exept Man vs Wild isn't a reality show (per se). Reality shows like The Alaska Experiment focus on interersonal drama, and the setting is irrelevant apart from the (slightly)varying levels of drama it creates. They never claim that what you see on the screen is what you should do in that situation.
Man vs Wild is touted as a serious educational endeavor, and Grylls is passing HIS stupid stuff off as legitimate survival techniques, and therein lies the difference.

as for signing up: i'd LOVE to spend a few months in Alaska, but i won't even bother with this. i'm short, chunky, hairy, well-muscled, and know how to get along outdoors. In other words, perfectly suited for actually living in a cold climate, and therefore exactly the OPPOSITE of what they're looking for. Like BOBS said, sticking people in a harsh climate who are well suited for that climate doesn't make for very entertaining television.

Cop-out -- you don't know that they are not looking for a few serious outdoor types until you apply and get turned down. They may want a couple good guys to serve as adult supervision for the guys/gals who have never seen snow before and don't know that crossing a 33 deg F stream can kill you. That and it's not a petting zoo, the animals are not domesticated. Sure, it may become another BS show, but that doesn't mean that you have to be part of the BS.

At first glance it looks like a hoot to me, but the devil's in the details of the contract. Give yourself an out if you don't like the details.

I have a real job that would not look kindly on my absence for a couple months. (that is my cop-out)

This sounds like a great and fun way to see Alaska. Does anyone know if only US citizens can apply?

That's exactly how they did the first season. They had some experts on Alaska give some instruction to city slickers, and then we all got to watch them suffer.

If they don't still have the same experts from the first season, I'm assuming their new experts will also be from Alaska. I'm also assuming that if you aren't from Alaska, then they're only interested in you to be the one who suffers.

Except there's a psychological element that most of you are forgetting - cabin fever is real, close living with a group of people of varying personalities and abilities is real, the wolf or bear stalking the cabin can be real (if that bugs you), the harsh environment and the long months of winter cold and dark will wear on you. I'm not saying that someone with survival skills can't cope, but put you in a smallish cabin for a few months with ongoing food and fuel needs and a half dozen folks of lesser abilities, you'll sure feel some stress, you need some coping skills as well. Physical ability or knowledge isn't the half of it. There's a reason why depression, alcoholism and suicide are endemic to the Alaska winter. Hardy folks, for sure. Disclaimer - I have no idea if I could be one of them.

If I had a complaint for the Alaska Project its not quite long enough to truly test the participants, but a longer duration show isn't marketable. And there just aren't that many Dick Proeneke's out there.

I would be entertained to see someone experienced in that kind of environment get onto the show even if he/she had to understate their experience (say pose as a greenhorn.) Once on the show they could periodically utilize some true survival skills without coming off like some ringer. Like a savant survivalist.

Tim

How did cabin fever come up? I get the impression this show will be about traveling and sleeping out, not staying in a cabin. Did I miss something in the write-up?

Erik_B wrote

>as for signing up: i'd LOVE to spend a few months in Alaska, but i won't even bother with this. i'm short, chunky, hairy, well-muscled, and know how to get along outdoors. In other words, perfectly suited for actually living in a cold climate, and therefore exactly the OPPOSITE of what they're looking for. Like BOBS said, sticking people in a harsh climate who are well suited for that climate doesn't make for very entertaining television.


In the first series the less suitable you were, the easier they made it for you. The chap with two daughters got a cabin another couple just got a tent in the coldest wettest place they could find for them.
The threesome had firewood and food to sit out the rest of the series easily; so suddenly they were off on a hike.
Go ahead and apply Erik! Just don't be suprised who gets the heaviest load :-).
The Sock

If only I was a lot older...