All Episodes Talk: Robinson Crusoe's Guide To Island Survival Not Included

[riverheightsnancy]

Not only that, but everyone, including Bear Grylls, bent over backwards to pat him on the back and congratulate his priorities and wise decision. What utter bullshit. They've already been there 10 days, what difference is another two weeks going to make?

 

Quitters shouldn't be congratulated and patted on the back. He knew he had a kid when he signed up for this show. How convenient he had this sudden epiphany about the importance of fatherhood after 10 days of discomfort and starvation.

Yes, you make a good point. I think that because Earnest was so nice and never caused problems (after all, he started the first fire with his glasses and has been helpful in controlling some of the freakouts by others), they did not want to diss on him for quitting. Although, you are correct and the escaped convicts from the NY prison have currently outlasted these guys on a beautiful tropical Island. Is there no prize or anything for how long they last? Is that why these guys are dropping like flies?

[saber5055]

A good question has been raised here: Do these guys get anything for being on this show? Like weekly pay? Or a prize at the end? Or is it all about "self-discovery" and "thank you very much, see ya, don't wanna be ya" at the end?

 

Ernest's reason for leaving was so bogus. So he was in the army ... did he have a kid then? And what is his real job? He said he WAS in the army and is now in the "business world." He's gone longer than 10 days if he served in the military.

 

And his time on the island was spent thinking how he could be a better dad. That GREAT. So tough it out and show your kid you are not a quitter, then go home and be that best dad ever. As it happened ... not so much. You're teaching kids to be a whiner, then to give up when the going gets hard. Would he have gone home if he were staying at a Hilton in Hawaii, with room service?

 

I do give credit to Trey for letting his "story" be filmed given that Jim was all cry baby about being filmed while he laid around doing nothing. What a whiney-butt Jim is. Then his comment about Hippies and "kumbaya?"  Please. I guess he misses his pornography.

 

That pig was a young one and a plant. Wild hogs grow big tusks that grow upward from their bottom jaws, on the outside of their muzzles. Baby pigs have those tusks snipped off when they are born, plus tails are also cropped when they are little or else the other pigs in the group will eat the tails off, plus they get big "poop" and mud deposits on the tails. So yeah, that pig was domesticated.

 

Thank goodness for the camera guys, what remarkable men they are. And especially Benji ... he can hang out at my house any day of the week. He's a prize.

[iMonrey]

 

So he was in the army ... did he have a kid then? And what is his real job? He said he WAS in the army and is now in the "business world."

 

According to his bio on NBC he sells women's shoes. I don't know if he had kids when he was in the army but I'm betting not. He doesn't look like he's in good enough shape to be on active duty now. And even if he did have kids during his tour of duty, even in the army you have a bed to sleep on and regular food to eat. Plus you don't get the option of saying "Screw you guys, I'm going home."

 

Yeah, the pig thing was hard to watch, and there's no way pigs are native to that island. Crabs maybe, but pigs? Not so much. Just more of your typical Bear Grylls fakery.

Edited June 23, 2015 by iMonrey

[meep.meep]

 

On topic - these guys would be toast without the Doc.  The only truly competent people seem to be the camera guys.  I want to see a show about them!

 

I've had the same thought.  Then it occurred to me that they are the only ones with defined jobs.  Maybe that helps keep them from some of the aimless wondering and soul searching that the others are going through.  They are surviving, but they also have things they have to do.

[riverheightsnancy]

I do give credit to Trey for letting his "story" be filmed given that Jim was all cry baby about being filmed while he laid around doing nothing. What a whiney-butt Jim is. Then his comment about Hippies and "kumbaya?"  Please. I guess he misses his pornography.

 

That pig was a young one and a plant. Wild hogs grow big tusks that grow upward from their bottom jaws, on the outside of their muzzles. Baby pigs have those tusks snipped off when they are born, plus tails are also cropped when they are little or else the other pigs in the group will eat the tails off, plus they get big "poop" and mud deposits on the tails. So yeah, that pig was domesticated.

 

Thank goodness for the camera guys, what remarkable men they are. And especially Benji ... he can hang out at my house any day of the week. He's a prize.

Now see, if it had been a wild hog, I would have been way less upset about it. If it looked dangerous and they really had to work to get it, then I would not feel so bad about it. Basically, this was a one shot deal and they "caught" it.  Even on Survivor, sometimes they end up chasing around a chicken for days and still can't get it. That type of scenario always leads to excellent and hilarious video footage as well.  Based on what others have said about Jim, he obviously likes to hide behind something and watch others (I guess porn could be viewed the same way to a lesser extent). He is getting weirder as time goes on. I have to wonder if the camera guys are also cognizant of the fact that if they come off badly it could impact their ability to get jobs? Still lurve Benji though! Those eyes and cute smile. He is a doll. 

[saber5055]

Now see, if it had been a wild hog, I would have been way less upset about it. If it looked dangerous and they really had to work to get it, then I would not feel so bad about it. Basically, this was a one shot deal and they "caught" it.

 

 

Yes to this. I am trying not to think too much about it. But if the pig had been truly wild, it would have been gone like the wind as soon as it heard/saw/smelled one of those guys. Instead, it was hunkered down having a snooze in the sun. And easy to catch a pig? No way. Almost impossible, in fact. They would have had to track it and set traps and snares and then MAYBE catch it. But a domesticated young pig raised around humans? Well, then you get what we saw last night.

 

I'm wishing for Jim to eat more crab shells.

Edited June 23, 2015 by saber5055

[walnutqueen]

I give full props to the camera guys.  I've watched enough "behind the scenes" stuff about National Geographic, Deadliest Catch, Life Below Zero, and dozens of other survival and wildlife shows to know they do everything their subjects do, only toting a bunch of heavy camera equipment.  These are the people I'm interested in.

 

Bear Grylls can go suck a big brown bear.

[Turtle]

From the first episode I thought Benji said he'd spent a lot of time working on other extreme reality type shows, and I think ten other camera guys did too, and I'm guessing that at least the cameramen had some additional training. Which is good, given how clueless so many of these guys are.

I'm fine with Ernest's reason for leaving. His son is only three and it seemed Ernest hadn't realized how hard it would be to be away from him. These guys seem to be doing this for the experience (and a stipend) rather than a competition and huge prize, and if the experience taught him that he wanted and needed to be home and to spend more time with his family, I can't fault that. Given his story about his and his wife's families not showing for a baby's funeral, I understand why he was really feeling that he needed to be home. Is it the choice I would've made? Probably not. But I can understand him not realizing how strong that desire was until he'd be gone for a bit. But it's a shame, because I liked him and it seemed the other guys did too.

You could not pay me enough to have a colon full of coconut husks and crab shells. No way no how.

[cooksdelight]

Who, in their right mind, eats crab shells and coconut husks? Who, tell me? Common sense tells people that what goes in must come out, right?

These men are idiots.

[ProfCrash]

If Jim Is to be believed, Earnest served in Iraq. That would not be cushy. There may have been food but an infantryman would have been patrolling in a hostile area worrying about IEDs. Earnest said that his son asked as he was leaving why Daddy was gone.

He is uncomfortable, hungry, and not in a good place and he misses his kid. He said he had never read a book to his kid and he knows he needs to do those things.

They are all out there for different reasons and they are leaving for different reasons. More power to him.

That pig was such a plant. Totally planted. It was, we don't want these folks to lay around and do nothing so send in the pig.

[cooksdelight]

The pig situation still makes me mad. He was just lying there, looking happy. He had no worries. Had no idea why he was out there.

[riverheightsnancy]

They are all out there for different reasons and they are leaving for different reasons. More power to him.

 Yeah, Jim's objective is to hide behind a bamboo screen. Maybe he is in the reality TV witness protection program? 

[nottopbravo]

 

Do these guys get anything for being on this show?

 

I thought Bear said the last man standing will get a half a million dollars, or  am I confusing this with another show?

[ProfCrash]

You are thinking of Alone.

[nottopbravo]

You are thinking of Alone.

 

You are correct.  I guess there are too many survival shows on at the moment.

[bioprof]

Why didn,t these guys boil the crabs in the pot....they then could have had the crabs (with softer shells,thank you) and also had the broth to boot as a supplement (with the dissolved electrolytes and minerals as a bonus).

Can this show get any more depressing???

[cooksdelight]

Yeah, Jim's objective is to hide behind a bamboo screen. Maybe he is in the reality TV witness protection program?

Or hiding from his wife. LOL

[Fostersmom]

I still think we are going to see one of them literally die. 

[LittleIggy]

#quitter

Geeze, why did Earnest go on the show to start with? I agree with those who say he shouldn't be congratulated for wimping out and leaving.

I also agree that the pig must have been drugged. I didn't watch the "hunt."

Poor Jud, his Ed Grimsley hairstyle is falling, I must say! :-)

[LittleIggy]

Why didn,t these guys boil the crabs in the pot....they then could have had the crabs (with softer shells,thank you) and also had the broth to boot as a supplement (with the dissolved electrolytes and minerals as a bonus).

Can this show get any more depressing???

I was wondering why they didn't boil the crabs either. I don't cook but I do know you boil crabs. These guys are so incompetent.

[riverheightsnancy]

I still think we are going to see one of them literally die. 

Not on this show, but maybe on "Alone". That show is much more intense with real predators. Not drugged piggies! 

[walnutqueen]

Not on this show, but maybe on "Alone". That show is much more intense with real predators. Not drugged piggies! 

 

And yet, on that REAL show,  a guy tapped out in the first 12 hours, not the first 12 days.  Bear's gotta deliver his fake goods, eh!  :-)

[MsTree]

Whether the pig was contrived or not, let's face it...without a decent source of protein (and enough of it), they're all going to start dropping like flies from malnutrition. Who wants to see that?!?

[Fostersmom]

Or a decent source of water. Seriously, it seems they have to hike almost a day to drag just a bit back. Who scouted this island? Maybe Bear forgot these guys would actually have to stay there and not leave each night and head to a hotel like he did on his turned out to be fake show. 

[cooksdelight]

Whether the pig was contrived or not, let's face it...without a decent source of protein (and enough of it), they're all going to start dropping like flies from malnutrition. Who wants to see that?!?

Since it's apparent that they are being supplied with things they need, just drop a big bag of Taco Bell out there for them.

[Whimsy]

Since it's apparent that they are being supplied with things they need, just drop a big bag of Taco Bell out there for them.

Yeah, but who will believe it when they say the ocean just washed up a (dry) bag ofTaco Bell?

I agree the guys needed protein and food. I just thought that pig looked so cute and peaceful that it made me sad.

[cooksdelight]

OK, OK, how about a beat-up cooler full of food, that apparently fell off a boat and washed ashore? :)

[riverheightsnancy]

Or a decent source of water. Seriously, it seems they have to hike almost a day to drag just a bit back. Who scouted this island? Maybe Bear forgot these guys would actually have to stay there and not leave each night and head to a hotel like he did on his turned out to be fake show. 

Maybe, there are better camp locations and these guys haven't found them yet or are too lazy to move camp? You saw the fight it caused just to move a little bit. 

I don't know anything about Bear. What did he do and what show was it? Why is he considered an expert if he is faking?

[ProfCrash]

Bear had a Survival show that claimed that he was out in a Survival situation for a set period of time, I want to say 7 days, with a camera crew. He used to do all sorts of advanced stuff that he learned in the British Special Forces, essentially stuff that you should not try unless you are properly trained because you will seriously hurt yourself if you try and replicate what he did. His survival tips were pretty dangerous. I watched mainly because there was a high probability that he would find an excuse to get naked and do push ups. He was cashing in on the success that Les Stroud had with Survivorman with a flashy product.

 

It turned out that Bear was actually staying at hotels and being feed the entire time he was shooting. So the ridiculous survivor strategies were dangerous and he really wasn't out there Surviving for himself for 7 days. I was not surprised when this came to light because he never had the tired, lethargic look that Les got on his show.

 

Survivorman, Les Stroud's show which still airs re-runs and the occasional new venture, was the real deal. Les went out alone and did all of his own filming. What you saw is what you got. He was normally in remote enough places, dropped off by a boat or helicopter or plane or something. There were no hotels near by. It was not as flashy, he didn't go jumping off cliffs or scaling silly walls or anything that would leave you seriously injured. The production value was good but not great because it was one man carrying his own equipment.

 

Both man have some serious survival cred, I would be happily lost with either one of them. Les put together a show that showed you how to do things that could help you Survive, Bear showed you how to do risky stuff that would decrease your chances of survival while sleeping at a hotel. So Bear being involved with a show that has tame pigs showing up on day 10 is not a real surprise. If Les was involved with the show he would have found an island were there was a good chance for survival without assistance but where it would still be a challenge for the guys.

 

Bear has one series that I loved when I saw it. It took a bunch of men and put them through the training paces for a French Legionnaire. He admitted that the men where not getting the full training that the regular troop would but it was insanely harsh and people were dropping like flies. Hell, Bear struggled and the dude has been through Special Forces training. But he seems to prefer to aim for stunts like flying over Everest.

 

His Wiki page

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Grylls

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7304617.stm

 

Info on the UK Island with plants and bogus stuff

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/16/bear-grylls-the-island-fake-show-new_n_5335879.html

[iMonrey]

Bear also has a show where he takes celebrities out into the wilderness for a couple of days and that's totally fake too. I'm blanking on the name right now but it's coming back this summer. They might not go to hotels overnight but the whole thing seems fairly lame and they're only out there for two days.

[ProfCrash]

Essentially, Bear is good at marketing himself as a survivalist and extreme adventurer so he makes a ton of money. Les Stroud is a Survivalist who makes less money then Bear.

[riverheightsnancy]

Interesting, thanks for all that info ProfCrash & iMonrey. I will have to look for Suvivorman if I see it on sometime. I only like these shows in a limited way, so I don't really watch Naked & Afraid and stuff like that. What show is the one with the survival guy who goes around barefoot regardless of weather? He seems like a nut. That isn't Les Stroud right?  Bear also had a show last year or the year before where he had competing teams of like 3 that had to get to a point on an island to win right? I watched it and cannot remember the name or what even happened at the end of the show. 

[ProfCrash]

Nope, not Les.

 

Surviovorman is a different beast. Totally different show. Well worth a watch. It is on pretty frequently but on channels like Discovery and not the main stream channels. If you have a DVR you could do a show search and find it easy. I think episodes are available online as well.

[iMonrey]

 

I'm fine with Ernest's reason for leaving. His son is only three and it seemed Ernest hadn't realized how hard it would be to be away from him.

 

The problem is I'm not convinced that was his actual reason for leaving. I think he just talked himself into believing it was. Tellingly, he made a point of saying he wasn't quitting because it was too hard, but I think that was the real motivation for leaving. The Importance Of Being A Father didn't wash for me. He knew he was a father when he signed up for this show and if he didn't realize it was more important to spend time with his kids than to go on a reality show for a month until he got on that reality show and realized it was hard work and grueling, I'm not impressed with his epiphany. We're talking two more weeks here. And as it's been pointed out previously, what happens when his kids go to school and the other kids go "Oh yeah, your dad is the one that quit." Didn't leave because of injury, just up and left because he decided he didn't want to do it anymore, for whatever reason. Not a good look on him no matter how hard the others tried to make it look noble.

[saber5055]

I agree with iMonrey. Earnest leaving for a son who is what, three or four or something? doesn't wash for me, but it's an excuse that if you question it, YOU are the bad one. How dare anyone question a dad doing something FOR THE CHILDREN! He was homesick and just sick of being on that island so cashed out the easy way instead of seriously injuring himself like the other two. Telling the funeral story was sad, yeah, but what did that have to do with anything? Lots of people have sad backstories, we see them all the time on reality competition shows. Ernest was just feeling sorry for himself and wanted to go home, boo hoo.

 

It's interesting the show chose to display his occupation as Army Veteran instead of Shoe Salesman.

 

I'd think the stay-at-home dad would be the one to be missing his kids. Although maybe he's just glad to get away for a while!

 

I'd say that pig was not drugged or it wouldn't have been safe for people to eat. Even giving antibiotics or dewormers to livestock, it says on the packages not to use on animals intended for food. I'm saying that was some kid's 4-H pig that was tame and used to being around people, therefore, easy to catch.

 

I remember on some Bear show he said one could drink their own urine to combat dehydration until water was found, or if water is never found. It's sterile and safe to drink. I wonder why these guys didn't know that, given as Bear obviously gave them "survival" tips.

 

I still want to know why camp isn't closer to the water source. Why not camp in the woods? Why on the beach? Mosquitos? Bugs? They don't go onto the sand? (Hello, sand fleas!)

 

Got a big laugh out of the Ed Grimley/Jud hair comparison, I must say. Thanks!

[meep.meep]

The pig situation still makes me mad. He was just lying there, looking happy. He had no worries. Had no idea why he was out there.

 

Honestly, most pigs get eaten.  If they hadn't eaten him, someone else would have done so later.  It's their piggish destiny.  And, it's an introduced species so when he wasn't just lying there, he was screwing around with the ecology of the place.  What about the fish?  Nobody cares about that cute little fish that they ate.  Or the crabs?  They all had moms and dads and places to go.

 

The reason they didn't boil the crabs is that the only pot they have is the big water jerry can.  It would be really hard to fit the crabs in the narrow opening and nearly impossible to get them out of there once they were cooked.  Roasting them over the fire is perfectly acceptable.

[suzeecat]

I guess I can understand production for planting a docile pig for them to catch.  If not, the show's run would have ended a lot sooner than planned.  I was soooo sorry to see Earnest go, I really liked him and just didn't grasp the whole "missing my son" explanation.  Something about his reason for leaving just doesn't add up.  But, whatever.  This show is actually getting a bit boring for me.  I may just read here to catch up on what, if anything, is happening. 

[cooksdelight]

I'm going to go out on a limb (literally) and pick Jim as the next one to crack up. He's already hiding from the rest of them.

[riverheightsnancy]

What do you want to bet that the camera guys all make it to the end? (baring any legit injury?) 

[Whimsy]

What do you want to bet that the camera guys all make it to the end? (baring any legit injury?) 

The camera guys are the only ones I even kind of like so I'm ok with that.

[rainsmom]

I agree about the camera guys. They have a bit of an advantage, though. They're in GREAT shape -- have to be to do their job -- and according to their bios, they've filmed in a lot of tough conditions before. Sure, they were FED on the other shows, but conditions would still have been rustic, and the filming conditions would have been awful. But they persisted.

 

So, yeah, they're not likely to tap out.

[mlp]

What determines the end of this show?  I'm picturing an amusing situation in which the only men left are the camera guys and they're running around filming each other.

[suzeecat]

They said at the outset that the duration was 30 days, so they are about half-way now.  I wonder if there will be a reunion show.

[ProfCrash]

the camera dudes and Buck, the Doctor, will be the ones to make it to the end.

 

The cameramen have all worked in hard core situations that have pushed their limits. They know that they are going to get what they need to survive and that no one is in any real danger. There are plenty of checks in place to limit the possibility that someone gets really hurt. They can't stop bad falls but they probably know the tricks to make sure that the folks can make it 30 days, and more likely that they thrive by the end of the 30 days.

 

The know that watering holes are enlarged and have a rubber lining put in and covered to make sure that there is water. (Happened on the UK show). They know that animals will show up for food when people becomes to lethargic (alligators suddenly appeared in the first season in the UK). They know that the Producers need people to be doing stuff and that they will find a way to help the men.

 

I don't even have a problem with that. They put a pig on the island but the guys had to catch it and butcher it and cook it. They put a net on the island and the men still have not caught fish. I do wish that they owned up to it. Bear could say that the food situation had gotten bad enough that Production put something on the island for the men to find. Heck, explain that wild pigs are found all over the world and that it would not be that unusual for there to be pigs on the island. Don't treat the audience like they are idiots.

 

Buck is pretty level headed and I think knows that they are fine.

 

The others seem like good people but I can see them bailing because they are hungry or bored with the experience. I am not that worried about it, it is not like they are giving up a prize or took a spot away from someone who would play harder.

[FishyJoe]

Yeah that pig was definitely a plant. There is no way you would want to wrangle a feral pig with your bare hands. 

 

The US men seem considerable weaker than their UK counterparts. A lot less camaraderie as well.

 

At least we didn't have to witness an enema again, although that guy sure seemed like he needed one.

[Vicky8675309]

I haven't finished reading the comments (I'm near the top of page 3) so I apologize if this all has already been said:

Benji is mine! j/k, lol

Ernest is a quitter and teaching his kids (when they watch this) that it is ok to quit and just bring up painful shit from your past and it will be ok. Hey kid, why not use your dad abandoning you for 2 weeks when you were 3 or 5 or 9 years old. Very sad about the funeral but I call bullshit on his reasons for leaving. His family (not wife and kids) and friends SUCK and he needs to cut all ties since they didn't go to the baby funeral (unless they were hospitalized or had a valid reason). That is heartbreaking…seriously heartbreaking but he still is a quitter. I do hope that it wasn't just an excuse and that he really applies this sudden insight but it will likely be like defensive driving where you pay attention for a few weeks then fall back into bad habits (or is that just me)

I like Doc but he should of told Trey (sp?) to walk around. Lying down and not moving will NOT get the gut stimulated and can worsen constipation. Bark? Did he say there was bark in his feces? WTF was he doing eating bark? It sounds like he became obstructed and needed manual disimpaction. I wonder he his anus tore by straining or during disimpaction (did he try using a stick to get it out and that is how the bark ended up in the poo?). Poor Doc, he is a surgeon and not an internist

The pig was put there by producers (Bear).

Slight spoilers from the UK version: UK women are tougher than USA men; 3 baby pig so tame the woman treat them like pets (bad idea) so obviously a plant from producers. No momma or papa pig much less a pack of pigs. Baby pigs are adorable. The UK version is harsher and shows some of the kills…seriously upsetting but they were humane as possible and showed how some of the women (especially one) was upset.

One found a CAN OF BEANS! No joke and they ate it. Like anyone would eat a can of beans from the trash washed up in the ocean….I can't remember if the can was dented (botulism) because I wondered how they opened the can (can opener). It would have been funny if it wasn't a pull top can and they couldn't open it. It was a total plant by production. One found a soda in the trash (I think Dr. Pepper or Orange Crush) and drank it.

The UK version had some follow up at the end of the last episode. One guy who was injured was there. I think they do follow ups of injuries.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Vicky8675309

[cooksdelight]

It's 110° in the sun. Is the ocean boiling, on fire? Why not spend some time out there fishing, staying cool in the water? When I saw all those birds on the water, fishing for food... I wondered why these guys aren't out there doing the same. Oh...wait....because they are spending all their time building a pulley window.

Dakota has been hanging out with Jim too much, if he doesn't understand why having a comfortable place to live and sleep is a good idea. Or he thinks it's merely an attempt to be on TV. You're there, on TV, aren't you? And Jim, if you're so much smarter than everyone else, why the hell did you open that can with the valve facing you? Even I know to get behind something like that. And you always tell the truth? Right... standing in front of Murphy Police Dept. cars, where you never worked.

Someone responsible with the crew should have told those guys not to eat crab shells, because now Trey's really hurt. Or does the crew care what happens to these people? Maybe they secretly wish for someone to need part of their colon removed. Every time I saw Trey sitting on the green bucket, I thought the worst. Sorry to see him go.

"With only one week left...." So, who wins? All of the ones left? A lovely parting gift from Dicker & Dicker of Beverly Hills?

[LittleIggy]

Jim is upset that he has to draw his porn in the sand with a stick. What a douchenozzle! Tell him no work, no food.

[riverheightsnancy]

One week left, wow. These guys would all be dead without the doc or if they were on Alone. All of the camera guys and the doc are totally strong. They really don't seem any worse for the wear. 

[Thumper82003]

I say Jim takes Dakota with him on the crazy train. All the others may make it barring a stupid accident.

Jim really is using the Murphy PD to rewrite his history. I wonder why they allow it.