Season 20 of Survivor drew to a close last night and saw Sandra walk away with $1M and the title of Sole Survivor. Once again, the jury voted for the player they liked the best as opposed to the one who played the best. I guess feelings are hurt more easily than they used to be in the game of Survivor, because more and more it's turning into a popularity contest. Nobody seems able to admit that someone else outwitted, outplayed and outlasted them, least of all this latest collection of all-star egos.
No disrespect to Sandra. She's a fine player and now two time winner. But she didn't deserve to win this game. That, IMO, would have been Parvati (also a previous winner, who placed 2nd this time). She played a much more active strategic and physical game, and pretty good social game too, all things considered. Of course the main thing to consider was one Russell Hanz, the uber villain who was participating in his second consecutive Survivor, with whom Parvati was allied throughout the game.
Arguably the best strategist and master manipulator to ever play the game, Russell has zero concept of the social aspect of Survivor that's part and parcel of winning. You'd think he would have learned from his experience last season when he finished as runner up to the charming, but otherwise pretty much useless, Natalie. He played the same bull in a china shop game this time around and once again landed himself in the final three. But this time he was unable to garner a single voted as Sandra outpolled Parvati 6 votes to 3 for the mil.
I'm usually lukewarm to "all-star" Survivor seasons, but this season was nothing short of astonishing by any estimation with shocking developments throughout. Let's hope next season is every bit as entertaining. Four months to go...
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