Great article. That's a first to see a calm balanced view of Survival TV. The author made his points without being overly critical about the genre. I do agree that a lot of the stuff they participate in is just for TV and trying to liven up a rather staid boring activity. This was the first article I've read where Stroud actually expresses his opinion about Man Vs. Wild.

I watch Cody in the Dual Survival- it was clear that as the shows went on, he was getting more and more annoyed with the show. His blowup on the Norway episode was slanted against him to make him look bad but he had some real good points that the producers weren't interested in.

I do take one exception though - "It was immediately clear to him that neither of his two partners, Canterbury or Teti, knew much about outdoor survival and that their military backgrounds taught them few useful survival skills." Having watched Dave's videos, he is the real deal and he knows more than people give him credit for although Dave is more into old time historical bushcraft and primitive skills than classic "survivalism".

I think I also missed the Hawke's show where his wife got heat stroke. The producers say "Safety is always our primary concern" but go to great lengths to spice up the show to sell. Somehow that statement rings a bit hollow. Survival TV has its place and has brought awareness to the masses but has also brought plenty of stupidity as well.