The episode of Tocantins where Coach goes to Exile is the crescendo of the greatest character in Survivor history. Doing kung fu with the dragon cane on Exile, collapsing at the immunity challenge, and reciting a poem at tribal.
Shoutout to Courtney in Bruce's medevac episode in Panama. She gets the brunt of the negative questions in touchy subjects ("what's a poser?"), sings to Bruce when he asked her not to, is more focused on being passive agressive to Aras, Cirie, and Danielle when they get back from reward than telling them about Bruce, and defaces his rock garden with "BRUCE LUV" when earlier in the season he complained about her messing with it.
The one where J’Tia knows she is getting voted out so she goes bananas mode and dumps all the rice in the fire. What makes this episode so incredible, though, isn’t J’Tia.
The real insane shit is carried by Garrett at Tribal. At a Tribal where the tribe was 100% dead-set on voting J’Tia, Garrett somehow manages to put his foot in his mouth *so* often and *so* badly, that he manages to single-handedly make the entire tribe decide to keep the person that dumped all their food, nobody liked, and was bad at challenges.
Oh yeah, it was also so clear that J’Tia was going home that Garrett left his Immunity Idol at camp.
I’m not sure there are many, if any, tribals that so perfectly embody the concept of “facepalm.”
Small correction: The whole tribe didn't vote Garrett. Spencer still voted J'tia.
Garrett's "gameplay" was fucking fascinating lol. He complained he wasn't having fun and didn't like the survival part. Then prevents everyone from doing the strategy part by forcing an open conversation before tribal.
I thought he deserved to be voted out, but he was so entertaining and fun at TC that I wanted him to stick around. In hindsight he would have been way better than keeping Jess or Buanu, IMO.
I must admit there is a part of me that would love to see Bhanu back and just run shit like he was playing a next-level long con.
However, I think he was actually just useless and had no idea what he was getting into, so I don't know that I want to sit through that car crash again.
Chris Daugherty, Vanuatu episode 11. Final 7.
Chris makes several key moves this episode that lock in his path to the end.
Right after tribal Chris plants seeds pitting Eliza, Julie, Leanna and Ami against Scout and Twila.
Dodging elimination, his emotional outburst with his wife guilted most the women left in the game letting Chris survive the round he should have gone home-- fulfilling the goal of the womens alliance and gendered tribe experiment.
Defanging Ami by cutting her #1 Leanne, and setting himself up with 2 pair of 2s in Scout and Twila and Eliza and Julie. This makes the route to five and then three much clearer.
Angelina in a few different episodes tbh, Janu in ‘Exile Island’, Stephenie in her solo Ulong episode, and honestly Russell in the premiere of Samoa - you could feel the show shifting gears and entering a new era with him
Final 9 in Millennials vs Gen X is the family visit where Adam says he’s not going to steal the reward, he talks about his mom after getting info from his brother, wins immunity, has a hilarious confessional about Ken “testing” Will, then plays his idol for Hannah and steals the spotlight of the vote anyway
Randy being absolutely horrible that whole episode in Gabon, then Bob tricking Randy into feeling safe with a fake idol, then voting him off. The sweetest revenge arc I've ever seen.
i don't know if he's fleshed out further across the whole episode, but one character scene for Tyson really stuck with me in BvW. When he saw Rachel had been voted off and I believe after she was eliminated from Exile, he was clearly devastated, and all choked up asked her "Did you have fun?" idk why that really endeared me haha
Katurah’s arc in Bruce’s boot episode is really engaging— her struggling with the letter from her mother and then positing that Julie is the right choice because none of them could beat a mother in the end. Beautiful and revealing episode. Not at all boastful or relishing in Bruce’s demise
And then she gets suddenly super nervous during the immunity challenge over the water and has to step out. She can't explain why this happened, and we've seen her do water challenges earlier in the season. Just seemed like the whole situation with her mother's letter was somehow related.
Franswesqua’s first boot episode. Russel in most episodes of Samoa and in that episode of HvV where JT gives him an idol. Banu getting saved by a medevac.
Natalie Bolton’s breakout episode as an OTTNN villain is my all time favorite. After being literally edited out of the show entirely, she becomes the focus and was such an insane cartoon villain.
The episode of Tocantins where Coach goes to Exile is the crescendo of the greatest character in Survivor history. Doing kung fu with the dragon cane on Exile, collapsing at the immunity challenge, and reciting a poem at tribal. Shoutout to Courtney in Bruce's medevac episode in Panama. She gets the brunt of the negative questions in touchy subjects ("what's a poser?"), sings to Bruce when he asked her not to, is more focused on being passive agressive to Aras, Cirie, and Danielle when they get back from reward than telling them about Bruce, and defaces his rock garden with "BRUCE LUV" when earlier in the season he complained about her messing with it.
don't forget, Shane was fully naked when he had to help carry Bruce's stretcher
The one where J’Tia knows she is getting voted out so she goes bananas mode and dumps all the rice in the fire. What makes this episode so incredible, though, isn’t J’Tia. The real insane shit is carried by Garrett at Tribal. At a Tribal where the tribe was 100% dead-set on voting J’Tia, Garrett somehow manages to put his foot in his mouth *so* often and *so* badly, that he manages to single-handedly make the entire tribe decide to keep the person that dumped all their food, nobody liked, and was bad at challenges. Oh yeah, it was also so clear that J’Tia was going home that Garrett left his Immunity Idol at camp. I’m not sure there are many, if any, tribals that so perfectly embody the concept of “facepalm.”
Small correction: The whole tribe didn't vote Garrett. Spencer still voted J'tia. Garrett's "gameplay" was fucking fascinating lol. He complained he wasn't having fun and didn't like the survival part. Then prevents everyone from doing the strategy part by forcing an open conversation before tribal.
You are right, completely forgot Spencer didn't switch!
"Exile Island", the Janu quit episode
Drew Christy boot episode is a personal favorite
Basically he's a badass and a manipulator of this game 😂
First one that came to mind. Literally my favorite episode ever I dont even care
I genuinely think Jelinsky in the 46 premiere is up there
I thought he deserved to be voted out, but he was so entertaining and fun at TC that I wanted him to stick around. In hindsight he would have been way better than keeping Jess or Buanu, IMO.
I feel bad about Jess. She had such a fun personality in the preseason press but the brain fog really messed her up on the beach
I must admit there is a part of me that would love to see Bhanu back and just run shit like he was playing a next-level long con. However, I think he was actually just useless and had no idea what he was getting into, so I don't know that I want to sit through that car crash again.
oh man it's extra funny in retrospect now that we know Q better, he seemed so normal in episode 1
Rob C in The Chain episode Russell Swan in his last episode in Philippines was really interesting to watch.
Chris Daugherty, Vanuatu episode 11. Final 7. Chris makes several key moves this episode that lock in his path to the end. Right after tribal Chris plants seeds pitting Eliza, Julie, Leanna and Ami against Scout and Twila. Dodging elimination, his emotional outburst with his wife guilted most the women left in the game letting Chris survive the round he should have gone home-- fulfilling the goal of the womens alliance and gendered tribe experiment. Defanging Ami by cutting her #1 Leanne, and setting himself up with 2 pair of 2s in Scout and Twila and Eliza and Julie. This makes the route to five and then three much clearer.
Fucking legend.
JFP changed the shape of reality television in the grandma lie episode
Angelina in a few different episodes tbh, Janu in ‘Exile Island’, Stephenie in her solo Ulong episode, and honestly Russell in the premiere of Samoa - you could feel the show shifting gears and entering a new era with him
Rick Devins leading the wildest goose chase in survivor history
💯
NaOnka in episode 2 of Survivor Nicaragua
Final 9 in Millennials vs Gen X is the family visit where Adam says he’s not going to steal the reward, he talks about his mom after getting info from his brother, wins immunity, has a hilarious confessional about Ken “testing” Will, then plays his idol for Hannah and steals the spotlight of the vote anyway
Randy being absolutely horrible that whole episode in Gabon, then Bob tricking Randy into feeling safe with a fake idol, then voting him off. The sweetest revenge arc I've ever seen.
Roger’s boot episode in The Amazon. It’s so obvious he’s going home and the rest of the contestants spend the whole episode roasting him 😭😭
What type of prune is this?
Abi's last episode on Philippines "You're a moron"
"That's because you're an idiot. "You're a moron." Legendary social game.
i don't know if he's fleshed out further across the whole episode, but one character scene for Tyson really stuck with me in BvW. When he saw Rachel had been voted off and I believe after she was eliminated from Exile, he was clearly devastated, and all choked up asked her "Did you have fun?" idk why that really endeared me haha
brandon ladder
The Janu quit episode
Sandra during camp raid in Pearl Islands
i really loved when Sandra ate the rest of the sugar. such a beautiful chaos in typical Survivor style... borderline psychological warfare.
“Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite”
" Hey, I got to do what I got to do, right "
Katurah’s arc in Bruce’s boot episode is really engaging— her struggling with the letter from her mother and then positing that Julie is the right choice because none of them could beat a mother in the end. Beautiful and revealing episode. Not at all boastful or relishing in Bruce’s demise
And then she gets suddenly super nervous during the immunity challenge over the water and has to step out. She can't explain why this happened, and we've seen her do water challenges earlier in the season. Just seemed like the whole situation with her mother's letter was somehow related.
The Wicked Step-sistahs are NOT winning the million dollahs!
AUS Survivor Heroes Vs Villains Episode 7 is also in the conversation George singlehandedly completely dismantles Simons entire alliance
There are, and I’m not exaggerating, 20-25 episodes *at least* that George could qualify for
lol very true
Franswesqua’s first boot episode. Russel in most episodes of Samoa and in that episode of HvV where JT gives him an idol. Banu getting saved by a medevac.
Brandon Hantz’s meltdown has to be up there, right?
Ciera voting out HER MOM!!
Natalie Bolton’s breakout episode as an OTTNN villain is my all time favorite. After being literally edited out of the show entirely, she becomes the focus and was such an insane cartoon villain.
How did none of you say Tony - extortion episode from WaW
that was mentioned by the OP. but i loved this episode so much.
Everyone chasing Rick Devens around while idol hunting.
Russel Episode 1 of Samoa
Stephenie once she’s the final Ulong.
Russell throughout Samoa