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Ultimate Survival Alaska - General Discussion


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So I'm counting 5 out of 12 that have already competed in this?  This is Marty's 3rd go-round for sure, I don't remember if Dallas was in the first season or not. Does Alaska not have enough people to field a fresh team every year? Or are they all on other reality shows already?

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Based on the first two episodes, I was hitting the mute button whenever Team Lower 48 was on. I'm not very happy with the casting for this season compared to the first two.

 

I didn't like Team Lower 48 getting punked with the bear barrel, but I was glad to see the Alaskans win a leg. I'm hoping that all the emphasis this season won't be on Military vs Endurance.

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I have loved this show, but this season I feel like they are going for interpersonal drama rather than the drama of the challenges.  The lower 48 team being dominated by a rude, crass and insufferable man is so not what I want to watch.  The guy who is the kayaker is so uncomfortable with the team dynamics that it is totally painful to watch.  However, what makes me cringe even more is the young third guy on the military team.  The new guy is totally endangering the team.  And, he made it clear that he applied to the show, not that the other two guys formed their team and invited him.  So, they're climbing on ice and he decides not to use his grappons, then proceeds to slide down the side of the hill forcing his teammate to pull him up and costing the team first place.  But, not satisfied with that stupid mistake, he decides to enter a bear den even though his two experienced teammates repeatedly tell him not to go in.  Fortunately, the den was empty, however, the intense dislike/bitterness of one of his teammates was very clear.

 

I am tired of Marty who is the go  to guy for interviews, but he is seemingly a good team member.  I do like how when someone is having real trouble the competing teams will help out. It's really unfair to form a team like the lower 48 when multiple members of the other teams are not only from Alaska but have competed before.

 

Having said all of that, I will continue to watch and do enjoy the actual challenges presented by Alaska itself.

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You are absolutely correct Meisty!  I generally have liked this team.  However, the new addition this year (who applied to the show; was not chosen by the other members of the military team) will really hurt their chances due to his irresponsibility demonstrated through entered the bear den and not using his grappons when necessary.

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This team was ill conceived from the beginning.  No experience with each other and none of them have even been to Alaska before.  The producers should have taken the creation of this team more seriously instead of choosing to go for the interpersonal drama.

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They were screwed from the start. No experience with Alaska & the only team without at least one person who's been on the show before. I can't imagine that they make it to the end & frankly, if this is how they'll interact, I'll be thankful when they finally fail.

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The 3rd new guy on the military team crawling into the bear den screamed producer driven.  What person in their right mind would do that much less someone with some kind of wilderness training?  I do not think his teammates like him or want him on their team.

 

And last night's episode had two team jumping into freezing water with no dramatic voice over about getting hypothermia.  It looks as though they just got the boats and took off without having to start a fire and drying off their clothes.  Or did they skip that part.

 

And when team Alaska got the two "wobbly" boats my first thought was to tie them together and use them that way.  Imagine my surprise when after they about got killed they thought that was a good idea.  HA!

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And last night's episode had two team jumping into freezing water with no dramatic voice over about getting hypothermia.  It looks as though they just got the boats and took off without having to start a fire and drying off their clothes.  Or did they skip that part.

 

 

I heard them say that the first priority was to get everybody warm but then I think it jumped to all the other teams hunkering down for the night.

 

I'm just glad that the show has left most of the personal drama of Team 48 behind and is showing more of the challenges.  I do love watching 30 mile long tidal waves, quick sand mud patches, and idiots crossing class 5 rapids/waterfall using a rotted fallen tree...

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Sure looked like Marty dumped himself out of that boat, right in front of the camera, on purpose.  I like the scenery, will continue to watch but seeing the same contestants again and now again plus the obviously staged events is a bit tiresome.

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Stuck in the mud, tide coming in - how was the other team member able to stand next to him?  Saved by an air pump?  The mud isn't the only thing that was deep.  

 

Seacliffsal:  Grappons?  The correct word is crampons.

Edited by Yakima
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Does Alaska not have enough people to field a fresh team every year? Or are they all on other reality shows already?

Even for those of us who like the outdoors, this does not look fun. Look, we'll hike, kayak, ski plenty of places, but I have no interest in lugging a ton of equipment around to only eat rice, beans, and the occasional squirrel. Is there anyone on this show who doesn't end up in glacier water at least once? No thanks!

I don't think this scoring system can last. For a while it looked like Endurance was going to lock up the season at the very beginning. We could easily end up with a situation where the last 4 weeks don't even matter in terms of points. I think they need to switch to a system where you get more points the higher you finish.

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Sweeney gets on my last nerve. Military team was my least favorite last year and they've been surpassed by this team now. Sweeney and his negative attitude, mr "I am not moving yet" who later in the same leg complains about them being behind just annoys me to no end.

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I don't think this scoring system can last. For a while it looked like Endurance was going to lock up the season at the very beginning. We could easily end up with a situation where the last 4 weeks don't even matter in terms of points. I think they need to switch to a system where you get more points the higher you finish.

 

And that is why last season production was very obviously over involved. To keep the show going, otherwise Endurance would have won weeks before the planned end leg.

 

Sweeney and his refusing to eat the porcupine and being an ass to Cluck for a) killing the porcupine and b) helping out Team Alaska with the shoe is just too much to take.

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Goodbye, Sweeney, you miserable excuse for a human being.  Why the hell would he have agreed to go on this show if he hates people, hates anything mechanical, has a bad back, has a bad hip, refuses to be on a team, etc?  Actually, I am more pissed at the producers who knew he was a pain in the ass yet wanted the drama of a stubborn douchebag for the competition.  It was unfair to the Lower 48 team and it is the same level that every other "reality" show drops to.  The only thing missing is the abundance of alcohol.  Come on, NatGeo, you should be better than that.

 

If it weren't for the two former military guys who are my tv boyfriends, I'd stop watching.

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Goodbye, Sweeney, you miserable excuse for a human being.  Why the hell would he have agreed to go on this show if he hates people, hates anything mechanical, has a bad back, has a bad hip, refuses to be on a team, etc?  Actually, I am more pissed at the producers who knew he was a pain in the ass yet wanted the drama of a stubborn douchebag for the competition.  It was unfair to the Lower 48 team and it is the same level that every other "reality" show drops to.  The only thing missing is the abundance of alcohol.  Come on, NatGeo, you should be better than that.

 

If it weren't for the two former military guys who are my tv boyfriends, I'd stop watching.

 

I totally agree, minus the bit about the military team ;) I blame production for stooping to such ridiculous measures. I will say I am glad Sweeney didn't totally screw the team by not finishing either of the legs we saw last night but had wished he simply dropped out off camera before the 2nd one began.

 

If not for Marty and Seavey (who I wasn't a huge fan of last season) I'd quit watching right now. I swore I would give this show a short trial this season after the ridiculous over involvement of production from the middle to end of last season. If they continue down this path and it gets worse I WILL stop watching.

Edited by KarmaG
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I was going to bow out of this season if Sweeney stayed around.  I just don't enjoy that type of contestant.  I felt so sorry for his team.  Therefore, I am pleased that they won this leg without him.  It's time for them to find new people to compete.  Keep the team names/designations if they want, but I'm over Marty and some of the other multiple repeaters.

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Was happy for Lower 48. Was even happier to hear the narrator tell us about the (new but he didn't say new) scoring of the last leg of the race being worth two points. That's a huge sign to me that maybe, just maybe, production won't feel the need to interfere with their crap as much as last season.

Edited by KarmaG
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Did they keep showing the same mother bear and her cubs time and again last night? Color me suspicious.

 

I saw your comment before watching the show so I paid extra attention. The teams ran into the bears in different locations, a couple times on the river and several times on land but miles apart. Two times (at least) there were male present along with mama and cubs. But watching for them made my husband and I chuckle so thanks for the laugh :)

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Just watched last night's show and enjoyed it so much.  The scenery is almost always wonderful, but it was just awesome this time.  That mountaintop view military had was incredible and it was nice to see that they appreciated it as well.  It was the encounter that Cluck and Tasha (my favorite team now that Sweeny is gone) had with the whales that really got my attention.  Wow!! I think I would have had a heart attack!!!  What a thrill that must have been but really, really scary too.  I know that there is a camera crew following all of them around but really, with the possibility of a whale rising below you...yikes!!!  Kinda dangerous, but that's a memory they'll be sharing with their grandkids someday.  I enjoy this show in part because it's set in Alaska, and also because these folks have real skills. From what I've read in older posts the teams are in part the same people over and over...don't know that I would be interested in that if the show is around for another season.  Right now though I'm pulling for Lower 48.  :-)

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This team was ill conceived from the beginning.  No experience with each other and none of them have even been to Alaska before.  The producers should have taken the creation of this team more seriously instead of choosing to go for the interpersonal drama.

 

 

They were screwed from the start. No experience with Alaska & the only team without at least one person who's been on the show before. I can't imagine that they make it to the end & frankly, if this is how they'll interact, I'll be thankful when they finally fail.

 

Apparently Sweeny has lived, and continues to live, in Hope, Alaska. So I don't know what makes him "Team Lower 48" http://www.adn.com/article/20150208/ultimate-survival-alaska-star-james-sweeney-mixed-feelings-about-reality-tv-fame

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And that is why last season production was very obviously over involved. To keep the show going, otherwise Endurance would have won weeks before the planned end leg.

 

How could they legally do that? Wouldn't it violate the laws that were made after the Quiz Show Scandals of the 50s?

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How could they legally do that? Wouldn't it violate the laws that were made after the Quiz Show Scandals of the 50s?

 

I don't think reality shows fall under the same regulations that quiz shows etc do. 

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Apparently Sweeny has lived, and continues to live, in Hope, Alaska. So I don't know what makes him "Team Lower 48" http://www.adn.com/article/20150208/ultimate-survival-alaska-star-james-sweeney-mixed-feelings-about-reality-tv-fame

 

Thanks for the link. He's certainly not Lower 48 except perhaps by birth. Just another production move. I'd rather them called Team Random than Lower 48 but whatever. Glad he's gone. Oh and I won't be rushing out to buy his book.

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Just now watching and see a retake in action. Watch Kasha as she descends the water fall area. When she first starts out, the camera poles have absolutely nothing at the top of them (where the cameras go), in the next shot when she hits the waterfall she suddenly has cameras on top of the poles. When she gets to the bottom, again no cameras.

Edited by KarmaG
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Just now watching and see a retake in action. Watch Kasha as she descends the water fall area. When she first starts out, the camera poles have absolutely nothing at the top of them (where the cameras go), in the next shot when she hits the waterfall she suddenly has cameras on top of the poles. When she gets to the bottom, again no cameras.

 

So they made her do that twice?  Krazy Kasha!

I forgive this show everything when they show me things like filling up on water in an ice cave.

 

That was pretty, cool, and functional!

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