S08.E11: The Reckoning

[Quilt Fairy]

Quote

The participants struggle to claim the $500,000 prize; some continue to deal with the mental game; a new predator threatens a survivalist's longevity. 

Original air date: August 19, 2021.

[patty1h]

Congrats to Clay.    Not a big surprise it was him, due to his skills/luck.   

I had gotten a soft spot for Biko as time went on and hearing about his wife/impending fatherhood, and how he had no job waiting after the show, I was hoping for the best for him, but I kinda knew in my heart that Clay had the advantage.   I hope that Biko is able to persevere when he gets back home.

[LennieBriscoe]

Good thing neither Biko nor Clay ever had a deployment to Vietnam, if they can't  take being away from their families for fewer than 100 days. 

[Yeah No]

8 minutes ago, LennieBriscoe said:

Good thing neither Biko nor Clay ever had a deployment to Vietnam, if they can't  take being away from their families for fewer than 100 days. 

Clay didn't tap out so I have no reason to think he would have done so before 100 days due to missing his family.  He may have missed them but continued on until he got pulled for medical reasons.

Also, I thought Biko tapped out because he was concerned about his health and the heart palpitations he had been experiencing.  While he expressed missing his family I don't think that was the primary reason he left.

Also, I think it is a very different thing to be at war in what is essentially a structured social situation where your every moment is sidetracked away from thinking about home with a situation where you are totally alone with nothing but time to reflect and dwell on the people you miss back home.  I think that compared to most of the contestants on this show both Clay and Biko did admirably at being away from their families for an extended period.  And I'm usually one that complains about the people that tap out early because they can't handle that, so me saying that about them is significant.

[mlp]

I think Clay is a deserving winner but I did feel for Biko and Theresa.  I've expected Clay to win since early on but I wasn't crazy about him.  He won me over when I listened to him talking about his wife.  

I'm glad production dispensed with having a family member sneak up on the winner.  I always thought that was staged because I don't believe that someone who has been totally alone for a prolonged period doesn't hear someone/something coming.  The phone call home made more sense although I'm not sure why there would have been reception in the wilderness.

It seemed to me that there were a lot more shots of scenery, some repetitive, with voice overs than there were on any previous season.  I wonder if there was just less interesting action overall or if there was a different team of editors.

During the second hour, I enjoyed seeing Alan and David again.  They're my favorite winners.

 

[LennieBriscoe]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

Clay didn't tap out so I have no reason to think he would have done so before 100 days due to missing his family.  He may have missed them but continued on until he got pulled for medical reasons.

Also, I thought Biko tapped out because he was concerned about his health and the heart palpitations he had been experiencing.  While he expressed missing his family I don't think that was the primary reason he left.

Also, I think it is a very different thing to be at war in what is essentially a structured social situation where your every moment is sidetracked away from thinking about home with a situation where you are totally alone with nothing but time to reflect and dwell on the people you miss back home.  I think that compared to most of the contestants on this show both Clay and Biko did admirably at being away from their families for an extended period.  And I'm usually one that complains about the people that tap out early because they can't handle that, so me saying that about them is significant.

I refer to their stated sentiments. Maybe I'm just cold-hearted (living without any family whatsoever going on six years). 

Edited August 20, 2021 by LennieBriscoe

[rmontro]

It made me sad to see Theresa's shelter come down, it was so unique for this show.  I bet someone copies it in the future, if the show lasts.  They said at one point Biko had lost 30% of his weight, and Theresa lost less than that, but she was pulled.  Probably because of her elevated heart rate.

No surprise Clay won, after he hit the deer.  He ran out of it quicker than I expected, but maybe he did the smart thing by eating it, instead of stretching it out further.

I said at the beginning Biko reminded me of Sam, because he seemed to have that stubbornness.  And Biko even mentioned Sam in this episode as inspiration.  And he even finished second, just like Sam.  Maybe he'll pull another Sam, and come back and win a second chances show.  I felt kind of bad that he lost, because it sounded like he could have really used the money.  Hope things work out for him and his family.

[roamyn]

I really wanted Biko to win, but there was no way he would’ve outlasted Clay.

BTW, why do people complain abt Colter being dirty, yet say nothing abt Clay?  This is why I was rooting for Colter.  He’s an odd duck and based on his talks, it’s apparent he was an outcast or perceived as a weirdo.  But people continue to knock him, yet say nothing abt the more attractive Clay.

I didn’t see the second hour, now I’m sad to have missed Alan & David.

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, mlp said:

I'm glad production dispensed with having a family member sneak up on the winner.  I always thought that was staged because I don't believe that someone who has been totally alone for a prolonged period doesn't hear someone/something coming.  The phone call home made more sense although I'm not sure why there would have been reception in the wilderness.

I'm wondering if it didn't happen because of travel restrictions during Covid.

5 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

I refer to their stated sentiments. Maybe I'm just cold-hearted (living without any family whatsoever going on six years). 

LOL, maybe so.  I thought I was cold hearted - Of my close blood relatives I only had my father left until last year when he died at 92 from Covid.  No siblings, no cousins, all the older generation dead too.  I have first cousins once removed but I only know them from chatting on genealogy websites.  I've always been mostly a solitary person even prior to my family's passing so I'm really quite tough when it comes to these people who whine about missing family and tap out after only 2 weeks.  But 73 days is a long time compared to that.

Speaking of being alone, over the past year I often thought about this show.  At times I felt I was living out my own version of "Alone" due to the pandemic and being locked down and isolated from friends.  I didn't see my father in person for the last month of his life because of that.  Even though I live with my husband I still felt very isolated during that time and still do to some extent.  I was not able to have a proper funeral for my Dad and I still have not felt comfortable organizing any kind of in-person event to memorialize him.  The logistical issues plus the fact that his friends were all older and in NYC and I live 110 miles away is part of the problem.  Grieving on my own with only the telephone and video chat to stay in touch with friends was very difficult.  I still have only seen my closest friends in NYC in person a couple of times in a year and a half.  So I can only imagine what complete isolation is like, as this has been bad enough.  Watching this season made me reflect on my own isolation during the past year and has helped me to put myself in the Alone contestants' place a little more.

[Melina22]

49 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I'm wondering if it didn't happen because of travel restrictions during Covid.

This is exactly what we thought. 

49 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

At times I felt I was living out my own version of "Alone" due to the pandemic and being locked down and isolated from friends.  I didn't see my father in person for the last month of his life because of that. 

I'm so sorry. This to me is literally the worst part of Covid, dying people not allowed to be with their loved ones. You're right, there really is a parallel between this show and the isolation of Covid. 

Clay was a very deserving winner, although I was hoping Biko or Theresa would win for emotional reasons. I felt they really dragged out and repeated his comments about missing his family till I was genuinely sick of hearing about it. But I loved his final poem. That was excellent. 

I think this was my least favourite season so far. It was stressful and gruelling, basically watching a handful of people starve till they could hardly walk. I didn't enjoy it. 

I'm starting to think we'll never have a female winner due to the weight issue. Theresa could have lasted forever if she'd had access to even a little food. The women chosen for this show have been amazing, skilled survivors, but if they reach the end they get removed because of weight loss. 

If there's another season, I really hope they put them somewhere where they have a fighting chance of finding food. Otherwise, just rename the show Alone and Starving. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Melina22

[ProfCrash]

9 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

Good thing neither Biko nor Clay ever had a deployment to Vietnam, if they can't  take being away from their families for fewer than 100 days. 

I know many a service member who has served during the US's recent wars. All of them missed their families and all of them were open that they had missed their families while deployed. There is nothing wrong with missing your family. It is also a very different environment. A service member who is deployed to a battlefield has a lot of other concerns that will help them focus on their task at hand and they have other people around them to commiserate with. The contestants on Alone do not have that same mission to focus them or other people to commiserate with. Finally, a contestant on Alone knows that they can tap out at any time, a service member who is deployed does not have that same option. If anything, a service member in a war zone is well aware that being distracted may very well lead to injury or death of themselves or a teammate.

This is not an analogous situation and I would not treat it as such.

[Melina22]

I went to history. com as the episode suggested, and no fireside chats! Does anyone know how to see them? 

[dizzydame]

Fooey. I was rooting for Biko. That's all. 

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Melina22 said:

I went to history. com as the episode suggested, and no fireside chats! Does anyone know how to see them? 

It took some doing to find them, but here they are.  The one on top is Colter's, but others are clickable below that.

Fireside chats

[Melina22]

Thank you!!! 

[Yeah No]

Just now, Melina22 said:

Thank you!!! 

Any time!  Thanks for your kind message above, too!

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Melina22 said:

I'm so sorry. This to me is literally the worst part of Covid, dying people not allowed to be with their loved ones. You're right, there really is a parallel between this show and the isolation of Covid. 

After my Dad died and we were locked down I felt the most isolated.  I remember sitting in the park all by myself, no one around, looking at nature and thinking about how I didn't have a very exciting life, but nonetheless it meant the world to me.  It was as if I was looking back at my life like someone on their deathbed or something.  I hope to never take my friends and the pastimes that I enjoy the most for granted, not that I ever did, but I think we all can benefit from the lesson that such isolation teaches us about our priorities in life and how much even the most seemingly mundane things mean to us.  And thanks to this show, which will hopefully not end any time soon, I can continue to relive those lessons.

[iMonrey]

So ends another season of Who Can Starve The Longest. I hope that if they do another season they hire a new location scout and find some place more conducive to finding adequate food sources. They are gravely mistaken to think it's more interesting when it's nearly impossible to find adequate sustenance. 

Quote

I think this was my least favourite season so far. It was stressful and gruelling, basically watching a handful of people starve till they could hardly walk. I didn't enjoy it. 

Agreed. I believe the show is operating under the belief that making it harder and harder on the contestants is more exciting, or more interesting because it's more challenging. They're wrong.

I was rooting for Biko in the end but anyone who can outlast the rest of them is a deserving winner, so good on Clay. 

Quote

It made me sad to see Theresa's shelter come down, it was so unique for this show. 

 I was wondering about these slo-mo deconstruction montages of the shelters they do whenever someone leaves. I can't believe production makes the contestants stay there and pull their shelters down before they can leave, so I assume the show comes in and does that. Either that or they use the footage of the shelter while it's being constructed and just air it backwards.

Quote

Good thing neither Biko nor Clay ever had a deployment to Vietnam, if they can't  take being away from their families for fewer than 100 days. 

I get where you're coming from, I always roll my eyes whenever contestants on reality shows start crying over missing their loved ones. But this isn't Big Brother. It's not even Survivor. There's literally no one to interact with and they don't get letters from home or phone calls like they would if they were in the military. 

I still get annoyed when they tap out relatively early simply because they miss their families too much because it comes across like an excuse to give up when they realize it's too hard. That happens quite a lot. But I don't begrudge the ones who do stick around from missing their families when they have to be pulled for medical reasons and wouldn't have left otherwise. 

[Yeah No]

27 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Agreed. I believe the show is operating under the belief that making it harder and harder on the contestants is more exciting, or more interesting because it's more challenging. They're wrong.

I don't know about that.  I think they'd be hearing from a different segment of the audience complaining that it's too easy and that's boring.  And I might be one of them.  When they're not risking their lives as much it could be any other show about the skills involved in living in the wild, but this show is not primarily about that.  It's about a trial of life or death survival in the harshest conditions possible.  Plus if it were any easier they'd potentially last 6 months or more out there, and we all know the network doesn't want to pay for all that nor create any more risk of someone chopping their hands off or worse yet getting mauled or killed by an animal.

What I don't understand is why History hasn't parlayed the success of this show into other spin offs, like shows that ARE primarily to showcase the skills involved in living in the wilderness.  I found the retrospective special on previous seasons to be very interesting.  I would like to see a more in-depth show about the stuff each of them created and did that didn't make it to the regular show.  I am sure they could create a show like that and one wonders why they haven't since there are a lot of people that would be interested in it.

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I was wondering about these slo-mo deconstruction montages of the shelters they do whenever someone leaves. I can't believe production makes the contestants stay there and pull their shelters down before they can leave, so I assume the show comes in and does that. Either that or they use the footage of the shelter while it's being constructed and just air it backwards.

I originally thought that, but they sometimes have shown the inside "bones" of the shelter with not much left but the fireplace.  Most of them don't build the fireplace before they build the shelter, do they?

I am full of admiration for people who are capable of surviving with nothing much but their skills.  I wanted Theresa or Biko to win, but can't be unhappy that Clay - saying he could make it at least 90 days - was able to pack up and go home a little quicker.

Edited August 20, 2021 by AZChristian
There is no "l" in "Biko."

[HurricaneVal]

5 hours ago, roamyn said:

BTW, why do people complain abt Colter being dirty, yet say nothing abt Clay?  This is why I was rooting for Colter.  He’s an odd duck and based on his talks, it’s apparent he was an outcast or perceived as a weirdo.  But people continue to knock him, yet say nothing abt the more attractive Clay.

Mostly because until the episode last night, Clay has always appeared to be fairly clean--certainly very clean compared to Colter!  I was shocked last night to see how dirty Clay's face was in the footage.  Maybe we caught him the day before bath day.  Maybe he muddied his face on purpose for camouflage to hunt.  Maybe he was starting a downward spiral...

With this discussion we've been having here, I was amused to hear Theresa mention that she bathed every three days.  Of course, that was in context of how she's well aware of how much weight she's losing, thank you very much.  94 pounds though....man, that's skinny.  At her fairly medium/normal height that's really, really skinny.  Mentally she was still set for the long haul, her body was betraying her.  Last night was the first time, in her night time cabin footage, where her weight loss was so very, very apparent in her face, all those sharp shadows and huge sunken eyes....wow.  It also struck me that Theresa must live a very private, and somewhat lonely life when not on a TV show.  We all thought Colter was the loner type, what with him living like a hermit on his remote Alaskan island, but even he talked about his mother a lot.  I don't recall Theresa talking about anyone left behind....not family, not friends, not significant others.  We heard more about her camper van than we did about any people in her life.  Maybe she was more mentally prepared for the isolation because in real life she leads an isolated life?  Her quiet devastation at being sent home near killed me.  "Mind if I have a moment alone?"

I was watching off my DVR after I got home late last night, so I ended up falling asleep before I ended up seeing much of Biko, but I figured he was next out.  I didn't see how he went out, though, and will have to re-watch.  Biko really grew on me through the season, and I ended up rooting for him in the end. 

I did wake up in time to see production coming to Clay's camp, so I knew he won.  I'm good with that.  He was probably the best situated to last longer just due to his deer kill and trapping skills.  He's certainly not a fisherman!  Or there's no fish close enough to the shore at that lake to sustain anyone. 

I think this would have been a much better location had there been fewer restrictions on hunting and fishing.  It seemed the restriction on killing the endangered squirrel breed made it so snares and traps couldn't be set until the squirrels hibernated, or went otherwise dormant for the winter.  We certainly didn't see much evidence of traps and snares until this last episode, so I can only surmise they were restricted for a time to avoid killing the squirrels.  No gill netting until 45 days in, and even after that I didn't think gill nets were all that efficient in a lake where fish can just swim around or under the net, or were so far from shore the nets never had a chance.

If they could have had gill nets from the get-go, when it was warmer and the fish were closer to shore, it might have been possible for the castaways to catch enough fish to get ahead and smoke the fish so they had preserved food for the long haul.  I think Clay's fortuitous deer kill that he made jerky out of so early on clinched the deal.  Sure, it buoyed him mentally, but it was the jerky that really made the difference.

[mlp]

3 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It took some doing to find them, but here they are.

Thank you!  I couldn't find them either.

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I think this was my least favourite season so far.

Mine too but, for me, it was the bears.  I don't enjoy watching people starve but that's been part of the show since the beginning so I guess I'm used to it plus there's always a chance food will be found - like Clay and the rabbits at the end.  Huge predators against which there wouldn't be much defense in an attack just made me nervous even though I was quite sure no one actually got killed.  You could get away from a badger or even a wolf by closing the door of your shelter but an angry bear could knock it down.  No more bears please.

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Either that or they use the footage of the shelter while it's being constructed and just air it backwards.

I've assumed that was the case all along.  I didn't think about the fire pits though.  Maybe they simply take pictures as they disassemble them.

[Melina22]

39 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

Maybe she was more mentally prepared for the isolation because in real life she leads an isolated life?  Her quiet devastation at being sent home near killed me.  "Mind if I have a moment alone?"

I was so impressed at how she forced herself to get up and spend a few hours making a broom. She was so weak she could hardly lift anything or operate her knife, but she didn't quit til she had her broom completed. I'm guessing that with her resourcefulness and level of self-motivation, living alone in a van, which a lot of us would find cramped and stressful, is a walk in the park. Her random accent (which I discussed in detail before) never ceased to get under my skin but I have the utmost admiration for her as a person. I'm sure she has lots to teach others. 

[LennieBriscoe]

ProfCrash, you are correct. I posted rashly. Sincere Mea Culpa. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

I don't know about that.  I think they'd be hearing from a different segment of the audience complaining that it's too easy and that's boring. 

I'm not suggesting they set up camp in the parking lot of KFC. Earlier seasons have been set in environments with harsh conditions but didn't have the myriad restrictions on fishing and trapping this season had. Plus they always start these things in the late fall so they have time to forage and put away stores. It's always going to be more difficult to find food as they get into the winter months. 

I just think they upped the ante this season to a degree that made it far less interesting to watch. The name of this show is "Alone." Not "Starvation." I've always assumed the purpose is to see how long these people can stand the isolation, not how long they can starve before being pulled out by medics. 

[HurricaneVal]

I always wonder if they vet these locations during the high season where the lake fish are plentiful close to shore and the forest abounds with upland birds ready to pose for a cocked arrow.  Maybe production didn't fully research the game rules, or maybe they changed between when the research was done and production began.  Or maybe they knew all that and this was a particularly lean year due to local conditions.  Or maybe they knew all that and they got exactly what they intended.

[Pine]

26 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

I always wonder if they vet these locations during the high season where the lake fish are plentiful close to shore and the forest abounds with upland birds ready to pose for a cocked arrow.  Maybe production didn't fully research the game rules, or maybe they changed between when the research was done and production began.  Or maybe they knew all that and this was a particularly lean year due to local conditions.  Or maybe they knew all that and they got exactly what they intended.

They must have known, along with the insane hunting and fishing restrictions.  They should start this show in August, but, maybe they have to start after hunting season in those area's is over.  I agree, we love watching their survival skills, not their starvation skills.  

[madmax]

17 hours ago, mlp said:

I'm glad production dispensed with having a family member sneak up on the winner.  I always thought that was staged because I don't believe that someone who has been totally alone for a prolonged period doesn't hear someone/something coming.  The phone call home made more sense although I'm not sure why there would have been reception in the wilderness.

 

10 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I'm wondering if it didn't happen because of travel restrictions during Covid.

I was bummed, because I always like that part (seeing all of the reunions in the second hour gave me goosebumps), but then I realized it had to be COVID.

16 hours ago, rmontro said:

 Maybe he'll pull another Sam, and come back and win a second chances show.  

I would love to see another "Redemption" show.  There are so many I think could use a second chance, especially those pulled for medical reasons (Theresa, Carleigh, etc.)

9 hours ago, Melina22 said:

I think this was my least favourite season so far. It was stressful and gruelling, basically watching a handful of people starve till they could hardly walk. I didn't enjoy it. 

I'm starting to think we'll never have a female winner due to the weight issue. Theresa could have lasted forever if she'd had access to even a little food. The women chosen for this show have been amazing, skilled survivors, but if they reach the end they get removed because of weight loss. 

My least favorite as well.  Maybe because there weren't really any people that I absolutely WANTED to see win, other than Theresa and I was really rooting for her until she was at the end.  And I'm sure you're right.  It's going to be very difficult for a female winner.  Even if they put on lots of extra weight, I don't think it would matter.

6 hours ago, iMonrey said:

 I was wondering about these slo-mo deconstruction montages of the shelters they do whenever someone leaves. I can't believe production makes the contestants stay there and pull their shelters down before they can leave, so I assume the show comes in and does that. Either that or they use the footage of the shelter while it's being constructed and just air it backwards.

I go back and forth on the shelter tear-down.  Sometimes I think production does it, because (as was mentioned) things like fireplaces and chairs are left inside.  Other times, it looks like nothing was ever in the spot, so I think they take stills from the contestants taping.  It's probably production, tho.

4 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I think this would have been a much better location had there been fewer restrictions on hunting and fishing. 

Totally agree.  It's almost like they intentionally picked the hardest place so filming during COVID wouldn't be so long.

18 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

Or maybe they knew all that and they got exactly what they intended.

This is what I think.

***

I figured it was going to be Clay after Colton was pulled.  He did have the big kill and was getting enough little ones.  He wasn't surviving on plants.  That's barely possible for 21 days on Naked & Afraid; it ain't gonna work on Alone.

I do think this was the harshest site yet, and Great Slave Lake was no great thing.  They need to get back to places without so much restriction on what they can do.  Maybe the win, place and show contestants won't look skeletal at the end.

[qtpye]

7 hours ago, iMonrey said:

So ends another season of Who Can Starve The Longest. I hope that if they do another season they hire a new location scout and find some place more conducive to finding adequate food sources. They are gravely mistaken to think it's more interesting when it's nearly impossible to find adequate sustenance. 

Agreed. I believe the show is operating under the belief that making it harder and harder on the contestants is more exciting, or more interesting because it's more challenging. They're wrong.

I was rooting for Biko in the end but anyone who can outlast the rest of them is a deserving winner, so good on Clay. 

 I was wondering about these slo-mo deconstruction montages of the shelters they do whenever someone leaves. I can't believe production makes the contestants stay there and pull their shelters down before they can leave, so I assume the show comes in and does that. Either that or they use the footage of the shelter while it's being constructed and just air it backwards.

I get where you're coming from, I always roll my eyes whenever contestants on reality shows start crying over missing their loved ones. But this isn't Big Brother. It's not even Survivor. There's literally no one to interact with and they don't get letters from home or phone calls like they would if they were in the military. 

I still get annoyed when they tap out relatively early simply because they miss their families too much because it comes across like an excuse to give up when they realize it's too hard. That happens quite a lot. But I don't begrudge the ones who do stick around from missing their families when they have to be pulled for medical reasons and wouldn't have left otherwise. 

I feel the same way you do. 

My sympathies to all those who feel isolated in the Pandemic, particularly those who lost loved ones.

11 hours ago, roamyn said:

I really wanted Biko to win, but there was no way he would’ve outlasted Clay.

BTW, why do people complain abt Colter being dirty, yet say nothing abt Clay?  This is why I was rooting for Colter.  He’s an odd duck and based on his talks, it’s apparent he was an outcast or perceived as a weirdo.  But people continue to knock him, yet say nothing abt the more attractive Clay.

I didn’t see the second hour, now I’m sad to have missed Alan & David.

Unfortunately, pretty privilege or should I say handsome privilege is real.

Clay looks like a skinny Ben Aflek and has an easy going good ole boy charm to him.

I can easily see him getting tapped to host a hunting show in one of those off brand outdoor channels you get with Direct TV.

I actually like Colter but his level of filth made him hard to look at.

Crazy Dave from a couple seasons back (the one who had a ton of fish filets he would not eat) was also a nice looking man but people could not stand watching him because he was disgusting.

Edited August 20, 2021 by qtpye

[TVbitch]

I think Theresa is probably most comfortable alone. Her not wanting to share any emotion with the crew made me feel kind of sad for her. She didn't share much emotion with us/the camera either. Maybe she is just very stoic, but she seems pretty happy and I hope she tricks out her camper van and has more adventures.

Poor Biko, he's gonna have to get that dreaded job.  

When that little fisher critter dropped the dime on Clay's snares, and he said he wasn't allowed to kill it, I was like, for the love of God can these people get ANY break?!!  

[PaperTree]

When Clay got those rabbits I was pretty sure he had this.  I would have preferred Biko or Teresa, but I'm fine with Clay.

I wonder if there is a sliding scale of payouts for the losers that they just don't tell us about.  They may have to sign NDAs.

[hatchetgirl]

On 8/20/2021 at 4:32 AM, roamyn said:

BTW, why do people complain abt Colter being dirty, yet say nothing abt Clay?  This is why I was rooting for Colter.  He’s an odd duck and based on his talks, it’s apparent he was an outcast or perceived as a weirdo.  But people continue to knock him, yet say nothing abt the more attractive Clay.

Thank you! I don't get the colter hate at all. He is an odd duck but he seemed really kind. Who cares how dirty he got, I wasn't there to deal with it. Shoot, I'd be smelly as heck and might have lasted a day. Lol

Theresa seemed to be making some stupid choices and I'm not talking about her stupid accent. I do not buy her "oh I've lived blah blah blah and that's why I talk this way." But yeah, going into the water in just panties when the temp is so low, running around for guy Fawkes night. Stupid. Just stupid. Especially after getting caught up in that line and then blistering her legs warming up. 

[SassyCat]

I don’t think anyone “hated” Colter. It was the level of dirt layers he accumulated and paid no attention to, that was off-putting. The handful of worms, taken from that dead bird he ate was another really questionable decision, especially since I doubt he washed his hands after handling that mass of disgusting worms and whatever eggs they had in or on them. 🤮 Other than that he was a very capable survivor and seemed like a very nice person. I think everyone feels that way.

Edited August 21, 2021 by SassyCat
Spelling

[Yeah No]

12 hours ago, TVbitch said:

I think Theresa is probably most comfortable alone. Her not wanting to share any emotion with the crew made me feel kind of sad for her. She didn't share much emotion with us/the camera either. Maybe she is just very stoic, but she seems pretty happy and I hope she tricks out her camper van and has more adventures.

I think it was just part of her public persona like the accents to put on a very British "stiff upper lip" for the camera.

[iMonrey]

I finally got around to seeing the Ultimate Moments special and really enjoyed it. I was proud that I remembered almost everyone. I was a bit disappointed they didn't cover some of the better shelters during the Ultimate Shelters segment though. Remember that guy who had a whole Gilligan's Island theme rigged up? I can't remember his name, he had this really unusual open air shelter like a covered patio and had all kinds of gizmos and levers. Then he got bored and went home because he missed his wife too bad.

[HurricaneVal]

Oh yes....I didn't hate Colter at all.  Except for the fact that I was concerned for his mental and physical health, because those layers of grime are not normal for a balanced person, I quite liked the guy and was pulling for him.  But I grew uncomfortable with watching him due to those concerns.  I mean, even in medieval or pioneer days which are not known for hygiene, Colter would have stood out as an extreme.

[Melina22]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I finally got around to seeing the Ultimate Moments special and really enjoyed it. 

There's a thread here for that episode! I commented that I would have happily watched one or two more hours of highlights, because they had to leave so much out. 

[humbleopinion]

5 hours ago, iMonrey said:

 Remember that guy who had a whole Gilligan's Island theme rigged up? I can't remember his name, he had this really unusual open air shelter like a covered patio and had all kinds of gizmos and levers. Then he got bored and went home because he missed his wife too bad.

Mike Lowe, Season 2 who was totally efficient with his shelter, fire and food but he  became bored quickly so he made a football board game, rigged a sink, found a tub and made it into a boat we named after his wife.

He missed his wife Barbara obsessively and knew she didn't miss him as much.

He expressed and whined she was having a terrific time without him so he tapped...

We imagined she was free from having him attached to her hip, partying non stop with her girlfriends and was disappointed that he tapped and came home early without the win...

Edited August 21, 2021 by humbleopinion

[qtpye]

13 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

Mike Lowe, Season 2 who was totally efficient with his shelter, fire and food but he so bored he made a football board game, rigged a sink, found a tub and made it into a boat we named after his wife.

He missed Barbara so much and was afraid she didn't miss him as much.

Imagining she was having a terrific time without him so he tapped...

We imagined she was free from having him attached to her hip, partying non stop with her girlfriends and was disappointed that he tapped and came home early without the win...

I am impressed with your memory. 

I just call him the Barbara Man.

[humbleopinion]

Mike would love to be known as the Barbara Man.

Barbara, bless her heart, must cringe and grit her teeth at his Level 5 out of 5 Clinging.

Edited August 21, 2021 by humbleopinion

[LittleIggy]

I wanted Theresa or Biko for the win. I didn’t like Clay’s recollection of shooting a rabbit when he was a little kid. He described seeing the rabbit’s death throes and how happy that made him. I turned the show off after Biko tapped.

[Chit Chat]

On 8/20/2021 at 6:57 AM, Yeah No said:

Of my close blood relatives I only had my father left until last year when he died at 92 from Covid.

My sympathies on your loss.  It's so difficult to lose our parents.  My Dad also passed away last year (other health issues).  Hugs to you. :)   

I think that they had some really good contestants/survivors this year.  I would've been okay with any of the last 4 winning it all.  I was glad that Clay pulled himself together and didn't tap.  I can understand his and Biko's emotions since it was Thanksgiving.  Clay did the smart thing and quit wasting his energy on fishing.  Maybe he should've been setting rabbit traps sooner, but then he had that darn fisher to deal with.  What worried me for Clay was that his air horn no longer worked.   I have a lot of respect for all of the people that participated this time.  I would've tapped on day 2 or 3 after seeing those bears roaming around.  

[ChristmasJones]

I was biased against Biko due to his weight. They said he lost 90 pounds which was 1/3 of his weight - meaning he came in at 270 lbs. 

I think they should have an upper limit on BMI and make it so there can't be too huge of a discrepancy between the highest BMI contestant and the second and third - equalize it a bit more.  I don't think its fair when someone wins just because they have extra fat.  Just my opinion. 

I wish Theresa would have won just because I liked her and her unique skills.

eta - I watched Biko's follow up interview and he makes a comment about having extra fat isn't a guarantee to win .. the fact that he said that (unprompted by a direct question about his weight)  makes me wonder if he thought that would be one of his advantages 

Edited August 22, 2021 by ChristmasJones

[LittleIggy]

I’m glad Clay couldn’t kill the fisher whose territory he was on. 

[diebartdie]

16 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I wanted Theresa or Biko for the win. I didn’t like Clay’s recollection of shooting a rabbit when he was a little kid. He described seeing the rabbit’s death throes and how happy that made him. I turned the show off after Biko tapped.

I'm fine with hunters, I have a lot of respect for them. Consider Roland from last season. Obviously he was a top predator hunter. He really relished it. BUT he never one came across (to me) as gratuitous. Clay, on the other hand, came across not so much as a hunter as a murderer of something so animals will have to do. I knew he would win because he has been all over youtube from the beginning of the season. Colter was extremely off putting but I would have preferred him over Clay. To me, Clay seems to be sublimating homicidal tendencies into killing animals. On balance, the world is probably safer this way.

I watched the rebroadcast of the previous episode and it was every enlightening. They broadcast several "talking head" segments with a member of the local First Nations people of that lake. He described in detail why all the hunting restrictions were in place. I really wish the show had shown a spotlight on this from the beginning because I went from hating this "stupid" season to really appreciating it. If you can, I strongly urge everyone to check out the expanded episode, it was very interesting.

A poster above called Theresa "stupid" for wading out in the water in her underwear. Well, she wasn't the only one to do so BUT she out lasted all the men we saw also get in the water. She is a tough woman and I believe had the show been anywhere with looser hunting restrictions, she would have won easily.

The poster above who mentioned Biko's BMI, you are spot on. People seem to have this idea that they can make themselves morbidly obese and then come and win this show and that's just idiotic. The stress on the human body getting to that weight is terrible, the stress of losing that amount of weight so quickly and unhealthily is TERRIBLE, the mindset behind it is terrible. People think because 1 person did that and (on try #2) "won", THAT's the winning strategy? Did Roland come in as an obese man? No. Did Alan? Did Fowler (slightly but obviously not intentional)? Shit, did JORDAN? No, none of the winners have done that EXCEPT Sam on his SECOND go. It's a bad, dangerous strategy.

Anyway, not the best season ever.

[LittleIggy]

Jordan was on “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” this week. It was a compilation episode. He was funny. Peter, the host, asked him if the waiver the participants signed was the size of a phone book. 

[ctlady]

On 8/19/2021 at 11:44 PM, patty1h said:

I had gotten a soft spot for Biko as time went on and hearing about his wife/impending fatherhood, and how he had no job waiting after the show, I was hoping for the best for him, but I kinda knew in my heart that Clay had the advantage.   I hope that Biko is able to persevere when he gets back home.

I liked Biko in general, but his, "I gotta win this for my family.....I have 2 babies on the way and no job to go back to......I can't tap out because I need the money as I have no job..."blah, blah, blah - ENOUGH!  That's all he did was whine about  it.  Yeah - the money is a nice perk, but it's not guaranteed and sounds like he has absolutely NO Plan B with twins on the way.  And his plans to do what he wants and tool around with his music if he did win?  Er.....with 2 daughters that are going to be expensive to clothe, educate and marry off someday, how about investing the money maybe into a multi family house and rent it out (Mr. Ctlady's idea, not mine)  He just came off clueless and irresponsible.

I'm calling BS on this entire season - especially how it began with the first person that tapped out that never should've been on the show in the first place due to - what - 50% heart capacity?  And starting the contest 45 days BEFORE they're allowed to drop gill nets nor could they kill predators (the fisher that was stealing Clay's rabbit), rare deer sightings and (supposed) bears EVERYWHERE?  And pulling Dirt Caked Colton the previous week for medical reasons, while Teresa (who was under 100 lbs) and Clay (whom you could play the xylophone on his ribs) skated by?  IMO, that was a bogus way to get him tapped out.  I was glad - he was filthy, disgusting (really - you CANNOT wash your face??) and his voice grated on me (reminded me of Bert the geologist from Big Bang Theory) so I didn't miss him at all

As soon as Clay caught those rabbits I knew he'd come out on top.  I liked him - as much as I did Roland from last season.  Two really nice guys.  

Edited August 23, 2021 by ctlady

[AZChristian]

Biko now has a gofundme, which a friend set up asking for $150,000 to "Help Biko with his future." 

Call me old fashioned, but most of us would consider getting a job might be a better option.  

[qtpye]

57 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Biko now has a gofundme, which a friend set up asking for $150,000 to "Help Biko with his future." 

Call me old fashioned, but most of us would consider getting a job might be a better option.  

That is so tacky.

Why is he having children with no financial plan beyond winning a reality show?

[ctlady]

8 minutes ago, qtpye said:

1 hour ago, AZChristian said:

Biko now has a gofundme, which a friend set up asking for $150,000 to "Help Biko with his future." 

Call me old fashioned, but most of us would consider getting a job might be a better option.  

That is so tacky.

Why is he having children with no financial plan beyond winning a reality show?

From the looks of it - a 'good buddy' of his started it.  Or...it just states that to make it look like he didn't start it himself.  So people have to donate to his future because he was too stupid have any kind of backup plan in case he lost?  UGH!

Edited August 23, 2021 by ctlady