Hehe that's one of the central irony's of the survival shows...For example: We're supposed to believe that someone who goes to the trouble of learning 15 different ways to make a fire does not go to the trouble of carrying a small fire kit when in the wilderness.
People that learn primitive and improvised methods of firestarting usually carry a means to start a fire BECAUSE they've done it all the other ways, and realize it's a chore. Seems the general premise of these shows though, are not to demonstrate what they, as "experts", would have on them should they become stranded/lost/injured, but what the average Joe would typically have on them, and how they can make it work for them.
If you look at the average eco-tourist, dayhiker, etc. they are generally unprepared in the equipment they carry, let alone the skills they possess. I think showing these techniques is a way to broaden their horizons, get them thinking outside of the box, and the failures(seen a few of the "experts" fail at fire) just reinforce the idea of carrying nearly fool-proof gear.
As for the OP, that depends on the "pack". I have a layer system to my packs, with overlapping redundancy in some items.
Maxpedition 10X4 bottle holder contains a Guyot standard, GSI cup, purification tabs, Emergen-C/tea bags, 6 feet of plastic tubing, space blanket, lighter, signal mirror, compass, first aid kit/meds/ointments, sewing kit, a couple #11 Xacto blades, and a few other goodies. This is my first layer, and kind of an overbuilt PSK, always with me, since I always carry at least a liter of water on my person here in the desert.
From there, it's just a matter of adding task specific equipment or redundancy if I choose to go with my Camelbak or go to a full blown 100 liter bergen. Both of which usually have some sort of shelter system, water, a change of clothes, navigation, etc. I find doing it this way keeps it all organized, I grab certain packs for certain things, and they're always ready to go.
Gautier