This wasn't reinventing the wheel by any means, but it presented the story in ways we hadn't seen previously-and it worked. They had a contestant (Dan) talk about the idol he found and then showed how it happened instead of the other way around. They cut back and forth between players and stories in ways they never had before.
They added comedic flourishes that were totally unnecessary, yet improved the episodes nonetheless. They experimented with new techniques which served to freshen up the franchise in its 37th season.
The editing job done by the producers was perhaps the show's best ever. But there are other trophies to hand out as well. And that really is first and foremost the reason David vs. That is an amazing nine out of 20 that I would easily welcome back on another season. Just look at this slew of other players and personalities that created great TV: Angelina, Nick, Davie, Gabby, Mike, Elizabeth, Natalie Napalm, and even wacky Jeremy. And it's not just Christian, who is one of the most universally loved contestants of all time. The theme was goofy, and the challenges weren't particularly mind-blowing, so how does this season sneak all the way into the top 5? Casting.
