The Survivor villains we love to hate

Several contestants in the 40+ seasons of the reality show 'Survivor' stand out for their unpleasant characteristics. One of our favorite 'Survivor' villains is Jerri Manthey.

Jerri's first appearance on the series was during 'Survivor: The Australian Outback' in 2001. Overall, Jerri was not well-liked by the cast members and fans of the show. Her path to notoriety came when she accused fellow castaway, Kel Gleason, of having snuck beef jerky onto the set and encouraged another cast member to rifle through his belongings.

At the reunion show at Madison Square Garden, Jerri interjected during an argument between cast members Rob Mariano and Big Tom Buchanan. The audience reacted by booing her relentlessly and Jerri left the stage during the following commercial break.

Brandon participated in 'Survivor: South Pacific' in 2011 when he was 19 years old. Fans of the show found Brandon’s behavior toward cast member Mikayla Wingle to be particularly troublesome. He was frequently found staring at Mikayla, who was often dressed in Survivor-appropriate beach attire. He expressed feeling uncomfortable and tempted around her as a married man. He targeted Mikayla as a backward way of dealing with his own deep-seated issues.

During 'Survivor: Caramoan' in 2013, Brandon developed a rivalry with Phillip Sheppard. During a verbal altercation with Phillip, Brandon made the bizarre decision to sabotage his own tribe and threw out their two-day supply of food. He was voted off the island immediately after.

Ciera was cast in 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water' alongside her mother, Laura Morett, in 2013. Her claim to fame comes from being the contestant who chose to vote out her own family member. Luckily for Ciera, her mother told Entertainment Weekly that she was proud of how her daughter played the game. Still, the move left viewers asking, 'Who does that?'

Richard was one of the initial cast members of the first season of Survivor on location in Borneo in 2000. He became well known for his penchant for nudity, much to the discomfort of his cast mates. He was the first player to develop alliances and went on to win one million dollars as the sole survivor.

In 2006, Richard was convicted of attempted tax evasion, signing a fraudulent tax return, and not paying 1.4 million dollars in taxes. He served 51 months in federal prison and later had to serve an additional 9 months because he did not make the required changes to his tax returns for 2000 and 2001, the years reflecting his 'Survivor' winnings.

Most would agree that Russell Hantz is the most notorious villain of the 'Survivor' franchise. “Ruthless” is a word frequently used to describe his style of play. While his strategic moves allowed him to progress in the game, his cast members found him unlikeable and his relationships with cast members suffered.

In an effort to gain sympathy, Russell lied about surviving Hurricane Katrina and losing his dog during the storm. Players and fans noted his strategy of targeting females who he considered weak in order to form what he coined the “dumbass girl” alliance. Notable mean-spirited antics also included burning the socks of an opponent and emptying the water canteens of other competitors.

Having appeared on 'Survivor' 6 times and played the game 5 times, Rob is 'Survivor' royalty. He is an experienced player who has lasted 152 days across these seasons. His strong leadership and intelligence have allowed him to be a frequent contender however, his devious strategic moves have gained him enemies in the process.

On 'Survivor: All Stars', Rob formed an early alliance with Amber Brkich who he would later marry. During the game, his deceitful plotting and broken promises led him to be in the final two with Amber. Rob lost to Amber at the final Tribal Council when jury members got revenge using their votes.

During the last season of  'Survivor',  a strong alliance emerged between Jesse Lopez and Cody Assenmacher. Together, this pair were the minds behind multiple blindsides. In a move that shocked the cast and fans, Jesse blindsided Cody when he played an immunity idol for another cast member which led to Cody being ousted. Only two days, later, Jesse’s betrayal of his alliance caused him to be voted off the season.

Tony is a police officer known for his aggressive play on 'Survivor.' His style of play showed the fine line between villain and strategic mastermind. When making deals, Tony made a habit of swearing on the lives of his wife and child, as well as his police badge, and then frequently broke promises.

Aaron W. Fraser called for Tony to be fired from the police force due to his perceived lack of integrity on the show. The New Jersey congressional hopeful felt that police officers should be held to a higher standard. Despite all of the blindsides, lies, and betrayals, Tony was voted the winner of two seasons of Survivor by his cast mates and continues to work as a police officer today.

Colton is a two-time player best known for having a superiority complex and for making insulting and racist comments about his cast mates. He was disliked by the cast and viewers but still managed to convince his tribe members to vote out black cast member Bill Posley. This move was largely viewed as a racist act and when asked about his behavior, Colton showed a lack of insight into his words and actions which left viewers, cast members, and host Jeff Probst shocked and disturbed.

During 'Survivor: One World,' Colton had a premature exit from the show for what was thought to be appendicitis. When he left the show, Colton had an immunity idol in his possession and opted to take it with him rather than help anyone still in the game. Colton did not have appendicitis but has said that he had a bacterial infection which still required medical attention.

When Colton returned for 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water,' he made the decision to leave the game when things weren’t going his way. Colton was chastised by Jeff Probst for quitting a second time, hinting that perhaps Colton had faked his illness during his first season.

In an effort to win a challenge, Johnny had a family friend announce during a visit to the island that Johnny’s grandmother had died. He appealed to the humanity of his cast mates who tearfully gave the win to Johnny so he could spend time with his friend to learn more about the sudden loss. The move had been planned prior to the beginning of the season and while effective, had many asking where the line was when it came to strategy.