Survivor season 33, with the themed tagline of Millennials vs. Gen X, is a fantastic season and has some of the best gameplay in the history of the game. There are blindsides, crazy alliances, and an island romance.
The cast is full of entertaining, passionate players. While there are several excellent players, it’s also balanced with a few who didn’t play very well but were a lot of fun to watch.
What made Millennials vs. Gen X so good?
There were a number of fish-out-of-water contestants on this cast, and while some may think this is too many, they were all different and played different ways.
David Wright was one of the more famous of these. During the early days of the season, he was scared of everything from birds to bugs to sound. Yes, sounds. He’d cover his ear when others were chopping bamboo. He was anxious and had no confidence in himself or his chances in the game.
Along the way, however, his metamorphosis started. He was the first to start a fire in his tribe. He started to see the game clearly and knew who to align himself with. In the end, he won multiple individual immunities and was considered by his fellow tribemates as the most dangerous player after the merge.
Hannah Shapiro had a similar story, though she wasn’t quite as bad as David. She gained her footing in the game later and was never considered a threat. She played a more subtle game, but she was part of big moves, especially at the end.
You can say the same about Zeke Smith, but he was aware and aggressive from the very beginning that he wanted to play the game. Zeke was strategic and earned a lot of respect for his gameplay.
Lastly, Adam Klein, who, like David, did not look like a Survivor stud. He played with heart and passion, and he was emotional for most of the game. His mother had cancer, but she wanted him to play Survivor. In the end, he made it home hours before his mother passed, according to New York Daily News.
There was also an awful island romance between Figgy Figueroa and Taylor Stocker. Everyone knows that romances within the game are a sure way to get the boot. Both knew it, and while they tried to hide it, they weren’t good at it. Figgy might have been a dangerous player in this season without the baggage of Taylor.
The season also introduced Michaela Bradshaw, an extremely physical, smart, and competitive player. Her biggest drawback was her lack of guile. She displayed her every thought and feeling on her face and with her body language. While these are great traits in life, they make it difficult to play Survivor. She was a fun, entertaining person, and it earned her a second season.
There were also several other tremendous players from this season. Chris Hammons, Jessica Lewis, and Jay Starrett all had the skills needed to play well in Survivor.
There were also a handful of players who were voted out early who might have been good strategic players if they had lasted longer. Rachel Ako, Mari Takahashi, and Figgy all might have made an impact if circumstances had been different.
Then there was the theme itself. Throughout the game, fans were treated to the differences between the Millennial generation and Gen X. It was one of the better themes, and it played out perfectly, as most contestants from each generation played as one might expect. It was a fun twist that could be repeated with a Millennials vs. Gen Z season.
To avoid too many spoilers, let’s just say that this season had several players who would have been worthy winners. The game action was terrific and unpredictable. What more could anyone ask from a season of Survivor? If you haven’t watched this season, you should, or if you want a great one to rewatch, Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X would be a worthy choice.
