Survivor: The First 10 Winners, Ranked

Survivor has certainly come a long way from its early days. Numerous changes have befallen the show throughout its twenty-year run. These include an increased emphasis on “gimmicks,” faster-paced gameplay, and more complex strategizing and alliance-making. Back in the day, Survivor seemed relatively “easy” (in so much as living on a hot deserted island can be easy). It was much slower, alliances seemed more robust and rigid, and picking off people seemed like more of an easy choice.

It’s quite telling that all the “old” winners were the first to go in Winners at War. Here are ten of the oldest.

10 Amber Brkich

Now known as Amber Mariano (after marrying Boston Rob), Brkich landed sixth in The Australian Outback before winning All-Stars over her future husband. However, as its name clearly does not suggest, All-Stars was a widely controversial season, and Brkich’s seemingly unwarranted win was a large reason for that. Her game isn’t without merit – she rightfully allied with Mariano and managed to save herself after a Tribe Switch. However, her win is largely associated with Mariano and his dominance, and a bitter jury more so voted against Rob than for Amber.

9 Vecepia Towery

It’s always telling when a non-winner proves far more popular than the actual winner. It happened with Russell and Natalie on Samoa, and it happened before with Vecepia and Rob on Marquesas. This season is often considered one of Survivor‘s weakest for numerous reasons, including the famous Purple Rock controversy and the boring final two. Even Jeff Probst has spoken negatively on Marquesas and Vecepia’s win, telling Entertainment Weekly, “By the time you got to the final two with Neleh and Vecepia — I’m sleeping.”

8 Brian Heidik

Probst wasn’t afraid of unleashing his fury on Heidik. Heidik is known for numerous things, including his generally cold demeanor, refusal to form bonds and relationships, and for considering the game “a business trip.” However, he also showed incredible leadership on Chuay Gahn and is often credited for inventing the “goat strategy.” Regardless, Probst is not a fan of Thailand or Heidik. He told EW, “Brian, Clay, Helen, and Jan was the least likable final four ever” and that it “felt like you needed a shower after watching Brian play, because he was so sleazy.” Ouch.

7 Tina Wesson

Tina Wesson, the victor of Australian Outback, is often considered one of the more underrated Survivor winners, primarily due to her quiet, under-the-radar approach to the game. Wesson served primarily as the camp “mom” but also proved an adept social player, convincing Colby Donaldson to take her to the final two.

It worked, and Tina ended up winning by a 4-3 vote. She arguably deserved to win The Australian Outback, but many Survivor fans like the flashier, more combative and outwardly strategic players.

6 Ethan Zohn

Zohn is widely regarded as one of the nicest Survivor contestants, let alone winners. However, some people consider him a “boring” winner – even Jeff Probst. In that same EW interview, Probst said that Zohn is “a nice guy but [made for] boring television.” That’s not necessarily true. Zohn did a lot to help and further his game, like allying with Lex and Tom to form the Boran Alliance and showing commanding leadership following a Tribe Switch. He also helped negotiate the first ever throwing of an immunity challenge, leading to the elimination of Silas.

5 Richard Hatch

It’s hard to rank Richard Hatch within Survivor winners, as the gameplay of Borneo was so radically different from that of future seasons. However, many aspects of Hatch’s game deserve praise. He was an excellent fisher, which undoubtedly gained him some brownie points (and leverage for keeping him around). He also created the Tagi Alliance – the very first alliance in Survivor history. It radicalized both the season and the very future of the game, as all subsequent seasons would be run by various alliances. By all accounts, Hatch defined how the game was played.

4 Chris Daugherty

While Vanuatu is not highly regarded within the Survivor fandom, Chris Daugherty’s win was undeniably impressive. Throughout much of the season, Daugherty was considered a massive underdog. Many people of Lopevi wanted to send him home owing to a poor performance at the first immunity challenge, and by the end of the game, the Yasur Alliance had completely demolished all of Daugherty’s allies.

However, a combination of clever manipulation, coattail riding, and strong social gameplay allowed him to come from behind and win by a 5-2 vote, with many juror members praising his determination.

3 Jenna Morasca

The Amazon was considered a return to form for Survivor following a string of disappointing outcomes. Much of the acclaim stemmed from the gender division, the likable cast, and the dominating performance of eventual winner Jenna Morasca. She co-founded the Jaburu Alliance with Heidi Strobel and proved an incredible competitor, winning four individual immunity challenges. After losing Strobel, Morasca won the last two immunity challenges and took herself to the end with Matthew von Ertfelda, winning by a landslide 6-1 vote.

2 Sandra Diaz-Twine

Sandra Diaz-Twine is a Survivor legend and the first contestant to win two seasons – her original, Pearl Islands, and Heroes vs. Villains. In the former, Diaz-Twine completely owned the first half and completely controlled the Drake tribe alongside Christa Hastie and Rupert Boneham. Her Drake Alliance was eventually demolished after the merge, leaving Diaz-Twine as the sole survivor (of the alliance). However, she proved an excellent social player and made connections with numerous contestants and alliances, allowing her to go to the final two with Lillian Morris, where she won in a 6-1 vote.

1 Tom Westman

Tom Westman’s performance throughout Palau was nothing short of extraordinary, and he is arguably the greatest player of the first ten winners. He proved a natural and effortless leader, which helped the Koror tribe completely (and embarrassingly) dominate Ulong. He also proved a strong survivor and dominant force around camp, and his five individual immunity wins tied a Survivor record. Tom had little competition throughout Palau, especially with runner-up Katie Gallagher. He won in an easy 6-1 vote, with everyone praising his incredibly diverse gameplay.

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Nathan Sharp
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Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto, Ontario. He has a love of movies and television, having enjoyed them for more than twenty years. His preferences include drama, action, and horror, with the former being a particular point of interest and fascination.

He also has a love of video games, particularly those of Rockstar.

Whether it be about film, television, or video games, Nathan loves a good discussion and has written hundreds of articles for Screen Rant.

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