Alone (AUS) - General Discussion

[LennieBriscoe]

"Alone: AU" Season 2 has begun!

Episode 1 is available  on www.southhemitv.com! 

 

[Quilt Fairy]

16 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

"Alone: AU" Season 2 has begun!

Episode 1 is available  on www.southhemitv.com! 

 

Hah!  I thought you meant it had started filming, not that it was airing!

Thank God they're someplace where they can bow hunt. 

ETA: Thanks for the link. 

Edited March 29 by Quilt Fairy

[aussieinsydney]

This season is starting to look a lot like last season.

If you're going to miss your family after 5 bloody days in the wilderness, then PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, don't apply to be on this show!!

[LennieBriscoe]

I KNOW! Heaven forbid these types had to serve a 13-month tour of duty somewhere! 

[LennieBriscoe]

Last season was in Tasmania; now, New Zealand.

As for the NZ conditions: As one participant says in Episode 5, "It could be a helluva lot worse." For sure! It's not even snowy! 

 

Edited May 6 by LennieBriscoe

[LennieBriscoe]

If you can't watch Season 2 from the Australian channel,  it's just begun showing here,  right after the US "Alone." Same channel. 

[Red Bridey]

Well, at least this crew has lasted three days without anyone tapping out. The location is much better, but the weather appears to be just as wet, and that hasn't chased anyone home (yet). I find it amusing that the first one out last season has compelled his wife to enter to what, redeem the family honor? At least she seems more competent and disciplined than him. Am liking the old guy with the big grey beard. And the young military guy (sans pornstache).   

[Yeah No]

On 6/24/2024 at 9:48 AM, Red Bridey said:

Well, at least this crew has lasted three days without anyone tapping out. The location is much better, but the weather appears to be just as wet, and that hasn't chased anyone home (yet). I find it amusing that the first one out last season has compelled his wife to enter to what, redeem the family honor? At least she seems more competent and disciplined than him. Am liking the old guy with the big grey beard. And the young military guy (sans pornstache).   

Have they? I thought that guy with the chest pains was going to have to tap. He called for a medical check but I would assume he's not long for the competition. 

[Red Bridey]

Well, yeah. He's going to be a medical removal, not someone tapping out because it rained on the first night. And we haven't seen him exit...yet...so he *might* surprise us.

[Yeah No]

8 minutes ago, Red Bridey said:

Well, yeah. He's going to be a medical removal, not someone tapping out because it rained on the first night. And we haven't seen him exit...yet...so he *might* surprise us.

Yeah I had considered that it might not lead to an exit. I also wondered if it could be a panic attack by the way he was acting, and chest pain that feels as acute as a heart attack is a very common symptom of that. 

[meep.meep]

Is getting on the boat "for tests" the same as medical removal?  They never said the words to him, but maybe that was to calm him down.

This site looks so much better than Tasmania.

 

[AZChristian]

2 hours ago, meep.meep said:

Is getting on the boat "for tests" the same as medical removal?  They never said the words to him, but maybe that was to calm him down.

This site looks so much better than Tasmania.

 

If I recall, they did say they were going to take him on the boat for tests, but based on what they saw on the ECG, recommended he should have a more extensive ECG at a medical facility, and he did not disagree.

Just watched the beginning of the episode again, paying closer attention.  When the medic said they wanted to take him to the boat for an ECG, a chyron at the bottom of the screen said that because he needed that extended care, he was considered to be medically tapped at that point.

Edited June 29 by AZChristian
Added thought.

[rmontro]

On 6/29/2024 at 12:49 PM, meep.meep said:

Is getting on the boat "for tests" the same as medical removal? 

My impression was that if you call for medical help, you're automatically tapped out.  I could be wrong, but that's always been my impression.

The nice thing about the Australian version of this show is they don't have the predators like the US version.  Unless you count the sandflies.

[Yeah No]

On 7/12/2024 at 4:57 PM, rmontro said:

My impression was that if you call for medical help, you're automatically tapped out.  I could be wrong, but that's always been my impression.

The nice thing about the Australian version of this show is they don't have the predators like the US version.  Unless you count the sandflies.

Contestants have regular wellness checks on-site anyway and that doesn't mean an automatic tap out. I think It's because the check indicated the need to go to medical facility for further testing that it meant an automatic tap out.  If it was just a wellness check that didn't indicate the need for further testing off-site it would not have meant an automatic tap out.

[Red Bridey]

Well, Indigenous Wife lasted a little longer than Indigenous Husband but that's not saying much. 

These supposed survivalists sure seem to like hanging out at camp not doing anything. Their shelters are tarps, they haven't eaten food in seven (!!!) days and then wonder why they can't walk to the fishing hole to FISH. Some haven't even checked out their environs to get the lay of the land. This is bizarre.

Edited July 15 by Red Bridey

[humbleopinion]

Grateful eels are protected at this location.

The dry heaving and toe curling vomit sounds from the botanist still haunt from last season.

Mazel tov to Chace...and buh bye.

Suzan your GI tract is not well but still drinking unboiled water.

Andreas bold shirt.

Rick, nice trout.

Edited July 19 by humbleopinion

[Quilt Fairy]

On 7/14/2024 at 10:00 PM, Yeah No said:

Contestants have regular wellness checks on-site anyway and that doesn't mean an automatic tap out. I think It's because the check indicated the need to go to medical facility for further testing that it meant an automatic tap out.  If it was just a wellness check that didn't indicate the need for further testing off-site it would not have meant an automatic tap out.

I don't think these are the same thing.  Yes, they have wellness checks every week, but those are part of the show structure.  You can't just call them and say you want a wellness check and if it turns out you're OK there're no consequences. 

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I don't think these are the same thing.  Yes, they have wellness checks every week, but those are part of the show structure.  You can't just call them and say you want a wellness check and if it turns out you're OK there're no consequences. 

I don't doubt that might be true, but can you find something to substantiate that? I don't remember seeing anything on it myself.

BTW, the articles I've read about his evacuation kind-of suggested that the medical team decided to evacuate him not based on the results of his tests, which were pretty good, but because he was still so emotional and worried about the pains. I still think he was having a panic attack, which have been known to cause chest pains that to some might feel like a heart attack, which only contributes to the panic. So I understand them pulling him on that basis.

Edited July 19 by Yeah No

[rmontro]

On 7/19/2024 at 8:39 AM, Yeah No said:

I don't doubt that might be true, but can you find something to substantiate that? I don't remember seeing anything on it myself.

I feel like I remember this being said on the US version of the show, but I can't say exactly when that was.  Admittedly, my memory sometimes lets me down, so I could be wrong.  But part of the contest is being alone.  What if you call in for an extra med check every week just because you want to talk to somebody?  That's extreme, but it's interrupting the isolation requirement (outside of the necessary routine checks).

Chace's tapout is just the kind that irritates me.  "Oh, I forgot I'm having a baby, I better get back there".  They should put a ban on young or expecting parents.

[AZChristian]

7 hours ago, rmontro said:

What if you call in for an extra med check every week just because you want to talk to somebody?  That's extreme, but it's interrupting the isolation requirement (outside of the necessary routine checks).

I do recall reading during one of the earlier seasons that conversation during med checks is VERY minimal.  No talk of "How's the World Series?" or other social discussions.  The med team asks specific questions, directs the contestant to stand on the scale, etc.  There is very probably a rule that if a contestant calls for a med check or reports a concerning physical issue, they are probably likely to be tapped.  

[Yeah No]

These tap outs are certainly annoying. Only 6 left.

7 hours ago, rmontro said:

I feel like I remember this being said on the US version of the show, but I can't say exactly when that was.  Admittedly, my memory sometimes lets me down, so I could be wrong.  But part of the contest is being alone.  What if you call in for an extra med check every week just because you want to talk to somebody?  That's extreme, but it's interrupting the isolation requirement (outside of the necessary routine checks).

Chace's tapout is just the kind that irritates me.  "Oh, I forgot I'm having a baby, I better get back there".  They should put a ban on young or expecting parents.

It makes me wonder if this guy was aware of that if that's the case. If I knew I was going to be sent home for asking for a med. check I'd just tap out and ask them to bring a medical team to check me out because of the pains. Or the show should have made it clear to him and the audience that by pulling him out for tests it meant he was going home.

Chace's tap out was one of the more irritating for me too. Why is it that there are so many contestants that have big life changes or issues that just happen to happen right before they go on the show that they end up tapping out early because of? It seems like on the U.S. show it's happened more than once with babies born right before the show or something else life altering that you wouldn't want to be away from for any length of time. The show should have told him to forget it.

[Quilt Fairy]

59 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Why is it that there are so many contestants that have big life changes or issues that just happen to happen right before they go on the show that they end up tapping out early because of?

Have you seen Race to Survive: New Zealand?  There is a team on there that was married when they applied for the show, but filed for divorce and had it finalized a week before they were selected to be on the show.  

[rmontro]

12 hours ago, Yeah No said:

If I knew I was going to be sent home for asking for a med. check I'd just tap out and ask them to bring a medical team to check me out because of the pains. Or the show should have made it clear to him and the audience that by pulling him out for tests it meant he was going home.

Well, in the case of the guy who was having chest pains, he wanted to have that issue checked out ASAP.  It wouldn't make sense for him to say I'm tapping out, and then when they get there tell them "Hey, can you check and see if I'm having a heart attack?".

As for the contestants having babies, I respect the players who actually stay in the competition because they're having children, because they know how much the money will help.  At least that shows they've thought out the process.

[Yeah No]

On 7/21/2024 at 1:36 PM, rmontro said:

Well, in the case of the guy who was having chest pains, he wanted to have that issue checked out ASAP.  It wouldn't make sense for him to say I'm tapping out, and then when they get there tell them "Hey, can you check and see if I'm having a heart attack?".

How about the guy this week that waited until he got the OK to continue after his medical check but then tapped out? He said he wanted to go home in one piece. OK, I respect that but I feel like it was a little disingenuous. Why not just say, "I didn't have any protein for two weeks and couldn't cut it out here, so I'm going home". I feel like they often give BS reasons on this show and that includes the U.S. version.

These people are dropping like flies. Any one of them could go home next. That guy with the splitting shoes - I feel sorry for him that he couldn't afford to buy new shoes but their condition couldn't have been that much better before the show. He should have noticed that. At least bring a pair of rubber rain boots to use as an alternate. In the preview for next week he was talking about frostbite. Already? Even with a split shoe that's a little hard to believe at this point.

[CoyoteBlue]

"I'm going out a predator instead of waiting until I become prey!"

Yeah, turning tail when the going gets tough doesn't make you a "predator", darlin'. I get not wanting to ruin your health for these survival shows, but damn if your situation is that perilous, don't risk it on a reality show in the first place. I can't imagine they'd even get more than a stipend per episode, if that, so you have to realize you're only getting that "family saving" money if you can take the worst.

[Red Bridey]

9 hours ago, CoyoteBlue said:

"I'm going out a predator instead of waiting until I become prey!"

Yeah, turning tail when the going gets tough doesn't make you a "predator", darlin'

Where are the predators that turn these guys into prey? Are red deer and pandemelons or possums man-eaters? So far the only killers I've seen are sand flies. I don't think any of these contestants have even tried to fish or hunt or trap. They sit under the tarp in the rain. 

I have watched this past hour *three* times and have fallen asleep twice, realizing each time I don't remember what happened. And it looks like lots of tears and tapping out next week! Oh joy 😒

[rmontro]

14 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

I have watched this past hour *three* times and have fallen asleep twice, realizing each time I don't remember what happened. 

Ha, I have a terrible habit of doing that.  I'll fall asleep and rewind it to where I left off, only to fall asleep in exactly the same spot, and I might repeat that like 10 times in a row.  Rewinding the same five minutes over and over.

[Yeah No]

36 minutes ago, rmontro said:

Ha, I have a terrible habit of doing that.  I'll fall asleep and rewind it to where I left off, only to fall asleep in exactly the same spot, and I might repeat that like 10 times in a row.  Rewinding the same five minutes over and over.

I thought I was the only person that did that!

[Red Bridey]

I mean, thank heavens for DVRs so that we can rewatch multiple times (doesn't say much for the excitement level of the shows that literally put us to sleep).

[CoyoteBlue]

Krysztof had me scratching my head with his whole fiber arts effort. WTF was that wheel? All you need to spin is a drop spindle, and that's a stick weighted on one end, essentially. You don't use the fiber to spin the wheel, you spin the wheel/spindle to twist the fibers. I mean, it was making something, so... Over-engineer away, little neurodivergent dude.

Also, the idea of creating a crochet hook to knit w beanie? 1) a twine beanie seems horrible 2) quite obviously, you don't use a crochet hook to knit. Not to say he couldn't crochet himself a hammock with twine!  or more gillnets for fishing.

Man, poor Tamika menstruating for 30 days out there. I missed why that fishing spot was her Holy Grail - but she got a trout! Good for her and good on her for sticking with it.

[rmontro]

On 8/2/2024 at 3:26 AM, CoyoteBlue said:

Man, poor Tamika menstruating for 30 days out there. I missed why that fishing spot was her Holy Grail - but she got a trout! Good for her and good on her for sticking with it.

Was it because that outcrop of land was sticking out furthest into the water?  I'm not sure either, I'm no fisherman.  But I did hear her say something along those lines.

Anyway, I was expecting her to tap out, and I was supporting her decision.  She wasn't going to hunt and she wasn't catching any fish.  She wasn't doing anything out there, she wasn't going to win, so why stay?  Good for her for finally getting a trout, but I don't see her staying out there long enough to win.  You never know with the Australian version though, people seem to drop out unpredictably.

[Yeah No]

Tamika is 51 so I wonder how much what she's going through is related to perimenopause. When I was her age it was not uncommon for me to bleed longer than usual or not bleed at all.  But one whole month, ouch! I'm sure the stress of what she's going through has a lot to do with that. She is showing signs of brain fog. A nice trout is what my grandmother would have called "brain food" so hopefully it will do her a world of good. I hope she can repeat that. I may not have paid enough attention but I'm not sure why some of these people continue to fish in the same area when they're not catching anything for weeks on end. I've seen people on these shows change fishing locations and suddenly start catching fish. Not every location is good for fishing.

[Quilt Fairy]

On 7/26/2024 at 10:35 PM, Yeah No said:

That guy with the splitting shoes - I feel sorry for him that he couldn't afford to buy new shoes but their condition couldn't have been that much better before the show. He should have noticed that. At least bring a pair of rubber rain boots to use as an alternate. In the preview for next week he was talking about frostbite. Already? Even with a split shoe that's a little hard to believe at this point.

This comment is a little late, but he does appear to have a pair of rubber boots as a backup, probably for fishing.  Still, you wouldn't want to live in them all day every day.  I felt bad because he said he had his regular boots repaired before he went on the show.  I'd be sure to go back and get a refund from the cobbler!

[Red Bridey]

I was so over Tamika this episode. I don't know how you expect to thrive when you don't hunt and you don't consider looking around for a better fishing spot and you didn't feel well coming into the competition and you're a freakin' vegetarian or pescaterian.

It doesn't appear that there are any predators that are actively trying to kill you or steal your food.

Why are these competitors having such a hard time finding bait? It seems like a wet and insect-dense environment. There must be worms and grubs and bugs and creepy crawlies abounding. Can't they lift a rock and find a host of bugs clamoring to hide?

Only Andreas seems happy in his environment. And how cute was that possum?

[Yeah No]

On 8/2/2024 at 3:26 AM, CoyoteBlue said:

Krysztof had me scratching my head with his whole fiber arts effort. WTF was that wheel? All you need to spin is a drop spindle, and that's a stick weighted on one end, essentially. You don't use the fiber to spin the wheel, you spin the wheel/spindle to twist the fibers. I mean, it was making something, so... Over-engineer away, little neurodivergent dude.

I had to rewind to catch what BS he was spinning about being told he was "neurodivergent". He really thinks because of that he's destined to be another Mozart or DaVinci not to mention how he seems to think he's better than everyone else too. I don't care what he is, he is delusional and really needs to get over himself.

Edited August 5 by Yeah No

[CoyoteBlue]

It's interesting the range of shelters, from "barely an umbrella" to "small log cabin". I will be amazed if Rick's 'tarp shade' survives.

[Red Bridey]

It boggles my mind that some of these people haven't eaten protein in 20 days or more. The vegan/vegetarian woman could have been catching and eating fish for the past month if she had gotten off her ass and tried to catch them. Clearly she found the sweet spot. Why a vegetarian tried out for AND WAS CHOSEN for this show is inexplicable.

Rick is really fixated on hypothermia, isn't he? I live in Vermont where it sometimes get really cold (not so much now with climate change ☹️) and let me tell you, if you keep moving, and get the blood moving, you're not gonna freeze to death. Frostbite also requires real cold, not the above Celsius temps they've been showing. I don't know, maybe Rick has pre-existing circulatory problems. But he does come across as a drama queen to me.

There's an Andreas?

I like that Kristof is always thinking and keeping busy, though he appears barely competent at keeping himself fed.

There's a Suzan?

[Quilt Fairy]

35 minutes ago, Red Bridey said:

There's an Andreas?

Andreas is the one with the interesting Swedish-Australian accent.  

[rmontro]

The main thing I took from this episode is how they were talking about tapping out if the storm got too bad.  I was wondering if they could even get out there to pick them up in this kind of rough weather?  They might have to ride it out anyway.  

Rick's shelter does not look adequate.  I get not wanting to impact the environment, but he should have more cover than that.

I'm maybe a little confused here - are there TWO women out there who are vegetarian?  Or just one?

[Red Bridey]

11 hours ago, rmontro said:

I'm maybe a little confused here - are there TWO women out there who are vegetarian?  Or just one?

You know, I am not sure. I get them confused. Wasn't it Tamika that was crying that she was going to tap because she was veggie and couldn't kill anything but finally managed to catch a fish? And is Suzan the one who badly missed her husband? And she couldn't catch or kill anything either. 🤷🏼

[rmontro]

10 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

You know, I am not sure. I get them confused. Wasn't it Tamika that was crying that she was going to tap because she was veggie and couldn't kill anything but finally managed to catch a fish? And is Suzan the one who badly missed her husband? And she couldn't catch or kill anything either.

I was thinking they are both vegetarians, but I'm not sure either.  A lot of times they're bundled up with a hat on so sometimes you can't see their face clearly, which causes more confusion.  I would Google it, but I don't want to be spoiled as to the winner.  IIRC these Australian episodes were previously shown in Australia, and are just now being shown in the US.

[CoyoteBlue]

Well, that's... done.

[rmontro]

I'll say this for Tamika:  She lasted about two weeks longer than when I was telling her she was done and she might as well tap.  I was glad she didn't kill a goose, but I'm not sure why someone who doesn't want to hunt would go on this show.

I was starting to think Suzan was going to win, but I guess it's best not to bet against the introvert.  I wonder why women seem to make much better foragers than men do?  Women seem generally less interested in meat than men anyway, from my observations.  That may have something to do with it.

I wonder why they all say "I am officially tapping out"?  Is that somehow different than unofficially tapping out?  Or "Come get me, I quit"?  I suppose they're trying to create a catchphrase like "The tribe has spoken".  Congratulations to Krzysztof.

[Quilt Fairy]

13 hours ago, rmontro said:

I wonder why they all say "I am officially tapping out"?

I assume that's contractual.

[rmontro]

3 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I assume that's contractual.

Yeah, it has to be.  I just think it's a little silly.

[CoyoteBlue]

Yeah, but I imagine they could make a case for being off their head a bit by the time they tap out and argue they didn't mean it / were hallucinating / has a little breakdown but didn't mean it. By making it a specific phrase and and the players knowing that makes it official, the show can avoid dispute.

[Yeah No]

So it wasn't just me that didn't even know there was a Suzn or an Andreas until late in the game. I can't keep track of which women are and aren't vegetarians or vegans either. How do they pick people that aren't willing to hunt for the show? I think Tamika might have sold herself to the show about being up for that and her on camera waffling and struggle with it was to make her stated intentions look credible. I don't think she ever had any intention of hunting and eating a goose or any animal.

I don't understand all these people surviving so many days without protein, but obviously it hasn't been as cold and unforgiving as the climate in the US version of the show. Also this season was relatively short considering the environment.

Was their strategy to out-starve the other one from the get go? Some of these people are supposed to be "survival experts" and even the meat eaters couldn't even hunt or fish? Boy, this show really doesn't come up to the standard of the US version. It's especially striking when watching both shows concurrently.

Krystoff may be a bit of a kook about his "neurodivergence" but I can't argue with his philosophy. I probably would have felt the same way out there and pushed on like he did. I like that they showed him later recovering and Erin coming to meet him. That was special and for us, a bit unexpected.

 

[Yeah No]

On 8/25/2024 at 12:43 AM, rmontro said:

I wonder why women seem to make much better foragers than men do?  Women seem generally less interested in meat than men anyway, from my observations.  That may have something to do with it.

I don't know, there are many theories about why women generally tend to prefer meat less than men but nothing conclusive. Some of them have to do with women having more health concerns over it, but some of it may just be based on natural preferences. Even as I say that I am decidedly NOT one of those women that is less interested in meat than the average man. And for me I am sure that tendency is natural and not based on any cultural or dietary influences. When I go without animal protein for any length of time I really feel it. I have at times in my life suffered from iron deficiency anemia so some of my meat cravings may be related to that. But I always was that way even before those health issues. Just give me a hamburger or a steak and I'm all set, LOL. When I was a little kid my mother nicknamed me "Wimpy" based on the long ago hamburger eating cartoon character because of my love of burgers. In my later life I have had to curtail my intake of all kinds of meat for dietary reasons but that has nothing to do with my preference.

Edited August 26 by Yeah No

[rmontro]

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Was their strategy to out-starve the other one from the get go? Some of these people are supposed to be "survival experts" and even the meat eaters couldn't even hunt or fish?

The one thing that keeps puzzling me about this show is why is the fishing so difficult where they are?  You would think New Zealand would have fish in abundance.

[meep.meep]

Based on watching the reunion show, poor fishing may have come down to the preponderance of eels in the places they were.  They couldn't eat the eels and would spend lots of time fishing and catching nothing but eels.

But comparing it to the N. American Alone - this should have been a walk in the park.  No apex predators to fight off, there actually were lots of deer, and very few scavenging predators to steal what you managed to catch/kill.  Apparently there were enough plants for a vegan to come in second place.