Survivorman (the series)

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I send off an email awhile ago questioning several of the major issue such as eating while dehydrated, not rationing water, not building a shelter and counting on good weather, etc. .

-Cliff
 
"And yet he survived"

Why?

It's television for cryin out loud ;)
Of course a person could die from exposure, dehydration, hypothermia etc.
But he won't.
Why?
Because it is television entertainment.
Do you really think that the producers and insurers would let that happen?
They have too much $$$ tied up in the production to let that happen.

How do we know that he doesn't have a satellite phone and a rescue crew on standby? Or that he's got a supply of beer and chips in his camera bag.
We don't, do we?
How do we know he's really alone?

Once again, without his shortcomings that could get him killed in a (dare I say...) real life survival situation, the show wouldn't appeal to the mass audience. It allows the audience to feel:
Superior: "He did this and that wrong"
Pity: "Cheese and crackers he must be freezing"
And that vicarious thrill of watching another human possibly buy the farm:
"That'll get him killed "

It's make believe. Television.

And yes, I agree that it is irresponsible Television. But entertainment is like that.

And on another note...
My old boss had a sign over his desk that read:
"A man can make the same mistake for years and call it experience."
Some very true words.
 
Ebbtide said:
How do we know that he doesn't have a satellite phone and a rescue crew on standby?
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He does, he notes that on his website, they would not help in many cases though, sleeping in an area where you can get crushed by ice due to expansion, cracks or shifts is instant, it happens - you die.

Similar with a lot of the other issues such as exposure, and lack of shelter, the phone does you no good. It only takes a momentary lapse in concentration and you simply never wake up.

These are not "minor issues" as you argued in the above, especially when they are being presented as instructional and not as entertainment which is the main problem people have with the show.

It's make believe.
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Yes that is the general idea being presented by most, it isn't a survival situation, and the methods he uses are not something you would want to follow.

-Cliff
 
The (young, pretty) woman is alone in the creepy old house. The wind moans. The lights suddenly go out. She finds a flashlight. There is a VERY strange noise in the basement. What does she do? "Of course" she goes down into the cave of a basement to investigate.

Entertainment - not education. "Reality" TV in media-speak.
 
Ebbtide said:
How do we know that he doesn't have a satellite phone and a rescue crew on standby?
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Did anyone notice that in the swamp episode, in one of the shots where he's just walking by the camera Les has what looks like a walkie talkie on his belt?

Still I like the show.HaHahahahah:D
 
Cliff it isn't an arguement.
Well, for me anyway.

There are many ways to die in an instant.
In one episode he gets picked up by a stranger on a snowmobile.
They could have had a wreck.

Or in another he gets picked up by a helo. It could have crashed on his head. He could've touched the helo before it made contact with the ground and got a massive static electric shock.

Ya leave your couch/keyboard and ya take your chances :D

If one looks at the program as entertainment one doesn't have the issues with reality.
If one looks at television as reality it opens up room for many disappointments.
The evening news for example.

And FWIW, I like the show too.
 
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but there is the fact that the guy is usually dehydrated and hungry. Your brain doesn't always function well under those circumstances, so perhaps he's making mistakes for those reasons. If that's the case, they may leave them in the show because they want to portray what a guy does in "reality" under stress, even if he knows what to do (or not to do) when he can think clearly.
 
I have been following this thread now for a while with interest. I've only caught a few minutes of one of the shows you mention, but it does pique my curiosity. Spotting gaffs and boom mikes, out of place, appearing and disappearing objects is a hobby of a lot of movie and TV show buffs. It sounds like the guy works from a very loose script based on an even looser premise, and hopes to do enough things of interest to the viewing audience to garner a following of sorts. No, reality TV is a grand farce, like soap operas, and it's entire value is to allow the viewer to live vicariously, experience discomfort and danger, confrontation and deprivation from the safety of an easy chair in a climate controlled environment. There has to be a degree of educational value, otherwise the ratings drop. There is also the element of involving the viewer emotionally to some degree with either rooting for him to succeed, or hoping to see him fail.

I would like to see a "Survival Challenge" show wherein the participants are pros. They are inserted in a choreographed situation with big brother (camera crew, viewers) being the fly on the wall, and they are given specified resources, then use the situation to instruct the audience on real world survival. I can think of the names of a dozen gurus of survival/self dependence/wilderness expertise that I would love to see on film in this manner. And you are right, it likely would not make prime-time. Some of these guys were contributing writers to the old ASG magazine way back when, and still continue to write in various publications, or host their own outdoor schools. And they are "been there, done that" kinda guys. It would make for a very interesting instructional tape series for sure.

Codger
 
Codger_64 said:
I would like to see a "Survival Challenge" show wherein the participants are pros.
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What would be even better is get some armchair/keyboard survivalist and see how they do. :jerkit:
 
I don't doubt that it is for entertainment purposes the problem I have is he also packages it as educational an provides the wrong information and strategies.

I think it could be just as entertaining without providing the wrong information. Like taking horse shoe fungus and calling it tinder fungus or saying Len Toos are the worst survival shelter.

Yes it is for the general public and again entertainment but would it hurt to actually know what you are doing.

don't take me wrong I watch the show much like one can't turn their head away from a car wreck but it entertains me in that fashion. I would hat to think that in a case where someone is in trouble they would count on the information provided on the show that beig their only exposure to the topic.

He bills himself as an expert so at least he should capable.

A
 
Ebbtide said:
Cliff it isn't an arguement.
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An arguement can simply be statement made to present a point of view, it just means you have a point you are trying to convey.

As for it just being pure entertainment, this isn't how it is presented. He gives advice on methods of survivial as a survival instructor in a simulated situation. This is opposed to for example "E.R." which doesn't do the same for emergency medicine because it is promoted as entertainment and not instructional.

Ya leave your couch/keyboard and ya take your chances
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There is a difference between unavoidable random chance and deliberate and unnecessary self-induced danger especially of immediate death. Even if you do everything right you can still die to worse case senarios, especially multiple ones strung together. However is this really an arguement to ignore major issues which could get you killed because hey you could die anyway - hardly.

rhino said:
Your brain doesn't always function well under those circumstances, so perhaps he's making mistakes for those reasons.
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Many of the issues are quickly into the show, the first day or when he is immediately dropped off. Many of the other times he actually notes the correct behavior but doesn't do it often just citing the extra effort. Now he knows of course he can get out in an actual emergency but he doesn't explain this to the viewer and it drastically undercuts the seriousness of his actions.

I recieved a responce to the email, it was a form letter.

-Cliff
 
He mentions in an episode that he does in fact carry a sat phone and I did see the motorolla talkie on his belt as well, which incidentally has only a 1-2 mile range :rolleyes: .

I still say he has a film crew near him.:)

Entertaining though as it was meant to be.

Ron Hoods videos are much more survival oriented and good teaching videos.

Skam
 
skammer said:
I still say he has a film crew near him.
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It would not surprise me, but I don't find it hard to believe he could be on his own and does take the chances he does. I knew a guy who used to jump in front of moving cars to scare the drivers (didn't kill him either), takes all kinds.

I would rather watch Bredl and Irwin, both are funnier and vastly more informative. Irwin is mainly about local animals, Bredl is similar but has done survival shows, talking about how to live naturally in the outback, often with natives.

The natives often use huge (10"+) 1/4" fixed blade bowie style knives, Bredl also carries a massive one, a big fantasy one with speed holes, he is pretty casual with it as well, will poke in the fire with it for example. Irwin also carries a large fixed blade.

mewolf1 said:
What did they have to say?
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Thank you for your interest in our show. Along with some img attachments, banners and the like for survivorman.

-Cliff
 
An arguement can simply be statement made to present a point of view, it just means you have a point you are trying to convey.
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I much prefer the word discussion.

Where is the show promoted as instruction as opposed to entertainment?

Either way, for the third time, irresponsible TV.
 
Sky King was pretty responsible...and those Cartwright fellas too...let's not forget Father Knows Best :D
 
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