It was obvious from the start that Tommy Sheehan was winning Survivor, but the finale still managed to be one of the more entertaining codas to a season in recent memory. From Dean Kowalski’s late surge to Noura Salman’s ridiculous antics, the last episode of a challenging season ended on a high note, not unlike the signature shriek of Noura herself.
It was disheartening to see fan favorite and long ago discounted her game.
Despite Dean birdieing every hole on the back nine, collecting a slew of advantages that Tommy cleverly wrote off as who Elaine Stott affectionately referred to as "Big Red," won by a landslide vote of 8-2. Even though there is some frustration in a record fifth man winning in a row, the old-school way in which Tommy navigated his way through this season was refreshing.
It had been 20 seasons since a Survivor won without playing an idol or advantage or winning an individual immunity challenge. Tommy accomplished this, not because he was incapable; rather, he knew that he’d be too much of a target if he possessed too many advantages or started winning challenges. He dominated by appearing less dominant than he was, while always keeping his finger on the pulse of the action. His victory proved that even in an era littered with mechanisms intended to disrupt the natural flow of the game, the Sole Survivor generally is the one who makes the strongest relationships.
Tommy may not be regarded as the greatest winner of all time and this season will certainly not go down as one of the best. Still, there was some solace in seeing it conclude in a fun fashion, source of said controversy was finally removed in the waning minutes of the penultimate episode. The reunion discussion with Kellee Kim helped to close that chapter while setting a proper blueprint of how to move forward. And even though fans had long known the theme of season 40, the heart-stopping preview provided an extra layer of excitement. All told, this finale didn’t erase the black mark of the season, but it did aid in our ability to feel more optimistic about Survivor’s future.
Source: EW