Sozinhos

As someone who has spent a great deal of time in the back country I can say without a doubt that this is the realest of reality shows. I find it very entertaining watching the contestants do the wrong or right thing and then deal with consequences of there choices. I have also learned a thing or two - like using a tarp to build a boat or something that will float (never considered that, but I have a canoe so I never had to). The longest amount of time I have ever spent alone is 6 days and I have been alone for days many times over the years. I can tell you first hand it can really mess with your head.

Storms, vermin, predators, insects even the silence it all effects you. My hat is off to all the contestants who survived for even a few weeks. Your all winners in my book.

Finally a proper survival show. Mind you, it has many flaws. But it is a monumental step forward for this type of shows.

There is no need for you to know this but I consistently write negative reviews about survival shows. There are a handful of reasons for this but, essentially, they let me down.

Not this time. From producers and crew to the "contestants", everyone has tried to do the show the way it should be done.

The heart of 'Alone' are the folk competing. As time goes on and their situation evolves, viewers are presented with a soulful, tearful at times, rendering of woes and struggles.

Some people get "in their own heads", eventually freaking themselves out into an exit. Their rationalizations are poignant, and cruel, and humbling,... and only become more so as the days pass.

Some people endure and the ones that do, do it on a shoestring. Literally. They gradually devolve into physical and psychological miserable existences, bringing to the fore the inherent, real difficulties involved in true survival situations.

This is not Bear Grylls on a weekend adventure... although, I will say, that's a guy that I would like to see competing on this show.

Anyway.

Some of these guys put their very heart (and then some) on the line. Here is a shout-out to their courage and my appreciation for taking us there, to the edge, with them.

Respect.

I was born in Yellowknife on Great Slave lake where this year Alone Artic is filmed. One no offence but this is not the Artic, it Boreal forest / borderline tundra but not the Artic. Great Slave is 400kms below the Artic Circle and over 1000 kms as a raven flys from Inuvik 3600kms by road (one of many true 'Artic' locations to base such a series from. Artic to a Northerner is the land of the Inuit not the Deni people. Also this show was filmed when there was still a lot of light and no real freezing (there is a 6 metre (20') thick solid surface of ice over Great Slave I the winter (there is a major Ice Hwy. from Hay River to Yellowknife) every winter. So saying these are 'Artic" conditions is like slightly stretching the truth lol. Do not get me wrong, I'm enjoying the series but some honesty about this years true 'location' would be nice. So like showing a northern Boreal Forest setting in early fall, is not the Canadian Artic sorry to burst anyones bubble. Northerner

Shocking, I know. A reality show that actually seems real without interference from producers or outright scripting.

I recommend watching this at a faster speed - I prefer 2x. The show plods along most of the time. The episodes themselves consist of half doing and half talking behind b-roll of the environment, with cliffhangers stuck on each commercial break. There's a lot of downtime with the whole zooming out showing the contestant's area which will have you reaching for the fast forward button.

These downsides are mitigated by the heartbreaking moments in each season. Don't be naive like me and immediately dismiss it because it's a reality show. The reviews here are what encouraged me to give it a shot, so thanks ya'll.

Someone posted, there isn't one documented wolf attack in history. You need to do some research. Many documented attacks plus 5 fatal attacks since 1989.

Most recent attack, a 14 yr old boy in MN. He survived. A woman was killed by 2 wolves just a few yrs ago in Alaska.

Just the lack of sunshine for so long will cause great psychological stress.

Those that give it low ratings probably want a somewhat scripted/planned show like Survivor or Amazing Race.

Of course its a slow paced show, no host to try and make it interesting, no competition for food rewards, no hype. It is just men left alone to record their daily struggles.