YOUR Survival Show

Dual survivor is pretty interesting, I just hope that it doesn't turn into how most shows are and be just about the drama. I liked the idea of the Alaska Experiment. I'd like to see a similar show with people who have very limited "survival" experience and see if they would be able to build their situation up from nothing and maintain it for an extended amount of time. Not just get in and get out as quick as possible.
 
My fav right now is ,as my 5 year old son calls it . the dave and cody show. I enjoy them all though. I dont watch bear as much because i think he takes to many risks. The deer antler grappling hook and chain swung up over a train bridge and many other things he does just seems foolish to me in a survival situation. I like Les but was dissapointed when he simulated the airplane crash and wrapped his arm like it was broken . then took it off the next day because it was to hard. I just thought... you wouldnt have that option if it were real. I understand he has alot of gear to tote around to film. i just would have liked it better if he didnt even bother with the broken arm thing to begin with. Anyway just my 2 pennies.
 
I forgot about ray mears on my first post I really like how much he focuses on skill sets so much and I like how his northern wilderness series focused a lot on more long term survival
 
In my survival video stash, many were mentionned already..

Les Stroud, Ray Mears, Dual Survival, Bear Grylls..

- Out of the Wild - The Alaska Experiment was fun to watch.. even tho the participant had an easy I-Quit button

- Ron Hood, lots of dvds and great info

- Lars Monsen - Nordkalotten.. cant understand a word but still watched it

- Watched the guy cry 24/7 in the 3 episodes of "Alone In The Wild"
 
The toughest thing is that survival just isnt "sexy" for TV. This is why Survivorman is normally a favorite for most old school outdoor types. That is as close to real survival as you can get, its lonely, boring and miserable. Same with the Alone in the Wild guy, that was survival and you see what it looks like. If your any more prepared than Les in Survivorman , more "stuff" shelter etc. Then your camping. There is no doubt Les got his influence from Ray Mears, which is a good thing for sure.

The average Joe will enjoy Bear more because well its more entertaining and they could care less about learning something. The wow factor is what sells this.

Dual survival is closer to Survivorman with a bit more setup situations like Man Vs Wild. Its my second favorite after Survivorman and then Man Woman Wild is next. I might watch Man vs Wild if Im bored and it happens to be on, I take it for what its worth. Id rather watch Bear than Oprah anyday.....
 
Personally, I'm sick of survival shows.

Survival sucks, admit it.

What I'd like to see (someone already mentioned it) is a show about going into different environments with a proper survival kit for that climate and terrain, and explain why you should bring that kit. Yes, the kit should be minimal, but big enough to contain everything you need to do well, not just endure for the given time period.

Second thing I'd like to see is a show where they spend an entire season on how cultures lived primitively. Kind of like "1900 House" on primitive living. Maybe a season on life in Norway in the Viking Age, a seasons on longhunters, etc. Using period gear. Hard part would be that a lot of real life primitive living included things that are illegal now.

On a somewhat lighter note: "A Man and His Dog" -- I know I suck at hunting by myself, and do far better following my dog. It could showcase how having an animal companion can aid in wilderness living.


On a much lighter note: "Two Girls and a Firesteel" ;)
 
Survivorman and Dual Survival have been my favorite shows on TV. Ray Mears and Ron Hood otherwise.

What I'd like to see is a series of shows put out. From the "Oh Crap I'm in trouble and inventory point. Clear through to the building shelter and setting a trapline etc.

So far from all the shows I've seen not one has ever covered the sit down and figure out what you have inventory nor followed the proccess through. And few have touched on improvisation to any degree.
 
NorCalMtn2 said:
I'd like to see a show where someone very skilled with plenty of gear actually lives off the land. Not just scratching around waiting to go home and eating deer poop, but instead actually foraging and taking game and doing fine.
I get tired of all the shows where they don't have any gear and basically just endure the hardship until they can leave.

In many parts of the world you could do fine if you have outdoor skills and the right equipment. I enjoyed Survivorman but on many shows Les would be pretty ragged by the end. I'd rather watch someone showing how they can stay in the wild for months with reasonable comfort than just show how to stay alive until a rescue helicopter arrives.
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Best Idea Ever! Call it "When Rescue Doesn't Happen". Show that tells people what to have as far as essential gear and how to fashion tools and weapons for long term living in the wild. I might make that a youtube sensation!!!!
 
I watch Survivorman every now and then. I watch very little TV. I think someone already said they'd like to see a show where different survival instructors came and did an episode. I think I like this theme.

It would be great to have a revolving cast of folks like Doug Ritter, the RAT guys, someone who can talk about marine survival, urban scenarios, jungle, desert, mountain etc. But not the same guy each time.

The Survivorman series did a good job of covering different geography, which I appreciated and Les Stroud always seemed to have a useful tidbit for that local area. I guess that's why his show was the one I watched.

SP
 
Ray Mears with his deep passion for the outdoors is my favorite. I also always enjoy watching Dave and Cody.

When I saw Les Stroud's Papua New Guinea episode, I didn't know it was his last, but still actually thought it was time for him to hang his hat. He loused that one up in every way possible: Leaky shelter, untreated water, got the runs, never found food. He's still high on my list though.

I might could stand to watch man-woman-wild if not for the constant honey, honey, honey...
 
I watch anything. It's how I regard them that changes.

Ray Mears - Cult follower. He has a cultural/academic and pragmatic approach to smoothing it.

Survivor Man - Interesting and informative. Les is someone the "layman" survivor could relate with.

Dual Survival - Informative

Man, Woman, Wild - Occasionally informative

Bear Grylls - "Secret shame" for juvenile kicks

There was a BBC program of a SAS spec ops guy awhile back called "Hunting Chris Ryan" but more for military SERE-type exploits. I put it along with how I watch Bear and macho-boosting.
 
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I don't know if any of you have ever seen this but it is excellent. This man went into the wilderness and basically lived by himself for 30 years. There is one part when he is building his cabin and he carves the door hinges out of a hunk of tree. I don't own the CD but I saw it on PBS and thought it was great.

This is the type of show we need.

http://www.dickproenneke.com/DickProenneke.html
 
In therms of educational and entertainment value I think Les Stroud and Ray mears do the best job. When Les Stroud was doing Survivorman he used local experts to give him a week or so of local training before they would do the shoot. I think they missed it by not doing the shoot with the local expert along with Les. Of course that would take away from the "global expert mystique" that surrounds all the TV survival experts.

NOBODY IS AN EXPERT EVERYWHERE

That is a simple fact. If you take Mors Kochanski and put him in the Amazon he will be a student. Sure he will have a wealth of skills that cross over to that ecosystem but he will also face as steep a learning curve as if an expert in the Amazon was suddenly transported to the Boreal forest of Canada.

I'd like to see someone with a good general knowledge of wilderness survival and bushcraft teamed up with a local expert in a different location each episode. Ray Mears has come the closest to that ideal in many of his shows and Les Stroud's new show does that to some degree as well but it also gets into the belief systems of the locals. That works for the entertainment value but I'm not looking for a new faith, the one I have works very well. I do like to learn new techniques and see firsthand how man is solving his problems using bushcraft.
 
shaving sharp said:
I don't know if any of you have ever seen this but it is excellent. This man went into the wilderness and basically lived by himself for 30 years. There is one part when he is building his cabin and he carves the door hinges out of a hunk of tree. I don't own the CD but I saw it on PBS and thought it was great.

This is the type of show we need.

http://www.dickproenneke.com/DickProenneke.html
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I did and it was quite an amazing movie. This guy built the cabin he was to live in for the next 30 years with mostly locally harvested materials and a set of hand tools you could fit in your gym bag. His skill and work ethic were truly something to admire.
 
How about a show called, "I shouldn't be dead." It is like I shouldn't be alive in reverse. It documents the mistakes made by real people in the wild that lead to their demise. It could be a reality check to people who only see people "surviving" on the tube.
 
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