INTRODUCTION

Based on all accounts from reliable spoilers and former contestants, the Survivor 50 casting process was a complete visionless mess, and it reflects in the final product. It is at least a step up from Game Changers in terms of not having an extremely wide range of notoriety, and I do welcome the change to twenty-four players, which solves the problem of starting tribes being too small.

The obvious format to me is three tribes of eight players representing the Old Era (seasons 1-20), Middle Era (seasons 21-40) and New Era (seasons 41-50) so that any cuts can be explained away by that limitation; but the cast as it stands is only divided between twelve "Old Era" (seasons 1-40, although six of them come from seasons 32-38) and twelve New Era players, which not only feels disproportionate but also opens the show up to more complaints as to the New Era picks given that the bar for inclusion is lower. If the exact eighteen from seasons 32-50 were a general All Stars cast that did not claim to be representing the entire series, I believe the fanbase would be much happier. However, the tease of bringing back just a handful of actual Old Era players understandably gives the impression that production favors the mixed-reception New Era over the more acclaimed and iconic classic seasons. They also wholly disregard the 50% BIPOC rule, which is just terrible optics when your casting pool is so wide; I adhered to it but admit that I had to make some swaps from my initial draft to make it work given how many Old and Middle Era seasons have five or fewer BIPOC players (most of whom leave before the merge or with no impact on the edit).

Another glaring issue is that two winners return from the New Era with none from the Old Era. It makes sense that winners would be excluded given that the all-winners season was only five years ago, but including Dee and Kyle broadens the theme to not just "best to never win," begetting the question of why iconic winners like Parvati or Sandra were not invited when they clearly would have said yes. The cleanest solution is to exclude winners entirely and save them for a different theme when more time has passed since season 40.

As for the exact theme, I do not think the oft-suggested "best to never win" is the correct framing because it gets too much into apples-to-oranges strategic comparisons given how much the game has evolved and discounts the importance of dynamic television characters to the success of the show. Therefore, my focus is casting players non-winners with iconic moments and/or compelling, unique storylines that demonstrate the history and meaning of the show.

OLD ERA (SEASONS 1-20)

• Cirie (12/16/20/34) - I understand the Aneesa accusations, but she will always be iconic for Getting Up Off The Couch (tm) and will always be interesting as a strategic player.
• Coach (17/20/23) - Close between him and Russell for delusional over-the-top villain from this era, but there is zero chance Russell is not the first boot. His last outing demonstrates that he has the potential to win if he shows an ounce of self awareness; I am highly skeptical he is capable of improving, but it would be fascinating to see him try.
• Dreamz (14) - My spiciest pick on the cast as his iconic moment with the car deal has been forgotten over the years. That said, he is undoubtedly ruthless enough to adapt to the New Era but could still fly under the radar.
• Jenna (1/8) - Not super attached to her specifically but I think it is important to have someone from the first season because the whole thing is an iconic moment in itself and she represents the "all contestants became C-list celebrities" aspect of the show's earliest era. She is also the best pick from Borneo in terms of likelihood to adapt to the New Era.
• Rob (6/8) - The most egregious exclusion when you break down what he contributes. He was the main character of Amazon with both the biggest strategic move (blindsiding Christy) and character moments (his snarky confessionals) from that season. He only returned for All Stars, on which he was an early boot, and has never shown interest in any other show (meaning he is about as far as possible from overexposed for a player of his clout). Despite this, he is still well known for having the most popular Survivor podcast, which basically serves as the foundation for the current online superfan community that arguably would have otherwise died off after the dark ages of the early 2010s. For my own sanity I will choose to believe he was cut for being too well connected, but, if anything, I think his level of connections make for an interesting arc, because there is zero chance he does not get targeted at some point for that and he knows it! I am not even a RHAP listener and find most of their fans annoying but passing on Rob is probably a top 5 worst Jeff decision throughout the show's history, which is an insanely high bar.
• Sean (4) - He spearheaded the first power shift in Survivor history and has been beloved by the hardcore fanbase for years. I assume he was cut for being too obscure to the casual audience, but even then they can play up his friendship with Boston Rob to instantly make him a fan favorite and give him a unique arc for the season.
• Stephenie (10/11/20) - Like Cirie, her absence would feel pretty glaring given that she is still heavily involved in reality TV. But I would still cast her even if she never did Traitors; she will always have the clout of surviving the Ulonging, but she has only slid further into villainy from that point and I believe that she will play that up more than ever before on her fourth try.
• T-Bird (3) - She has a built-in arc as a Cambodia ballot failure which will make her relatable to the casual audience, on top of being beloved by the hardcore community. Honestly it has been so long since I saw Africa that I only really know her from her contributions to the community, but those contributions alone are deserving of a spot in my opinion.

MIDDLE ERA (SEASONS 21-40)

• Abi-Maria (25/31) - A character that casuals will immediately recognize as soon as she speaks even if they remember nothing else about her seasons. She is an overt villain on a cast that is lacking in them, but given that she is pretty beloved in the alumni community these days, I could also see a redemption arc if she can finally get her social game under control.
• Angelina (37) - Rare production W that she has seemingly always been a lock for this season.
• Cydney (32) - A bit of a wildcard given that she does not really fulfill my icon criteria in terms of role in the story of her season. That said, on top of being an underrated strategic threat, I think she would have a compelling arc as a returnee from the most physically demanding season now having retired from bodybuilding and become a mother; my impression is that they are hoping to use Aubry for the "how Survivor has changed me" storyline, but Cydney would be a much more interesting option.
• Jay (33) - The way that just as casuals abandon him I pick him up...obviously he has The Challenge to fall back on, but he does have two iconic moments with the Michaela blindside and the Adam mom bonding. Additionally, his most recent season of The Challenge had him as the main antagonist so if Jay and the editors leaned into it he could be a "fallen golden boy" which I do not recall us ever really seeing unless you count certain Ozzy moments.
• Kelley (29/31/38) - On top of just being extremely likeable, she has probably the second most iconic idol play of all time (behind Parvati HvV merge vote) so she is an easy face of the show's advantages. Given that she was also one of the strongest players/characters on season 38, I do not get the sense that she would face the same diminishing returns as other four-timers.
• Malcolm (25/26/34) - The most likeable of the golden boy archetype ever in my opinion, together with being part of one of the most referenced duos in the show's history. Given that the show and community have slowly drifted away from him, I believe a return here could make him an even bigger underdog than his previous seasons.
• Mike (37) - Ignoring his fame outside the show, he played one of the best and most entertaining non-winning strategic games, which should already qualify him. Some people argue his fame makes him less fun as a player (as the more fame hungry players will be throwing away their games for five second White Lotus cameos, apparently), but even if exactly that happens it would still be a unique dynamic that I would be interested to see play out.
• Tai (32/34) - There is a chance he ends up playing passively, but there is also a severe shortage of casual-approved over-the-top characters that would not be screentime hogs. Additionally, his non-idol play deserves to be recognized as one of the best Tribal Councils ever.

NEW ERA (SEASONS 41-50)

• Andy (47) - One of the most surprising exclusions, and I suspect it's because they're tempted to save him for a reunion with Rachel. That said, I find his arc independently compelling; it would be interesting to see him play without needing the premerge warmup period, given that devious antics are largely harder to get away with early in the game.
• Carolyn (44) - What was the point of editing 44 to have only three characters if you weren't going to bring any of them back? Jeff cutting her out of spite is going to backfire immensely with the Survivor 50 hype likely inflating the reality crossover bubble to new heights.
• Emily (45) - Unfortunately I might have to unstan if she does not flirt with villainy again, but it's worth taking that risk with how much she delivered in the premerge.
• Jesse (43) - Not even a fan of his, but if this was a straightforward Legends season, he would be one of the very few valid New Era picks; his blindside of Cody yet still failing to seal the deal radiates importance to the evolution of the game (even if most of the rest of the season was pretty lame). Maybe him getting cut at the same time as Carolyn is because he puts his kid on MrBeast?
• Kamilla (48) - 48 deserves zero returnees, but her personality was admittedly dampened by being attached to the rest of that cast. While the continuation of the "New Kamilla" that randomly emerged in the finale does not interest me, I am intrigued by seeing how she plays on a cast that she relates to more outside of the game, given that she basically said in confessionals that she was forced into working with the strength alliance out of necessity.
• Owen (43) - I did not expect to have 43 as my only New Era season with multiple picks, but I think he is the best representation for the New Era Charlie Brown archetype, given that his disrespect from the jury seemed pretty arbitrary. Also, it gets overshadowed because it was not super memorable, but he did pick a fight on his season, which is an important dynamic to consider on a tribe that will be kumbaya-inclined.
• Q (46) - His three episodes will be glorious, and by casting Tiffany production wisely wants to make the most of them. If I had to pick, he would be my prediction for the first three-time player of the New Era.
• Shan (41) - It seems like a miracle in hindsight that she got so far in 41 given how unlikeable she comes across, and by all accounts she is even more obnoxious nowadays. So assuming she is on the outs socially, we either get a glorious scramble and flameout in the early game or she cockroaches her way forward against all odds.

MY CUTS FROM THE REAL CAST (SORTED ALPHABETICALLY)

• Aubry (32/34/38) - For the reasons I stated above in my Cydney blurb, I actually think she's going to deliver more than she did on 34 or 38. That said, it is really not worth taking the risk after two painfully under-the-radar seasons. I would place her as a better fit for Traitors, where they can highlight her personality to new viewers.
• Charlie (46) - While he arguably qualifies for having such a shocking Final Tribal Council loss, I do not find him compelling for a return appearance without Kenzie and/or Maria. I would not mind them as a returnee unit representing 46 in a more general All Stars season.
• Chrissy (35) - She was one of my last cuts and I am looking forward to seeing if she can improve socially. It would be really funny if she completely overcompensated and came off super fake.
• Christian (37) - I understand that he's a fan favorite with his over-the-top moments but I think he is likely to be a strategic follower on a returnee season with more assertive players.
• Colby (2/8/20) - I would not mind his inclusion if Jerri was here, but I did not have room for her and their dynamic can be equally served by putting them on Traitors together.
• Dee (45) - As stated before, there is no need for winners on this season, and she is a better fit for The Challenge than Survivor moving forward...it feels weird for someone who hooked up with Johnny Bananas to go back to this hopecore ass show.
• Genevieve (47) - As yass and slay as she is, Carolyn and Emily clearly have her beat for complex white women in terms of legendary status.
• Joe (48) - Despite not liking him I did consider his inclusion for the Eva moment, but 48 does not need more representation and he would be just as well served on a general All Stars. I also do not trust the show to edit him honestly.
• Jonathan (42) - He has under-the-radar written all over him in a cast like this, given that he has minimal strategic game. I would be shocked if he was not an early merge boot.
• Kyle (48) - My pick for worst choice on the cast. He is in contention for the most generic personality to ever win, is entering the game with two rock solid allies, and everyone just saw the entire fanbase shit on the entire season and root against its failure. If he can somehow overcome all of that and win again, then good for him, but what a waste of a spot.
• Ozzy (13/16/23/34) - Honestly less objectionable than you would think for a five-timer given that he delivered in two of his seasons and has that icon status. That said, like Aubry, I would not take the risk of another Game Changers esque flop.
• Rick (38) - An obnoxious camerawhore who benefitted massively in the edit from the strange circumstances surrounding that season. His longevity in the game will likely directly correlate with the strength of the season.
• Tiffany (46) - If this was new era All Stars then putting her on the same tribe as Q again would be an enlightened choice, but as it stands the spots are too tight for her. That said, I enjoy her carrying on the tradition of the WTF-pick early merge female on returnee seasons.
• Season 49 Players - One of my most desired arcs for the series is a back-to-back player who completely fabricates the events of their first season, but that is impossible if they cast two of them. If I had to make room for two of them, I would cut Jesse and Kamilla, although that may disrupt the BIPOC ratio.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS (SORTED CHRONOLOGICALLY)

• Jerri (2/8/20) - See above with Colby, except she is more independently interesting giving that there is also a chance to reckon with the 2000s era misogyny that defined the hatred towards her.
• Neleh (4) - The idea of her coming back with Sean is intriguing given that they would both otherwise probably struggle for allies, but it's not quite enough to cut any other Old Era women.
• Penner (13/16/25) - This is going to sound heartless but I feel like the show would milk the hell out of his wife's death and I am just generally not entertained by that type of content.
• Yau-Man (14/16) - He's 72 now which is probably too old but him and Dreamz back together would be incredible. He also invented the fake idol and fills the lovable over-the-top archetype. That said, I worry too much that he would be passive to give him one of the limited Old Era spots.
• James (15/16/20) - He delivered a lot as a character in China which I think people forget, but the diminishing returns in his returning seasons make me hesitate. There would be an interesting theoretical storyline on paper with him as an aging challenge beast, but given that the show has become less physical over time he may still be proportionately beastly.
• Amanda (15/16/20) - It's intriguing that she almost said yes, but I do not think she is quite dynamic enough to take a spot away from an older player. Her main storyline would be "can I succeed at Final Tribal Council," but she needs to actually make it there for that to have payoff, which is just statistically unlikely.
• Courtney (15/20) - Given that Sandra is likely to keep doing shows until she dies, I am fine waiting for a season they can do together given how tight the spots are for Old Era.
• Erik (16/26) - His big moment is so iconic that he fits that criteria for the season, but he is very New Era coded personality wise on a season where I am forced to cast four New Era men already.
• Natalie (16) - She would almost certainly be under-the-radar given that she only really shows up in the last few episodes of Micronesia, although she would probably be sufficiently cutthroat. Maybe have her on a Rivals season with Erik?
• Ken (18) - He was an underrated strategic threat that really should have been on Heroes vs. Villains or Caramoan, and he led the Marcus boot which is iconic on a meta level for being the biggest Edgic fail ever. I get why he's a tad forgotten though, considering there have been hundreds of other nerds on this show since then.
• Brenda (21/26) - Her boot on Nicaragua should be talked about more and she also had the most iconic moment of Caramoan despite getting minimal screentime otherwise. Given that she's a relatively young 42 and still models/surfs, I could see her becoming a physical threat on this cast too.
• Ciera (27/31/34) - If this cast was the 24 most important players in Survivor history I would unironically include her, but Stephenie fills the Republican mom slot enough for me, and she clearly suffered from the diminishing returns problem.
• Kass (28/31) - Iconic player but there is zero chance she does well ever again on this show. The Traitors should let her fill the "Faithful but everyone is constantly suspicious of her" archetype at some point, maybe alongside Spencer/Reiman if they kept Tom Sandoval's withdrawal coach on staff.
• Woo (28/31) - If they edit him as snaky as he allegedly was on Cagayan it would be an interesting arc, especially given that it also retroactively adds to Tony's legacy. That said, I feel like there's only a 10% chance the editors choose to turn negative with him.
• Jon (29) - He is missing the iconic moment or personality despite being one of the most likeable men of his era, but I think him on the same starting tribe as Kelley would be an interesting dynamic.
• Zeke (33/34) - It would be fascinating for them to revisit the Varner boot ten years later given the political climate, but he is unlikely to make a major impact otherwise and there is a good chance that CBS nixes that anyways.
• Michaela (33/34) - She is always great television, but The Challenge serves her just as well.
• Devon (35) - He is basically Jay but with proportionally less personality to more strategy. Also, I cannot find explicit confirmation he is Latino, which messes with the BIPOC count.
• Karishma (39) - Unironically, she has an important record to her name, and putting yet another player with a trash social game on this tribe would be hilarious. However, it is ultimately for the best that this season does not get any returnees here, although I am open to certain people returning for a future general All Stars.
• Xander (41) - Despite the casual reaction to his loss being obnoxious, he fills an archetype not found on the New Era tribe with an iconic moment to his name. However, he is so young that it feels wasteful to bring him back now when we could just wait for him to mature further.
• Omar (42) - He would have been a tolerable pick considering he is probably a top 10 player of the New Era, but he is ultimately lacking an iconic moment unless you count the Ponderosa allegations.