Oh, don't get me wrong, some of the contestants definitely left something to be desired & spectacularly under-performed at times (some you mentioned ... I'm also thinking of that time when the "shelter" consisted of a stack of sticks surrounding their sleeping area!). Like you, I can't imagine going into something like that game without studying up on a thing or two.

I also wasn't clear how much instruction they received from the show, at times it seemed like they just weren't doing what they were shown/told, but I could be remembering that wrong (or just reading too much into what was said).

Actually, as an aside, this reminds me that Les Stroud did a web-based survival contest and I believe all the contestants got 1 week of instruction with Les in preparation. I recall thinking that in itself would make entering worth while. I never got around to watching it ... but it looks like the competition is done & has aired: SOS Island. I'll have to remember to check it out.

So, while the players weren't without fault, I thought Get Out Alive was a good game .