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Naked and Afraid on Discovery
- Thread starter RickJ
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I've watched all of the episodes so far, and there doesn't seem to be much focus on survival. Kind of boring honestly.
It seems more as though they are just documenting the fact they somehow managed not to die despite making many poor choices.
It seems more as though they are just documenting the fact they somehow managed not to die despite making many poor choices.
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Watching Ep 3 on YT right now. Seriously impressed with the Teal woman's weaving skills. Really feel for the dude's exposure problems. Serious sunburn is no joke! If I was a fair skinned cat I would never allow myself to be left stranded on a tropical island nekkid as a newborn. That's just nuts. He should've requested the arctic location, if there is one.
All the locations have been tropical/warm ones. I don't think anyone would survive being dropped off in the middle of a field in the Great Plains, naked, in ankle deep snow.
I think the biggest problem with this show is the "survival instructors" don't have enough skills. They don't improvise. I just watched episode 6 last night (the swamp one) and I'm surprised those two made it through. The woman did almost nothing. I was surprised those two even stayed in the location they were given. My first thought was "it's going to flood there" and sure enough it did.
Every single person who has lasted the 21 days has lost a lot of body weight. Every episode has shown that these people are starving to death. Imagine if the challenge were 2 months. None of them would have lasted. The only reason any of these people has made it through has been because the challenge was only 3 weeks. Any longer and most of them would have starved to death.
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"Slimey yet satisfying" Starts @2:00 The
[video=youtube;xB5ceAruYrI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB5ceAruYrI[/video]
Eating insects apparently does not make for compelling television even though it is a component of practical survival. The reality of a SHTF situation is that we will become connoisseurs of insects. Fried grasshoppers anyone?
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I love watching the whiney lamebrains on this show. If I'm in some hut with a naked chick I'll soon become weak and skinny from doin the nasty.
Arkie,
you really rock. You are the reason why the internet is so useful.
I thought the show was not too bad. You learn from mistakes, more so than from things that go just right. The nakedness adds a sense of vulnerability that is not so realistic, but makes it even harder to cope with the situation. Many primitive people in this world have walked through jungles basically naked and many still do. But that is why it is a bad idea to make a hike in flip-flops and not wear good shoes at all times.
you really rock. You are the reason why the internet is so useful.
I thought the show was not too bad. You learn from mistakes, more so than from things that go just right. The nakedness adds a sense of vulnerability that is not so realistic, but makes it even harder to cope with the situation. Many primitive people in this world have walked through jungles basically naked and many still do. But that is why it is a bad idea to make a hike in flip-flops and not wear good shoes at all times.
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ridnovir
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I think after both participants failed in episode 5 the producers decided to add one extra item (pot that was "found" in the area) in ep 6. so they would be able to have fire build shelter and boil water. The knife was a bit small given the circumstances hence difficulty with gathering wood and building shelter. The dude turned out to be a wuss and was whining too much but at least was able to procure some food.
BOSS1
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I watched about 1 & 3/4 episodes tonight...initially not my first choice (I had been avoiding this show, but somebody else was driving the remote and there wasn't much else on).
I wish the would give them a pair of shorts, the sight of all the butt crackage is a turnoff.
That being said, I did find it interesting to a degree. Seeing people come to grips with the unrelenting nature of the wild was interesting from a psychological standpoint. Several of them were making comments that they thought it was going to be fun, and obviously it wasn't.
I did see the one in the rain forrest where the guy got sick (from drinking the untreated water perhaps) and the girl was left alone for the last few days before tapping out. She was apparently some type of wilderness instructor and basically fell pretty much flat on her face at least mentally and then completely before giving up. She commented that she had devoted weeks before the actual exercise to prepping, but basically nothing she had done really did much to get her really ready. Hard truth of when theory meets the real world. Great to sit around and talk about stuff for a few hours in a nice controlled environment...bit different when out in a lot more realistic situation. To her credit, she was able to get a fire going on her own. I wonder how she feels about what she's taught in the past, and if she'll continue being that type of instructor. If she does, she'll probably be alot better now with this experience.
I was also surprised at the situations they put these folks in. The second espisode was filmed in the Louisiana swamp. There were a good number of cottonmouths around, and in the end they had to basically wade around in waist deep gater infested water to the helo pick up. Ummm, I don't care how close the camera crew is, that there is definitely being in high pucker factor situation (again, put some shorts on). In that episode, the guy had the skills, but the girl had the mental toughness...they were lucky they were together.
IT is also a pretty rapid weight loss program...the last episode, the guy lost like 40+ lbs in 21 days...of course of lot of that is burning ofj water and 'baby fat' but you can definitely see the changes.
I think the show also suffers in basically limiting the people moving around to much...they basically stay in one spot for the majority of the time. Um, if the spot sucks, you'd be smarter to move someplace else (which is what save the couple in the LA. swamp). Staying in a bad place longer than necessary isn't a good idea. And if you're not rescued within a few days, you may well have to effect self rescue, or at least move to a better spot to be found.
Overall, minus the naked part, I think its good series. Alot of these survival shows are very short...most people, if they can find water, can survive for a few days without food. 21 days, whole 'nother animal. You're not going to be able to suck it up and get through it too well, especially in the places where they're sending these people.
Would also agree...this show would probably end by the first night or less if they sent them to colder places. Human's evolved out of their fur a long time ago.
Shame, if they would put these folks in shorts and T-shirts, it would be a much better show.
But it is getting some folks talking I guess...
BOSS
I wish the would give them a pair of shorts, the sight of all the butt crackage is a turnoff.
That being said, I did find it interesting to a degree. Seeing people come to grips with the unrelenting nature of the wild was interesting from a psychological standpoint. Several of them were making comments that they thought it was going to be fun, and obviously it wasn't.
I did see the one in the rain forrest where the guy got sick (from drinking the untreated water perhaps) and the girl was left alone for the last few days before tapping out. She was apparently some type of wilderness instructor and basically fell pretty much flat on her face at least mentally and then completely before giving up. She commented that she had devoted weeks before the actual exercise to prepping, but basically nothing she had done really did much to get her really ready. Hard truth of when theory meets the real world. Great to sit around and talk about stuff for a few hours in a nice controlled environment...bit different when out in a lot more realistic situation. To her credit, she was able to get a fire going on her own. I wonder how she feels about what she's taught in the past, and if she'll continue being that type of instructor. If she does, she'll probably be alot better now with this experience.
I was also surprised at the situations they put these folks in. The second espisode was filmed in the Louisiana swamp. There were a good number of cottonmouths around, and in the end they had to basically wade around in waist deep gater infested water to the helo pick up. Ummm, I don't care how close the camera crew is, that there is definitely being in high pucker factor situation (again, put some shorts on). In that episode, the guy had the skills, but the girl had the mental toughness...they were lucky they were together.
IT is also a pretty rapid weight loss program...the last episode, the guy lost like 40+ lbs in 21 days...of course of lot of that is burning ofj water and 'baby fat' but you can definitely see the changes.
I think the show also suffers in basically limiting the people moving around to much...they basically stay in one spot for the majority of the time. Um, if the spot sucks, you'd be smarter to move someplace else (which is what save the couple in the LA. swamp). Staying in a bad place longer than necessary isn't a good idea. And if you're not rescued within a few days, you may well have to effect self rescue, or at least move to a better spot to be found.
Overall, minus the naked part, I think its good series. Alot of these survival shows are very short...most people, if they can find water, can survive for a few days without food. 21 days, whole 'nother animal. You're not going to be able to suck it up and get through it too well, especially in the places where they're sending these people.
Would also agree...this show would probably end by the first night or less if they sent them to colder places. Human's evolved out of their fur a long time ago.
Shame, if they would put these folks in shorts and T-shirts, it would be a much better show.
But it is getting some folks talking I guess...
BOSS
not2sharp
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- 20,449
The La episode seemed the most challenging; flooding swamps,cottonmouths and cold weather (remember it also went down to 47 degrees F !)
I hope they go for another season.
As far as those who will not watch and show and have to tell the rest of us why- Ok maybe I'll go on the knife throwing forum and explain that I don't like to throw knives. . . . or go to the axe forum and explain why I only use a chainsaw. . . .
I hope they go for another season.
As far as those who will not watch and show and have to tell the rest of us why- Ok maybe I'll go on the knife throwing forum and explain that I don't like to throw knives. . . . or go to the axe forum and explain why I only use a chainsaw. . . .
not2sharp
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Are you suggesting that this is now the Reality TV forums?
Reality T.V. is a gag, an improvised drama within a put on situation. Nothing on this show or any other so-called "reality TV" show is real or relevant to any real world situations, especially survival.
n2s
My impression was this thread was discussing a TV show in which contestants are put in some tuff situations,in challenging locations with minimal gear for a long time-kind of in line with the subject of wilderness and survival. If you watched the show you cannot deny that it would be a "suckfest." The events are in the wilderness and even though there is a film crew present the dangers are real. Compared to a lot of other programs I think it's good entertainment.
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I dont know that they know where they are going, and the producers must be seeing to it that the pair doesn't pick the same tool. They surely do waste a lot of time/effort on making shelters (that don't do much in the way of protecting them from anything). 
It would be much better if they were allowed to tell each other what they picked as their "one tool" and if they knew what area they were going to. All you'd really have to do for 21 days, in a place that doesn't get really cold, is assure yourself of a safe water supply, and something like a 2 poncho tent to wrap up in, preferably with a removable, heavy duty Mylar Lining. Nobody chooses a water filter as their "one item"? I'd much rather have to make a knife by knapping flints than have to build a shelter. All of their shelters have leaked, provided no protection from bugs or animals, and all have fallen apart if much of any wind blew there.
You can go 21 days without eating, if you are just lying around. But that wouldn't make an interesting show. If you knew that relatively hard rocks can be had there, a 1 gallon carbon steel cookpot with lid would be a good choice. Sharpen one side of the lid, and it's a knife. Strike sparks off of it with a rock, and you've got fire. Boil water in it for safe drinking, and of course, carry water in it and cook with it. If you've got the pot and she's got the ponchos/tent/mylar, your only issue is dry tinder, and a chunk of HER hair takes care of that.
The guys are losing 1.5-2 lbs of weight per day. That's 4000-7000 calories per day, depending upon how much of it is fat and how much is muscle. Normal intake is less than 3000 calories, most of us gain wait on that much intake. So these guys are stressing/working pretty hard. From what I can see, the great majority of what they do is build pretty worthless shelters, instead of just moving around and finding shelter that nature always provides (usually within a day's hike) and forage for food as you go. I'd never trust roasting (on a rock, or speared with a stick) to get meat adequately "done". especially not turtles, fish, eggs, or sea food, and you lose nutrients with such cooking methods, too. Boil such food items, man, and drink the broth.
Only an idiot would drink untreated ground water. If they had known they were going to soggy-assed Borneo, and been not interested in drama, they'd have taken a double poncho and a water filter and just sat it out. The first ones, in Africa, went a week before they figured out that they should make sandals to protect them from thorns. I'd have done that first thing, using some bushy branches to brush the thorns out of my way, as i sought out fibers/bark to make into sandals. They took like 7 hours to move 5 miles, and he ruined his foot with an infection from a thorn, first thing. They also needed a means of carrying things, and a club and spear each. That all could have been dealty with in 4 hours, and then they could have walked the 5 miles in 2 hours, and still had time to make the fire at the waterhole. The guy who sunburned could have made a big "sombrero' or umbrella out of palm leaves. So far, only 1 of the guys and 2 of the women have amounted to a hoot.
The camera crews doubtless have guns and all the typical gear, so there's no real danger from the hyenas in Africa, nor the caiman-gators (unless walking in water over your legs) Snakes are pretty helpless critters, if you see them and dont step on them. I was surprised that they were able to catch that mongoose, and yes, they should have been setting traps. Especially for the lobsters, turtles, fish, birds and crawdads. They should have received some training in recognizing/using the local plants, too.
It would be much better if they were allowed to tell each other what they picked as their "one tool" and if they knew what area they were going to. All you'd really have to do for 21 days, in a place that doesn't get really cold, is assure yourself of a safe water supply, and something like a 2 poncho tent to wrap up in, preferably with a removable, heavy duty Mylar Lining. Nobody chooses a water filter as their "one item"? I'd much rather have to make a knife by knapping flints than have to build a shelter. All of their shelters have leaked, provided no protection from bugs or animals, and all have fallen apart if much of any wind blew there.You can go 21 days without eating, if you are just lying around. But that wouldn't make an interesting show. If you knew that relatively hard rocks can be had there, a 1 gallon carbon steel cookpot with lid would be a good choice. Sharpen one side of the lid, and it's a knife. Strike sparks off of it with a rock, and you've got fire. Boil water in it for safe drinking, and of course, carry water in it and cook with it. If you've got the pot and she's got the ponchos/tent/mylar, your only issue is dry tinder, and a chunk of HER hair takes care of that.
The guys are losing 1.5-2 lbs of weight per day. That's 4000-7000 calories per day, depending upon how much of it is fat and how much is muscle. Normal intake is less than 3000 calories, most of us gain wait on that much intake. So these guys are stressing/working pretty hard. From what I can see, the great majority of what they do is build pretty worthless shelters, instead of just moving around and finding shelter that nature always provides (usually within a day's hike) and forage for food as you go. I'd never trust roasting (on a rock, or speared with a stick) to get meat adequately "done". especially not turtles, fish, eggs, or sea food, and you lose nutrients with such cooking methods, too. Boil such food items, man, and drink the broth.
Only an idiot would drink untreated ground water. If they had known they were going to soggy-assed Borneo, and been not interested in drama, they'd have taken a double poncho and a water filter and just sat it out. The first ones, in Africa, went a week before they figured out that they should make sandals to protect them from thorns. I'd have done that first thing, using some bushy branches to brush the thorns out of my way, as i sought out fibers/bark to make into sandals. They took like 7 hours to move 5 miles, and he ruined his foot with an infection from a thorn, first thing. They also needed a means of carrying things, and a club and spear each. That all could have been dealty with in 4 hours, and then they could have walked the 5 miles in 2 hours, and still had time to make the fire at the waterhole. The guy who sunburned could have made a big "sombrero' or umbrella out of palm leaves. So far, only 1 of the guys and 2 of the women have amounted to a hoot.
The camera crews doubtless have guns and all the typical gear, so there's no real danger from the hyenas in Africa, nor the caiman-gators (unless walking in water over your legs) Snakes are pretty helpless critters, if you see them and dont step on them. I was surprised that they were able to catch that mongoose, and yes, they should have been setting traps. Especially for the lobsters, turtles, fish, birds and crawdads. They should have received some training in recognizing/using the local plants, too.
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I wonder if they would consider my swisschamp as the one item I could bring. I was about to start a new discussion if you could only bring one knife with you and nothing else what would it be but figured I'd exploit this topic.
BOSS1
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- Sep 16, 2008
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To revive this thread...
I'll say I was initially thinking this show was just kind of pandering to all the immature pervs out there. But I gotta say, having watched it a few times, the 'naked' aspect isn't really sensationalized, other than having to watch peoples butts as the travel through the woods. After they're on about day 3, it seems to be pretty much a non-issue other than how exposed skin gets attacked by critters or the elements (thorns, sun, bugs, etc)
While I do find the idea of being stuck naked in the wilderness an extremely unlikely scenario, I have to say from a 'theoretical' standpoint, N&F does show that people are able to survive with very, very little, if they have the skills, and more importantly, the mental toughness to get through it. Tho I think 21 days is really pushing the limit...most folks have burned off most of their 'baby fat' and getting close to being on 'E' at that point.
I have also found it interesting that some of the initially highly-ranked members (ie the survival instructors) seem to have a very tough time. Proof that things that work well in a nicely controlled field setting may not translate so well to worst case scenario situations. And I do note that those that get put into very wet/rainy situations were they're literally pinned down by heavy rain/weather for extended periods of time (ie days) also have a very tough time as they have little opportunity to get out and seek other resources. That nice inviting rain forest hike might deserve a little more respect...but I'd definitely take it over the snake infested swamps...
So all in all, while initially it seemed like the the show was pandering to the junior high crowd, if you look at it from an academic/human study point, it has its merits.
And I'd still rather see them in bare bones bathing suits...wouldn't make much difference...
Just my $.02 worth.
BOSS
I'll say I was initially thinking this show was just kind of pandering to all the immature pervs out there. But I gotta say, having watched it a few times, the 'naked' aspect isn't really sensationalized, other than having to watch peoples butts as the travel through the woods. After they're on about day 3, it seems to be pretty much a non-issue other than how exposed skin gets attacked by critters or the elements (thorns, sun, bugs, etc)
While I do find the idea of being stuck naked in the wilderness an extremely unlikely scenario, I have to say from a 'theoretical' standpoint, N&F does show that people are able to survive with very, very little, if they have the skills, and more importantly, the mental toughness to get through it. Tho I think 21 days is really pushing the limit...most folks have burned off most of their 'baby fat' and getting close to being on 'E' at that point.
I have also found it interesting that some of the initially highly-ranked members (ie the survival instructors) seem to have a very tough time. Proof that things that work well in a nicely controlled field setting may not translate so well to worst case scenario situations. And I do note that those that get put into very wet/rainy situations were they're literally pinned down by heavy rain/weather for extended periods of time (ie days) also have a very tough time as they have little opportunity to get out and seek other resources. That nice inviting rain forest hike might deserve a little more respect...but I'd definitely take it over the snake infested swamps...
So all in all, while initially it seemed like the the show was pandering to the junior high crowd, if you look at it from an academic/human study point, it has its merits.
And I'd still rather see them in bare bones bathing suits...wouldn't make much difference...
Just my $.02 worth.
BOSS
BOSS1
Gold Member
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- Sep 16, 2008
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- 1,700
I initially felt it would be along the same lines. But after about 24 hrs on-location with no shower, make-up, etc. there isn't too much 'sexy' content...
It's an interesting study on bare minimum existence...stripping away just about all conveniences...seeing some folks get humbled, and sometimes rising to the challenge, overcoming differences or falling apart as a team. I was watching a recent episode where the guy was like 'I don't think we have to worry about rain tonight' and they got hammered by a storm a few hours later. Same guy was like 'I can make fire in an hour'...it took him several days to get it the right combination figured out. And his partner bailed on him too boot. So there is something to be garnered from the show if you can look at it from a mature perspective...
BOSS