Best ‘Survivor’ Players of the New Era, Ranked

The Big Picture

• New Era of Survivor features standout players with brilliant game play and social strategy.
• Game format changes include 26-day seasons, earning basic necessities, Beware Advantages, and 90-minute episodes.
• Unique twists like Shot in the Dark add complexity, while double idol flushes and flashbacks test players’ adaptability.

There may only be six seasons thus far, but the New Era of Survivor has had a handful of standout players that have showcased their extraordinary skills out on the beaches of Fiji. From winners like Dee Vallaredes and Yam Yam Arocho to robbed players like Jesse Lopez and Shan Smith, the New Era has been dominated by brilliant game play and excellent social strategy. Over 100 players have hit the beach in the New Era. Determining who is the strongest in the new lot is near impossible, but we’re going to try!

The New Era of Survivor has come in hot. With a brilliant new casting initiative and players with a fondness of the game, Jeff Probst has made the game different, and allegedly harder. With an exuberant amount of twists and turns that have bogged down the game and affected the results, Survivor is still the best reality television competition show ever. While Survivor still maintains the same basic game play, the New Era has implemented some unique elements that make these seasons unique. Firstly, the game has been cut to 26 days. The castaways do not start with their basic camp necessities, they have to earn it. There are Beware Advantages that force the players to decide if they want to risk something in order to earn an advantage or Hidden Immunity Idol. The editing has implemented flashback sequences to the player’s in the outside world. Oh, then the Shot in the Dark. We don’t want to talk about that one. Anyway, the biggest change for the fans is that some of the seasons were gifted 90-minute episodes, which has been absolutely amazing! It allows more time to learn about the people playing the game. Thanks for that! We appreciate it! The characters from the New Era have already cemented themselves into the history books. With Survivor 46 officially in the books, these are the best of the best from Survivor 41 through Survivor 46.

30 Kaleb Gebrewold

Survivor 45– 11th Place

The Shot in the Dark is one of the most controversial twists that has ever been introduced into Survivor. The discourse surrounding it has kept the fandom debating whether it deserves a place in the game. While the advantage had been utilized multiple times, it never truly came to fruition about just how powerful it was when Kaleb Gebrewold was successful with it on Survivor 45. As a member of the disastrous Lulu Tribe, Kaleb entered the merge, establishing some new bonds and friendships. But as the low man on the totem pole, his time in the game was just about over. Until he sacrificed his vote and ended up wiping out every single vote that was cast against him. Unfortunately, unlike the Hidden Immunity Idol that gets replaced into the game, Kaleb utilized his only safety net and was promptly voted out in the next episode. Kaleb showcased an alarmingly strong social game that made him a major threat had he made it any further.

29 Lauren Harpe

Survivor 44– 5th Place

Survivor 44 was filled with some of the most lovable characters in the New Era of Survivor, many of whom we will discuss later. Lauren Harpe‘s game was shown almost in two parts, first in the beginning and then in the end. After earning the Bank Your Vote advantage at the summit, Lauren found herself in the majority of the Ratu Alliance. She formed strong relationships with many of her merge tribemates and even showed her challenging prowess in the end. Despite working with the Tika Three previously, when it came down to whether to eliminate her or Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt, her resume seemed to spook the players, and she was promptly voted out at Final Five. Lauren’s game may have seemingly been subtle, but her social skills and ability to perform in challenges made her a contender.

28 Mike Turner

Survivor 42– 2nd Place

Much of Mike Turner‘s game on Survivor 42 revolved around loyalty and establishing strong relationships with his allies. It was also part of his downfall when it came to his performance at the Final Tribal Council. But before then, Mike played a game that relied on shifting alliances, often having to betray his early allies in order to keep himself safe. Mike formed an almost unbreakable bond with Jonathan Young that was ultimately cracked when they were both put in the Final Four Fire Making Challenge. Mike claimed his game was all about loyalty, but the jury could not see past his inability to own the game. He ultimately only received one vote from Jonathan, ending up as the runner-up to Maryanne Oketch. Credit should be given to Mike for having to go along with the silly phrase game in order to activate his Hidden Immunity Idol.

27 Tiffany Seely

Survivor 41– 11th Place

Tiffany Seely was ahead of her time. Part of the guinea pig season of the New Era on Survivor 41, Tiffany was able to play a brilliant social game, earning a lot of knowledge of where advantages were in the game. Her impeccable game sense allowed her to assist in the dismantling of fellow Yase Tribe member Liana Wallace‘s Knowledge is Power move. Unfortunately, she became a casualty to a double idol flush and became the Mayor of Ponderosa. Tiffany showed immense promise that would easily have made her a strong contender in any other season of the New Era.

26 Mike Gabler

Survivor 43- Winner

Mike Gabler won Survivor 43 because the jury of his peers voted for him to win. But his victory and how it came to be has confused fans since he won. He did not have a strong showing while on the Baka Tribe prior to the merge. He and Elie Scott were almost instant enemies and the entire course of the game was going to be determined by who got who first. Luckily, Gabler won that battle, and then submerged himself as other castaways played bolder games. The “AliGabler” mentality proved successful in the end, being rewarded for his social game. While he may not have been the best player, his decision to donate his winnings was quite commendable.

25 Tiffany Nicole Ervin

Survivor 46– 8th Place

One of the biggest stories coming out of Survivor 46 is how it was cursed to be in possession of a Hidden Immunity Idol, as all five individuals who had one was blindsided and voted out with it in their pocket. One of those casualties was Tiffany Nicole Ervin. As a part of the disastrous Yanu Tribe, she was one of the survivors of the tribe to reach the merge. She had a solid bond with Kenzie Petty and Q Burdette, but this purple trio was nothing like the purple people on Survivor 44 because her game was completely blown up by her ally. While her number one almost turned on her, ultimately it didn’t happen. But she was still the victim of a blindside, not using her idol when she most needed to. The game might have been different had she played her idol. Tiffany was an exceptional threat. Her social prowess was strong. She displayed grit and fervor that was perfect for the New Era of Survivor.

24 Owen Knight

Survivor 43– 3rd Place

Owen Knight was a gamer. He was a student of Survivor. And as a student of Survivor, Owen knew that fate is not always on your side. This man had some very unlucky breaks during his game. Owen constantly tried to find his footing during Survivor 43, often voting incorrectly, and letting people know about it. But once he hit the merge, things started to look up. Despite a strong showing physically, his inability to prove his social game sadly earned him zero votes on Final Tribal Council. Despite not winning $1,000,000, he did earn $50,000 from music superstar Sia! If ever there was someone who could benefit from a Second Chance season, it’s Owen.

23 Emily Flippen

Survivor 45– 7th Place

She started from the bottom, now she’s one of the most beloved characters from the New Era of Survivor. If you look up growth in the Survivor dictionary, you’ll see a photo of Survivor 45‘s Emily Flippen. When Emily started the game on the Lulu tribe, she was almost a surefire bet to be voted out first. When someone quit, she was given a new lease on life, and literally took advantage of the opportunity. She learned how to foster relationships under the tutelage of her unlikely ally, Kaleb Gebrewold. Saved by a tribe swap, Emily gained a new alliance with the boys from the Reba Four. While she was used as a crucial number, Emily did try to make a move, but her allies’ mindset did not align with hers, and she ended up being collateral damage in the end. Emily is a true success story. She deserved her wine at the Survivor Auction, just as fans deserved the memes that followed.

22 Austin Li Coon

Survivor 45– 2nd Place

In the New Era of Survivor, maintaining an alliance from the start of the game to the end is near impossible. But when it works, someone will be victorious in the end. On Survivor 45, Austin Li Coon immediately established a solid alliance with Drew Basile, which allowed them to team up with Julie Alley and Dee Valladares to form the Reba Four. Between multiple idols and advantages, Austin’s place in the game led him all the way to the end. There was just one catch. A thing called love. Austin developed a romantic entanglement with Dee that ultimately led to his downfall. Had Dee not pulled the wool over him, Austin might have won out in the end, but Dee ultimately played the stronger game thanks to her ability to own a move over him. Autin was a beast during Survivor 45, but his blind trust got the better of him.

21 Heidi Lagares-Greenblat

Survivor 44– 2nd Place

Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt was a loyal soldier at the beginning stages of the game during Survivor 44. When she did explode post-merge, Heidi made a triumphant run to the end. As the Soka and Ratu alliances were quietly picked off by the Tika Three, Heidi was the lone survivor, which made sense. She was socially savvy and physically capable. Survivor 44 truly was the game about the Tika Three, and Heidi knew that the only way to ensure her victory in the end was to boost her resume. After winning the final Immunity Challenge, she bravely put herself into the Final Four Fire Making Challenge in order to eliminate Carson Garrett. Her plan worked, and in record time. When it came to winning over the jury, she was no match against the social brilliance of Yam Yam Arocho. She did have the chance to explain the importance of visibility in her speech. Heidi has all the makings of a top tier player. If she ever returns, she should borrow the social prowess of the season’s winner and she’ll be an absolute powerhouse.

20 Katurah Topps

Survivor 45– 4th Place

All it took was one fateful move to tumble Katurah Topps‘ chances of winning Survivor 45. If she trusted Jake O’Kane and made the major move against Dee Valladares, her chances of winning the game would have skyrocketed. Despite the regretful move, Katurah played an exceptional game. She had an ongoing feud with returning player Bruce Perrault, where she was ultimately right about him and got her revenge. Katurah fell victim to the Final Four Fire Making Challenge as she was placed in that position by Dee. Had Katurah played in an old school season, she might have been victorious, but the factors present in the New Era of Survivor didn’t aid her in the end.

19 Xander Hastings

Survivor 41– 3rd Place

Xander Hastings played an old school game at the start of the New Era of Survivor. As one of the youngest in the game, Xander tried not to let that show. But at the age of 21, his social game was not quite at its prime. Xander was able to play a very strong physical and strategic game where his ability to use and find advantages, on top of winning multiple Immunity Challenges, brought him to the final three of Survivor 41. His resume was exceptional. Xander’s biggest problem was he couldn’t speak to his social game. What the New Era of Survivor has proven, social games are winning out more than physical games. Should he get to play again, being able to make stronger social connections will be the final piece to his Survivor puzzle.

18 Hai Giang

Survivor 42– 8th Place

Hai Giang played the game hard. The Survivor 42 standout became a puppet master during the merge portion of the game. Even with some paranoia on his brain thanks to a rogue vote against him from Romeo Escobar, Hai was able to establish a hold on the dominant majority. He was able to shoot down the potential men’s alliance, which would have been horrible for his game. Hai’s strategic game was only outmatched by the other super-strategic player present, Omar Zaheer. Survivor is a game with real people and when they are not playing, real conversations occur. Despite a rivalry between the two, Hai was able to have a beautifully authentic chat with Romeo following him coming out to the tribe. Hai played quite a strong game and should be remembered for it.

17 Frannie Marin

Survivor 44– 8th Place

Much of Frannie Marin‘s time on Survivor 44, according to the edit, involved her “showmance” with Matt Blankinship. What was evident was they were two peas in a pod on the Soka Tribe. Frannie was a smart player, but to the surprise of herself and her tribe mates, she exposed herself as a challenge beast. With the merge tribe being decimated by the Tika Three, she was almost knocked out, but an idol play saved her for a bit longer. She did form a close bond with Carolyn Wiger that almost kept her alive a bit longer, but her resume was growing to be too much to handle, and she was voted out. Frannie was one of the most delightful characters of the season, which was filled with amazing personalities.

16 Lindsay Dolashewich

Survivor 42– 5th Place

There was a strong and brilliant casting shift in the New Era of Survivor. But there were still some players who had an old school sensibility to their game. Such is the case with Lindsay Dolashewich on Survivor 42. She absolutely might be the most underrated and slept upon players in recent memory. Lindsay was exceptional at the game of Survivor. Lindsay had a brilliant social game. She was a physical threat, often being a match against Jonathan Young. She wanted him out in hopes of bettering her own game, but by focusing on this mission, she neglected where her placement would be if the plan to vote out Omar Zaheer was played out. In a game of numbers, numbers were not on her side in the final five, causing her to fall short of the end. Lindsay is a force to be reckoned with. Go watch her game back. It’s quite good.

15 Maria Shrime Gonzalez

Survivor 46– 5th Place

There has been much discourse regarding Maria Shrime Gonzalez‘s final decision to vote for Kenzie Petty over Charlie Davis, her number one ally, to win the game. Putting that aside, the game that Maria played on Survivor 46 was incredulous. Mother slayed! Her social game was in its prime. She almost joined a brilliant club of women who won Individual Immunity Challenges. Her downfall was keeping Q Burdette present. Who knows how the jury would have felt had she made Final Tribal Council, but she was almost there. It did, in fact, take two to beat her in the final five Immunity Challenge.Maria played a noble game that deserves its flowers. In the end, she made a personal decision, but that should not negate the game she played prior.

14 Cassidy Clark

Survivor 43– 2nd Place

Much of the fandom questioned how Cassidy Clark did not win Survivor 43 based on the edit they saw, but at Final Tribal Council, Mike Gabler swayed the jury better than Cassidy could. Cassidy was an instant target by certain members of the Coco Tribe. But it didn’t matter, she prevailed thanks to her ability to play an observant game. Cassidy was a fire-cracker that let some poor decisions get the best of her. Once again, the Final Four Fire Making Challenge hurt her chance to win as the jury held it against her that she didn’t throw herself in there. Give her a do-over, she deserves it! She did make the jump over to The Challenge: USA, where she once again played a strong game.

13 Erika Casupanan

Survivor 41– Winner

Erika Casupanan was the first official winner of the New Era of Survivor when she won Survivor 41. Her game completely changed toward an upward trajectory as she was presented with a game-changing twist. When sent to exile, Jeff Probst offered her the opportunity to change the fate of which of the two teams that competed in the Immunity Challenge would be immune at Tribal Council. She opted to smash the hourglass, giving temporary power to the majority players. She played a very under-the-radar game, much that the edit did not catch, but was ultimately victorious in the end. The landscape of the New Era of Survivor could look entirely different had Erika not taken advantage of this massive twist.

12 Ricard Foyé

Survivor 41– 5th Place

Survivor 41 had a strong duo that looked like they were about to dominate the game together as a pair. Starting out on the Ua Tribe, Ricard Foyé and Shan Smith were strategic geniuses. They were both strong-minded and almost let holding onto an advantage come between them. But like any great individual, they had their own game to play. And it would be Ricard who would be eager to act first. After forming bonds with some outsiders from the majority alliance, he was able to help swing the votes against Shan, completely blindsiding her. Ricard soon became the biggest threat, and the outsiders knew it, cutting him at the final five. He came into the game hearing-impaired, relying on his skills lip-reading. One of Ricard’s biggest game-changing moments was convincing Jeff Probst to drop “guys” from his signature “Come on in, guys!” Ricard was brilliant. Ricard was strong. And he was an impressively intriguing character.

11 Kenzie Petty

The New Era of Survivor has thrived thanks to players with incredible social games. Kenzie Petty may quite possibly be one of the most authentically charismatic castaways to hit the beaches of Fiji. Despite being a part of one of the most disastrous starting tribes in Survivor history, Kenzie was able to smile through the strife. Her ability to connect and make a genuine connections with every person out there showed just how incredible her character was. Kenzie was game-savvy, knowing that at some point, she was going to have to blindside her number one ally, Tiffany Nicole Ervin. Kenzie had some strong showings in certain challenges, and came in clutch when the timing was necessary. Of course, the discourse regarding the final five Immunity Challenge will haunt Survivor 46 forever. Jeff Probst never blew the whistle, so all’s fair in love and Survivor. As revealed in the reunion, her ability to win the Final Four Fire Making Challenge was what helped her solidify her season victory. If you’re a salon owner with an exceptional social game and start on a purple tribe, chances are you’re going to win the season!