In this episode of Never Draw Rocks, Khendall does a case study on this question: can new Survivors ascend to that renowned position of Survivor legend? Khendall considers this question in some depth, arriving at a final answering following discussion of gamifying Survivor, personality and style, old school versus new school, the Survivor fandom, and much more. He considers the question in great depth, expanding upon the final result of New School gameplay before finally arriving at these ideas of narrative in Survivor. Survivors can be either heroes or villains, but they can also be side characters, and it is upon this idea that the whole question hinges.

Disclaimer: Spoilers

In this episode of Never Draw Rocks, Khendall examines the traits that make a Survivor a legend. Not all Survivor winners are legends, a fact which should make everybody question what exactly is it that makes a typical Survivor different from a fan favorite. Khendall discusses the intangibles of the legends of Survivors, considering how this changes the game, who people are drawn to, and who we want to see return. There are more intangibles to this game than mere ruthlessness and strategy, but what is it that makes those legends particularly memorable to Survivor fans? Khendall discusses this and more, considering in depth the idea of what turns a Survivor into a legend.

In this episode of Never Draw Rocks, Khendall discusses his personal list of the most essential seasons for Survivor fans both new and old. For those looking for where to start, this list will provide fans with all the seasons they need to gain a comprehensive understanding of the game, its most iconic moments, and its biggest players in a spoiler-free manner. For those who want a more in depth discussion on why each season was selected, the second half of the discussion contains spoiler commentary on why each of these seasons separates itself from the rest. Who makes these seasons great? Why are they special? Who are the important players in Survivor lore? Khendall discusses this and more!

EDIT: Apologies for the reverb in the recording, as it couldn't be removed in post-processing.

List of Essential Seasons:

Season 1 – Borneo, Season 7 – Pearl Islands, Season 8 – All-Stars, Season 10 – Palau, Season 13 – Cook Islands, Season 16 – Micronesia, Season 18 – Tocantins, Season 19 – Samoa, Season 20 – Heroes vs. Villains, Season 22 – Redemption Island, Season 26 – Caramoan, Season 28 – Cagayan, Season 31 – Cambodia, Season 34 – Game Changers, Season 40 – Winners at War