I prefer a series like this over the network Survivor series as this group faced authentic hardships and not gimmicky challenges. The goal was to test themselves rather than win prize money. I also appreciated that fact that the group had to cooperate rather than compete against each other. The fantastic scenery was an added bonus.
However, actual surviving is not that interesting, at least not for 8 episodes. Apparently the group had no problems getting water. Challenges focused on: Gathering wood for a fire for warmth. Hunting, fishing, and gathering berries for food. Finding their way to the next camp while carrying so much weight on their backs.
Events for the viewer to look forward to were who was going quit and what was the next shelter going to look like.
Toward the end with winter closing in nobody was finding any food and it seemed everyone just wanted the experience to end. Instead of going to the next camp they all hitched a ride on a train. How was that different than all of them pushing the "panic button" and quitting? I watched it on DVD without commercials, each episode lasting 40 some minutes. They could have been edited to 30. Recap and teaser footage that would have been shown before and after commercials was unnecessary. The teaser footage showing future highlights took away any suspense that may have been building while watching the program.
I think it may have been more interesting if the shows producers selected individuals who were experienced in the outdoors. It would be more entertaining watching people successfully getting food fuel and shelter rather than watching people complain about how cold and hungry they are. If the idea was not to use experts but "regular" people the series should have been shot earlier in the year and not with winter approaching. Getting food and staying warm would not have been so much of a problem.
However, actual surviving is not that interesting, at least not for 8 episodes. Apparently the group had no problems getting water. Challenges focused on: Gathering wood for a fire for warmth. Hunting, fishing, and gathering berries for food. Finding their way to the next camp while carrying so much weight on their backs.
Events for the viewer to look forward to were who was going quit and what was the next shelter going to look like.
Toward the end with winter closing in nobody was finding any food and it seemed everyone just wanted the experience to end. Instead of going to the next camp they all hitched a ride on a train. How was that different than all of them pushing the "panic button" and quitting? I watched it on DVD without commercials, each episode lasting 40 some minutes. They could have been edited to 30. Recap and teaser footage that would have been shown before and after commercials was unnecessary. The teaser footage showing future highlights took away any suspense that may have been building while watching the program.
I think it may have been more interesting if the shows producers selected individuals who were experienced in the outdoors. It would be more entertaining watching people successfully getting food fuel and shelter rather than watching people complain about how cold and hungry they are. If the idea was not to use experts but "regular" people the series should have been shot earlier in the year and not with winter approaching. Getting food and staying warm would not have been so much of a problem.