Arrogance and the Downfall Edit of Survivor

Is there anything more satisfying than watching an overly-confident Survivor contestant get their comeuppance? Yeah, likable underdogs winning is pretty cool, but if you’re a fan of this podcast/website, you know there’s nothing quite like sweet, sweet, schadenfreude. In case watching Nick’s blindside face appear right before your eyes didn’t quite scratch that itch, here are some memories to tide you over before the (hopefully) inevitable karma befalls Jason and Scot.

nick-maiorano-smug

5. Ami Cusack – Survivor: Vanuatu

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Although her lieutenant Leann gets voted out first, it clearly spelled the end for Ami’s game and she knew it. The show spells this out directly, with Ami’s boot episode starting by Twila justifying her betrayal because of Ami’s arrogant attitude. Though the eventual winner removes some of the shine from this downfall, nothing can ever take away Eliza’s echoing of Ami’s smirk when Leann’s blindside is successful.

4. Ozzy Lusth – Survivor: Micronesia

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Loyal readers know by now that I am a big fan of the Black Widow Brigade. As such, I will never get tired of the fall of Ozzy, even if I originally had a soft spot for him in Cook Islands. But when Ozzy isn’t the plucky little underdog, he’s walking around like he owns the place, planting the worst fake idol that the world has ever seen, and even hooking up with one of the hottest girls on the island. The fact that he takes his blindside so personally only makes it that much more satisfying for viewers. Go cry some more at Ponderosa, Ozzy. Amanda can’t save you now.

3. Three out of the Four Horsemen – Survivor: Fiji

After weeks of descriptions of the initial fall of the horsemen in our Ultimate Tribal Council bracket, there really isn’t much more to say. So I will leave you with this, to gaze upon for eternity.

Never. Gets. Old.
Never. Gets. Old.

2. John Carroll – Survivor: Marquesas

John Carroll oiled

The first victim of those at the bottom of an alliance realizing they could team up with those outside of the alliance. John was so cocky that he not only thought he was going to win, he thought that Pascal and Neleh wanted him to win. A true pioneer for alpha males going down in flames at the hands of those he underestimated, his edit would be a model for many seasons to come. John Carroll, we salute you. Now leave Jeff Probst alone.

1. Drew Christy – Survivor: San Juan del Sur

badass drew

Say what you will about San Juan del Sur (personally, I say it’s middle-of-the-road and those who say it’s one of the best or the worst need to calm the eff down), but “We’re a Hot Mess” is in contention for the best self-contained episode of Survivor history, and it’s all thanks to the hubris of Drew Christy. Peter and Nick still don’t have enough cocky arrogance to be on the same island as Drew. The editors love to show challenge throws backfire on those who throw them, but it usually takes a few episodes for the other shoe to drop. Not for the Drewchebag. He decides they need to get rid of dead weight, and manages to inspire a tenuous women’s alliance despite the women being outnumbered. I guess we can concede that he was right about Kelley Wentworth, but he still probably shouldn’t have talked about her when she was standing two feet behind him.

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