Alaska's Grizzly Gauntlet

I think the existing reviews here undersell this show. Les Stroud is a stronger guide on bears than I've seen in other nature shows - he clearly seems to understand them well, and teaches both the bear's psychology/behavior and how to best interact with them. I particularly appreciated Kodiak Kings and Salmon Slaughterhouse, and I felt like I had a seasoned guide to show me around.

The show is uneven, and the caribou episode is the weakest. He didn't have as much to say about them, and seemed more like disturbing them by landing nearby in a copter repeatedly. The polar bear episode was middling.

Still, on the whole I would watch another show by him. I think some people were put off because he seems dramatic, but he isn't wrong that he's in their territory and needs to play by their rules, and that's what he's communicating.

"This is really dangerous!!!!" I won't argue that these animals are dangerous. But when you are breathlessly nervous about being 300 yards away from a bear that would have to swim to get you? I'm pretty sure I have no need to panic.

I'm referring to the polar bear episode above, but the same thing happened in the Kodiak episode. Sure, Kodiaks are massive but they aren't as predatory and aggressive as grizzlies. You cannot be 20 feet from a Kodiak and act like it's being 20 feet from a grizzly. But we're so close to dying!!

There are very good aspects to this. In the polar bear episode, the location was absolutely unique, the story about how life is difficult for the polar bears is spot on and important. But the obsession with being seemingly so close to death and the over dramatization is just too much.

I found this extremely difficult to watch. I barely made it past the opening sequence. It's portrayed exactly like the reality show "alone" or many similar shows. I just want to watch a nature program. Not an overly dramatic host and equally dramatic editing.

The whole point of this show seems to be getting as close to wild animals as possible. The camera work and editing are poor and the narration is meh. The show doesn't get much good footage because the animals are stressed and spooked. Les will say he's dangerously close and then move closer. You're better off watching a more professional documentary.

This guy claims to be a professional, not true. He can not sit still and enjoy nature. The show would be great if he wasn't in it.