Survivor Season 14 - 2006

I’m given to understand that this is not a well-liked season for the fandom due to its “class war” gimmick (following the “race war” of season 13), but I enjoyed how it confirmed basic material analysis: the tribe that was well-fed and well-rested had the energy and willpower and morale to dominate every challenge. Unlike the diversity season, which demonstrated that different cultural backgrounds are valuable (and which led to more diverse contestants from that point forward), American audiences were not thrilled to discover that the poor tribe could not simply pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

Elderly computer engineer Yau-Man was the star of the show, with his correct playing of a hidden immunity idol and trading his car for a deal for future immunity being iconic moments, even if season Rat Boy “Dreamz” reneged on his end of the bargain. Earl is the kind of winner you like to see: no drama, solid alliances, and just the right amount of betrayal at key moments.