Have you heard of this show? From what I gather, it originally aired on The History Channel and is now available on Netflix. For those who haven't, here's the premise of 'Alone':
A group of people are dropped off in the wild to survive by themselves. Whomever makes it the longest wins a large cash prize.
Enter season 6.
I can't speak for the conditions contestants had to face in previous seasons because I haven't seen them. Being stuck in the Arctic, where season six takes place, has to qualify as one of the most unforgiving of them all.
Keeping Me Up On Work Nights!
To be honest, it was one of those sleepless nights already when the show first caught my attention. Its riveting episodes made sleep even harder to come by.
Understand that although it's a group of people dropped off in the Arctic, they're in completely different areas. Teamwork is not an option.
Extreme cold prevents anyone from roaming too far from shelter and the contestants aren't close enough to each other to help. The whole point is to survive alone without any help from other humans.
Contestants do have weekly medical checks to ensure they are safe to continue. They also have Sat Phones to be used to call HQ in case of an emergency or to tap out.
The Philosophy Of Survival
One of the most interesting aspects of the show is how each individual approaches their plan of survival. The smarter ones put down some food and fattened up in anticipation of the ordeal.
Food is a huge priority for any chance at lasting and it ain't easy to come by in the Arctic. Not to mention, each different area contestants were placed had their own strengths and weaknesses.
Fishing was a viable option for most as was hunting and trapping. Rules of the contest allowed each competitor to backpack in certain supplies.
Guns were off the table but long bows were okay. Wire for traps and hooks for fishing were approved, but rods and reels were not.
Some decided to make use of all three methods while others focused on one or two techniques for gathering food. One thing they all were aware of was that winter was coming and food would become scarce.
The days would grow shorter and the nights last longer. If they hadn't stocked up enough to hibernate on the colder days in their hand made shelters, they didn't stand a chance.
Small Mistakes Are Devastating
First, a lady who was too thin to begin with knicked her knuckle while shaving wood with her blade. Later, the same woman jabbed herself in the calf with one of her arrows.
While these events weren't enough to take her out, they required time for self care. Time that should have been spent gathering food.
One guy was crafty and built a gill net which he strung out on a log. He was able to fasten the log to keep the net in the water and would check it daily for a fresh catch. It worked now and then, plus gave him time to hunt and trap.
Others who went to the water for food did well until they brought the fish to shore. One guy lost two lake trout right at the waters edge. He wised up and built a net but he needed that food.
If you can believe it, Moose was on the dinner table for one participant. His problem was Wolverines. Moose meat is too high in protein for much sustenance, so he rendered all the fat for safekeeping. Wolverines stole it all.
A man with a heart condition got so sick from eating a muskrat that he had to tap out. Another man fell, twisted his knee, and had to tap out. One woman failed at finding any real food, got sick, and had to tap out.
Psychological Deterioration
Though it may seem like I'm giving the season away, there's so much I haven't touched on. Nor have I named any names so that mystery still remains.
Before I wrap up this summary of "Alone", the psychological assault upon each entrant is worth mentioning.
Though I haven't yet finished the season, the ones remaining have been alone in the Arctic for over two months.
Supplied with trail cams and camcorders, they make some absurdly funny videos. It's not hard to tell that a certain amount of insanity goes with the territory when suffering such a trial.
Some of the better short films concern:
a stuffed teddy bear made out of a rabbit pelt ????
major tears shed over shooting a squirrel for food
fake advertisement in the form of TV Commercials
a man making a birthday wish for his daughter
Not all of the short takes are humorous. In fact, some get straight serious. Having a complete breakdown on film while begging for your wife back home isn't the best look. It is understandable considering the circumstances.
Worth A Gander On A Restless Night
If you can't sleep or are tired of the same old stuff, I recommend checking out 'Alone'. You might find yourself second guessing the participants while they earn a bit of your respect at the same time.
I won't tell who won but one things for sure. There's no way it was worth it for the ones who didn't win. Haha.
Hope you enjoyed the summary and as always...
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