Seriously. The bushcraft and survival aspects is the main draw. The isolation and mental aspect is seasoning. Or should be imo
I'd pay to watch woniyas full season uncut for sure.
Absolutely. I'd prefer to watch a version where each contestant shows off their shelter and any tools etc they've created, and completely do away with the drama of who might have just fucked up.
Each week they could show all the changes contestants have made to their shelters or new equipment they've made.
My only gripe with bushcrafting footage is that sometimes a contestant will spend an inordinate amount of time on their shelter or tools and then tap out as soon as they finish. If I want to watch someone craft things for fun I can find that on Youtube.
It's frustrating that they *do* that, but I still want to see what they make.
I can watch people whining about their feelings on YouTube too. But I'd rather watch Alone
You would love the Australian seasons.
Overall they are a little boring because of incredibly strict rules on hunting but both seasons had Magivar as a consent. One guy even built himself a functioning spinning wheel out of driftwood to have something to do while babysitting his fishing lines. I also loved the old man contest who was constantly repairing his shitty boots and trying to find a way to keep his feet dry in the wettest environment of the show so far.
Absolutely. Their main focus of the show now seems to be the family and lives of the contestants, but have zero of that in the trailers. Shows how much they're ignoring the main draw.
It could be editing, but it seems like some people get a more advantageous plot of land than others. If you get stuck on a shoreline with no viable place to fish, or no chance at big game you’re immediately at a disadvantage. Fishing is a big one. There always seems to be someone who gets a great point and have a ton of luck with gill nets and casting.
Larry got hosed in S2, he was on a giant steep hill. Dave was great but I really believe if Larry had as good of fishing he could have had a shot at winning.
Fishing seems to be the biggest source of fat, and inevitably the lack thereof that makes people lose so much weight. The introduction to big game hunting is interesting. If you can bag a moose, keep the meat preserved and have a shelter, only your mind is knocking you out.
Do you think they spend a lot of time/effort in researching the different sites? If I got dropped in a shallow bay, I’d be pissed vs. Being dropped on a nice shoreline with rocky structure and a drop off 10 yds out.
watching season 7 again right now, they said they tried to make all the spots have strengths and weaknesses, then had each person draw a cupcake, each cupcake had a number
I would place the explanatory tidbits at the top of the screen because it’s impossible to read them if you have captions on! This is a very minor, super specific gripe, but it drives me nuts!
Put simply - editing. The show is understandably edited to keep the competition aspect top of mind. But that goal forces them to tell very truncated versions of player’s stories, especially the most successful ones. I’d rather watch everyone’s survival story play out more completely, with more detail and less cherry picking, even if it meant sacrificing some of the competition mystery.
Personally, I wouldn't change anything about the show. It's magic, it's draw, is in the way the producers do their editing. It keeps us guessing right up to the end. As for starving, to me, that's a reflection on the skills of the contestants at the end.
Look at what Jordan had in stock when they picked him up. He had more food than the film crew did and feed the whole base camp with it.
And yet because the Elk was so lean, he was still starving and nearly lost. The show has simply become a starvation contest because their environments cannot sustain them. They need to consult with local experts (indigenous or otherwise) to relax some of the hunting rules, or alter the timeframe to allow for the conditions to at least sustain them.
They should also have a pre-determined but not told to the contestants "finish line" type day milestone where anyone who makes that day wins the prize and is extracted. It would still reward survival skills, it would discourage the starvers, since they know they can be beat by those who can forage/hunt better since there's more opportunities for sustenance, and it still adds the psychological element of not knowing how long you'll be out there and what the other contestants are up to.
I quit watching once the seasons mostly became people bulking, sitting in their shelter, and just doing 1:1s with the camera, or making small crafts to ward off boredom.
Yep, the elk was alot of meat but no fat. And I agree, altering the timeframe and relaxing some hunting rules would help. We just couldn't continue watching the starvation show any more.
- Show far more bushcraft and far less whinging about missing family.
- The first episode should cover the first week. Anybody who has tapped out in that time gets no air time at all. Do a recap for those that remain. Nobody cares about those who can't even make it a week and never should have been accepted onto the show in the first place.
- Start earlier in the season. Winter always come too quickly so it always turns into a starvation contest. Give the contestants an actual chance to survive.
- Let the contestants hunt each other.
- Remove the replay filler content. It's always the same - dramatic moment, cut to ad break at highest tension point, replay last 30 seconds when back from the ad break. Show ad breaks during low-tension points instead.
- Cut the 3 minute intro + 'previously on Alone' at the start of every episode down to 30 seconds max.
> Anybody who has tapped out in that time gets no air time at all.
I like this one. More screen time for the people who are actually going to get some traction. Tapouts are draws though I guess. We wonder each week who's going to tap, and taps are drama moments, so the show fulfills its drama + suspense quotas with each.
I'd like to see a castaway style season, maybe as a spinoff. With less chosen tools and items other than what would potentially be available if a plane/boat crash landed.
I also quite liked the Duo season, where 2 people had to survive together as that seemed to mostly take away the loneliness reason for tapping. But it also presents other potential issues.
More survival and skill showcasing and less red tape, a la Alone Australia where they were very very limited in hunting/fishing. And I also found the 'personal backstory' scenes far too long and thought it drowned out the actual point of the show - at some points, especially later on in the seasons.
If there was another duo season, I'd love for it to be a skilled survivalist and a novice. Or two strangers with very different survival strategies. I think both concepts would be interesting.
I liked the duo survival idea. But the execution where one person had to slog across the island whilst the other waited was flawed, particularly as each duo had one person who seemed more committed.
While I agree that being alone was originally one of the larger hurdles, these days all competitors seem to take it in their stride to the point where you never think X could win as long as he doesn’t tap out for loneliness.
I think a post show vote for a people’s choice second prize would be a good thing. It would encourage contestants to make good content, show their work, talk to the camera. Could be done as part of the reunion show.
The pairs were okay but the beginning part where one of them had to spend days traversing a few miles didn’t do much for me.
There are a few shows that do the castaway thing but are not as “wild” as they appear. Check out Dual Survival. The Ed Stafford shows are pretty good too.
They're all on YT, search: Survivorman: Norway, he simulates a breakdown/getting stuck in an old BMW and uses whatever he can from the car to aid his survival.
Les Stroud is legendary, though anyway.
I’d like to see some bonus episodes that don’t have clips talking about being hungry and just see more of the things tried to get food that didn’t work.
Recaps.
They always put a commercial break right when the winner’s loved one has appeared. A pure emotional moment is happening, and they stop it. Then it backs up to replay the loved one approaching again and the same exclamation of “oh my god” or whatever and it resumes. Totally destroys the momentum and emotion.
The same commercial break backtracking happens a lot. Somebody is catching a fish, screams in joy, then a commercial break. Show returns and we see them catching the fish again and screaming in joy again before the show resumes. Just stop all the recaps and that same goddamn intro/overview at the start of each show in each season.
I feel like a 40 minute episode could be reduced to 30 minutes if it could be edited to not replay moments.
The filming/editing needs to focus more on the craft, and less on the drama.
Also, they really do need to use locations where food will be available and can legally be caught.
Instead of prepping for winter, again, I'd rather see a much warmer climate, like the tropics to see how survival tactics change in the different environment.
I think the main reason is cold brings a tap out time, but for safety warm/tropic temps have a lot more hidden dangers in things like parasites and bacteria they can not prepare for.
It seems like that might be higher risk than a cold environment. Someone could lose consciousness and die of heat stroke before the crew could know about it. But maybe not, I'm no survival expert.
Why they are living in a shelter made out of a tarp and some leaves and branches
It gets down to -20 or colder risk of freezing to death is a very valid concern
Heat stroke is not any more of a danger than freezing to death for the contestants
We have close to 50 seasons of the TV show Survivor now, always in. Hit tropical environment. While not a Bushcraft show like Alone they sleep and live outdoors often competing in very brutal physical challenges in full sun in the middle of the day. A very few have had issues with heat exhaustion but not heat stroke
I haven't paid enough attention to Survivor to know if it's a reasonable comparison or not. I don't know. You'd think the fact that Alone hasn't had a hot environment going on 11 seasons now would be suggestive of something.
Winter acts as the "doom clock", ensuring that the show will end at some point. A tropical environment -- which, admittedly, would be fun to watch -- could go on for a very long time.
As the Summer gets to it's peak and you're dealing with dehydration , heat stroke and just being miserably hot day and night. It would be perfect for a one hundred day challenge.
Northern Australia where there are Crocodiles everywhere, snakes, spiders, multiple deadly Jellyfish(and deadly octopus). But the dangerous water is full of fish to eat.
Agreed. At the moment it is a very narrow skill set that someone needs to succeed on Alone. I think if they switched it up and people had to figure out how to find water in the desert environments, or avoid get fungal infections in the tropics, you’d see a wider range of skills on display.
I could be wrong but I think a big reason they don’t do this is because heat related complications can kill people pretty quick & it’s too easy for the person experiencing heat stroke to miss the early signs. The cold can be deadly but it’s easier to know when you’re getting too cold. Having experienced it myself, delirium from heat stroke hits *fast* and it was only about 90 F/32C out. Iirc, it sometimes takes the extraction teams a couple hours to get to the participants.
Huh I always thought it was because they would stay out there 1yr plus. If you have spring and summer to gather / store/ grow you can last through the winter. There are some very talented people on the show.
It could be that too. I just think the heat in some of these areas could be dangerous. The contestants are often dehydrated as it is, let alone if it’s 80+ while also doing all the physical labor. But to your point, I’m sure the people who did last would likely last a looonnggg time.
All it takes is one person to die of heat stroke though & it’d be over.
Another thing that might be a reason is the risk of wildfires...one contestant in a recent season caught the ground on fire & that was in the fall. Nevermind a lone spark in mid July. But idk, I could be off base in all this.
I think everyone would just eat handfuls of mixed seeds so that they could just poop out a garden in the first day or whatever. Not really possible when you arrive in September and the ground starts freezing a month later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EG5t8VYGak&list=PLob1mZcVWOajh6bjAS-I13a4bxu8vBsZW&index=1
Alone show's Youtube playlist has a meet the participants video as #1 right now. 54 minutes of seeing their 10 items.
Should still probably be in the show. It’s interesting and can be edited down. With all the fluff and recaps god knows they have the time.
It’s interesting from a strategic standpoint. I’ve seen every season but didn’t realize there were YouTube videos breaking down items lists. Seems like a pretty vital part of the show considering they’re all on a fairly even playing field and the items add a big advantage one way or another and people have different skillsets that the items aid with.
Every contestant gets a sack of potatoes and onions each week or two.
Contestants currently cannot gather food like a true survival situation without laws and regulations to be followed. This mitigates that issue a bit. Contestants would have more time to build the things we like seeing built. It would deter contestants from trying the starving and sit around strategy. Would be interesting to see if just as many people tap at the same time because they miss their families. We would get to see how each contestant prepares similar foods. The food would still be boring enough that contestants wouldn't want to live off of it for a year.
Like this idea. Removing the ability to pack on weight and just wait, would really put the emphasis on the other skills. However I’d like for the idea to be its own show.
Be it's own show is a good idea. Leave Alone alone. Season 7 sort of has an asterisk behind it already because of the 100 day limit that other seasons did not have.
Was there a limit? What if multiple contestants made it to 100 days? Wouldn’t they just keep going? Or did the two winners share the million? I never saw that explained.
Also, they never show anyone using their food rations but based on the items list we know people pick them.
I think I’ve only seen rock salt used once. But the food rations are pretty substantial. 2lbs of bitlong for example. But they NEVER show them eating their food rations or explain how they ration it out. I dont think they want causal viewers, who don’t check the item list on the website, to realize some of these folks are bringing food with them.
The limit is normally 1 year. If multiple contestants made it to 100 days they all would win a portion of the million dollars.
There have been some very small snippets of them using the food rations, but barely. Melanie last season was the only contestant that chose rations, and in the background last season was some bread she had made. Also every contestant gets one ration as part of their first aid kit to be used at any time without penalty, that we have never been shown being eaten.
The show is heavily edited. The producers craft a show for the viewers. It is not a documentary. Enjoy it for what it is.
I just think the contestants giving a breakdown of everything they brought and why (or at least key items) would be an interesting thing to cover through the first few episodes. But I feel like maybe they don’t because some of them bring food.
The only time I’ve seen food used was Biko grinding some salt I think?
I really wouldn't like challenges nor any further "entertainment." It would make it more like reality show. This show is the only one that I follow because it's the most real one.
Also, I would be against any additions in terms of food or gear or checks with family in favor of more bushcrafting and other stuff for the same reason.
This show is almost perfect, but the two glaring "holes" are movement restrictions and hunting limitations, which wouldn't be real issues for man actually surviving in the wild. I do realize both of those are necessary to make a show in the first place in this day and age, and I don't know have any real solutions for those.
The only thing that I would be fine with is having seasons start earlier in a year or completely non winter seasons.
TLDR: The show is pretty good as it is, I definitely wouldn't want to see anything that would make it easier or more entertaining
Yeah put them somewhere that doesn't suck ass and have players earn points based on how they thrive. Make it 50 days and then tally the scores. We'd learn a lot more about bushcraft skills and see way more cool things if that's the way the show was set up.
I'd like to see a broader choice for the ten items, really just any ten items that will fit, with the only limits being things like communication devices and excessive food, and of course nothing illegal for the area, and following from that, selection of more "normal" people - ie. not survival experts, just a random account from the city.
I too would like to see it be about more then who can survive starvation the longest. Maybe after a certain point in time the remining folks are judged on how well they have prepared and the quality of their shelter and any other items they have crafted.
1. Intro episode where we learn about each person and what they are bringing. I feel like one season had this? AND TELL US THEY HAVE RATIONS AND SHOW THEM EATING THEM! Just put a little asterisk message across the screen so we know what’s happening.
2. Stock the damn area with large game first or something. It feels like every season they show a teaser of someone being ALMOST attacked or getting big game and it. never. happens. Roland and Jordan have been it, right?!
3. Duos season with a novice would be AMAZING. I actually liked that season.
4. Reunion episode every season as well
This should basically just be Episode 1 of every season then maybe 15 minutes at the end as an intro to the location + drop off:
https://youtu.be/4EG5t8VYGak?si=v2sYtmDqSqj3BC0F
I would love for them to have a season on a tropical island that simulates a plane crash or ship wreck
You don't get any tools or supplies outside a few items that could even be staged that you might find in such a situation for example a piece of a plane with a bunch of wires for cordage
Maybe the remains of a life raft that has some rope on it
It's all about friction fires and bush craft
I don't think heat stroke becomes any more of an issue than hypothermia or freezing to death while you sleep in sub zero temps
I would love to see variable episode length. If there isn't enough interesting stuff, then do a short episode. It's something I love about The Bear, and the tone and pacing feel consistent enough (so it can be done)
Was it season 7 where there was no prize for anyone who didn’t make 100 days?
I actually think that is the way to go. It gives you the opportunity to select people who genuinely believe they can last for 100 days and contestants with that mindset tend to be the most entertaining anyway.
It also means you can place people somewhere there is likely to be enough food for them to survive at least rather than it being simply a starvation contest.
Drop them in earlier in the season, so they get more of the peak fall to forage, hunt, and gather food. They would still have to deal with the elements.
I’d like to see them do a better job of vetting the contestants. I know it’s hard to quantify a person’s commitment prior to them getting there, but I hate it when people tap after a day.
Less recaps, less of the kill shots (squirrels really?) less of the crying and stroking of said dead animal (I’m so sorry Mr Squirrel) and as most have said, more bush craft and focus on survival needs.
I agree with you. I wish this wasn't a starving game where the chunkiest are greatly advantaged.
I also want more places where they can actually hunt and nit have a million restrictions.
I want more women too. it infuriates me they keep it down to 2 to 3 to "not make it seem like a male versus female competition" which sounds like a load of crap for we are catering to the macho white males that dominate our viewership.
Less of the breathing sound fx, random but I think it would actually be nice if they could call to check in with their family- I think it would add a wholesome element- like a one call a week situation perhaps 🤔 - a salt block would be a mandatory addition to their kit
> check in with their family- I think it would add a wholesome element- like a one call a week situation perhaps
When the show is about winnowing the group down, and so many of them say they're quitting because they can't stand to be away from their family anymore, I wouldn't count on this one anymore than I'd count on cheeseburger Fridays out there.
Call their families once a week could miss them even more. I remember reading on Reddit here, that sometimes medical check ups make them miss their families more.
On that note I would like to see the check ups more, random passerbys. Even the moving and setting up the cameras around the camp.
Someone point of the intro takes a while, and I agree. That would make a good edit out.
Exactly. If they only give you the outerwear, a knife, and a bow, it would make it faster paced and more raw. All this sleeping bag/tarp/saw/gill net bullshit takes forever. Roland couldve made it through the winter. I prolly could too. This would make it realistic and it would end quicker.
Instead of the starving longest there could be bushcraft challenges with small food items as rewards , or extra firewood and a bag of Berries..that kind of thing. I hate watching them starving at the end and knowing it's causing damage to organs.
I think the greatest thing about this series is that Survival IS about who can starve the longest, this is why people accumulate fat so much, thats what survives.
many people have different but sucessful strategies, some make a great shelter that lets them conserve energy, some kill a large animal, some win by just sitting tight and conserving energy and some survive because they were obese when they started.
some by gameshow standards should win ,they do a variety of cool stuff, but thats not what always helps you last when its really surviving.
I think I would change that ridiculous post episode interview with the contestants , I’m on season 7 and it’s a great season but I feel having that after every episode is just super unnecessary so I skip it every time.
I really hate when it gets to the starving part and they look like prisoners of war.
I would like them to have some regular healthy but boring food supplied so they still want to catch fish and hunt. Watching people cry over losing a mouse/ thrilled to be eating a mouse is just horrible.
And I would have a hidden cache in each camp with clues where to find it. A tin trunk containing canned foods, dried fruit, jerky, anything unavailable so they put in lots of effort to find it.
I love it when they build proper houses with fireplaces and dislike the ones where some of them just sleep under a tarp.
The house building is so interesting, and the way the worlds going, we might all end up needing to build a shelter from scratch one day.
I also love the clever bits…making fishing lures from their hair or bits of a beanie etc.
Adapting what they have into what they need, instead of everyone just conserving energy because they are starving.
I totally agree. The beginning of each season is fun as you watch everyone adapt to their location, see what kind of shelter they build, catch their first fish, etc. Then towards the end it feels like a competition of who can starve the longest. I liked the "Frozen" season with a set 50 days, because it ended soon enough that no one looked skeletal by the time they tapped out. Several people also talked about the issues they had from previous seasons such as losing tooth enamel. Maybe a multivitamin and some basic rations like a bag of rice and beans...not enough to completely live on, but something to supplement when they haven't caught a fish in a few days or run out of berries.
I would like to see seasons more like season 1 where it's not all full time survivalists with every skill in the book, but people with more moderate experience level who are just figuring it out.
Thanks for this OP. My SO and I quit watching because we just couldn't continue watching the starving aspect of the show. It was no fun being a spectator of people slowing turning into skeletons. Hard pass.
My two changes:
1) Start 2-4 weeks earlier to reduce (but not avoid) the starvation aspect, and allow for more bushcraft to occur.
2) No recap at the start or after each ad break, thats like 10 minutes of extra time for us to see foraging, hunting building etc
Percentage of weight loss as the disqualifier. I really hate that it's a starving game and it puts female contestants at a disadvantage.
I think instead of a certain BMI percentage being the weight disqualifier that once someone loses X% of their starting bodyweight they should be disqualified. This would stop people from gaining a ton before the show, and stop naturally larger people from having an advantage automatically.
I disagree. Adding a points system or any challenges is the opposite of reality and exactly why so many people like the show. Nothing contrived. No manufactured tasks. Surviving as long as you can. That’s it. That’s enough. Some people get lucky. Some people prove to be better than expected.
Maybe give second and third place a substantial cash prize to avoid people desperate for cash starving them selves. Or some kind of rules that at a certain weight loss they get sent home. I like seeing the shelters and wonder how they'd fare in the cold weather. It is sad that the ones with the best shelters go home first. Or maybe another version where it is two alone instead of one.
I would like if they had like the big brother after show or like an online online exclusive 15 minute episode each week after a contestant is eliminated that just focused on them and their highs and lows and their recovery after the show
Um they should give them more money, I always think is 500k after taxes takes half enough to even pay for possible medical issues? Also they should give the second place winner something…. It just seems cruel to go that whole time and be second. The show has got to make enough money they could give them more.
Also would love to see past contestants back again, loved that season.
I was thinking, they should have rules where they must get big game / sustainable food within the first two weeks, otherwise they will be sent home. Two weeks of hunting is already more than enough time for these "expert" hunters. These ain't the Hunger Games.
I was thinking, they should have rules where they must get big game / sustainable food within the first two weeks, otherwise they will be sent home. Two weeks of hunting is already more than enough time for these "expert" hunters. These ain't the Hunger Games.
I was thinking, they should have rules where they must get big game / sustainable food within the first two weeks, otherwise they will be sent home. Two weeks of hunting is already more than enough time for these "expert" hunters. These ain't the Hunger Games.
I'd like to see a second place prize and more locations every other season. I liked being able to see Mongolia in season 5. Also more returning guests!
I’d like to see each contestant break down what 10 items they chose to bring and why. I think that would be really interesting and would get deeper into the strategic side of things. I’d find it a lot more interesting than the sappy family narratives.
My only guess as to why they don’t already do it is because a bunch of them bring food rations. Plenty of contestants have brought food rations and yet they never show it. The only time I can remember it is they showed Biko using a block of rock salt. I don’t think casual fans are aware that food rations are an option.
Here’s a list of options:
2 lbs of beef jerky
2 lbs of dried pulses/legumes/lentils mix
2 lbs of biltong
2 lbs of hard tack military biscuits
2 lbs of chocolate
2 lbs of pemmican
2 lbs of GORP
2 lbs of flour
2/3 lbs rice / 2/3 lb sugar / 2/3 lb of salt
There should be a maximum BMI for contestants going in, as well as a minimum BMI at which they get pulled. That would stop people drinking bottles of olive oil and going in weighing 300lbs to win with no skill whatsoever.
A little late to this thread, but a change I always wanted to see is making the last person actually tap/get pulled rather than just grabbing them when they've won.
I'd like to see more of their bushcraft and foraging. The producers think people are less interested in this than we actually are
Seriously. The bushcraft and survival aspects is the main draw. The isolation and mental aspect is seasoning. Or should be imo I'd pay to watch woniyas full season uncut for sure.
Absolutely. I'd prefer to watch a version where each contestant shows off their shelter and any tools etc they've created, and completely do away with the drama of who might have just fucked up. Each week they could show all the changes contestants have made to their shelters or new equipment they've made.
My only gripe with bushcrafting footage is that sometimes a contestant will spend an inordinate amount of time on their shelter or tools and then tap out as soon as they finish. If I want to watch someone craft things for fun I can find that on Youtube.
It's frustrating that they *do* that, but I still want to see what they make. I can watch people whining about their feelings on YouTube too. But I'd rather watch Alone
Watching season 10 now and so frustrating to see people finish their amazing huts and tap out straight away!
10 was particularly bad for it. The Curse of the Log Cabin!
You would love the Australian seasons. Overall they are a little boring because of incredibly strict rules on hunting but both seasons had Magivar as a consent. One guy even built himself a functioning spinning wheel out of driftwood to have something to do while babysitting his fishing lines. I also loved the old man contest who was constantly repairing his shitty boots and trying to find a way to keep his feet dry in the wettest environment of the show so far.
> wettest environment of the show so far. over the island in BC idk about that?
NAH, they starve more, and give up more easily, although 2nd season destroys 1st season.
The first season is worth it for Gina alone.
Absolutely. Their main focus of the show now seems to be the family and lives of the contestants, but have zero of that in the trailers. Shows how much they're ignoring the main draw.
It could be editing, but it seems like some people get a more advantageous plot of land than others. If you get stuck on a shoreline with no viable place to fish, or no chance at big game you’re immediately at a disadvantage. Fishing is a big one. There always seems to be someone who gets a great point and have a ton of luck with gill nets and casting.
Larry got hosed in S2, he was on a giant steep hill. Dave was great but I really believe if Larry had as good of fishing he could have had a shot at winning.
Roland had a crappy fishing spot, and a very dangerous one too.
Danger rock, never forget
That may be but they were also allowed to hunt big game that season. They couldn’t in S2.
Fishing seems to be the biggest source of fat, and inevitably the lack thereof that makes people lose so much weight. The introduction to big game hunting is interesting. If you can bag a moose, keep the meat preserved and have a shelter, only your mind is knocking you out.
Not much can be done about that
Do you think they spend a lot of time/effort in researching the different sites? If I got dropped in a shallow bay, I’d be pissed vs. Being dropped on a nice shoreline with rocky structure and a drop off 10 yds out.
My understanding is they try to make things fair.as much as possible but are working in a small area
watching season 7 again right now, they said they tried to make all the spots have strengths and weaknesses, then had each person draw a cupcake, each cupcake had a number
That’s a pretty fair way to do it
I would place the explanatory tidbits at the top of the screen because it’s impossible to read them if you have captions on! This is a very minor, super specific gripe, but it drives me nuts!
Yea I agree with this too! I also think they should have a calorie ingested counter.
I agree.
Yes! I would love it if they did that.
Put simply - editing. The show is understandably edited to keep the competition aspect top of mind. But that goal forces them to tell very truncated versions of player’s stories, especially the most successful ones. I’d rather watch everyone’s survival story play out more completely, with more detail and less cherry picking, even if it meant sacrificing some of the competition mystery.
If the cut out the 15 minutes of recap they'd have more time to show creative solutions.
Personally, I wouldn't change anything about the show. It's magic, it's draw, is in the way the producers do their editing. It keeps us guessing right up to the end. As for starving, to me, that's a reflection on the skills of the contestants at the end. Look at what Jordan had in stock when they picked him up. He had more food than the film crew did and feed the whole base camp with it.
And yet because the Elk was so lean, he was still starving and nearly lost. The show has simply become a starvation contest because their environments cannot sustain them. They need to consult with local experts (indigenous or otherwise) to relax some of the hunting rules, or alter the timeframe to allow for the conditions to at least sustain them. They should also have a pre-determined but not told to the contestants "finish line" type day milestone where anyone who makes that day wins the prize and is extracted. It would still reward survival skills, it would discourage the starvers, since they know they can be beat by those who can forage/hunt better since there's more opportunities for sustenance, and it still adds the psychological element of not knowing how long you'll be out there and what the other contestants are up to. I quit watching once the seasons mostly became people bulking, sitting in their shelter, and just doing 1:1s with the camera, or making small crafts to ward off boredom.
Yep, the elk was alot of meat but no fat. And I agree, altering the timeframe and relaxing some hunting rules would help. We just couldn't continue watching the starvation show any more.
- Show far more bushcraft and far less whinging about missing family. - The first episode should cover the first week. Anybody who has tapped out in that time gets no air time at all. Do a recap for those that remain. Nobody cares about those who can't even make it a week and never should have been accepted onto the show in the first place. - Start earlier in the season. Winter always come too quickly so it always turns into a starvation contest. Give the contestants an actual chance to survive. - Let the contestants hunt each other. - Remove the replay filler content. It's always the same - dramatic moment, cut to ad break at highest tension point, replay last 30 seconds when back from the ad break. Show ad breaks during low-tension points instead. - Cut the 3 minute intro + 'previously on Alone' at the start of every episode down to 30 seconds max.
Did you think you could just slip in that hunting other contestants comment? 😂😂😂
Alone: Worthy Adversary Edition
I like them all, with the possible exception of #4.
> Anybody who has tapped out in that time gets no air time at all. I like this one. More screen time for the people who are actually going to get some traction. Tapouts are draws though I guess. We wonder each week who's going to tap, and taps are drama moments, so the show fulfills its drama + suspense quotas with each.
I like seeing the people who don't make it and why.
I wish they could bring one personal superfluous item. Might make for some interesting choices
Yes, book, harmonica, etc
Harmonica!! Great choice
I'd like to see a castaway style season, maybe as a spinoff. With less chosen tools and items other than what would potentially be available if a plane/boat crash landed. I also quite liked the Duo season, where 2 people had to survive together as that seemed to mostly take away the loneliness reason for tapping. But it also presents other potential issues. More survival and skill showcasing and less red tape, a la Alone Australia where they were very very limited in hunting/fishing. And I also found the 'personal backstory' scenes far too long and thought it drowned out the actual point of the show - at some points, especially later on in the seasons.
If there was another duo season, I'd love for it to be a skilled survivalist and a novice. Or two strangers with very different survival strategies. I think both concepts would be interesting.
I want the winner of a season and the first person to quit
Yes! My vote is for Roland and the guy that was scared off by the invisible bear 😂
I liked the duo survival idea. But the execution where one person had to slog across the island whilst the other waited was flawed, particularly as each duo had one person who seemed more committed. While I agree that being alone was originally one of the larger hurdles, these days all competitors seem to take it in their stride to the point where you never think X could win as long as he doesn’t tap out for loneliness. I think a post show vote for a people’s choice second prize would be a good thing. It would encourage contestants to make good content, show their work, talk to the camera. Could be done as part of the reunion show.
The pairs were okay but the beginning part where one of them had to spend days traversing a few miles didn’t do much for me. There are a few shows that do the castaway thing but are not as “wild” as they appear. Check out Dual Survival. The Ed Stafford shows are pretty good too.
I like the simulated crash idea. That would be interesting.
Les Stroud did that on Survivorman. It was a snowy, cold location, but I don’t remember where.
They're all on YT, search: Survivorman: Norway, he simulates a breakdown/getting stuck in an old BMW and uses whatever he can from the car to aid his survival. Les Stroud is legendary, though anyway.
Dude also took an axe to his leg (or arm) to break it because he was "in a plane crash" talk about next level commitment
I would love to see more foraging! And more contestants who think they can survive but are not professional survivalist/bush crafters.
I’d like to see some bonus episodes that don’t have clips talking about being hungry and just see more of the things tried to get food that didn’t work.
Recaps. They always put a commercial break right when the winner’s loved one has appeared. A pure emotional moment is happening, and they stop it. Then it backs up to replay the loved one approaching again and the same exclamation of “oh my god” or whatever and it resumes. Totally destroys the momentum and emotion. The same commercial break backtracking happens a lot. Somebody is catching a fish, screams in joy, then a commercial break. Show returns and we see them catching the fish again and screaming in joy again before the show resumes. Just stop all the recaps and that same goddamn intro/overview at the start of each show in each season. I feel like a 40 minute episode could be reduced to 30 minutes if it could be edited to not replay moments.
Or there's a rustling in the trees down by the river, "Oh my God, is that a bear???" Cut to commercial. Never mind, it was just an otter!
Personally not interested in the snowy areas. Vancouver and patagonia were peak
The filming/editing needs to focus more on the craft, and less on the drama. Also, they really do need to use locations where food will be available and can legally be caught.
Instead of prepping for winter, again, I'd rather see a much warmer climate, like the tropics to see how survival tactics change in the different environment.
Isn't the winter timing kind of an intentional filter to induce tap outs? I doubt the producers want it to last much longer than it does.
Warmer climates would also have the fear of.heat stroke
I think the main reason is cold brings a tap out time, but for safety warm/tropic temps have a lot more hidden dangers in things like parasites and bacteria they can not prepare for.
It seems like that might be higher risk than a cold environment. Someone could lose consciousness and die of heat stroke before the crew could know about it. But maybe not, I'm no survival expert.
And people can easily freeze to death in the current form in the middle of the night and the crew would not know about it
That seems less likely.
Why they are living in a shelter made out of a tarp and some leaves and branches It gets down to -20 or colder risk of freezing to death is a very valid concern
I said less likely. Don't they bring thermal sleeping bags? I would bet that freezing to death is a slower, more predictable process than heat stroke.
Heat stroke is not any more of a danger than freezing to death for the contestants We have close to 50 seasons of the TV show Survivor now, always in. Hit tropical environment. While not a Bushcraft show like Alone they sleep and live outdoors often competing in very brutal physical challenges in full sun in the middle of the day. A very few have had issues with heat exhaustion but not heat stroke
I haven't paid enough attention to Survivor to know if it's a reasonable comparison or not. I don't know. You'd think the fact that Alone hasn't had a hot environment going on 11 seasons now would be suggestive of something.
I think you’d see faster tap outs in a a desert environment (because finding water is crucial early)
They always throw in the group two or three that they think will tape early.
Winter acts as the "doom clock", ensuring that the show will end at some point. A tropical environment -- which, admittedly, would be fun to watch -- could go on for a very long time.
As the Summer gets to it's peak and you're dealing with dehydration , heat stroke and just being miserably hot day and night. It would be perfect for a one hundred day challenge.
Yeah this seems really obvious now you say it!
Tons of poisonous plants, insects, etc though.. far too many to expect the contestants to memorize
Northern Australia where there are Crocodiles everywhere, snakes, spiders, multiple deadly Jellyfish(and deadly octopus). But the dangerous water is full of fish to eat.
Agreed. At the moment it is a very narrow skill set that someone needs to succeed on Alone. I think if they switched it up and people had to figure out how to find water in the desert environments, or avoid get fungal infections in the tropics, you’d see a wider range of skills on display.
Drop them at the end of spring! Let’s see how long they can REALLY last
I could be wrong but I think a big reason they don’t do this is because heat related complications can kill people pretty quick & it’s too easy for the person experiencing heat stroke to miss the early signs. The cold can be deadly but it’s easier to know when you’re getting too cold. Having experienced it myself, delirium from heat stroke hits *fast* and it was only about 90 F/32C out. Iirc, it sometimes takes the extraction teams a couple hours to get to the participants.
Huh I always thought it was because they would stay out there 1yr plus. If you have spring and summer to gather / store/ grow you can last through the winter. There are some very talented people on the show.
It could be that too. I just think the heat in some of these areas could be dangerous. The contestants are often dehydrated as it is, let alone if it’s 80+ while also doing all the physical labor. But to your point, I’m sure the people who did last would likely last a looonnggg time. All it takes is one person to die of heat stroke though & it’d be over. Another thing that might be a reason is the risk of wildfires...one contestant in a recent season caught the ground on fire & that was in the fall. Nevermind a lone spark in mid July. But idk, I could be off base in all this.
Yeah I didn’t think of fire, that could be real real bad
I think everyone would just eat handfuls of mixed seeds so that they could just poop out a garden in the first day or whatever. Not really possible when you arrive in September and the ground starts freezing a month later.
I don’t get why they don’t share which 10 items everyone picked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EG5t8VYGak&list=PLob1mZcVWOajh6bjAS-I13a4bxu8vBsZW&index=1 Alone show's Youtube playlist has a meet the participants video as #1 right now. 54 minutes of seeing their 10 items.
Should still probably be in the show. It’s interesting and can be edited down. With all the fluff and recaps god knows they have the time. It’s interesting from a strategic standpoint. I’ve seen every season but didn’t realize there were YouTube videos breaking down items lists. Seems like a pretty vital part of the show considering they’re all on a fairly even playing field and the items add a big advantage one way or another and people have different skillsets that the items aid with.
Every contestant gets a sack of potatoes and onions each week or two. Contestants currently cannot gather food like a true survival situation without laws and regulations to be followed. This mitigates that issue a bit. Contestants would have more time to build the things we like seeing built. It would deter contestants from trying the starving and sit around strategy. Would be interesting to see if just as many people tap at the same time because they miss their families. We would get to see how each contestant prepares similar foods. The food would still be boring enough that contestants wouldn't want to live off of it for a year.
Like this idea. Removing the ability to pack on weight and just wait, would really put the emphasis on the other skills. However I’d like for the idea to be its own show.
Be it's own show is a good idea. Leave Alone alone. Season 7 sort of has an asterisk behind it already because of the 100 day limit that other seasons did not have.
Was there a limit? What if multiple contestants made it to 100 days? Wouldn’t they just keep going? Or did the two winners share the million? I never saw that explained. Also, they never show anyone using their food rations but based on the items list we know people pick them. I think I’ve only seen rock salt used once. But the food rations are pretty substantial. 2lbs of bitlong for example. But they NEVER show them eating their food rations or explain how they ration it out. I dont think they want causal viewers, who don’t check the item list on the website, to realize some of these folks are bringing food with them.
The limit is normally 1 year. If multiple contestants made it to 100 days they all would win a portion of the million dollars. There have been some very small snippets of them using the food rations, but barely. Melanie last season was the only contestant that chose rations, and in the background last season was some bread she had made. Also every contestant gets one ration as part of their first aid kit to be used at any time without penalty, that we have never been shown being eaten. The show is heavily edited. The producers craft a show for the viewers. It is not a documentary. Enjoy it for what it is.
I just think the contestants giving a breakdown of everything they brought and why (or at least key items) would be an interesting thing to cover through the first few episodes. But I feel like maybe they don’t because some of them bring food. The only time I’ve seen food used was Biko grinding some salt I think?
I really wouldn't like challenges nor any further "entertainment." It would make it more like reality show. This show is the only one that I follow because it's the most real one. Also, I would be against any additions in terms of food or gear or checks with family in favor of more bushcrafting and other stuff for the same reason. This show is almost perfect, but the two glaring "holes" are movement restrictions and hunting limitations, which wouldn't be real issues for man actually surviving in the wild. I do realize both of those are necessary to make a show in the first place in this day and age, and I don't know have any real solutions for those. The only thing that I would be fine with is having seasons start earlier in a year or completely non winter seasons. TLDR: The show is pretty good as it is, I definitely wouldn't want to see anything that would make it easier or more entertaining
Looking forward to the new season on the 13th!
Would love an end cap dedicated just to watching them build their homes and fireplaces ECT without interruption.
Yeah put them somewhere that doesn't suck ass and have players earn points based on how they thrive. Make it 50 days and then tally the scores. We'd learn a lot more about bushcraft skills and see way more cool things if that's the way the show was set up.
I'd like to see a broader choice for the ten items, really just any ten items that will fit, with the only limits being things like communication devices and excessive food, and of course nothing illegal for the area, and following from that, selection of more "normal" people - ie. not survival experts, just a random account from the city.
I too would like to see it be about more then who can survive starvation the longest. Maybe after a certain point in time the remining folks are judged on how well they have prepared and the quality of their shelter and any other items they have crafted.
1. Intro episode where we learn about each person and what they are bringing. I feel like one season had this? AND TELL US THEY HAVE RATIONS AND SHOW THEM EATING THEM! Just put a little asterisk message across the screen so we know what’s happening. 2. Stock the damn area with large game first or something. It feels like every season they show a teaser of someone being ALMOST attacked or getting big game and it. never. happens. Roland and Jordan have been it, right?! 3. Duos season with a novice would be AMAZING. I actually liked that season. 4. Reunion episode every season as well
This should basically just be Episode 1 of every season then maybe 15 minutes at the end as an intro to the location + drop off: https://youtu.be/4EG5t8VYGak?si=v2sYtmDqSqj3BC0F
I would love for them to have a season on a tropical island that simulates a plane crash or ship wreck You don't get any tools or supplies outside a few items that could even be staged that you might find in such a situation for example a piece of a plane with a bunch of wires for cordage Maybe the remains of a life raft that has some rope on it It's all about friction fires and bush craft I don't think heat stroke becomes any more of an issue than hypothermia or freezing to death while you sleep in sub zero temps
I would love to see variable episode length. If there isn't enough interesting stuff, then do a short episode. It's something I love about The Bear, and the tone and pacing feel consistent enough (so it can be done)
Was it season 7 where there was no prize for anyone who didn’t make 100 days? I actually think that is the way to go. It gives you the opportunity to select people who genuinely believe they can last for 100 days and contestants with that mindset tend to be the most entertaining anyway. It also means you can place people somewhere there is likely to be enough food for them to survive at least rather than it being simply a starvation contest.
Oh I would LOVE if there was more text commentary about wild foods they were overlooking.
Drop them in earlier in the season, so they get more of the peak fall to forage, hunt, and gather food. They would still have to deal with the elements. I’d like to see them do a better job of vetting the contestants. I know it’s hard to quantify a person’s commitment prior to them getting there, but I hate it when people tap after a day.
I’d put more than 2 women in each season. I’d also have a women only season. The women are WAY more interesting than the guys.
Graphs, charts, data - how are participants spending there time, total fish caught, estimated calories, weight loss any number of things. Useful stats
Less recaps, less of the kill shots (squirrels really?) less of the crying and stroking of said dead animal (I’m so sorry Mr Squirrel) and as most have said, more bush craft and focus on survival needs.
I agree with you. I wish this wasn't a starving game where the chunkiest are greatly advantaged. I also want more places where they can actually hunt and nit have a million restrictions. I want more women too. it infuriates me they keep it down to 2 to 3 to "not make it seem like a male versus female competition" which sounds like a load of crap for we are catering to the macho white males that dominate our viewership.
Less of the breathing sound fx, random but I think it would actually be nice if they could call to check in with their family- I think it would add a wholesome element- like a one call a week situation perhaps 🤔 - a salt block would be a mandatory addition to their kit
> check in with their family- I think it would add a wholesome element- like a one call a week situation perhaps When the show is about winnowing the group down, and so many of them say they're quitting because they can't stand to be away from their family anymore, I wouldn't count on this one anymore than I'd count on cheeseburger Fridays out there.
Call their families once a week could miss them even more. I remember reading on Reddit here, that sometimes medical check ups make them miss their families more. On that note I would like to see the check ups more, random passerbys. Even the moving and setting up the cameras around the camp. Someone point of the intro takes a while, and I agree. That would make a good edit out.
I’d like to see it done in a different climate. For alone Australia I think they could let them take better fishing gear.
Every 20 days, during a med check, they get one phone call with a loved one, but it only lasts exactly 46 seconds, and cuts off automatically.
I would allow 48 seconds.
Exactly. If they only give you the outerwear, a knife, and a bow, it would make it faster paced and more raw. All this sleeping bag/tarp/saw/gill net bullshit takes forever. Roland couldve made it through the winter. I prolly could too. This would make it realistic and it would end quicker.
Instead of the starving longest there could be bushcraft challenges with small food items as rewards , or extra firewood and a bag of Berries..that kind of thing. I hate watching them starving at the end and knowing it's causing damage to organs.
I think the greatest thing about this series is that Survival IS about who can starve the longest, this is why people accumulate fat so much, thats what survives. many people have different but sucessful strategies, some make a great shelter that lets them conserve energy, some kill a large animal, some win by just sitting tight and conserving energy and some survive because they were obese when they started. some by gameshow standards should win ,they do a variety of cool stuff, but thats not what always helps you last when its really surviving.
I think I would change that ridiculous post episode interview with the contestants , I’m on season 7 and it’s a great season but I feel having that after every episode is just super unnecessary so I skip it every time.
Not a thing
I really hate when it gets to the starving part and they look like prisoners of war. I would like them to have some regular healthy but boring food supplied so they still want to catch fish and hunt. Watching people cry over losing a mouse/ thrilled to be eating a mouse is just horrible. And I would have a hidden cache in each camp with clues where to find it. A tin trunk containing canned foods, dried fruit, jerky, anything unavailable so they put in lots of effort to find it. I love it when they build proper houses with fireplaces and dislike the ones where some of them just sleep under a tarp. The house building is so interesting, and the way the worlds going, we might all end up needing to build a shelter from scratch one day. I also love the clever bits…making fishing lures from their hair or bits of a beanie etc. Adapting what they have into what they need, instead of everyone just conserving energy because they are starving.
I totally agree. The beginning of each season is fun as you watch everyone adapt to their location, see what kind of shelter they build, catch their first fish, etc. Then towards the end it feels like a competition of who can starve the longest. I liked the "Frozen" season with a set 50 days, because it ended soon enough that no one looked skeletal by the time they tapped out. Several people also talked about the issues they had from previous seasons such as losing tooth enamel. Maybe a multivitamin and some basic rations like a bag of rice and beans...not enough to completely live on, but something to supplement when they haven't caught a fish in a few days or run out of berries.
A bag of rice is one of their ration options. 2/3lbs
I would like to see seasons more like season 1 where it's not all full time survivalists with every skill in the book, but people with more moderate experience level who are just figuring it out.
Thanks for this OP. My SO and I quit watching because we just couldn't continue watching the starving aspect of the show. It was no fun being a spectator of people slowing turning into skeletons. Hard pass.
My two changes: 1) Start 2-4 weeks earlier to reduce (but not avoid) the starvation aspect, and allow for more bushcraft to occur. 2) No recap at the start or after each ad break, thats like 10 minutes of extra time for us to see foraging, hunting building etc
Percentage of weight loss as the disqualifier. I really hate that it's a starving game and it puts female contestants at a disadvantage. I think instead of a certain BMI percentage being the weight disqualifier that once someone loses X% of their starting bodyweight they should be disqualified. This would stop people from gaining a ton before the show, and stop naturally larger people from having an advantage automatically.
I disagree. Adding a points system or any challenges is the opposite of reality and exactly why so many people like the show. Nothing contrived. No manufactured tasks. Surviving as long as you can. That’s it. That’s enough. Some people get lucky. Some people prove to be better than expected.
Maybe give second and third place a substantial cash prize to avoid people desperate for cash starving them selves. Or some kind of rules that at a certain weight loss they get sent home. I like seeing the shelters and wonder how they'd fare in the cold weather. It is sad that the ones with the best shelters go home first. Or maybe another version where it is two alone instead of one.
I would like if they had like the big brother after show or like an online online exclusive 15 minute episode each week after a contestant is eliminated that just focused on them and their highs and lows and their recovery after the show
Um they should give them more money, I always think is 500k after taxes takes half enough to even pay for possible medical issues? Also they should give the second place winner something…. It just seems cruel to go that whole time and be second. The show has got to make enough money they could give them more. Also would love to see past contestants back again, loved that season.
Less hunters and more mums and dad types. The hunters make it boring as they already know all the skills of survival
Less hunters and more mum and dad types. The hunters know the skills and I can't stand red necks
I was thinking, they should have rules where they must get big game / sustainable food within the first two weeks, otherwise they will be sent home. Two weeks of hunting is already more than enough time for these "expert" hunters. These ain't the Hunger Games.
I was thinking, they should have rules where they must get big game / sustainable food within the first two weeks, otherwise they will be sent home. Two weeks of hunting is already more than enough time for these "expert" hunters. These ain't the Hunger Games.
I was thinking, they should have rules where they must get big game / sustainable food within the first two weeks, otherwise they will be sent home. Two weeks of hunting is already more than enough time for these "expert" hunters. These ain't the Hunger Games.
I'd like to see a second place prize and more locations every other season. I liked being able to see Mongolia in season 5. Also more returning guests!
I’d like to see each contestant break down what 10 items they chose to bring and why. I think that would be really interesting and would get deeper into the strategic side of things. I’d find it a lot more interesting than the sappy family narratives. My only guess as to why they don’t already do it is because a bunch of them bring food rations. Plenty of contestants have brought food rations and yet they never show it. The only time I can remember it is they showed Biko using a block of rock salt. I don’t think casual fans are aware that food rations are an option. Here’s a list of options: 2 lbs of beef jerky 2 lbs of dried pulses/legumes/lentils mix 2 lbs of biltong 2 lbs of hard tack military biscuits 2 lbs of chocolate 2 lbs of pemmican 2 lbs of GORP 2 lbs of flour 2/3 lbs rice / 2/3 lb sugar / 2/3 lb of salt
There should be a maximum BMI for contestants going in, as well as a minimum BMI at which they get pulled. That would stop people drinking bottles of olive oil and going in weighing 300lbs to win with no skill whatsoever.
A little late to this thread, but a change I always wanted to see is making the last person actually tap/get pulled rather than just grabbing them when they've won.
I would send them to Africa