Total Drama Island: Ranking Every Season 1 Contestant By Performance (2024)

It's been years since Total Drama has seen its original form, but over the years, the series has developed a community that lovingly remembers the drama and romance of its first season in 2007. Sometimes, the quirkiest shows have the most loyal fans, and this animated parody of reality shows inspired all manner of fan art, adaptations, and various fan fiction as to how the game should've gone. The level of popularity and fanfare helped carry the series over seven traditional seasons, carrying the show to 2014 and one spin-off.

This success started with Total Drama Island, a competition between twenty-two cast members of varying backgrounds and skills. While this variety kept the show interesting, it also meant that some cast members were a little better and more competitive than others. This means that viewers didn't initially see as much screen time for some of the characters (although in the Total Drama world, even the characters booted off early in the show got some cameos later on in other seasons), but they are ranked by performance here.

Updated on June 11, 2024, by Christopher Raley: Total Drama Island was an inventive Cartoon Network show that dared to take a kid's show approach to a parody on reality TV. This genre was becoming as absurd as it was ubiquitous.

22 Ezekiel's Poor Manners Get Him Voted Off First

With a Few More People Skills, He Might Have Lasted Longer

As the first one eliminated, Ezekiel comes in at twenty-second on the list, which means, unfortunately, that Ezekiel doesn't get a lot of opportunities to prove his stuff. A humble, homeschooled kid from a farm in the countryside, Ezekiel comes to the series with minimal personality. His lack of socialization with kids his age makes him an awkward addition to the group with his poor manners and old-world views on life. Ezekiel is seen picking his nose in front of others and spouting views that eventually get him in trouble.

• In one early interaction, Chris asks Ezekiel, "What's up?" Ezekiel responds that he thinks he sees a bird.
• After Ezekiel is kicked off the island, Chris states that it is because of Ezekiel's habit of picking his nose.

In the first competition, Ezekiel accidentally performs well by tripping into a safe zone, but his team, Killer Bass, loses. He then complains that his team lost because it had more girls than guys. After further expressing that men are smarter than women, Ezekiel shows why he isn't going to last long in the show.

21 Katie Is a Kind-Hearted Friend of Sadie

After Switching Teams She Still Gets Voted Off

Katie and Sadie are every bit as giddy as a stereotypical teenage girl should be. They come to the island as best friends and demand to stay together, but Katie is initially put on the Screaming Gophers team. Of the two friends, Katie is heart-driven and makes emotional decisions. Both eventually end up on Killer Bass after Ezekiel is kicked off the island.

• Izzy volunteers to switch places with Katie so she can be on the same team as her best friend.
• Both Katie and Sadie do poorly in the stay-awake challenge.

But neither of them has survival skills, leading to both making poor decisions. In one challenge that the two share, they both get poison ivy, losing the challenge for their team. In another episode, the two get lost looking for blueberries and argue about who is better at what. They lose that challenge for their team, which results in Katie getting voted off the island.

20 Sadie Is Lost Without Katie

She Tries To Carry On But Isn't Successful

Sadie doesn't do much better without her cohort, Katie, which is why she ranks so low. While Sadie has slightly better judgment than Katie (being described as the one who thinks with her head and not her heart), she breaks down after Katie is eliminated and has a hard time acting independently. But Sadie didn't do well with Katie. Both girls were stumbling blocks for their team, which resulted in them being blocked from performing in the talent show.

• Both Sadie and Katie are boy-crazy, latching on to Noah, whose feelings for them are not mutual.
• Sadie bonds with Lindsay after both discover that they share fears of a bad haircut.

With Katie gone, Sadie has the chance to turn over a new leaf, but she doesn't make decisions well on her own. In the Blind William Tell Challenge, teams compete by being blindfolded and launching apples with a slingshot to knock an arrow off a teammate's head. Sadie misses the arrow on teammate Courtney's head repeatedly, resulting in injuring her. Sadie apologizes later, but it is not enough to save her from being voted off.

19 Justin Is The Eye-Candy Character

He's Happy To Let His Looks Carry Him (But They Don't)

Host Chris McLean says Justin was only included in the show because of his good looks. For his part, Justin is totally fine with that. He spends most of his time in the first season not talking and checking himself out in a mirror. It's not until the second season that Justin starts to use his looks to manipulate people.

• Justin's mishap with a parachute, a bucket, and a diving board makes him eligible for Total Drama Action.
• When Katie and Sadie wander into a cave, Justin, who is partnered with them, gets annoyed by their endless talking and leaves them in the cave.

And, to be fair, his chiseled body did help with a couple of challenges. Justin is also selected for the talent show by his team, the Screaming Gophers. He pours water on himself during the show, expecting it to sizzle. Those good looks, however, didn't give him the personality or intelligence to keep himself from getting eliminated by Heather.

18 Noah Is Funny But Not Helpful

He Only Hurts Himself But Focusing On Sarcasm And Insults

While Noah certainly has plenty of brains, he wouldn't get to show that until Total Drama World Tour. In Total Drama Island, his sarcastic and cynical personality is on display. He calls Justin the "anti-me" and leveled insults at other campers that he thinks are in the style of Winston Churchill.

• In one episode, Noah faints while running, and Owen takes him to the lodge and attempts to revive him using CPR.
• Noah is among the first to fall asleep during the Awake-a-Thon and wakes up to find himself kissing another teammate's ear, to the horror of both.

Ultimately, Noah is defeated by his laziness and hubris, which holds back the Screaming Gophers during the dodgeball challenge. Instead of helping, he reads on the sidelines and complains that his team lost because they didn't put enough effort into the challenge. It is no surprise to anyone except him when he gets voted off the island.

17 Tyler Looks Like The Typical Jock

But He Is Sensitive And Not Very Strong

Tyler enters the series as the pseudo-athlete who is supposedly good at physical challenges. While he has sports gear, he doesn't portray the same strength and coordination (except that he does have extremely strong fingers). While in some ways Tyler is the typical jock, in other ways, he is very sensitive and well-meaning.

• Tyler's girlfriend, Lindsay, can't remember who he is, which hurts his feelings.
• Tyler also shows his sensitivity when he dreams that Katie and Sadie are attacked by a bear, causing him to wake up screaming.

Ironically, his poor athletic skills lead him to hamper his team in "Dodgebrawl." He knocks out his girlfriend and then allows himself to be easily knocked out as well so he can spend time with her. But his fear of chickens finally gets him kicked off the island in "Phobia Factor."

16 Beth Is Nice But Socially Awkward

Being Naive Makes Her a Target For Heather

Beth is the nice, nerdy girl who comes into the reality series with all the innocence in the world. Raised on a farm, she has poor people skills but for reasons unrelated to Ezekiel's. Animals are her only friends, and she will do anything for attention, which usually means anything embarrassing.

• Beth is naive and wants to be liked by everyone, which makes her an ideal target for Justin, Heather, and Courtney.
• When Bath's alliance with those three causes her to steal chips from Chef, risking her life, she breaks it off.

Beth eventually becomes a strong and independent character whose kindness is a breath of fresh air, but she ultimately falls victim to Heather's alliance. That very innocence and dependence would be challenged when she joined Heather's alliance. Heather reveals the location of Beth's idol, causing the other Screaming Gophers to realize she is to blame for their losing streak.

15 Trent Survives on Music

The Lovable Guitar Player Is Smarter Than People Think

Trent survives much longer in the game than he should have, so he makes it a bit higher in the rankings. Besides his catchy music, he doesn't have many other talents. At best, he's a really likable guy that no one wants to vote out. He is also able to get along with pretty much everyone. Trent is also very intelligent with the grades to prove it, but he doesn't like drawing attention to that fact, or he might have been a better strategic player.

• Trent is something of a ladies' man who dates two girls in the course of his time on the show and is attractive to Lindsay, Katie, Saide, Gwen, and Beth.
• Gwen opens up to Trent and the two stay awake in the Awake-a-thon challenge by talking to each other, a strategy that is brought to an end when Chris starts talking about the history of Canada.

However, Trent's tendency toward accidents results in near-death experiences. He is also tricked by Heather, who tries to break up him and Gwen. Since Heather has immunity, Trent is voted off the island and realizes belatedly what Heather did.

14 Eva Is The Bully of Killer Bass

Her Temper Lost Her the Game

In a perfect world, Eva would have lasted significantly longer in the show. Because of her athleticism and competitive attitude, Eva is a strong woman who could've shifted the tide for the Killer Bass during several challenges and dominated quite a few of the singles ones. But she is also aggressive and prone to using violence to make her point.

• Eva chokes Ezekiel to prove that women can be just as strong as men.
• Eva takes anger management classes after the show and learns how to make and keep a few friends.

Eva's inability to control her anger makes her an easy target for Heather. Heather contrives to steal Eva's MP3 player. When Eva discovers it is missing, she ransacks the cabin, frightening more than a few campers and causing her to get eliminated.

13 Geoff Is the Party Guy That Everyone Loves

But It Is Not Enough to Keep Him in the Game

Geoff can party his way through the series on nearly personality alone. He has the social and teamwork skills to help every group he is a part of. However, as a challenger in his own right, Geoff doesn't really stand out from the rest of the cast and survives mostly because of his personality.

• Geoff turns every day into an excuse for a party, calling everyone dude, bro, or brah (depending on gender).
• Beneath his carefree exterior, Geoff is a caring guy who saves Ezekiel from Eva and strikes up an unbreakable relationship with Bridgette.

Geoff is a supportive person who bolsters his team early on. Because everyone likes him, no one wants to vote him off the island. But as a competitor, Geoff does poorly, and his popularity makes him a target for Heather, Owen, and Duncan, who don't want him to continue to gain popularity with eliminated contestants.

12 Bridgette Is Athletic In Water

But the Surfer Girl Is Clumsy on Land

Bridgette's athleticism makes her a force during several challenges, and her friendliness helps clear the minds of different competitors, whether they are friends or foes. She is a surfer with a carefree attitude and a love of animals, which makes her a vegetarian. While she is confident and skilled in the water but clumsy on land.

• Bridgette does poorly in the paintball competition because she dislikes violence.
• Bridgette does not do well in the dodgeball competition and is the second person to fall asleep in the Awake-a-Thon.

Bridgette is nice to everyone, but her clumsiness gets her into trouble when she accidentally burns down her team's tent and keeps injuring Geoff. Ultimately, her niceness is her downfall, as she is exclusively voted off because of how pleasant she is.

11 DJ Is A Good Natured Person Who Scares Easily

DJ Didn't Do Well In the Horror Challenge

If people just drafted team members for athletic challenges, D.J. would be a consistent first pick. His large frame and athleticism come in handy for most of the game. He is also sensitive and tends to overreact and cry during difficult situations. But this doesn't stop him from helping Duncan and Geoff play pranks on others.

• DJ sleeps with a teddy bear.
• In one of the pranks, DJ helps carry Harold's bunk out to the dock to teach him a lesson about leaving his dirty underwear around the cabin.

Yet, as strong as he is, D.J. is held back by the same cowardice that has debilitated him since day one. He also becomes attached to a bunny, which he loses, causing him to burst into tears. DJ is easily scared, making him useless during the horror movie challenge. In fact, he is the first person to lose the challenge when he flees in terror before the killer even shows up.

10 Lindsay Is the Classic Airhead

But She Has a Tenacity That Kept Her in The Game

Lindsay may have debuted as an airhead, but she was surprisingly sound during several challenges, so she ranks higher than most. She can solve problems and be an asset to her team, despite liking to be called "her hotness" and forgetting her boyfriend's name. She is kindhearted, has only good intentions, and hates to be underestimated.

• Lindsay mistakes the communal bathrooms for communion bathrooms, incorrectly uses the confessional booth, and forgets Chris' name twice.
• Lindsay becomes attracted to Tyler after Duncan uses an ax to kill a co*ckroach, and Tyler says he could have done the same.

Her tenacity during the extreme sports challenges and her drive during the biking challenge makes her the classic underdog. Though her commitment to Heather helped keep the duo in the game, it's that same loyalty that ends up costing her the game when Lindsay is eliminated from a challenge on a technicality, and Heather refuses to help her. Lindsay didn't see this betrayal coming. It's moments like this that make Total Dramaone of the iconic shows from Cartoon Network.

9 Cody Is the Tech-Savy Nerd

But He Proves He Can Scheme With the Best

Cody was never eliminated or targeted because of his personality traits or weaknesses. During his run in Total Drama Island, Cody's intelligence and versatility helped the Screaming Gophers during several challenges. As a team member, his support helped keep a few cast members stable, particularly Gwen.

• Cody thinks of himself as one of the cool kids and smooth with the ladies, but his attempts only make him look foolish and irritating.
• Cody is a nerd, smart with technology, and can scheme with the best.

If he didn't get injured, Cody would likely have lasted a little longer in the series. As it is, Cody attracts the attention of a bear who mauls him, leaving him severely injured. His team votes him off the island, and Beth pushes him in his wheelchair down the Dock of Shame.

8 Courtney Has A Take-Charge Personality

But She Can Be Bossy and Abrasive

While some may be tired of hearing it, Courtney is a counselor-in-training. She has the drive, intelligence, and leadership skills that make her an enemy for most and a valuable asset to her own team. She can also be manipulative, bossy, and mean, mocking Tyler for his fears in "Phobia Factor."

• Courtney thinks of herself as a leader but is a perfectionist and control freak.
• Her abrasive personality and unwillingness to help her team in the first challenge means she would have likely been the first person voted off the island had Ezekiel not been worse.

Nevertheless, she took control of Killer Bass, and her tenacity could've helped her win the game had her polarizing personality not turned so many against her. When she was finally voted off, she demanded a recount, but her demand was not granted.

7 Izzy Is a Fun-Loving Wild Card

Making An Enemy of Heather Gets Her Voted Off

Izzy's instability meant that she would never last until the end of the game, but her wild and chaotic nature, athletic ability, and versatile skill set proved on several occasions that she was a worthy competitor. Many people like her fun-loving personality, but her unpredictability makes her hard to be around.

• After slipping on the dock when she first arrives, she claims she is fine in a voice that is too excited to sound normal.
• In "Up the Creek," campers discover that Izzy is wanted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for being Absent Without Leave (AWOL).

Whether or not the stories she tells are true, Izzy has some survival skills that put her above the rest of the cast, and her own fighting abilities threaten even Chef. During one challenge, Izzy uses a tranquilizer gun to shoot almost everything instead of what she is supposed to shoot, including Heather. In retaliation, Heather votes Izzy off the island.

6 Harold Is Not All He Makes Himself Out To Be

But He Survives a Long Time By Being Clever

Harold doesn't look like the toughest or most likable character, but he proves himself in several episodes. He shows incredible athleticism during the dodgeball challenge and practically saves the Killer Bass single-handedly during the talent show. He also cheated Courtney out of the contest and kept himself in the game, whether or not it was fair.

• Harold has bad habits concerning personal hygiene and an abrasive know-it-all personality but is resourceful despite those things.
• Harold and Duncan have a bitter rivalry, each hating the other, but they work toward a common goal when they can find a mutual advantage.

Harold loses focus in the mud-skiing competition when a low-hanging branch rips off Heather's top. This result is that Harold smashes into a rock and loses the competition for his team. He is voted off the island and leaves, claiming that he "loved, lost, and saw boobies."

5 Gwen Won Without A Strong Skill Set

Her Restraint Sets Her Apart from Heather

Coming in at number five on the list is Gwen, the requisite cartoon Goth girl. Gwen may have had a bad attitude, but her competitive nature and friendly side kept her in the game until the end. Sarcastic but not bitter, Gwen cautiously lets people beneath her rough exterior, and they find her intelligent and kind.

• Gwen likes to make fun of people who are blind followers, but she herself secretly wishes she were popular.
• Gwen gives Cody one of her bras when he can get her into a canoe with Trent.

She pulls through to save her team (and herself) during various difficult challenges, such as Chef's military camp. She navigates a long and complex rivalry with Heather, but a lack of competitive skill set is why she isn't in the top spot.

4 Owen's Appearance Could be Deceptive

Owen Loves to Eat But Also Loves to Play The Game

Despite appearances, Owen farted his way to the finals. Much of this is due to his own size and strength carrying him through different survival and physical challenges and his appetite helping with the eating ones.

• Owen is cheerful, optimistic, and able to stay positive no matter the situation, and these traits make him one of the most popular people among the campers.
• In the first challenge, Owen's fear of heights almost derails him (like it does Courtney), but he overcomes his fear and jumps off the cliff.

It also doesn't hurt that his friendly smile helped keep him from being eliminated. Owen loves to eat and does it excessively, but despite this unhealthy life choice, he can prevail in some physical competitions, like the dodgeball tournament.

3 Duncan Was Nearly as Conniving As Heather

But the Juvenile Delinquent Had a Soft Spot

While Duncan may have the attitude for the game, he comes in with more than enough life experience to outwit and outlast most of his cast members. As a classic hoodlum and thief, Duncan's trickery and killer focus helped the Killer Bass win a few challenges and himself survive a fair share of games.

• Duncan comes from a long line of policemen and women, which makes him very clever.
• His focus and determination make him the perfect leader for Killer Brass, and his mocking sense of humor gets under the skin of his competitors.

That hardened attitude helped make him a clear leader in the short-lived Guys Alliance. Nevertheless, Duncan eventually falls for Courtney bids her a sad farewell when Harldo rigs the votes so that she has to leave the island. Duncan ultimately gets voted off the island after Owen's fondness for eating causes him to lose a challenge.