The Generic Survivalist Show Thread

[Mojochi]

An open discussion of all things survival reality TV, even including shows, like Survivor, which I personally feel is more a game show than a survival show, but what the hay, we'll keep it loose, because it's a varied genre. I even liked that show Everest: Beyond The Limit, which isn't strictly survivalist either

I'm a big fan of almost all these types of shows. My favorites are ones with a pair of survivalists, like Dual Survival, which I admit I fell behind on, after Dave Canterbury was replaced. That was a little disappointing.

I've seen a few with the new guy, & he seems ok too. I'll probably catch up now, as I'm getting back into it, in no small part due to the new wave of shows out, which for some completely unnecessary reason have them being dumped off naked

Seems rather gimmicky & pointless to me in the context of survival. No one is ever stranded butt naked, but I'm still tuning in to get my fix, & they're still entertaining. Big marathon today of Naked Castaway, leading up to a new episode of Naked & Afraid

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I saw the premiere of Get Out Alive last night.

It started out looking interesting, like it might be a genuine competition of survival skills.

Then they went straight to urine drinking. That was really disappointing. I'm certain that there exist survival scenarios where you are forced to drink urine to survive, but is that really the tone you want to set in the first episode? You want to make your gritty survival competition immediately look like Fear Factor? You can tell that was the producer's idea and not the host.

I'll keep watching but they better not focus too much on the grossout aspects of survival.

 

[Mojochi]

^I actually didn't even know about that show. Sadly, after seeing it, I'm not too interested. So many annoying things... almost too many to list

The way the urine thing was done was completely pointless. When would anybody need to speed chug a half liter of muddy urine? This just looks like a knockoff of Survivor, cash prize, luxury bonuses, gross out stunts, & more interpersonal "Reality tv" drama than actual group survival tactics. They didn't even hunt the deer

It's a game show more than a survival show. Personally, I'd have a hard time watching this. I'm not all that fond of Grylls anyhow, & his extreme approach to wilderness survival, which seems more about ratings. I was also annoyed that the obviously gay couple was billed as "Best friends". Give me a break. Who can't tell they're in a relationship? Deal with it.

After initially being a bit skeptical, I'm still liking Naked & Afraid which is not a prize game show. Though it does have some of that "Reality tv" vibe to it & the nakedness gimmick, it does have genuine survival scenarios at play, & features participants who are supposed to be survival experts.

I'll keep watching it, because it doesn't totally insult my intelligence, even if the nakedness thing is primarily a stunt. It certainly sucks for them though, being barefoot in the wild.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

"Survival reality TV" - the only part of that phrase that's accurate is "TV".

 

[Mr. Adventure]

After a lifetime of American TV viewing I find Naked & Afraid hard to watch because they blur the breasts but not the butts. It makes for disorienting viewing, I think I could handle no blur or full blur but it makes my head hurt going back and forth.

 

[Mojochi]

After a lifetime of American TV viewing I find Naked & Afraid hard to watch because they blur the breasts but not the butts. It makes for disorienting viewing, I think I could handle no blur or full blur but it makes my head hurt going back and forth.

I know what you mean. It doesn't even make sense, because I'm frankly more stimulated by a female butt than breasts anyhow

"Survival reality TV" - the only part of that phrase that's accurate is "TV".

I do enjoy shows that are somewhat informative though. It seems as though guys like Les Stroud, Mykel Hawke & Cody Lundin are knowledgeable and crafty as well, & it's nice that they are informative

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I would rather call shows like Survivor 'Serial game shows' than reality shows. Much more accurately descriptive.

Call it a guilty pleasure but I just really like serial competition shows. My stupidity threshold for serial competition shows is so much higher than for any other genre of any other medium, as you can tell by the way I post in the Big Brother thread. I just really like the genre, no matter how stupid it is.

 

[Venardhi]

Survivorman was the only one of these things worth watching in my opinion. I did enjoy Out of the Wild though, in spite of the clear staging at a few points. Having 'everyman' contestants and no prize at the end made for an interesting dynamic.

 

[Mojochi]

Survivorman was the only one of these things worth watching in my opinion. I did enjoy Out of the Wild though, in spite of the clear staging at a few points. Having 'everyman' contestants and no prize at the end made for an interesting dynamic.

I'd agree with both those statements. The problem is that as worthwhile as Survivorman is, Les Stroud is a little on the boring side, compared to say a dual dynamic like Cody Lundin has on Dual Survival or Mykel Hawke has with his wife on Man Woman Wild

Frankly, surviving the wild alone makes for boring tv, which is why Bear Grylls is so over the top. I actually just saw one called Naked Castaway with a British guy named Ed Stafford who was a little more interesting to watch, just because he was a bit nuttier, but still, there were only four 42 minute episodes of a 60 day ordeal, which shows you how much time is really not worth watching

Lundin, Hawke, & Stroud really only go out for about a week, & their purpose is more informative than anything else

 

[Avon]

you peoples should watch some ray mears shows. they're sort of like bear grylls without the over-the-topness. though he's probably too calm and informative for americans to handle

 

[Mojochi]

That's exactly what I like, but not always easily available in the U.S.

 

[Keith1701]

After a lifetime of American TV viewing I find Naked & Afraid hard to watch because they blur the breasts but not the butts. It makes for disorienting viewing, I think I could handle no blur or full blur but it makes my head hurt going back and forth.

I know what you mean. It doesn't even make sense, because I'm frankly more stimulated by a female butt than breasts anyhow

"Survival reality TV" - the only part of that phrase that's accurate is "TV".

I do enjoy shows that are somewhat informative though. It seems as though guys like Les Stroud, Mykel Hawke & Cody Lundin are knowledgeable and crafty as well, & it's nice that they are informative

My girlfriend said that she does not understand why every show that has nudity in it always shows the women, but never shows the men. They only show everything on porn. What is the deal with that?

 

[Mr. Adventure]

^^ Any examples? Usually it seems like guy's asses get a pass when it comes to what is allowed on TV. Naked & Afraid has both a guy and a woman. I'm assuming you are talking about US TV?

 

[Mojochi]

Yes, as I've seen it. U.S network & basic cable tv censors everything but butt, & until Naked & Afraid, men's butts were the predominant ones, & they tend to be unpleasant ones to boot

 

[Keith1701]

^^ Any examples? Usually it seems like guy's asses get a pass when it comes to what is allowed on TV. Naked & Afraid has both a guy and a woman. I'm assuming you are talking about US TV?

This is the girlfriend and I understand that you see the butts, but you never see the front of a man like you the woman.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

^^ Any examples? Usually it seems like guy's asses get a pass when it comes to what is allowed on TV. Naked & Afraid has both a guy and a woman. I'm assuming you are talking about US TV?

This is the girlfriend and I understand that you see the butts, but you never see the front of a man like you the woman.

I assume you must mean premium cable because that's really the only place you'd see that. There is a double standard there but even then while you see the women's pubic area you rarely see exposed genitalia. Though shows like Spartacus break that mold. Though that's a long way from survivalist shows!