History Channel: Alone

[tuffcity]

Filmed Oct- Dec of 2014 up in Quatsino Sound, that area also has probably the highest population of black bears in North America... and it only rains about 10 feet a year- mostly from Oct to Feb

 

[jljmonky]

The "I don't want to be under a piece of canvas" statement reinforced my thoughts earlier... If you are there to survive as lon as possible then you need a thrive mentality... Start work on a log structure not a tent, if you're in it for the long haul then build for it.

 

[bourbon]

So ive started watching this tonight and checked out both episodes. Im curious about the pre-game sizing up that the producers did prior to "assigning" the locations for each person. I was very surprised how right off the bat one of the guys was literally dropped off next to a spring while other guys have had to get creative and go find a water source.

It is also very telling how the guys from the east are so freaked out about the animals.

My wife has family in Jackson, OH, population a few thousand, and her family has owned/run the local "Implement" (farm store) for 3 generations. They know everyone in town. Ive put the feelers out on the L.E. who was the first out since he is from Jackson.

 

[Sitkaspruce]

Having lived, hunted, fished and worked in that country......it is not as easy at it may look. But the biggest worry is not the bears, unless you run into a sow with cubs or have poor food handling skills. The bears on the North Island are some of the most well fed bears around. Fish, berries, sedges, grasses, kelp and crabs make up a lot of their diet and some bears only "sleep" a few months of the year.

Biggest threat, IMO, is the vastness of the country, the boredom it can bring and the sea of Salal, which is like trying to walk up river during a flood event when you try to walk through it. It can tax the best of us. And of course the weather......it is real hard to get prepared for that unless you live in it. Hours and days of wet, cold to the bone drizzle......it can drive the hardiest person to look for warmth and comfort.

I wonder if they have been told to stay away from roads, because about 85% of the North Island has logging roads an if you find one, it can get a lot easier to survive.

Cheers

SS

 

[Poser]

I read that the game warden in charge of the island gave them permission to kill any game by any means during filming, however, it doesn't seem like an individual warden would be able to grant that kind of power.

 

[tuffcity]

it doesn't seem like an individual warden would be able to grant that kind of power

He doesn't. That would have to come from at least the Director level, and there would be a major uproar if one of those guys killed a Roosevelt elk.

 

[ChrisS]

Just watched the first two episodes ... I like it. So far it's been less goofy shit and more showing legit woodsmen struggling in the wild (Joe, Dustin, etc.). Lucas looks like he's the least no nonsense so far, his shelter was 10 times better than anyone else's. I suspect that most of them didn't film as much the first week as the producers were hoping for, so maybe they'll get a friendly request to film more when they get resupplied with batteries and sd cards.

Interested to see how long it goes on. Being that wet and cold is no fun at all.

 

[rodney482]

I can not believe 4 of these guys went home after 5 days... I guess they wouldnt make Naked and Afraid.

 

[alukban]

I can not believe 4 of these guys went home after 5 days... I guess they wouldnt make Naked and Afraid.

Note that "Naked and Afraid" is ALWAYS in some place warm...

 

[bourbon]

Here is the question....

To win pays 500k, but what does it cost to lose?

They say this isnt scripted but it has to be. The key to a reality show is creating drama so that we are all engaged...as such i think without a doubt they are paying guys to quit....after the 3rd episode it is so apparent with the guy who "lost" his fire steel. It came off way to fake to me.


***edit*** ... I wrote the above about half way through the 3rd episode....it actually went way worse....the "rescue" was so dumb... im done with this. Back to actual reality.

 

[tipsntails7]

They need to hire dudes who actually know how to get around to rescue dudes. Guys using an iPad with a street map to try and find another guy.

I don't think it's nearly as remote as they want it to appear

 

[HawkCreek]

He doesn't. That would have to come from at least the Director level, and there would be a major uproar if one of those guys killed a Roosevelt elk.

According to Dustin (one of the shows participants) they were allowed to kill anything that "wasn't an endangered or protected species".

 

[HunterHawk]

I agree the guy loosing his means to make fire so he quit did look fake! i would quit watching but if I'm watching TV right now its either on shows about alaska or survival shows... sooooo I will keep watching but man after all these guys quitting it really makes me want to go win 500 k

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Ya so much for my prediction, Joe lost his lighter and bailed. Its fun to watch them talk themselves off the mountain. lol I have had those same conversations in my head many times. Getting past your own head is the key.

 

[orionsbrother]

I love my kids. I'd miss my kids...eventually. How much can you miss your kids in three days?

It seems to take me at least five days or so to get the noise out of my head. The expansive solitary hours causing you to reassess your life decisions? You were in a F~©%ing strip mall the day before yesterday! You still have Muzak in your head and jerkey on your breath!

The camera gear would be the PITA.

 

[dotman]

Yeah I was laughing at that as well, I go 2 weeks straight at times. While yes I have better gear I've had a few predators around camp and have never had the break down these guys had. I have 2 kids as well and yeah I miss them but come on.

 

[KMD]

The show is a joke, same as every other "reality" series on TV.

Producers hand pics the characters, write the storyline, and editing cuts/pastes pieces & camera footage to make it fit. It ain't nothing to whip up a little extra drama, built to a crescendo, just before breaking for commercials...right? How would that "reality" occur, otherwise??? Everything is dissected & reorganized to fit a proven formula. Any chance of "reality" being preserved is lost, by default.

I'd wager that any number of members here with backcountry experience would do so well in such a boring fashion, that it'd make for lowsy TV. Namely because it WOULD be real. People watch TV to escape reality, not experience it...

As it goes, ALONE is nothing more than another 21st century soap opera, custom designed to appeal to the couch potato masses who don't know any better than to call BS. Custom designed to appeal to a certain target audience, to be sold to advertisers as potential future consumers. Nothing more, nothing less...

"Reality TV" is a farce, no matter the context, or actors. Barring live, streaming, unedited video, its all a steaming pile of bullshit.

 

[orionsbrother]

I hadn't really watched. I just caught some bits and pieces on the computer while doing other things. Seemed like each time I walked past the computer there were commercials. I went back and skipped around to find the "rescue" because of someone's comment. The iPad made me laugh.

I think the weather would be a big challenge with limited basic gear. Especially since filming has to triple the time of accomplishing anything. And they must be restricted as to how much ground they can cover. Hauling that camera gear would suck, but...crappy location? Move.

I pretty much agree with KMD. These are skills that have certainly atrophied in our society, but a hundred and fifty years ago, this activity wasn't exceptional. It was just Tuesday. For entertainment value, they need participants to fail dramatically. Someone who just plugs away at it and then says, "Yeah, I'm moist and it's chilly, but it's great to actually hear myself think." wouldn't hold the attention of the pop culture.

When the ratings drop, the producers will probably start smearing fish oils on the contestants or stashing raw bacon under their shelters to get some dramatic bear action.

 

[Bigfeet]

I was initially pretty interested in the premise, but the show is letting me down a bit. Seems to me, the producers picked guys not based so much on their abilities to survive, but knowing they would have issues with setting up a proper camp, water, predators and isolation. I can think of lots of guys that could handle that situation for quite some time - but that would make for pretty dull TV. They needed to pick participants who would provide some entertainment, and a guy getting along OK wouldn't provide them with that.

 

[SHTF]

I was initially pretty interested in the premise, but the show is letting me down a bit. Seems to me, the producers picked guys not based so much on their abilities to survive, but knowing they would have issues with setting up a proper camp, water, predators and isolation. I can think of lots of guys that could handle that situation for quite some time - but that would make for pretty dull TV. They needed to pick participants who would provide some entertainment, and a guy getting along OK wouldn't provide them with that.

I would kind of agree to a point with you BF. There are also that crowd of viewers who enjoy watching people thrive out there and being successful at it. Look at all the surival shows that are out there today that portray people who are making it work. They have their set viewers who keep coming back for more. Either way its fun to watch.