Top 5 Most Powerful Survivor Winners

Discussing the Top 5 Most Powerful Survivor Winners in over 35 seasons. Honorable mention to Bob from Gabon.
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[@connormcpike240]

Thank you for including Todd. Along with Yul, he is largely underrated and forgotten because he never came back

[@nanossquad1706]

If there was a All Star Season of Winners vs Finalist , these would be my 10 Winners Richard, Mike Holloway, Todd, Yul, Fabio, Kim, Sandra, Parviti, Jenna, and Denise vs Spencer, Russel, Chase Rice, Stephen Fishbach, Ken Micknicle, Amanda, Chrissy Hofbeck, Carolyn, Lisa Whelchel, and Stephanie Lagrosaa . I think it would be a great season

[@TheMurrmursonbottle]

Yul is definitely not underrated. I see people all the time say he’s one of the best strategists. I say he’s OVERrated because he probably loses without the super idol. I’d like to see him again, though.

[@connormcpike240]

@@TheMurrmursonbottle I'd probably disagree, he got lucky with the idol but there that luck with most winners. His social politics were some of the best of all time. With that being said, he definitely is more forgotten than overrated

[@TheEsotericism1]

Not just the super idol. The final 3 twist was on par with Ben's fire-making twist and the bottle twist was obvious production interference. He probably had the easiest route to final 3 in survivor history, since he was basically invincible the entire way and literally COULDN'T be voted out at the final four. However, with that said, he did control the game completely and took full advantage of all of his opportunities. He's very intelligent and great at reading and manipulating people, had one of the best final tribals I've ever seen, and I'd say he definitely could have won without the advantages - we'll just never know.

[@connormcpike240]

@@TheEsotericism1 he may have gotten lucky, but doesn't change how hard it was for the aitu tribe after mutiny. And if we're talking about easiest path. Wendel only had to worry about dom since no one else decided to play the game the than maybe donathan, but even that was way too late

[@SmokingSevens]

Boston Rob's use of fear went further than the other players fearing him. He had them fear each other. That's what the buddy system was about. He had them fear flippers, so having a "buddy" with you all the time was a way to prevent flippers. They were afraid of each other.

[@alejandroreyes9566]

Love your vids! I have a few vid ideas: - Survivors who most deserve a second chance. - Best survivors to not make the merge - Most shocking eliminations

[@1UPMushroom]

Alejandro Hector Reyes 1 - Kenny (Gabon) 2 - Garret (Cagayan) 3 - Ethan (Winners At War)

[@davedonle4045]

Reem, Sue, Ozzy again, ANYONE THAT HAS BEEN MEDICALLY AVACUATED

[@CraneFast]

1-UP Mushroom Garret is lame.

[@sofasaur]

my forever best to not make the merge is stephen from south africa champions

[@gonealoof2106]

Tom Westman is by far best player to never make the merge. Chris Underwood is second.

[@dylanmcla]

Honestly, I always view Kim's game as more impressive simply because it was her 1st time playing and that was Rob's 4th. That's really all it comes down to. But they are obviously 1 and 2.

[@jakeadams767]

Dylan McCollum she played a really good game even though that season wasn’t that good. If she came back she would instantly get voted out too because she really is a big threat

[@sensualsquelch]

@@jakeadams767 I hope not! We'll see in 40 (:

[@AllRequired]

@@encycl07pedia- That contestant-generated twist went a bit of a way in helping Kim. I can imagine the season turning out a little different if they hadn't tried that.

[@coolwahl]

Jake Adams she’s doing alright in Winners at War 🤷‍♀️

[@aquafishsoup]

I'm not the first to say it, but jeff should of been part of rob's loved ones visit.

[@zeppo2240]

SO glad you threw in Todd...He is one of the few winners that I think held complete control of the game since day 1

[@chrisdvine]

It's funny to call out B-Rob for not winning until fourth try, but winning is not easy period. There is a target that comes with playing a 4th time, and you still need to be skillful. He also pretty much won all stars because it was him and his wife sitting in final 2. Rupert could play 16 times and he wont win.

[@turdferguson9452]

Rob should’ve won all stars but had one of the most bitter juries ever who took everything too personally

[@airtempest8945]

@@turdferguson9452 I mean, you can tell that Shii Ann was voting for Amber, but the other three who voted for Amber felt like they just weren't voting for Rob, rather than voting for Amber.

[@dylanmiller1140]

Turd Ferguson yah it also would have been fun to watch Heroes V Villains if Tyson hadn’t fucked up

[@zeppo2240]

GodsPerfectIdiot i agree. I think Rob could’ve won the game

[@dylanmiller1140]

Yah, I’d argue Rob has only played survivor twice, Rob has played all star last survivor twice( the second time wasn’t really even a game) and survivor once where he didn’t even make it to Jury. His second and third time were with games where he knew the players. It’s frankly remarkable to me that he was able to take those skills with his massive reputation and apply them to a game with strangers.

[@henrystinson4536]

How is Yul not on the list. He picked every single person to go home after the final 9.

[@kenneyp.9456]

Yes but before the final 9 he could have easily went home multiple times because his tribe members flopped penner and Candice

[@aquafishsoup]

Yul had an idol that could be played after the votes in his winning season that everyone knew about. If he's so good look at his placing in winners at war.

[@alanzhang2123]

​@@aquafishsoup You do know that he finished higher than any other old schooler? Plus the only reason why he went home was because Wendell and Michelle clearly still had feelings for each other.

[@drewbrawner3441]

Aquafishsoup he played very well in WAW lol he got screwed over by pre existing relationships

[@gigi8503ify]

Yul also led his tribe of 4 known as Aitu 4 to victory over the Raro tribe that had 8 people after the mutiny. That is a big deal. And I know that Ozzy and the girls were also a big part of that but Yul was the leader

[@xaviern5746]

Jeff Probst is the most powerful Survivor winner IMO.

[@sideeswipe]

Xavier N Amen he makes millions without even having to participate

[@markjackson6431]

“HE IS LITERALLY CARRYING HIS FAMILY ON HIS BACK” is the best Jeff quote ever!

[@ElectrikkPaperClipxx]

Cringe

[@richardrutherford9813]

He literally isn't. It's like a wooden board with holes in it.

[@leeshdee9269]

Unfortunately JT's game in Tocantians has been forgotten and way overshadowed by his last 2 appearances, but people have forgotten just how much of a dominant and powerful game he played in Tocantians. He had everyone wanting to play with him, heck players were throwing away their own games and their own strategies to have a chance to work with him. His path to his win in Tocantians was on that same level a Kim Spradlin.

[@itsmaria2426]

factsssss

[@ErikPontifexAudio]

I agree. People were literally throwing their games away just to make sure he won.

[@benverti1880]

JT was very likable but stephen did nearly all the strategical work from him

[@SerpySerper56]

He got a perfect game. No votes the entire season and a unanimous jury vote.

[@handsoaphandsoap]

Idk he wasn't really in control, just likeable. Stephen pulled a lot of weight for their alliance, as did Taj, and going into the merge he wasn't in a power position at all, they just got lucky that the other team was so destructive.

[@sophiebrandi_5554]

parv needs to be on here, she basically ran the game after the merge in micronesia

[@MrBulletGuy]

Parv was always in a great position, but there's a few points where Cirie is in the driver's seat.

[@edenzachary454]

@@MrBulletGuy parv had so many connections no one could touch her, She had AMANDA,Cirie,ALEXIS,NATALIE,ozzy and JAMES all loyal to her, heck even jason was kind of with her. Not trying to take credit away from cirie

[@zeaferjones1404]

@@MrBulletGuy The fact that Cirie never thought to target Parvati shows how in control Parvati was.

[@Thanos18942]

That’s not true

[@yourlocalramen1660]

@@zeaferjones1404 That’s bcuz Cirie likely would’ve beaten Parvati. Also Parvati never thought to take out Cirie, even wanting to be in the F3 with her.

[@markjackson6431]

Me: Gotta go to class in 15 minutes *Sees Peridiam video* Me: Yeah....i’ll be late

[@sanjumitra1]

The video is 15 minutes long lol

[@markjackson6431]

Sanju my class started in 15 minutes and i was 5 minutes late but it was worth it

[@Koyxi]

@@markjackson6431 this is the stupidest thing I have seen so far...

[@markjackson6431]

Eddy Jay get lost

[@lavendersage444]

Mark Jackson it’s true

[@PepperAndFries]

Just finished AP gov exam, straight on to Peridiam videos. I love this channel

[@bakerwilcox6829]

Brian Heidik, finally getting the recognition he deserves. Sure, Thailand is pretty dull but just watching him take control and win the season fairly easily was enough to get me through

[@schwannies]

To not include Parv is just a massive mistake. Her game in Micronesia is still so incredibly under-rated. People always say "but Cirie was behind most of the moves" and "she only won because Amanda bombed at FTC" but they forget about the fact that Parvati went into the merge with two alliances of five, two alliances of four, two alliances of three, and an alliance of two with Amanda. Those were alliances that Cirie simply could not boast, and it was those alliances that worked to Parvati's advantage over Cirie's.

[@stephendavis6267]

Solid top five, although I would argue J.T. and Cochran deserve mentions. J.T. had people throwing their own games because they liked him so much and despite coming into the merge at a deficit (which had nothing to do with J.T. himself; he voted correctly at every pre-merge vote and was never really in much danger there) and became such a desired ally when they merged for the fractured Timbiras that the only thing he really needed to ensure was that he won the FIC, which he was predisposed to do. He voted correctly every time except with Coach's boot, which was by design. If I had to point to a truly flawless game in "Survivor," it would be his. Cochran, meanwhile, had the added benefit of being in a Fans/Favorites season, but he was *never* at risk despite being the clear dominant player. He made bonds, centered himself as the nexus of the Favorites, and yet he was never really bandied about as a serious target. He'd insulated himself so well by surrounding himself with more erratic, rash players (Dawn, Phillip, Andrea) and won enough immunities that there was never really much of a chance for him to get taken out. Kim and Rob are a worthy top two on paper, but they at least had people who loudly denounced and targeted them (Troyzan for Kim, every non-Ometepe for Rob), while J.T. enchanted every player who crossed his path and wins over anyone in the merge, and Cochran had perfectly Onion Allianced himself and probably wins over anyone in the game as well.

[@erikabautista7072]

Thank you for adding JT! He's literally the first person to play the perfect game, people tend to forget that because of the dumb moves he did when he returned

[@stephendavis6267]

​@@erikabautista7072 I would actually argue that only one of J.T.'s moves is actually dumb, and that was not bringing his idol to tribal council when he got booted in "Game Changers." Maybe also voting out Tom in "Heroes vs. Villains," but he probably figured (rightly) that Tom would've gotten a stranglehold on the merge if he'd been allowed close to it, but I give him a pass on that one because the rest of the Heroes were just as complicit. His "Heroes vs. Villains" move is dumb only in retrospect with hindsight. From his point of view, he had just seen Tyson, Boston Rob and Coach voted out back-to-back, and that it seemed that Parvati (whom everyone was targeting as the biggest threat in the game) was orchestrating another female alliance. When Russell was the last man standing, securing his loyalty became paramount at the merge. Yes, J.T. should've thought about Russell's status as a villain, but hell, Coach and Tyson were villains and J.T. had played with them, and so to him, the "villain" title probably meant he was either a snarky character like Tyson or a pompous windbag like Coach, not the devious sneak that Russell actually was. Giving over the idol seems stupid, but if it had worked, it would be hailed as a genius move. J.T. took a risk because he knew that his good ol' boy charm shtick that won so thoroughly in Tocantins wouldn't fly this time. J.T. is playing with house money; go big or go home. Securing Russell's loyalty with an idol (signed off by all the Heroes, even if some expressed doubts later) was a risk that wouldn't have even blown back in J.T.'s face had Parvati not gone rogue in the first place against Russell by playing her idol as well as that one. As for "Game Changers," J.T. got swap-screwed HARD on Nuku 2.0. He had to throw caution to the wind. He stranded his entire tribe in the middle of the sea and found an idol. That was a genius move, because really, what did he have to lose? And he did have a bond going with Malcolm and Aubry. But he put too much trust in Brad, who wisely took the shot at Malcolm when they had the chance. Still, J.T. *could* have recovered had he played his idol at the next tribal, ensuring that a.) Michaela goes home, and b.) he's even more of a challenge asset for them to keep. Heck, if he survives that one tribal, he gets swapped to another tribe and might very well wind up back in a Nuku 1.0 majority. I've defended J.T. countless times before on his HvV game, which is very underrated. It was a high-risk, high-reward game that wound up costing him, but J.T. is extremely underappreciated for his game savvy. He isn't a dumb player. He just plays it really risky, and I think most of the time if it didn't work, he'd at least have the charm to be able to recover. But Sandra made it her mission to outlast Tony and J.T. and was out for his blood, and hoodwinked J.T. to the point he didn't even bring his idol. That, to me, is the worst move he's ever made and the one thing about his three seasons of gameplay that is truly indefensible. J.T. should've guaranteed himself one more vote just on the off-chance that he was being played, but he was blinded by his dislike for Michaela and Sandra taking full advantage of it.

[@barryishikawa2048]

I wouldnt say Cochran was the dominant player...he his behind Philip until he was gone and then let others (Andrea/Brenda) cannibalize themselves and was catapulted to F4 due to Erik's medivac. He was working well with others and did EXTREMELY well at avoiding being targeted but didnt have everyone trying to work with him nor was he the one making everything happen around him. Not that it lessens his win by any means, but he didnt play a dominant game IMO.

[@barryishikawa2048]

@@stephendavis6267 JT in HVV just played way too hard and giving an idol to the unknown enemy was a TERRIBLE move since they went into the merge 5-5. With an idol they have a shot to play it correctly and grab control of the game. Or take in Sandra who had bonds with Rupert/Candice, or take in Courtney who had bonds with JT/Amanda. Or take in Russell if he doesnt go home. It was a hail mary that he didnt need to throw and ultimately cost him and the heroes the game. He also writes to Russell like he's an idiot in the note.

[@grantsoffer6907]

I was surprised JT didn't make the list

[@NovaContext]

I was surprised when I didn't see Parvati on this list!

[@suej3959]

I’ve never missed a season of Survivor and it’s my number 1 TV show, but I’m blowed if I can remember a lot of these people or their game. All I know is that the stand out winners that I do remember are Boston Rob, Parvati, JT, Richard Hatch and Cochran, in that order. They played great games. The player who should should have won twice but blew it each time at tribal was Amanda. But Boston Rob will always be the King of Survivor. He ticked every box - charm, wit, cunning, strategy and determination. Oh, and being easy on the eye of course!

[@user-pv5th2kb1y]

even as tony won twice i still consider boston rob the king

[@suej3959]

@@user-pv5th2kb1y absolutely, there will never be a better Survivor than Boston Rob. I’m in Australia and the guy who won the last season (Dave) was also excellent, a real charming rogue, absolutely ruthless and very smart. I’d love him to compete in US survivor.

[@1973Kenny]

Poor Amanda, vilified for not owning up to her game game in China. She learns from this and the next time around owns up to her next game but is is hated because of a bitter jury. Don't get me wrong I love Todd and I love Parvati, But it was frustrating to see Amanda learn from her mistake the 1st time and get hated for owning up to it the 2nd time.

[@pyro5845]

The editing at the end had me rolling in laughter. I love your videos Peridiam, keep it up!

[@ThatCho]

Loved this list she the inclusion of Todd. One of my favorites too. Really solid list. Great discussion on Rob vs Kim. Kim had OPTIONS!

[@sheajones4512]

Whenever I see a thumbnail for a new Peridiam video I get overwhelmingly excited and happy. They never disappoint keep up the great work!

[@24Kevintendo]

Good video as usual, where did Richard hatch sit in terms of powerful players sit? He was pretty damn powerful in s1 and was in the majority for essentially the whole game

[@dereklewis4321]

Can we talk about how DvG has had the best tribal councils so far??? All blind sides.

[@SuperWillHatch]

It's a great season so far, but I wouldn't call every vote off a blindside.

[@spnwztkn]

I forgot what that stands for lol Edit wait I remembered nvm

[@dereklewis4321]

@@SuperWillHatch The first 3 tribals were nuts my dude.

[@treeko1377]

I still think the Millennials.vs.Gen X pre-merge was better

[@frida.7831]

@@treeko1377 Same gameplay, but DvsG has a better edit.

[@MountainSongBird29]

Love your videos! Videos I would like to see: The most memorable showmances Top five competition beasts Best players of all time

[@nelsdanburg5407]

YES! Todd is my all-time favorite winner in the history of the show, absolutely deserves to be here

[@Oniromanciee]

Hey Peridiam, thanks for your new video ! I'm looking forward seeing you in Big Brother or Survivor ! I'm sure you'd be a great contestant regardless of how well you do ! If you end up on there, you might have to stop your videos, so I'd be kinda sad, but... seeing you in a game would be wonderful too ! Don't hesitate to apply please !

[@222333aaaaaa]

This was well done. Thumbs up.

[@aotphixion]

is it selfish of me to want two vids a week? big brother and survivor ! lolol love the videos man been following for a while now keep it up!!

[@poonking3628]

I was so busy rewatching ur old videos I didn’t even realize u posted 😩

[@darrylflinch5274]

Great video!!! HAHA. Liked the ending!

[@sackeshi]

You should do most dominate finalists also where was Tony

[@BrandywineGarden]

Such a great analysis! I always love watching your videos! Also, you argued your points so well, that this definitively showed me that Kim was a more dominant player than Rob!

[@Peridiam]

Aivars Spilde Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@Blackinfernape]

The reason I think Rob was more powerful is because he chose from the start witch two people he wanted to sit with, for crying out loud he managed to drag Phillip to the end, everyone wanted Phillip out but still Rob managed to drag him to the end. Still a great video and I understand your reasoning.

[@Blackinfernape]

True he chose Phillip a bit in but he still managed to drag him to the end wich is very impressive

[@1survivor566]

Rob definitely played the most dominant game in the shows history in Redemption Island. People say that his game was easy because he was a four time player against newbies. But honestly I think that made the game hard. The Redemption Island cast did not want a returning player to win the game. I mean, look at what happened to Russell. Voted out almost immediately. Rob himself was an early target too. Rob realized that he had an uphill battle from the start. And he still played a dominant game. He systematically eliminated every player who he thought could threaten him (Kristina, Francesca, Matt). That allowed him to build a majority alliance of players he felt he could read. He won challenges, found idols, controlled every vote he was a part of... just a dominating performance. But the thing that makes his win more impressive is exactly what you mentioned. Not only did he get himself to the end, he personally dragged probably the two worst players of the entire season to the end with him. That's not easy to do. But again, he knew it was necessary in order for him to have a shot at winning. Because he knew that no matter how well he played the jury would not want to reward a returning player. I know some people hate that Rob won against noobs. And they try to downplay it. But I think it was the most impressive game ever played.

[@davidmonypeny5734]

@GoodRiddanceGooglePlus 100% agree (I wrote up a long comment before I saw your's, lol). I often wonder why he never get's any credit for his achievements. I think for one a lot of younger viewers have never seen that first season, since it was in 2000. The internet was in it's infancy then and I don't know if it's ever been available to stream. There was a DVD package years ago don't know if it's still available. If they know anything about him at all, it's probably that he had to go to jail for not paying the IRS what he owed on his winnings. I remember the finale drew something like 50 MILLION viewers, just an astounding number.

[@sensualsquelch]

I would argue that Kim did the same thing. She allied with Sabrina and Chelsea on day 1, and brought them both to the final 3 over Christina (who was a goat) even though they were both competent and good players, because she was so powerful that she would still win. That's the difference, I think Rob's game was much more detrimental on who he was in the finale with, while Kim would have won against literally anyone from her season. Partly because she's so powerful and good at the game and partly because... well, it's the One World cast 😂💀

[@emileefrank7962]

Video ideas: - most bitter jury members - biggest back stab blindside -most delusional survivors

[@sensualsquelch]

Shane Powers, Debbie, Noura 😂

[@emileefrank7962]

Omg definitely!! Especially Debbie!!

[@davedonle4045]

People who need a second chance?

[@fortnitememes19]

Most bitter jury members: all of all stars jury and most of Fijis

[@hnorpiddlydink8670]

Lex in all stars

[@ramaarafat4608]

i love all your content , Thank youu periam

[@IggyUKoopa]

I totally get why you didn't have him in your top five, but I gotta include Tony in mine, possibly taking the top spot. To me, power isn't just about the stats, it's also about presentation. The minute Tony brought his bag of tricks to tribal council, he conjured a status shift that never dissolved. He was not seen as just a survivor player anymore, he was seen as an obstacle that you could not get passed. Not only was he above everyone during the merge, but he also had this dominance at the swap and even before then. He almost go Jeremiah voted off in 12th place when they weren't even on the same tribe! So many aspect about Tony and his game I consider to be the epitome of power.

[@drae1976]

Glad to see Brian Heidik on this list. Dude was sooo good. Minus his talk game at the end that almost blew it for him he played a near flawless game.

[@BattleDawnPro]

Can't believe Chris from Vanuatu didn't make this list. Chris lost the first challenge for his tribe and should have gone home, but he was the person who called the shots on his tribe. At the merge after some betrayal Chris was the last man from his all male tribe left in the game. Chris then did the impossible and manipulated those women into giving him a million dollars. Pretty amazing stuff.

[@mellybeans7838]

I usually watch videos and read through comments at the same time, I have never read your videos cuz there's no time, totally entertaining

[@Peridiam]

😄 Thanks!

[@shloopi3307]

okay but what about parvati in micronesia? parvati controlled the game from pre-merge to post merge and was responsible for many blindsides. she basically had an alliance wt everyone in the tribe and called whoever was going to go home next

[@showbizroxs]

0:00-0:20 Best opening ever!!! Dude I friggin love you hahahahaha

[@KaseyRacem]

Yo that vote last week was crazy

[@CatMommy29]

Hi Peridiam, I love your videos, could you do one for Survivor winners with the most impressively handled final tribal councils

[@eddiemelgar6449]

Another quality videos ❤️

[@1survivor566]

Rob HAD to rule through fear because he entered the game with a big target on his back as a returning player up against a cast that did not want a returning player to win. That cast quickly eliminated Russell. Rob was a day 1 target. There was no way for him to "make good" with his opposition because of the circumstances of being a returning player with a big reputation. Rob is #1 in terms of powerful winners imo. He decided who went home in every single vote he he was a part of (13 tribals). He won 4 individual immunity challenges . He dominated every aspect of the game from start to finish. And he did it all with a gigantic target on his back from the start as a returning player with a big reputation. I have Kim at #2 and she was amazing as well. But what puts Rob a level above Kim imo is that Rob was not only able to dominate and get to the end but he also dragged the two biggest goats of the entire season to the end with him which is incredibly hard to do. What's more is that he knew that he NEEDED to do it because he knew the jury absolutely did not want a returning player to win the game. Kim played one of the best games we've ever seen. But she took two really solid players to the end with her (Sabrina, Chelsea) when she had plenty of goats to choose from (Alicia, Christina, Leif, Tarzan, among others). It was an unnecessary risk.

[@sensualsquelch]

I think her taking two real players to the end and still winning just shows how dominate she was

[@arthurrimbaud7287]

You’re a dork.

[@1survivor566]

@@arthurrimbaud7287 Ouch. What a painfully boring reply.

[@ricardosalmeron1946]

He didn't, so.e p saw him with respect due to the fa t how he was treated in HVV and he made that look like an stupid move si ce he turned I to a mistake by taking down the opposite tribe, he won based on sympathy and the fact that he took the 2 worst player ,kim won based on social status.

[@BreakTheIce222]

So Kim brought non-goats to the finals & won yet you think Rob bringing goats along made him a better player?? Oooookayyy, biased much?

[@ralphismyname4940]

My List: 1. Kim 2. Rob 3. JT 4. Brian 5. Todd

[@rolandgreen7484]

My list of the top 5 most powerful winners in order: 1. Kim 2. Tony Winners at War 3. Earl 4. Tom Westman 5. Natalie A or Boston Rob or Tony Cagayan (all about the same) My list of the top 5 best overall winning games in order: 1. Tony Winners at War 2. Kim 3. Earl 4. Jeremy 5. Tina or Natalie A or Tom or Todd Herzog (all about the same) As you can see the lists are slightly different. Rob I rank top 5ish in dominance (not #1 as some have him) but in overall best games would barely make top 20 given his horrific jury management and some other negative factors that don't equate to dominance. Someone like Tina or Todd I would not equate to the absolute most dominant games, but two of the overall best for sure.

[@mewgiah8057]

People don’t give Boston Rob enough credit. As others have said, he pretty much won All-Stars, as the whole thing was him and Amber. He pretty much constructed their entire game, and he outmaneuvered everyone while keeping his romantic partner to the very end. It was no secret that him and Amber had a romance. Other cast members have said as much in interviews. If we know anything about the game, power couples and romantic partners are almost always a #1 target. They are almost always voted out immediately. The fact that Rob constructed such a game, that he got his partner (let alone romantic partner) to the very end, is insanely impressive. And while you could argue that he’s weak because he gave up the win for love, well i dont know what to tell you. All I know is, when you are truly in love with someone, you just know. I know most folks that fall in love, arent madly in love. Its attraction. Its convenience. But when you click with someone on a deeper personality level, it’s worth it. So IMO he made the right choice to take the woman he loved to the end. It would have been easy to just betray her, and he would have won the million. But he knew in the long game, he found his soulmate and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Have a family. So not only did Rob get a wife and children, they shared the million dollar anyways. And then Rob comes back to play again, and wins ANOTHER Million dollars for Amber and his family. I totally get if some people dont like Rob. But I mean damn. I feel like people arent giving the man enough credit. And as others have said, he was straight up a target form day 1. Everyone knew his play style. And HE STILL managed to execute his plan to near perfection. There is zero reason that the rest of the cast couldnt have voted him out at any point. He was just that good. And while I do get your perspective that she was able to do Boston Robs game, but making everyone love her - I think the same argument could apply in reverse. That pulling that plan off, while everyone is out to get you, is just as impressive. IMO it’s harder work. But at the very least, both are IMO equal in terms of difficulty. So in that case, I think you have to give it to Rob. Not just for that season, but for his All Stars season. Just for the fact that you look at all the times he’s played, and he’s just that amazing. I would end with this. If she played another season and used the same tactics, it wouldnt work. Her being nice and all is great, but once she won and her season aired, everyone knows. With Rob, everyone knew. And yet HE STILL WON, with the same strategy. Just think about that. And I think if you at look Robs overall play time, he’s extremely consistent in how far he gets. He’s not like Russel, where his playstyle really only worked for one season, then flopped. And I also think Rob is capable of adapting. I truly believe that Rob and Amber will have an agreement before they play Season 39, where they are willing to vote the other out - if it means getting closer to the million. I think it will surprise other cast members, and fans. I think they will work together (or at least there is a possibility), but I also think they are willing to the vote the other one out during certain parts of the game.

[@tjslam26]

I don't think he is underrated in this video (he is #2 after all). I think it's more like Kim's gameplay in her season is a bit overrated. Everyone else acted like it was high school and were happy that the popular girl was talking to them. She had so many options because nobody else was talking to each other. Only obvious swing votes get away with that in most seasons with enough good players.

[@robdurdain5912]

@@tjslam26 I mean how is that any different than Redemption Island?

[@robdurdain5912]

One thing that needs to be remembered is Rob is not even on Redemption Island if he won All Stars.

[@tjslam26]

@@robdurdain5912 1. I did not claim that it is different from Redemption Island. 2. I disagreed that Boston Rob is underrated in this video. 3. Both seasons had weaker players. But if you really want to compare Kim's season (which I already described) to Redemption Island - RI is more of B Rob getting a stranglehold on control of a tribe, they maintained superior numbers, and he made sure that he was sitting next to goats in FTC. He had little leeway in terms of options as he relied on an us-vs-them mentality to ensure no flip-flopping from his tribe. That also meant that he didn't have strong enough connections with the other tribe to effectively work with - and he didn't need to. Rob won because he had control and set up his path to what was most ideal for him. If his tribe loses numbers advantage, he's target #1. If he takes more likeable non-goats to FTC, he loses. With stronger players, they probably reject his "leadership" and boot him early OR use him as a meat-shield (first boot in case rival alliance uses an idol or once his alliance is in a comfortable majority). Kim won because everyone but Troyzan wanted to be in her clique and crown her as queen bee - she had at least 3 paths for an easy win. Almost zero resistance. With stronger players, her obvious likeability ups her threat level and she's target #1 post-merge.

[@cowboysfan8845]

Great vid i agree with your list I love Kim so much I would love to see her play again to see if she could win again

[@sensualsquelch]

Dreams do come true

[@925263]

Wasn't Parvati completely and utterly immune to everything? She literally did not even need to do the dirty work, because foot soldier Cirie was there to handle that. Amanda was always the target when someone went up against them, not her. It was always about who was going to get to go to the end with her.

[@zeaferjones1404]

Parvati even left an idol alone because she basically had the game in the bag.

[@iLLBiLLsRoastBeats]

Thank you

[@rosiellagrace]

These can be slow seasons, but they're my favourite. Kim's definitely the top for me, then Brian and Todd.. Boston Rob's just had too many chances, he's a good player but he's had so much experience playing that he should be a good player. IDK, I don't discount him but first time players that can dominate the social game are my favourites.

[@ianmale7005]

I’d love to see a detailed analysis of the games of the best players (rob, Russell, etc)

[@iLLBiLLsRoastBeats]

How is Russell one of the best

[@drewveflin2842]

Earl Tony and Parvati for me would be some honorable mentions. I’ve found that Parvati doesn’t make a lot of your vids so I’m curious as to how you feel on her gameplay

[@Peridiam]

Yeah, it's weird, I don't talk about Parv much. She's one of my favorite castaways. My original logo was a reference to her (Queen Chess Piece + letter P). I think she's a really good player, one of the best even, but I also think she's noticeably lucky, and her jury management needs some work.

[@anthonyjames1484]

Agree with Earl. To have never even watched the show then to come out and play the best game of Survivor of anyone ever still blows my mind.

[@genesiskidz9333]

next video idea - Rank every winners from worst to best

[@hayamihinata4135]

Peridiam I love your channel and this was a great video 😍👍🏻👍🏻

[@astraea092]

I feel like Cochran from Caramoan was a pretty powerful winner

[@sidharthkammili]

fr im sure he already knew he won after that final tribal council, dawn and sherri were so unbelievably terrible

[@fryhound8115]

Gotta be the best thumbnail

[@treeko1377]

I was just watching the Brendan Boot tribal from Ghost Island, and i just came up with an idea, for top 10 pre-jury tribal councils

[@Chimpmanboom]

oh ya todd had entire control of China and went in with a plan and stuck to it. masterful survivor gameplay

[@anrajsoni2596]

Would Tony’s WAW game be here? He did not receive a SINGLE vote. Won immunities when he needed to. Powerful.

[@kjones5915]

This video came out two years before WAW

[@KingsNerdCave]

I don't like people saying Rob's season as designed so he could win, it was made for Rob vs Russel, but Russel not learning from his mistakes gets taken out immediately. I'd argue it can be harder to win after being a returning player since people already know how you play and how good you are. I think Kim has the stronger strategy of having everyone like her vs Rob being more ruthless. However, I think Rob's arc makes him the stronger player since he won with everyone knowing what he's like and learning from his past experiences. He took charge of his tribe while being more respectful than previous times, he found himself the immunity idol as backup, won 4 individual immunity challenges including the final one and his fear strategy was based in a promise they would get final 6 and the buddy system would prevent flippers as the group was interconnected with Rob at the helm.

[@luthorlex-fc9ft]

Rob didn't change anything. His game was exactly the same as All Stars and that he tried to play on every season, including the many he went out early. Right down to the horrible jury management, as like All Stars he loses a jury vote to nearly everyone, he just went to the end with the 2 biggest goats in Survivor history to win.

[@KimemiaMaina]

Ok i really need to read *Peridiam posts* Well you know it'll be disrespectful NOT to

[@majaappel7422]

How is J.T not on this list? Pls answer im curious

[@itsmaria2426]

my thoughts exactly !!!

[@AlexH274]

ROB, LITERALLY CARRYING HIS FAMILY ON HIS BACK!

[@connororlando7027]

At 3:47 he said Corrine when it’s actually Karyn

[@RollerKoster]

I caught this too but it's actually Caryn.

[@Koyxi]

I thought this too but it's actually Karen

[@sameoldweirdos8695]

I caught this too but it’s actually Kyrrennirn. No, I’m kidding. RollerKoster is right, it’s Caryn.

[@tricoastalelite]

I bought this too but it’s actually McLaren

[@Alex.1Q84]

Yup, Kim needs to be number 1, another reason being that she performed as a new player, where Rob was back for the 4th time.

[@Gamefileplays]

Number 3 Gets ad on Google pixel 3 Wow that was good timing

[@ahojjajsemmichal4876]

I would personally really consider Cochran with his game where there was no moment, when we could actually think he could be voted out...or even defeated at ftc. Another dominant game was Yul's, which was however due to that idol. And another honorable mention would be Ethan, Earl and Wendell, while they dominated the game to the stage where it was 50:50 with the other guy (Lex, Yau-Man, Domenick).

[@radlee974]

I’ve never seen Thailand, thus I’ve never seen the opening credits for it, but based on the two shown in this video (Ted sitting at his computer and Jed sitting in… a… hospital? Both of which had the most *serious* looks on their faces. Like, _too_ serious. LOL.) if they _all_ look like that, or even the _majority_ do, then what an absolutely *HILARIOUS* opening credits sequence!! LOL!

[@rad4747]

todd is my favorite winner!! i love that he’s getting the representation he deserves in this video

[@pranaydas864]

Can you make a video on "Castaways whom we overestimated/underestimated pre-game"?

[@JohnnyHikesSW]

I really wanted to see Tyson on this list, nobody expected him to be able to strong arm everyone into giving him $1,000,000 but he pulled it off with style. But this is a top 5, that means you have to make tough cuts to make this list, I get that. Maybe Tyson's game was more nuanced than these 5 people, maybe he made a few more mistakes, maybe Gervase contributed too much to his alliance, maybe the f6 tribal was too up in the air for him to be top 5. I just wish you had done some honorable mentions so that Tyson could have gotten a shout out for being a dominant winner. (Tyson is a rare example of someone who played as a character first and then came back and established himself as a great strategist, I think that's a really compelling multi-season narrative and so even if he's not one of the most dominant he will always be one of my favorite winners. Sorry I just like talking about how great Tyson is, thanks for hearing me out if you read the entire thing lol)

[@Jubbable]

How did Pavati not make this list

[@CatMommy29]

Absolutely agree with your picks

[@NYChica23]

Just curious where you'd rank Sarah in all this? I felt she held a lot of power during Game Changers and controlled who went home each time, even being the swing vote in a few instances

[@kronickoliosis6115]

I think the newest winner Tommy Sheehan, deserves a spot on this list. Man played an incredible game. Getting everyone to feel open and comfortable around him. Getting good players to see him as weak when in reality he's the most strategically dominant one among them all. Tom played an incredible game and had the numbers on his side almost every time with the exception of one tribal council. I think Sarah Deserves a spot on this list as well. .

[@lonzoball4883]

Earl should be in this list. none looked at him as a target even doe he controlled the entire game

[@notnatwhothat]

i love kim so much and i feel like she's forgotten about so this made me happy

[@bwitt7830]

video idea- least tribal votes survivor winners (basically people who have won survivor and had the least votes in tribal councils during the season, not including the final tribal of course)

[@tabitha4205]

I think Kim being number 1 over Rob makes sense. All things being equal, I totally agree with the explanation you have... But also, it was Rob's fourth time playing. Aside from the knowledge that probably comes from experience, I think there is a certain "star power" of sorts that he got to use to his advantage, and he was essentially introduced as their leader right off the bat. It's also no secret that when there's any sort of returning player in these types of games they often to do very well. The fact that Kim didn't have that advantage and just used her natural charm and charisma to dominate is very impressive. :-)

[@aprilm96]

When he said y’all already know who the top 2 are I was like hell yeah it’s Boston Rob and Parvati...and he says Boston Rob and Kim and I was like wait what??? Excuse me??? Um..?

[@xakdish4169]

I like Parvati but without cerie she wouldn't have made it to the end.

[@robertbrown9151]

I thought he was gonna say Sandra

[@NYChica23]

Probably because Parvati had more power in HvV than she did in her winning season. What stops me from ranking her among this list was that she either ties with 2nd for Amanda or places 3rd had the surprise final 2 not happened in Micronesia, because before that, it was Cirie's season to lose

[@johnolson9793]

Parv didn't dominate her season because her entire alliance of women worked together almost equally. Parv and Cirie at the top for sure though. there were no goats in her alliance. Kim and Rob won against a season full of idiots pretty much.

[@colettesamek990]

@@NYChica23 I don't disagree that there could be a different outcome if there were a final three in Micronesia, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to definitively state that Cirie would have won. Parvati was in control of the game from the merge onwards, at least how most people see it.

[@mrzackattack261]

Top 5 favorite Characters in Survivor A Character is someone who is really entertaining, unpredictable and animated. They are usually not the most strategically sound but they bring a lot of excitement to the game.

[@randomuser58362]

What about Jeremy and his Bayon Strong alliance, he even flipped a few times after the merge and still kept a really strong core alliance with Tasha, Kimmy, Spencer, and Stephen Fishbach.

[@gva9947]

One quick note about Kim. She was not in danger of going home at the final 10. Even if Troyzan had played his idol correctly and she didn't know about his idol, she still had an idol of her own that she could have played to save herself.

[@boulty0186]

I think Natalie Cole should be here in anticipation of the endgame of DvG, just kidding, love the list, maybe as an idea, we could have a list of the best pre merge character arcs or tribal councils, love your work.

[@yourboyjustin2065]

Updated list Tony gotta make this list

[@micaelaboyle211]

Yul led his alliance back from a ridiculous deficit. He played a great social game and is largely forgotten. He definitely should have been on this list.

[@StupidManCostume]

A 4 to 5 deficit with a super idol is not ridiculous

[@naturalbornkiller5363]

Tyson Apostols win at season 27 was pretty powerful.

[@mayday9273]

Can you do a list of your top 5 favorite survivor winners?

[@survivorswapped7637]

I agree Kim definitely deserves #1, rob clearly wasn’t that powerful when it came to having power over the jury because if he goes to the final 3 with anyone else besides philip and natalie, he loses. I’m surprised Tony wasn’t on this list

[@alejandroreyes9566]

Tony played a hard game, but I wouldn’t say he was one of the most powerful. If Trish wasn’t there protecting him - he wouldn’t have won.

[@hewhowatches7444]

also, iirc the jury really wanted to vote for phillip but couldn't justify it.

[@survivorswapped7637]

Alex Lindwall the jury hated rob too lol

[@jtl31200]

This video has nothing to do with power over the jury. Peridiam is specifically looking at Power over the players IN THE GAME (prior to final tribal council).

[@survivorswapped7637]

the jury is part of the game lol, that's like saying if a basketball team does really well in every game they play but ends up losing by 2 points every game, they're still a "powerful" team

[@anthonymort5202]

Granted I've never seen Thailand I've only seen clips of it but Brian heideck being so ruthless is why I like him

[@lyokochaeyeon]

I do agree with Kim being top winner I liked you added Todd to the list, I would concider Earl up there as well

[@gracewatson2007]

really was hoping tony would be on this list a beast!

[@thomasmc3734]

gotta say tyson in BvW because he was waiting to strike in pre-merge, but after voting out vytas and aras took control of the rest of the game post merge.

[@JuliaTheTransPeacock]

“Were they able to sway the votes away from them?” *Shows clip of Ben*

[@ChuckWestmiller]

I feel like Tyson's rock draw round keeps him off this list but that was really the only point where his game seemed at all in jeopardy in BvW

[@jirehadvincula2395]

Where would you place Parv?

[@tokyotourist]

kim is one of my favorite players and winners of all time. she had a hidden immunity idol that never got played that’s power

[@flamingravenmc4058]

Tony had 2 lol

[@sidharthkammili]

same with tony vlachos

[@secrets.295]

I love Brian Heidick. That guy is smooth... He plays like how a politician would play. You love him, you respect him as a leader but you know damn well if you plot against him you will end up losing and he will teach you a lesson.

[@poonking3628]

As much as I love Tommy Westman I would have to put Jeremy from Cambodia on this.

[@asdfgadsg281]

Nah, he needed an idol at f6 or he would’ve gone home for example. He wasn’t in control of every vote and was blindsided a few times

[@mrjollyguy25]

I have to disagree. Cambodia was a CRAZY season where everyone was playing on their own agendas. From Ciera and Wentworth always stirring the pot to Joe and Spencer being free agents, Jeremy didn't have a solid iron grip like Tom did. Still, Jeremy played a phenomenal game, surrounding himself with meat shields while still appearing as a leader. He played his idol to display loyalty and won immunity when it mattered most.

[@TheMurrmursonbottle]

Nah, Jeremy wasn’t always in control and had to rely on idols.

[@airtempest8945]

If Wentworth won the final immunity, he was not winning. That was pretty much the whole jury's views. He also had to have an idol otherwise he would've been eliminated at final 6.

[@stephendavis6267]

Jeremy's definitely a top ten contender for me, but what keeps him from the top five is Wentworth being such a thorn in his side he almost couldn't get rid of. He probably executed the meatshield strategy better than anyone, and probably still wins even if he gets to the end with Wentworth still there (although certainly not unanimously), but she undermined him several times at the post-merge. Taking out Savage, taking out Stephen, forcing him to play his idol . . . Wentworth was so much of a problem for him that he couldn't eradicate until the F4.