Alone (AUS) - General Discussion

[aussieinsydney]

On 9/10/2023 at 8:31 AM, Quilt Fairy said:

 I didn't know anything about Tasmania when this show started so I did a few minutes quick Googling.  I find it ironic that they now pay so much homage to the indigenous people and respect to the native animals when 200 years ago British colonizers did their best to annihilate both. 

Not ironic. We live and learn and we apologize and try to be better. 😊

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, rmontro said:

We have guesses for mammal, fish, and bird already.  No way that's a fish, I'm thinking, but she is eating it raw, so maybe she's having sushi.

Wombat carpaccio?

Edited September 11, 2023 by Yeah No

[LennieBriscoe]

One note: If you watch "Alone: Australia" at the link I've provided, you will see the uncensored version. 

[SassyCat]

That had to be the worst episode of any Alone show, of any season or country version of it, ever. I am surprised anyone catches any fish/trout in that bog water which must be super acidic from all the rotting vegetation and trees with their tannins in the water. It was not good spot to plop them all down into, if they were to be expected to survive on outdoor terrain near a body of water.

Maybe in the Amazon forest they would find species of fish that thrive in those conditions, but it doesn’t seem to be the case here. The couple of trout some have lucked out in catching, seem to actually be flukes. Fish who took a wrong turn and ended up in a bad neighborhood. That water certainly isn’t teaming with life forms.
The PTSD scene and the puke retching seemed to be the focus for way too much of the filming in this episode. 
It looked like a Himalayan salt lamp, block of salt Gina brought as one of her items and looked smaller after she kept scraping and scraping more and more of it off, into her stick soup hoping to enrich its flavor. That was way too much salt added and all it did was make her end up vomiting out whatever nourishment she did derive from the stick twig broth. 
That lifeless bog may be an interesting looking spot they used, but I don’t think too much thought was put into whether or not people could actually find anything edible in that area. I feel bad for all of them, set up for failure. Theres no capable way to live off the land in that area. It’s just a starving contest.

[humbleopinion]

Agree.

Indigenous Lands+fragile environment+protected wildlife=bad teevee

None of the usual building projects in hopes of procuring food.

No dock, fish traps, or paddle boat fishing gizmos.

Mike's kayak is one sharp stick away from being a tarp with holes.

A non endangered animal will have to drop dead of natural causes into their fire to be eligible to eat.

Guess the Tasmanian strategy is to bring hooks and fishing line, saw, sleeping bag(or hunk of salt), a pot, paracord and 5 bags of food.

5 bags of food would get them deep into the game.

Chris is an outstanding Aloner, to film his panic attack is the opposite of that woman last season who attempted to curate her emotional outbursts.

Chris has 3 fish in 11 days, best fisherman.

Kate, the botanist has the knowledge to gather food and all she has to show us so far is plant soap.

Edited September 15, 2023 by humbleopinion

[iMonrey]

I don't know if it means anything, but Chris (Army vet) is the only one who has been featured in all six episodes. Mike has been featured in five of the six, while Gina and Kate have been featured in four. Michael has only been featured in three. 

Mike's canoe looked pretty dodgy even after he fixed it. It looks like he could get stuck in there if it flipped over the way he's got himself wedged in. 

Michael is already falling back on "This is hard on my family" nonsense. Uh, no, Michael. Your family is living in the lap of comparative luxury and it's only been 11 days. They're fine. They're just hoping this dumb thing you're doing brings home some money. I'd love to know how many participants on this show have come home to a spouse pissed off they used them as an excuse to quit.

I had to look up what a "gumboot" was. You wacky Aussies and your wacky words for things!

Gina seems to be doing the worst in terms of food and weight loss but still seems in the best spirits.

The previews for next week show a boat coming for someone but I'm pretty sure they did last week too and nobody tapped out so that might just be a red herring.

3 hours ago, SassyCat said:

I feel bad for all of them, set up for failure. Theres no capable way to live off the land in that area. It’s just a starving contest.

I have to think someone thought this was a more survivable place when it was chosen as the location. Maybe it just ended up being the wrong time of year, or else none of these people really know how to forage, fish or hunt under these specific conditions. But yeah, bottom line, something went wrong here.

[Quilt Fairy]

I don't know how many episodes this show consists of, but I will hang in to the end.  It will be a struggle.  I'm not really paying much attention to the show, I have it on in the background while I do other things.  I don't know if it's poor cast selection, poor location selection, or poor editing, but I am so bored.  It may even be Alone overkill, with this version airing immediately after a season of the original.

11 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

Mike's kayak is one sharp stick away from being a tarp with holes.

I didn't understand what he was saying at first.  Every time he said "kayak", I heard "kolok". 

[SassyCat]

10 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I don't know how many episodes this show consists of, but I will hang in to the end.  It will be a struggle.  I'm not really paying much attention to the show, I have it on in the background while I do other things.  I don't know if it's poor cast selection, poor location selection, or poor editing, but I am so bored.  It may even be Alone overkill, with this version airing immediately after a season of the original.

Me too. I think it is a combo of all of the above. I used to rewatch an episode if  I became distracted or missed a part. Not anymore.

[Quilt Fairy]

NM.

Edited September 22, 2023 by Quilt Fairy

[humbleopinion]

Kate almost convinced herself that fried eel was good...the very oily tip triggered her gag reflex and almost triggered mine with her retching....

Mike finally! What...wait...bad decision.

Michael, those are the smallest holes.

Gina, the tannins are going to stain your veneers.

Chris, you make 6 gone in 12 days.

This has to be some kind of Alone record for this many to be dunzo in the shortest time.

Another snooze fest.

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by humbleopinion

[iMonrey]

9 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

Another snooze fest.

My takeaway as well. This has to be the lamest season of Alone ever. It's relentlessly boring and six out of ten people dropped out in the first two weeks. That's actually embarrassing. No doubt the location itself was a bad choice but I think casting was a problem too. 

When the medics came to check on Michael I assumed he was going to get pulled but then nothing came of it. That's how desperate the show is getting for footage.

LOL on Mike losing that eel. I've never heard so many bleeps in one minute.

[humbleopinion]

Mike could have used his knit hat to corral the eel or flung it wildly on shore by scooping it instead of half hearted attempts to grab the slimey wiggler with his hands.

The Tasmanian variety are short finned fresh water eels, not electric eels seen on Naked and Afraid...

Maybe he was so addled with hunger he couldn't react to land it.

Pademelon turned ninja walking through the trip line then a Tasmanian Devil gnawing and marking the whole gizmo with scent rendering it useless to attract other animals, just mocking him on the game cam...the only half interesting few minutes of this episode.

Edited September 23, 2023 by humbleopinion

[Pine]

I think that I am going to stop taping this, even as background while doing housework, it is too boring.   

It reminds me of when I lived in England in the 1970's, my friends there found me adventurous, and would say that all the adventurous people left England, to go to the America's and other countries 200 years ago.  hahaha

I thought that perhaps the Australians would have that same sense of adventure, but, maybe being shipped to Australia for crimes committed is different.  Just a thought....nothing more.  Come on people, Pioneer UP!

[Red Bridey]

Once again, these are supposed to be trained survivalists and one of them can't even throw an eel onto the ground to kill him. Ugh, give it up, people. The ONLY thing I am watching for now is to find out what critter Gina is tearing into in the intro. I truly could not care less about the Hapless Hunter of Pademelon, the Valiant Vet who hasn't had any meat in two weeks, or the Eelmonger. Who can catch 'em and cook 'em but can't keep 'em down. What a useless group.

[iMonrey]

No new episode this week? A "Mountain Men" marathon instead? Did The History Channel cancel this thing midway through? I guess it wouldn't really surprise me given how boring it's been. But they could at least burn off the last few episodes at three in the morning or something.

[Quilt Fairy]

It shows the next episode next week.  Last night's Mountain Men marathon was all repeats, so it makes no sense. 

[rmontro]

I'm not finding this show that interesting either, but I guess I'll throw in a comment.  I wonder how it is that Gina is able to catch trout when (virtually) no one else can.  Is it skill or did she manage to draw the one decent fishing hole in the bunch?  Plus she found out she can eat worms and like them, she has to be the best fed of the bunch so far.  I'm surprised the worm feast hasn't been more popular with others, she almost sold me on them.  Also interested in seeing what her eventual mystery meat is going to be.

Don't really care about the other two guys, or the girl who tapped out because she missed her family.  Good riddance to that nonsense, I say.  I am curious to see how Michael's site change is going to work out for him.

[iMonrey]

13 hours ago, rmontro said:

I wonder how it is that Gina is able to catch trout when (virtually) no one else can.  Is it skill or did she manage to draw the one decent fishing hole in the bunch?

I think it's the latter. Also, I don't think I've ever seen anyone else try to eat worms before on the American version of this show. 

Yeah, good riddance to Kate, I'm so tired of people using their family as an excuse to quit. She knew she had a family before she went out there right? Including a brand new baby? Did it take her three weeks in the wilderness to realize her family was important to her? I hope the hell not for their sake. No, you're tired and hungry and cold and don't want to do it anymore. Just say that. I'd have more respect for that than this nonsensical philosophical waxing about the importance of your family.

[meep.meep]

i was hoping this was the last episode - but there are 3 more.  I'm just going to wait until the last one and find out who won.  This is extraordinarily dull.

[humbleopinion]

3 more black holes....oy vey.

[Red Bridey]

THREE MORE??? UGH, this is just so boring. With only three "survivalists" left, what is left? Just Gina ripping into the ribcage of some animal. Mike (?) finally figuring out how to keep and kill eels. Just not how to cook 'em. Michael the vet actually goes on walkabout and finds a better campsite. Geez, after only three weeks! Use a little initiative, man.

 

[Quilt Fairy]

2 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

Mike (?) finally figuring out how to keep and kill eels.

When he said he was going to make a smoker after he caught those eels I thought "It's day 23 and NOW you're making a smoker?"  That's something most Aloners would be working on from the first or second week.  Of course, they'd also be making more sturdy shelters than any of these folks.  Most of them have been throw a tarp up and call it good. 

Edited October 8, 2023 by Quilt Fairy

[rmontro]

3 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

When he said he was going to make a smoker after he caught those eels I thought "It's day 23 and NOW you're making a smoker?"  That's something most Aloners would be working on from the first or second week.  Of course, they'd also be making more sturdy shelters than any of these folks.  Most of them have been throw a tarp up and call it good. 

Well, to be fair, so far he hasn't had much to smoke.  The shelter thing also interests me.  Usually in the US versions, there is a race to get your shelter together before winter starts.  I don't know if this area just doesn't get snow, or if the contestants are dropping so quick it's not getting that late in the year.

[Yeah No]

OK, I haven't been loving this show for several reasons myself but I'm beginning to find a few things to like about it.  First of all, I feel sorry for Gina on more than one count.  Losing a child and then losing her husband because of losing that child is a lot of loss and pain, but to stay friends with her ex shows character on a whole new level, so I wish her all the best and now hope she wins.

Also, I kind of relate more to these people precisely because they're not the die-hard professional outdoorsy types like we see on the U.S. show.  They are people that are peripherally involved in nature to some degree but not the OTT type that live off the grid and make an entire lifestyle out of living in the wild.   Also, several of them seem to have achieved a pretty high level of education and introspection, which I also like. 

Most of what I haven't liked about this show has to do with the lousy location these people were thrown into and how difficult it would be for anyone to survive out there, whether professional or not.  I am noticing and liking how Gina and one of the men (I forget his name of course) finally found ways to catch fish.  Good for them.  These people are at least showing signs of learning and adapting.  I was getting frustrated with that guy who let the fish go in the previous episode.  Thank goodness he was finally successful.

I think one of the things that is throwing things off for a lot of us Americans is how elongated the timeline seems because after so many episodes we're still only on day 24.  It's making everything seem more frustrating and painful as if they're taking too much time to figure it all out when in fact it's only been a few days out there relatively speaking so they're actually not doing so badly.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Yeah No

[iMonrey]

11 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Also, I kind of relate more to these people precisely because they're not the die-hard professional outdoorsy types like we see on the U.S. show.  They are people that are peripherally involved in nature to some degree but not the OTT type that live off the grid and make an entire lifestyle out of living in the wild. 

Gina lives in an off grid shack with no electricity or running water. That's probably why she's doing better than anyone else by a mile.

[LennieBriscoe]

Yes, Tasmania has its challenges, but these competitors should try coping with bears and wolves!

[Yeah No]

20 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Gina lives in an off grid shack with no electricity or running water. That's probably why she's doing better than anyone else by a mile.

Probably, but despite that she (like pretty much all of them on this show) still doesn't fit the typical mold that the American "off gridders" fit.  On the American show many of them seem like the exact same personality type, same outlook on life and live the same exact type of lifestyle.  Gina doesn't seem to fit any molds.  I'm finding that refreshing. 

[Pine]

10 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Probably, but despite that she (like pretty much all of them on this show) still doesn't fit the typical mold that the American "off gridders" fit.  On the American show many of them seem like the exact same personality type, same outlook on life and live the same exact type of lifestyle.  Gina doesn't seem to fit any molds.  I'm finding that refreshing. 

That's fine, but, even Gina cannot hold this show together.  All the contestants are horribly out of place and boring, so boring.   I don't think any of the Australian group have even watched Naked and Afraid, or ALONE.   Many of the Naked & Afraid contestants  are not "off gridders".   

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, Pine said:

That's fine, but, even Gina cannot hold this show together.  All the contestants are horribly out of place and boring, so boring.   I don't think any of the Australian group have even watched Naked and Afraid, or ALONE.   Many of the Naked & Afraid contestants  are not "off gridders".   

I somehow see "Naked and Afraid" as too "reality show gimmick/fake" for me.  And I've wanted to say this all season long, but I don't forget that the first few seasons of the US "Alone" did not feature the high level amateur and professional survivalists we got used to seeing in the later seasons.  They were more like this bunch complete with the numerous early tap outs.  I remember enjoying seeing how people who weren't consummate professionals learn how to survive outdoors and either make or break it.  So in some ways because of that I relate to this cast better.  I don't find that boring at all.  What I'm finding tedious is the location.  It's ugly and more challenging than it looks on the surface and it caused a lot of early tap outs.  

Although I am casting a side eye on one aspect of this version - Both contestants that caught eels boiled them at first and found them repulsive.  Then suddenly the next time they both got the bright idea to grill or smoke them.  I have to wonder if they were given a tip by someone on the staff of the show that they check in with periodically.

[Quilt Fairy]

On a side note, next Wednesday my PBS station is showing a Nature episode about a man who studies the platypus in Tasmania.  The episode is Nature S42:E1 and is titled "The Platypus Guardian".  PBS schedules can vary by area, so you may have to search for it if you're interested. 

[Quilt Fairy]

On 10/9/2023 at 11:30 PM, Yeah No said:

I don't forget that the first few seasons of the US "Alone" did not feature the high level amateur and professional survivalists we got used to seeing in the later seasons.  They were more like this bunch complete with the numerous early tap outs.

The first couple of seasons they had to search for competitors, because it was a new show.  Now, if I understand correctly, they get tens of thousands of submissions. 

[humbleopinion]

Michael moves and weeps.

Mike swims in that tannic broth in attempt to unsnag his fishing lines.

Gina doing the muddy work to dreg her fishing spot.

No reveal yet of whose ribs she is ripping off the flesh in the tease.

Zzzzz.

[iMonrey]

If Mike actually has to go into the water to retrieve the fish caught on the line, then I question the efficacy of how that line is set up. Sort of defeats the purpose.

I think Michael had the right idea of moving to another location. I think Mike should do that too. Gina seems to be the only one with a semi-decent fishing spot. 

I don't know how they're going to squeeze two more episodes out of this. Or is it three? Criminy.

[tljgator]

3 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

No reveal yet of whose ribs she is ripping off the flesh in the tease.

I'm starting to think it's from an audition video and they're faking us out. *hrmph*

[Quilt Fairy]

So Michael hasn't eaten in 26-27-28 days?  That's bad.  That's indicative of a bad location, too.  These people should at least have a chance to survive.  I don't understand why all the locations are inlets with all these snags and dead trees.  When you see the rescue boat, it's churning it's way through a lovely river. 

[ChristmasJones]

I had a few episodes on my DVR and finally watched the most recent one. I then reflected on why I am not feeling engaged with this season and realized its due to the environment. For some reason, all those dead trees in the water just grosses me out... I think about all that rotted wood under the water. It just looks dirty and nasty IMO.

I also have had a life-long issue with lakes. I don't like water where I can't see the bottom and where there may be plants and other material underneath me. It gives me the heebie-jeebies.  Then you have all the mud. UGH!!!  I can't imagine wanting to eat something that lives in that water.  Which brings me to eels. The thought of eating one makes me gag. I was gagging along with that one lady who was trying not to puke as she ate eel. 

In summary, the environment has killed it for me.  I'll watch to see who wins, but that's about it. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by ChristmasJones

[iMonrey]

I wonder what they could have done differently to make this show better. After the first four people tapped out (or were pulled out) in the first three days, they should have reconsidered the editing, because there's just a whole lot of nothing going on in these episodes. They should have either expanded the coverage of those first few days when everyone was still there and used those to fill the first five or six episodes, or cut the whole season in half. It's really dragging.

Gina catching that Wallaby at night was a real Blair Witch Project moment.

[humbleopinion]

Supposition of how it happened....

Scurrying to her pee spot, Gina locks eyes with the wallaby.

Gina tackles and dispatches the pademelon with a nearby rock/log. 

Himalayan salt and smoke to preserve the meat.

Mike came so close to trapping his pademelon.

Consolation prize was a nice trout.

Best episode reveals what animal Gina is ripping and gnawing flesh.

[SassyCat]

I just caught up on the last two weeks. When I saw those geese/large ducks at Ginas I thought I might be the winner of the guess what the carcass Gina is gnawing on, question was. 

Poor sweet little wallaby (?). That was some pretty quick reflexes on Ginas part to be able to nab him in the dark like that. You could tell she felt just awful she had to kill the little animal. Not something someone would want to have to do, bare handed like that. 

That Himalayan salt lamp she scrapes sure was a good item to bring along. Comes in handy as a meat preservative.

I have a lamp like that. There is a little hole drilled out of the bottom to fit a small lightbulb in, just like hers. I’ve licked it a couple times lol, and it is very salty. Has, I think 80 trace minerals a body needs in it, so she has that going for her survival health too. 

As soon as Michael started counting the frosts on the log, I knew he was a goner. As if he was trying to give as many little reasons to himself for tapping. Look here! There are 15 frost specks on that log! Thats it for me! 

The other Mike pulling out the pictures of his family is starting to hint at a possible tappage to his journey in the bog. 

He does seem very determined to be the last one.

He looks darn good, body fat wise, when he had his shirt off. It is starting to show in his face, his weight loss though. 

I am glad he got himself that little trout. It really must have tasted like the best food he has ever eaten. God bless him for having the patience for making that huge net! As soon as I saw that wind pick up when he was outside doing it, I knew his hard work was all for naught. How frustrating!

Good thing it wasn’t a greasy eel that had to be rendered of much of its nasty tasting fat before being edible. I don’t think he could have waited it out that long.

[SassyCat]

It must be hard to be on day 51 and then have to sit in the shelter all, or most of the day (or days?) because of the loads of rain that started to fall. Do they have a rainy season there? They are both losing so much weight, having these days of non productivity, fishing or foraging must be extra tough to sit there twiddling thumbs, waiting for it to end.

It really must weigh the mind and will power down in all that cold dampness, literally starving. I would have packed it in at this point I think. The cold wet rain would be the bummiest push over the edge. 

Ahh, they are tapping Mike. You can really see his weight loss around his mouth, which looks skeletal. He was really going to hold out no matter what, and I feel bad for him. 

That stinks that it came down to someone else making the decision for him when it was down to the last two. 

Congratulations Gina!  67 days! 

She was a deserving winner. She did manage to out-eat the rest of them. 🪱🐟🦘🐠

I am very happy for her. The cash will certainly give her something to be smiling about. Also the accomplishment. She should be very proud that she DID IT and WON! ;

[humbleopinion]

Eel sniffing.

Gina came into the show with the better game plan and it paid off.

Reunion show next week and Mike is the one I am most interested in hearing how he processed his experience.

Alone is still my favorite show of this genre.

[iMonrey]

I'm really happy for Gina. I feel bad for Mike, but I was kind of rooting for Gina all along. She's had so much tragedy in her life, it feels kind of like karma is paying her back. I love the part where the loved one sneaks up behind them while they're being interviewed. "What the f@¢k? What the f@¢k?" LOL. She managed to last 67 days, that's pretty much on par with a lot of the American winners.

The strange thing is that from what I could tell, Mike was extracted on Day 64. Did they really wait another three days to tell Gina she won? Something similar happened on the most recent season of the U.S. version. Maybe it's just a time stamp discrepancy. 

I still think the season, as a whole, was poorly edited. These last four or five episodes were a real slog to get through, because the first six people left within the first twelve days. And Mike and Gina were the only two who lasted more than a month! Michael tapped out day 30, and that was the most recent episode, so they jumped all the way from day 30 to day 64 in one episode.

I think they should have spent more time on the early tap-outs in the beginning and stretched out their time to fill more of the earlier episodes. Somehow this could have been cut together better. You can't spend that much time on so few people when there's so little going on.

Edited October 27, 2023 by iMonrey

[ChristmasJones]

I was happy to see Gina won, but if she hadn't gained extra weight she wouldn't have.  I suppose that's how it goes with this show though, they can't prevent people from doing that.  The environment was just so unappealing. I skipped a few episodes. Also, my DVR had the names of the two final participants in the show description for the last episode! Way to give it away DirecTV! 

[Red Bridey]

I was very happy that Gina won as I think she totally bought into the premise and atmosphere of the location, while Mike just wanted the money. Period. I did feel sorry for him because his body couldn't support him as well as Gina's did, but thems the breaks. But this series was dull dull DULL, and in the end, I must have dozed through Gina gnawing on the wallaby ribs because I never saw the scene other than in the intros.

[Yeah No]

I was rooting for Gina and happy she won because she needed the luck and the money after all the poor thing has been through.  She will go down as one of my favorite "Alone" contestants ever.  Her ex is cute and they have an interesting relationship.  I look forward to the reunion episode.  I don't think we've seen one of those on the American version in a while unless they have something online that I've missed.

[iMonrey]

On 10/29/2023 at 7:51 PM, ChristmasJones said:

I was happy to see Gina won, but if she hadn't gained extra weight she wouldn't have. 

Most contestants try to put on some extra pounds before going out there so that's nothing new. I think what makes the difference is their particular metabolism and how many calories they are burning. I don't know this to be a fact but it seems like a lot of the men are probably burning more calories because they are more actively building things and hunting things right out of the gate. 

Gina was also catching way more fish than anyone else so either she had the best fishing spot or she was just better at it.

I chose her as having the best shot at this from the start based on her intro. She lives off-grid by herself in a shack with no running water or electricity. Like everyone else, she did express missing her "people" but unlike the others she didn't have a family to use as an excuse to quit. She was definitely the most used to being Alone.

[humbleopinion]

Season 2 Australia announced.

As bleak as Tasmania was visually, the South Island of NZ is not.

Epic trip hiking all over the South Island before the tiktokers invaded.

Alone UK next please.

[iMonrey]

I didn't really glean anything new from the reunion show. There wasn't much more insight from the contestants beyond what we got when they tapped out. 

I think the saddest part was Gina admitting the tragic loss of her young child shut her off from needing people which is how she was able to stay out there by herself so long. And that when her ex showed up to tell her she'd won she was sort of pissed off because she wanted to last 90 days. 

I hope next season they do a better job casting people and choosing a better location.

[Yeah No]

On 10/31/2023 at 11:40 AM, iMonrey said:

Most contestants try to put on some extra pounds before going out there so that's nothing new. I think what makes the difference is their particular metabolism and how many calories they are burning. I don't know this to be a fact but it seems like a lot of the men are probably burning more calories because they are more actively building things and hunting things right out of the gate. 

Gina was also catching way more fish than anyone else so either she had the best fishing spot or she was just better at it.

I chose her as having the best shot at this from the start based on her intro. She lives off-grid by herself in a shack with no running water or electricity. Like everyone else, she did express missing her "people" but unlike the others she didn't have a family to use as an excuse to quit. She was definitely the most used to being Alone.

I agree completely and also chose her for the win early on.  Let's not make Gina's win about her weight gain.  A lot of Alone contestants on both this and the US show gained weight and still tapped out because they couldn't cut it for other reasons, not because they were starving and underweight.

[meep.meep]

good for Gina, a deserving winner!  

The site was the problem with this show.  The nearly constant rain kept them from building decent shelters.  There really was very little game or fish.  The vegetation didn't include any fruits or berries so no high calories there.

The show is supposed to mimic a hunter/gatherer lifestyle.  In reality, a hunter/gatherer who finds nothing to eat will move on.  They have a cyclical pattern with regard to what's ready to be harvested.

They also must have been assigned really small territories.  I kept noticing distances of 5K between two contestants.  I walk that every weekend in an hour and a half and I'm old.  If two of them had walked 3K towards each other, they probably could have heard the other one yell.