Ultimate Survival Alaska

[Aldaron]

If this series lasts much longer I'm going to have to quit my job and move to Alaska.

 

[Parma]

New season started today, Sunday January 4th.
It's a fun show. Hopefully it doesn't get too scripted.

 

[Nick]

Haven't even heard of it. What channel?

 

[Parma]

Haven't even heard of it. What channel?

National Geographic Channel

 

[Aldaron]

I'm starting to get a little suspicious of it. They're definitely at least re-staging shots if not staging them. I'm afraid our Survivorman experience has tainted me now.

 

[Nick]

I'm starting to get a little suspicious of it. They're definitely at least re-staging shots if not staging them. I'm afraid our Survivorman experience has tainted me now.

So true! Guess I'll just have to get my reality survival from my own reality. Haha!

 

[Bob]

I would be suspicious of any of them. Haven't seen one yet not scripted or canned. They are getting better hiding that thought. Remember they are made to make money and they sell to the general public that has no idea on survival or the backcountry... I quit watching any of them years ago....... Ever see 'Fat Guys in the Woods".......

 

[Parma]

a reality backpacking show sure would be exciting.
i hiked that way for about 8 miles, setup my tent, took a nap, fished for 2 hours, made a fire and stared at it.
sounds awesome to me, but not sure i'd want to watch someone do that on TV.

 

[DrNed]

I watched the first season last year . . . started interesting enough. The concept was three teams compete to get to a pick up spot in three days before a plane leaves at a designated time. They supposedly had a pound of rice & beans for the 72 hours, everything else they were supposed to be living off the land. Except each team always made it. The further it got into the season the more suspicious were the ways some of the teams made it. Artificial drama seemed to come up more and more as the season went as well. I don't really care if their situations are canned - if it's interesting. For example there was one episode where they had to travel down a river. One guy had a packraft (my first introduction to them). The other teams built rafts with drift wood. To me it was interesting, so I enjoyed it. When if becomes artificially dramatic, that's when I start to poke my eyeballs out to save myself.

I thing I liked most was seeing how they dealt with weather and their attempts to live off the land. They were mostly portrayed as experienced backpackers/hunters/fisherman/etc - not "experts" in wilderness.

I saw comericals for a second season and it looked promising, (that's what good marketing will do for you!). So I set the DVR to record them. Then just this weekend I realized it's mostly the same people. I'll watch the first episode tonight and decide if I"ll continue.

 

[Aldaron]

I think this year is the third season. I've liked it because most of the drama is with Alaska and not with the people. But there was a packraft accident where I was pretty sure the guy should have been dead if it really happened the way they said it did.

 

[Nick]

a reality backpacking show sure would be exciting.

This is the closest/best thing there is and it's way better than real TV!

@Jammer
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVuKWD_P0x7gxcOrhgzymHw

 

[Artemus]

This is the closest/best thing there is and it's way better than real TV!

@Jammer
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVuKWD_P0x7gxcOrhgzymHw

Go Jammer! Yeah, it turns out that freezing to death is not all that exciting or photogenic.

 

[mak1277]

Regardless of whether or not the show is scripted/staged, it's worth a watch just for the eye candy of Alaskan scenery.

And even if it is staged, there are definitely enough accidents that have happened to make me sure that it's real enough to be highly dangerous for the people involved.

 

[DrNed]

So I watched the first two last night. Apparently they broadcasted the first three episodes on Sunday - didn't watch the third cause it was getting past my bed time. (At mid 40's I'm asking if it's time for bed at 6:30)

Here are my thoughts: It seems like I missed a season because they kept referring to people and events that weren't part of the first season. So as @Aldaron said this is the third season.

Here's what I liked: Having an Iditarod champion is significant to me. Anyone who travels 1000+ miles being pulled by dogs knows something about the outdoors.

The other thing I like is watching their mistakes & close calls and how they handle it. It also makes for good source material to have meaningful outdoor discussions with my kids. Unfortunately it has enough loatheable reality TV drama to be thankful for the skip ahead button on the remote.

I'll continue to watch. I also notice there is another survival show that starts on NatGeo Channel this Sunday. I'll give it a try too.

 

[Bob]

Gag ...........................................................................................................

 

[Nick]

Okay, I finally watched some of Ultimate Survival Alaska. That show is beyond staged. I think Mr. Stroud would even be disappointed in that one. I appreciate the fact that they do a good job of gearing them up like normal people in the outdoors, not wrapped in denim and cotton like the 'Alaskan Bush People' (LOL), but USA is super staged. Kinda entertaining though...

 

[Aldaron]

It wasn't nearly as bad in the first season, I don't think. But this third season is making me sick.

 

[HomerJ]

It wasn't nearly as bad in the first season, I don't think. But this third season is making me sick.

Agree... It's gotten worse since season 1. I still watch it to see the scenery!

 

[Aldaron]

I guess NRS gave them a better deal on gear...you can already tell that it's going to suck that they don't have Alpacka packrafts.

 

[Aldaron]

Watching this season is like a commercial for not buying NRS packrafts. One pops almost every time they get in them. That never happened in the Alpackas.