‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ rankings: Mike Holloway, Shirin Oskooi now the ultimate underdogs
“Survivor: Worlds Apart” is being very tricky this season in regards to its edit. While the show has certainly made you root for underdogs before (see Ciera Eastin or Spencer Bledsoe), they were on seasons that still had winners that were easy to get behind (in Tyson Apostol and Tony Vlachos). Can we really say the same this season? The majority alliance has people in it that we’ve seen be obnoxious, offensive, and also invisible. There are a few in there who are reasonably likable, but we’ve barely seen them.
To us, it feels like there are very few ways that this season can go and still have a satisfying winner. That’s what makes these rankings so interesting. We have to factor in edit here to a certain extent, but at the same time we also have to consider placement in the game, strategy, challenge ability, the ability of someone to win, and overall threat level. Our personal fondness for a player is not a factor.
8. Will Sims II – Will’s not ranked last because we found his comments on this past episode to be appalling and in general deplorable, especially considering the lack of remorse he showed. We’re ranking him last because in the context of the game, these comments ensure that he has no shot to win. “Trader Jeff” and Dan’s manties could defeat him in the final three. This is not the “who can get to the end and get zero votes” rankings. Will’s got a chance of that.
7. Dan Foley – If there is a final two this season and Dan’s there with Will, then maybe a million bucks will go back to Maine. Otherwise, it’s hard to see someone who’s been so openly hostile at times to other players win. Like Will, he is a candidate to go far, though, and he does have that vote-doubler, which he can use to his advantage.
6. Mike Holloway – In terms of edit, Mike is one of our favorites. He’s likable, hard-working, and a decent strategic player. Unfortunately, he’s on the outs. While we want to see him come out on top, the only means he has of saving himself other than immunity is an idol. Maybe he and Shirin can pull numbers; they’ll need to in order to go far. The struggle will be convincing Dan and Sierra for sure to flip on the Rodney alliance. They have a better shot of winning in the end against those four, but they have to make it there first.
5. Sierra Dawn Thomas – We have seen so little of Sierra that we are clueless what her endgame argument is going to be. Is putting up with Dan and Rodney really a reason to give her a million dollars? We can see her winning against either of those guys potentially or Will, but that’s about it.
4. Rodney Lavoie Jr. – We’ve been more impressed with Rodney’s game than we have probably given him credit for, at least in that he’s done a good job of forming a tight alliance and keeping him name off the top of the target list. However, he’s far from a perfect player, and he may be helped in a sense by a belief that he is so abrasive, he could be easy to beat at the end. Sierra would give him a run for his money, but he’d take down Dan or Will pretty easily at the final tribal council.
3. Shirin Oskooi – Unless she is at the end with Mike (in which we would expect a reasonably-close vote), Shirin wins if she makes it to the end. How do you argue against it? While there have been times we have questioned her decisions (mostly her antics with Max), you cannot help but root for someone who has endured so much, and yet still kept her eye on the prize. We’re hoping that Shirin ends up becoming the Arya Stark of the season and metaphorically (not literally, people) enacts revenge on all those who have wronged her.
2. Carolyn Rivera – Can Carolyn win? It’s definitely possible, but her relationship with Shirin and potentially the No Collars could hurt her. What we know is that she’s a smart player with an immunity idol who is in the dominant alliance. She also seems aware enough to know when to play this said idol. The best thing you can hope for is probably getting her out the vote after her idol is no longer valid.
1. Tyler Fredrickson – Yes, we understand that Tyler’s edit has been super-quiet, but other than the Joaquin vote he has had his finger on the pulse the entire game. We’re not going to buy too much into the game of who is getting the most screen time here, since we’ve been tricked so much by that before. We could be seeing more of a “why Dan / Will / Rodney lost” edit to a “why Tyler won.” This could be a Samoa or South Pacific sort of ending.
Who do you think is in the best position? Share in the comments / poll below, and head over here to see our recent interview with the eliminated Jenn Brown! Also, you can sign up now to get some other TV updates on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: CBS.)