New TV Survival Show - Alone

I think both Mitch and Lucas had good reasons to call it. As much as I don't believe in "finding yourself" Lucas is part of my generation, and I'm an outlier in that belief. While I don't agree with any of the millennial bashing that is popular (Them Dang Kids!) that mindset is part of the wishing for the hippy baby boomer nostalgia that none of us were old enough to see obviously, but also the backlash of a very tough economic environment, more in line with the world of our grand or great-grandparents. But if he did find what he was looking for out there, it'll be worth more than the cash. I suspect he'll do alright when it comes to capitalizing on what he managed to do.
As for Mitch's call, thats a heavy weight, and while I'd like to think I could compartmentalize and say, I can't effect that so I'll do the best I can here, I don't actually think I could. Especially when the solution is right there. Thats a lot of extra weight for him to be carrying for that time.

My dad used to say that you never had to be stronger than anyone else, just want it a little more than he does. In this case, Alan knows he can do it, but also knows his limits. So when he said he'll find a wall, I suspect he has a threshold in mind because he wants to go home. I can see Sam making a mistake that gets him the win, by staying out longer than he should. If Alan takes a slip and fall, or gets the runs, he will likely pull early as a survival instinct, but I'm not sure Sam will, he says he won't quit, and I wonder if he could take it just on pure stubbornness. Alan's got more things going for him, and so we shall see if age and treachery beat youth and vigor this time.

Either way, good on them to see it through that far, that's some pretty impressive stuff. You have to think that when the frontiersmen were doing it, game was more plentiful, they would have been in better locations, and still lots of them died. I think these guys have done alright given the conditions. More than a month unsupported, I doubt many others have ever done the same. Considering that when the natives did it, there was a childhood of training and familiarization that went into it. And I suspect many didn't survive then either.

Quiet, Interesting thought on being the master of your own domain, kinda like the old saying, a cur-dog will whip a pit-bull in his own yard. I do the same when I'm teaching archery to the kids I work with. At the end of every session I give a quick talk about the history of archery, depending on the age group, and then pull out my bow and take a few shots. The range is only 7 meters, and I'm using a pretty well set up bow, so its a bit of ego polishing. But it impresses them, and they enjoy the show. Pretty easy to edit fifty hours of woods wandering into something that makes you look good and not consider it dishonest. And I don't really think it is, but as you pointed out, might make you buy your own medicine if you are not careful.
 
Alan seems to be eating better than Sam. Has a better source of food. Out of those two I'm thinking Alan will win. Been wrong before tho. Good ending.
 
NYCFLY said:
The incoming weather looks really bad.... holy crap..... but who knows... my money is on Alan... but Sam's "Tough Nebraska Guy" attitude might just pull a Hail Mary.
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I don't know how many more days these two guys will have to endure, but I feel at this point it is going to be a matter of luck to a large degree. Who finds food? Who doesn't get sick? Who's shelter will withstand the wind and rain? I think Alan is better positioned to outlast Sam, but things can happen that aren't predictable. Actually looking forward to the last show.
 
That episode pretty much confirmed for me that this was the absolute worst time to hold this show in that location. It's constructed too much around luck and all they are doing is waiting it out in the shelter and complaining. Next episode will be more of the same it seems.

Great show concept but poor execution. They should hold it in a location/time where there is some possibility of preparation and a window before hibernation.

And someone should really get ahold of these producers and tell them that the repetition after each commercial alienates all of the serious viewers in the effort to draw new ones in.
 
bore said:
Alan seems to be eating better than Sam. Has a better source of food. Out of those two I'm thinking Alan will win. Been wrong before tho. Good ending.
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I've been wondering why Sam never tries to find any fish, crab or shellfish at low tide. There must be something he could eat caught under rocks and in tidepools along there.

Also all of these guys keep saying "I don't know what I'm doing out here", it has been a long time for some of them but you'd think the $500,000 prize might come to mind when the going gets tough and how winning that would be life changing for them. Maybe their comments about that are edited out by the production team.

Clearly the mental aspect is the toughest, I wonder how many months they would last if they were in teams. I'd expect they would all be much better off mentally and last far longer even with 2 person teams.
 
Haakon said:
I've been wondering why Sam never tries to find any fish, crab or shellfish at low tide. There must be something he could eat caught under rocks and in tidepools along there.

Also all of these guys keep saying "I don't know what I'm doing out here", it has been a long time for some of them but you'd think the $500,000 prize might come to mind when the going gets tough and how winning that would be life changing for them. Maybe their comments about that are edited out by the production team.

Clearly the mental aspect is the toughest, I wonder how many months they would last if they were in teams. I'd expect they would all be much better off mentally and last far longer even with 2 person teams.
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I have to believe that the producers would be against that idea because the costs involved with keeping a rescue team at the ready for that long have got to be mounting up.
 
Haakon said:
I've been wondering why Sam never tries to find any fish, crab or shellfish at low tide. There must be something he could eat caught under rocks and in tidepools along there.
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He's found crabs, roll back a few episodes.
 
Chignecto Woodsman said:
That episode pretty much confirmed for me that this was the absolute worst time to hold this show in that location. It's constructed too much around luck and all they are doing is waiting it out in the shelter and complaining. Next episode will be more of the same it seems.

Great show concept but poor execution. They should hold it in a location/time where there is some possibility of preparation and a window before hibernation.
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Tahiti?

Humans have survived on that coast for 1000s of years. They didn't even have fire steels or video diaries.
 
Chignecto Woodsman said:
That episode pretty much confirmed for me that this was the absolute worst time to hold this show in that location. It's constructed too much around luck and all they are doing is waiting it out in the shelter and complaining. Next episode will be more of the same it seems.

Great show concept but poor execution. They should hold it in a location/time where there is some possibility of preparation and a window before hibernation.

And someone should really get ahold of these producers and tell them that the repetition after each commercial alienates all of the serious viewers in the effort to draw new ones in.
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I would have to disagree on the poor execution remark. This show has shown that when the rubber meets the road, the REAL fight for survival happens. If you changed the environment to something different than the edge of winter, you'd change the entire tone of the show. "Oh look, dry, sunny woods where firewood is plentiful and dry and there are plenty of edibles (animal and plant-life) all around, excellent! Oh, it rained, and I can't find dry wood? Eh, no big deal, worst it'll be is down in the mid 60's tonight. My jacket and socks will keep me warm."

A show like that would just be a general camping show, the same thing you can see on most of these guys' Youtube channels.

But on this show, the environment itself is against these guys, it's beating them down. Luck, endurance, and skills are the only thing keeping these guys from making the call for the boatride outta there. This is the closest thing you can probably get to a REAL survival situation in that sort of environment. What if it was a pilot in a little single-prop job who went down in those woods after a storm blew in and took his plane down? That guy would be in these exact conditions. That makes it feel far more authentic, honestly.
 
Chignecto Woodsman said:
That episode pretty much confirmed for me that this was the absolute worst time to hold this show in that location.
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I consider it the BEST time to make a show of that nature.
You end up with a run of about 2 months, with lots of time to edit it down to get it to market.
The crappy weather ups the psychological assault, so you get rid of people quicker.

AND you don't end up having it look like "Yay, we're having an outing!" due to sun and easily grabbed food.
 
I've been pitching my show for years; it's me on a deserted beach in Bermuda, I only have a case of scotch, a nice charcoal grill and some nice steaks, a good espresso machine and lots of beans, (solar panels of course) a couple topless local girls, and maybe a few other odds and ends.

It'll show mostly in the midwest or areas affected by Polar Vortex and the audience will get to rage out while I complain that my Ribeye is cooked a bit unevenly while the viewers are stuck in Duluth under 10" snowbanks.

Do not steal my idea!
 
Pretty tough to hit that "sweet spot" between impossible and easy. Yeah there is a lot of sitting in shelters, but I can't imagine being so weathered in that you know you don't get to eat today because the risks and the calorie expense are too high. But there is also the chance that it could pay off. If they did it in december when the ice is thick enough to get in the way, but dangerous, and everything is hiding, there would be no chance.

As far as the repeats, its the language of TV, its the way every show is edited, its how they anchor attention. Yes its annoying because of the ads, or lack there of, depending on your watching habits. I've noticed that over time those have gotten less and less. Watch this type of show from 10 years ago, and it feels like it is 50% recap. It will be this way until TV is shot for ad-free markets.
 
I believe that if one of the two remaining doesn't tap out soon the producers will end it due to health concerns.

If you noticed Alan's arms, neck, face he has lost a dangerous amount of weight. I'd say Sam is even worse but he hasn't been shown without heavy clothing.

Alan mentioned being dizzy when standing is a bad sign of malnourishment.

Add the fact that severe weather is heading in and the possibility added delays, communication failures, etc. and it isn't worth the risk of two deaths.

I do think Alan is smart enough to know when it isn't worth the risk and make a rational decision. Sam on the other had could due to youth and stubbornness cross the danger line or just randomly say the heck with this and tap.
 
Gained a whole new respect for those guys after the last episode. Not that it hadn't been high already, but knowing when to say when for Lucas and the mom thing for Mitch. Tough. I lost mine in the last year and can't imagine heading out to do the show knowing her prognosis.

Glad to hear the 'not giving in' comments by Sam and Alan and hoping for a photo finish when the time comes. I've felt like Alan would prevail; however, youthful enthusiasm may trump him. Looking forward to the finale, but have to say I can't wait for the next season. i've truly enjoyed this show.
 
Quiet said:
I have to believe that the producers would be against that idea because the costs involved with keeping a rescue team at the ready for that long have got to be mounting up.
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I'm sure the costs are tracking upward. But you know, I suspect that some of the other shows have way bigger costs. No camera crew. Nobody running around trying to get good camera shots. If this storm that appears to be blowing in is as bad as it looks, nobody is going to get rescued anyway until there is a break in the storm.

Each contestant has a sat phone and I believe they will communicate that way when it is important.
 
you'd be shocked at how low some shows shoot for, some things like auction hunters can do a season over a week, and less than 50k all up, these guys dropped some coin, standby paramedics are not cheap, but wilderness first responders are. That being said, from the looks of things that rescue team is tight, and probably has a very efficient logistics chain which helps the costs. Speaking of which I hope the guy who popped his shoulder ended up alright. That was one of the things a boss of mine used to worry about, all the experienced guys have no joints left, and the healthy guys are green. Risks you take.
Other stuff like the heli wouldn't be much more than flight time and a retainer fee, since there are plenty out there, its not like they would pay to keep a bird warm on the pad. I'm guessing they would try to maintain an emergency response time of not more than an hour, hence the coastal drops. And the boat would be doing other stuff in that time. Cameras and gear are cheaper now than they have ever been. Even if each guy had 10G of gear which I doubt, thats not much, and it wouldn't be gear bought new and then sold, it will just be the rental. my guess is right around a million including the prize, based on no info but a guess or two.
 
stabman said:
I consider it the BEST time to make a show of that nature.
You end up with a run of about 2 months, with lots of time to edit it down to get it to market.
The crappy weather ups the psychological assault, so you get rid of people quicker.

AND you don't end up having it look like "Yay, we're having an outing!" due to sun and easily grabbed food.
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I'm well aware that survival is primarily about psychology. But with this setup, where none of the people were familiar with the coast, the skill was skewed towards being able to endure rain. This basically eliminates anyone who cannot endure cabin fever.

They could have done the same thing with prison cells basically. That's why it was poorly executed.

As far as the pilot example, well, just because one survival situation can be extreme does not mean it is the best. These people are average bushcrafters with little or no survival experience. A little more clear weather would have given more chance to use skills, gather and hunt food, prepare for the crap weather, and then have to endure the weather. It would have been pretty similar, just with more variety. Here we had 5-6 weeks of rain and crying in a cave. I can't see how anyone can defend that as good execution. It was manipulated for TV dumbed-down standards.

Here's Johnny! Rain. Here's Johnny! Rain. Snails. Here's Johnny! Rain. Seaweed. Here's Johnny! Rain.

Rinse. Repeat.

I mean, it would not be an easy time just because there were double the nice days. They would still be struggling to get food unless they are expert hunters/trappers and know hundreds of edible plants. It would simply give more chance to the people with various skills and allow for various methods of dealing with cabin fever than simple endurance. It's basically the same formula as Naked and Afraid: hold out as long as you can, and, well, not much else. Too much luck involved, which people seem to equate with entertainment, and 'wow that looks awful' while shoving popcorn into their mouths factor which keeps people captivated by making them feel less shitty about themselves.

Skill and testing skill requires knowledge and variables which allow the skills of each participant to be brought out equally. When they take people into an unfamiliar environment it simply becomes entertainment based around randomness and removal of skill. It's like the games they use on Survivor, complete mindnumbing randomness. That is the standard for skill today, but that is setting the bar really low. Alone is not quite that low, obviously, but it seems they played to it a bit in how they set the show. (It could also be accidental, as there is a huge push from the other side in entertainment to make people look more skilled than they actually are; Bear Grylls, Dual Survival, Naked and Afraid, Barehand Crocodile and Eagle Hunter, etc. This may have caused them to choose a location and time that was extreme and only really suited to expert survivalists, if the condition is to test in a foreign location. I mean, several of the guys had novice bushcraft skillsets and they're calling them survival experts.)

Coming next season: Mors Kochanski Walks Barefoot On Mars! How long can he last?

Don't get me wrong. I like the idea of the show and I respect all of them who go on it. There's just an annoying production for the lowest common denominator factor that makes it less real and compelling than Survivorman was.
 
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These days men at about 40 are at the top of their psychological, knowledge, and practical physical game. I don't mean they can be the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos (I like Petyon M), but practical kinds of things.
 
Chignecto Woodsman,

I think, having been around and seeing how tv shows like this work, we have to remind ourselves that we will probably never witness the real thing to an excellent standard on television. Production companies have budgets and timelines for delivery to networks of programming. From the producer's perspective, putting these guys in a really crappy place at a crappy time of year, and making sure they aren't the best in business, ensures that they will tap out in time to deliver a show each season. God forbid, from a producer's point-of-view, these guys should stay out there for a year, two years, or more! They'd never deliver a show and make money. In fact, the producers would have to tap out when they ran out of budget!

So, we can watch the programming, but I think the programming will always fall short of the skills standards we all strive to achieve personally.

I am hoping that in a decade, a couple of these guys blossom, from this experience, into outstanding bushcraft and survival instructors. (I do also wonder if a couple of them will move to cities and vow never to go near a tree again in their lives!) :)

I'm also willing to bet that many who have fantasized about surviving alone for a month in the wilderness may be realizing they would have fared no better, and I hope seeing these guys' struggles will push others in our community to just get that much better themselves.
 
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