I kinda love this season? Definitely the best season of the New Era. It's funny how Probst talked about how Survivor is just a show that Will Not Have Villains anymore and then we get the most insanely petty and conflict-prone cast in a LONG time
Siga was boring af as the love tribe but Nami was one of the meanest tribes we've ever had and Yanu was one of the craziest... like I still can't believe that we had Jelinsky AND Jess AND Bhanu and Q AND Tiffany all on one tribe?!?! And that's not even mentioning the Venus/Soda/Tevin complex on Nami, and whatever the **** is happening between Maria and Charlie/Venus/anyone even as Maria
literally today cropped Venus out of a pro-Palestine picture?!?!?! The most I've enjoyed a Survivor season in suuuuuuuuuuch a long time which I'm still surprised about because I'm so negative about the current state of the show.
1. Tiffany (probably not the conventional choice but as someone from very nearby, she is SUCH the embodiment of Franklin, NJ in the absolute best way. She's fun AND funny, an engaging narrator, a loyal ride-or-die for her besties, doesn't shy away from conflict or calling people out... basically all great qualities in what I want to watch on Survivor)
2. Venus (have we ever had THIS big of a pariah since Abi-Maria? The fact that she cockroached her way to 7th place and only was booted bc she didn't play her HII is remarkable considering she only had one ally the whole season and that alliance lasted for about 2 episodes before he got medvaced 
she was such an effortless lightning rod for conflict and infuriated EVERYONE merely by exiting. Glorious showing as she continues to feud with at least four of her castmates to this day even post-show )
3. Bhanu (episodes 3-4 being The Passion of Bhanu are a personal highlight of the season for me. I know everyone complains about how he was TOO MUCH but he was just the perfect amount of much and it was glorious??? His meltdown on the Journey episode 3, Yanu holding mock TCs to teach him how to talk to Jeff Probst, him crying to God that He should've never let him get on the show, begging Kenzie to help him and find him an Idol, getting on his knees and begging Tiffany to not vote for him, not playing for a million dollars but a million hearts......... it was all just such a work of art)
4. Kenzie (just insanely likable and charismatic. Like, despite Kenzie not being the ultimate strategist it's insanely easy to see why she won -- she's just insanely likeable and someone you would want to give $1,000,000 to. Props to the editors for finally showcasing a winner's social game!)
5. Liz (such an enigma and such an odd casting choice. She isn't shown all that much until late in the merge but every time she's shown it's an EVENT that just makes me more confused as to what I'm watching??? Like between her Applebee's meltdown and her silently helping Kenzie take down Maria at the F5 IC, nothing makes sense but it somehow clicks???)
6. Q (such a ****ing mess, like I still can't comprehend that he went from power player overlord to cockroach who tried to quit but the cast wouldn't let it happen??? An insanely absurd human who needs to be experienced rather than explained, but ultimately he's not a total Troy favo? Appreciate and like but don't LOVE)
7. Maria (a heinous meninist like she was kinda bad but it wrapped back around to hilarity in the last three episodes when she made people plead their cases to be brought on Reward only to make them play rock paper scissors, and then the very next episode sobbed that PART OF HER DIED when she wasn't chosen for Reward. Also not voting for Charlie to win is seriously the shock of the century, so props for bringing IT)
8. Jess (lmfaoooooo so hapless and not equipped whatsoever for the game. Feel legit bad that all of Yanu bullied the **** out of her and planted fake HIIs for her when she was the most straightforward second boot arguably ever? Poor thing seems like her experience was entirely miserable and not worth it and I don't blame her for being bitter at all)
9. Ben ("that does not rock 
" is still so ****ing funny to me lmao kinda annoying at times but genuinely harmless and occasionally fun/funny)
10. Jelinsky (a funny and pathetic first boot that the show turned into a meme and completely ran inton the ground so here we are in yellow)
11. Randen (literally the only person who ever wanted to align with Venus and did it in the most begrudging way imaginable lmaoooo robbed king)
12. Soda (honestly so ****ing annoying but at least kinda bounced off of people well sometimes)
13. Hunter (boring golden boy but not actually offensive)
14. Jem (why did people think she was going to win? Also she's boring and I'm glad she went out when she did)
15. Moriah (but can she jump? also lmfao her boot TC was embarrassing lowkey)
16. Tim (boring nobody)
17. Charlie (WE GET IT you're a Swiftie)
18. Tevin (just kinda mean and kinda hateful and self-important and NOT in a fun way)