S08.E05: The Buck

[Quilt Fairy]

Quote

As the contestants continue to struggle with procuring consistent food sources, one participant sets their eyes on the chance at bigger game; however, as the opportunity begins to arise, the reality of the challenge starts to settle in.

Original air date: July 1, 2020

[Quilt Fairy]

I'm really frustrated with this show.  Why do they keep putting them in locations where they can't procure food?  

Maybe we should rename the forum:  Alone -  Who the fuck are you to judge? 

[diebartdie]

Dreadlock guy REALLY has an inferiority complex! I was sitting here watching the show when all of a sudden, he's ranting about how the audience (me) is judging him. Dude, Im not judging you or anyone else on this show, at least not until the season is over and I see how everything played out. I would want to leave if the ground erupted with hornets as well! I didn't see anything he was doing as "a failure", he was struggling as much as anyone is in this shitty place they've dropped everyone. I hate this season, TPTB really went out of their way to pick the absolute worst, absolutely most beautiful place possible.

Tiny wiry woman starving to the point she's under 100lbs after just 3 weeks?!? What I want to know is, what the ever loving fuck are all those bears eating?!? There HAS to be a LOT of stuff to eat to support such a thriving bear community, the humans should be able to tap into that BUT THEN AGAIN, grizzlies. Fucking GRIZZLIES within just steps of Biko's shelter, wtf. Not only have they dropped everyone in a seeming food desert BUT also bears behind every tree, bush, rock, puddle, discarded sock, pile of hornet grass, MUTHEREFFING BEARS.

Is anyone else just getting freeked out by this season or is it just me?

[Rebky]

5 minutes ago, diebartdie said:

Dreadlock guy REALLY has an inferiority complex! I was sitting here watching the show when all of a sudden, he's ranting about how the audience (me) is judging him. Dude, Im not judging you or anyone else on this show, at least not until the season is over and I see how everything played out. I would want to leave if the ground erupted with hornets as well! I didn't see anything he was doing as "a failure", he was struggling as much as anyone is in this shitty place they've dropped everyone. I hate this season, TPTB really went out of their way to pick the absolute worst, absolutely most beautiful place possible.

Tiny wiry woman starving to the point she's under 100lbs after just 3 weeks?!? What I want to know is, what the ever loving fuck are all those bears eating?!? There HAS to be a LOT of stuff to eat to support such a thriving bear community, the humans should be able to tap into that BUT THEN AGAIN, grizzlies. Fucking GRIZZLIES within just steps of Biko's shelter, wtf. Not only have they dropped everyone in a seeming food desert BUT also bears behind every tree, bush, rock, puddle, discarded sock, pile of hornet grass, MUTHEREFFING BEARS.

Is anyone else just getting freeked out by this season or is it just me?

My first thought was - you put yourself out there for public consumption. No one forced you. STFU already.

[LennieBriscoe]

So this episode  was titled "The Buck."

It must mean "...Stops Here," because THERE WAS NO BUCK SHOWN. 

Last two seconds: "Bang!" Presumably the target was the unseen buck. Stupid attempt at a "cliff-hanger."

Why, when one wee fishie is caught, do the participants stop fishing?!** "Yay! I've caught a rainbow trout the size of my cellphone and shall now have a stew, filets, trout mousse, and a couple kebabs! Then I'll use the bones as needles to sew me a shirt with the skin!" 

**My perpetual query.

And why do these people sing weirdo made-up songs when they can sing familiar songs?! If you're there "for [our] entertainment," be entertaining and not annoying! 

 

[iMonrey]

Quote

My first thought was - you put yourself out there for public consumption. No one forced you. STFU already.

Same.

Two tap-outs this week but only one got interviewed. Is it because of Matt's shitty attitude? (That was Matt, right?)

Eating your own mucus, OMG. They've attained new levels of grossness. 

DIdn't they used to win a million? Or was it always half a million?

Is this a shorter season? Why are the episodes all 90 minutes?

[humbleopinion]

Lucas' 2 Note Song...starts at 1:57. Better than Matt's rant song....

Eating boogers...well, that made me pause and stop eating my banana split for a couple of seconds....

[HurricaneVal]

They have to sing made up songs because if the broadcast episodes showed them singing selections from the Beatles or Eagles etc. catalogs, the show would have to pay for the rights to use the songs.  This is the same reason why the hamsters on Big Brother are forbidden from singing in the house and the Head of Household has to listen to their special CD via headphones.

I think the producers on this show are motivated to get it over with as fast as possible to save on expenses and possible liability (even though I'm sure the cast sign mountains of waivers and releases) so they stack the deck.  This show has an open end date, they are in production as long as the last two survivors are surviving.  That has to get some bean-counter's knickers in a twist, having that open-ended budget.

I also suspect they scout these locations in a different season when the resources are more plentiful, and the hazards like ground hornets and huge numbers of grizzly bears aren't active.  You know, before the lake fish retreat to the center, before the bears and squirrels have eaten all the mushrooms and berries, before the game birds bug out for the winter, before the wild garlic and onions and other edible vegetation dies off.  Or maybe they use ultra-survivor guys like Roland to do the scouting, and he sees a single moosetrack and says "oh yeah, I could homestead here" and makes that sort of report.  As I recall, for the very first season of Survivor, the producers were worried that the castaways wouldn't be able to forage enough to survive, so they actually planted tapioca and other things around the camps for them to find.  Gawd, I can still hear Susan's twangy whine of "tap-i-ooooooo-ca, where's the tap-i-ooooooo-ca?" as she searched the jungle daily.  Turns out all the tapioca and stuff they planted months before died off before they dropped the castaways off, so Susan was digging around all for nothing.

The fact that they can't hunt squirrels is an issue.  Does that mean they can't put out any traps at all in case they catch a squirrel?  Sam survived for as long as he did in that flimsy tarp tent because he ate all those flat mice he got in those deadfall traps.

Neither of the tap outs was a surprise.  I did think Matt might have gone a little longer, but once he started thinking about his family, then he got the hornet surprise, that combined to make an easy "I'm outta here!"  The sour grapes about judge-y viewers was just a smoke screen for his own guilt.  The other tap out was not that far off from getting pulled by medical.

I'm still rooting for Nate and Teresa.  I wish they'd shown more of them, but oh well.

[Tango64]

I keep thinking that it is only a matter of time before a contestant dies on this show. With season after season and the producers seeming to up the ante in terms of danger, it seems likely. This year with the grizzlies is a whole new level. 

Obviously no one was killed by a bear this season, because we would have heard about it and this season would not have aired even one episode. That's how I think it will go down: someone dies, there is a news report that the show is done and Season X will never air, lawsuits follow, with a lively debate about encouraging people to risk their lives for a tv show and money.

A contestant could die from a predator like a bear, but I think it's more likely to be something like falling into an icy lake while fishing. We've seen plenty of times people were trying to fish from icy, slippery, steep ledges and talked to the camera about how if they slipped in the water they'd probably just drown or freeze to death. The producers can pull them out when they get too emaciated or ill, but there are lots of sudden danger scenarios like that where the contestant doesn't have a chance to call for help or help just can't arrive fast enough.

[rmontro]

Biko is not the only one who sings songs on this show, but he definitely takes the most hate for it lol.

It looks like there is a deer head in the intro.  So I'm assuming Clay shoots the deer, and wins this season, because no one else is getting anything substantial to eat.  

Yikes, Michelle looked skeletal.

[diebartdie]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

DIdn't they used to win a million? Or was it always half a million?

Only last season was "100 days = $1,000,000", every other season has been $500,000 for whomever stays the longest.

[LennieBriscoe]

I didn't mention Biko, but him, too! 🎶 (I don't  know why I didn't think about permissions, song royalties, etc.!) On the whole, though, Biko was a'right tonight!

I remain impressed by most of the shelters, if not all. 

And the blue of that lake is spectacular.

I watched "Grizzly Man" recently. Man, that final unseen bear had HAD IT with Treadwell.  

[Melina22]

7 hours ago, diebartdie said:

Dude, Im not judging you or anyone else on this show, at least not until the season is over and I see how everything played out. I would want to leave if the ground erupted with hornets as well

My personal opinion is that no one who lasts 3 weeks out there, starving and alone, surrounded by grizzlies and hornets, could possibly be considered a failure. It's too bad they don't have any way of knowing that everyone else is also struggling and starving, or has already tapped. 

 

7 hours ago, diebartdie said:

Is anyone else just getting freeked out by this season or is it just me?

Definitely not just you. We should be taking bets on whether the starvation or the grizzlies get them first. 

 

5 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

So this episode  was titled "The Buck."

It must mean "...Stops Here," because THERE WAS NO BUCK SHOWN. 

So annoying!! 

 

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Eating your own mucus, OMG. They've attained new levels of grossness. 

Of all the gross things I've seen on the show, including people eating the stomach contents of rabbits, this grossed me out by far the most. I FFd the segment but it was too late. Just like Matt said, we were eating supper and I really struggled after that. Ewwwwww. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Eating boogers...well, that made me pause and stop eating my banana split for a couple of seconds....

Oh, this is NOT the show to watch while you're eating!

I've had yellow jackets swarm out of a hole at me once before, when I mowed over it. I think of them more as bees than hornets, though, although I guess technically a bee is a hornet? They look like bees, anyway.

Edited July 2, 2021 by iMonrey

[qtpye]

8 hours ago, Rebky said:

My first thought was - you put yourself out there for public consumption. No one forced you. STFU already.

He almost seemed angry at the show.

My guess is that he was out there to showcase his survival business and never planned to go long term. However, the other contestants have been much more impressive. The man who tapped in the previous episode had a much better shelter. 

I won’t judge you if you tap but stop acting like the audience is a bunch of capitalists pigs who are forcing you to compromise your morals.

This is not The Hunger Games…you voluntarily chose to be out there.

[qtpye]

I wanted to add that I thought the two tap-outs could not have been more different.

First person

I did what I could do and I know that I am in the danger zone and need to tap out. 

Me at home

You put in a really valiant effort and had a respectable showing. You are smart not to risk your health considering you came in so thin and have not been able to catch any fish or game.

Dreadlock Guy

Family is more important to me. I am torturing myself to amuse you people. I have a great family so who cares about money? You are judging me for being a failure but I am not a failure.

Me at home

Dude, I think the only person judging you is yourself.

It was more than you could handle so just tap out. It does not make you any less of a human being.

 

[AZChristian]

2 hours ago, qtpye said:

This is not The Hunger Games…you voluntarily chose to be out there.

Speaking of the Hunger Games.  Maybe they should have a cannon go off and show the pictures of those who tap so that those who remain will have a better idea of how much longer they may have to stay!!!!

[rmontro]

4 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

 On the whole, though, Biko was a'right tonight!

He did wear the bone through his nose, although that doesn't really bother me.  Not a good look however.

 

3 hours ago, Melina22 said:

My personal opinion is that no one who lasts 3 weeks out there, starving and alone, surrounded by grizzlies and hornets, could possibly be considered a failure.

I think he took it so personally because he teaches survival skills for a living.  I also think he's a good example of someone on this show who ran into trouble, and tried to rationalize it away as missing his family.

[Chit Chat]

14 hours ago, qtpye said:

Dude, I think the only person judging you is yourself.

I think so too.  He's probably mad at himself, but is taking it out on the audience.  

14 hours ago, qtpye said:

It was more than you could handle so just tap out. It does not make you any less of a human being.

Exactly!  He lasted 20 days longer than I would've!!  No need to go off on all of us though!  

Edited July 3, 2021 by ChitChat

[qtpye]

3 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Speaking of the Hunger Games.  Maybe they should have a cannon go off and show the pictures of those who tap so that those who remain will have a better idea of how much longer they may have to stay!!!!

Probably one of the greatest mental pressures the people on this show face is that they have no idea how long they have to go to "outlast".

I imagine it would be a hell of a psychological boost if the remaining contestants were informed that 4 people have already tapped out by week three. Of course, sometimes the last two go for a long amount of time.

I have a feeling after two awesome seasons with Roland, Callie, Jordan, and Woniya...this season might be a bit of a dud.

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

I think so too.  He's probably mad at himself, but is taking it out on the audience.  

Exactly!  He lasted 20 days longer than I would've!!  No need to go off on all of us!  

I appreciate that the first lady just admitted that she could not take it anymore instead of saying that all of a sudden "her family needs her".

 

[rmontro]

53 minutes ago, qtpye said:

I appreciate that the first lady just admitted that she could not take it anymore instead of saying that all of a sudden "her family needs her".

I still want to know if they are even able to go home when they tap out, or if they have to stay at Loser Lodge.  Because if it's the latter, it kind of puts the whole "I need to be with my family" stance in an entirely different light.

[wait.what]

Shouldn’t the bears go into hibernation soon? 
in past seasons, it seems that the bears were a problem for the first few weeks then eventually disappeared? 
 

and yes I agree, a hunger games cannon type of notification of contestants tapping out would give the remaining participants hope! 

[Chewy101]

15 hours ago, qtpye said:

He almost seemed angry at the show.

My guess is that he was out there to showcase his survival business and never planned to go long term. However, the other contestants have been much more impressive. The man who tapped in the previous episode had a much better shelter. 

I won’t judge you if you tap but stop acting like the audience is a bunch of capitalists pigs who are forcing you to compromise your morals.

This is not The Hunger Games…you voluntarily chose to be out there.

Matt went full on Timothy Treadwill psycho, and if I was his wife and was watching this air, I'd be moving away from him on the couch. He seemed so cool at first. Anyone with that big of a chip on his shoulder should not have passed the psych eval.

They need to be really worried about the bears right now because this is their last harrah before winter. They are cleaning up the forest and the fish, so I'm not surprised the contestants are finding the resources depleted. Being a survivalist is one thing, but expecting peeps to be at the top of this food chain is ridiculous. 

[Chit Chat]

9 hours ago, rmontro said:

I still want to know if they are even able to go home when they tap out, or if they have to stay at Loser Lodge. 

I'm thinking that they might get to communicate with their family if they're at Loser Lodge.  I'm finding these contestants pretty boring.  I'm struggling to get through the entire episode.  I'm fidgety about 30 minutes into the show.

[AZChristian]

9 hours ago, rmontro said:

I still want to know if they are even able to go home when they tap out, or if they have to stay at Loser Lodge.  Because if it's the latter, it kind of puts the whole "I need to be with my family" stance in an entirely different light.

Even if they have to stay at Base Camp, they are no longer . . . Alone.  That's probably enough for people suffering from isolation sickness.  And there's Skype so they can at least communicate with their families.

[Melina22]

3 hours ago, Chewy101 said:

Matt went full on Timothy Treadwill psycho, and if I was his wife and was watching this air, I'd be moving away from him on the couch

I'm sure Matt is a good person, and great at outdoors stuff under normal conditions, but man, is he chatty! At one point during this episode I turned to Mr Melina who is taciturn at the best of times, and said "Thank you for not being Matt." 

No doubt some women would enjoy a mate who was always chatting and singing, but I am NOT one of them. I can see where the ability to sing and talk out loud to yourself could be a real asset if you were isolated for weeks, but Matt took it to a whole new level. No doubt the low blood sugar didn't help. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

I think so too.  He's probably mad at himself, but is taking it out on the audience.  

He is probably also a regular viewer of this show and perhaps critical when previous contestants tapped out. So yeah, he's sort of yelling at himself, as a viewer.

Quote

I agree, a hunger games cannon type of notification of contestants tapping out would give the remaining participants hope! 

I don't think the show wants that, though. I think that's kind of the whole point. Or part of it, anyway. 

[AZChristian]

29 minutes ago, Melina22 said:

No doubt some women would enjoy a mate who was always chatting and singing, but I am NOT one of them. 

I am a chattering singing extrovert.  Hubby (whom I love with every fiber of my being) is a taciturn introvert.  Covid quarantine didn't bother him that much.  It was HELL for me, and I told him he could go back to being taciturn when it was all over, but that he HAD to TALK TO ME or I wasn't going to make it through.

I made it.

[Melina22]

26 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

I told him he could go back to being taciturn when it was all over, but that he HAD to TALK TO ME or I wasn't going to make it through.

I hear you! I have extroverted friends who really suffered through the pandemic. And a husband who never speaks isn't always a picnic, that's for sure. But if someone held a gun to my head and made me choose between a non-talker and a Matt, for sure I'd choose the non-talker. (That said, during the pandemic, I've had regular Zoom parties with chatty friends so I can remember what conversation is 😂😂) 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Melina22

[Blackie]

On 7/2/2021 at 8:39 AM, diebartdie said:

What I want to know is, what the ever loving fuck are all those bears eating?!

 

Well as we have seen they can go in swimming to catch fish, they won't freeze to death in that water. Also I think if they came across a hornets nest they would did in and start eating.  It would be frustrating to see the bear walking off with a big fish while you are starving to death.

 

 

[Quilt Fairy]

I think the folks that tap out are required to stay a few days until they get a few cheeseburgers in them and get a medical OK.  The nature of the show means that anyone could come back at any time and it wouldn't spoil the results - unless someone knew who all the season's contestants were and was tracking them, which is highly unlikely.  This isn't Survivor.  Otherwise, if I come back after a month, who's to know whether I was the first to tap out or the winner? 

The title of the show is Alone, not Starve.  Put them in a place/during a season where they can get some food!

[Jeanne222]

It’s not really a great show that drops off 10 people in the middle of nowhere with no food and no chance of finding anything to eat!

Are we to just sit home every Thursday  night and watch them starve?

[Kelda Feegle]

I'm confused about the fish traps - they seem like a low caloric expenditure to make so why do they only make one?

Also if Michelle knew there were grouse nearby why did she wait so long before sitting a looking to actually catch one?

 

[Melina22]

4 minutes ago, Kelda Feegle said:

I'm confused about the fish traps - they seem like a low caloric expenditure to make so why do they only make one?

They seem like a great idea only they never end up being a reliable source of food. At best people get the occasional minnow. 

[Quilt Fairy]

21 minutes ago, Kelda Feegle said:

why do they only make one?

The only thing I've ever seen anyone put out in abundance was rabbit snares.  Since we haven't seen that at all yet this season, I wonder if the (seemingly) odd law about not hunting squirrels means they can't put out snares. 

[Jeanne222]

28 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

The only thing I've ever seen anyone put out in abundance was rabbit snares.  Since we haven't seen that at all yet this season, I wonder if the (seemingly) odd law about not hunting squirrels means they can't put out snares. 

That's another thing.  No squirrels!  I wonder about rabbits?

Also good question up thread about what all those 800# grizzly bears are eating.  I saw one in the water so I'm guessing fish but I don't think you can maintain 800# with just fish!

I've had a feeling for a while that this show might not be as reality as it once was!  Slippery rocks, canoeing in a homemade boat in icy waters!

 

[TVbitch]

I judge Matt a little. I mean, Michelle was eating her mucus and following bears to see if they left any fish crumbles behind them before she made the painful decision to tap. Matt got frustrated and gives us the "family is more important" cliche tap. I wonder why they didn't air his post-tap interview. He must have still been spitting fire. I do hope this doesn't hurt his business, although, his was one of the weakest shelters, I thought. And um, he didn't have the most mental fortitude of the bunch. ...Okay maybe if I were him, I would just not advertise "As seen on Alone!" 

I will never understand why anyone serious about winning this show does not show up looking like Biko, who has lost 37 pounds ...and I didn't even notice!  

[AZChristian]

59 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

I judge Matt a little.

I'm with you.  He's the "primitive survival instructor" who opted NOT to take a fire-starter (isn't he the one whose mother BEGGED him to take one?), but he took a ration of emergency food as one of his ten items.

I think after the food was gone and he was unable to find anything on his own, he saw his reputation circling the drain and knew that not only had he missed out on $500,000, he had potentially had a massive negative effect on his livelihood going forward.  Who's going to trust him as a survival instructor now?

His company motto should be changed to "Do as I say, not as I do."

[LittleIggy]

On 7/2/2021 at 3:43 PM, LennieBriscoe said:

I didn't mention Biko, but him, too! 🎶 (I don't  know why I didn't think about permissions, song royalties, etc.!) On the whole, though, Biko was a'right tonight!

I remain impressed by most of the shelters, if not all. 

And the blue of that lake is spectacular.

I watched "Grizzly Man" recently. Man, that final unseen bear had HAD IT with Treadwell.  

I watched it again last week. Matt and his rant (and his goofiness) reminded me of Timothy Treadwell.

Edited July 4, 2021 by LittleIggy

[Chit Chat]

Biko amuses me.  He has such a chill attitude.  There are several that I think could go the distance (I can't keep the names straight except for Biko), so I hope that he'll do well.  

[rmontro]

3 hours ago, AZChristian said:

I think after the food was gone and he was unable to find anything on his own, he saw his reputation circling the drain and knew that not only had he missed out on $500,000, he had potentially had a massive negative effect on his livelihood going forward. 

They said Matt's exit interview was up on their website.  Has anyone actually watched it?  And if so, was there anything interesting that was revealed?

I can't fault Matt too much for not succeeding, it looks like they were dumped off in a lousy place this year.  Looks like Michelle left more of herself out there than he did though.

 

53 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

Biko amuses me.  He has such a chill attitude.  There are several that I think could go the distance (I can't keep the names straight except for Biko), so I hope that he'll do well.  

Someone who actually likes Biko?  Say it isn't so, everyone seems to hate him.  He's never bothered me though.  I do think he's going to last a long time, although Clay is my pick for winner since he'll probably have the deer.

[AZChristian]

21 minutes ago, rmontro said:

They said Matt's exit interview was up on their website.  Has anyone actually watched it?  And if so, was there anything interesting that was revealed?

I looked for it, but couldn't find it.  Which isn't to say it isn't there.  I just couldn't find it.

[Jeanne222]

I can’t watch Biko!  That bone in his nose gives me the willies!

[Blackie]

8 hours ago, AZChristian said:

isn't he the one whose mother BEGGED him to take one

 

no that was the guy who has built the boat wasn't it. He said he never watched the show, his mom was a huge fan etc.

I think... what do I know, I can't even remember anyone's name lol!

[rmontro]

4 hours ago, AZChristian said:

I looked for it, but couldn't find it.  Which isn't to say it isn't there.  I just couldn't find it.

You made me curious, so I tried looking for it, but I couldn't find it either.  Odd.  I double checked the episode, and at the end it says it is on History.com.  Either they were lying, or it was only up for a few days, or I just don't have the wits to locate it.

[Melina22]

5 hours ago, rmontro said:

Someone who actually likes Biko?  Say it isn't so, everyone seems to hate him. 

I don't hate him at all. I don't love the bone in his nose, but otherwise he seems fine. And he's lasted 3 weeks with no company, almost no food, and despite bear encounters, so he's not just pretending to be an outdoorsy person. 

[madmax]

On 7/2/2021 at 8:46 AM, Rebky said:

My first thought was - you put yourself out there for public consumption. No one forced you. STFU already.

EXACTLY what I said to Mr. Max.  You put yourself on the show, you get to reap the benefits and the bad parts.

On 7/2/2021 at 11:03 AM, LennieBriscoe said:

Why, when one wee fishie is caught, do the participants stop fishing?!** 

This always bothers me.  But what bothers me more is that they don't do more passive stuff like putting in lines, snares, etc.  You would think they would be doing everything they can to passively get food so they can work on other stuff.  Although not being able to hunt squirrels would limit the snares on this season, but not on other seasons.

On 7/2/2021 at 12:30 PM, HurricaneVal said:

I think the producers on this show are motivated to get it over with as fast as possible to save on expenses and possible liability (even though I'm sure the cast sign mountains of waivers and releases) so they stack the deck. 

I also suspect they scout these locations in a different season when the resources are more plentiful, and the hazards like ground hornets and huge numbers of grizzly bears aren't active. 

The fact that they can't hunt squirrels is an issue.  Does that mean they can't put out any traps at all in case they catch a squirrel?  Sam survived for as long as he did in that flimsy tarp tent because he ate all those flat mice he got in those deadfall traps.

I think they scout them when resources are plentiful in order to say they can all survive, then put them out when it isn't so plentiful so they can get it over with quickly, stacking the deck, as you say.

On 7/2/2021 at 4:42 PM, Melina22 said:

My personal opinion is that no one who lasts 3 weeks out there, starving and alone, surrounded by grizzlies and hornets, could possibly be considered a failure. It's too bad they don't have any way of knowing that everyone else is also struggling and starving, or has already tapped. 

Totally agree, because I couldn't last 2 days.  I barely lasted 2 days at my sister-in-law's camp this weekend and it's a legit house.  😄

On 7/2/2021 at 5:35 PM, qtpye said:

He almost seemed angry at the show.

My guess is that he was out there to showcase his survival business and never planned to go long term. However, the other contestants have been much more impressive. The man who tapped in the previous episode had a much better shelter. 

I won’t judge you if you tap but stop acting like the audience is a bunch of capitalists pigs who are forcing you to compromise your morals.

This is not The Hunger Games…you voluntarily chose to be out there.

Yeah, that was bad.  Sorry he couldn't hack it, but blaming the people watching him is pretty friggin' stupid.  We didn't force him out there; he brought it on himself.

10 hours ago, TVbitch said:

I will never understand why anyone serious about winning this show does not show up looking like Biko, who has lost 37 pounds ...and I didn't even notice!  

When they said that he lost 37 pounds and it was only day 18-19, I was stunned.  The Naked & Afraid People rarely lose that much in 21 days.  And you're not alone, I didn't notice a thing!

6 hours ago, rmontro said:

Someone who actually likes Biko?  Say it isn't so, everyone seems to hate him.  He's never bothered me though.  I do think he's going to last a long time, although Clay is my pick for winner since he'll probably have the deer.

Biko will last a while unless he starts thinking about his pregnant girlfriend too much.  Clay has a great shot at lasting, because yeah, I think he got the deer.  But my pick is still Colton(?), boat making guy.

 

I don't understand why someone who had an eating disorder would sign up for a show where you could potentially starve.  Wouldn't that mess with all that you gained?  At least she was smart enough to tap when she realized she was heading in a wrong direction.

I didn't expect Matt to last all that long.  He just didn't have the right vibe for me.

Looks to me like Biko's knife needs to be sharpened.  He needs to go find a rock or two to hone it.

[Quilt Fairy]

22 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

Also good question up thread about what all those 800# grizzly bears are eating.  I saw one in the water so I'm guessing fish but I don't think you can maintain 800# with just fish!

Bears are omnivores.  Every time I see someone eating berries, I worry for their safety.

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, AZChristian said:

I looked for it, but couldn't find it.  Which isn't to say it isn't there.  I just couldn't find it.

I couldn't find it either, I didn't see it on their website or even on YouTube.  I even looked on their Facebook page.  I couldn't find any exit interviews at all.  They're doing a good job of hiding them. 

I just have to say, we're already 5 episodes in and I feel like this season has felt slow to get off the ground.  It also seems like more of them have tapped out pretty early, probably because they don't want to starve and risk medical conditions.  I can't blame them for that, but it doesn't make for great TV either, not that watching them starve is any better.  They had more food opportunities in the Arctic or even on Vancouver Island than here.  They can't trap squirrels so it looks like they can't set traps for any rodents as a result.  That limits them even more than they are already and already it doesn't look too good.  What happened to the limpets?  They're not that far away from Vancouver Island but it seems so different. 

These people that start out super skinny with high metabolisms should know better that even if food is plentiful they still would lose too much too soon to win.  I agree with those that said that it looks like production is deliberately setting things up for a quick season. 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Yeah No

[mlp]

38 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I just have to say, we're already 5 episodes in and I feel like this season has felt slow to get off the ground. 

I've also noticed that there has been a LOT more footage of scenery with voiceovers than usual.  I'm not sure if that means there was less interesting activity going on or more contestants with poor camera skills.