Velovic (Survivor 49)
Similarly to Savannah, while I quite enjoy Rizo and find him to be a compelling personality, this season did just happen. Unlike Savannah, I think people won’t be able to connect the dots on how good Rizo is from the jump. Rizo is a social butterfly and plays balls to the wall. I like “Rizz God” chances of making it far once again on Survivor 50.
9. Chrissy Hofbeck (Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers)
Regardless of how you feel about the fire-making challenge at the final four, Chrissy was robbed of becoming the winner during her season. It’s about time Chrissy is back, and she may be the most deserving of this opportunity out of everyone in the cast. She’s strategic, tough, and has the versatility that makes her a dark horse to reach the end once more.
8. Rick Devens (Edge of Extincton)
Speaking of people who deserve this second chance, Rick Devens fits that bill, too. He’s got a lot of energy and is known for being uber creative in his attempts to stick around, whether that’s making fake idols, starting live tribal councils, or whatever it may be. Devens is a fascinating player to judge leading up to the Season 50 premiere, and I’m excited to watch his play unfold.
7. Emily Flippen (Survivor 45)
She started off being hated and abrasive, to eventually turning it all around and becoming one of the most well-liked players of the new era. Her bluntness had always made her stand out to me, in a good way. I like players who can get like that. However, I also like players who can turn on that charm, and thankfully for Emily, she showed she can. She’s capable of making a run, and I’m moved by her addition to the cast.
6. Christian Hubicki (David vs. Goliath)
Two of my top six players I’m most excited to see are from David vs. Goliath (seriously, if you haven’t seen it, check it out). Christian is such a genuine guy and player, and it’s heartwarming to finally get him back on Survivor. He was the underdog of all underdogs in his season, and I have no doubts that persona will live on this time too. I’m hoping he goes the distance.
5. Dee Valladares (Survivor 45)
The best winner of the new era, Dee, is back, and I’m more than ready. She’s a dominant player who redefined being a strategic villain. There’s no question she’s up to bringing that side out once again, but the question is, will she be able to minimize her threat level early on? If she can do that, she has a legitimate shot at joining Sandra and Tony in being a two-time Survivor winner.
4. Cirie Fields (Panama, Micronesia, Heroes vs. Villains, & Game Changers)
Look, this may be her fifth time on Survivor, but I don’t care. Cirie is one of one, is a legend of the game, and no matter how many times you see her on these reality competition shows, she’s always there to play. Outside of Survivor, she showed her greatness in 2023 by masterfully winning The Traitors and making it far on Big Brother. However, winning Survivor has been her kryptonite. She’s been voted off in dramatic ways and she’ll be entering the 50th season as the fan favorite.
3. Genevieve Mushaluk (Survivor 47)
Who could’ve imagined Genevieve would be this big of a player? She was non-existent for the first few episodes of her season, before turning it up and becoming a mastermind of the game. She’s sharp, she’s cunning, and is coming into Survivor 50 with lofty expectations. It could be too much to handle, and the other castaways may want her out from the beginning, but she’s shown that she’s capable of battling through it, persevering, and blindsiding you with a smile on her face.
2. Q Burdette (Survivor 46)
He’s a one-letter name of chaos. Q brings the heat wherever he goes, and I’m sure he will bring it once again this coming season. His mouth might get him in trouble, and honestly, I’d bet on him being an early boot then going the distance, but even for that short time, he’ll still be a jem to watch play. He’s one of the biggest faces of this new era, so he’s a perfect fit for this milestone season.
1. Angelina Keeley (David vs. Goliath)
THANK GOD! Wooo! She’s iconic, simply put. This has been a long time coming. One of the most entertaining people we’ve ever seen on Survivor, and I’m so glad Jeff Probst and his team made the right call in giving Angelina this shot. She’s given us JacketGate, memorable confrontations, negotiations with Jeff, memes, you name it. I’m not just hoping she goes far, but I’m hoping this gets her back in the limelight and onto other reality shows (shoutout The Traitors). As you can tell, I’m excited!
Survivor 50 kicks off with a three-hour premiere on February 25. Who are you excited to see play again, and who is destined to become the coveted Sole Survivor on this historic season?
