'Survivor' - greatest theme-based seasons as of now

2. Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance (Season 31 - 2015)

Survivor went all American Idol on its viewers because, for the show's 31st season, the power of choosing the cast shifted to the general public. Instead of having the producing team pick the 20 castaways for the third all returning players season, America participated in a nationwide vote to determine which ten men and which ten women had the opportunity to travel to Cambodia and play the game again.

32 former castaways were part of the vote, each had only played the game one time before, and each was looking to get a second chance. That was the idea behind the whole season, a second chance for these players to re-write their Survivor story and improve on the mistakes they made last time.

All 32 of them were present at the Survivor: Worlds Apart reunion show for the live reveal, hoping they would get picked. This was one of the elements that made the season unique, and the season hadn't even started yet. The castaways who ultimately were selected grabbed their bags, boarded a bus, and were about to travel halfway around the world to begin their second adventure of a lifetime.

Many castaways who were most likely viewed as sure bets to be selected such as Kass from Survivor: Cagayan - Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty and Keith from Survivor: San Juan Del Sur - Blood vs. Water did end up boarding the bus. However, it was heartbreaking to watch those who have been waiting so long, like T-Bird from Survivor: Africa and Shane from Survivor: Panama - Exile Island, not make the cut.

With that being said, the best part about the individuals who comprised the cast was that it captured the entire series of Survivor up until that point. There was a castaway from season one, there were two castaways from season 30, and there was a great representation of castaways from seasons two through 29.

As a whole, the Second Chance cast is probably the best returning players cast in CBS reality television history, and the weirdest part is, America chose the cast, not the network. I think that is saying something. Maybe all-star casts need to be selected by the public because, as fans, we know who he wants to see compete again.

What's great about the theme is that sometimes in life you deserve a second chance, and every single player selected, whether it was because their time was cut too short or they finished runner-up, desperately wanted one. Some had been waiting as long as 15 years.

Over the course of the season, the theme was always prevalent, as players kept reminding themselves that this was their opportunity the seize the second chance they had been dreaming of since they were first voted out. Even though seasons past featured players who were given a second chance to play, it felt like this group of castaways were the first to fully embody the idea that this was their time to finish what they started.

Between the gung-ho gameplay and the transformation of some of the players, everyone was in it to win it and was serious about making the most of their second opportunity. This resulted in some of the most exciting episodes in the show's history, and many epic moments and tribal councils along the way.

In addition, among the cast, there was a great mixture of old-school and new-school players, so as a viewer, it was fun watching the old-school players adapt to the more strategic, fast-paced gameplay Survivor now demands. At moments, it really felt like an all-out battle, and it was because the pressure of America giving each of them the second chance, and not wanting to let the fans down, was always looming.

There is an argument to be made when deciding whether Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance deserves to be the number one themed-based season in Survivor history. However, while the theme is superb and delivered all that it promised and more, there is still one Survivor theme that tops them all.