1. Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (Season 20 - 2010)
Without question, not only is season 20, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains the greatest theme-based season of all-time to many loyal fans, but it is considered the greatest overall season of all-time. This was the perfect theme to finish off the first decade of Survivor because it captures the two character types featured on every single season, the hero and the villain.
When the show decided to bring back twenty returning players for the show's 10th anniversary season, it was the first time since Survivor: All-Stars, 13 seasons prior, that a cast was comprised of all former players. Not only did the producing team put pressure on themselves to bring back twenty of the show's most recognized players, they decided to label them the ten greatest heroes and the ten most notorious villains of the 301 people who had played the game up to that point.
While a few of the castaway's labels might be questionable, and some of the castaways might have been picked solely on the fact that other castaways from their original season were also picked, overall, the Heroes vs. Villains casting was solid.
Players who have become household names because of the show were featured, including "Boston Rob" Mariano (Survivor: Marquesas, Survivor: All-Stars), Jerri Manthey (Survivor: The Australian Outback, Survivor: All-Stars) and Rubert Boneham (Survivor: Pearl Islands, Survivor: All-Stars).
What made Heroes vs. Villains special was that production let the theme play out and develop. There were no tribe switches throughout the entire season, and until the merge on day 25, it was the Heroes tribe vs. the Villains tribe. The problem with the castaway-based themes, especially in recent seasons, is that production completely throws the theme away when the castaways are forced onto new tribes, usually by the fifth episode.
What's the point of naming an entire season after a castaway based theme if the theme isn't even going to last to the merge, or let alone, day 15? It's a complete waste of, what could be, an interesting season evolution.
Heroes vs. Villains gave the castaways a chance to truly define their tribes through their competitive spirit at the challenges and their gameplay outlook. Plus, once the merge did occur, because alliances had time to develop even though Heroes and Villains were living on one beach, tribal lines stayed intact and it was a constant battle of Heroes vs. Villains to the very end.
The season gave us brilliant gameplay, unforgettable moments, and crazy tribal councils. Who can ever forget Tyson voting himself out, J.T. giving Russell Hantz his hidden immunity idol, and Parvati using that idol against the Heroes, voting J.T. out in the process. In addition, watching this cast made loyal fans proud to be a Survivor watcher for as many as 10 years, and if every season of Survivor could capture the magic that occurred during Heroes vs Villains, there would be no need for this top-ten list.
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains is a series-defining season and a theme that satisfied on all Survivor levels.
Want more Survivor? Check out Bradley Clarke's full recap of the Survivor: Ghost Island season finale here:
//thecelebritycafe.com/2018/05/survivor-ghost-island-season-finale-recap-its-game-time-kids/
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