Last Man Standing is an action packed reality show, pitting 6 competitors from the UK and America against secluded and largely untouched cultures in traditional tribal games. The scope on this show is amazing; the contestants travel all around the world to places never before filmed and engross themselves in the natives culture, undertaking all aspects of life in the wilderness before competing.
The 6 contestants contribute greatly to the entertainment of the show and it is clear the producers worked hard in selecting competitors who would thrive in the unfamiliar conditions. Their camaraderie in and out of the events offers a pleasant contrast to their physical endeavours and provide many memorable moments. Each competitor contributes different talents and characteristics which reflect on how they approach these new situations. The different events suit different abilities so it is not always the strongest man who wins which brings a nice change to things. Notable competitors are American Strongman, Brad who enters each task with a determined, primal ethos, cementing his physical presence and providing a spectacle for the locals. Rajko, dubbed as a fitness Guru, is a very down to earth character who realises the importance of training the mind as well as the body and can be seen as the spiritual contender, allowing us to see how religion holds up in alien and at times paganistic cultures. U.S. BMXer Jason prides himself on his aggressiveness and is a very black and white character, not dabbling at all in the spiritual endeavours of life and can be see somewhat as the 'Anti-Rajko'. Kick boxer by day and Salsa dancer by night, Brit Mark is marketed as the most technical contender, and also brings a level headed outlook on life during Last Man Standing. Richard, the intellectual athlete, has led a relatively comfortable life yet strives with a determined fervour to compete to the best of the abilities considering his weight disadvantage and can always be relied upon to offer a philosophical conclusion. Finally, another intellectual athlete, Corey is also an endurance specialist, partaking in rock climbing and long distance running.
At times during the events, I found myself becoming very emotionally involved with our athletes plight, given the nature of the tasks and also the time in which we are given to get to know the contestants. Upon arrival in a new area, the athletes are assigned families to live with and spend much of their time adjusting to this new world as well as training for the upcoming task, often with the villages fabled champions. This gives us an opportunity to experience the villages and environment, bringing a documentary like approach to parts of the show.
Overall, Last Man Standing is a highly entertaining, enlightening and engrossing show, well worth watching. The show originally aired on BBC Three and was recently re-run on BBC Two but your best bet now is to purchase the complete series on DVD.
Here's looking forward to the next series!
